STORY EXCERPT

“Hi, I’m Corey Hart.” He smiled brightly up at Zavis Surkov, his mate, and tried to climb over the hedge.

It was harder than he thought. He couldn’t get a foothold, and the hedge spiked his hand. He kept trying, though, tearing his top a little and scratching his arm.

“Hello, Corey.” Zavis’s voice was deep and grainy and sent a flush of awareness through Corey, tingling him from head to toes. Stepping forward, Zavis leaned over the hedge, slipped his hands around Corey’s waist and lifted him up and over.

“What everyone says about gargoyles is true,” Corey squealed, but quickly stopped. He didn’t want to look like a putz! He spoke as soon as he was placed on his feet. “Gargoyles are strong!”

“You are but a small wizard. It does not take much to lift you.” Zavis Surkov studied Corey.

“He may be small, but he’s big vocally,” Drax said. “Mates?”

“Yep!” Corey grinned.

Dimitri slapped Zavis on the back. “We shall celebrate! This is excellent, cousin. Another wizard in the family.”

Zavis cut his gaze to Dimitri. “No celebrating.”

“I like a good celebration!” Corey got excited. “Yes! I’ll send a group text.” His phone appeared in his hand with a little magic, and he hit a few icons. “We’ll let everyone know. How’s this afternoon for you?” Corey shot off a text. “Done. Party is set for five this afternoon. That gives us time to get to know each other.”

“I’ll organize the food and drink,” Paskal, one of Dimitri’s many brothers, said. “Congratulations, Zavis. Welcome to the family, Corey.”

Grinning up at the gargoyles, Corey noticed his mate was not smiling. Zavis’s mix of charcoal and blue eyes flickered over Corey momentarily before looking back toward the house and land behind them. Dimitri moved close and spoke so quietly in Zavis’s ear that Corey couldn’t hear what he was saying, which was unusual because, as a paranormal, he had heightened hearing. He also had heightened eyesight, speed, agility, healing, and as an immortal wizard, he didn’t age past twenty-two years.

Zavis made a guttural noise, eyes flashing briefly before Paskal slapped his arm and pointed at Corey. The gargoyles seemed to do a lot of slapping.

“What? Do you need to do something now? That’s cool! I can hang out and pat the llamas.”

“Don’t go near them unless you want to be trampled.” Paskal laughed. “They’re learning to be social but haven’t quite understood that kicking, biting and stepping on others is unpleasant.”

“They look so nice.” Corey gaped at the llamas he could see grazing in another field. “I’m sure they’ll get used to me.”

“A party it is,” Dimitri thundered. “This is extremely good for you, Zavis. All you do is work on the farm and house and say you are too busy or too tired to socialize. I feel Corey will be perfect for you.”

“Well, Corey certainly keeps things lively.” Drax smirked. “I’ve let Mason know. He wants you to call him, Corey.”

“Sure, sure, no prob’. Later.” He beamed up at Zavis, well aware that the big hulking gargoyle was a bit out of sorts at present. This was probably a shock. Finding your mate was exhilarating and unnerving. Corey understood. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to stay right by his mate’s side from now on. “I’d love to see your farm.” He considered a few minutes. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a real farm before. I could become a farmhand!”

Tu spurted a laugh which he quickly covered with a cough when Corey shot his friend a narrow-eyed look.

“How many people are you expecting for the party?” Paskal asked.

Corey glanced at his phone, seeing all the notifications. “Probably about fifty. Some friends will have to work.”

“What?” Zavis’s mouth gaped. “These are your close friends?”

“Friends. Acquaintances. Frenemies.” Corey shrugged. “Maybe I should invite the entire coven.”

Paskal laughed while Zavis shook his head firmly. Dimitri flashed a wide smile.

“You will quickly learn, Corey, our Zavis is of a quieter nature. This does not mean he doesn’t join in a celebration, and he enjoys an ale with friends. At present, he is working hard to establish this winery.”

Corey could appreciate this. He wasn’t sure farm life was his thing, but he definitely wanted to give it a go. And it really wasn’t far from both his best friends’ homes. Jay lived at the gargoyle domain a few miles away and Tudor at the fae guild about five miles in the opposite direction to Zavis’s farm.

He smiled at Zavis and suggested that they could hold the celebration at the Armstrong coven. That way, the animals and land weren’t disturbed. The relief was evident on the man’s face.

“We better bring the food and drink then,” Paskal murmured and typed something into his phone.

Dimitri nodded. “Da.”

“The Armstrong coven puts on a good spread,” Corey said, intrigued.

“I’m sure they do, Corey.” Paskal patted his shoulder. “And I enjoy a delicate pastry as much as the next person or a light balsamic vinaigrette over my salad.”

Corey laughed. “Yeah, we enjoy good food.”

“And we’re gargoyles. Now that I live with Jay, I’ve seen he eats a helluva lot, so I know there will be lots of food, and it’ll be snapped up fast by witches and wizards. Gargoyles eat a lot too. Large amounts at a time. Big servings. We’ll contribute to the food and drink.”

“Cool.” Corey found that thoughtful.

“Zavis, Paskal and I will return to the domain and organize festivities with Mason. Spend time with your mate.” Dimitri turned to Drax, and they walked off toward where the wolf shifter had parked his truck by the side of the road.

“Do you want me to stay?” Tu whispered.

