STORY EXCERPT

“Okay. We have visual,” Jon announced, flipping their attention to a screen on the wall. The Hawkrigg farmhouse came into view, its gray stone walls and outbuildings slightly battered, but stalwart, and a hive of activity. About a dozen Land Rovers and jeeps sat around, plus four times as many personnel.

“It smells like Finch is in the main house,” Blaze said through their telepathic link. “I don’t scent Moses, only Constance and her goons. No idea what the hell she’s playing at.”

“Who’s that?” Elvis asked, pointing at a tall, blond-haired figure.

“Seamus?” Craig said, eyes wide. “What the fuck’s he doing there?”

As they watched, Seamus, furtive and out of place, crouched behind one of the vehicles, looking as battered as the buildings. Exhaustion tinted his face to a sickly gray, and scratches, vivid and raw, adorned his cheek.

“He’s looking for someone,” Blaze said.

“Or escaping,” Craig suggested.

A shout went up and the guards began running around, fanning out as though searching.

“You got it, Craig. He’s done a runner.”

“So someone kidnapped Seamus?” Barry queried.

“Three guesses who else is involved,” Garnet said dryly.

“Too many to choose from really. Dara. Pendrys. Or a Crowther double-cross.”

“I doubt the Crowther boys have any interest. Their core pack is in pieces, and I believed their concern about Moses, no matter what his orientation. They care about him,” Craig cut in. “Pendrys is an intriguing one, though. What would be their angle? I didn’t get any vibe off the parents. Constance is a brat, so this could be just sour grapes. Unless Constance is branching out on her own. She looked pissed that her ma and pa didn’t stick up for her more the last time she was here.”

“Wouldn’t put it past her, digging a hole for them to fall into,” Cord said. “She always was a snotty little brat.”

“Maybe she’s planning to take the keys to a kingdom, and getting Seamus and Saoirse out of the way may be her “in” with Dara.”

“Showing initiative? Constance? No way,” Elvis said sourly. “That bitch is no leader. She’d follow someone’s lead if it paid well, but she hasn’t an intelligent bone in her body. She’s emotive and reactive, not a strategist.”

The video bobbled a little, then Seamus’s face filled the screen.

“Stay there, Seamus. I need to get Finch.”

“I can’t stay here, they’ll kill me.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’re leverage. The pack won’t follow Dara blindly. He needs you to lure Saoirse out, or offer an exchange…or possibly set up a trap for you, have you step down as alpha.”

“Saoirse left me.”

“Yeah. Shit happens.”

Craig arched a brow at the whispered exchange, grinning at the utter disinterest in his mate’s voice. Blaze was not a Seamus fan. Clearly.

“I’m going in. I’ll let you know when I’m clear.”

The video went dark.

“Shit. He’s going to get himself killed,” Garnet complained.

“Nah. This is Blaze, remember? Tech king extraordinaire.” James grinned at his friends. “Remember Kabul?”

The former soldiers all groaned. “Fuck, yeah. That mission’s legendary. Imploded an entire compound before the Taliban knew what day it was. All before morning prayers.” Jon high-fived James, who laughed loudly at Barry’s howl of dismay,

“Please tell me he won’t do that to my farm. Please, please tell me.”

“He won’t do that to your farm,” Craig reassured.

Barry eyed him suspiciously. “What will he do?”

Craig patted his arm. “Okay, I’m fairly sure he won’t do that to your farm. He does have some standards.”

“Besides, he doesn’t have that much explosive with him,” Garnet added cheerfully.

“And he’s generally not prone to acts of terror,” Cormack interjected.

“Or lunacy,” Cord said. “Although, he did mate your skanky asses, so perhaps I’m mistaken.”

“If you weren’t twice my size and mated to my friends, I’d chew you a new airhole,” Barry stated, glaring at the comedians. “You’d be less casual about her if Constance and her friends were tromping through this house.”

“Yeah, there is that,” Garnet replied, laughing. “And if Finch hadn’t got himself caught, you’d never have known about Constance tromping through your house, so chill out, would you? Blaze doesn’t need your negative vibes psyching him out before going into a lion’s den.”

Barry buttoned up, pouting.

“I’m in,” Blaze hissed through their link.

Video flickered up again on the wall screen, showing the inside of the farmhouse in one of the bedrooms. How the fuck had Blaze gotten past everyone?

“They’re having a conflab in the front room. I snuck right by them.” Okay, question answered. “Finch is down but still breathing. I’m planting a listening device on my way out, then skedaddling. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck and don’t get shot,” Garnet told him as the video went black again.

“This sounds promising. Skedaddling does mean escaping without explosions, right?”

Craig grinned at his friend. “Barry, honey, with Blaze and Finch involved, nobody’s quite sure anymore.”

“Fuck it. Just when I was beginning to like them both.”

“Does anyone have more intel on Bairr’s whereabouts?” Craig asked. “He’s someone we need to keep an eye on, especially since we don’t know his game plan.”

Cord stuck up his hand. “I did some asking, quietly. He’s a mystery, that’s for sure. Deadly in battle, extremely private, and takes no prisoners, apparently. I heard he’s a member of a club in London. Exclusive. And very private. The Crimson Shrine.”

Garnet’s head jerked up. “Crimson Shrine? Are you sure?”

“You know it?” Craig studied his mate carefully.

