STORY EXCERPT

Raith was young, impetuous, and rebellious. He lived by no one’s rules but his own. He was a rogue, a maverick, without direction and uncaring that he had no destination in life. He was also loyal. October doubted there was anything the man wouldn’t do for his brothers. There was kindness, compassion, and a desire for acceptance in those beautiful onyx eyes that he imagined few took the time to notice.

Yes, he’d gotten all of that from just a few short meetings and clipped conversations. Call him highly observant. A man did not live as long as he had without learning a few things along the way, though.

When Gideon pulled to a stop in front of the Council house once again, October slid down from the vehicle and thanked his friend. “Go home, Gideon. I’m not leaving until my dear mate pulls his head out of his ass.”

Gideon laughed and bobbed his head. “Good luck with that, Tober. I hope you have better luck than you did before.”

“Oh, by the way…”

“Yes?” The vampire arched an eyebrow at him, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Thank you for talking some sense into me.”

Gideon shrugged. “I didn’t do much. You’re a great leader. I don’t think that’s going to help you much in this case, though. You’ll have to learn to bend a little.”

Funny, he’d just been thinking the same thing. “Go home, Gid. I’ll see you soon.”

“Go easy on him. He looks tough on the outside, but I’ve got a feeling there’s a whole world of hurt on the inside.”

October dipped his head and closed the door, waving Gideon off before climbing the stairs to ring the doorbell. Compromise was the name of the game, but it was going to take something drastic to get Raith to pull his head out of his ass.

“Wow, twice in one night,” Lynk Braddock said when he opened the door. “I hope you’re here to kick my brother’s ass, because he is seriously depressing right now.”

“I don’t know about kicking his ass, but I would like to speak to him again.”

“Well, come in.” Lynk stepped back and waved him inside. “He’s still pouting in his room.”

Winding his way through the living area and down the long hallway, he stepped into his mate’s room without announcement. There was no rule that said he had to have a plan A and a plan B. Maybe he could combine the two. And if that failed, well, there was always the ass-kicking Lynk had mentioned.

“Hello, Raith.”

“Gods, do you ever give up? Just go away.”

“We are going to talk. We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. The choice is up to you.”

Damn, the man was gorgeous. Thick, black hair gleamed in the moonlight spilling through the windows, and the muscles of his naked torso rippled with each agitated movement as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I want you to leave. Is that an option?”

October sighed as he shut and locked the door. “Then I guess we’re doing this the hard way.” Taking his time, he unbuttoned his pinstriped shirt, pulled it off, and folded it carefully before placing it on Raith’s dresser. “Come here, Raith.”

“No.”

“It was not a request.” October lowered his voice, letting the authority seep into his tone. “Come here.”

Though he appeared skeptical, Raith uncrossed his arms and stepped forward until he was within a foot of October.

“Closer.”

Raith grunted but did as he was instructed, stepping closer until only centimeters separated their chests.

“Closer,” October whispered.

With a slight tremble of his shoulders and an almost-silent moan, Raith closed the remaining distance, pressing their half-naked bodies together. “Happy?”

“Not yet.” The man felt so good against him, and the scent pouring off of him was making October’s mouth water. “You’re not going to hide from me anymore, Raith Braddock. I promise you that I am strong enough and more than capable of handling your burdens.” His arm encircled Raith’s waist in a light hold. “Don’t run from me.”

“As you can see, I’m not running. Just tell me what you want to say and leave.”

“I’m not leaving, so you can stop.” His other hand smoothed up Raith’s back until his fingers tangled in the soft locks of the witch’s hair. “Let me help you.”

“I don’t need help, and even if I did, I doubt you could be the one to give it to me.”

Oh, his mate was a prideful idiot and as muleheaded as they came. With supernatural speed and strength, October spun around, taking Raith with him and pinning him to the door. “We can do this all night, Raith. Stop being such an ass.”

“Why did you come back?”

“I came back because you need me. I can only say that I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”

“I don’t need anyone.”

“Then why are you holding on to me so tightly?” Raith’s hands were gripping his sides in a hold that October was sure would leave bruises the next day. He didn’t care. He’d cherish every one of the marks. “Stop fighting me. I swear I won’t let you fall.”

There was a split second where he thought the man would argue again. When he didn’t, however, October took advantage of the hesitation, pulling Raith’s head down until their lips met in a light, chaste touch. “I won’t let you fall.” He repeated the vow in a soft, mumbled whisper against the supple skin of his mate’s neck.

