STORY EXCERPT

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Garrett cocked an eyebrow at him. “We are no longer part of a pack, Josh. We are Warriors of the Light. We don’t get to pick and choose who we work with, and besides, Carlos is a good guy. He’s not like Clara.”

Josh’s jaw clenched and his teeth ground together at the mention of that bitch’s name. She still haunted his dreams. Most nights he’d wake up covered in sweat, crying out for Victor. It made him feel weak, then guilty for feeling that way. Victor had been his best friend since he was a kid and now he was gone. And the love that they had just started to explore was stolen from them by one psychotic witch.

“Is everything all right?” Lachlan asked as he sat down on the other side of Garrett. His eyes darted between Josh and Garrett.

“Just peachy.” Josh turned away from his friends. There had been a time when Josh couldn’t call these two men that, but now they were the only family he had besides the other warriors. Garrett and Lachlan were his closest confidants. He didn’t want to be angry at them. They had no control over, this any more than Josh did. If they said this Carlos guy was an okay guy, then Josh trusted them. They hadn’t steered him wrong yet.

“Don’t stress, babe.” Garrett rested a hand on the back of Josh’s head. “Josh is just having some witch issues.”

“Garrett,” Josh said in a low whisper, swallowing down the growl he wanted to unleash at the man.

“Josh, look at me.” Lachlan reached over Garrett to grab Josh’s hand. He tugged on his fingers until Josh looked at him. “Carlos is one of the good guys. If he wasn’t, I’d have killed him long ago and certainly wouldn’t let him get close to you.” Lachlan squeezed his hand. “Josh, you’re like a little brother to me and I’d never let anything or anyone hurt you ever again.”

“You can’t make that promise, Catman,” Josh said with a smile, doing his best to hold back the tears that threatened to run down his cheeks. There had been a time when he’d been so mean toward Lachlan, it still surprised him how forgiving and caring the man was. Lachlan saved his life and Josh would be forever grateful to him.

“That’s Mr. Catman to you.” Lachlan smiled at him and let go of his hand.

They sat around for another forty minutes waiting for Carlos’s plane. Flying commercial was a pain in the ass, but with the council destroyed, it had becoming harder to charter their own planes. So they had to resort to flying with humans. Josh found it frustrating to be around them. To know he was risking his life for this selfish species and to never get a thank-you for risking his life to make the world a safer place for them.

The people sitting around gate forty-five all began to rise. Garrett nudged him in the arm and Josh stood up to join the mass of people huddled around the door. Lachlan shouldered his way to the front of the crowd while Garrett and Josh stayed toward the back.

Josh had his arms crossed over his chest, staring at each person that passed him by. A part of Josh wished he’d been born a clueless human. Free to live a life away from death and danger. To fall in love and be happy. But no, he was now a Warrior of the Light risking his neck for what? A bunch of people who would never thank him for his services. Josh often compared it to how men and women in the military must feel at times. Putting their necks on the line while others just sit around on their asses doing nothing.

“Stop scowling at the nice people,” Garrett whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “You’re scaring them.”

“I. Don’t. Give. A. Shit.” Josh said each word with a smile on his face.

Garrett laughed as he shook his head. “You’re impossible at times. You know that?”

Josh did smile at that. Person after person exited the plane, but still no sign of their witch. Not that Josh even knew what the guy looked like, but he could see Lachlan standing by anxiously waiting for Carlos’s arrival.

As the minutes ticked by, Josh started to nod his head to the music playing in there. The last song that played on his iPod had been “Demons” by Imagine Dragons. He loved to listen to music of all kinds and genres. It helped him loosen up.

Just then, an exotic, spicy smell smacked Josh right in the face like a slap. The music in his head ceased and he stood up a little straighter, trying to find the source of the enticing aroma.

“Dude, do you smell that?” Josh’s nostrils flared and he stood up on his tiptoes, hoping to find the person or thing oozing that smell.

“Smell what?” Garrett asked. “Oh look!” He grabbed Josh’s arm and pulled him forward. “Lachlan has Carlos.”

Josh allowed Garrett to pull him along, numb to everything but that smell. It caused a pulse to jump over his skin as if he stuck his finger in a light socket. And his dick started to fill in his jeans, making it uncomfortable to walk. Garrett came to a stop and Josh bumped into his side. He took a moment to readjust his swelling cock then looked up.

Sweet mother of god! Josh’s eyes opened wide and it was as if an alarm went off in his body. The man standing next to Lachlan had to be the most gorgeous man Josh had ever seen. The term “tall, dark, and handsome” must have been coined for this man.

“Josh, this is Carlos.” Lachlan introduced him.

ADULT EXCERPT

“But…” Josh tried to sit up but Carlos held him down, pressed into the mattress.

