by Jo Penn
“Good? Good! We are mates, and that was fucking fantastic.”
“Sheesh, okay, calm down, babe.”
Luka was completely unprepared for an enraged fae landing on him and wrapping a hand around his throat. Brown eyes blistered Luka with their heat.
Hmm, sometimes this happened during and after sex. Creatures tended to get a little crazy occasionally over him. He would have thought Caspar was different, but oh well, didn’t matter.
“Do not treat me like one of your past lovers. I am your mate. The potion has begun to wear off, your wolf metabolism mixed with this fertility wolf DNA—”
“Whoa, whoa, too much, Caspar.” Luka patted the man’s shoulder. “Could you remove your hand before you strangle me?”
“No,” Caspar snapped. “Remember that I am your mate, not a simple fuck. I might not have claimed you but I will. If you give me too much trouble and insolence I shall forgo my promise and do what is necessary.”
Luka’s eyes narrowed. “You’d go back on your word?”
“You betrayed our mate bond,” Caspar snarled.
Luka stiffened. He felt bad about that now, he truly did. He wasn’t sure about all this and was a little lost, so yeah, he treated Caspar as a one-night stand, a good lay, because anything else freaked him the hell out. He turned his face away.
“I did, yes. Hop off me.”
“Luka.” Caspar sighed. Leaning down, he kissed Luka’s cheek. “I understand more now, we shall do this together. Tonight, you did not turn to another when heating up and you showed restraint with Tudor, remembering our mate requires time and did not agree to sex with us.”
Luka was tired and stared at a wall. “I can’t make promises, Caspar. It’s not my nature to stay more than a night. My wolf directs me, and it fornicates wherever it likes.”
“I will guide us and I do not believe that bullshit about your wolf directing. If that were true your wolf would have jumped me when scenting me yesterday. But I am still evaluating whether both you and your wolf will still think to go to sate yourselves elsewhere. Being claimed and bonded fully should aid with this.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
Caspar was quiet for a moment then when he spoke he seemed puzzled. “You truly believe it will not make a difference?”
“Yes. See this isn’t a good idea. You, me, the wizard, things could get nasty real quick.”
“Oh, Luka, I have been around a long time, seen many things. A mate bond changes everything. Tonight you experienced this when you did not go to hunt down sex after heating up with Tudor. You ran from others who could have given this to you. Time will show you. Now, my lusty little wolf, you are hard. Would you care to top?”
Luka’s eyes shot to his big fae. “What? Ah, oh, if you want?”
“Are you sure about that?” Caspar was smirking.
“No, no I’ll top.” Ugh, sure, he’d top, once he figured out what the hell to do because it all just seemed not to work that way so well. “How about I give you a blow job?”
Caspar laughed. It was an amazing sound, tingling Luka inside. He smiled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, honey, you are a bottom! The fear on your face was comical.”
“Damn Marco. I could try.”
“And do you really want to?”
“I’d rather just squeeze your delicious ass and give you a blow job.” Curious, he looked the big fae over. “You like to be topped?”
Caspar snorted. “No, but I will if one of my mates wishes it. I do not believe we will have difficulties though as you bottom, I top and the little I have felt from Tudor through my magic leads me to believe he does both.”
That was interesting. His cock throbbed at the thought of being topped by Tudor and Caspar topping the wizard.
“Man.” He gave a squeal as his cock was taken in a big hand and stroked. Then he groaned long and loud.
“Your hands all over me was the most amazing feeling, amore. Now I want your lips on mine.”
One kiss with Tudor had sent him into worlds of pleasure and agony. He wasn’t so sure he wanted to do that again. He licked his lips and stared at Caspar’s.
“Do not worry, you do not have to stop this time. I am yours to kiss and have anyway you wish.” Caspar’s mouth lowered and brushed over Luka’s, a mere touch. “And there are so many ways I want to take you, my sexy wolf.”
“Don’t let me stop you.” Luka panted, quickly growing excited.
“Oh, I won’t. You are mine, and what a delicious treat the fates have provided me.”
