STORY EXCERPT

“Who is this?” Marcus said with a yawn.

“Lance, and we have to meet, like now.” Lance kept away from his window. He didn’t want Nelo to see he was on the phone.

“Dude, you’ve got to stop making a habit of calling me at the crack of dawn. What times is it?”

“Nelo is at my house,” Lance whispered. “He’s right below my window. Please, you’ve got to help me.”

“Come again?” Marcus sounded wide-awake now.

Lance told his ex-coworker about the private meeting. He explained how he’d gotten busted eavesdropping, how Nelo had looked at him, and that, now, the vampire was lingering down below. “I don’t want to die, Marcus.”

“Hang on.”

He heard hushed voices in the background. Lance paced his room, biting his nails. Finally, Marcus came back to the phone. “Give me your address. Whatever you do, stay inside. Keep your bedroom door locked, Lance. Help is on the way.”

“Okay.” Lance released a shuddering breath as he gave Marcus his address. “Just get here before I die a painful death.”

Lance hung up the phone and backed away from the window, his heart pounding. He didn’t know how long Nelo would stay there, but he didn’t want to find out. He quickly went to his door and locked it.

Then he got dressed, slipping on his sneakers, too. If he had to make a run for it, he wanted to be dressed and not forced to flee in his pajamas. He secured every window in his room and then blocked his bedroom door with his dresser. As soon as he did, Nelo’s voice appeared outside his door, as if the vampire was in his hallway. It was a low growl of a sound that made Lance’s heart nearly give out.

“Come now, little lamb,” Nelo said. “Don’t think you can hide from me. I can smell your fear. I also remember your scent from that underground garage. It’s very naughty spying on people.”

Lance was definitely going to have a heart attack. Sweat dripped down his brow as he heard the vampire’s every move outside his room. He knew he couldn’t hold out much longer. His only hope was that help would come in time.

Then Lance heard tires squealing outside. He ran to his window and saw a black SUV parked in the semi-circular driveway. He recognized Beast. He also saw another guy, the one who’d shown up when Lance had been following Beast and Marcus, though he didn’t know the stranger’s name.

Nelo snarled from the other side of Lance’s bedroom door, his voice filled with rage. “You think those wolves can save you, little lamb? They can’t. No one can. I will have you.”

Wolves? Lance’s brain was about to explode. He’d learned more in the past hour than he ever wanted to know. Beast and his friends were wolves? When his phone began to ring, Lance screamed. He hurried over to his bed and saw it was Marcus calling him.

“He was just outside my bedroom door,” Lance said, wondering where the hell his father was. Was Randolph still in his study? That would explain why he hadn’t heard anything. Then again, Nelo had spoken so low that no one would have heard him.

“Beast and Talon are breaching your house,” Marcus said. “Stay in your room. Nelo is a coward, and he’s going to run when he sees them.”

Nelo didn’t seem like a coward to Lance. He was downright terrifying.

“Tell me where your room is located.”

Lance swallowed. “West wing. Second floor. Third door on the right.”

“West wing?” Marcus sounded confused. “Okay, I’m texting that to Beast. Your bedroom is in a wing of a house?”

“It sounds more glamorous than it is.” Lance rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s more like a luxurious prison.”

“We’ll talk more about that when you get here. They’re going to take you to their house. I’m there so don’t sweat being around strangers. Beast dropped me off before he and Talon raced to your address.”

“Is Talon the guy who was in the parking lot that day, the day I followed you?”

“Yes.”

Lance wasn’t sure he would be able to face Talon. He’d fallen instantly in lust with the guy when he’d entered the convenience store and seen the tall, muscular stranger with his strong jaw and gorgeous amber eyes. Lance had been a nervous wreck after he’d been busted following them and didn’t have the nerve to talk to the guy.

When a soft knock landed on his door, Lance jumped. “Is that Beast at my bedroom door?”

“Let me check.”

It felt like an eternity before Marcus said, “It’s Talon. Let him into your room. I’ll see you when you get here.”

After shoving his dresser aside, which was a lot harder now that he didn’t have adrenaline shooting through him, Lance opened the door.

Talon stood outside, looking every bit as intimidating as Lance remembered. His muscles bulged under his tight-fitting shirt, and his sharp jawline looked like it could cut through glass. But when Talon caught Lance’s gaze, his stern expression softened.

“Are you okay?” Talon asked, his voice low and soothing.

Lance shook his head, tears prickling his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“You don’t have to be.” Talon took Lance’s hand and led him into the hallway. “We’re going to take you someplace safe.”

ADULT EXCERPT

As they waited for their food, Talon’s mind wandered to what it would be like to have Lance in his bed, completely at his mercy. He wanted to explore every inch of that delicate frame, to make Lance tremble beneath him with pleasure.

Talon shook his head, admonishing himself for those thoughts. He was supposed to be protecting Lance, not seducing him. But the more time he spent with the other man, the harder it was to resist the temptation. Their food arrived, and the conversation turned to more casual topics. Talon found himself wanting to know everything about Lance, to unravel all his secrets and hidden desires.

They finished their meal, and Talon paid the bill. Then they headed back to the car. Silence stretched between them as they drove to Lance’s father’s house. Talon’s mind was on Lance, on the way his heart had raced and his pupils had dilated when they’d almost kissed earlier. The tension in the car was thick, almost palpable.

