by Jo Penn
Con didn’t want to hurt the vampire, and thanks to Hadley he’d seen this coming, otherwise he’d be a frigging mess right now. There was so much to take in, understand…deal with.
They talked briefly some more, but Con knew what had to happen. He could deny it all he wanted, say that he just felt confused, that his natural barrier and his cautious nature stopped him feeling anything, but that’d be a lie, deceitful, and that was something Con never was, not even to himself.
Tyler had gotten past every barrier, every fear and had all of Con’s attention. He may still be trying to understand it, he may still be cautious and want to take his time, but he got it, he really did. Those stirrings he felt, the way he always noticed Tyler when the vampire was around and how much he thought of the creature, how his heart picked up speed and his mind shut down to everything but Tyler, told exactly what he was experiencing.
Tyler Durand, youngest vampire prince, was Con’s mate. And mates were together, always.
Con was moved along through the house and put in the back of a car. There was so much chatter around him, things happening and then he was watching his house get smaller and smaller as the car carried him and Tyler away.
Chapter Four
The first time Con saw the Durand coven he didn’t pay it much attention. He was there to do a delivery at just another big rich place. Of course, when he’d seen Tyler grinning happily at him in the doorway, Con felt a bit unsure and got huffy. He hadn’t known what to make of Tyler back then except the guy just kept appearing everywhere Con was.
Now he was arriving at the Durand coven as Tyler’s mate, something he still wasn’t absolutely certain of, but was beginning to pay more attention to what Tyler and Hadley had told him about the mate pull and what Con was feeling.
Now the coven looked huge and imposing, the brick and concrete wall that surrounded it, the wrought iron gates, vampires wandering around and a lot dressed as guards.
And they all stared at Con as he climbed out of the back of the vehicle after Tyler. Of course that made him want to jump straight back into the car and demand to be taken home. Hadley, though, had been pretty thorough about the laws. Still, Con planned to do his own mateship laws search just as soon as he could.
Tyler smiled softly at Con and held out his hand. “Welcome home, Constantin, I’m glad you’re with me.”
For a moment that suffocating feeling he sometimes experienced had Con jerking away and looking around for a way out. Tyler’s smiling face appeared in front of him and almost immediately Con was calming down as he gazed into those beautiful pale green eyes. When Tyler slipped his hand into Con’s and moved them toward the front double doors he didn’t say anything, just kept his head down and concentrated on keeping it together. The hand holding his squeezed gently as though to reassure but right now Con couldn’t find anything reassuring.
He’d worked hard to stand on his own two feet and get through what his past had done to him and though he might always be a bit “damaged,” he was strong and knew where he was going. Well, he had known. Now he hadn’t a clue what was going to happen except he was a vampire prince’s mate, apparently, and what that entailed he still didn’t know.
“Hi, Archie, can I introduce you later? My mate needs a few moments.”
“Yeah, ’course, Ty. Let me know if either of you need anything and I’ll just say wow! Great aura.”
“Cool, thanks, Archie! Come on, sweets, I want to get you settled in.”
Con flicked a look at the creature named Archie and saw an attractive young vampire with blond hair who gave a smile and wave. Not wanting to begin his time here offending one of Tyler’s friends, Con returned the smile with a weak one of his own before being pulled through the castle, for that is what it was and completely decked out with more marble than he thought was needed. The place was a bit like a mausoleum.
He so hoped it wasn’t all cocktail hours and cigars at the vamp coven, he didn’t think he could stand that.
Tyler greeted dozens of vampires, and a few other creatures as he led Con through the mausoleum until finally they were in what the vampire called the “family” wing and the third floor where he showed Con into a self-contained apartment. It had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, an en suite, a separate bathroom, and a lounge. It wasn’t big but the storage and setup made the most of the space and it was very modern with only a few touches of elegance and class thrown in.
