Begin Again (Saint Lakes #5): A M/M Fantasy Romance about Shifters and Vampires

by April Kelley

  "Oh. Let's do this instead." Fane bent at the waist, wanting Ramsey to lick across his hole. Ramsey didn't disappoint, and the sensation had him tightening his muscles right before loosening up, wanting Ramsey's tongue inside him. Instead, Ramsey licked at him, repeating the process so many times Fane wondered if he even needed fingers to stretch him.

  "Need you to ride me, sweet." Ramsey's breath fanned out across his wet hole, creating an entirely different sensation and Fane moaned. Ramsey's finger circled his opening next and pushed inside. With his free hand, Ramsey took the slick and then Fane heard a cap pop and the finger in his ass glided in and out with ease, although the lube was cold at first.

  Ramsey didn't tease him but worked with a single-minded purpose. Fane felt a second finger enter him, loosening him up. He thrust his fingers in and out in a smooth rhythm that made Fane want more. He pushed back, fucking himself.

  Ramsey pulled him back just slightly, forcing Fane to stand up straight or lose his balance. "Straddle my lap again, sweet."

  Ramsey pulled his fingers out, and Fane chased after them, turning at the same time Ramsey lay back down on the bed.

  It was the first time Fane took the time to look at him. His body was strong with lean muscles that still made him look big without the bulk. Part of the bigness came from his height. "You're really beautiful."

  Ramsey smiled. "So are you."

  Fane nodded, not sure what to do with the compliment and not expecting it.

  Fane climbed on the bed, moving over Ramsey's lap, feeling his hard length against Fane's balls and ass as he slid up. He kept going until he felt the tip on his ass and then lifted up just a little.

  Ramsey handed him the lube. "Stretch yourself a little more."

  Fane took it and squirted some on his fingers. He reached behind him and entered himself with three of his fingers. The feeling of the soft tissue wasn't what he expected.

  "Gods, the look on your face is fantastic."

  He knew the tight feeling was giving away ever so slowly and he wanted more already. He pumped his fingers in and out a couple more times, bracing himself with his free hand on Ramsey's chest.

  When his teeth dropped down, and all he thought about was biting Ramsey, he pulled his fingers out, putting some more lube on them before reaching behind him and coating Ramsey's cock with it. He held it at the base and lifted up until the head was against his hole.

  Sinking down, going at the pace he wanted was a heady experience and one he'd want to repeat sometime soon. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth as he lowered himself. He braced himself as he lifted up a little bit and sank down again.

  Ramsey's eyes changed, becoming reptilian and his teeth dropped down.

  Fane savored the feeling, going slowly, not wanting it to end, but apparently, Ramsey had other ideas. He grabbed the nape of Fane's neck and pulled him down. Fane thought Ramsey wanted a kiss but to Fane's surprise he bit down on his shoulder at the same time he picked up the pace, jackknifing into him.

  Fane cried out, and he came without being touched at all. The pleasure moving through him didn't end even after he had nothing left to give and still, Ramsey pumped into him. Skin slapped together.

  Someone whimpered, and then a cry came out again. He didn't recognize himself in the sound but figured out he was the producer. For the first time, he felt Ramsey inside his mind, and some of those lasers of electricity disappeared.

  His mind quieted at the same time Ramsey's movements grew shallow.

  Monster.

  Sweet.

  He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. Not even the teeth in his shoulder could make him move.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Fane woke up surrounded by Ramsey's scent. There was a comfort in knowing he was in Ramsey's space, breathing the same air, and living amongst his things.

  Fane stretched, the blankets pushed down his chest by inches when he did. He still didn't open his eyes but rolled over onto his side and tried to snuggle Ramsey. The only problem, Ramsey wasn't there.

  Monster.

  In the shower, sweet.

  He opened one eye and saw the blue nightstand with their tube of lube sitting on top, next to a rectangular alarm clock with red numbers that read ten o'clock. A lamp also sat on the table.

  The light in the room wasn't on, but it wasn't needed. The sun's rays filtered into the room through the curtains. The streaks of light didn't make it all the way to him but faded before it got to him.

