Seduced by Him

by Jacey Holbrand

  “No. It’s nothing like that. I’m…” He swallowed hard. “I know I should have told you this a long time ago, but… Um… Okay… When we were in the canyon as teenagers, I did see something in the mine.”

  “Really? I’d thought you had. I wish you’d told me then. Or even at some time over the years. We could have helped each other get over the trauma of that nightmare.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to articulate what I’d seen, especially since I thought it’d all been some kind of bad dream when I’d blacked out.”

  “So?” Cameron glanced his way then focused back on the road. “What did you see?”

  Taking a deep breath, Jarrod quelled the sea of emotions churning within him. He pushed down the anxiety and shame about not having shared his information with his brother sooner. He blocked the wave of sadness threatening to overtake him about the wasted years in which he could have been closer to Cameron.

  And the missed opportunity of getting to know the man in the store.

  “I saw the hellhounds. The huge black one. The tawny brown one that appeared to be guarding you. Then there was another one. In the tunnel. It looked at me and… I know this is gonna sound weird, but I felt a connection with the creature.”

  Cameron hummed, nodded and replied, “I get it. We don’t have to go into details if you don’t want. I know telling me this little bit was probably super hard for you.”

  Jarrod sighed, feeling partially relieved. The fact that Cameron wasn’t judging him, wanting more information or making comments about his experience pleased him. He knew he wasn’t a very open individual. He liked to keep his personal stuff personal, but it felt good finally telling Cameron something about that night. Yet, he wouldn’t feel completely at ease until he said everything.

  “There’s something else.” He took another breath. “I’m bi.”

  “Bi?”

  “Actually, I’d started using the term fluid, but…” Jarrod wanted to kick himself. Why was it so hard for him to explain who he was to his brother? Out of all the people in the world, Cameron would be the one person who’d totally understand.

  “But?”

  “Well, I might be gay. There’s this guy—”

  The truck swerved. Cameron laughed and straightened out the vehicle. “Sorry about that. You caught me off guard. A guy? Last I knew, you and Holly were an item.”

  “Didn’t you know? I thought mom would’ve told you. She and I have been over for weeks. Turns out she reconnected with an ex and they moved to the east coast.”

  “Oh. Sorry to hear that. She seemed like a great catch.”

  “I’d thought so, too. Good thing we hadn’t been together long. Much easier to get over a broken heart when you barely knew the person.” Unless said person was Mr. Sexy from the store who’d rocked his universe. He didn’t know if he’d ever forget, or get over, the encounter with that man.

  “Dude, spill. Where’d you meet this guy? How long have you been hiding him from me and the fam? I can’t believe you’re gay … bi … fluid … whatever, and you never told me.”

  “As for my sexuality, you know how difficult it is to come out. You struggled for a while to tell us about you, remember? And the man? It’s not like that. I ran into him in the store. We barely said two words each. But I tell ya, I’ve never been so captivated with someone in my life. It was like looking at a work of art and hearing his voice was like listening to the most beautiful piece of music. Just his presence seduced me. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe or move.” Jarrod’s cock throbbed and hardened with each word he spoke about the guy in leather. “I can’t believe I’ll never see him again. Never have the chance to get to know him and see if there really is something between us or if I’ve created some kind of fantasy.”

  “Fantasies aren’t bad.” Cameron chuckled. “But seriously, if you’re meant to be with him, somehow you’ll run into him again.” He grinned. “Trust me. I know.”

  Chapter Four

  The blond haired man without a name stood naked in his room.

  Bare as the day he was born, too, Tex sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on his elbows, and took in the view.

  Tall, athletic physique. Classically handsome features with a full mouth. Cock that sported a slight curve. It didn’t appear to be overly big but still seemed to be larger than average. Just like he liked a man’s dick.

  “What do you want me to do? Please. Tell me.”

