by Lisa Oliver
“Very clever.” And it was. In the wolf culture Con grew up in, size and power were everything. Until it came to inheritance, that is. His twin had always been smaller, weaker and more easily led, but he was older which is why their father had conferred alpha status on Donny the moment he shifted, leaving Con dangling in the wind. But despite his smaller stature, Ven had more than proved he could command respect, just as he’d done at the dinner. Con was suddenly conscious of his nakedness and his rampant erection that hadn’t lessened in the slightest.
He glanced down at the unruly member, noting how Ven’s eyes followed his. His cock was already leaking, the droplets chilling on his skin as they rolled down his length. Ven licked his lips. “There’s a clean warm bed inside,” Ven’s voice was husky. “How about we claim each other first and worry about the rest of the shit later.”
My mate’s definitely going to be the smart one in this relationship, Con thought as he got to his feet and followed his mate inside the cabin.
Chapter Seven
For the past two hundred years or more, sex to Ven had been just one of the many things he did without thinking about it much. The paranormal world had expectations of their leaders that the person be strong, carry a powerful aura, and be visibly sexually active. It didn’t help that those with lower rankings in their pack, pride or flock, were automatically drawn to someone with more power and offered their bodies in return for protection. In the coven the situation was much the same although vampires added money to their list of positive attributes in a partner. For an unbonded leader like Ven, sex was simply part of the reputation he’d honed as a powerful vampire. A lot of the times, even with Joseph, he only unzipped enough to do what was necessary.
Which is why he hesitated by the bed. For the first time since his first time, the sex he was about to have would be lifechanging. The room was warm, the bed most likely comfortable enough for their purposes, but that wasn’t the issue. Ven tugged at his tie, while kicking off his boots, not quite sure how far he should go.
The heat from Con’s chest pressed up behind him. “Allow me.” Ven shivered as gentle hands far bigger than his slowly pulled his tie from his collar. “You made some assumptions about me earlier,” Con said, his voice like gravel. “For the most part you were right.”
Ven bit the inside of his lip as Con deftly managed his shirt buttons which couldn’t have been easy when he couldn’t see them. “I have a couple of assumptions about you.” Con’s voice dropped even further as his hand spanned Ven’s chest. The heat was incredible and Ven leaned back, his eyes closing as he gave himself over to touch.
“I bet you don’t ever allow yourself to be caressed like this.” Con’s hand went lower and Ven sucked in his belly, aching for more. “I imagine no matter how often you sate your needs in another person, there’s always a little nagging voice in the back of your mind, reminding you of your position, even when your balls are ready to blow.”
“Gods, you’re right, so right,” Ven moaned, reaching up behind him, hooking his hands around the back of Con’s neck. The man’s tightly manicured scruff tickled across his skin as Con nudged his collar aside with his chin, brushing gentle kisses along his shoulder. Ven felt exposed, deliciously exposed as Con’s hand pushed its way under his waistband, his heat captured by a strong hand. “Touch me.” It wasn’t a whimper. Nothing on earth could ever make Ven whimper, but gods, if anyone could come close to making him, it was Con and his sinfully confident hands. One careful brush across the tip of his cockhead and Ven was ready to blow. “Con please.”
“You need to lose these pants,” Con chuckled at Ven’s groan. Con’s hand had gone, which to Ven was a good enough reason for groaning, but his pants fell under Con’s deft fingers and as they draped around his ankles, Con’s hand loosely curled around his cock.
“I need more.” Ven wasn’t known for his patience. Con would learn that in time, but for now he had to suffer as Con chuckled and took his hand away. Again!
“Lose the rest of your clothes and climb on the bed,” Con moved out of Ven’s grasp. “Hopefully there’s some lube in this place.”
“I could…” Ven snapped his mouth shut and climbed on the bed, shedding his shirt and jacket and kicking off his pants. There were some things he wasn’t ready to share with his lovely beloved just yet – at least not until he’d supped on the thick vein running down the side of Con’s neck. Whether by luck or design Con’s stubble hugged the chin line but wasn’t anywhere near that wide expanse of neck.