Luka sank his hands into spiky blonde hair, fingers clutching as his cock was slowly pumped from tip to base. The big body over him smelled like sex and mate, felt so damn good, and when lips touched his, Luka squirmed, knowing he’d give all of himself, the real him, just as he had with Tudor.
The fae inhaled sharply. A small moan escaped against Luka’s lips as he returned the kiss, gently, tenderly, taking those lips that let him lead. His hands caressed Caspar’s hair and head. His body stretched and arched, brushing against his fae mate, lips not able to get enough, expressing his needs and wants, who he was. Not just a fertility wolf fantastic at sex, but tender and caring, the sweet side that perhaps yearned for more without him ever knowing.
Caspar moved, lifted Luka’s ass and slipped inside slowly, reverently, their lips never leaving each other. They made love. Luka’s entire body expressing his feelings, completely himself as he moved with his mate, pressed close together, skin to skin without an inch between them. When they came, it was explosive and together.
* * * *
Before his shower he needed to check his phone. Tudor hoped the fae or whomever had packed up his few belongings from the coven hadn’t discovered it. Then again, no one had yet so he was pretty certain no one would.
After all, that was one of his talents, hiding things in plain sight with magic.
Every creature had a gift of some kind or other, well, as far as Tudor knew that was. Shifters could shift into their animal, that was a magical gift in itself, and then they also had another gift, plus super strength, agility, speed, healing, and the rest. Fae were magic. It came from inside them. Fae could do numerous things with magic and they had particular gifts also. Like witches and wizards. They could use magic, it was inside them, but not quite like fae. To access the magic witches and wizards said spells and made potions, and they also had a few specific magical gifts.
Tudor excelled at fixing things, like plates, that valuable urn, he could even fix broken walls and the like. He couldn’t fix anything mechanical or electrical such as car engines and machines, as that took another type of magic, he assumed. He also had his hide magic. He could hide objects—and himself—in plain sight.
Opening a few boxes, he burrowed around until he found the phone that appeared like a flat little box. Saying a few words, he removed the spell and turned the phone on. A few minutes later, messages popped up on screen.
He valiantly tried blocking the noises coming from down the hall. Gods, the wolf was loud! Tudor was horny and needs beat at him, but he had his resolve. Checking a few messages, he frowned, listening to one from Corey, his best and only true friend and a fellow wizard from his old coven.
There were stricter rules at the old coven and anyone who commissioned a witch or wizard to perform magic paid with money or trade if accepted. That money always went directly to the coven ruler. Only a little “allowance” trickled down to the actual members. That made the coven wealthy but not the members and pretty much kept them shackled there. A few had tried to break out on their own but his old coven was still old school and believed they “owned” their members. As such they punished accordingly, demanded everything, used at will, and took whatever they wanted. They also traded members.
Lady Delia Armstrong did not agree with trading. She had assured Tudor of this when he was traded to the Armstrong coven here in Milson City. He didn’t quite believe that—as, after all, he was traded ther
e—but he’d begun to. The members respected their leader and had the freedom to do pretty much what they wanted as long as they didn’t break a few rules and gave to the coven. In return, they received protection, payment for magic, and all equipment needed for spells and potions.
Tudor frowned, listening to the message from Corey. He hadn’t been completely open and truthful with Lady Delia who knew only that he had overheard the Senator and Renegade.
The reason Tudor had been at the back of the coven in the private area was because he was making a fast get away from a very powerful creature when he’d stumbled upon three others who were, as they said, slipping out for a night of fun on the town. As it happened, they’d all ended up hearing the Senator and were in deep shit.
But he was coming for Tudor. Shaking at the thought, he looked around the room absently. A very powerful vampire had grown quite delusional and lost a little of his control and semblance of sanity. That happened if a creature got too old and didn’t have enough grounding. This one decided that Tudor was his and that was that. Tudor had attempted to dissuade the old vampire but that’d just gotten him tossed onto a sofa. He wasn’t strong enough magically or physically to fight off one of such power. Fortunately, though he’d been drained to nearly an inch of his life and abused a little, they’d been interrupted and his friend Corey had gotten Tudor out of there before he had been raped.
