Lifting his head and opening his eyes, Wyatt stared at the glass in front of him. He traced a droplet of moisture as it ran down the side and sighed again. His life was a mess, and he needed to sort it out, but he couldn’t with the whole vampires ruling the world shit hanging over his head.
His cell beeped, and he saw he had another message from the same number. Dean. “What now?”
Picking it up, he opened the message and tilted his head in confusion. “Huh?”
The mission was successful. We found the two brothers and news is they’ll make a full recovery. Thought you might want to know.
“Okay…” Wyatt furrowed his brow. Why was he telling him this? He could have found that out from Donnie when he went home.
That’s good. Thanks for letting me know. He fired off the message and put his cell down, reaching for his beer when it beeped again.
Sighing, he picked it up and read the message. It is! We were really worried because one of them had suffered a head injury.
He’s gonna be okay? Wyatt bit his lip waiting for the message to come through.
Yeah, he is, but he’ll be in the hospital for a while.
Wyatt put his cell down, staring at the screen as it darkened then went blank. At least the guy was alive, right? His cell beeped again, and Wyatt sighed. Looked like Dean was going to keep texting him.
He was really lucky. So, what you up to?
Wyatt closed his eyes and sighed, yet again. Yes, Dean was his mate, but he wasn’t going to go running to him and fall into his arms and live happily ever after. That shit didn’t happen in real life and certainly not to people like him.
Just having a drink. I’ll see you around.
Sending the text, Wyatt hoped Dean got the message. He didn’t want a mate. He knew he had one and so he could always come back to Dean if he ever changed his mind, which he doubted. He felt the connection, the need to be close to Dean, but he ignored it as much as possible. Drinking helped. It helped to dull the edges of the pull, letting Wyatt carry on with his life the way he wanted to.
Another text had Wyatt growling into his pint. Great! Where are you and I can join you for a drink? I really need one after the last few days.
Wyatt banged his head on the table. “For fuck’s sake. Take the hint!” He furiously texted a message to Dean. Look, I’m not ready yet. Give me space.
Sending the text, Wyatt threw the cell on the table and took several gulps of his beer. Sighing, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and put his pint down. Ten minutes passed without a reply and Wyatt smiled. “Finally,” he muttered.
His cell beeped again, and Wyatt threw his arms up in the air. Picking it up, he read the message and frowned.
One drink. That’s all I’m asking for. If after that you still want nothing to do with me, I’ll stop.
Wyatt arched his eyebrows. Really? One drink and then if I ask you to leave me alone, you will?
Yeah. Say Sunday, 8pm at Ryder’s Inn.
Wyatt nodded. He could do one drink if it meant he would be left alone. Okay.
I’ll see you then.
What the hell had he just agreed to? Wyatt groaned, dropping his head to the table. The thing was, a small part of him wanted to see Dean. No, actually, a huge part of him wanted to. It was the mate draw, that’s all. But when he closed his eyes and thought about Dean, his dick pulsed in his jeans, his hands went clammy, and his heart rate spiked. His fangs, yeah, they wanted to bite. He could feel them throbbing and he licked them with his tongue, his body shuddering with images of Dean naked, his neck exposed.
Wyatt sat up abruptly, panting. Shit, he wanted to bite Dean and taste him so bad he struggled not to jump up and run straight back home and throw Dean down and take what was his. Strip him naked, fuck him hard and deep and bite him.
“Shit, I can’t.” He shook his head, desperately trying to control his body. “Fucking hell.”
He was in shit and he didn’t know how to get out of it and agreeing to meet Dean for a pint was like throwing gas on a fire. Why? Why had he agreed?
Wyatt glanced at his cell and swallowed. He should cancel it. No, he should go and get it over and done with. Wyatt dropped his head into his hands. He was totally fucked up over it. It was only one drink, just one. Wyatt could manage that. If only his dick agreed with him.
Chapter Six
“So, young Wyatt, you’re going out with this Dean?”
