STORY EXCERPT

Bear.

Vine blinked, thinking, hoping, he was seeing things.

Nope. There really was a huge brown bear standing by the stream, making a quiet chuffing noise.

Crap! It looked like the bear wanted Vine to come closer. He gave the bear an incredulous look. Yeah, I’ll just come closer so you don’t have to get your frigging huge paws wet while you’re tearing me to shreds and feasting on my liver!

In response the bear sighed and sat on its haunches.

Stupefied, Vine stared, trying not to make any sudden moves and looking for a rock to throw downstream, thinking it might distract the animal and maybe tempt it away. Right now, the bear could be thinking Vine was a great big fish or a trapped animal that would make an easy snack.

Or it was a man-eating bear. Vine gulped.

Well fuck! His night was not going as he hoped when he’d snuck out of the guild hours ago on his skateboard. He’d managed to get past the security cameras because he’d jammed the system for three seconds, though he did leave the perimeter monitors on in all areas except the one he was going through because he didn’t want to leave the place vulnerable.

No one knew where he was, and now two of Angelique and Gaspard’s people were after him and a bear was eying him up like a tasty treat.

He managed to stifle most of the whimper that rose at the thought of the bear gnawing happily on his leg, but still, some escaped. The bear sniffed the air and seemed to raise its non-existent brows.

“N-nice bear,” he whispered. “I’m too grisly to eat, so shoo!”

The mud up his nose was drying fast and extremely uncomfortable, and his arm that was holding up his phone to keep it out of the water was beginning to ache, but there was no way Vine was moving. Not for the two fae who were here to dispatch him permanently, and not because a bear was eying him up as dinner.

He would move if something in this stream began nibbling on him though. Little wet slippery things creeped him out, and something had brushed against his calf a moment ago. He jerked his leg, body twisting as he tried to get a look at the water. He probably looked like he was suffering a muscle spasm or some sort of medical problem, but he’d once heard about little parasites living in untreated water, and if they got inside you, they caused a lot of problems, especially if they got in crevices such as ears or up your privates. Just the thought was freaking him out.

The bear rubbed its chin with a large paw. That was rather a human action, wasn’t it? Vine considered, staring hard at the bear. Why was it just sitting there? Why did it look so expectantly at him? What the hell did it want? He wasn’t a damn mind reader!

Damn, he was getting cold.

“Shoo!” He tried again. “Are you trying to get me killed? Don’t you hear those two people cursing me and getting closer?” Then Vine had a sudden, frightening thought. “You’re with them, aren’t you! You probably led them right to me. Bastard! You’re a shifter!”

Vine moved at the same time as the bear began shifting and scrambled up the small embankment opposite, hoping to outrun the creature. He tossed a rock.

“Hey! Hold on. Ow, watch it! I’m not with them. I’m your—”

Vine tossed another rock in the bear shifter’s direction and ran.

“Hear that? Got to be him! Come on,” one of the fae after Vine called out.

Panicked, Vine shrieked and bolted into the darkened forest, hardly able to see where he was going. Within a few steps he caught his foot on a tree root and fell, crashing to the ground and wrenching his ankle a little. Not enough to stop him using it, just enough to cause a twinge and some pain.

He would have sprung up, but a large, very naked, and warm body landed on top of him, winding him, and trapped Vine beneath. He immediately began twisting and jerking in the vain hope of dislodging the creature whose strength and mass were far greater than his own.

“I’m not going to hurt you, but you need to keep still and quiet.”

Not expecting this from the shifter, Vine’s mind immediately jumped from thinking the man was an accomplice to remembering there were bear shifters in the local wolf pack. Then he realized his body was having a very unusual reaction to this creature’s close proximity despite their dire situation.

He felt a bit nauseous, his left arm was cramping, and he had a sudden sharp pain in his head.

“Who—”

“We need to move now.” The shifter jumped up, lifting Vine up and onto his feet at the same time. “Run.”

Just as he said that, the two men who had been chasing them crashed through the bush to the left and fired shots. Vine ran, the shifter right there beside him and quickly overtaking. Vine had thought he was fast, but man, this creature could move! He pumped his legs faster to keep up, but he kept stumbling over roots and was hit by branches, soon falling behind. The fae behind them fired more shots, and Vine swore one got the shifter, but it didn’t slow him down at all. He reached back, and taking Vine’s hand, he tossed aside the phone Vine had been desperately trying to keep safe and, holding on tightly, ran faster, completely naked, through the forest.