  A picture hung on the wall.

  Fane pushed back the blankets and got out of bed. The air inside the room was cooler than his bare skin and probably too cold for him to be walking around naked. Still, his curiosity pushed him around the room.

  He walked over to a large picture hanging on the wall next to the bed. It was a black and white photograph that looked old. The blurriness of it didn't diminish the image. He could tell it was a lake and in the center was a dark gray hump. The water ripped around it.

  It could be a picture of Ramsey in his water monster form. It seemed too old but maybe not. It was hard to tell a paranormal's age.

  Fane moved on to the dresser that sat against the interior wall. A smaller photo sat on top. There were six people in the picture. Fane could pick out which one was Ramsey right away. He hadn't changed that much at all. Other than his hair being longer at the time the photo was taken nothing else changed that much. The other five people were Ramsey's siblings. Ladon was barely out of the toddler stage. He had an arm around Ramsey’s leg and his thumb in his mouth. Ramsey had a hand on the top of Ladon's blond head and an arm around Bennett's shoulder. All of them were smiling, including Ladon, his lips stretching around the thumb.

  Beside the picture were Ramsey's wallet and truck keys. When Ramsey had put them on the dresser, Fane didn't know. The last thing he remembered was lying on top of Ramsey, his cock softening in Fane's ass.

  Fane's cock stiffened just thinking about it. His need for Ramsey rose, and he made his way toward the sound of the shower.

  When he walked into the bathroom, steam coated his body, opening his lungs. He took a deep breath in, letting the steam and Ramsey's scent cleanse him. He moved the shower curtain back and stepped into the tub, immediately wrapping his arms around Ramsey's waist and resting his cheek against his chest. Ramsey's chest was wet, and the water, cascading down in thin sheets, soaked half of Fane's body.

  "Hi."

  Fane smiled. "Hi."

  Fane sighed in contentment. Just touching Ramsey did that to him, making him feel like he never wanted to be anywhere else.

  "How are you this morning? Do you feel okay?"

  "You mean my ass?"

  Ramsey chuckled. "And the rest of you."

  "All of me is content. Except for my dick. I got hard thinking about last night."

  Ramsey ran a hand down his back and then palmed his ass cheek, covering it in warm water. Fane could feel Ramsey's cock grow hard against his stomach muscles and he smiled.

  "You like it when I'm hard for you."

  "Oh yeah. My goal is to keep you naked for as long as possible."

  "I can't stay naked." As much as he would like nothing more, Fane had to train and meditate.

  "Why not?" Ramsey asked it as if there was laughter behind the words.

  "I have things to do, and I have to train Jules and help Garridan at six o'clock this evening."

  "We're skipping that today."

  "No." Living with a routine was something Fane had always needed. Sensei had understood that and built one for Fane that worked well. Getting back to it was important to Fane.

  "Please. I just need a couple of days where it's just us. I'll train with you if you still need that but no one else."

  Fane bit his lip, moving back enough to meet Ramsey's gaze. "You need me?"

  "Yes. Alone with only you."

  "Okay. But we have to get back to the routine soon."

  Ramsey nodded. "After the battle, we'll move in h
ere permanently."

  "This is where you live."

  Even though it wasn't a question, Ramsey still answered it like one. "Yeah. All of us live at my mom's because of the danger Stavros presents. I thought it best to stay in the same place most of the time. It's easier to keep everyone safe."

  "We shouldn't stay here long then. They need us."

  "I know. Just one more night and I'll be satisfied. Maybe."

  "You don't sound like an Alpha anymore."

  Ramsey sighed. "I know. I just want to be your mate. I don't need the Alpha position. Hell, I don't even want it, but I'm afraid Garridan is going to stick me with it because he doesn't want it either."

  "Ladon should have it."

  "Ladon?"

  "Yes. He'll be good at it. But I don't know his mate. Is he like me?"

  "What do you mean is he like you?"

  "I mean, is he broken like me?"