“I don’t use the dining room much. We have a family one downstairs that I commandeer when I want to cook and put on a dinner party. So as you can see I set up the dining room as a study, but if you want I can put it back the way it was.” Tyler looked a little unsure now and waved a hand toward the desks. “I…err, had some desks put in for you. And the shelves. And I know it’s too soon to talk about it, and if you don’t want to, don’t feel you have to, but Misha wants to discuss your course and a position here at the coven. Apparently, good logistics staff are really fucking hard to find.” He flashed a grin. “Whatever you need, I’ll get, okay?”
A knock on the door stopped Constantin thinking of what he could say to the vampire. Tyler walked over and opened the door, smiling as he took Con’s bag from the car’s driver then opened the door fully and a tall guy, very similar looking to Tyler, but bigger and with a lot of arrogance, stepped into the room.
Tyler shut the door and dropped the bag. He smiled at Con. “Sweets, this is my eldest brother and the leader of this branch of our coven, Misha. Misha, this is my mate, Constantin Hutton.”
Not at all sure how he was meant to address Tyler’s brother and feeling well out of his depth, he didn’t protest when Tyler approached a little cautiously and wrapped his arms around Con. Right about now, feeling a bit better that Tyler was beside him, holding him, had Con knowing the mate pull was definitely working because he was so not one for PDA, nor did he accept comfort from others usually.
Crown Prince Misha Durand inclined his head. His pale green eyes, pretty much exactly the same as Tyler’s, didn’t seem to miss anything as he watched them both intently.
“I welcome you into our family, Constantin. After you have rested and settled in this evening, Tyler will bring you to a meeting room tomorrow morning where a coven lawyer will—”
“Yeah, let me go through that with my mate, Misha,” Tyler cut in and got a pointed look from his brother for it.
“Very well.” The older vamp’s expression softened. “I am happy for you both. Finding your mate does not happen for everyone. When it does, we treasure and rejoice. Mother would like you to Skype once your mate is settled, Tyler.”
“Thanks, Misha.” Tyler gave Con a gentle squeeze then followed his brother to the door of the suite and pretty much launched himself at the other vamp and hugged him tight. “For everything. You’re pretty awesome, big brother.”
“As are you, little brother. Claim your mate, Tyler, begin building a bond. This will help settle Constantin into our family.”
Con gulped, blinking behind the locks of hair over his eyes. Misha gave a knowing look and left, Tyler closing the door behind him and turned to grin at Con.
“Sooo, sweets, can I claim you now? Maybe mate and bond? You’ll love it! I swear.”
Con went from nervous to startled. “How would you know?”
Tyler paused in his walk toward Con, hands dropping lax at his side. “What? How would I know what?”
“How being mated and bonding feels?” Con wanted to know.
“Man, I’ve seen you do this before.” Tyler grinned, pointing a finger at Constantin. “And you’re not trying to throw anyone off on purpose, you’re genuinely wanting to know! But it comes so far from left field it bewilders. Humph, I know because I’ve been told. It’s no secret among paranormals, and humans who’ve mated, that bonding and being claimed, mating, is all pleasurable. So, can I claim you?”
A little startled, possibly alarmed, Con took a step backward and held up his hands in front of him. He guessed he would have
to get used to Tyler’s exuberance and the constant cheerfulness but it might take a little while. Fortunately, Tyler stood stock still and waited.
“No…I want a bit of time.”
“Oh.” Tyler’s disappointment was evident, he didn’t try and cover it up or hide what he was feeling. Reaching out, he slipped his fingers through Con’s. “Okay. I’ll be honest, though, mate. I’m beginning to feel the need to claim and mate, which is going to make me become a bit possessive and distracted. Vamps can go longer than most other paranormals before having to claim their mate, but since I first saw and scented you months ago, I’m beginning to feel the need.”
Con tried to understand that, he truly did. After all the things he’d heard, and seen about paranormals and their mates, even the shows on television went on and on about how creatures needed to claim and mate, but he was only just beginning to understand he was feeling the mate pull and that was why he wasn’t kicking up a stink about being here and letting Tyler touch him.