Of course, Vine should be watching where he was stepping so he didn’t trip and slow them down, which would lead to getting them killed, but man, how could he possibly not stare at the bear shifter’s awesome gluts! Muscles flexed, dangly bits bounced. It was mesmerizing!

ADULT EXCERPT

“I thought you’d be in your workroom for hours.” Vine snuggled back into his mate and may have deliberately pressed his ass against Trekk’s groin.

“I like it better with you,” Trekk rumbled in a funny way, possibly a bear way, as he nuzzled Vine’s neck and hair. “Missed you.”

Trekk’s large hand caressed Vine’s hip. His dick was hard and pressed against Vine’s ass. Turning to face his mate, Vine stretched out and pressed light kisses to Trekk’s mouth, the bear shifter responding to Vine’s lead.

Trekk’s hands were busy, though, one tracing Vine’s body, caressing every inch he could reach, the other gripping one ass cheek and holding firmly, thumb caressing the valley between. Their first time together had been hot and fast, passion exploding. Vine would never forget the intensity, the beauty of what they’d shared.

Now he wanted his mate again and to make more memories to add to the array he had so far. Like running through the forest in the dark with a naked Trekk. Their first kiss. Arguing outside the cave. The twenty questions game that they’d never finished. The long chats about everything and anything the last few days and their botched attempts to get alone time. Every one of those memories was special.

Vine slowed his mate’s exploring hands. He wanted to do some exploring, touching, and tasting of his own, and if Trekk kept touching him, he wouldn’t get his chance! Not when the needs were so sharp.

Beginning with his mate’s lips, Vine changed their positions, placing himself on top. Trekk still kept his hands on Vine, and Vine didn’t care. He loved the contact, loved feeling long fingers stroking his hair and back, his ass and thighs. They’d shared kisses over the last few days, each one wrapping them up in each other.

Finally, Vine dragged his lips from Trekk’s. He nibbled along his mate’s jaw, enjoying the contrast of bristles and smooth skin. He found spots on Trekk’s neck that had the big man gripping the sheets or squirming from ticklishness. Vine enjoyed exploiting both.

He took his time exploring Trekk’s wide chest, lavishing attention on his small nipples, teasing the little discs so they perked up, nipping, lapping with his tongue until Trekk was groaning and thrusting up, needing relief. Vine simply moved on to other parts. He stroked and tasted and finally made his way to the long, thick, very hard and red leaking dick that he enjoyed so much.

He didn’t hesitate, taking Trekk’s dick deep into his mouth and applying a little suction.

Man, Trekk tasted good! And he had to stretch his mouth, but it was worth it, the taste and hearing his mate’s grunts of pleasure. He couldn’t get a lot of Trekk into his mouth—the man was big all over—so he concentrated on the sensitive head and used his hands to stroke and squeeze, moving fast then slowing, teasing, and repeating until his mate was swearing, demanding, and encouraging Vine.

By the time he started playing with Trekk’s heavy, hairy balls, the man was wound so tight his body tensed at the slight tug and touch, and when he came, there was a roar and growl and Vine had to pull back so Trekk didn’t thrust his dick down his throat.

He sucked and stroked until Trekk had no more to give and flopped back onto the bed, Vine pulling off. Trekk tugged Vine into his arms, and they kissed, slow and intimate. Vine was hard and wanting, but he didn’t mind. It was a great feeling. He’d loved giving his mate pleasure, and right at this moment, it was enough for him.

Though he wouldn’t say no or dissuade his mate if Trekk wanted to play around some more or do more than play around. Or just kiss and snuggle. With Trekk’s tongue thrusting deep into Vine’s mouth, he was momentarily distracted and was startled when a large, wet, warm hand wrapped around his cock in just the right way and slowly began to move, jerking him off.

Feeling his mate’s hand on him, Trekk’s tongue in his mouth, Vine was lost to any type of rational thought, his entire focus on the feel and taste of his man, the sensations his body was experiencing, what Trekk was giving him. With every upward stroke, Trekk’s tongue wrestled with Vine’s. His thumb lightly rubbed across the little slit of Vine’s cock, spreading pre-cum and playing with sensitive little nerves.

Vine had no concept of time. He was caught up in the sensations, but he never forgot who held him, who he kissed and tasted. It could have been a few minutes, it could have been half an hour or more, but Trekk held him and kissed him and played his cock till Vine was whispering his needs and putty for Trekk to do anything with.