  He loved it when his partners had the touch of pleading in their voices, had amorous longing in their gazes, begging him to take them and use them as he saw fit. But this blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty wasn’t like the others. The lean, well-toned man didn’t fit the type of guy he’d normally go after—big, brawny, and rough around the edges—much like himself and the other Mongrels. No, the stranger from the store was the complete opposite, almost angelic, and the thought of claiming him sent lusty rivers of heat down into his rigid shaft.

  “I want you to drop to your knees before me, take my cock in that luscious mouth of yours and suck me dry.”

  A visible shudder racked the man’s body, and for a second he looked as if he might refuse, but then he closed the distance between them and knelt.

  The angel positioned himself between Tex’s thighs and gently grasped his length. The bend of his fingers stroked him, feeling like the finest linen glancing against his skin. Tex’s body sizzled as his man’s appraisal of his body seemed to devour him. Then the stranger licked and kissed his cock and balls, sucked him into his mouth, and Tex felt as if he’d arrived home.

  The guy laved its length and circled his fingers around its base, then traced the underside with the tip of his tongue and feathered his ball sack with the ends of his fingers.

  Tex let his head fall back, enjoying the way the guy took command of his cock and savoring the delicate feel of the man’s moist and warm mouth on his shaft and his hands as they smoothed up his body.

  So soft. Such a gentle caress. I love the way he’s touching me. Not enough though. Need to…

  “Fuck him!”

  Inferno’s shouting outside his open window jarred Tex from his dream. Untangling his naked body from the bedsheets that’d twisted around him, he smelled the air. The mate scent had faded some, but his restlessness hadn’t. In fact it seemed to have compounded since he discovered his mate out there, and by the erotic dreams he’d been having of the good-looking guy from the store.

  More yelling caught his attention, and disregarding his dishabille and rock-hard boner, he stormed over to the window.

  A trio of riders he didn’t recognize stood near their bikes in the center of the compound. Two men dressed in all black with slender bodies and identical faces set in austere expressions flanked a giant of a man who looked meaner than his companions. A real son of a bitch.

  The visitor wore dark sunglasses, and like his buddies, was decked out in all black from his cowboy hat, to his leather duster, jeans and t-shirt. A scar lined its way from in front of his ear, down his neck and disappeared under the shirt.

  Inferno and Preach were there as well as a prospect, Sloth, who seemed to be taking the brunt of Inferno’s ire. Inferno smacked the back of Sloth’s head and sent him off, then returned to speaking with the threesome.

  Not being able to read lips, Tex got bored with the scene rather fast and shrugged. He had his own problems. Bad or good, whatever it was that Inferno was up to wasn’t his concern. At least until Inferno or another leader made it his business. Though teaming up with the group down below would definitely help him get rid of his disquiet, he hoped Inferno would keep him out of his latest scheme. Tex had a feeling that the SOB and his two minions weren’t men to be messed with.

  What to do in the meantime though? He’d already helped Thumbs in the garage and sparred with members Blaze and Storm. Like most of the other Mongrels, the two of them were tall, built like fortresses, dark haired and dark eyed, but their fighting skills lacked a certain finesse. He didn�
�t want to chance going up against Preach, since he didn’t want anything broken. Tex had even tried to screw a club whore, but that’d gone nowhere fast when Scorpio, drunk and riled up, barged in on them as they were getting undressed, professing his undying love for her.

  Damned dogs.

  Absentmindedly, Tex reached down to stroke himself and found that he had no need to rub one out. Time and thinking about Inferno’s antics had taken care of his hard on. With one problem sorted, he dressed and headed downstairs to find food.

  As he sat at the table shoving cold eggs and bacon into his mouth, Sloth came over and sat across from him. The short and slender kid with brown hair and matching eyes seemed nice enough, but Tex didn’t trust him. Not that Sloth ever gave him a reason not to, but the guy had come out of nowhere a few years ago, claiming to be a hellhound. Sloth had the right scent and said his grandparents had left the area after the curse because they feared what would happen to them and their family if they didn’t leave. But after having lost everyone, Sloth had decided to see if any other members of his kind were still around.