“Nah, but thanks.”

Tudor looked a little uncertain but ended up hurrying over to Drax when his brother-in-law called him.

“Would you like to remain, Corey Hart?”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’ve always fantasized about doing it in a car.” Corey nibbled Zavis’s neck.

Zavis had not fantasized about having sex in a car, possibly because he’d done this before. Saying so would undoubtedly spoil the mood, so he kept his mouth shut and found a spot to pull off the road and out of the light of oncoming traffic.

It had been a long time since his sex drive took over his actions, and he’d forgotten the difficulties of manoeuvring in a small space designed for something entirely different, but that in no way stopped Zavis and Corey. Adjusting his seat by moving it backward and the backrest into a quarter reclining position, Corey slid across onto Zavis’s lap. Their lips sought each other’s, and the potency of their needs and the chemistry between them was all-consuming.

Wanting to touch his mate and feel warm, soft skin without clothing hindering, Zavis gripped the hem of Corey’s top and lifted it up and over the wizard’s head, their lips momentarily separating to allow the removal before quickly seeking pleasure once more. He tossed the top aside as Corey’s quick and efficient fingers undid the buttons on Zavis’s top and pushed the material aside. Their hands roamed naked chests and bare shoulders while Corey rocked his pelvis against Zavis’s lap.

There was little either could do to halt or dampen the powerful chemistry that drove them to fumble for buttons and zippers on jeans. They were mates with a consuming, driving need to claim and bond, to be as close as possible.

But if it were only the mate draw that caused this, they would have had sex, claimed and bonded earlier when first meeting. For Zavis, knowing Corey now, being with the wizard most of the day and into the evening had led his feelings to expand and develop into liking and desire, not just wants and needs of a mate.

With their pants undone, Zavis pushed Corey’s jeans down, breaking the kiss and nibbling his way along the man’s neck to the curve where shoulder and throat joined. Corey’s cock sprung free, red, full, slender and bouncing. Wrapping a hand firmly around, he swirled his thumb across the head, teasing the little slit and spreading the leaking liquid.

“Oh!” Corey’s entire body jerked. He began thrusting himself into Zavis’s hand and panted. “Lube. Back pocket,” he moaned, his thrusts increasing pace, “of my jeans.”

Zavis loved the freedom of feelings and expression from Corey. Seeing his mate enjoying himself, giving himself, enhanced his own pleasure. Reaching around and without the aid of being able to see, he felt for the lube. It took a few moments and Corey directing, but he finally found the foil. Not wishing to remove his hand from Corey’s leaking cock, he used his teeth to tear open the package and coated his free fingers.

With his own cock ready and aching and Corey’s movements becoming uncoordinated, his breathing ragged, Zavis reached around and slipped his fingers between Corey’s ass cheeks.

“So close! Stretch me quick. I want us to come together.”

Zavis found the little puckered hole and rubbed his fingers over it. Corey was more than close. He was ready to spurt. Zavis increased his hand pressure, firming his strokes from base to tip and back. He felt Corey twitch and jerk in his hand, felt his mate’s smooth balls bounce then pull up tight just before his release pulsed out, coating Zavis’s chest and abs. It was primal to see his mate caught up in the heat between them and made Zavis want to see his mate exactly like this often.

He slipped a finger deep inside Corey’s tight ass and wiggled as the muscles contracted around him. Corey cried out as his body released streams of cum, Zavis enthralled by his wizard, flushed with desire that Corey was his mate.

“More,” Corey managed before crushing his mouth onto Zavis’s.

Giving what his mate wanted, Corey urging with his body and mouth for Zavis to hurry, and feeling the urgency from his own body, he stretched carefully but quickly. Corey kissed and nibbled lips, and his hands were once more busily stroking and caressing, tweaking Zavis’s nipples until they stood rigid and hard. The wizard’s magical hands moved down, and like how he had taken Zavis’s mouth, his hands took Zavis’s cock and balls and caressed. Somehow during all this touching, Corey found the discarded foil and coated his fingers with the remaining lube, the smooth slipperiness enhancing the feel.

Hissing with pleasure, Zavis wished there was more room. He wanted to take Corey down, lay and spread his mate out, to taste not only his lips, throat and nipples, but his cock and balls, his cum. He wanted to bury himself deep in his mate while trying out numerous positions.

“Wands and broomsticks,” Corey muttered, riding Zavis’s fingers while moving his legs awkwardly. “I need to get higher up.”

Removing his fingers and raising his knees, spreading them as far as the space would allow, Zavis grunted, hitting his knee. This was quickly forgotten when Corey’s knee jabbed into Zavis’s stomach before readjusting.

It was awkward, and for brief moments a little uncomfortable, but then Corey positioned himself just right. Zavis held his cock as his wizard slowly took him inside. Their lips locked together, their moans shared, breathing ragged between kisses. Zavis removed his hand from his cock as Corey took him in and placed them on Corey’s slim hips, resting, not pushing, occasionally gripping throughout the taking.

It was delicious and overwhelming. Every slight movement constrained by the space they were in and the tightness of Corey’s ass. His wizard took his time riding Zavis’s cock at first, their bodies adjusting and finding a rhythm. Zavis wished it to last, but it didn’t, and then he no longer wanted to think, enjoying the feelings, his hands clutching and holding, guiding Corey as they moved together.