MAVERICK DANKER

STORY EXCERPT

Maverick

I was depressed… Plain and simple. I was two thousand years old and I was still alone, always alone. I’m always the man behind the position, keeping them safe and putting my life on the line to protect them. Don’t get me wrong, Caleb Kyros was a great guy, and I was proud to be his head of security. It’s just that I’d spent so long ensuring everyone else’s happiness and way of life I couldn’t help but wonder when I got my own.

When I turned two thousand a few weeks ago, everything in my life seemed to change focus. It’s not like I got lax in my work. I just got fed up with it all and most of the people around me. Everyone always came to me with any problem, personal or professional, and looked to me to magically solve it. But who did I have to go to? No one. There was no one I could open up with and be myself. There was no one to love me.

And it sucked huge monkey balls.

It was always Mav, what do we do? Or Mav, I need this fixed. And Mav, I need your help. Constantly. All day, every day, and I was just tired. It wasn’t like I didn’t like helping or being in charge. It was just I was tired of it. Caleb threw me a huge birthday bash, his mates’ brothers even flying in. I had gotten so excited, already having decided in my mind that after having met one set of twins that weren’t my mates, the last single ones would be.

Nope. Not my mates. It didn’t seem like I deserved mates and wouldn’t ever find any. But why? Why didn’t I? I’d spent my whole life in the service of others for the greater good. Why couldn’t I be happy, too?

Part of me just wanted to resign. Most warriors didn’t retire until after they were mated or took teaching jobs to train the next generation of warriors. But after one thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years of service, I thought I’d given enough.

I think Caleb realized I was close to quitting, so that’s why he sent me on this trip—for a change of scenery and to clear my head. I know I’d become a bear with everyone. People who would always ask my advice or help were now giving me a wide berth at the palace. Which actually made me fall into this depression. If I had any real friends, wouldn’t they be making sure I was okay and trying to help me for once? I guess I didn’t have any friends.

Yeah, that helped my midlife crisis. Or late-life crisis? What was it called when you could live forever? Fine, my life crisis.

So now I was on a borrowed Boeing 787 Dreamliner to pick up a few hundred displaced fae. It was an eleven-hour flight, but I didn’t mind. I was alone with no one to pester me or give me funny looks or ask me for anything. And the plane was luxurious even though it was huge. We’d moved things around because while we had a lot of passengers coming, extra room was needed for all their belongings. I just hoped we could fit it all. A lot of people equaled a lot of stuff.

Either way I was being sent to be Caleb’s ambassador and get everything handled so the fae could make the transition into our world as easily as possible. I’d do him proud and welcome them. But when I got home, I was pretty sure I was going to talk to him and then our Council about stepping down. It was time to live my own life… Even if it was alone.

* * * *

Tyler

I was a freak. There was no way around it. I was completely, totally, and utterly a freak. I’d been tortured by my Alpha, beaten several times within an inch of my life, and used for years as a blood whore. But I didn’t hate all that happened to me. That’s why I never let Ayden, our Kappa and trauma healer, help me. I didn’t want him to see what was going on in my head.

Granted, I didn’t like the beatings or being tortured. But I did love being used and treated like a slut when those demons were all hopped up on my blood. To a vampire or demon, shifter blood was like Viagra, speed, and an injection of testosterone. Once they had it in their system, they had wanted me so badly that it just flipped my switch.

Okay, I hated the way they would hit me or bite me savagely to where it hurt and left me bruised. But I missed all those men wanting me so badly, pounding into me until I passed out from the pleasure. Hell, they used to drink from some of the other shifters they held captive and then come to find me because I wanted to be their slut. Yeah, I was a freak and totally fucked in the head.

Even when I was back with my old Alpha after I’d been rescued, I was his slut. He’d fuck me over and over again and so would the other enforcers. I was a joke to them. I knew that, but the only reason they didn’t screw with me is because I’m built and very strong. Even more so than regular werewolves. I could kick any of their asses besides the Alpha. The sick part? I hated the man. He was pure evil and the way he ran the pack made me sick.

But when he found me at night, it was like none of that mattered because someone wanted me. I’d long since given up any hope of being loved for who I was and was willing to take any scraps of affection just so I felt, even for a moment, I was special to someone.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I know what you need, cub,” I growled as I reached down and fondled his hole. “And I will give it to you as soon as you pledge yourself to me and accept our mating.”

“Yes,” he whispered in awe as if he’d just met Santa Claus.

“We need someplace private,” I said to Barnabas, not even taking my eyes off my mate.

“Okay then,” he drawled. “Up the stairs, to your right, third door on your left.”

“Thank you, your honor.” I stood, my mate still wrapped around me. I gave them a quick nod, smiling as I saw their matching looks of shock. Then I raced up the stairs and found the room he had offered.

“I can’t believe you still want me after what you saw,” Tyler whispered into my neck. I kicked the door closed and rubbed my hands over his back.

“You think you’re sick because you liked parts of being captive, Tyler. It wasn’t the captivity or the abuse you liked. You just needed to find the right person who understands your desires.”

“And you’re that man?”

“Oh yeah,” I moaned as I pulled him off of me. He looked at me funny, but I was too busy taking in my fill of my mate. “Stand very still as I check out what belongs to me.” He shivered and nodded. Always a good sign. “Do you really want to be my slut?”

