STORY EXCERPT

Tristan Wyckoff’s phone thundered out his brother’s dark and dangerous ringtone. “Hello, Caleb. What can I do for you?” None of the Wyckoff brothers were chatterboxes, so Tristan knew the call had to be important.

“Booth called and filled me in on a problem with our Paris blood bank. He said they’ve been having trouble with someone breaking in and taking blood. The person leaves between twenty to forty dollars on the counter each time. They’re taking ten pints of blood each time,” Caleb informed Tristan. A hint of frustration flavored his words.

“Have they tried to catch the person?”

“Yes. Booth has stayed there all night several times, but the burglar never shows up unless nobody is in the blood bank. The burglar somehow knows when a person is inside the building waiting to catch them. Drake can’t look into it because he’s out of town checking into some improved security system. I can’t go because I’m doing end-of-month accounting for the business. That leaves you, big bro.”

“I guess it does. I’ll look into it.” Tristan hung up the phone and frowned. Why would a person break in and take some blood, and then leave money on the counter? The burglar must not be mean and hard-hearted, but the person was technically stealing from him. That was something he couldn’t tolerate.

The Wyckoffs paid good money to keep their blood banks going. Plus, it took a lot of effort to make their business successful. He couldn’t let anyone try to harm their family business. Tristan rubbed his chin as he made plans for catching their thief.

* * * *

Three nights later Tristan’s misting in and out of the blood bank paid off. A second after he entered the building, he heard the back window unlock. He appeared in the room in time to see a spirit step back as the newly unlocked window opened. Tristan stayed hidden in the shadows and watched.

As soon as the small male squeezed through the window and jumped to the floor, he said, “Thanks, Ghost. I knew I could count on you.”

“We can’t keep this up. You know that, right?”

“You have to keep helping me, Ghost. My brother needs us. Do you want him to die?” the slender man asked. His voice held a note of desperation.

“You know I don’t…but there has to be another way. I don’t like this,” the spirit answered, gruffly.

Tristan was intrigued by the situation. His theory seemed to be true. The thief wasn’t doing this to be mean or for fun. The air conditioner kicked on and within seconds the human’s scent filled Tristan’s nostrils. The succulent aroma was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. His heartbeat accelerated and his dick hardened. Tristan had just found his mate!

Mate. At that thought, his fangs extended. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but it only imprinted his mate’s delicious scent into every cell of his body and made his cock lengthen even more. The beast within him roared. It needed to claim its mate right now.

“I understand that you don’t like this. I don’t either, but until we can come up with another plan we have to do this,” the little human stated, then looked around. “Let’s get this over with. I’m starting to feel strange.”

“It’s most likely your guilty conscience. I’m glad to see it’s still alive and well,” the spirit said wryly.

“I know you don’t like doing this anymore than I do. For the record, I want you to know your help means the world to me.”

Tristan’s fangs were aching and his balls had started throbbing. He shifted and ran his hand soothingly over the desperate flesh between his legs.

“Uh-oh.”

“What’s wrong?” the desirable human asked.

In a squeaky voice, the spirit answered, “Someone’s here.”

“What the hell? You said the building was empty.”

“It was, but now it’s not. Run!”

Oh hell. Tristan knew he was busted. It wasn’t a bad thing, though. His need to claim his mate was growing by the second.

He stepped from the dark shadows and sucked in a breath of his mate’s scent. Scrumptious. Tristan couldn’t wait to taste the man’s blood as he plunged his cock deeply into his long-awaited mate’s hot body.

The glorious man held up his hands in surrender. Tristan liked that, a lot.

* * * *

“Whoa, big guy. I mean you no harm. I just needed some blood.” Conlin couldn’t believe he’d been caught. He also couldn’t help but notice how handsome and fierce the guy was who’d caught him.

Caught. At that thought, Conlin’s dick jerked to attention. Now was not the time for sex. It was time to make an escape. He couldn’t go to jail. Darrin would die without him.

Conlin took a step back and the hunk took two steps forward. He chanced a quick glance at Ghost.

“I’ll hit him over the head. That should give you a chance to escape.” Ghost moved over to a sturdy-looking, solid-glass paperweight.

The second Ghost touched it, the vamp roared and bared really large fangs at Ghost.

To his horror, Ghost squeaked and disappeared.

Holy shit! The vamp could see Ghost. Nobody had been able to see Ghost except Darrin. Conlin looked around for his buddy. Oh hell. The vamp had scared Ghost out of the room and possibly out of the building. Conlin swallowed hard and took another step backward. The vampire turned and looked at him. The huge guy’s eyes started glowing. Conlin’s heart leapt to his throat. A tingling sensation started in his groin and shot through his body.

Whatever was happening, he didn’t have time for it. Needing to escape, Conlin turned and ran for the window. As he jumped, reaching for the windowsill, he was tackled and dragged to the floor.

ADULT EXCERPT

The mating heat was starting to consume them. Fire singed every inch of Tristan’s body. Conlin’s pulse was racing and desire was glowing in his eyes, making them darker than they’d been just a moment ago.

“We’ll talk more about your brother in a while.” Tristan cradled Conlin’s head in his large hands. Conlin’s dark-auburn hair was soft as a feather. Passion spiraled through his body and settled almost painfully in his groin. His fangs itched and threatened to spring from his gums. Tristan gazed at the throbbing vessel in Conlin’s throat.