  So he’d tracked down the gang.

  Inferno had let Zack Hayes join the ranks and gave him the nickname Sloth, telling him it’d taken long enough for him to find his way home.

  Maybe his apprehension about the prospect was because Sloth was a coyote shifter and not wolf. But even that seemed off to Tex. He had the sense Sloth carried a secret he had yet to share with the group, but since Tex didn’t have proof, he couldn’t accuse the man of anything.

  “Thumbs tells me you’re looking for something to do.”

  With a grunt, Tex nodded and drank down a cup of black coffee that’d gone cold.

  “I’m going to the city. Wouldn’t mind company on the ride up.”

  “What business do you have up there?” Curious, Tex raised a brow.

  Inferno didn’t like for members to go off without a good reason. Individual vacations weren’t allowed while being a member of the club. Even when Tex wanted to rob the store, he had to get clearance. No way he’d go off on some lark with someone just because they’d asked him to.

  “Those scary looking men that come today? They’re on the hunt for some bitch. She’d been in the canyon, but isn’t anymore, or at least they think she isn’t. Inferno asked for volunteers to assist. I offered to help look up in Vegas. He suggested I take someone. More specifically he told me to take you since you’re a full member and have been itching for some action.”

  “Who’d we be looking for?”

  “That Emma Dyson chick. I’m told she’s blond and on the short side. Inferno says she should be able to be picked out of a crowd by her scent.”

  “I don’t know ’bout that. Evading capture for this long? She’s probably able to mask her scent like us Mongrels can. I’ve heard rumors here and there that she’s Tabu maicoh.”

  “A witch, huh?”

  Tex bobbed his head. “Who’s this Shaman character anyway?”

  “One of the guys who came to see Inferno. Super tall. Super mean-looking fellow. Inferno claims he’s the medic from the Skinwalkers motorcycle club out of Albuquerque, New Mexico.”

  Tex almost choked on the last piece of bacon. Medic? Unlikely just that. He’d heard of the group. Evil bunch of fellows with a maicoh of their own amongst them. Tex had a feeling Shaman was said witch, and if that was truly the case, he better not disobey Inferno’s order this time. Last thing he needed was to face a witch’s wrath.

  “I’m going to double check with Inferno about this, and if I’m given the all clear, I’ll go up to the city with you.”

  “That’s fair. I’ll meet up with you in the garage after you’ve talked to the pres.”

  Much to Tex’s surprise, Inferno confirmed what Sloth had said. Kane had failed bringing Gabe Dyson to the compound, and keep Gabe’s partner here, and Inferno said he’d be damned if Emma got away. The president was tired of her and her brother poking around in the desert looking for the gold the Mongrels had laid claim to.

  Tex met Sloth in the garage, and they headed out. He happened to be super happy to be on the road again, though he wasn’t too thrilled about hunting down the Shinan’s bitch cousin. But then, the quest might be just what he needed, giving him a total change of routine and scenery to break him out of his funk.

  As they neared the city, the traffic worsened. All sorts of vehicles filled the lanes and with each mile the flow slowed until it came to a stop-roll-stop progression. Sloth weaved in and out of the cars and trucks, disregarding how it’s illegal to lane split in Nevada. Tex followed as best he could until Sloth suddenly increased speed and the distance between them. When Tex realized what was up, he chased after the coyote but wasn’t able to catch him. Sloth had successfully ditched him.

  God damned fucking coyote. Inferno’s gonna have our heads over us not staying together.

  Seeing red and not wanting to get in a wreck, Tex exited the highway and slowly fed his way through the side streets to the strip, attempting to calm his anger and gather his thoughts. Sloth had mentioned bunking at the casino with the sexy pirates, so he figured that might be a good place to start in finding the punk.

  What a chore this trip’s gonna be. First tracking down the kid then the chick. Made more difficult because he’d gotten separated from the asshole coyote.