Wyatt sighed and turned around to see both Edith and Bernice stood smiling at him, along with another woman he knew was Letitia. He’d only met her once before, but she seemed nice. “Morning, ladies.”
Edith waved her hand at him. “Tell us all about him.”
“There isn’t much to tell. I’m going out for a drink with him and that’s it.”
“Is he the one?” Wyatt’s eyes widened at Bernice’s question. “You’re a vampire. Is he that special man? What do they call it, Letitia?”
Letitia frowned and glanced at the floor then she looked up grinning. “Mate. Is he your mate?”
“How do you know all this stuff?” Wyatt asked, shaking his head slowly.
Edith waved the question away. “Answer the question, Wyatt. Is he?”
Wyatt shrugged and began rearranging the pastries in the glass cabinet. “We’ll see.”
“He is, isn’t he?” When Wyatt didn’t comment, Bernice asked, “What’s the problem, Wyatt? Aren’t you happy to have found your mate?”
Sighing, Wyatt turned and faced them. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” Edith asked. “You can tell us.”
“I don’t know if I want one. Well, not yet anyway.”
“I thought having a mate was what all vampires wanted.” Edith grabbed Wyatt’s hand where it lay on the counter. “What is it?”
“I’ve been on my own for a long time now and I’m used to it. I like it that way, never having to rely on anyone else.” Wyatt shrugged. “I’m not good mate material.”
“Nonsense,” Bernice said. “That’s the biggest crock of shit I’ve ever heard. If anything, you deserve a man to take care of you. All those years alone. Let him take care of you for once.”
“I agree, Wyatt,” Letitia said. “You deserve to be spoiled, deserve to be looked after for once. All those years alone and now it’s your turn to have someone be there for you.”
Wyatt grimaced but kept quiet. He just wanted to get on with his life, but he knew he couldn’t until the corporation was shut down. He knew too much and knew they wouldn’t let him go. They’d come for him at some point even if it was to end his life so he couldn’t spill the secrets he kept.
Why hadn’t he told them everything he knew? Because he was afraid. The Tierney Corporation was huge, and its main building was located in the city. He knew they’d chosen this area years ago when they began their plans for world domination.
Wyatt snorted. World domination. It sounded ridiculous, but they’d had years to create their plan and perfect it. They’d sat back and watched as technology progressed and knew what everyone and everything relied on. Power. Everything came down to power and who controlled it.
He knew what was coming, and he knew, if they weren’t stopped, the vampires would succeed. They’d thought long and hard, had planned every single detail, and had covered for every eventuality. They were ready and simply biding their time until the right moment came along and then they would sit back and enjoy the chaos as the humans destroyed themselves.
Then they would step in and take over and rule over all humans. Those humans left alive would be their slaves, forced to do whatever the vampires wanted.
Wyatt had also planned. As soon as the power went out, he was gone. He’d disappear and never show his face again. He’d survive. He survived for years on his own and he would do it again. His bug out bag was ready, hidden away where no one could find it. No, the vampires wouldn’t take him again and he couldn’t have a mate.
Wyatt glanced at Bernice and shrugged. “I don’t kn
ow. I’m used to it.”
“Nonsense,” Edith muttered. In a louder voice, she said, “You’ve been on your own for years. You’re still young and you’ve had to do everything by yourself. Let this Dean in and let him take care of you. What’s the harm in that?”
Wyatt rubbed his face and sighed. He didn’t want to have to rely on someone. His own family threw him away when they should have been there for him, protected him and supported him when he needed them most, but they disappeared when it mattered. He didn’t want to rely on someone, even if it was his mate. He didn’t want to watch some else he cared about walk away.
“I’m having a drink with him, Edith. We’ll see how it goes.” That was all he was agreeing to. Dean would have to work damn hard for a second date.
“Well, I hope it goes well. You deserve to be treated well.” Bernice sipped her coffee and sighed. “You make the best coffee, Wyatt.”