Tristan licked his lips as the sound of his mate’s blood pounded in his ears. The rhythmic beat sang a siren’s song. It called to him like no others ever had. Needing to touch the man’s body, Tristan let his hands journey down Conlin’s firm form. At his lover’s nipples, he stopped to lightly pinch the small, dark points. Conlin jerked and moaned.

Leaning forward, he took one of the sensitive buttons into his mouth and sucked. His mate cried out and his hips thrust toward Tristan. Not missing the invitation, he closed his hand around Conlin’s thick length and groaned when his own cock bobbed in eager anticipation. Soon he’d take his little mate. Needing to let Conlin know what was happening, Tristan released the man’s nipple with a pop. He grinned when Conlin groaned. His need to talk was overshadowed by his desire to explore his mate.

Keeping Conlin’s dick firmly in his hand, Tristan kissed his way up the man’s chest. He licked the pulse point on Conlin’s neck and sucked lightly. Conlin whimpered and tilted his head to the side, offering himself to Tristan. The submissive move inflamed his desire and made his fangs shoot through his gums. He took a breath and lovingly stroked Conlin’s erection.

Rising up, Tristan looked down into Conlin’s eyes. “Do you feel the out-of-control heat and desire burning through your body?”

Conlin stared at Tristan through dazed brown eyes. “Yes. I’ve never been so hot and needy for anyone before I met you.”

“Don’t be afraid of the feeling pulsing through you. I feel the same way. You’re my mate. I promise to cherish you forever. I have to claim you now. The bonding can’t be put off.” Tristan brushed his lips across Conlin’s and moaned when Conlin opened to him. He slid his tongue into Conlin’s mouth and slowly explored every inch of the delicious man’s mouth. Their tongues tangled in an ancient dance.

The flexing of his mate’s fingers caught his attention. “Are your bonds too tight?”

“No. I’m just not used to being tied up. I’ve also never been so horny before,” Conlin answered as he looked down at his swollen erection.

Tristan stroked his mate’s balls and concentrated on the feelings the man was projecting. “Do you mind being bound? I love you this way.” All he could detect was mating lust.

“I don’t know.” Conlin shuddered when he stroked a finger over the man’s rear entrance. As Tristan continued the caress, his mate panted, “It’s okay.”

“Just okay? I’ll see what I can do to make you love being bound to me and my bed.” Tristan knew this was happening fast for Conlin, but for him their mating was a long-awaited celebration. He’d been searching for this man for almost two hundred years. Now it was time to start showing his mate how happy he was to finally meet him.

In a flash, he removed his own clothes, grabbed a bottle of lube, and returned to his place in front of his bound, kneeling mate. God, my mate is hot. His cock longed to plunge into Conlin’s hot entrance. He pushed the urge aside with great effort. Dropping the lube to the bed, he took Conlin’s head in his hands and angled his head back so he could deeply kiss the sexy man.

They both groaned the second their lips met. As he devoured his mate, he pressed his naked body to Conlin’s. The handsome man whimpered and rubbed his torso against Tristan’s. Hard muscles meshed. His throbbing erection rubbed against Conlin’s stomach. His mate’s almost-foot-shorter frame only allowed Conlin’s hard member to reach Tristan’s balls and lower part of his cock. God, he loved the feel of the man’s cock nudging his balls as they thrust their hips.

Wanting Conlin to understand how pleasurable bondage could be, he licked at his mate’s mouth once more and then kissed a trail to Conlin’s ear. He licked the shell then nibbled on the lobe. His lover groaned and thrust his hips harder. The firm caress to his sac almost made him come. He placed his hands on his mate’s hips to keep them from moving. The man moaned and tried to thrust forward again.

After nipping Conlin’s ear, Tristan whispered, “I’m in control. Your only job is to relax and enjoy it.” The fresh scent of his mate’s arousal pleased him. He looked down in time to see a pearl of pre-cum leak from the slit of his mate’s cockhead. Oh yeah, the man was currently enjoying their lovemaking. He’d make sure Conlin always did. A happy mate equaled a happy life.

Ready to up the intensity, he kissed a path to Conlin’s nipples. With a flick of his tongue across the right bud he made Conlin moan breathily. When he sucked the sensitive tip, the man tried to press his hips forward. He tightened his grip and raked his teeth over the pebbled flesh. This time his mate started panting.

His own need forced him to lick his way down to Conlin’s eager erection. Holding the man in place, Tristan looked up as he swallowed the plum-shaped head. Conlin tugged at the ropes that secured him and cried out. Damn, that’s hot.

Tristan took the veined shaft in his hand and angled it out as he lapped the silky flesh. With his free hand, he squeezed Conlin’s smooth balls gently. He worked the tip with his tongue, expertly sucking the light-purple head while he jabbed at the small slit that was now steadily producing drop after drop of his mate’s sweet essence.

“I…I don’t know how much more I can handle.” Conlin’s passion-dazed voice was no more than a whisper.

Keeping his mouth on his mate’s tasty crown, he released the man’s sac and shaft then reached for the lube. He squirted a healthy dose into his hand and quickly snapped the lube shut then dropped the bottle onto the bed.

Dabbing his finger in the lube, he coated it and then circled Conlin’s small hole. His mate groaned and pushed back into Tristan’s caressing finger. He added more lube to his finger and pushed it against his mate’s entrance. The bound man arched his back and cried out as Tristan’s thick digit slid past the tight ring of muscle.

“More,” Conlin begged.