by Nikki McCoy
“They’ll track that to me, too. They won’t be able to access my accounts but most likely they’ll try to sell it. I’ll set up arrangements for Amanda and the others to work for a few business associates I know if they want to.”
Kyle paused then said, “This is my fault. You have to leave your home, your business and friends, all because of me.”
He’d been wrong on both counts. Eventually he’d figure out his mate, but apparently it wouldn’t be today. “Sweetness, I took the risk of this happening long before I met you. It was very possible when I left the Mackaeo that I would have to run for the rest of my life. After I managed to hide myself, the only reason I bought the house and created my business was to stave off boredom. Eight hundred years of sitting on my ass and spending my wealth isn’t exactly appealing from my perspective. What I’ve lost is nothing compared to what I’ve gained. Do you understand?”
A shy smile lifted Kyle’s soft lips. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good, because I’d hate to have to restrict you from the playroom when we get there.”
“Get where?”
“One of my other houses.”
“It has a playroom?” Kyle bounced once then yelped.
“Down boy, and yes, there’s a playroom. I’ll give you a few days to heal then show you.”
The most adorable little pout played across Kyle’s face. “That’s just wrong. You tell me about it then make me wait?”
“Don’t worry. I have other plans for you.” An hour later they arrived at the house. Lucas had to pick up Kyle’s chin when they spotted it.
“This is yours?”
Lucas scanned the building and surrounding lawns. Everything seemed in order. “Yeah. I’ll have to talk to the lawn maintenance guy about cutting back some of the trees but I can’t see anything else wrong.”
“It looks like a castle. This is so awesome!” Kyle climbed out as soon as the car came to a halt and started exploring as fast as his bruised body would let him. Joining him, Lucas also took the time to admire the appeal of the house.
Large black rocks had been cut in half and sanded so that the flat sides lay flush with the outer brick walls and the rounded sides stuck out. Mortar held them in place along the entire outer surface, giving the appearance of a house made completely from stone. Two parapets towered ten feet above the roof on either side in the front and two more, slightly taller, stood up in the back. The windows were narrow and pointed at the top with cast iron frames and the front doors were thick enough to hinder a battering ram.
He had a penchant for gothic styles and this house had been too good to pass on. The interior had required a lot of reconstruction but looking at the place now, he didn’t regret a dime. When Kyle gasped as he bent over to get a closer view of the flowering vines, Lucas took his hand and led him to the doors.
“You can explore the grounds later. I need to make a phone call then apply more cream to your backside.” The doors slid open easily and he was no less impressed with the upkeep of the interior. He’d have to call the cleaning crew to cancel this week’s maintenance to afford them some privacy. All of the decorations and furniture were either gothic or antique, the only modern appliances being his computer and those occupying the kitchen.
At the claw foot sofa couch, he lay Kyle down and threw the quilt from the back over him. “I’ll grab the bags and be right in.”
“Did you bring the laptop?”
“Yes, it’ll be the first thing I bring in.” Lucas tucked him in and closed the doors on his way out. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he dialled Bastian.
“Whoever you are, you’ve got the wrong phone number.”
“Hello to you too, sunshine.”
“Deluc?”
“It’s me. I need a favour.”
Bastian growled into the phone. “Seriously? You’re gone for more than five years and call me out of the blue when I’m about to get laid? Damn, you’ve got some timing.”
With a smirk, he unloaded the trunk. It was good to know there were still constants in life. The sun coming up, seasons changing, and Bastian trying to get laid every chance he got. “Put your dick back in your pants.”
“Hold on, it’s gonna take me a while to get the beast back in there.”
Lucas rolled his eyes. In the background he could hear a woman’s shrill voice gradually rising, most likely with every excuse Bastian gave her. After the sound of a door slamming, the man came back on the phone.
“Great, thanks. Now what can my blue balls help you with?”
“Do you still have a few of the false identities and account numbers I left with you?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Take the one of Jonathan Smith and buy a new car, something that can hold a lot of luggage. I’ll also need you to keep tabs on a liquor store I own in Ballwin, Missouri, under the name of Lucas Matthews. Check police records and the county clerk’s office for anyone that might enquire about repossessing the property. Next check the local hospital and morgue records for a Craig Morgan. If he’s dead, I’ll need the police file on him.”
“So I take it this isn’t a social visit?”
“I had to use my power so they’ll be on me again. We’ll be staying here for about a week then moving on.”
“Shit, man, what were you thinking? It took you four years to lose them last time.”
“I’m better prepared now.” He ignored the loud snort on the other end. “Buy some groceries, too. Make sure you get pancake mix, Texas bread and some fruit.”
“Anything else, your highness?”
“Nah, but I’ll think of something later.”
He hung up, smiling at Bastian’s string of epithets. There wasn’t a thing in the world they wouldn’t do for each other, but cock-blocking the man was tantamount to ripping a leg off…and he took joy in it every time. Picking up one of the bags and the laptop case, he brought them in to Kyle, advising him to only watch movies and not to contact anyone.
“No friends, remember?”
Lucas perched on the edge of the couch and ran his fingers through the man’s golden hair. “When this is over, I promise we’ll fix that. You can work on your diploma and start college. We can move anywhere you want.”