“But what?” Carlos shifted enough to push his knees between Josh’s thighs and forced his legs apart. He slowly worked his way down, kissing and nipping at the soft skin covering the hard muscles twitching in Josh’s back.

Carlos spread his hands wide on Josh’s ass and massaged the firm cheeks apart, exposing Josh’s tiny hole. No hair shaded the pink opening, just creamy skin waiting for Carlos’s eager tongue.

Josh tried to prop himself up and in the process brought his ass in the air, and Carlos flicked out his tongue. He pointed the tip and circled the rippled flesh, then went lower to tongue at Josh’s balls.

“Oh my god.” Josh’s body quivered, then fell back to the bed.

Carlos smiled as he flattened his tongue and ran the length from Josh’s hairless ball sack all the way up to Josh’s ass at the small of his back. He bit down hard on the left cheek, soothing the sting with his lips and tongue. As Carlos worked his way back down, he reached underneath Josh and pulled his cock backwards to face his face. He licked the bead of pre-cum from the tip and Josh let out of howl of pleasure. Carlos couldn’t wait to claim his mate.

For some reason, every good intention Carlos had had in wanting to wait to bed Josh seemed ridiculous now. They were destined to be together and he couldn’t stop that. He didn’t want to stop that. Up until a few days ago, work had been the most important thing to him, but now he’d changed his mind. With him neglecting his duties as a mate, Josh had every reason to be angry at him. Sure, Josh could have said something, but Josh was young. From just observing the man, Carlos could see he was hot tempered and had very little impulse control.

He didn’t want to give Josh an excuse for balking at the mate issue but he, too, was grateful the younger man hadn’t brought it up. There was an age gap between them but they both had one thing in common, fear of losing someone they loved. He’d lost his mother and sister and Josh had lost his mother and best friend. They’d both suffered such great losses over the years, there was no wonder they were both emotionally awkward toward one another.

“Fuck, you taste so good,” Carlos said against Josh’s twitching hole as he ate at his opening. “I need you.” He sat up, tore his shirt over his head, flung it to the floor, and then shoved his pants down.

“I need you, too,” Josh whimpered as he looked over his shoulder at Carlos. “I need to feel you inside me. Please, Carlos, show me how much you need me, too.” Josh circled his hips and his hands clenched the sheet by his head. A fine sheen of sweat covered his back and Carlos could feel his mouth fill with drool, so eager to lick the man from head to toe. Carlos stuck two fingers in his mouth, getting them nice and wet, then eased the digits into Josh’s hole.

Tight, clenching heat surrounded his fingers and Josh gasped and buried his head into the pillow. Carlos bent down and licked around Josh’s opening and spat at his hole, using his fingers to work the wetness up his tight channel.

Sex wasn’t on the list of things to do that Carlos had mentally compiled in his head when he got on the plane, so he didn’t have access to any lube, but maybe…

“Baby, do you have any lube or lotion?” Carlos kept his fingers buried in Josh’s ass as he leaned over his mate’s back, covering him with his heat.

“No.” Josh panted, his eye still shut tight. “Just do it.” He whined as he thrust his hips back into Carlos’s hand.

The need to claim overrode his better judgment. Josh was so tight that Carlos didn’t want to hurt him when he shoved all eight inches into his snug channel, but he also couldn’t wait a second longer to feel that smooth, wet heat surrounding his cock.

Carlos moved back down to Josh’s ass and licked around his fingers, taking in the sweet, salty flavor of his mate and inhaling his musky scent. His eyes rolled back in his head and he had had enough. He pulled his fingers free, spat in his hand, and then coated the wetness onto his steely shaft. He lined up the blunt tip to Josh’s hole and smeared the pre-cum leaking out the head. Josh moaned loudly and tried to crawl up the bed as Carlos applied pressure to the tiny starburst. Carlos wrapped his hands around Josh’s waist and held him still as he eased the head into the hot heat.

“Carlos!” Josh’s body tensed up, almost pushing his cock out. But Carlos held firm and pushed in further.

“Come on, baby.” Carlos pulled out just a little, then worked his way back inside. The smooth walls clamped down around him and nearly had him spilling his seed. “I’m finally giving you what you wanted.” Carlos let out a loud groan as he bottomed out. “What we both wanted.”

Josh didn’t say another word. Carlos could feel his lover relax but tense up as he started to move his cock. Not wanting to hurt Josh, Carlos fell forward, supporting his weight on his elbows as he kissed the area right behind Josh’s ear.

“You feel so good wrapped around my cock,” he whispered into Josh’s ear. “No one’s ever felt this good.” He sucked Josh’s earlobe into his mouth. “No one.”

“Yeah?” Josh opened his eyes, doing his best to meet Carlos’s stare. “You mean that?”

“With every inch of my body.” Carlos angled his head to kiss Josh’s lips. His dick shifted deeper, pulling a moan from Josh’s throat. “I’d never lie to you.”