Slamming drawers, a quick trip the bathroom across the hall and Con came back triumphant. “You really do think of everything,” he smirked. “Now, where was I before I started thinking of practicalities?”
“You were tending to this.” Ven fisted his cock, holding it perpendicular to his body.
“Someone’s getting a little impatient,” Con teased but at least he got on the bed. Ven was starting to think he wasn’t the only bastard in their new relationship. The lube tube was dropped on the mattress – unopened!
“We only get one first time, babe.” Con’s tone was gentle – at complete odds to his flashing eyes. “I won’t claim anyone I haven’t kissed first.”
Ven opened his mouth to argue, an automatic gesture, he wasn’t even sure what he could say, because who on earth would argue against kissing. But his breath was snatched away as Con’s lips met his. In Ven’s head, they were already bonded – Con’s sip of his blood took care of that – but he was unprepared for the sudden surge through the bond, as though his whole body needed contact with Con’s. Now. Immediately. Skin on skin wasn’t enough – Ven needed to be consumed inside and out.
His need was met with equal passion. Con might have intended for a chaste taste, but it quickly morphed into so much more. Tongues, lips, a fang or two – Ven knew his had dropped but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. When Con finally released him so he could breathe, it was only for a split-second inhale and they were on each other again.
Limbs tangled as they rolled around the bedsheets, each man as eager as the other to rub, rut and grasp at each other. For the first time in, damn, he could ever remember, Ven wasn’t the leader of a powerful coven, or even in charge of anything. He was a man, being loved on by another man whose needs were as strong as his. It was glorious, so wonderful, that when Con finally caught his hip and pulled his leg up, Ven had no qualms at letting him near his ass. Yes, it’d been centuries since he’d bottomed, but Ven knew instinctively his beloved wouldn’t hurt him.
The first finger made Ven jolt, but it seemed Con picked up on how tight he was and gentled his approach. Ven amused himself by seeing how sensitive Con’s flat nipples were – very, if the heated growls he was getting was any indication. Three fingers in, Ven was feeling no pain, just a nagging ache in his balls that only a fuck would cure.
Ven found himself on his side, Con’s huge body cradled behind him. Knowing it wasn’t the best of positions for the sort of thrusting he thought his wolf would enjoy, Ven wondered about it just for a moment, but then his thoughts completely disappeared as he was breached by something a lot bigger than a finger.
“Breathe, babe.” At least that’s what Ven thought Con was growling in his ear. “Relax. Let me in.”
Relax. Yep. Not happening. Acting on instinct, Ven reached for Con’s hand resting on his hip, bringing it up to his mouth, he nicked Con’s thick forefinger, groaning as the succulent taste of his beloved’s blood coated his tongue and eased its way down his throat. Ven wasn’t a blood bag man – he’d always taken his nourishment from the source. As an elder vampire, he didn’t need a lot to keep him strong.
But Con’s blood was something else, and Ven knew he’d be supping far more often than he was used to. The blood calmed him, and yet invigorated him all at the same time, and so taken with exploring the nuances of Con’s taste, he didn’t notice Con’s gentle progress until his beloved’s hips hit his butt cheeks.
“Perfect fit,” Con growled. “Enjo
ying yourself?”
“Hmmm.” Ven gave a last loving lick to Con’s finger and let it go. Twisting his head, he nuzzled his cheeks against his beloved’s. “I’ll take more later. Now move, babe. Claim me like you want to. I won’t break.”
His beloved took him at his word. Oh, Ven was sure Con meant to be gentle, at least when his cock first started stroking Ven’s insides. A subtle arch of his butt, a deep throated moan, and the hand Ven had been feeding on splayed across his chest as Con increased the speed and power of his thrusts. Ven had nothing to hold onto – his body jolting with every in-stroke. Reaching behind him, he grabbed hold of Con’s hips and rolled forward. Con was quick, he’d give him that. Within seconds he was face down ass in the air, with his butt getting the pounding of his life.
