STORY EXCERPT

His own mate had severed their mate thread. That was extreme. He could have just said no. Visij Farrington took it on the chin, sucked it up, and walked over to the interrogation room. He could scent his mate fully now, and the man smelled delicious. Like sharp fine wine, one you acquired a taste for.

The moment he stepped into the room and laid eyes on Dalton Coste, memories resurfaced. He remembered the first time he saw Dalton was at a coffee shop in the city. The shifter had tossed a cup of soup at Visij when he tapped the man on the shoulder. The next moment Vis was standing in line for the counter with soup cooling on his shirt. A customer was saying how rude the person was for tossing soup on Vis. The next encounter was a few months ago at the local city markets, and he was fairly sure Dalton had yelled at Visij about always being around and making a nuisance of himself.

“Don’t let him put his hands together.” Vis hurried forward and, with supernatural speed, slapped a cuff onto Dalton’s left wrist and locked it on with magic.

“What?” Dalton frowned at the cuff. He shook his hand and tried to push it off.

“It is a magic-inhibitor cuff and also works on gifts.” Caspar sat and smiled at Dalton.

“This can’t be legal.” Dalton scowled at River and pointed to the cuff. “Where’s my lawyer?”

“Will the cuff stop him from being able to shift?” Finn asked.

“Yep.” Vis sat in the seat beside Dalton and turned to face his mate.

He was a bit thrown. He’d expected to rant and rave at the shifter. To discover Dalton was actually his mate left Vis feeling restless and needing a moment or three to consider the next step. Why had Dalton snapped their mate thread without even taking a second to know him?

“That’s criminal.” River frowned. “You will have to adjust the inhibitor. Shifters need to shift, just as fae need to do magic.”

Vis was reluctant but didn’t want to be accused of intentionally harming his mate. Nor did he want to harm his mate. He absolutely did not trust Dalton though.

“Fine, I’ll adjust it.” He reached out, but Dalton snatched his arm away. The glare he shot Vis very well might have others backing away. Not Vis. He returned the glare just as fiercely. “Do you want to be able to shift or not?”

“I don’t trust you.” Dalton made a peculiar little grunting noise. He pointed at the inhibitor. “You put this on me! Who knows what else you’ll do?”

“Do you want me to adjust it so you can shift or not?” Vis was never one to wheedle or back down. And he was liking his feisty mate’s attitude. It was a turn-on. He liked the mussed-up platinum hair with frosted tips, the narrowed, distrustful light brown eyes, and the sharp tone.

“I want it off.”

“Forget it. I remember each time we’ve run into each other, and I don’t trust you not to snap your hands and make me forget again. You want to shift, then I’ll adjust the inhibitor. That’s it.”

“Finn!” Dalton exclaimed shrilly.

“Umm?” Finn was leaning against a wall texting on his phone. He looked up. “It’s the best deal you’re going to get.”

After another peculiar, yet cute grunt, Dalton thrust out his arm, very nearly smacking Vis in the chest. Vis would have smiled, but he was miffed as well as happy. Miffed because Dalton had severed their mate thread three times. What was that about? Yet, he was happy to have his mate.

Focusing his magic, Vis waved a hand over the inhibitor then slid his forefinger along the metal lightly. Dalton immediately pulled his arm back so as to be nowhere near Vis.

“Done. I want to know how your gift works. I’m remembering every time we’ve met before.”

Dalton lifted his chin and crossed his arms. “Well, you shouldn’t. But I can see you’ve somehow restored the mate thread.”

Vis could practically touch the animosity directed toward him, yet he didn’t know why. Now that he remembered the past times he’d seen Dalton before, there was no obvious reason why his mate didn’t like him. They never even spoke! Aside from Dalton yelling at him. He wanted answers. He deserved answers. Vis had a strong sense Dalton wasn’t going to give him what he wanted.

“Since you’ve snapped the thread between us three times, I’m surprised you didn’t make it permanent.”

“Oh, I wanted to, believe me.” Dalton huffed. “And I should have. After the last time I was really considering it, too. This has to be inhumane or something.” Dalton hissed at River, pointing at the cuff.

River blinked then quickly looked at his tablet. “I’m not your lawyer.”

“Nor a friend.” Dalton flopped back in the seat elegantly.

“Five minutes ago, you very clearly said we weren’t friends.” River flashed a smile.

“We don’t know each other.” Visij drew Dalton’s attention back to him. “But I’ve apparently caused you to dislike me. I’d like to know why.”

There was silence for at least forty seconds before Finn sighed and spoke up. “It’s not you, Vis. It’s all about Dalton. He’s not friendly. He’s not loyal. He’s fairly self-absorbed and mostly disinterested in others. Oh, and he has a huge attitude if you hadn’t noticed.”

Dalton rolled his eyes. “Thanks, friend.”

Finn just smiled. “It’s because you’re my friend that I put up with all that shit. Will Visij?”