All he could manage was a nod. Thankfully Tyler didn’t push. Instead, he showed Con through the suite, fixed him a salad with a gluten- and dairy-free roll, and talked non-stop about the coven. With information overload and a full stomach, Con collected his bag from near the front door and wondered if he could sneak out. Tyler vetoed that idea by grabbing the bag, tugging until Con let go, and, as the vampire was so much stronger, it wasn’t much of a struggle. Then Tyler asked Con to share his bedroom.
This Con said no to. Adamantly. With no hesitation whatsoever. Tyler huffed and showed his frustration.
“Why? I won’t push, much. Just a little fooling around—”
“Which can lead to more than I’m ready for right now. I’ll take the spare bedroom or head home. Up to you.”
“Well, that choice sucks!” Tyler grumbled, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes on Con. “You know what? I’ve been real good in accepting you’re not ready. I tried wooing you for weeks but this I’m not relenting on.”
“So you’re going to force me to sleep in the same room as you?” Con snapped angrily.
“The same bed!” Tyler nodded, hands now waving around. “Yes, I am if that’s what it takes.” Sighing, losing the spurt of anger, Tyler rubbed his right temple. “This way you’ll get used to me. If you’re sleeping in the other room you can put distance between us and there’s already enough emotional and mental distance. What we need now is to get used to one another, be closer.”
Balking at the idea, Con scowled. “This whole thing is a bad idea. It’s not going to work!”
“We’re mates, we’re meant to be together—dammit!” Tyler glanced at his ringing phone. “I have to take this, it’s important. But I mean it, Con, we’re together, no arguments.”
Feeling a whole lot of anger at that announcement, Constantin growled “asshole” under his breath and stormed to the suite door. No way was some vampire going to make him do something he wasn’t ready for! No one got to do that, not even some fated mate. He wouldn’t be pushed into anything. He wouldn’t be manipulated and coerced and he would damn well leave if he wanted to!
Throwing open the door, he heard Tyler cursing and telling whomever he was speaking to he would have to call them back and decided he’d had enough of listening to Tyler. And the mate pull sucked. Storming down the hall, he glared at a tall dude dressed in the coven’s security uniform and did the finger when the guy asked Tyler if there was anything he could do to assist. Con looked over his shoulder to see Tyler close behind him in the hall.
“Nope, all good, my mate is just expressing himself.”
Pissed off by that, obviously Tyler didn’t take Con seriously, emotions built to boiling point. Confusion clouded his thoughts and an ache in his chest was beginning to make him feel sick and slightly disoriented, his legs suddenly heavy and weak. He managed a few more steps when he was suddenly hit from the inside, as though something broke free. He stumbled, body thrown to the side and into a wall, Con sliding down and gripping his chest as spasm after spasm of intense pain choked and tore at him.
“Constantin!” Tyler’s gorgeous face swam in front of Con’s blurred vision. “Sweets, you’re going to be okay, we’re calling for help. Xavier! I don’t know what happened—”
“Calm down, Tyler, everything will be fine.” A stunning vampire with dark hair and icy blue eyes appeared in front of Con and tilted his chin up, studying him intently. “Breathe, Constantin, slowly, shallowly. Tyler, pick your mate up and carry him to the infirmary.”
“Gods, okay, what’s happening?”
Con would like to know that, too. He concentrated on breathing, shallowly as the dark haired vampire instructed. Strangely enough, as soon as he was held in Tyler’s arms the pain subsided, the spasms reducing though not going completely, but enough he could breathe normally.
“Hey, sweets, feeling better?”
Tyler seemed to have no trouble lifting Con despite them only being an inch apart in height and Tyler having just a little bigger build. He was a vampire after all, super strength.
“What happened? Has it passed? Did you use that mind gift of yours on me to stop me leaving?”
“You were leaving, Constantin?” the vampire Xavier asked quietly, walking beside Tyler.
Feeling ridiculous being carried now he felt mostly better, there was only a slight lingering pain in his chest and head, Con wiggled.
“Yes. Put me down, Tyler.”
“I believe that would be a poor idea.” Xavier placed a phone to his ear.
“Why, cousin?”
“If I am correct, then releasing your mate will cause the return of the pain.”