  Wait. We’re split up. He chuckled, then laughed outright. And Inferno’s not around to know. Tex doubted the prospect would fill Inferno in on the news of their separation. No one ever wanted to be on the receiving end of the tyrant’s violent temper.

  This is great, Tex thought. Now he didn’t have to try to find some Tabu wolf, who may or may not be a witch, in a city of a million plus people. Now he could have some fun and relax for a time before he had to find Sloth, give him a piece of his mind and return to the compound. Tex decided he’d treat himself and get his own room in the hotel, maybe even take in a nudie show. Anything to get his mind off losing the coyote and the other man.

  He swung into the garage, thankful this particular casino had yet to start charging for parking. After he headed inside and booked his room, he looked over the bill and remembered a time when the casinos didn’t try to squeeze a person for every cent: resort fees, entertainment tax, hotel tax, and more recently at other locations, parking fees. It was crazy, but he guessed that was the price of change in this town.

  Tex left the reception section and had started to make his way through the gaming area when the pungent aroma of Mexican cooking overwhelmed him.

  The guy!

  So much for trying not to think about him.

  Excited passion and hot need flashed through Tex. All his senses switched to high alert, and his inner wolf stretched and growled in anticipation of mating. With super intense focus, he surveyed the people at the tables and the nearby slot machines, hoping to spot the man who’d slake his thirst for a good lay.

  The stranger from the store and his erotic dreams was nowhere to be seen, but he caught sight of a sign with the name of a popular Mexican restaurant franchise on it. He sniffed the air. Sure, part of the smell came from the eatery, but there was more to the scent, something deeper and meaningful. A connection to another soul. A warm, comfortable pull, like two magnets wanting to join together.

  In the store, the gravitation toward the guy and the idea of commitment scared him, but now it just made him horny. He could have the man in his bed, use him for a bit, and when the appeal waned, they could go their separate ways. No need for commitment. The thought soothed his inner beast and gave him a sense of a plan.

  First part being—find the man and seduce him.

  Chapter Five

  Deciding to head to the bar, Jarrod rose from the seat at the slot machine that’d been glad to take his money but not give him any in return. He’d considered cutting his losses and going back to the room to take a nap, but he’d promised Cameron he’d enjoy the last couple of days of his vacation. That meant, according to his brother, doing some gam
bling, having some drinks, and maybe taking in a show. Cameron had even suggested finding someone to have a one night stand with to help him get over the man from the store.

  He didn’t know about that. He’d had a few flings over the years, but they were more than one night quickies. His shortest affair had been two weeks. Could he meet some random stranger, fuck him or her and then leave them behind when he went home? He wasn’t sure.

  The hypothetical decision became tougher when he threw in the possible, but highly unlikely, chance of running into the sexy stranger again.

  Would he be able to take him back to his room, have his way with him and then go on his merry way without further consideration? Maybe if the sex was really bad. But if it was anywhere close to good or better than good? Jarrod wasn’t sure if he’d be able to leave him behind.

  Then again it was all a moot point since he’d never…

  “Excuse me.”

  A pair of hands grasped Jarrod’s shoulders. So lost in thought, he’d stupidly not been paying attention to his surroundings and had run straight into another person. The man’s familiar deep voice sent a wave of excitement gushing through him. “P- Pardon?” he inquired while thinking, it can’t be. Then he centered his attention on the person’s face.

  The hypnotic blue-eyed gaze met his. Levity in the man’s expression replaced the intense, predator impression Jarrod had of him when they’d met in the store. The guy’s long hair swept back into a messy bun revealed his face, accenting the contours of his cheeks and bringing focus to his sparkling eyes.

  Even though the animalistic quality wasn’t forefront, Jarrod’s instincts dinged in alarm, warning him the man still shouldn’t be messed with, but his libido overrode the counsel.

  “It’s you. I… I thought I’d never see you again.”

  The man released him, lifted up the corner of his mouth into a disarming, mischievous grin. “Same here. Name’s Tex.” He offered his hand.