“Yes,” he whimpered.

“Good. Then bend over and show me what is mine. I want to see the tight hole I’m going to fuck all night.”

I knew I was going to because I was feeling the effects of his blood, and I was so damn horny already that I would hump the wall if it gave me relief. He did as I wanted, and I thought it was time to reward him. I focused on Tyler and let my gift flow. He cried out as he came and would have fallen over if I hadn’t grabbed him around the waist.

“Oh, cub, you are perfect.”

“I’m not a cub anymore,” he gasped, shaking from the force of his orgasm.

“You are to me. You’re thirty-two, and I just turned two thousand. That makes you a cub and I find that hot.”

“Then I’m your cub,” he groaned. I fondled his sac before throwing him onto the bed. I got undressed as quickly as possible as he stared at me. “You’re really hot.”

“The feeling is mutual,” I purred. “I saw in your mind that I don’t need to stretch you or find slick to fuck you because I’m your mate, right?”

“Yes, that’s true.” He nodded as his cock leaked at the idea. Good, because it turned me on, too.

“Spread your legs wide and act like a proper slut, begging for my attention,” I ordered with a feral grin.

“Please fuck me hard and fast,” he pleaded, giving me the show of a lifetime as he practically did the splits with his legs in the air. Nice to know he was that flexible as well. “Pound your huge meat into me until I pass out. Use me as you see fit.”

“Good cub,” I praised as I crawled into bed with him and moved my body over him. I placed my cock at his hole and pushed in just a bit, allowing his body to adjust. I’d seen in his mind that wolves produced a natural wetness when coupling with their mates, and his body would stretch itself out to prepare for me. “Hands over your head.”

“Are you going to pin me down and fuck me?” The lust shining in his beautiful bright blue eyes let me know just how much he liked it.

“Yes, until we get some restraints and chains, that will have to do.” I didn’t wait for an answer, shoving my cock into him fully. God, he felt like heaven! “Oh cub, I’m going to fuck you so good. My horny, slutty cub is perfect.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, the emotions he was struggling with coming to the surface.

“My pleasure.” I covered his wrists with one hand, holding him down as I moved one of his legs around my waist. I started a punishing pace, loving the little wolf howls he made as I fucked him exactly how he wanted. “Are you going to be my personal slut, Tyler? Will you cater to my every desire and give yourself to me always?”

“Yes, yes I’m yours, sir!” I hated that sir shit.

“Maverick,” I grunted, wanting to smack myself in the head when I realized I’d not even told him my name. “My name is Maverick, but everyone calls me Mav.”

“I like it.” He leaned up and licked my neck. “Can I claim you, Mav?”

“You better,” I snarled. I felt his teeth sink into my flesh and our bond snap into place. “You’re mine now, Tyler, and I will take care of you from now on, cub.”

“Will you love me, too, one day?” I could hear the fear in his voice and feel his emotions. Tyler knew he was a good slut and wild in bed but didn’t think anyone could love him because of it.

“Yes, cub. I will love my mate as much as his body,” I pledged. “Now come for me.”

He pulled his teeth out of my neck and screamed out my name. I felt his body clamp down on me as he filled the space between us with his seed. I followed him right over, filling him up as I kept thrusting into him.

Once didn’t seem to be enough.

FERRIS BRADEN

STORY EXCERPT

“Dude, you’re making me look bad,” Jalen hissed to Tyler as they both cut me a glance. “I can do more than carry shit.”

“Yes but I thought it would be best if you showed off your impressive muscles and strength,” Tyler teased. “Sweetie, you need to find a nice boy your own age, not a very, very, very old warrior who’s not your mate.”

“Whatever. Says the guy who sleeps with two men who were practically around when the Ice Age hit,” Jalen bitched and picked up one of the extra tool belts. “I can be more than the errand boy. I’m seventeen now, Tyler.”

“Yeah and you want to know what I’ve learned?” Jalen shrugged in that teenage pouting way. Tyler sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That the older I get the less I realize I know about everything.”

“That’s backwards, dude.”

“No it’s not,” I chuckled as I kept measuring the boards to be cut. “The older you get, the more your world expands. And then you realize you really don’t know much, so you learn what you can. But then it will expand again. I’m over a thousand years old and the fae have me realizing I don’t know much once again.”

I saw Jalen bite his lower lip out of the corner of my eye and then nod. “Okay, I can get that. My whole knowledge of the world doubled when we left the pack.” I glanced at Tyler and he looked satisfied but I knew Jalen well enough to know he wasn’t done. “However, I won’t learn anything if everyone’s always too busy to teach me or just makes me play fetch.”

“Ouch, he won that round, Tyler,” Sydney snickered, shaking her head as she walked by with a wheelbarrow full of concrete. “Okay, kid. You’re with me. I’ll teach you how to fill in the gaps of what we just poured of the foundation and make it all even so they don’t have holes in their floor.”

“Oh baby, say it again, Syd,” I purred. “I love a woman who talks construction.”

“Flipping sides?” Emmett asked with a twinkle in his eye. “I remember you playing for the other team.”

“He just likes to tease.” Sydney shook her head as Jalen glanced at me.

“I could help Ferris with cutting the wood for the floors,” he hedged.