ADULT EXCERPT

What didn’t he like about Dalton Coste? At this moment with his mate spread across the bed naked and aroused, wanting Vis, waiting for him, Vis saw complete perfection. He loved Dalton’s stylish platinum hair. It wasn’t actually hair but a bunch of quills Vis couldn’t run his fingers through without receiving a half-dozen nicks. He loved Dalton’s light brown eyes, which, even now, when filled with desire, were still crammed with real suspicion.

“Are you just going to stare at me? Because if this is it, I’d rather have a shower and wank.”

And he loved Dalton’s sharp, if not acerbic, tongue. This was exactly who his mate was, along with kind, like he had been to the assistant at the drink kiosk and how he defended Vis. He was exactly right for Vis, and Vis was going to work out how to be who Dalton needed and, more importantly, wanted.

“Staring at you brings me great pleasure.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips over his mate’s. “As does being with you. Whether like this or arguing about whether croutons are just soggy muck in soup or a tasty addition.”

“They are disgusting soggy muck,” Dalton murmured, fingertips gliding over Vis’ pecs and eliciting pleasurable sensations. “Makes me dry retch.”

Sexy talk was obviously not either of their forte, but Vis liked their way so much better. Covering his mate’s mouth with his own, he kissed Dalton, showing how much he felt for the man already, the burgeoning love and the lust pulsing through him just for his mate.

The kiss felt endless. Vis wasn’t sentimental, and he wasn’t a romantic. He was direct and said to be hard. Yet, he felt dizzy with the emotions and sensations that were flooding him. Moving so they were chest to chest, he pressed Dalton for more. His mate gave, wrapping a leg tight around Vis’ ass and bringing them groin to groin. Vis reached down to undo his pants, frustrated by the material between them.

Dalton’s hand slipped beneath the waistband of the jeans and wrapped around Vis’ erect cock. He’d been aching before, but now his body blazed with heat from his lover’s caress. Dalton firmly held Vis’ cock in his warm grip within the restrictive confines of the jeans, their bodies pressed tightly together and moving in torturous slowness.

Their kisses became intense, teeth scraping at times, Vis careful to keep from grasping too hard, though he wanted to lock Dalton to him, plunder his mouth and body and claim him for all time. Instead, he kept his needy hands moving and explored his lover’s soft skin and enjoyed the little moans and gasps. Not for a moment did Dalton’s hand waver in its ministrations. Each stroke with its constant rhythm was pleasurable torture.

He broke their wild kisses. “The lube is in the bedside drawer. You’ll have to let go of my cock so I can get it.”

“Take off your jeans and underwear, too. They’re damn difficult to maneuver around.” Dalton let go and slipped his hand out of Vis’ jeans.

“I fucking love your straight talking, soul mate.” He kissed Dalton’s nose and sat up.

The small but happy smile Dalton gave burst through straight to Vis’ heart. It was precious to him.

“I’m beginning to see that. I like your straight talking, too. Where is the lube? Left or right?”

“Right.” Vis slid off the bed. He slipped off his shoes and socks and shucked his jeans, unable to take his eyes from his mate.

Dalton turned onto his stomach and stretched out to the bedside table. His body was beautiful. There were scars from his ordeal, but they could never deflect from the attractive rounded ass, the defined V of his groin, and slim, toned torso. Securing the lube and a packet of wipes Vis kept in the drawer, Dalton dropped them onto the bedspread and propped himself on an elbow, head resting on the palm of his hand. His other hand began stroking himself.

Vis liked that. Climbing onto the bed, he loomed over his mate. “Lie down.” He grinned at Dalton’s glare. “Please.”

With a put-upon sigh, Dalton let go off his cock and flopped back. Vis didn’t wait for the man to get comfortable. Grabbing the lube, he flipped the lid as he leaned down and licked the tip of Dalton’s lovely cock. A little salty and delicious.

With a good amount of lube now in the palm of his hand, he closed the lid and dropped the bottle onto the bed. Spreading the liquid over his fingers, he lay on his stomach and enjoyed his now favorite treat. Taking Dalton’s cock into his mouth, he sucked in deep and massaged with his tongue as he moved up and down.

Dalton groaned, legs spreading and knees coming up. Vis’ balls tingled. With lube coating his fingers, he slid a fingertip along the groove between Dalton’s ass cheeks, stopping at the neat star and rubbing. The cock in his mouth jerked, and he savored the taste of his mate.

Having a sense that his lover liked to be well stretched, he took his time and enjoyed it. This was special, not only because it was their first time together and they were mates but because of the trust Dalton was giving to Vis with his body, and the pleasure meant more than could be expressed. But Vis was going to give a damn good try of expressing just how he felt about that trust.

Enjoying the unique flavor of his mate, Vis opened his mouth more and took Dalton in fully as his fingers continued to rub and press. Inserting his middle finger just inside, he stilled a moment and moved his mouth up and down slowly, pressing his tongue firmly against the side of Dalton’s lovely cock.