STORY EXCERPT

“Are you finished with your number?” Paden asked Casey as they headed toward the bar. Paden poured himself a Sprite. He never drank on the job. Hard to run a nightclub if you were shitfaced.

“Done for now.” Casey hurried ahead of him, and Paden saw why so many men and women fawned over the guy. Paden never went for the twinkish type, but a lot of others did. Casey asked for some fruity drink. By then, Hudson had gone behind the bar to take Cash’s place until Cash returned. He made Casey’s drink as Paden rounded the bar, ready to head to his office.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Michaya Espelimbergo.

The vampire had been in town for a while now, and the two had had a single run-in. Once had been enough to know that Michaya was his mate. Once was enough to know that Paden needed to steer clear of the guy.

Paden was fairy. Fairies were forbidden to mate outside their species. It was actually a law among his kind. Backward, outdated, and downright ridiculous in Paden’s opinion, but nonetheless true. Not only would he be shunned by the fairies but Oberon—king of the fairies—would also punish him.

Though there were rumors that some fairies had mated other species, Paden had never met any mixed couples. Then again, with the strict law, there was no telling if swift justice had been brought down on them or if the couples had gone into hiding. That was probably why Paden had never met any and the reason he would never mate Michaya.

Fairies took that law very seriously. Paden had heard that the Shadow Elves had the same kind of law. Although he’d also heard they had that law for a different reason. Paden shuddered when he thought about how they inbred. Yuck.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he spotted the vampire walking with confident strides, his eyes watchful, observant as he made his way through the club.

“Close your mouth,” Casey teased as he moved to stand next to Paden, fruity drink in hand—paper umbrella included. “You’re gonna catch flies if you leave your chin on your chest.”

Paden closed his mouth and cleared his throat before he waved Casey away. “Go find someone else to pester.”

Casey stuck his tongue out. “There are plenty of men who would love to be pestered by me.”

That might be true, but Paden knew Casey wasn’t that kind of guy. From what his friend had told him, the human had dated two men in his entire life. That was hard to believe considering Casey was a stripper, but Paden knew the man, and outside of work, the guy was shy as hell when it came to men. Quite the contradiction, but that was life.

He ignored the stripper as he watched Michaya slowly walk around the wall of dancers. Some hypnotic song began to play, a song with a dark beat, and it felt as if Paden’s vision had narrowed to a single soul.

Michaya.

Oh, man…

He was vampire and acted the part. Paden felt the man’s power from across the room as the guy swept his dark gaze back and forth. Michaya had walked into Silk Room as if he owned the place. He was all dark looks and sleek muscle, and his overwhelming sexual charisma nearly succeeded in bringing Paden to his knees.

Michaya was every gay man’s wet dream. Paden itched to touch any part of the guy’s body. His teeth ached to bite the man’s nicely rounded ass. Michaya was sex on two legs, and Paden wanted to jump his bones.

But he’d never dated anyone but fairy, and that was a rule he never broke.

Except, what Paden saw, he wanted. Michaya was a delectable dream walking through his club, and Paden had to keep reminding himself that he could never have the man. What he needed right now was a cold shower.

Michaya stopped and spoke with Hudson. His head was bent at an angle that indicated he was whispering. The preternatural had superior hearing. That only told Paden what Michaya had to say was confidential.

Paden began to wish the guy would whisper into his ear, though what he wanted Michaya to say might be illegal in some states.

His breath froze in his lungs when the vampire slowly turned his head and glanced Paden’s way. Their gazes locked, and Paden found it hard to take a breath. From across the club, and to his utter shock, the guy winked at him.

Paden nearly melted into the floor. He, Paden Dain, business owner, grown man, and well versed in sex, found himself blushing like a schoolboy with a crush.

It was hard ripping his gaze away, but he managed. He’s not a fairy. Stop salivating over him.

Those words chased around in Paden’s mind as he made his way to his office. He couldn’t let his guard down, not for a second, so his best course of action was to flee. Paden wasn’t proud of running, but what else could he do?

Something brushed his back. It was solid and unexpected. Energy flowed over Paden. His skin tingled like a thousand tiny fingers of electricity were touching him as he turned to find Michaya standing right behind him. The man, strong and imposing, moved closer, and the effect was intimidating.

“Hello, Paden.” Michaya’s voice was deep and smooth, making Paden shiver. He stared into onyx-colored eyes and felt as if he was drowning in them.

ADULT EXCERPT

Michaya dipped his head, crushing his lips to Paden’s, ending the argument. He wrapped an arm around his mate, placing his other around the man’s shoulders so he could cup Paden’s head.