Garnet met his gaze. “Crimson Shrine has a bad rep. Really bad. People have died in there. It’s BDSM extreme, but nobody’s been able to prove any member’s connected to the deaths. Police or pack members. Anyone who’s tried asking questions has wound up shredded and smeared all over the city.”

“So this Bairr fella is bad news?”

“Craig, sweetie, Bairr owns the club,” Cord said grimly.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I almost didn’t believe it before. About us being mates. But it’s unmistakable, that pull, the feeling of belonging, deep inside my chest.” Shaun stroked Moses’s arm as Jeremy closed in on the other side. “It’ll be dark soon. No point in trekking over the moors again for a while. We should take advantage,” he whispered.

Moses swallowed, his hand shaking. “Er, that’s what I was, er thinking,” he murmured, nearly scalding himself as the cup tilted precariously, spilling soup onto his abs.

Shaun knelt, and slurped off the fragrant fluid. Moses jerked as though tasered, gazing helplessly down at Shaun’s blond head as his mate lapped at his skin.

“Oh God, that’s so hot,” Jeremy said. “We aren’t incestuous, you know, but we always discussed what would happen if we found our mate, and we had to share.”

Moses’s brain was clouding over rapidly, and he struggled to comprehend Jeremy’s words. “What did you, er, decide?”

Jeremy grinned, turning Moses’s head. “We’ll tag team, if that’s okay. One of us can fuck your mouth, one your sweet ass.” He leaned in closer, his blue eyes twinkling with humor. “Unless you want to top.”

Moses shook his head helplessly. “I have no idea what to do.”

The brothers both laughed. “Neither do we, really, but we’ve read books, and spoke to Elvis and Carter at length. They’re sexperts, you know.”

“Let me take that, beautiful,” Jeremy purred, grabbing the cup and depositing on the counter, returning quickly. “I’m going to shower while Shaun plays with you for a bit. Then it’s my turn.”

Moses groaned loudly, watching dazedly as his mate left, listening to the shower switch on. Imagining Jeremy naked was doing crazy things to his libido, amped up by the fact that Shaun tugged the towel off, revealing Moses in all his glory.

“Hmmm. Gorgeous dick, my love,” Shaun grinned, taking a tentative lick. A shudder ripped through Moses, his head lolling back, his cock throbbing urgently. He felt his balls draw up far too soon.

“Don’t,” Moses begged. “I don’t want this to end so quickly.”

Shaun’s grin widened, his mouth opened, and he took a second taste. “I do. I wanna feel your first cum shot all over my face, lover.” Moses whimpered at the images assaulting his brain, trembling all over.

His lover swirled his tongue around Moses’s corona, dipping into the narrow slit, scooping up the bead of cum, laughing at Moses’s low growls of approval.

“You asked for it,” Moses warned. Wrapping his fingers in Shaun’s silken hair he smiled as he took aim, losing control a second later and spurting all over Shaun’s happy face.

“Hmmm, yummy. Now you got your nerves out of the way, we can take our time,” Shaun laughed, rising, then grabbing Moses for a long, slow kiss that literally curled Moses’s toes.

He tasted his own spunk, and Shaun’s unique flavor, mixed with the enticing taste of chicken soup. He licked Shaun’s face clean, so turned on he felt the tingle right through to his dick, then dove in for a second kiss, tugging at his mate’s clothing. Soon they were skin to skin, sliding together as the kiss went on and on.

 Moses couldn’t get enough of Shaun’s delectable lips, nibbling and chewing, and sucking the plump pillows. Shaun’s moans of pleasure blended with his low groans, the vibrations rippling through both of them.

“Time’s up, boys.” Jeremy’s voice was hoarse. Moses’s nostrils tingled as his other mate moved closer, still damp from his shower. The scent of citrus mingled with sweat and cum. God, how had he lasted this long without realizing how much he would crave gay sex? He’d kissed a few girls…who hadn’t? It hadn’t done much for him. He’d thought he was defective. With the right stimulus, though, his cock was raring to go.

Shaun eased away, tapped one last kiss on the tip of his nose, then ambled toward the bathroom, swagger in every stride. Moses laughed when at his parting taunt to Jeremy. First cum.

“Yeah, I’ll be tapping his ass, though,” Jeremy yelled back, blushing under Moses’s wry stare. “Er, if that’s okay with you, of course.”

Moses hauled him closer, squeezing his cute butt. “Don’t hurt me, warn me on entry, and make me see stars when we come,” he muttered against Jeremy’s moist lips. “Otherwise, I’m looking forward to you tapping anything that takes your fancy, baby.”

Jeremy growled softly, clutching at Moses, dragging him in for a hot smooch that soon turned volcanic. Fuuuck! Both Shaun and Jeremy could kiss like a dream. Moses absorbed every detail, craving the contact, the passion, the loving caresses. And they were loving, unlike encounters he’d had with females who expected everything, giving nothing in return. His name had opened many doors, but none had kept his interest, nobody had made him feel he was wanted, needed, with every breath.

 Jeremy’s moans, his fingers kneading Moses’s shoulders, his slow forays into Moses’s mouth, all came with a side of tenderness. Damn! This was the business. Moses cursed his laxness, cursed his mother, who’d kept him from finding his mates, determined to keep him under her thumb no matter what.

They stumbled toward the bed, tumbling onto soft, clean sheets, fragrant with lavender and sunshine. Their legs entangled, twining intimately as they writhed fluidly, exploring each texture, dip, and curve. Their breaths gasped out in desperate pants, sighs, and guttural whimpers of sheer bliss.