  Ramsey growled. "You are not broken. You're fucking perfect, Fane. Absolutely perfect."

  "I don't make a good Alpha Mate."

  "I think you do. You're honest with everyone, which most people might not want to hear but they need. And you're kind. You're also a fighter. Better than anyone in the clan actually. The clan probably needs you more than it does me right now."

  "Yes. I know it does. But I have to work to settle my brain."

  "So. I have to work not to be a possessive prick. Or have since I met you." Ramsey looked up at the ceiling. "That's a bad example. That actually makes me a bad Alpha because it's hard to care about anything else but you."

  "I know."

  "I might suck as an Alpha right now, but you still make a good Alpha Mate."

  "I'll do my best." Fane didn't want to talk about it anymore. "We were talking about Ladon being Alpha."

  "Right. Well, he hasn't shifted yet, and he's very young. Way too young to be Alpha."

  "He has strength. I can feel it. Stronger than you even. You and Garridan can train him to take your place."

  "I'll talk to Garridan about it. See if he likes the idea as much as I do."

  "Ladon's mate is gone from the area, right?"

  "Yeah, he's gathering information on a human for me."

  "He'd make a good Alpha Mate?"

  "Yeah. I think so. I mean, he doesn't have the ability to draw people in the way that you do, but they'll warm up to him just fine with time."

  "What do you mean, I draw people in?"

  "I just mean you're lovable."

  "Love?"

  Ramsey smiled. "Yeah, Fane. People love you." He leaned down and kissed Fane. The kiss was barely a whisper and over before he got started. "I love you, sweet."

  Fane swallowed down the lump in his throat. "I know. I feel it." Fane projected his feelings out to Ramsey.

  The cabin was one big open room with a small kitchen at one end and a living room at the other. A couch sat facing a stone fireplace. A sword hung over the fireplace, mounted on a piece of polished wood.

  Fane leaned against the counter, across from Ramsey and watched as he chopped up an onion to go with their breakfast. He used the knife as if he worked with one on a daily basis.

  Fane looked at the sword mounted above the fireplace and then back at Ramsey.

  Ramsey smiled at him knowingly. "You have a question, so ask."

  Fane nodded his head to the knife in Ramsey's hand. "You use that knife as if you're an expert."

  "Nope. Mom made a point to teach all of us how to cook. I don't get to very often. Someone else is always in the kitchen at Mom's house. And here, I was alone. It sucks cooking for just one person." Ramsey winked. "It's good you're here."

  "Will you teach me?"

  "Of course. We'll start now. Come over here."

  When Fane came around, Ramsey moved back, giving him room to slide in front of him.

  "What about the sword on the wall?"

  Ramsey slid his arms around Fane's waist and held him close. "I found that in a closet when I first moved in. I liked it so had it mounted."

  "You've never used it."

  "Nope. Wouldn't know how, honestly."

  "I'll teach you."

  "First breakfast."

  Fane nodded.

  "You saw the way I was cutting, right?"

  "Mhmm." Fane couldn't concentrate when he could feel Ramsey's hard length against the small of his back. He pressed against Ramsey, his head falling back against his chest. "I can't think."

  Ramsey chuckled. "Maybe we'll start the lesson later because I can't help thinking about taking you over the table. And I'm hungry, so we should eat first."

  "Oh." That image hit his mind like a punch, and he couldn't dispel it no matter how much his stomach rumbled from hunger.

  He moved away from Ramsey and pulled his shirt over his head.

  The table was small, but would still hold his weight. It sat against the wall opposite the kitchen counter underneath a window. He could see a lake outside. Trees and vegetation crowded around the lake like soldiers. The trees were still bare from winter and spring hadn’t quite set in yet. If he looked to the left, he could see just a glimpse of the driveway.

  Fane pushed his pants and underwear down. He kicked them off and left them on the floor when he sat on the table and lay on his back. He pulled his legs up to his chest and waited.

  He didn't have to wait long.

  Ramsey cursed.

  Fane giggled.

  He heard a belt buckle and a zipper and then someone pounded on the front door.

  Ramsey growled. "No!"