Ven couldn’t think – he could barely breathe. The tip of his cock was rubbing over the coverlets, his arousal getting higher and higher, higher and higher, but it wasn’t enough. Con had adjusted his angle. Ven’s inner nerve bundle was getting one hell of a workout, but it was as though he was poised, his whole body waiting, waiting, waiting…
And then it came. A quick brush of lips against the base of his neck, and then the sharp zing as Con’s teeth pierced his skin. Ven screamed. Well, not a scream because Ven would never admit to doing anything like that, but he let out a loud explosion of sound as his balls unloaded. He could feel, through the haze of endorphins rushing around his system, his insides were getting creamed. It was as if every pulse of Con’s balls sent an answering jolt through his own.
And through the haze, Ven found his wolf – a gentle, powerful giant of an animal, with a heart as big as the sun, who would love on him and be protective of him for the remainder of their days. It was done. His rugged alpha had claimed him and while Ven was keen to enjoy more of Con’s blood and make a claiming bite of his own, that could wait. His body relaxed, Ven went with it when Con rolled him onto his side. A little post-coital nap wasn’t going to do anyone any harm.
Chapter Eight
“Taking guards with me is going to create the wrong impression.” Con jumped out of his chair and went over to get himself another cup of coffee. His claiming night had been amazing, and long. The ache in Con’s ass was testament to how vigorously he’d been claimed once they’d both recovered from round one. Waking up curled around Ven was Con’s new idea of heaven, but after he’d fixed them breakfast and Ven had been in touch with Mosh, real world problems and worry set in.
“I know you worry about my safety, babe, and I can’t say I’m too keen on going back to the pack, even for a change of clothes.” He glanced at the sweats Ven had found for him in the cottage. They would be a tight fit on a much smaller man. On him, the seams were seriously threatened. “I’d far rather stay with you. But I do have responsibilities. You of all people should realize that.”
Walking back to the table, Con sat, putting on what he hoped was an honest expression. “If your guards escort me to the house, then Megan’s going to think I suspect her of something.”
“You do suspect her of something.” Ven’s casual attitude wasn’t helping. In his world it was likely that everyone fell over themselves to agree with him, and smooth out any of life’s rough edges before he even saw them. But Con’s world was a radically different place. He was used to doing things by himself.
“You’re right, I do, and you have no idea how much it means to me that I can talk to you openly and honestly about the shit going on, but babe, I don’t have any proof. Megan won’t talk about the night the pack was decimated to anyone, and I have no idea what was going on in her mating, or with Brian and Jonny before my brother was killed.”
“I understand the need for proof, but as my beloved, you have to have protection wherever you go.” Ven calmly buttered a small triangle of toast. He looked up; his fine eyebrow arched. “Unless you intend to hide the fact we’re double claimed, both wearing neck scars and bound for eternity to your pack members?”
The sudden tightening around his heart made Con gasp. “No, never. I wouldn’t do that.” But even as the words left his mouth, Con worried about his pack’s reactions. Being gay hadn’t been an option when Donny was alive – determined to build his pack through mergers and the birth of as many pups as possible. And then there was Megan’s claim that Donny expected Con to look after her. How’s that going to fit in with a male mate?
“You have qualms?” Ven nibbled daintily on his toast. “That’s understandable, too. I think it might be best if I came with you to collect some clothes. That way we can tell the pack our good news together.”
“Ven, please let me tell them alone.” Con’s heart threatened to stop just thinking about Ven being with him as he faced the pack. “They don’t know I prefer men. Same sex relationships were never an option in Donny’s pack.”
“But it’s not Donny’s pack anymore, is it?” Putting down his knife, Ven reached across the table. Con let his hand be taken even as his mind churned with images about how a pack meeting could go so horribly wrong. “Babe, are you now, or have you ever been your brother’s clone?”