“What and I don’t?” Jeremy asked as he walked in.
“Of course, you do but his is better.”
Jeremy chuckled. “Yeah, it is.”
As Jeremy talked, Wyatt moved away. He needed some time out from the questions. He liked the ladies, they were open and funny and genuinely cared about him, but some things he couldn’t explain to them. Dean was one of them.
What was he going to do? He felt the pull but tuned it out every chance he got. He’d spent years, YEARS, on his own. No one had been there for him since the door had slammed shut behind him, cutting him off from his family forever. One bag was all he’d been able to pack before they’d decided they’d had enough of him. They didn’t want him to soil their purity. Their words, not his.
They were so far from pure, it was laughable. They sold their soul to make sure they survived, not caring about what was being planned or the consequences to the human race. It would decimate the humans and a large proportion of the vampire population too, but they didn’t give them a second thought. Those lost vampires had already been deemed ‘unsuitable’.
Wyatt quietly left the front of the shop and entered Jeremy’s office. He sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe it was time for him to leave. He’d saved up some money from working with Jeremy. He could get on the bus and go wherever he wanted, start afresh somewhere else, somewhere no one knew him.
Opening his eyes, he stared out of the window, watching the trees sway gently in the breeze. He’d miss this place. The people were so friendly and welcoming, and he loved the fact that he was only a few minutes from the great outdoors. He was free to go walking in the woods and sit by a stream, watching the fish swimming, or close his eyes and listen to the surrounding wildlife.
If he was careful, he could walk down Main Street, and those who knew him would say hello or wave. Was he willing to leave behind the chance to be part of a community that welcomed human and vampire alike? He couldn’t be as open as he would like, but he knew the vampires were probably searching for him, so he was careful and always on the lookout.
But he was afraid. Afraid of what having a mate meant, scared of taking that chance and being let down again. Terrified to love and have it thrown back in his face.
He sat on the chair and stared at the floor. Sighing again, he rubbed the back of his neck. What should he do? Could he have it all, if only he was brave enough, or was he just kidding himself?
“Hi.”
Wyatt spun around and bit his lip, before nodding. “Hi,” he mumbled.
Dean smiled at him as he leaned on the door frame, his hands tucked in his jean pockets, and Wyatt felt a flash of arousal course through his body and automatically closed his eyes, trying to block out the temptation in front of him. He didn’t want Dean to know how much he affected him, how much his mere presence called to him.
“I came to see if you’re okay?”
Wyatt nodded. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Good. Are we still on for later?”
Wyatt opened his eyes but didn’t look at Dean. “Sure.”
He heard Dean approach and saw his boots as he stepped into view. Suddenly his face appeared in front of him as he squatted. “If you’re not ready, I can wait,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
Wyatt swallowed. “I wasn’t expecting this,” he muttered honestly.
Dean nodded. “Me either. It’s a surprise for both of us, but we can talk about it tonight when we go out for a drink or whenever you’re ready.”
“Us.” Wyatt swallowed again. His stomach churned, and a cold sweat broke out over his skin.
“Us in a public place.” Wyatt’s eyes snapped to Dean, and he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. “I’m nervous too and I thought if we went to the pub, somewhere public, it wouldn’t feel so intense. That way, if it got too much for you, you could leave at any time.”
“Somewhere public,” he muttered, his eyes still fixed on Dean’s.
“Yeah, I know a little of what happened.” He shrugged and gave him a close-lipped smile. “You were with Carter’s family, a prisoner, and I don’t want you to feel trapped. We’ll go at your pace, I promise.”
“And what about you?”
Dean shrugged again. “I get to spend time with you, just talking. A chance to see you smile and make you laugh.” Dean sighed and briefly glanced away before looking back at Wyatt. “I just want the chance to get to know you. We’re mates, and I know what that means, but I want to get to know you. What you like or don’t like, what makes you smile or laugh, even what annoys you. I’m not asking for us to find the nearest flat surface, fuck and mate. I want more than that for you. You deserve more than that.”
