Scintilla

by Elizabeth Noble

  Brandon laughed outright. “I’m not falling for that. No, I won’t escort an old lady, but I’d love to join you.”

  After getting the name of the restaurant from Natty, Brandon bid her goodnight. He took a long, hot shower then crawled into the bed. He stared at the ceiling, exhausted and wound up and lonely.

  Werewolves kill to protect.

  Raul didn’t leave you.

  ◆◆◆

  Raul never believed in soul mates.

  Until he met Brandon.

  Years ago, when he was a teen Raul, like other young werewolves, learned the details of his species physiology. Knotting was nature’s way of bonding a mating pair of werewolves with the goal of procreating. Somewhere during the course of their evolution werewolves developed a social system that reconciled their need to reproduce with their need to pair bond with someone they loved.

  Depending on who he talked to, a werewolf knotting with a human, or any other species, might have the same bonding affect. There was a whole sequence of chemical and hormonal reactions that took place during and after knotting.

  Even Gisele, the mother of Raul’s children hadn’t elicited the same, intense feelings Raul felt for Brandon. Most humans, male or female, weren’t capable of taking a full knotting from Raul. He’d heard the same from Tad and a few other male werewolves.

  Brandon not only took a full knotting, he wanted it, asked—begged—for it repeatedly. After each time Raul’s feelings grew exponentially. From the way Brandon acted it seemed to Raul the sentiments were reciprocated.

  Until they weren’t.

  He hadn’t exactly been shunned. There was no break-up, no words were actually spoken other than Brandon had things to wrap up in Boston. Things he preferred to do alone. Ever since they’d left the prison, Brandon hadn’t been physically affectionate. They hadn’t talked about it, but then again, they hadn’t had much privacy to have that talk.

  Brandon hadn’t precisely turned to Raul for support either.

  “Bring your granizado over here. Sit and have la comida with me,” Natty said. The scrape of chair legs over the stone tile floor made it perfectly clear to Raul her words weren’t a request.

  Raul turned and took another sip of the semi-frozen lemon-flavored drink while he looked over the table. Lunch was the largest meal of the day in Spain and his Yaya often followed that tradition. He knew better than to comment on the fact there were only two of them eating here today and she’d made a meal that could easily feed a family with six famished, teenage boys and still have leftovers.

  After pulling a chair out for Natty, Raul seated himself across the table from her.

  “This looks and smells wonderful. Thank you.”

  “I had lunch at that Greek place in Green Valley recently.” Natty pushed a plate of cheese, cured meats, honeydew melon and crusty, toasted tomato bread in Raul’s direction.

  “Yeah?” Raul prompted, placed items onto his own plate and began eating.

  “Brandon was kind enough to join me.” She stopped eating long enough to give Raul a pointed stare. “He’s not hanging around Rio Rico because of my cooking.”

  “I knew he was on his way back. He texted me before leaving. We’ve exchanged a text every day or two. Nothing serious. I’m not sure he wants to see me.” Raul grinned and rolled a chunk of cheese up in the thinly sliced meat. “I’d stick around for your cooking.”

  Natty clicked her tongue at him. “Psshh. Did you ask?”

  Raul stared at the table and shook his head.

  “What am I going to do with you? You need to get back to work. Today.”

  “Yaya, I’ve never stopped working,” Raul said softly.

  “Not bounty hunting. I want—need—you back at the El Corazon. Our income dropped while you were…on leave. You decide how far to go with the clients, but you will begin seeing clients again. I don’t want to have to lay off support staff. You’re a good Dom, and you do need to earn your keep.” She smirked and waved at the many dishes spread out on the table between them.

  Raul finished his entrantes and reached for the large, stoneware serving soup pot. He held the ladle in the air and raised his eyebrows, nodding at Natty’s empty soup bowl.

  “Thank you.” She smiled and nodded.

  After Raul filled their bowls he said, “Yes, Yaya.” A pause to swallow a few spoonful’s of soup before continuing. “I don’t know what to do. Brandon was horrified I killed Zoe and Ethan. I could see it in his face, but I still feel as if…”

  As if what? Raul wasn’t even sure.