“No!” Sydney, Tyler, and I exclaimed, but it was Tyler that went on. “No power tools, kid. I’m not explaining to Ayden why you’re missing fingers.”

“I’m not a screwup,” Jalen whispered.

“We’re not saying that,” I said gently, realizing he was embarrassed. “We all started with the basics before moving on. You start small and learn how to do things safely. Then you build on what you know, just like we’re building the house step by step.” He didn’t seem appeased so I tried again. “Emmett is older than you and I wouldn’t let him near the saw either.”

“Fine by me. That thing scares me,” Emmett chuckled before sauntering off.

“Come on,” Sydney encouraged as she gave Jalen a wink. “Everyone loves a man who’s good with his hands.”

“Okay, yeah, thanks.” Jalen trailed after her, leaving Tyler and I alone.

“He’s got it bad for you,” Tyler said quietly.

“I rescued him from his old Alpha, Tyler. He’s got a little bit of hero worship going on, nothing more. He’ll grow out of his crush.”

“I hope that’s all it is. After everything he’s been through, I don’t want his heart getting crushed.”

“I know and I don’t want that either. But he’s got to learn in a world where fate gives us mates that you have to be careful not to fall in love with someone else.” That reply didn’t seem to appease Tyler so I tried another approach. “We’ve all gotten our hearts stomped on with our first crush, Tyler. It’s a rite of passage. I’m not leading him on, and I’ve told him several times he’s like a cool little brother. We can’t do anything else to protect him.”

“Yeah, some mistakes we just have to make on our own,” he agreed. He got back to work as I did. We started work on Emmett and Travis’s house, digging the foundation, weeks ago. But then the fae came over and it was all hands on deck to get the fae over here before most of them shipped off to Greece. Now we were finally back to it and it was going really well and very fast with everyone helping.

At this rate we could get a lot of the houses built on the new development on the land Desmond and Elena Marius had broken up for smaller houses. Then maybe people could breathe more. Right now every estate was so crammed with people and belongings like hotels with storage units, I think it was driving everyone crazy.

“I’ve had it, Travis!” Emmett seethed as he stormed in my direction. “This has to stop or we’re never going to make it.”

“I said I was sorry,” Travis begged as he trailed after his mate. “I’m trying, Emmett.”

“How do you try to trust me? You either do or you don’t.” Emmett threw his hands up in the air in frustration but didn’t slow his steps. “You are the most jealous behemoth I’ve ever known.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, I don’t trust them!” Travis argued. I sighed, knowing what was coming next, just as it always did when we got into this argument.

“I’m going to crash at Ferris’s tonight,” Emmett shot right back.

“No you’re not,” I growled, shaking in anger. Both of them froze and stared at me.

“You don’t want to hang out with me? Why can’t I stay with you?” he asked, completely hurt. Normally I cared, but I was tired of being everyone’s port in any storm.

ADULT EXCERPT

I woke to a strangled moan and was instantly awake when I realized I wasn’t alone in the bed. It took me a second to remember what had happened and who I was with. I glanced to Ferris’s face, seeing the bliss on it with his mouth slightly parted.

“This is the best wake-up ever, baby,” he groaned as he rubbed a lump under the covers over his groin. Oh!

“Rylan testing the waters on your chemistry?” I asked before throwing back the bedding. Sure enough, Rylan blinked up at us, smiling as he sucked Ferris’s cock. “Taste good, sweetie?” He nodded and gave me a wink. “Then I want to taste his plump lips.”

“Yes,” Ferris hissed as he grabbed the back of my head and pulled it down to his. Our lips mashed together and I felt a shock through my body like I’d never experienced before. I growled my approval as he let me take charge. But it wasn’t enough. I reached past Rylan and spread Ferris’s legs wide, my fingers rubbing over his hole. Our little mate got the idea and let some of his saliva drip down to slick up the way for me.

“May I?” I asked, knowing some bigger guys didn’t like to be breached.

“Yes, but go slow. I’ve never had anyone in me before,” he answered nervously. “Everyone assumes I want to penetrate them. So after a while I decided to save that for my mates.”

“So considerate,” I cooed as I pushed a finger inside of him.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed and inadvertently thrust his hips up. Rylan choked for a second but recovered just fine.

“You’re so tight, Ferris. Will you let me take you tonight? I’m dying to be inside of my mate. I think you’ll like being in the middle of two men.”

“Do you?” he moaned as he stared at me hesitantly.

“Yes. In general I like controlling the pleasure but sometimes I like to let go and be taken.”

“Good, because I won’t always want to bottom,” he sighed. I knew the feeling.

Rylan pulled off Ferris’s dick with a loud pop. “Well I don’t like to top so it works out well. I’m a fan of a big cock pounding into my ass.” He reached over and cupped my groin. “Oh yeah, fate blessed me with two well-hung mates. I do like to ride my partner bronco-style sometimes too.”

“I don’t know what that means,” I grumbled. I’d spent some time in this world over the years, but I still didn’t know everything about it.

“I like to sit on cock during wild sex.” The little imp gave us a toothy grin before he swallowed Ferris back down.

“Sounds like fun,” I chuckled and then moaned when he squeezed my dick through my jeans. I quickly undid them with my free hand and pulled out my cock.

“You want me to take that my first time bottoming?” Ferris asked with wide eyes.

