STORY EXCERPT

A gust of wind swept through the now-empty grove, further stirring the restless beast inside of Flame. He shared a look with Viktor and saw the same apprehension in his friend’s eyes. “We’ve lingered here too long,” Viktor said. “We need to go.”

Flame nodded and turned to follow after his Alpha. For some reason, however, he hesitated. The wolf inside pulled at him, howling that they needed to stay. What in the world was going on?

The wind changed direction, and all of a sudden, Flame scented a foreign, yet familiar, aroma, the one scent that all wolves were bound to recognize, even though it was different for each individual. The scent of his mate. Flame wanted to howl in triumph at the knowledge that his other half was here somewhere, in this very grove. And then realization struck. The entrancing aroma of his mate was tainted by something else, something darker. The smell of hate, of violence, and of anger.

Turning on his heel, Flame looked back just in time to see a large bird swoop down on them, claws extended.

It seemed to be some sort of huge eagle, the size of a man, with an incredible wingspan and razor-sharp claws. Flame had seen nothing like it before, and he felt awed at the sight. He found himself unable to move, rooted on the spot. Viktor didn’t have this problem, probably because the peculiar bird seemed to be targeting Kaiden in its attack.

Before Flame’s very eyes, Viktor shifted, a large white wolf appearing where his human body stood before. All the while, Kaiden dodged the bird’s attack with fluid movements. The snake shifter avoided the eagle’s deadly claws, but he didn’t seem to get enough respite to find his weapons. Fighting in his animal form would have been suicide in this case.

Viktor lunged toward the bird, but the large eagle flew away just in time. As Viktor freed him from the bird’s relentless assault, Kaiden cursed and retrieved the one blade he kept with him.

In that moment, Flame’s mind recovered, and he realized the identity of their attacker. Without sparing another moment to consider the effect of his actions, he shifted and jumped Kaiden just as the snake shifter threw the knife at the bird. The blade trajectory shifted, hitting the bird’s large wing instead of its heart as Kai had obviously intended.

The bird shrieked a wounded sound of pain that tore at Flame’s insides. It tried to fly away using its remaining functional wing, but to no avail. The large, majestic body seized, the wings stopped flapping, and the eagle fell from the sky, hitting the ground with a sickening crack.

Flame got off a stunned Kaiden and padded toward the fallen body of the bird. He nudged the motionless eagle with his snout, letting out a lost whine when the bird showed no reaction. Behind him, he heard Viktor shift and head toward Flame with Kaiden in tow.

A growl emerged in Flame’s throat, and he turned to meet the two men, snarling in warning. Viktor’s eyes widened. “Flame…What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Still in wolf form, Flame ignored his Alpha’s words. Much to his surprise, Kaiden spoke in his stead. “The bird…The bird is his mate.”

Viktor groaned. “You have got to be shitting me.”

Kaiden knelt next to Flame, demanding his attention. “The blade I hit it with was poisoned. You have to let us near it, otherwise it’ll die.”

Flame considered his options and scented his fallen mate, whimpering at the realization that the smell of death already started to envelop the eagle. He shifted and turned to Kaiden. “Help him. Please help him.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Flame’s rough hands guided Lysander carefully until they were in a sixty-nine position on the bed. Lysander let his lover lead the way and focused on the dick in his mouth. Or tried to, at least. When Flame’s mouth engulfed his dick, he lost all power of thought and coherence, and all he could do was moan and hope that through some miracle, he’d be able to give Flame pleasure, too.

He took Flame’s cock deep in his throat and shuddered when Flame did the same for him. To a certain extent, he felt surprised he yearned for the other man so much, but the shock was distant, and he couldn’t bring himself to care. He just wanted to find a way to get Flame’s dick in his ass and, preferably, keep Flame’s mouth in that wonderful sucking motion. That was anatomically impossible, right? Lysander couldn’t figure it out, not when Flame did that wicked thing with his tongue that made Lysander’s whole body pulse with a blaze of ecstasy.

Flame’s finger went to tease at Lysander’s opening and pushed inside. His flesh yielded with ease, still stretched from their lovemaking just minutes before. Lysander’s eyes went wide when that blunt digit hit his special spot, rubbing it in an almost sadistically erotic motion.

Lysander couldn’t take it anymore. He exploded with a choked cry, mouth still wrapped around Flame’s dick, mind struggling between the desire to give his lover the same bliss and the urge to just ride his own pleasure. In the end, he lost control over his limbs, bones melting from the climax, and he didn’t get the chance to do anything but pathetically cling to his lover’s body.

He moaned in distress when Flame’s heat disappeared, that fat dick slipping away from his mouth. Flame’s voice soothed him, and Lysander registered his lover moving them around, until they were facing each other, the feel of Flame’s heavy body on top of Lysander’s, overwhelming him. 

Murmuring soft endearments in his ear, Flame pushed inside Lysander’s body, so slowly it made Lysander’s heart ache. He felt feathers sprout again, but Flame didn’t seem to mind. In fact, the other man looked intent on keeping the excruciating rhythm. Even when Lysander tried to urge him forward, Flame held him down, forcing Lysander to stop, forcing their eyes to meet.

As he looked into those deep pools of darkness, Lysander felt himself falling. Gods, he’d wanted to drive his lover crazy, but instead, Flame was effectively demolishing all his barriers.

Confusing emotions and sensations took hold of Lysander as his body surrendered to his lover’s ministrations and his mind tried to fight them. Losing control, losing himself to Flame. It scared him. He wanted what Flame offered. God, he ached for it. But it needed to be on his terms. Already, he’d given up too much of himself. He couldn’t let himself fall for the other man.

The fear gave him the strength to push Flame away. Flame gave him a puzzled look but didn’t protest, allowing Lysander to change their positions on the bed. Lysander almost winced when their bodies separated, but instantly he suppressed the feeling of loss. This was just a fuck, damn it! He didn’t need to get all emotional about it.

Grinning, Lysander reached for the burning candle sitting in the tiny cup on the nightstand. Under the heat of the fire, hot wax was already starting to pool, drops falling on the wooden drawers. Lysander had a better idea for that wax.

Lysander snatched the candle, carefully holding it so that he wouldn’t get burned. He tilted the candle over Flame’s body, letting it hover over Flame’s nipple. The air seemed charged with electricity as they both watched the candle burn. For a brief moment, Lysander felt hypnotized by the fire. He met Flame’s eyes through the blaze, this time unafraid. He had the power. He wouldn’t lose this battle.

The peculiar spell was broken when one drop of wax fell off the candle and onto Flame’s skin. Flame hissed, but Lysander felt the other man’s dick throb against his ass. More drops fell and Lysander watched with greedy eyes as the hot liquid decorated Flame’s dark skin in sinfully beautiful patterns. First the man’s nipples, then down his abdomen. Lysander even turned to torture Flame’s legs. All the while, his lover sat there, claws buried in the sheets, teeth gritted, sweat covering his body, and cock jolting whenever the wax hit his skin.

Finally, Lysander got tired of the game. He set the candle back on the nightstand, his dick aching for release. Flame looked desperate, too, and gave Lysander a pleading look. “Please, babe…Just…”

Ever so softly, Lysander swept the wax off his lover’s body. “It’s okay. I’ll give you what you need.”