  Natty sighed. “Sweetheart, Brandon has suffered a terrible trauma. More than one. It was plain to see he’s hurt and lost. From what I learned of his childhood he wasn’t raised as you and I and taught what family really is.”

  Raul snorted. “That’s the truth. The impression I’ve gotten is they’re all only concerned with themselves.”

  Natty smiled softly. “Whenever I mentioned your name his eyes lit up and his heart beat a little faster.” She stopped long enough to finish off her soup. “You will go to the club after we’ve finished.”

  “I will,” Raul promised.

  It wasn’t as if Raul really had a choice. When his grandmother insisted he do something, which he could count on one hand the number of times in his life she’d insisted, he did it. She normally wasn’t so pushy, however.

  A few hours later Raul went to the club, and to his office. His trip from the parking lot to his office door was occupied with thoughts of what, exactly, he wanted to do here. For now, he decided to keep his encounters non-sexual, at least on his part. His heart just wasn’t in it right now and if there was one thing he’d learned was clients sensed a fake. He’d begun working here when he was twenty and learned there were plenty of ways to be a Dom without the use of his dick.

  When he found the door to his office partially open he grumbled. He realized it was probably the cleaning crew, but it still annoyed him. People weren’t supposed to be in his office without him. There were confidential files related to his bounty hunting stored in there. Not that anyone was stupid enough to try to break in, not anyone that would likely ever see freedom again.

  He pushed the door open wider with his toe and stopped three steps inside. Brandon’s scent lingered on Raul’s clothes, in his vehicles and on many of his belongings, not to mention all through the hacienda. That was his excuse for not realizing who was in his office.

  Raul closed his eyes, swallowed, licked his lips and opened his eyes again. “Hey.” Yeah, a wet whisper was very manly.

  Brandon finished whatever he was doing to the security camera mounted in the corner and hopped off the stool he stood on. Turning around he offered Raul a very small, anemic smile, looked at everything in the room except Raul and said, “Hey.” His whisper was just as damp and assuredly not manly. “How, um…” he rubbed one palm over his thigh. “How are you?”

  Raul decided to go with the raw truth. “Glad to see you.”

  Brandon blushed. “I should’ve called.”

  “I understand why you didn’t.”

  “No, I should’ve.” Brandon shook his head. “After what I did, then to not call and then your grandmother called and wanted to have lunch and I’m honestly not sure she didn’t want to have me for lunch which I wouldn’t blame her for after how I acted but I went anyway and she not only didn’t chew my limbs off she offered me a job and…”

  “Brandon!” Raul barked and immediately felt guilty when Brandon flinched. “Inhale. What are you—”

  “I’m sorry,” Brandon blurted out.

  “Huh?” Raul blinked. “For what?”

  Brandon opened his mouth and shut it again.

  “All that’s been banging around in my head for these last few weeks has been the thought you never left me. You didn’t let those people have me, I could’ve disappeared, never to be heard from again and you didn’t let that happen and—” He stopped when Raul held up one hand.

  “I didn’t look for you t
he first time, not in time.”

  “But you were going to.”

  Raul nodded. “Well, yeah, but I shouldn’t have waited.”

  “But when you found out you came right away. You kept your promise and did everything you said you’d do and I didn’t see that or respect it or…” He stopped, his shoulders sagging. “No one ever did anything even close to what you’ve done for me and I threw that away and I’m sorry.”

  “I thought I frightened you or appalled you so badly you didn’t want anything to do with me,” Raul said softly.

  When Brandon bit his lip and gave Raul a wide-eyed look, Raul took a few steps forward and held out his arms. “C’mere.”

  Brandon met him halfway, sliding both arms around Raul’s waist. Raul wrapped his arms around Brandon’s shoulders, holding him close and breathing in his scent. He pressed a soft kiss to the side of Brandon’s head and held tighter when Brandon made a few odd hiccupping sounds.

