STORY EXCERPT

Rather than answer, Caleb scooped McBride up and over his shoulder. Lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear him, Caleb whispered, “Now be good, or I’ll have to punish you.” He patted McBride’s ass—again, he did this stealthily so no one could see—then took him into the parlor. Caleb placed him on the long couch, ensuring there was a pillow under his head. “Stay here.”

“Or?”

“I’ll sit on you.”

McBride couldn’t help it, he grinned. Since Caleb matched him at six eight and three hundred pounds, if he settled in, he could keep McBride wherever he wanted him. If he sat the right way, McBride wouldn’t be all that opposed.

“Will you sit on me without clothes?” A sudden image of Caleb riding him, his angular face harshly determined to find his pleasure as he worked McBride’s cock in and out of his muscular ass, got McBride hard despite the pain.

A smirk twisted one edge of Caleb’s mouth. That secretive grin had fueled more of McBride’s fantasies than everything else about the man combined. Caleb had a way of looking like a bad boy all grown up into a dangerously wicked man.

“If you’re very, very good, I might.”

As suddenly as the intense flirting started, it disappeared when another wave of pain caused McBride to almost pass out. When he opened his eyes, Caleb was on his knees beside him.

“What can I do?”

“Nothing. It will go away on its own. It did last time.” McBride’s heart ached not knowing if Caleb had forgiven him or not. “I need to know, Caleb. Do you forgive me? Do you even still want me?”

Caleb’s mouth opened, and McBride was so keen on hearing what he had to say that the pain was forced to the background. Would he forgive him so they could move forward together, or had Caleb been so devastated by the lies he simply couldn’t let go?

“We’ve brought everything in.” Gannon hung close by the archway rather than entering the parlor. It was clear from his body language he didn’t want to interrupt Caleb and McBride. “I also had everyone get different clothes so we’re not constricted in fancy duds.”

“Good idea.” Caleb turned to all the men crowded in the archway between the dining room and the parlor.

“You should go get changed.” As much as McBride loved seeing him dressed up, he wanted him to be able to move freely if there was a fight.

“I will.” Caleb turned back to him. “I want you to stay here. I’m going to get everyone armed and then bring the rest of the weapons in. If nothing else, we can batten this place down and keep them repelled for longer than they’re going to want to lay siege.”

When the men darted questioning glances his way, McBride nodded. Below the big house, which had metal shutters that could slam down protecting all the doors and windows, there were vast tunnels of stores. All kinds of food and consumable goods—everything they needed for years—was protected by the enormous house above. The only way into or out of the tunnels was tucked safely within the house. McBride never understood what the house had been built to withstand, or perhaps it was just customary, but he was eternally grateful for it now.

After a pointed look and a reminder to stay put, Caleb rose to his feet, whipped off his shirt, and tossed it on the floor. If McBride had the energy, he would have gotten up and placed a lingering kiss on Caleb before he went off, but all he could do was lie on the couch and watch with hungry fascination as Caleb’s muscles bunched and flexed on his way out of the parlor. Dressed to the hilt, wearing only a pair of shorts, or totally naked, Caleb managed to always rivet McBride’s attention.

As he lay on the couch feeling utterly useless, his men and their mates brought in weapons from the massive shed. They also brought in any and all gear they didn’t want used against them. From the sounds of the activity, they had moved the dining room table out of the way to accommodate the influx of items.

When he heard them struggling to fill the room in an orderly fashion, McBride fought to get up and failed miserably. The pain was so crippling he couldn’t even call out suggestions on how best to organize the items. In the end, he realized it didn’t matter. The important thing was getting everything in, getting everyone armed, and later they could make it pretty.

As he lay there listening and unable to move, feeling as worthless as a washed-up grinder, McBride wondered why the slammers had returned. With his excruciating headache he couldn’t recall exactly how many days had passed since the angry men had been here last, but he remembered exactly what they wanted. Gentrymen. When the blood madness erupted, turning some gentrymen into insatiable savages, the slammers revolted, killing their old masters even if they weren’t afflicted with the disease. From what McBride had been told, the slammers then raided the thrall houses, drinking and fucking them without heed. In their glut of freedom, they’d ended up killing the very men they desired.

ADULT EXCERPT

Each pass Caleb made caused his hips to surge farther forward. When he got far too close to release, Caleb lowered his hands and tugged at his balls. McBride did the same. To tease Caleb, McBride parted his legs, giving Caleb a taunting view of dark space between his buttocks.

