STORY EXCERPT

Caleb opened his truck door and tossed the bag with three boxes of marshmallow cereal onto the passenger side of his bench seat. After climbing in and starting his engine a strange feeling assailed him. The feeling grew and became a need to be somewhere. As he pulled out of the store parking lot, he followed the unseen force that was calling to him.

The pressure in his chest built. Desperation to get to the unknown destination had him picking up the speed. The force led him a few streets over and into the local inn parking lot. His headlamps shone on two men fighting in the parking lot. Well, one man was beating up another man. At least the poor guy had on a helmet. The light made the man on top stop and gave the other one a chance to get in a better position.

Caleb got out of his truck. His heart sank when he heard the man on top chanting the dreaded words must kill. The man on top was punching the man below him in the lower back. The blows had to hurt.

If he could get the chanting man to stop, he may be able to get through to him and find out more about Attinie.

“Stop, you boys need to settle your differences in another manner,” he called out. Caleb waited hopefully. They could use any information they could get from the chanting man.

He watched the chanting man reach up and grab his prey by the helmet. In the blink of an eye the chanting man started slamming the helmet into the payment. The blows would have been deadly without the protection.

Knowing what needed to be done, Caleb rushed the chanting man and then kicked the man off of his target.

He knelt by the victim and was instantly enveloped in the most delicious scent he’d ever encountered. Caleb sniffed the air. His cock went on high alert and the beast in him sprang to life.

The man on the ground was his mate.

Mate!

The man he’d kicked jumped to his feet and started chanting louder. The crazy guy went for his mate. Caleb couldn’t control what happened next. A growl rumbled from deep within his chest and he bared his fangs. Any threat to his mate was unacceptable.

Instinct kicked in and he rushed to the chanting man and snapped the guy’s neck. He tossed the body to the ground and turned to his mate.

With a grimace the man pulled off his helmet. Caleb’s heart started beating a wild rhythm the second his gaze was snared by his mate’s beautiful pale blue eyes. A bright blue light started at his mate’s feet and sped up the man’s body until it totally covered him. When diamonds sparkled in the blue Caleb was awestruck.

Someone slamming a door jerked him out of his trance. He reached out his hand and his mate flinched.

Aw hell. The guy is scared of me. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay? We need to get you out of here. You’re glowing.”

His mate reached out a trembling hand. The second the man slid his hand into Caleb’s sparks went off in his groin.

“I’m Caleb Wyckoff. Let’s get you out of here.” Caleb couldn’t let anyone see his mate glowing. To humans, elves didn’t exist. They’d think he was toxic for sure.

The man picked up his helmet. “I’m Mairig Tipton. I need to get my bike. I’ll follow you wherever you want to go.”

“No,” Caleb replied gruffly.

“What?” Mairig jumped back a step. Shocked surprise flavored the man’s tone.

“We’ll come back for it when you’re not glowing. Get in my truck,” Caleb ordered and led his mate to the passenger door. He opened it and put the cereal in the back seat before guiding his mate into the truck and slamming the door shut. He wanted to lock his mate in, but thought that would be a little extreme. Especially since the man was scared of him. After rounding the truck, he quickly climbed in and drove around the dead body and out of the parking lot.

Mairig was looking grumpy and he had a feeling he’d hurt his mate’s feelings with his gruff, demanding attitude.

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings back there. I just couldn’t control myself. Where you’re concerned I probably never will be able to. Any threat to you will bring out the beast in me. I couldn’t let that guy kill you and I couldn’t let any humans see your beautiful glowing body. I would be forced to kill anyone who tried to take you from me. Humans like to experiment on beings that are new to them. Do you understand?” Caleb could feel the man’s fear as well as understanding. Being paranormal wasn’t as easy as wistful humans dreamed it was.

“I get it now. I just don’t take to some beings well, no offense, and I never leave my bike.” Mairig gestured to his brightly glowing body. “I see your point, though.” Mairig shuddered and then blurted, “Are you going to kill me?”

Caleb pulled the truck over to the side of the road and then put it in park. He looked into Mairig’s eyes. “No. I will never harm you. Vampires don’t kill their mates, ever. Are you an elf?” He was pretty sure his mate was an elf, but in times like these it was smart to ask.

“Yes.” Mairig held up his glowing hand. “I’m a blue diamond.”

“You’re a jewel for sure.” Unbidden, Caleb leaned over and brushed a bluish brown strand out of his mate’s exquisite eyes. The tingling in his body intensified along with his need to claim his mate physically. “I’m glad I was led to you, little jewel.” Fear with a mixture of lust came off of Mairig. “You don’t have to fear me. With time you’ll see that.”