  They stood there for a few minutes, clinging to each other.

  Raul drew a deep breath and Brandon’s electrical field expanded creating a tsunami of sensations rolling over Raul’s skin. His cock was immediately attentive, something that hadn’t happened in weeks. He wasn’t the only one feeling the effects.

  Brandon jerked away. “God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean, it just…I…um…”

  Raul twined his fingers in Brandon’s hair, stepped closer, tilted Brandon’s head up and kissed him. The second he let Brandon’s tongue into his mouth, tiny electric sparks zinged around his mouth. Brandon’s fingers trailing over Raul’s arms left a trail of fire. Raul shuddered, his clothes tightened as his body began to change. He eased away from Brandon, holding him at arm’s length before he went any farther.

  Brandon looked at him. “I bought a house. It’s got a pool.”

  “Yeah?” Raul ran the back of his hand over Brandon’s cheek.

  “I used the cash I had for a down payment, your grandmother financed the rest and Tad worked it out so I could live there while the paperwork goes through. The owners had two mortgages, so I’m renting until title transfers,” Brandon said.

  Raul smiled. “How do you talk that much with one breath without passing out?”

  Brandon burst out laughing. “You’re not the first person to ask that question.” He took Raul’s hand and squeezed. “Will you come see my house? It’s a bit of a mess right now.”

  “Do you need help moving in?”

  “No. Fahim did that for me, but he dumped everything in the living room,” Brandon said and shrugged. “Did I mention the pool?”

  “You did. How about I bring dinner?”

  “I’d like that. You’ll come tonight?” Brandon asked.

  “I sure will.”

  Brandon let go of Raul’s hand. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”

  Raul leaned in and kissed Brandon’s cheek. “See you at six.”

  Then Raul was left alone in his office and the small room was suddenly an empty cavern. However, he wasn’t nearly as lonely as he’d been that morning.

  ◆◆◆

  Brandon shoved his desk to the other side of the dining room. He backed up and tried to take in the whole picture. This house, his house, wasn’t much bigger than his apartment. He had two bedrooms, but he’d decided he didn’t want his computer equipment in the extra bedroom. The dining room was open, airy and bright with a view of his patio, pool and the desert beyond. His bedroom was on the same side of the house, with a clear view of the desert. The other bedroom faced the street and wasn’t very large. Between the position of the house and the trellis flanking either side of the pool that and the patio were shielded from the next-door neighbors. There were no houses behind Brandon’s, just an open expanse of Arizona desert.

  The dining room had space enough for Brandon’s small, round dinette set and a comfortable, reclining chair for when he needed to go deep into the digital world.

  “I’ll try this arrangement for a while,” he talked to the room.

  He’d been in the house two weeks and this was the second room he had arranged to his liking. The first room he’d gotten straightened around was his bedroom and he went there now, showered then sat on his bed and gazed out at the desert.

  It was a spectacular view. At night he could see the stars and moon. He loved it here. Even on warm nights he left the large plate glass doors open, with only the screens as a barrier against the night. He’d lived his whole life in a big city and it was a pleasure hearing the sounds of nature. More so he’d come to relish coyotes’ howling, as long as they stayed out of his back yard.

  Brandon slept soundly every night because among the other sounds he recognized the distinct howl of a werewolf. He’d sleep better if that werewolf would come inside and join him.

  Every evening for the last two weeks Raul had shown up at Brandon’s door arms laden with home cooked meals, sangria, hot chocolate and that slushy drink Raul liked so well Brandon could never remember the name of but enjoyed as well. Each evening spent together was more of a delight than the one before. They talked for hours, sometimes they played cards or watched movies. Brandon was reminded of his first trip to Rio Rico and the time occupied in Raul’s company.

  There was nothing more than a kiss good-night between them. Raul was a perfect gentleman, attentive and kind. It took Brandon a few days before he realized Raul was making a concerted effort to court Brandon. Despite Brandon feeling he’d been in the wrong, Raul clearly felt the need to win Brandon back.