  Fane sat up at the same time Ramsey handed him the underwear he had discarded. Ramsey kissed him. "Later, sweet."

  "Yes." Fane pulled on his underwear and pants just as the door opened.

  Garridan stood in the doorway, huffing out a breath, his eyes that of his dragon. "It started."

  Fane didn't have to ask what Garridan meant. It was in the tension of his body and the way he was ready to shift and kill the nearest stranger.

  Fane ran to the sword on the wall and grabbed the hilt. The leather felt familiar against his hand, even though he had never held the sword before. Still, muscle memory was there. He moved it to the other hand and swung it around his body once before pulling it against his side, the blade pointing at the floor.

  Ramsey nodded at him. His eyes were his water monsters, and his teeth had shifted, and not just the ones that he used on Fane for the mating bite, but all of them, upper and lower. They were big in his mouth and made his words slightly slurred when he spoke. "Let's go, sweet."

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ramsey's hands shook as he gripped the back of Fane's neck. He needed to remember Fane sat crouched safely beside him, that he could physically touch him.

  Garridan crouched down on the other side of him. Ramsey could practically feel the tension in Garridan's body. He looked at the sea of vampires with a calculation that surprised Ramsey, although he couldn't say why. He shouldn't have been.

  Ramsey had gone through the battle in his mind countless times and never once had he thought he’d be on the outside looking in. All he saw was the back of Stavros' soldiers. They stood in Ramsey’s way. There were so many he couldn't see his clan inside the perimeter of his mother's land.

  "How'd you get everyone inside the barrier?" Ramsey whispered the question to Garridan.

  "I didn't. Hacen and Thomas showed up and shortly after the clan followed."

  Ramsey nodded. "So Thomas did something to make the clan come."

  "That's my guess. Just thankful he's here, or most of the clan would be dead by now."

  Up to that point, Fane had remained quiet. "We need inside the circle. Not everyone in the clan can fight. Some need to go inside the house."

  "I can take one of you by air and hope like hell none of them have a crossbow or something."

  Fane grunted. "I can run through them. They'll never see me. Take Ramsey."

  Ramsey scowled at him. "I'm not leaving you here alone."

  "Y
es. You will. The clan comes first right now."

  "Fuck that, Fane. Not fucking happening."

  Fane grabbed his cheeks, turning his head until they faced each other. "You have to put the clan first right now, Ramsey. If you don't, we'll all die. There's more of them than us, and we don't have nearly enough fighters. You have to be Alpha."

  Ramsey studied Fane's gaze, wishing he wasn't right. "Sweet."

  "You'll be my monster after this is over, and I'll let you forget about everything else."

  Ramsey smiled, but he knew it didn't reach his eyes. Just the thought of separating from Fane, of not being there to protect him, for even the few minutes it would take to get past the sea of vampires brought bile to his throat. "Deal."

  Garridan tugged on his arm, backing up into the forest further. Ramsey went with him, watching Fane the entire time.

  They were only a few feet away. Far enough for Garridan to shift without the vampires seeing or hearing him. Garridan was the biggest dragon shifter Ramsey had ever seen, and he looked menacing even when he wasn't trying to be.

  Garridan walked over to a clearing and Ramsey followed him over. Garridan's big wings flapped, displacing the air, which blew across Ramsey's body. He lifted off the ground and hovered there for a few seconds until Ramsey grabbed onto one of his large feet and hung on with both hands.

  Ramsey sucked in a breath when his feet lifted off the ground. As a water monster, he was most comfortable gliding through the water. Not several feet in the air.

  From the air, the vampire's numbers looked lower, but their mass was still bigger than his clan's. His clan hovered together, Bennett and two of his enforcers standing in front of them. Bennett was already in his dragon form. He bit at the air, in front of the vampires, pacing only a couple of feet away.

  Thanks to Mom's spell the vampires hovered around the perimeter, unable to breach it. They looked ready to strike at anyone who stepped one foot out. On the other side of the property there were vampire scouts, looking out for anyone who might try to make a run for the forest beyond.