“We’ll go slow but I promise it will fit.” He nodded hesitantly and I decided kissing him until he couldn’t think right then would be best. I plundered his mouth as Rylan jerked me off. Ferris blew first, my finger still in his ass, and I followed right after him. We lay there gasping for air, both of us partially on Ferris.

“Your turn, baby,” he growled after we got the wind back in our sails.

“Oh yeah,” I agreed. Rylan gave a yelp as we moved around so he was on the bottom and we were looming over him.

“Jesus, you guys are big,” he purred. We practically tore his jeans off of him. I moaned as I got my first look at his firm little body.

“And you’re perfect.” I kissed him as I fondled his sac, smiling at the happy yowls he made. He really was part animal. It was quite the change from what I was used to from a bed partner.

“I feel like getting some cream from our kitty,” Ferris said a few moments later. I glanced down and saw he was licking Rylan’s cock like it was his favorite treat.

“Great idea.” I shimmied down Rylan’s body until it was right in front of me as well. We licked it together, Ferris’s hand pumping his cock, as I kept fondling his balls.

“Fuck, guys. So good,” Rylan mewled as he spread his legs wider. “Someone fuck me!”

“Not yet. Right now is for play.”

“Fine but I’m getting fucked after dinner if I have to break out the toy I brought with me and do it myself!”

“We can help you with that,” Ferris chuckled. We went back to teasing and pleasing him until Rylan was rambling and pleading for us to finish him.

“Please? I’ve been a good kitty. I made you both happy. Don’t be mean. I need. God, do I need. Oh fuck, please?”

A VERY MARIUS CHRISTMAS

STORY EXCERPT

I bit my lip to keep from screaming or sobbing, not really sure which one would have won out when I entered our suite and Noah didn’t even register me… Yet again. He was where he always was, on that damn sofa with that fucking laptop. I stared at the ceiling when I should have been sleeping at night dreaming of ways to destroy that thing.

Instead, I went to one of the wolves I’d become friends with and asked him if he would donate some blood to try and help save my mating.

“I went and saw Abby,” I said as way of greeting as I sat on the couch next to him.

“How’s he doing?” Noah asked, only partially paying attention.

“He’s good. He donated the blood. Are you ready?” I let my voice get husky. I wasn’t going to assume the worst of my mate but I still braced for what I was pretty sure was coming.

“Can’t we do it later, Remus? I’m on a deadline.”

“You promised,” I growled, my heart breaking just a little bit more.

“We can do it tonight. I’ll try and be done by then.”

“You said we’d have all today for just us!” I shouted as I jumped to my feet, setting down the bag of blood before I ended up breaking it as my hands clenched into fists. Noah blinked up at me as if it really just sank in that I was there. “Noah, put away the laptop unless you want me to smash it against the wall like I’ve been dreaming of doing.”

“Why would you want to wreck my laptop?” His eyes went wide as he hit a few buttons, probably saving his all-important work, before closing it and setting it on the coffee table.

“Do you no longer love me?” I whispered instead.

“What?” he gasped as he stood as well. “What has gotten into you?”

“Me?” I bellowed as I threw my arms up in the air in exasperation. “It’s been over two weeks since we’ve been intimate! More than a month since you’ve initiated anything. All you let me do is kiss you on the cheek at night before you sleep on your side of the bed, not even letting me hold you at night.”

“It hasn’t been…” He trailed off, biting his lower lip in thought as he ticked off his fingers. “What’s today’s date?”

“December fifteenth.” I took several deep breaths, trying to calm down as he worked it out in his head. His eyes were sad as he realized I was right about how long it had been for us. “Do you no longer love me, Noah? What did I do wrong? I can’t fix whatever’s broken here if you won’t talk to me.”

“I will always love you, Remus,” he whispered as he moved closer to me. “You are the other half of my soul. I love you with all my heart.”

“Then why don’t you want me anymore?” I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, all the pent-up anguish and emotions breaking free. “Why has it come to the point I’m begging you to drink werewolf blood so you’ll want me? Do you want me to leave? Do you love me but no longer want me?”

“No, I swear I didn’t realize it’s been so long or this has been going on,” he pleaded as he tried to hug me. I kept him at arm’s length, still needing answers.

“How could you not know that you’ve turned away from your mate? Is there someone else you want instead? It can’t just be that stupid laptop getting in between us again.”

“Don’t call my work stupid. It’s important to me!”

“I didn’t say your writing is stupid, just that infernal machine. And apparently your work is more important than our mating or the heartache I’ve been going through.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’ve tried!” I stepped away from him, letting his shoulders go because I didn’t trust myself not to shove him I was so angry and hurt. “I’ve tried so many fucking times, Noah! I ask if we can talk, you say later. I beg you to take the night off and let’s go out or watch a movie and you tell me you’re on a deadline. I try to hold you at night and you scoot away. What is going on? Do you want me to leave and move on?”

“Move on?” he growled as his fangs slid out and he grabbed my shirt roughly. “Have you been going somewhere else for what I’ve not been giving you? Is that what this is about? Would it be so easy for you to walk away because we’ve been having issues and go to another for comfort?”

“I’ve not cheated,” I snarled as I swatted his hand away. “How dare you accuse me of that! I’ve been loyal to you even though you’ve given me every indication you don’t love me anymore and it’s over between us. I’ve not even entertained any offers because I love you and have been trying to fix whatever is going on here.”

