by Cree Storm
“When I heard about Maddox I was hoping you had come here, knowing that you were now alone in the world without Douglas’ protection. My men found you and that is why I came here. Well, one of the reasons. Do you know how many different paranormals now live in this town, and how many unique ones at that? Do you know what I could get for pixie blood? Or Santorini Fox blood? Shit, do you know what I could get from your blood? African elephant blood given to a horse shifter would make him exceedingly strong, not to mention if given to a vampire it would make them grow larger for a few hours. Could you imagine what a ten-foot-tall vampire could do? Your blood alone could make me a very rich woman. But now that daddy dearest is gone, you get his share of the Mann fortune. All I had to do was capture you, drain enough of your blood to become complacent, then contact Fagan. Once he sent your inheritance, I could finally get my hands on it and keep you as one of my blood bags.”
Zen stood there frozen, just staring at Lucinda in disbelief, shocked at what she was saying. She hated him and tried to kill him when he was still a child and now she wanted to steal everything from him and make him a brainless blood bag? What the hell kind of monster does things like this to others, not to mention their own child?
Zen couldn’t even look at her anymore. He needed to get away from her and never set eyes on her again, or hear her name. Zen suddenly became aware that he was still naked and felt completely vulnerable. He looked down at his beautiful mate’s worried face and he knew what his life was for. It wasn’t the millions Lucinda says was owed him from his father’sfamily, or to be her mindless slave, it was Pascal. He was put here to find Pascal and love his wonderful little mate, and be loved by him. As much as the things with his mother hurt and sucked, his father had given him a good life and now Pascal would help him live a wonderful one. All he needed was his mate, the man he loved with everything that he was, and who loved him in return.
Zen bent his knees and wrapped his arms around Pascal, then lifted him up and turned away. “You can have her, Ezra. I don’t care what you do to her. She means nothing to me,” Zen yelled out over his shoulder as he carried Pascal back through the building, heading for Zev’s truck.
* * * *
“Oh my god, Zen! Yes! Right there!” Pascal cried out as Zen pounded into him from behind.
It had been a month since that day with Lucinda and since then they hadn’t heard one word, only that King Ezra had taken care of her, which was fine with him. Anybody who could do the things she did to others, or what she planned to do to her own child, didn’t deserve mercy or life.
In the month since that day, he and Zen had spent every waking moment on their new business. With the help of Rhys and Twix, as well and Dain and his mates, he and Zen now had one of the largest businesses in Maddox. Their double warehouse housed a full florist, a nursery, a landscaping business, and an Apothecary store where they sold specialty items for some of the magics moving into the area. And in the back of that, they had a private room just for Dain and his mates that was filled with all the ingredients they would need for their creations and potions.
He took care of the nursery and Zen took care of the flower shop. Tanner, Mrs. Pearl’s old delivery guy now worked for them, and Zen called in two of the men who still lived in Maddox who used to work for his father and gave them jobs in the landscaping portion. Pascal also ran the apothecary store, but he and Zen were starting to look for a few other employees to help in all areas.
Even though they had already started some business, like with the landscaping around Maddox, tomorrow would be their big grand opening and Pascal was nervous, that is why his wonderful mate was now making him see stars and sending him to heaven. Zen walked in to find him dancing around the nursery singing at the top of his lungs to Donna Summer’s “She Works Hard for the Money”. Since their mating, Zen had figured out that the louder Pascal sang and the more he jumped around dancing, the more nervous he was. So, Zen had swooped in, picked him up, placed him on the utility table against the wall, then began to devour his lips.
Once things got too heated, Zen placed him on his feet and spun him around, bending Pascal over the table before ripping his clothes off. Damn, he loved working with his mate. The special, private benefits that came with it were fantastic and he and Zen had christened pretty much every surface of their business “Mystique Gardens”.
“I’m coming, sweet pea. Come with me. Let me feel you grip my cock tight,” Zen said through clenched teeth.
Pascal felt the familiar tingle in his spine and new he was close. Zen thrust in again, hitting his pleasure gland and that was it, Pascal was thrown over the edge and his orgasm shot from him. He screamed out Zen’s name as he gripped the edge of the table tight and arched his back.
Zen let out a deep groan, then said his name as he wrapped his big, strong arms around Pascal’s chest and held him tight. Heat filled him as Zen released his seed deep inside Pascal and it made him feel special. Zen loved him and proved it to him every day.
A soft kiss on the side of his neck had Pascal smiling, and he said, “I love you, mate.”
“I love you too, my little sweet pea. I am so happy you came into my life and made it so bright. I can’t wait to start and finish every day with you in my arms.”
EPILOGUE
The pulsing dark light flashed a few times, then stopped, and a large dark figure stood in the opening to the portal. The figure moved, stepping forward out of the portal and into the barred room of the council building. The light hit his face and the man turned his head away from it. The large scar on his cheek prevalent under the bright lights. The man sighed heavily as he ground his teeth, then turned and stepped back through the portal. Before he disappeared, he looked back over his shoulder and whispered, “I’ll be back.”
THE END