“I don’t want anywhere, I just want you.” The sincerity in his eyes echoed the honesty Lucas felt thrumming from the piece of Kyle’s soul inside him.
An unfamiliar ache clogged his throat and he tried to clear it without success. “I brought some DVDs,” he said, handing the case to his mate. “Take your pants off so I can put more medicine on you.”
“You don’t have to, Sir. I can do it.”
“No,” he snapped. At Kyle’s reactive flinch, he closed his eyes and silently berated himself. In truth, he hated having to apply the bruising cream twice a day. The proof of his failure marked in angry black and purple bruises cut him more effectively than any finely honed blade. During his career as an assassin, not a single innocent human or Tsielen had been harmed by his targets once he was assigned to take them out. And yet, he hadn’t been able to protect the one being that had come to mean the most to him.
Tightening the fist he kept on his self-contempt and guilt, Lucas focused on the feelings Kyle was emitting and to his relief there was no fear, only hurt. Not good by far, but an improvement. Opening his eyes, he saw that Kyle had his face tucked into his crossed arms.
“Look at me, baby.” Kyle complied with an ounce of trepidation. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that, but as your Dom it’s my job to take care of you, especially when this could have been prevented.” Stopping the young man’s protest with a finger, he said, “Don’t argue with your Master. Now show me your backside.”
The tension in Kyle’s muscles gradually faded as he spread the cream over his battered cheeks. The swelling had gone down but it would still be a few weeks at least before he could enjoy paddling and whipping the sweet ass…if ever. Kyle had shown enthusiasm over the prospect of making use of the playroom whi
le they were here, but whether he would be able to handle being struck again, even in a sexual context, remained to be seen.
After screwing the cap back on, he draped the blanket over Kyle once more and set the laptop on the glass top coffee table nearby. “I’m going to bring in the rest of the luggage and make a few phone calls. There won’t be any food in the fridge until tomorrow so I was thinking about ordering pizza. Sound good?”
“Yes, Sir. Can we get Hawaiian and breadsticks?”
“Sure. Whatever you want.” As he moved to stand, a small hand on his held him back. “What is it, sweetness?”
“Are we moving here?”
Thankfully, he felt no blame or insecurity in Kyle’s emotions, only curiosity. “No, we have to keep moving for a bit to make sure we aren’t being followed.” Kyle nodded, seemingly unperturbed. Lucas moved but was again pulled back down.
“Are you going to call Amanda?”
“Yes, I was planning on it.”
“Can you tell her she was right, and that I said thank you?”
Lucas furrowed his brow but Kyle merely grinned and popped a movie into the laptop.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Kyle awoke to a string of soft kisses along his jaw and neck. Sighing into them, he turned towards Lucas only to whine when the man moved out of his reach. He opened his eyes and saw that Lucas was fully dressed in his usual black attire with a jacket on.
“Get up, baby. I want you to meet a friend of mine before I head to the bank.”
Kyle rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. “We’re going out?”
“I am. I want you to stay off your feet as much as possible to help the bruises fade.”
“You’re leaving me alone with someone?” The thought sent a shiver down his spine. It dawned on him that they’d not spent a moment apart since the day Lucas had originally rescued him, but for Craig’s latest—and hopefully last—attack. That, coupled with the idea of being left alone with a stranger, had his heart thumping in his chest.
“Not just someone. I’ve known him for two and a half centuries and he’s the only one I would trust with your safety. Get dressed and meet me downstairs.” Lucas bent to tuck a lock of his hair behind one ear then left, closing the door on his way out.
With a groan Kyle slipped from the bed and took a quick shower. The trust Lucas had in his friend dispelled some of his doubts, but not all. He wasn’t sure when he’d become so dependent on the man. Even prior to the reassuring connection of their bond, Lucas’ strong confidence had given him a measure of his own. The shame he’d first felt at constantly needing to rely on the man instead of his own independence had disappeared some time ago. Putting his welfare and faith into the hands of his Master was as natural to him now as breathing.
Choosing a sedate outfit from one of the duffels, he made his way slowly down the wine-coloured, carpeted stairs and found Lucas talking with another man in the kitchen. The stranger was fairly handsome with short, brown curls and a build slightly leaner than Lucas’. His baggy plaid shorts and white button-up shirt topped with a black tie looked more like a fashion statement than a casual state of dress.
As he walked into the room, both men stopped talking and turned to him. Light brown eyes crinkled from the smile on the stranger’s face that would have been warm if not for the thin edge to it. Kyle got the distinct impression that the man didn’t quite approve of his presence.
Lucas went to him immediately and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Bastian, this is Kyle. Kyle, Bastian. He’ll be staying with you while I’m out. The groceries,” he said, indicating the numerous plastic bags in a corner of the room with a wave of his hand, “need to be put away. After that I want you to lie down. Bastian can show you where I keep my books if you want to read or you can watch more movies on the laptop but make sure you sit and stand as little as possible.”
“Yes, Sir. How long will you be?” He couldn’t resist casting a sideward glance at Bastian.
“Not too long. I’m just going to the bank then picking up more medicine for you. Town is only a ten minute drive from here.”