“Offers?” Noah’s eyes filled with tears as he plopped back on the couch. “Who? Who asked you to cheat on me?”

“They didn’t know I was mated,” I admitted as I ran my fingers through my hair. This was not how I wanted this conversation to go. “One of the fae, two of the new vampires who are staying at the Dragos estate, and one of Abby’s friends asked me. I told them right away, no, that I was mated and they said they didn’t believe me.”

“Why not?” The tears ran down his cheeks now as he clutched his chest as if his heart hurt. Maybe he was starting to understand how I’d been feeling for weeks and weeks now.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I want you right now, Remus. I don’t need blood to want you. I just thought it would help make up for all the intimacy and hot sex I’ve denied you and clearly owe you.”

“You don’t have to seduce me, baby,” I said gently, feeling how he was still shaking with emotion. “I said I wouldn’t go. Don’t force this when you don’t want it.”

“I want you!” His hands turned to claws and he shredded my shirt as he bit me. I cried out and fumbled with my jeans as I exploded inside of them. The moment my cum-covered cock was free, Noah pushed himself down on it.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” I growled as I rolled us to try and make him stop.

He pulled his fangs out of my neck and guided my hard cock to his hole. “I don’t care!” Before I could think of what to do, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me down and between his legs so I went inside of him. He screamed in pain and I felt his hole twitching at the invasion, unable to stretch in time.

“Are you okay?” I asked when he was gasping for air. I made sure to hold perfectly still to not make things worse.

“Wasn’t enough slick,” he admitted. “Can we get the lube and try that again?” He reached for the drawer in the coffee table but I was closer. I gently pulled out of him and grabbed the tube we kept there, my eyes filling with tears at the sight of it. “What?”

“It’s expired,” I whispered as I stared at him. “I threw another bottle away the other day because I saw it was expired as well. What mated couple together just over two years has to throw away bottles of lube because they’re expired and not just empty?”

“Someone who’s mated to a shitty man,” Noah answered dejectedly and rolled to his feet. “How can you even still want me after all I’ve put you through? That’s the real question.”

“Because I love you.” I swallowed loudly as I stood, tossing the tube in the garbage as I followed Noah into our room, kicking off my shoes and my jeans that were now pooled at my feet. “It will always be you, Noah. It’s always only been you.”

“I’ve never deserved that,” he whispered as he plopped down on the side of the bed. “I’m broken, Remus. You should have walked away before we claimed each other. I wouldn’t have hurt you this bad if you did.”

“Don’t do that,” I growled as I pounced on him, pinning him to the bed. “Don’t shut down and feel sorry for me. Fix this. Fight for me, for us, Noah.” I yanked out the drawer from the nightstand and grabbed a bottle of lube that was still good. I poured some on my cock and worked it in as I kept Noah’s hands held over his head with one of mine. Then I used the extra to push two fingers inside of my mate.

“Yes, thank you. So nice and cool,” he moaned.

“Isn’t this worth fighting for? Aren’t I worth fighting for, baby?”

“Yes. I’d do anything for you, Remus. All I’ve ever wanted was you and to be happy.”

“Are you saying I’ve not made you happy?” I growled as I stretched him out faster. “I’ve done everything I can, Noah. I’ve given you space, forced you to come back to the real world even when you fight me. I’ve sat on the sidelines and waited for you to want me. All the while denying others who practically beg me to be with them. When have you ever begged or had to ask twice for me to come running?”

“Never. You’re always there for me,” he admitted. “I’m begging you now though, Remus.” He got one hand free and pulled my head down to his. “Don’t leave. I’ll fix this. We’ll make it, I promise. We’ll be happy again and I’ll chase after you for sex three times a day once I get my head straight.”

“It’s not just the sex!” I yanked out my fingers and slammed my fat cock into him. I grabbed his wrists and put them back up above his head, both in my one hand. I moved my other one under his ass to lift his hips to the perfect angle. “It’s not being able to shower with you because you’re not in the mood. Or hold you at night because you’ve pulled away from me again. It’s the looks everyone gives us at meals because they see it happening but my own mate doesn’t. You’re always oblivious to me and what I need!”

“Not always, I swear it,” he whispered. “And I’ll prove that soon.”

I didn’t say anything as I took him faster, burying my face in his neck so he couldn’t see my expression. What was there to say? I could lie and tell him I believed him. Or I could start the fight right back up and tell him I wouldn’t listen to any more of his promises. Instead, I enjoyed his body, needing to feel that we were connected again… Even if it was just sex.

GABRIEL

STORY EXCERPT

I stood off to the side, basically hiding from my mate and my brothers, as I watched everyone having a blast at the Mariuses’ Christmas Ball. It was the only way to be there and not grab my head from the images that assaulted me when people got too close. Something was wrong with me and I’d known that for a while, but I was too scared to admit it or confess what was going on with me to Ayden.

He’d come into his powers as a Kappa just fine. I, on the other hand, was in hell. And it had gotten so much worse the past couple of months.

“Would you like to dance, Caven?” a deep voice asked me. It was a voice I knew well, and I shivered at the deep timbre of it, wanting all the unspoken promises that were in his tone.