Paden stiffened and then melted against him. Michaya wasn’t going to allow anyone to tell him that he couldn’t have his mate. He wasn’t sure if Paden was telling that truth about breaking some law, but, at the moment, all Michaya could think about was claiming the man.

He’d worry about details later.

Right now, the only thing important to him was enveloped in his arms, and Michaya planned on never letting the fairy go.

Paden pulled his head back. When Paden stared into his eyes, Michaya knew, in that very moment, that his heart was lost to him. Paden looked so vulnerable, as if terrified to place his trust in Michaya’s hands.

“I’ll never do anything to break that trust.” He kept his voice low and soft before kissing Paden’s temple. “I’d go to any length to keep that promise.”

Michaya stood there in wonderment when Paden’s colorful wings began to flutter furiously. He’d seen them flutter before, but at a distance. Up close, they were amazing.

It was Paden who gripped his neck and yanked him closer, kissing him savagely. Michaya growled approvingly. He turned them both and then tripped Paden, forcing the fairy to fall to the bed. Michaya kept his weight off of the small man but trapped Paden beneath him.

He pushed up, gazing down at the fairy. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

“Kiss me before I change my mind,” Paden pleaded.

Michaya slanted his head and took Paden’s lips in a soulful kiss. He ran his hand up the man’s side, pushing Paden’s shirt upward. The fairy leaned up, stealing kisses as he yanked his shirt off.

He looked so fragile, yet Michaya knew that was far from the truth. Paden was a lot stronger than the man knew. Whatever they had to face, they’d face it together. There was no way in hell he was giving this man up.

He took one of Paden’s nipples into his mouth, suckling at the man’s chest as he undid his pants. He kicked his shoes off, then his pants. He helped Paden out of his jeans, yanking them down and off.

When Michaya pulled back, he removed his shirt. Standing next to the bed, his head fell back, and his fangs elongated when Paden reared up and began to lick his chest. He worked those magical lips down Michaya’s body until Paden reached Michaya’s cock. Paden got on all fours, alternating between kissing and licking.

Before he could catch his breath, Paden took Michaya’s cock down his throat. Michaya lowered his head, watching the fairy with fascination. He grabbed a handful of hair and tugged, keeping the man in place as he punched his hips forward.

Paden licked, sucked, and took Michaya all the way down his throat before doing it all over again. Fuck. The man’s mouth was pure magic. Just that fast he’d become addicted to Paden’s talent.

“Shit, angel,” Michaya said with a hiss. “That’s it. Take me all the way down.”

Michaya’s legs began to shake. He was close. His gaze landed on Paden’s ass, and Michaya wanted to be buried deep inside his mate, but his thoughts shattered when his climax tore him apart.

He threw his head back, grunting loudly as he came down Paden’s throat. When he looked back down at his mate, Paden had a wicked grin on his face while licking his lips.

Michaya growled as he grabbed Paden and threw the man onto his back. Paden laughed, squirming as Michaya tried to pin him down. Michaya gave a soft chuckle as he tried to grab Paden’s wrists, but the fairy kept waving his hands around, as though challenging Michaya to catch them.

When he tickled Paden, the man instinctively grabbed his stomach, laughing. Michaya grabbed his wrists, sufficiently pinning them above his head. “Don’t make me cuff them.”

“You might have to,” Paden said, his eyes growing darker. “Do you think I’m gonna give it up so easily?”

Michaya liked the playful side to his mate. He’d had a feeling the fairy would be wild, and he loved it. He thrust his hips, making their cocks rub together. “I think I can persuade you.”

Paden’s eyelids fluttered as he turned his head to the side. His back arched, a moan escaping his lips. The man left him breathless. Scooting down some, Michaya teased Paden’s nipple between his lips.

“Oh god.” Paden moaned those two words as he writhed. He wrapped his short legs around Michaya, reminding him just how small his mate was. The move also made Michaya’s cock slip between them, resting against the man’s tempting ass.

“Is that a request?” Michaya moved to the other nipple, sucking the nub into his mouth, lashing his tongue over the hardened flesh. His heart raced even faster when Paden dropped his legs and then spread them in invitation.

Without releasing Paden’s nipple, Michaya reached over and grabbed the lube from his nightstand drawer. He wet his fingers and then slid two inside Paden’s ass. The tight heat surrounded Michaya’s fingers. He had to close his eyes in order to leash his control.

“M-Michaya,” Paden said with a pant.

Releasing the nipple, Michaya nuzzled Paden’s neck, licking along the throbbing vein. He ached to sink his fangs deep but held back. He wouldn’t drink from his mate until he was deep inside the man. Instead, he placed light kisses slowly down Paden’s shoulder, breathing the man in.

“Take me,” Paden pleaded softly. “I want to feel you inside of me.”