He bravely drew himself up and stifled the temptation to beg Lucas to take him along. One of the rules that had been set down at the beginning of their relationship was that Kyle would refrain from disputing any commands that were directly related to his health. It was originally meant to give Lucas the additional authority to determine how much he ate at each meal, which he didn’t mind so much, but now it was just damned annoying.
“Behave while I’m gone and don’t forget to eat breakfast.”
“Yes, Sir,” he replied, not quite able to keep the disappointment he felt from his tone. Lucas grinned knowingly then pecked him on the forehead before heading out. Kyle got to work on filling the cabinets and fridge with the groceries. To his utter relief, he found that the kitchen was filled with modern appliances and cookware. He was used to going without television and other such luxuries, but when it came to cooking, he preferred to take full advantage of modern conveniences.
Bastian’s eyes tracked his every action. It was uncomfortable to say the least. The charge of tension that filled the air kept him from wanting to strike up a conversation, and the man certainly wasn’t putting forth the effort, so he remained quiet. Lucas hadn’t specified what or how much he had to eat for breakfast so Kyle took an apple out when he was finished.
Going into the living room to retrieve the laptop, he heard Bastian walking behind him. To say he was creeped out would be an understatement. The urge to reach out through the link just to hear Lucas’ reassuring voice was strong but he held it in. The friendship between Bastian and Lucas was obviously important to his lover and he didn’t want jeopardise that by appearing wary of the stranger.
Snatching the laptop and case, Kyle let out a relieved sigh when Bastian stayed at the foot of the stairs, watching him ascend to the bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door and plopped onto the bed, grateful for the small degree of privacy. Thirty minutes into the movie he was watching, movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Glancing up, he jerked upright and scrambled to the head of the bed.
Bastian stood with his arms folded across his chest and feet apart, a cocky look plastered on his face. Kyle glanced at the still-closed door then back at him. He was sure he would have heard or seen the man come in. Another push with his legs brought his back against the headboard, and that still wasn’t enough distance between them for Kyle’s peace of mind.
“So you must be the reason Deluc used his power.”
Kyle frowned, caught off-guard. “Deluc?”
“You probably know him by some other name since he was trying to keep his whereabouts hidden. Guess that’s pointless now, but hey, it’s only four years of running down the drain. Six years of rest and relaxation brought to a bitter end. He’s tough, though. He’ll get through this. No skin off your back, right? When he’s done going through the trouble of making sure you’re not killed in the process, you can go on your merry way knowing that your precious little life is safe.”
The sarcastic note in Bastian’s voice shook him as much as his words.
“What’s another four years of fleeing for his life compared to more than two hundred years of being required to kill his own kind? Oh, that’s right. You probably can’t even imagine the hell he’s gone through to protect your people and ours. You’re young, sexy and enjoying the fringe benefits of rich men like him. I can’t blame him, really. You are a hot piece of ass. Tell you what, after you’re done screwing with him, you can stay with me until it’s safe to get back to your plush life.”
Bastian advanced with a malicious gleam in his eyes. “I’d fuck you in a heartbeat, but I’m not as generous as Deluc. You’d leave with only what you came with.” Two more steps brought him to the side of the bed, leaving only a few feet of distance between them. “I can tell you’re a submissive. Deluc is a great Dom but he’s not the only one. I can guarantee you’d be satisfied every
day with what I could do to you.”
Terror gripped Kyle’s heart and he bolted from the room, narrowly avoiding Bastian’s outstretched hand. By the time he hefted the front door open, tears blurred his vision but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact that the house was located a good distance from any surrounding neighbours. No one would hear his screams for help if Bastian chose to make good on his threat.
“Kyle?”
For the first time since meeting Lucas, the man’s deep voice caused something other than succour to fill him. Panic and turmoil crashed through Kyle like an avalanche. He couldn’t let his mate find out about Bastian’s harsh words. It would kill their friendship and Lucas would grow to despise him for it.
“Kyle, tell me what’s going on now.”
A sob hitched in his chest but he kept running. There was no good way for this to end. Disobeying his Master went against all of his instincts. Lucas would be furious with him when he got home. Even if the man didn’t hit him, his censure would be enough to hurt Kyle more than any instrument of pain could. Suddenly, Bastian appeared in front of him and he skidded to a halt too abruptly. Losing his balance, he cried out as he fell roughly onto his behind.
“Afraid I can’t let you get away, sweetheart. As much as I’d like to see justice done and watch you pay for putting my friend’s life in danger, Deluc charged me with keeping your ass safe. So let’s play nice and head back to the house.”
Anger broke through the fear and Kyle wanted to spit in his face when they were interrupted by the ringtone of Bastian’s cell phone. The man dug it from his pants pocket and answered, keeping his gaze levelled on Kyle. Kyle glared back, fuming from his position on the ground.
“He’s right here. We were just having a pleasant conversation.” There was a short pause, then, “Yeah, he’s fine.” After another pause, the man said, “I didn’t say anything to intentionally upset him. I was just telling it like it is.” Bastian’s face paled significantly with whatever words came from Lucas next. “How…how do you know he’s scared?”