“No thank you,” I answered quickly as I went to step away from Gabriel.

“You can’t stay mad at me forever,” he whispered as he pulled me into his arms, swaying his hips to the music. “I thought we were doing better after you gave me the best Christmas present ever.”

“I’m not mad.” It was a lie. I was furious but not really with Gabriel. It was what I kept seeing of his past that filled me with rage, always festering in the pit of my stomach. I tried to pull away before it started… But he was strong and then it was too late.

“You’re a wonderful dancer, Gabriel,” a blonde woman whispered as Gabriel’s hand slid over the back of her dress and to her ass. “What else can you do with those hips?”

“I think we should go up to your room and find out,” my mate practically purred.

Then another memory flashed in my head. This time he was with some busty redhead and they were dancing naked after sex. After that I was assaulted with images and every recollection he had dancing with anyone, and the amount of men my dear mate had danced with was staggering.

“Caven, stop ignoring me,” Gabriel growled as I snapped back to the present. “Why do you do that?” He was shaking me, his annoyance clear in his tone. I was facing him now and I wished I hadn’t seen the anger in his eyes directed at me.

“Stop,” I gasped as my stomach flip-flopped as it always did when I got thrown into a memory loop. “I’m going to puke.”

He let go of me instantly and I raced away from him. I wasn’t going to make it to the bathroom, so instead I booked it out of the balcony doors. I heard Gabriel yell after me as I launched myself over the railing and landed on the ground easily. Everyone didn’t need to see me get sick and I was glad that I made it to the bushes in time. Because nothing really would be worse than leaving proof of my getting sick all over the lawn.

“It’s okay, Caven,” Riley said gently as he rubbed my back. I’d been so distracted with puking out my guts, I didn’t even register I wasn’t alone.

“Make Gabriel leave,” I begged as tears burned in my eyes. I heard some whispering as I kept dry heaving and then my mate growling.

“I didn’t do anything wrong! He’s hurt and I’m not leaving him. I didn’t cause this. Something’s wrong with him!”

I knew he meant that I was sick or had eaten something bad. But the way he phrased it hurt because he was right and just didn’t know it.

And then I got angry. So angry because in my heart I knew a mate who truly cared for me wouldn’t have been able to ignore the signs that I was having issues… Considering we shared a suite. Gabriel just thought I zoned out and ignored him, storming off on his righteous high horse ranting that this was why we couldn’t be together because I still acted like a child.

“Two hundred and eighteen,” I said as I plopped down on my butt and pulled my knees to my chest.

“What?” Riley asked as he stared at me curiously.

“That’s how many times Gabriel’s asked someone to dance before tonight when he asked me.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Gabriel whispered as his eyes went wide, staring at me like I was a freak. “I don’t even know the number of people I’ve danced with.”

“I saw it all when you touched me and started dancing. I got the highlighted montage of everyone you’ve ever danced with,” I admitted. Riley and Gabriel stared at me as if I’d just admitted to popping the Hope Diamond out of my ass… And then I saw it wasn’t just them. Micah and Elena were there too, probably having seen me run away from my mate.

I couldn’t take the way they were looking at me. This was why I hadn’t told anyone what was going on since I made the mistake of admitting it to Alpha Paul when he got me drunk before raping me. I was a freak and now everyone knew it.

Getting to my feet as quickly as I could on shaky legs, I jumped right back up on the balcony, hoping no one else could do that. I tried to slip out of the ballroom and to my room so no one noticed… It didn’t work.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Did you get it?” I asked as I slipped back outside.

“Yes,” he whispered in awe. “It looks just like my wolf.”

“It is your wolf. I took a picture with my phone weeks ago and asked Vic to tattoo you over my heart because that’s where you are, Caven. You’re always in my heart and I wanted your Christmas present to be your wolf where everyone could see it and know how important you are to me.

“I’m sorry you’ve seen everyone I’ve ever slept with but they weren’t you, my mate. I’ve never gotten a tat of anyone else or given them my heart as I have you. I should have told you that, found a way to show you that before we got to this point, but I can only tell you it’s truly how I feel now.”

He was quiet a few moments and I swear I held my breath and prayed to fate that we could fix this. “Okay, we can try again after my training,” he said softly. “I can’t promise it will be easy for me to move on from your memories but I believe you. I just don’t know how to make the images stop.”

“We can replace them with new ones,” I promised. “Maybe you can use your powers to see all the dreams I’ve had that star you. I’ve never dreamed about someone the way I do you, baby. I need you. It’s been killing me to keep you at arm’s length. I know you’re upset I’ve been denying us a physical relationship when we could have had one but it wasn’t easy for me either. It hurts when I go to sleep at night and you’re not in my arms.”

“You haven’t mentioned sex,” he mumbled. “Only holding me or being close to me, spending time with me.”

“Because you’re more than some hottie to me that I want to fuck all night long.”

“More than? Meaning you want to do that too?” Caven asked and I could hear the hope in his voice.

“Baby, the fantasies I’ve had about you would shock you,” I purred as I held the phone tightly. “I didn’t want you to think that this was all about attraction to my mate and what my cock wants. But if you need to hear that I desire you I’ll tell you all of my fantasies.”

“How about maybe the one you like best?” he suggested, clearing his throat.

