STORY EXCERPT

It was official. His mates were assholes.

Max watched as his wolf shifter mate, Garth Danvers, drove off in his truck. He was the sheriff and had to go to work. They were at a point in their “relationship” where Max didn’t care if the wolf shifter stayed with him or lived in town. He was angry, frustrated, and disgusted. Once the tail lights had disappeared, he turned to go back into the house. Roan would show up soon. He had returned to life once the sun set, but waited until Garth left before coming to their house.

If he only had the one mate, things would probably be all sunshine and roses for him. As it was, he had two. Both Garth and Roan were great guys. In the beginning, he believed he had been blessed as many of his friends were with two mates. Unfortunately, his mates hated one another. They were both big, badass alpha types, neither wanting to submit to the other. Either they were both going to be the “boss” or neither of them was. They clashed so much that they had come to a mutual agreement to not be in the same place at the same time.

Sighing, Max went to the kitchen, turning the lights on as he entered. Their new house had all the modern conveniences. The clan leader, Ian MacLauchlan, saw to it that everyone living on the farm was taken care of. Many new houses had been built in the past couple of years, but the ones for the gargoyles and their mates, or future mates, were the newest. There were other benefits to living on the farm. There were no utility bills and as long as an able-bodied person worked to help grow the crops, or raise livestock, they were welcome in a share of produce. The people who worked also earned a wage. Overall, it was an excellent place to live and Max couldn’t imagine ever wanting to leave. His life now, even with the conflict with his mates, was far better than the one he had been living before arriving on the farm.

He had been working in a club in New York City when he had been kidnapped by shifter hunters and taken to their retreat in the mountains, where he discovered there were true horrors in the world. He witnessed so many good people, shifters, be tortured and killed. The things he had seen still kept him awake some nights. He had panic attacks and it was sometimes difficult for him to be around strangers. Fortunately, there weren’t many of those on the farm.

Max was in the middle of making supper when Roan came in. Before the curse, the gargoyle’s name had been Quintus. But after the curse, the gargoyles could not all remember their names, and he had been labeled Creature. Max had refused to address him by that name, so Max had begun trying out different names. The one to finally stick was Roan. Even after he learned what his name had been, the gargoyle had kept Roan, because Max had given it to him. He considered it a gift. It was one of the things Max loved about Roan. He had a huge heart and was very kind and gentle, though he was also a fierce warrior and had been for centuries.

Huge hands settled on Max’s shoulders, turning him around. He looked up into the oddly-shaped features, the square jaw, the hooked nose, high cheekbones, and glowing red eyes. Each brother looked different, but Roan’s face was quite gruesome. It was the reason he suspected that his mate had been named Creature. Whatever the reason, Max only saw someone he loved with all his heart.

“You’re late,” Max said, smiling and going up on tiptoe to offer his mouth. His hands lifted to rest on the wide, powerful chest as he leaned into his mate. Warm lips touched his. Roan was always careful to not let his long fangs nick him. “I’m making sausages and potatoes. Is there something else you’d like? I could grill a steak for you, too.” All of the gargoyles had huge appetites, though David’s seemed to be twice that of his brothers’. “Mrs. Riley made two apple pies for us. I tried,” he said, grimacing. “But they didn’t turn out so well.”

Roan chuckled and moved around the table to sit in one of the chairs specially designed to accommodate his wings and tail. “I am certain they would have tasted fine.”

“I burned them to a crisp. They looked like coal, when I took them out of the oven. I had the temperature turned up too high.” He picked up the wooden spoon and pushed around the thick sausages. “Will you be patrolling tonight?”

“No. The others will take over my duty. I am spending the night with my mate.” Roan smiled. It went straight to Max’s heart, though he knew it would probably terrify many others. He would never be frightened of Roan, could never be frightened of him, because he was the gentlest being Max had ever met. “It is time we completed our bond. I am no longer waiting for your other mate to agree to it.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Roan laughed softly and reached out to touch Max’s cheek. Max leaned into the gentle touch, his eyes closing. “Yes, I can do that. I need to make love to you.”

“And I need you to make love to me,” Max told him in a soft, aching voice as he opened his eyes to look up at Roan. “We can live with the bond we have, can’t we?”

There wasn’t even a moment’s hesitation on Roan’s part. He smiled and nodded. “Yes. Now, get naked. I want to make love to my mate.”

Giggling, Max saluted. “Yes, sir!” He took off his clothes so fast, it was a wonder he didn’t tear them. They were gone within seconds and he was jumping up on the bed, scrambling over the huge surface until he was in the center, with his head on the pillows. “Don’t forget the lube.”

Though Roan retrieved the bottle of lube from the bedside table, they both forgot about it when the larger man joined Max on the bed and took him into his arms. Max shivered as Roan captured his mouth for a scorching kiss. A large hand began exploring his body, stroking over it softly in places, while a little rougher in others. It was perfect. He expressed his approval of the man’s ministrations with moans. His nipples were pinched and tugged. His underarm was caressed. The mound of his ass was given a firm squeeze, which tugged at his aching asshole. His moans grew louder, with each new touch, as Roan’s hand continued to explore what seemed to be every inch of his body.

Roan released his mouth and began to kiss a trail along his jaw. Max tilted his head as his mate kissed and licked the length of his neck. Thoughts of submitting to Garth entered his head, but he forcefully shoved them out. He and Roan were moving on. They would be together forever. It hurt terribly that they wouldn’t have their bond mate, would never be able to deepen their connection, but that was the way it had to be. If they stayed, it was inevitable that one or both men would die. At least if they left, Max would have Roan and both men would be safe. Not necessarily completely happy, but safe. Garth, too, would eventually be able to move on and find someone he could be happy with. That someone would never be Max or Roan.

A slick finger teasing his puckered asshole got Max’s complete attention. He spread his legs, offering himself to his mate, sighing with pleasure as the finger pushed into him. Roan was pressing kisses to his belly, making him wiggle. They were tickling him and he laughed, which turned into a moan as the finger probing him began to slide in and out.

When Roan licked around his cock and balls, making a point of not touching them, Max thought he would lose his mind. He actually growled, when he felt as if the sensual torment continued far too long. Roan laughed and dropped a kiss on the head of his cock, before returning to his mission, his tongue now traveling slowly along the groove between Max’s groin and thigh.

The man was systematically killing each of Max’s brain cells. By the time three fingers were stretching him, and Roan took his cock down to the root, he was all but a moaning, drooling idiot.

“Now! Do it now!” he begged, reaching for Roan’s powerful shoulders. His fingertips bit into muscles as he tried to pull, but the guy didn’t move an inch. “Oh, yeah, do that again.” Shivers and moans were accompanying Roan’s every touch. Max was so close to coming that he was getting desperate. “Please, Roan, I want you inside me. I’m going to come soon. I want you to be inside me.”

Rising up over Max, Roan dropped a quick kiss on his lips. His fingers were withdrawn, to be replaced a moment later by the thick, spongy head of his cock. It pushed through the stretched ring of muscle. Max reached out and grabbed on to his mate. Silky blond hair caressed his face as Roan continued with the kisses. Max whimpered as the thick cock in his ass was stretching and filling him. When Roan bottomed out, he wrapped his legs around his mate’s waist, holding on for all he was worth. Roan nipped his chin and chuckled, stopping all progress as he did so. He was obviously teasing Max. Max growled and pulled back, enough to give a mock glare to the other man. He could barely think of anything beyond the cock crushed between their bodies. He was going to come at any second. He humped a little against Roan’s hard abs. It felt good, but it wasn’t enough.