“As if you’d let me fuck you.”

“Let you? Tease me right and I’d probably beg you.”

Caleb’s gaze became riveted to that spot as he worked his fist along his shaft. McBride knew he was close when his brows drew together and he bit at his bottom lip.

“If you don’t get that thing in and get over here, we’re going to have to wait another hour.” McBride’s softly uttered suggestion snapped Caleb out of his sensual spell.

He grabbed one of the gels, parted his buttocks, and slipped it inside his ass. McBride had a brief flash of his firm, pink hole before Caleb was turning around. Just like he had with the bottle of oil, he waggled the bottle of greasers. It was clear from his expression the last thing he expected was for McBride to nod. Caleb’s face lit up. Rather than toss him the bottle, he kept it in his hands and came over to the bed.

With him closer, he was able to see the gels were all different colors. He’d heard of exotic greasers, but he’d never seen them or used them. Caleb selected one, put the bottle on the floor, and then slipped the small gel inside McBride’s ass. After a moment, the capsule melted and began to cling and coat the inside of his rectum. The feeling was surprisingly erotic. He’d never thought he would use one on himself, but now he realized how much he’d missed out on.

“Does it feel good?”

“It’s warm and tingles.”

Caleb nodded. “Good.”

“What about yours?”

“Same.” He climbed onto the bed and straddled McBride’s hips. “You’ll really feel it when you’re inside me.”

Intrigued, McBride wanted to flip Caleb over and get to work opening him up, but Caleb had never been a passive lover, and clearly, he wasn’t going to start now. Rather than lie back for McBride, he took control and teased McBride’s prick between his buttocks. Each pass brought McBride closer to the target of his hole, but then Caleb would lift up just enough so that he missed the mark.

“You’re making me crazy.”

“Good.” Caleb’s grin was seductive as hell. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

After teasing him to the point McBride was threatening to take Caleb out and toss him in the stocks, he finally allowed McBride’s cock to ease into his ass. Caleb closed his eyes, clearly focusing all his attention on the feel of McBride’s invading prick. McBride kept his eyes open, watching Caleb for any signs of distress. He was a big man, but his ass was unbelievably tight. McBride wanted to be inside him almost desperately, but he also didn’t want to hurt him.

McBride let out a low growl when he discovered the warm tingly power of the greaser sensitized his prick. “And you think I’ll be able to last?”

“It heightens awareness, but it’s also supposed to make climax more difficult.”

“Sounds like everything you’ve ever done to me.”

Caleb chuckled, which quivered his rectum around McBride’s prick.

“It’s like I want to come so badly but I know I can’t.” McBride reached for Caleb’s prick, but Caleb pushed his hand away.

“Oh, no. I’m going to wait.” Caleb kept his eyes closed. “I want to be inside you before I come again.”

“Is that so?”

“I could always stop.” Caleb started to lift up, but McBride tightened his grip on his hips.

“Don’t you dare.”

With amazing amounts of grace and raw physical power, Caleb slowly lowered himself over McBride until his cock was buried inside his snug rectum. Finally, Caleb’s eyes came open. The dangerous look in his gaze was replaced by something far more intriguing. For a moment, McBride didn’t know what to name that look, but then the answer came to him. It was the look of love. Caleb, the man who did everything in his power to present himself as an aloof, uncaring monster, was deeply and irrevocably in love with McBride. His expression was one of absolute trust and boundless affection. Just like the altar formed from thousands of candle tears, Caleb was now using McBride’s body to make a physical sacrifice upon.

Gently, McBride flexed so that he could rise up and kiss Caleb. He murmured how beautiful he was, how special, how great his gift, and that nothing in the world could ever tear them apart.

“Nothing?”

“Nothing,” McBride assured him. “They say that a bloodbond is the most powerful, but it doesn’t come close to the strength of our soul bond.”

Caleb rolled his hips, making McBride clutch at his thighs to hang on. Nothing had ever felt so good. He felt like he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment. Using his entire body, Caleb quite literally danced on McBride’s cock. Each time he got close to climax, Caleb found a way to stretch the moment out just a bit more. By the time he finally felt there was no turning back, McBride was drenched in sweat, his breath was harsh, and his fingertips had dug so forcefully into Caleb’s meaty hips he was certain he would leave bruises.