Since then, the vampire had commissioned Tudor a few times from his old coven and had been in negotiation to “trade” Tudor to his vampire coven when the situation with the Senator arose and Lady Delia stepped in. He couldn’t imagine what she’d had to do to accomplish this, or why she had. He needed to speak to her.
If that old vampire was still after him, then the Armstrong coven may be in trouble. After all, the vamp was delusional and might feel Lady Delia got in his way and vamps were either very cool and detached, or territorial and could get nasty.
Tudor was smart. He used his hidden phone to text Corey back and thank him, advising his friend to keep his head low and said he’d speak to Lady Delia about seeing if Corey could be bought to the Armstrong coven. Tudor didn’t like his friend staying at the old coven. Corey was accurate and strong with his magic. He was used a lot for his magic, always out on some commissioned task after another, barely having time to rest. As were a few other friends at the old coven, but he didn’t know what he could do about it. He had heard Mason, the second in charge and a grandson of Lady Delia, mention once that he and a few other covens were investigating different magical groups for rules that had been broken and were putting a review before the Magical Covens Council. He could see Mason was a force not many would dare take on and was glad for it. Hopefully he could help the covens get up to date and stop using their members like tools to gain more money for the leaders.
Tired, weary of it all, Tudor sealed up the hidden phone once more and placed it on the chest of drawers then looked around for his other phone. Not finding it, he left his room and got lost, not remembering which way he’d come up. They called this place a house but it was more like a mansion. Okay, he had been checking out the big fae instead of paying attention to where he was going.
“Tudor?” Vis was coming up some stairs Tudor hadn’t even noticed. “What’s up?”
“Sorry, I’m a little lost. And I also seem to have lost my phone.”
“Oh? And who do you need to call?”
Well, didn’t that beat all? Just like his old coven, everything queried, lives controlled. After the news he just received, being nearly abducted and slapped around, finding mates, and moved somewhere else, Tudor lost it.
Snapping his fingers, he muttered low then thrust out his hand. Vis looked so shocked he didn’t react in time and was plastered against the wall behind him, locked to it like Velcro.
“What the hells? Tudor, undo this.”
“You’re fae. Undo it yourself,” Tudor retorted snappily.
Tudor thrust a hand out in irritation and stomped off down the back stairs. Deep down he knew he was going to be in big trouble for that but didn’t give a shit. With thoughts of the old delusional vampire, the trouble headed this way, the trouble already here, all mixed with the need of his mates, it was potent enough to send him right over the edge.
At the bottom of the stairs, he snarled at a fae who stepped out from a doorway, alerted by Vis’s yell, and quickly did a spell before bolting away. He needed to be smart here but didn’t have it in him. There was too much in his head, his body throbbing and magic going erratic. That’s what the need of mates did to witches and wizards, sent them into a bit of a tizz, which had their magic going haywire.
As more fae descended on him, Tudor didn’t even think about it. He used his hide magic and became hidden to them, the fae exclaiming in shock.
He made it out the front door and down the steps, bolting for the road. He had to get out of here, away from all of this, clear his head, calm down and figure out what to do. He was so sick and tired of creatures taking and demanding and not giving anything, not seeing him, wanting him, for who he truly was.
What Tudor didn’t count on, or even think about, was the shifter. He may be hidden from sight but the fae could still sense his magic, and the damn shifters could smell him.
“Tudor, stop.” Visij boomed the command, authority unmissable and he sounded pissed. “We can sense you, don’t try and get through the boundaries surrounding the house.”
Tudor actually did the finger, though they couldn’t see him, and ran. Next thing he knew, there was a big creature on his back bringing him to the ground. He didn’t get hurt, the shifter rolling over so he ended up on the bottom. Tudor pushed the creature and ended up with a big cat tongue across his face.