The light around his elf brightened and blue with shots of diamond swirled like a ribbon around Mairig. My mate is beautiful.

ADULT EXCERPT

Caleb got a bag out of the backseat and took Mairig’s hand. The vampire led him up the steps of a beautiful patio and right into the house. A big blond man with gold and green eyes stopped pouring a glass of juice and sniffed the air. He looked at both of them and smiled.

Smiles were sometimes deceptive. He stepped closer to Caleb. His nerves bunched and his stomach hurt. Would this big guy try to drain him?

“I see why you parked on the grass. Congrats, little bro. I see you’ve found your mate.” The blond’s eyes went to the bag in Caleb’s hand. “You’re a lifesaver, Caleb. I owe you.”

Caleb put the bag on the marble countertop and pulled Mairig toward the stairs that were against the far wall.

“You don’t owe me a thing. That cereal run led me to my mate. His name is Mairig. Have Luke send up some food later.” Caleb said the words as he led Mairig upward.

“Did he hear you?” he asked. Was vampire hearing as good as he’d heard?

“Yes. Our hearing is excellent. That was my brother, Tristan. You’ll meet Drake later.” Caleb stopped at the top of the stairs and looked Mairig over. “Much later.” Caleb turned and led him down a wide corridor and into a suite of rooms. As soon as he cleared the threshold, Caleb waved his hand and the door swung shut.

The ribbon of color started circling Mairig again. It wasn’t to heal him or signal he’d found his mate. It was time to claim his somewhat scary vampire mate.

The mating heat pushed his fear aside and drove him to say, “I, Mairig Tipton, am yours forever. Will you, Caleb Wyckoff, be mine forever?” His whole body trembled as he asked the vampire to be his. Fear and excitement battled within his stomach. Would he live long if Caleb accepted him? A small voice deep in his heart whispered, yes.

“Yes.” Caleb’s eyes brightened and his nostrils flared.

The second Caleb agreed to be his mate, Mairig felt his eyes start to change. A tickle brushed the back of his eyes and then bright light blinded him for a long moment. Diamonds danced before his eyes and then darted away. His mate’s face came into view and lust burst through his groin.

“Your eyes are beautiful,” Caleb whispered, and then the vampire reached out to touch the side of Mairig’s face.

At the feel of his mate’s hand on him Mairig’s world turned upside down. The need to submit to his mate singed every cell in his body.

Pleasure bloomed in his chest when Caleb’s words sank in. “Thanks. What color are my mate flecks?”

“Dark blue and diamond. They make your pale blue eyes pop. I’ve never seen anything like them. They are enchanting.” Awe turned the last sentence into a husky whisper. Caleb stared at Mairig’s eyes while his fingers caressed the side of his face.

The sight of his mate’s wonderment had his cock extending further and aching with need. On instinct, he started taking his clothes off. To his surprise Caleb stepped back and waved his hand between them. Cool air touched his body. His breath hitched when he looked down and saw his own naked body.

His gaze darted to Caleb and his nostrils flared at the sight of his mate’s naked muscular frame. His gaze was snared by the proudly jutting erection between Caleb’s legs. He automatically reached for the pulsing flesh.

Caleb growled and grabbed him by the arm. The room shifted and his stomach flipped. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply. A surprised gasp escaped him when he felt cool silk under his back. Mairig opened his eyes in time to see Caleb conjure some lube from the night table.

“Spread your legs for me, little jewel.” Caleb’s words were husky with passion and his eyes shone with lust, not menace.

With desire thrumming through his body, he did as he was asked. The spreading of his legs ratcheted his need up another level. His skin glowed like a blue diamond. He groaned in need and Caleb growled in response.

Caleb raised Mairig’s balls and drizzled lube on his hungry entrance. With a racing heart, Mairig watched Caleb’s fingers move toward his now-slick flesh. He fell back on the bed the second his mate’s thick finger started circling his puckered star.

“That’s it, relax for me.” Caleb’s words whispered across his cockhead.

Mairig looked down between his legs in time to see his mate’s mouth open wide. In a heartbeat Caleb sucked the crown into his mouth and slid his finger past Mairig’s tight ring of muscle. His hips bucked and a guttural groan rumbled up from his heaving chest.

Caleb slid another finger into his ass as his tongue expertly worked the top of Mairig’s cock. The vampire’s free hand started sliding up and down Mairig’s shaft.