All too soon they parked, and Lance reached for the door handle. Talon placed a hand on his arm. “Let me make sure everything is okay.”

“I’m just going to my car,” Lance said. “The keys are inside, tucked in the cup holder. Unless vampires can hide in backseats during the day, I think I’m okay.”

Talon should have let one of his pack members retrieve the car. He didn’t want Lance out of his sight. “Do you remember the way to my house?”

Lance nodded.

“I’ll follow you.” And that would give Talon enough time to get his libido under control.

Then Lance was in his sedan, pulling from the driveway. Talon followed Lance through the city but didn’t feel the tension ease until they were close to the pack house.

Once they arrived at the pack house, Talon parked his car and got out, but he didn’t make a move to walk away from Lance. Instead, he leaned against the hood of his car and waited for Lance to do the same. He could feel Lance’s eyes on him, the tension mounting with each passing second.

“Talon…” Lance began, but he didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he simply stepped closer, his gaze fixed on Talon’s lips.

Talon swallowed hard, feeling the blood rushing to his groin. He knew that this was a mistake, that he shouldn’t let himself get caught up in the heat of the moment. But he couldn’t resist the siren call of Lance’s body, the way it seemed to hum with desire.

Without another word, they were kissing, Talon’s hands tangled in Lance’s hair as he pulled him closer. Their mouths moved together hungrily, their tongues dueling. It was as if they had both been waiting for this moment, their bodies finally giving in to the overwhelming sexual tension that had been building between them.

Damn, kissing Lance had been worth the wait. He was all soft mewls and clingy lips, groaning into Talon’s mouth.

Then they broke apart, and Lance just stared up at him with wide eyes and kiss-swollen lips. “I didn’t expect that.”

Neither had Talon.

But now that he had tasted Lance’s lips, he couldn’t get enough of them.

Talon took a step back, trying to gather his thoughts. There was something about Lance that he couldn’t resist, something that drew him in and made him want more.

“I’m sorry,” Talon said, his voice thick with emotion. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Lance shook his head, his eyes still fixed on Talon’s mouth. “Don’t be sorry. I…I wanted it too.”

Lance’s eyes darkened with desire as he leaned in once more, their lips meeting in another heated kiss. This time Talon took control of the kiss and explored every inch of Lance’s mouth. His hands roamed over Lance’s body, pulling him flush against him so that they could feel the heat radiating off one another.

Talon’s body was on fire, his cock aching with need. He couldn’t wait any longer. “Come on,” he said, breaking the kiss. “Let's go inside.”

Lance nodded eagerly, and together they made their way inside the pack house. Talon led Lance to his bedroom, his heart pounding with excitement. Once they were inside, Talon wasted no time in pushing Lance against the wall, his mouth attacking Lance’s once more. His hands were roaming all over Lance’s body, tugging at his shirt and pants. Lance moaned, his hands fumbling with Talon’s clothes as well.

They broke apart only long enough to remove their clothing, and then they were back together again, bodies pressed flush against each other. Talon let out a low growl, the feel of Lance’s naked flesh against his own nearly driving him insane.

“This is crazy,” Lance said between kisses. “We just met.”

“Weeks ago,” Talon corrected him.

“This is still crazy.” But Lance made no move to back away.

Talon lifted Lance up, pressing him against the wall as he sucked on the guy’s neck. Lance was right. This was crazy, but Talon had never wanted anyone the way he wanted this guy. When Lance jumped up and curled his legs around Talon, all of his control flew out the window.

Lance clung to him, pressing his hard cock against Talon’s gut. Talon was usually so good at keeping his desires in check but not with Lance.

“Do you want this?” Talon asked, his voice husky with desire.

“Yes,” Lance whispered.

That single word sent a jolt of pleasure through Talon. He wanted Lance with a fierceness that took his breath away. He backed up enough to grab the lube from his nightstand then wet his fingers with the gel.

Talon sealed their lips as he plunged two fingers inside Lance’s tight ass. Lance whimpered against Talon’s lips as Talon stretched the guy.

“Now,” Talon said when he pulled away. “Need you now.”

Talon growled, the sound reverberating in the bedroom. Lance’s heat and scent overruled Talon’s mind, and he pushed the other man onto the bed. Lance gasped as Talon pinned him down, their skin slicked with sweat. The fire between them threatened to consume them both.

He moved against Lance, showing him just how much he wanted him as he kissed every inch of the man’s body. Lance moaned and arched his hips, his body responding in perfect rhythm with Talon’s. His heart raced, and beads of sweat trickled down his chest as they moved together, unleashing the storm that had been raging between them.

The sensations were more intoxicating than Talon had ever experienced before, and he was lost in a wave of pleasure. Talon ghosted his lips over Lance’s jaw, his neck, and his shoulder. Lance moaned, scraping his nails along Talon’s back.

This was…incredible. Talon had had sex in the past, plenty of sex, but he wasn’t sure why this was so different. He craved the human like a drug and wanted to drown in his body.

He punched his hips forward, loving how responsive Lance was, how his breath came out in short pants, how pure ecstasy gripped his features, and how he writhed beneath Talon as if he was lost in what they were doing.

So was Talon.