“Oh, you taste like cinnamon and ice cream. Luka was right. That’s pretty cool, the disappearing thing.” Marco sat on Tudor though he kept most of his weight off. “So, going for a stroll?”
“Get off me!” Tudor yelled, trying to get the frigging big tiger off him.
“What the hell’s going on here? Why do I sense Tudor but not see him?”
Tudor saw Caspar run out of the house and stop on the front lawn, frowning, looking around and back to Marco who was damn well squashing Tudor. Luka wandered out shirtless, as always, and that just got Tudor pissed off, his needs stirring.
“Well, right now he’s trying to get me off him. Doesn’t realize that’s not going to work and he’s just full of needs and magic. Kinda tingles.” Marco grinned.
Tudor reached up and slapped the tiger on the back of the head. “Get the fuck off me, tiger, or I’ll turn you into a worm.”
“Yeah, I’ve been a cat, dog, frog, gnat, mouse, and ton of other things. It’s cool.”
Caspar crouched beside them and moved his hand in the air. “Impressive.”
With a wave of a finger, Tudor became visible. That was really annoying. “Get this heavy creature off me.”
“He seems a little stressed. Maybe you and Luka need to go give him some relief.” Marco wiggled his brows and finally got off.
Luka moved to his friend’s side. “Now you’ve covered him with your scent, and that’s just wrong.”
Tudor was so pissed off he lurched up and went for the wolf’s throat, wrapping his hands around and shaking the creature until he was pulled back by Caspar and soothed with magic.
“What’d I do?” Luka frowned, not even having fought Tudor off or winced. “Though I don’t mind if you want to put your hands on me again, Tu.”
Tudor sagged in Caspar’s arms. “Just let me go.”
Tudor allowed Caspar to put him over his shoulder and stayed quiet while Caspar ordered everyone but the guards inside. There was too much to think about, too much to be done. And why hadn’t Luka tried to stop him when he was shaking the wolf? Shifters were well known for their aggression. And right now Tudor was not even going to think about being called “Tu”—otherwise, he might have to think about why he liked it so much and what that warm, fluttery feeli
ng in his stomach was all about.
Caspar dumped Tudor on one of the sofas, crossed his big arms over that wide chest, and tapped a foot.
“Yes, sir, sorry, sir, what the fuck do I care.” Tudor glared.
“Sheesh, testy.” Luka wandered the room. “Are you pissed off that Caspar and I were fucking?”
“I don’t give a damn what you do, wolf. Nor you, fae.”
“This is very unusual, out of character—”
“You don’t know me, Your Highness,” Tudor snapped, firing up again. “None of you do! For all you know I could be a-a…hell, I don’t know! A boy band wannabe!” He stamped his foot as a few creatures chuckled. “Where the hell is my phone? Or is this just like my old coven and all my calls are monitored and have to be approved first?”
“He’s going through my kind’s tizz.”
“Tizz? For real? That’s what you call the mate heat?” Marco grinned.
“Easiest way to explain it. It’s not a heat. It’s a need that ends up disrupting powers and doesn’t let us think straight.” Laurie’s eyes went wide. “He’s going to blow!”
* * * *
Caspar flicked a finger and tapped Tudor’s forehead. The wizard dropped onto the sofa unconscious and would hopefully rest.
Well, this was not what he expected.
“He’s been through a lot today and would have gotten an overload of Luka’s pheromones,” Laurie said quietly. “He won’t remember much, and may be embarrassed. Tudor’s pretty reserved.”
“You do know that my wolf thing is meant to remain quiet, right? Only pack and a few others know about it or we’ll have creatures milling around and the Council advised some may want to grab me to produce more of their own kind.” Luka scratched his chest. “That was a turn-on, I’m hard again.”
Caspar had very much been enjoying his wolf mate when he’d heard Visij shouting. He was very annoyed at first to be interrupted. He’d been balls deep in his luscious mate, and that ass of Luka’s was overwhelming with pleasure. He sighed heavily.
“My fae will mention it to no one. Vine, why are you up?”