“Let me get back to my room so I can touch myself while I tell you,” I offered, taking a chance.

“I turn you on to where you want to jack off on the phone with me?”

I couldn’t help it… I burst out laughing as I headed back inside. I kept going, laughing until my sides hurt. It wasn’t until I was back in my suite that I calmed back down. “Caven, I’ve been masturbating like crazy since we met. I swear I take extra showers so you won’t smell how dirty of a bastard I am. I see you and I need a cold shower to keep from jumping you. I smell you and all I can think about is how to permanently attach you to me and mostly my cock.”

“Are you hard now thinking about it?” my little imp of a mate purred.

“So hard,” I groaned. I rubbed my groin with the heel of my hand and moaned. This wasn’t anywhere as good as what I’d do to him if he was in the room with me but it was a start. Then I had an idea. Two could play at this game. “You want to see it? I could send you another picture.”

“Yes please,” he squeaked. I felt a feral smile cross my lips as I quickly undid my pants and pulled out my cock, giving it a few good tugs to make sure it was hard and leaking for my mate. Then I snapped a few pictures and sent them to him.

“That’s just for you, Caven,” I told him when I heard him gasp, guessing he got the pictures. “It’s all been for you since I met you. I’ve not even thought about anyone else from my past. Always it’s you.”

“Like what do you think about?”

“Mostly right after you shift back into a man,” I answered honestly. “You’re all smiles and happy and it’s almost infectious. I think about laying you down on the grass and licking every inch of your sexy body while you growl at how much I’m turning you on.”

“Then what?” he panted and I felt my grin go even wider.

“Are you touching yourself, my sexy little mate?”

“Yes,” he gasped. “I’m fingering my hole wishing you were doing it as I stroke my cock.”

I just about swallowed my tongue. What a tease! “Well, I’d lick that hole as I fingered it, maybe sink my fangs into your pert little ass until you begged for more.”

“Would you pin me down and fuck me all night?”

“If that’s what you begged for,” I answered, making a mental note that my mate would want that. “I’d rotate between hard and fast and then slowly to keep you just on the edge of your orgasm.”

“Like I saw you do with that little blond guy,” he whispered sadly. Oh shit.

A BRIO GRINDER

STORY EXCERPT

Looking back, I couldn’t say what it was that told me something was wrong. I thought about it too. There was no noise that gave me the aha moment or anything I could pinpoint. Maybe it was the lack of noise? I don’t know and I might not ever know. Something was just off and I knew there was trouble.

We were heading back to the house after a cold day’s work and with the sun going down earlier we had less time to do what we needed to. But none of that mattered right then because I knew Ma needed us.

“Get everyone home now,” I ordered me twin, Finn. I took off without waiting for him to agree or have a chance to ask me questions. He could feel what I did, so he knew I was scared and freaked. He was a good man and wouldn’t hesitate. Sure enough, I heard him yelling for our das just as I got past the barn.

That’s when I heard lots of noise. There was shattering of glass and a loud crash before I heard me ma shout, “Get out of me house, ya filthy demons!”

“No!” I gasped in horror and pulled out my phone. I pushed the one button to connect to Dillon as I ran faster than I ever thought possible. “Demons are in the house with Ma. Hurry!”

“On our way. Don’t go in there, Fergus. I’m coming.”

“That’s me ma in there,” I growled, knowing a team of warriors couldn’t have kept me out of that house right then. I slipped the phone back in me pocket and picked up a shovel as I raced up the back porch. I heard Finn and our das right behind me as I barreled through the kitchen door.

“Fergus, run!” Ma bellowed as she slammed a pan against one demon’s head. I caught that she was bleeding badly and that was before the demon she hit turned and clawed up her face and chest. I leapt in front of her a second too late to take the blow. As I landed, I brought the shovel down with me onto the demon’s neck. I wasn’t strong enough to sever his head but I got it about halfway so he wasn’t really able to fight me right then.

But when he darted away from me the shovel was stuck in his flesh and he took my only weapon with him. I grabbed the pan me ma had been using to fend off another one trying to get at her just as me das and Finn crashed through the back door. There was a sharp, sharp pain in my left arm but I didn’t even pay it any attention while I was trying to keep me ma alive.

“Sword’s over the mantel,” me da Michan shouted. It took me a moment to realize that Rian and Ronan were coming in through the front door at the same time. Thank god because they were the biggest brothers we had, well, size wise. Finn and I were the twerpiest.

I watched as our other da, Manus, dispatched a demon with a hatchet like he be cutting some bread. It was amazing. I heard Dillon shouting something to his mates, my brothers, as he came through the back door moments later. He caught the sword Rian tossed to him and they killed the rest of the demons in moments.

“Just find Brian and Banning, Isaac,” Shane yelled into the phone. “Ma might not make it and Fergus is in bad shape too. We need help and it’s bad, okay? Get them on one of those planes ya have and get them home. Call Caleb too.”

“I’ll call Liam and Lorcan,” Sean said calmly as he patted his twin’s shoulder. “Isaac, please just find our brothers and get them home.”

“All over it. Be safe and give Brighid my love,” Isaac replied before hanging up. Something hit me then like a ton of bricks. Why did Shane say I was in bad shape?

It was then I realized Finn and Dillon were yelling at me, trying to get my attention. I blinked at them as Finn helped me sit in a chair while Dillon was busy with a towel.