Wyatt nodded but said nothing. He didn’t know what to say. Dean appeared to understand his reluctance and was willing to do what he needed to help him. For that alone, Wyatt was willing to give him a chance.
“I’ll meet you.”
Dean grinned, and Wyatt looked away. He knew mates were deeply attracted to each other, but damn, Dean was gorgeous. He’d seriously lucked out in the mate department.
“Hey, if you two have finished, I need Wyatt out front.”
Wyatt looked up and smiled at Jeremy. “We have.” He stood and took a couple of steps away from Dean before turning back and giving him a small smile. “I’ll see you later.”
He walked out front and groaned when he saw the line of customers waiting for him. Squaring his shoulders, he smiled and got to work, serving the first person with Jeremy stepping up next to him to serve the second.
When it was this busy, time flew by, and he needed the distraction to stop him thinking about that night. His date with Dean. At least now he felt a little easier about it and it spoke volumes about Dean that he’d taken time out of his day to come and see him, to make sure he was okay.
If Dean could do that, then he could make the effort to meet him.
Chapter Seven
Dean left Jeremy’s shop with a smile on his face. He had a date and had managed to alleviate some of Wyatt’s discomfort whilst he was at it. He’d seen the look on his face, the way his body seemed so defeated and he couldn’t let him stay that way.
Wyatt was his mate. He’d always wanted that for himself, having seen the connection between the other mated couples around him. The way they looked at one another, the private conversations they held with each other and knowing no one else could hear. That level of privacy, just the two of them in their own world, he wanted that and the strong and everlasting bonds that went with it.
Dean wanted that with Wyatt, but he knew he had a long way to go. Donnie had spoken to him frequently, telling him a little about Wyatt’s past but Dean didn’t want to know too much because he wanted Wyatt to tell him. He wanted Wyatt to trust him enough to share it with him.
Wyatt was his future, Dean knew he was. He just had to wait and bide his time, to give Wyatt the chance he needed to get to know him and be more comfortable around him. This date tonight was the start of that process.
He’d purposely chosen a pu
blic location so Wyatt wouldn’t feel vulnerable. He’d been kidnapped and held hostage and that was after being kicked out for his sexuality.
Dean sighed. Why did parents do that? You couldn’t help who you were attracted to, who you fell in love with, and yet some people still called it a lifestyle choice. Why couldn’t humans and vampires move forward?
He glanced around Maddow Street, or Main Street as most called it, and walked over to the diner. He was meeting Hunter and Carter for lunch. Carter was pretty much healed now, thank god, and both of Carter’s parents had been keeping their eyes on him, particularly with the IT situation at the Tierney Corporation as it was.
Carter’s virus had worked perfectly, destroying months, if not years, of information the vampires needed. It would take them time to rebuild their systems and attempt to restore all the data they’d lost. That bought them time, time to put new plans in place and bring the Corporation down once and for all.
In the meantime, Hunter and Carter had been poring over the data Carter had retrieved. They had a dual mission at the moment. They wanted to free the remaining slaves, and for that they needed far more manpower than they currently had, and Carter wanted the weapons depots to be hit.
Carter argued that if the vampires didn’t have access to weapons, then they couldn’t fight or defended themselves. After that he wanted their food stores hit. No food meant they would have to delay the implementation of their plan. A fire would take out the largest stores, one that could be made to look like an accident.
Dean walked into the diner and glanced around until he spotted Hunter and Carter sat at one of the tables. Waving, he walked over and sat in the chair opposite them, grinning.
“By the happy look on your face, I’d say things are going well with Wyatt?” Hunter asked.
“Better than I thought they would. He’s meeting me for a drink later at the pub.” Dean leaned forward. “Carter, what can you tell me about him? Did he talk to your parents at all? I kinda feel blind here. I wanted to wait for him to tell me, but I’m in the dark here.”
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