“Oh, right, well, I’ll just keep holding you, sweets.”
“I’m fine! Whatever it was has gone.”
Con jerked, giving Tyler the choice to squeeze too tight or put Con down. The vampire quickly released Con and helped him back to his feet. But as soon as he let go and Con was free, the pain returned, much more intense this time. Tyler immediately picked Con up and held him close, whispering words of reassurance and care.
Okay, he’d believe Xavier next time, Con decided, panting through the after-effects of pain. They arrived in what he felt resembled a large doctor’s office with a waiting room, reception, storage room, a few offices and patient rooms. Instead of placing Con on one of the benches, Tyler climbed up with Con on his lap.
Expecting to feel the suffocating sensation like whenever someone normally held him, Con was just confused when he didn’t. Tyler’s arms were wrapped around him, his front pressed right up against Con’s back and even his legs were touching. But rather than feel suffocated, Con had the weirdest feeling of contentment. Which didn’t make sense and that confused and annoyed him.
Tyler though didn’t seem to be having any problems with it, the vampire resting his head against the side of Con’s and even kissed his hair a few times as well as sniffing him. Whether it felt good or not was completely beside the point.
“Constantin, this is my cousin, Prince-mate Xavier Dalton, who is more like another big brother to me than a cousin.” Tyler flashed a grin. “Xav, my mate, Constantin Hutton.”
When the vampire smiled it was mind blowing, and Con could see similarities between the two. He murmured a hello and turned his face into Tyler’s neck, giving up any pretense of understanding what was going on and how he usually didn’t like comfort contact. Tyler made a funny little appreciative noise and gently rubbed Con’s arms and chest.
“Ah, Lacey, thank you for coming so quickly.”
“A pleasure, Xavier. Hello, Tyler, I hear congratulations are in order.” A tall, willowy blonde woman swept into the room and deposited an old-fashioned doctor’s bag on the side table. “Who is my patient?”
“Con Hutton. But I’m fine—”
“Not fine. Doctor Lacy Aston, my mate, Constantin Hutton, soon to be Durand.”
“Oh hell no!” Con jerked away from Tyler and across the bench they were both seated upon. As soon as t
hey were no longer touching, immense pain filled his chest and head, Con groaning and falling sideways.
Tyler quickly grabbed him and pulled Con back into his body, arms wrapping around him tightly. “So, Doc, that happens whenever I stop touching Constantin.”
“Yes, I see.” The doctor reached out a hand, fingers wiggling a little and touched Constantin’s shoulder, quickly withdrawing. “Okay, I see what the problem is.”
“The djinn side?” Xavier said.
“Yes. Was there a problem before Constantin began to feel pain?” the doctor asked while ruffling through the doctor’s bag.
“What sort of problem?” Tyler was caressing Con’s hair now so he pulled his head away. “Oh, we were animatedly discussing sleeping arrangements resulting in Con being a jerk and walking out of the suite and saying he was leaving. That sort of problem?”
Xavier and Doctor Lacy both smiled, Doctor Lacy nodding.
“Yes, exactly like that.”
“Well, okay then. Yes, yes, there was a problem before Constantin began to feel pain.” Tyler chuckled at Constantin’s aggrieved sigh. “Was it the argument? But how could that cause him physical pain?”
“Not the argument as such.” Doctor Lacy held up a long, wicked-looking needle. “Djinn mostly keep quiet about their traits as they don’t like anyone to get an advantage over them. Once a mate bond begins to form, even the most minuscule which can just be the djinn accepting that they have a mate, well, any disturbance to their newly forming bond can cause it to tear. This translates to physical and emotional pain for the djinn.”
That so didn’t sound good. And he didn’t want the needle. Con eyed the needle and the doctor silently, Doctor Lacy laughing as Tyler wrestled the sleeve of Con’s shirt up.
“This will just help you relax and take away any pain,” she assured him, sticking it in Con’s arm. “It is a great natural medication that Chane produces and will be best for Constantin as djinns’ biology have difficulty accepting chemical compounds. That is why most are vegetarians and vegans and only eat and drink organic.”