  Late at night Raul was patrolling the desert behind Brandon’s home, keeping his promise to make sure Brandon was safe. Raul, Brandon was discovering took his promises very seriously and only his own death would cause him to renege on that promise.

  Brandon knew he was the one that would have to make the move to resume the physical part of their relationship. He decided it was a Dom thing. Raul wouldn’t do anything without permission from his partner.

  After dressing in a loose, short-sleeve button down and jeans, he made his way to the kitchen appreciating the cool tile against his bare feet. He checked that the pitcher of sangria Raul had brought the night before was chilled. There were fresh sheets on the bed and a new bottle of lube on the nightstand. Thanks to a stop at the grocery store on the way home, Raul’s favorite breakfast foods were in the refrigerator.

  Brandon had spent some time badgering Natty for a few simple recipes and instructions on their preparation. The Spanish tradition of a light breakfast was one Raul didn’t often follow. Breakfast burritos were likely an American invention, but they were Raul’s go-to along with a pot of coffee or hot chocolate and no one made them better than Natty.

  When he heard Raul’s truck pulling into the drive, Brandon went to the front door and left it standing open a few inches.

  “Hey.” Raul shouldered through the front door, closing it softly behind him.

  Brandon stopped short, raising his eyebrows. “Wow. Rough day?”

  Raul snorted. “Just a rough hour.” He held up a bag. “I wanted steak.”

  “Smells good.” Brandon stepped closer and ran one finger over the hoof-shaped bruise blossoming across Raul’s cheek. “You got too close to another centaur, didn’t you?”

  “No.” Raul shook his head. “Same damn one. I don’t know when that judge is going to get the hint that the fool will run every fucking time he’s turned loose.”

  Brandon took the bag with one hand, and Raul’s hand in the other, leading him to the kitchen. He pushed Raul onto one of the stools by the breakfast bar, set the bag down, wiggled his fingers and said, “Sit still.”

  While he ran his fingertips just above Raul’s skin and extended his electrical field so it barely contacted Raul, he thought he should find that fleeing centaur and thank him.

  Raul closed his eyes and turned his head into Brandon’s electricity. Moaning softly he took Brandon’s hand and moved it away from his face.

  “I can’t control…”

  “Then don
’t,” Brandon murmured and leaned closer, brushing his lips lightly over Raul’s. “Please don’t.”

  Raul stood up, moving Brandon back a step. At first Brandon panicked, thinking Raul was going to leave. Instead he stripped off his clothes then in one, smooth movement got his hands under Brandon’s shirt and pulled it off over his head. A trail of sparks was left dancing over Brandon’s skin in the wake of Raul’s fingers.

  Brandon sucked in a breath and reached for the waistband of his jeans. Raul took both of Brandon’s hands in one of his. “No, not just yet.”

  “But,” Brandon exhaled. Any more comments were stopped by Raul putting a finger over Brandon’s lips.

  “Not yet.” Raul deftly moved his hands, a mere fraction of an inch above Brandon’s skin, over his back.

  It seemed forever before Raul’s fingertips skimmed under Brandon’s jaw. Brandon tipped his head back and leaned into Raul, letting him support Brandon’s weight. Raul slipped one hand along Brandon’s side, causing his electrical field to pulse. Brandon’s nipples tightened and his cock was so swollen within the confines of his jeans it was painful.

  Raul’s body thickened, rough hair lengthened to cover his arms, chest and legs. Brandon shuddered from so many sensations coming at him from multiple sources and gasped for breath. It wasn’t until a blue haze hovered in the space between them that Raul finally reached down and unzipped Brandon’s jeans. He squirmed, trying to get Raul to pull the last two articles of clothing he wore from his body faster.

  With a low growl that started deep in his chest, Raul hefted Brandon up, so he straddled Raul. In the next instant Raul fisted Brandon’s hair and kissed him, demanding, rough and in a way that left no doubt Raul was indeed staking a claim.

  The sparks literally flew. They twisted and turned then dissipated inches from Brandon before making contact with anything other than Raul.