With a quiet breath, Raith wrapped his arms around October’s back in a crushing embrace and attacked his mouth with a kiss that was hot enough to scorch the desert sands.

ADULT EXCERPT

What little clothing that remained was torn and shredded, tossed unceremoniously about the room. Hands pawed, groped, fondled, tugged, and kneaded in a proprietary way with little concern for gentleness. Their mouths met, tongues twined, and groans mingled in harmony while they moved to the center of the bed in a tangle of limbs.

His heart pounded, his cock ached, and every fiber of his being burned for the gorgeous man atop him. In all of his many, many long years, October couldn’t remember a single time he’d ever wanted someone like he wanted Raith—with one exception. He wouldn’t think about that, though. It wasn’t fair to either of them for him to wallow in the past when the present afforded so much pleasure.

He’d never hoped to find another mate. Not many were given a second chance, and he was determined to do everything in his power to make it work this time. He couldn’t force Raith to accept their bond, but with time, hopefully the man would come around on his own.

The sound of bottle cap opening vaguely registered, but he was too busy attacking his lover’s mouth to investigate. It wasn’t his first rodeo, and he knew what to expect. Sure enough, only a second later, a thick, lubed finger eased into his entrance with firm, steady pressure.

The guarding ring of muscles protested momentarily, but October sucked in a deep breath and willed his body to relax. The burn was minimal, the pressure not uncomfortable, and once he stopped fighting it, his opening yielded readily to Raith’s probing digit.

“That’s not necessary.” He wouldn’t admit it to anyone except his mate, but he craved a bit of rough handling every now and then.

“Hush,” Raith whispered against the side of his neck as he nipped at the damp skin. “I’m guessing it’s been a while, and I’m not going to hurt you.”

It was sweet, but completely unnecessary. “I like the burn,” he admitted. He didn’t consider himself masochistic, and it wasn’t as though he had asked Raith to tie him up and whip him raw. A bite of pain with his pleasure was more than enough for him.

Raith’s lips paused at his shoulder, but his finger continued to saw lazily in and out of October’s channel. There was clearly an internal debate going on inside the man’s head, and October regretted that he’d unsettled the guy once again. Just when he was about to tell Raith to forget it, however, the witch extracted his finger, replacing it with the slick head of his cock.

“You’ll tell me if I hurt you.” It wasn’t a request, nor was it a question, and October shivered at the command as he nodded.

Raith’s long, thick length surged into his depths and stretched his inner walls. The burn radiated outward, zinging straight to his dick so that it throbbed madly between their sweat-dampened bodies. A lustful cry spilled from his mouth, unchained and uninhibited, as each fractional movement of his lover’s rigid cock spiked the clawing need inside him.

With his face pressed against the side of October’s neck to muffle his own groan of pleasure, Raith braced his hands on the mattress and began a slow, sensual tempo. He didn’t thrust but rolled his hips, flexing every firm muscle in his powerful body, while his cobblestone abs rippled in waves, creating an enticing friction over the flared helmet of October’s cock.

Heat like he’d never felt enveloped his body, scorched his skin, and sizzled his nerve endings until he felt he would go up in flames at any moment. Ruthless and unrepentant, his instincts betrayed him. His gums ached as his fangs elongated, and his mouth watered with the desire to embed his canines into the succulent, fragrant vein that pulsed along the side of Raith’s neck.

Battling back his natural urges, he held tight to his mate’s shoulders, rocking his hips upward in rhythm to Raith’s increasing pace. There was something very intimate about the way they held one another, something that had been missing from his love life for far too long—something he hadn’t even realized he wanted.

No words were spoken, because no words were required. Heavy breathing, groans, and grunts were the only communication they needed as the tempo grew more demanding. Their hands didn’t roam or grope. There were no kisses, licks, nips, or nibbles. They simply held on in a tight embrace as though neither could get close enough to the other.

Being in Raith’s arms didn’t just feel right, it felt familiar—familiar as in the way of longtime lovers. October anticipated his mate’s moves and inexplicably connected Raith’s thoughts or emotions to those actions. As the pressure built in his sac and his balls drew close to his body, he slid one hand into Raith’s short hair, knowing if he tugged just slightly it would drive his man wild.

Lightning zipped up his spine, his head began to spin, and his heart thundered, kicking hard against his sternum. Pre-cum leaked more generously from his slit, and each plunge into his eager hole pushed him closer to the brink of orgasm. Refusing to tumble over the edge alone, October fisted his fingers tightly in Raith’s ebony locks and jerked his head back on his shoulders.