“No.” Con shook his head. “I’ve always been my own man even when it caused me to be shunned by others. But Megan called me when Donny died because I was the only alpha she knew who would protect her and the remaining pack members.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ven was obviously getting at something, but Con hadn’t known his mate long enough to work out the sub-text. “Think about it. How certain are you that the pups your sister-in-law is carrying belong to your twin? Remember what you told me about your concerns about Brian and Jonny?”
“They wouldn’t dare touch the alpha mate. Neither of them.” I don’t think. Con wasn’t sure the world was round anymore; he was so confused.
“Babe, you’re missing the obvious here. You mentioned last night your brother was addicted to wolfani, a derivative of wolfsbane, yes?”
Con nodded, his mouth dry. “The additives were meant to reduce the poisonous aspect of the plant, causing a lethargic and euphoric response rather than killing the drug taker.”
“It’s still a very powerful drug that has horrific side effects that worsen over time. That additive also causes the users to become infertile within a very short period of time. It’s a poison in its own right that destroys an individual’s reproductive system before moving onto other bodily systems. Those effects are permanent even if the addict’s been clear of the drug for years. How long had Donny been affected?”
“Years.” Jerking his hand out of his mate’s, Con picked up his coffee cup, but he couldn’t force himself to take a sip. His mind was filled with memories of Donny – laughing, joking, his limbs sprawled out over their mom’s favorite chair. It’ll never hurt me, he used to say, but damn, it makes me feel like I can take on the world. “My brother started using not long after my father proclaimed him alpha-heir. It was just over the weekend at first, but within three months his intake had increased. By the time he took over the pack, Don was an addict. Five years at least, maybe more.” He stared into his cup, unwilling to meet Ven’s eyes.
“In the meantime, your sister-in-law is a young, vibrant woman. Is it so out of the realms of possibility that she looked elsewhere for a father for her pups? From what you’ve said about her, wouldn’t she be the type to want to make sure her position was secure, even if your late brothers wasn’t?”
Ven had a good point, even if Con didn’t like it. “Donny loved her. He told me he was over the moon when she said she was expecting. That’s why he wanted to make the merger with the Jones’s pack before the pups were born, so he could better protect them.”
“Was he over the moon about it or off his face at the time?” Ven waved his hand dismissing the question, which was just as well because Con had no idea how to answer honestly. “It’s irrelevant anyway. Once the pups are born, we’ll know who the father is then. Their scent will either reflect Megan and Donny’s bond, or it won’t. The more important question is how do yo
u intend to lead a pack that won’t accept our mating?”
“They’ll have to accept it.” But Con knew his words were hollow. Thinking back to the night before, he remembered how all he wanted was to protect his mate, and in the harsh light of day with Ven’s mark on his neck, those feelings had intensified. “I’m not denying the initial reveal might get ugly, and that’s why I don’t want you to be there. But I can assure you that by the time we all meet up for dinner tonight, they will accept our mating and your position as their new alpha mate.”
“And if they don’t?” Ven seemed to have a knack of looking unbearably calm, even shirtless with Con’s mating bite scar shining on his pale skin.
I haven’t got a clue. “They will,” Con said praying his insecurities didn’t flow across the new bond he shared with his mate. “If they want me as their alpha, then they have no choice. If they decide against us, then with your permission, I’ll call in a council mediator and they can determine the pack’s fate.”
Ven’s eyes narrowed. Con’s stomach churned. I bet he can see right through me. But after a long silence, Ven nodded. “As you wish, beloved. It is your pack after all, and you know them best.” His smile was tight and didn’t meet his eyes. “I’ll miss you today. There are so many people I was hoping to introduce you to, but I can set my event planner onto arranging a mating celebration for us while you’re busy. Shall we say for the end of the week?”
“We can talk about it tonight at dinner.” Con nodded. His guts were still churning which could only mean his mate was more upset than he was showing. “I do want to be with you. I’d like nothing more than for you to show me your hotel suite and for us to order room service and spend the next week in bed. But you have responsibilities and so do I. Thank you for being so understanding.”