“I’m fine,” I growled. “Help Ma!”

“Ya not be fine,” Finn whispered, tears running down his cheeks. “Is this normal shock?”

“No,” Dillon mumbled, biting his lower lip as he did something else next to me. “You know you were hurt, right, Fergus?”

“I felt a pain in me arm but I was a little busy to deal with it—” I started to answer as I looked at what he was doing. Then I couldn’t seem to get enough air into my lungs.

“Put the arm on ice and maybe Riley can reattach it,” Ronan said quietly but loud enough that I heard him. My gaze snapped to him as black dots filled my vision.

“Where’s me arm? Where the fuck be me arm?” I bellowed as what happened finally sank in. Dillon wasn’t wrapping my arm up, he was wrapping up the wound from where my left arm used to be.

“The demon sliced it off, Fergus,” Finn whispered, horrified. “We saw it as we came in through the back. Ya fought bravely, me twin. Five five or not, no demon will want to mess with Fergus O’Hagan again.”

“He took me arm,” I whimpered and then glanced over at Ma, who was barely breathing. “I’m fine. Help Ma.”

“I’m not sure there’s anything we can do for her, Fergus,” Dillon said quietly, tears in his eyes as he tightened the bandage he was wrapping around my wound. “I think we were too late.”

Finn bit his lip to keep in a wail as he wrapped his arms around me. We watched as our das did everything they could to keep Ma alive, yelling at her to fight all the while. It was a train wreck or a nightmare we couldn’t get out of. And nothing would ever be the same if Ma died. None of us would ever be the same.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Feel better?” I whispered as I moved behind him and hugged him tightly. His chest was heaving because by the end of that rant he had been yelling. Finn pushed me away and I felt something snap inside of me. He wasn’t the only one losing it. “Please, please, don’t, Finn.”

“Don’t what? I just needed air.”

“No, no, no,” I whimpered, not really hearing him as I turned him around and pushed his smaller frame against the wall. “I’m not toxic. I can’t be toxic to my mates. You can’t be scared of me now. I’ve searched century after century on this plane for my mates, taking the job in this world just to have a better chance to find them. I won’t lose you now because something weird happened with Fergus and my blood. I’m not toxic! I’m worth loving!”

“Of course ya are, Brio,” Finn cooed as he stared at me with wide eyes. “This has taken a big toll on ya too. I’m sorry I’ve not acknowledged that.”

“You have to be mine,” I mumbled manically, searching around for something that could be used for lube. I sighed in relief when I saw there were bodywash dispensers hanging on the tile. “You were given to me by fate.”

“Brio? Are you okay?”

“No! You can’t be scared of me,” I whimpered again as I pushed the trigger and got a handful of what I needed. Then I coated my cock as I lifted Finn and wrapped him around me. “You have to be mine.” I moved my slicked-up hand between his cheeks and pushed a finger inside his hole. “I can’t lose you too.”

“I’m right here, me mate,” he moaned as he rubbed my back and hooked his feet behind my back. “Not going anywhere. Take what you need from me.”

“Say yes so I don’t hate myself later for practically forcing you.” I swallowed loudly, nervously as I tried to hold on to what was left of my sanity.

Finn growled and took my head in his hands so I had to look at him. “Me answer is always yes.”

“Thank you.” I mashed my mouth down to his and did my best to quickly stretch him out. “Can you handle this? How long has it been for you?” As much as I didn’t want to know specifics of my mate’s recent bed play, I also would never risk hurting him.

“A long while, but I can take ya if we go slow,” he replied and let out a nervous giggle. “Ya said ya were a big boy. Never been with anyone as big as ya.” I winced and unwrapped him from around me. He needed to see himself. Finn’s eyes practically bugged out of his head now that he saw me fully erect and wanting. I moaned when the little imp licked his lips with desire. “Let’s find something more than bodywash. That might not be enough to take ya.”

“Fine, but keep stretching,” I purred as I leaned in and surrounded his body and pressed my lips to his ear. “No more waiting. I need my mate.”

“And I’d deny you nothing,” he admitted with a shiver. The second I moved away he was getting more bodywash and shoving his fingers in his ass. I raced to the front of the locker room where I remembered seeing a small supply shelf. Quickly reading labels, I just about did a cartwheel when I found the medical lube. I grabbed my prize and almost tripped when I returned to the showers and saw my gorgeous mate fucking himself with his fingers, getting ready for me.

Finn gasped at how fast I moved. Seconds later I was slicked up generously, his fingers were out of his ass, and we were back in our original position with his back against the wall as I pushed my cock into his firm little butt.

“Mine, all mine,” I chanted over and over again as I worked my dick into my mate. When I was fully seated, I sighed in relief that we fit and Finn cried out. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, never been so full. Feels so good, like ya might split me in half in the best kind of way,” he panted with a smile. And then his fangs came out and I shivered. “Me mate like to be bitten?”

“Yes, do it. Make me yours,” I whimpered as I started moving my hips. Finn teased me, licking and scraping his fangs over my neck. Two could play at that game. Now that his hole had opened up for me slightly, I felt I could take my mate to new heights. I picked up the pace and thrust harder. Finn went wild, crying out my name and begging for more… Which I gladly gave him.