by April Kelley
"Shower?"
Ramsey just lifted him up and walked him out of the room. Fane really should put a stop to being carried around so much, but he liked it. Still, he felt compelled to make at least one point. "I feel good. I'm not hurt anymore."
"I know."
"I'm also not as delicate as I look."
"Damn do I know that well. You kicked major ass, sweet." Ramsey sighed in frustration, and it didn't register why until he heard the shower going. "Downstairs bathroom might be free."
"If not, I can wait."
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes. And I need blood."
Ramsey carried him down the stairs and then stopped short. When Fane turned his head, he found out why. A dozen big shifters sat around the living room. Half of them watched them, and the other half watched a basketball game on television.
Ramsey cleared his throat. "You guys, um, waiting for me?"
"Naw, we're waiting for the boss to release us. Soon as he does, we'll be out of your hair. Should be in a few hours," one of them answered. He sat in the center of the couch, taking up most of the room. He had dark hair and probably towered over everyone when he stood.
"You're the bear enforcers the council sent?" Ramsey asked.
"Yep. Boss will release us as soon as he knows you’re safe. Forrest already gave us one of his cabins. No television in them, though. So we came back here to watch the game."
"Thanks for coming to our rescue."
"It's what we do. Sorry, we got here so late." The big guy met Fane's gaze. "You're the little vampire I heard about, ain't you?"
"I don't know."
"Fane, right?"
Fane nodded.
That got everyone's attention. Fane held each one of their gazes even though he wanted to turn away and hide against Ramsey's chest. Each one of them stood and bowed to him. He had no idea why but he pulled away from Ramsey's arms, put his arms down to his side and returned the gesture.
A door opened, and another guy walked into the room with just a towel wrapped around his waist. He turned to the other guys. "This the little dude that took out half the coven by himself?"
"Yep."
Fane didn't take out half a coven on his own. That was an enormous exaggeration. He shook his head. "Not that many."
"Have you see the body count, man?"
Just the thought of seeing all the bodies littering Mother Estelle's yard, turned his stomach. He'd go out there and look because Sensei would want him too, but he wouldn’t like it. "I'll look later. Give them last respects."
The guy looked at him, blinking his eyes. "That's not what I meant."
Ramsey grabbed him around the waist and guided him past the guy with the towel and into the bathroom. Ramsey shut the door behind them, clicking the lock closed. "That was weird."
"Yes. It was. Can we go back to our cabin?"
Ramsey smiled. "Just as soon as I get all my Alpha shit done."
"I'll help. It'll get done faster."
"Ladon will help too."
"You mean when he finishes annoying Owen."
Ramsey chuckled. "If we waited for that, we'd be here forever."
"It's gonna be years before he can take over. He's still a child in a lot of ways." Fane let Ramsey undressed him even though he could do it himself. "Then there's the situation with his mate. How long will Ladon wait for him to come back, now that he has shifted?"
Ramsey pulled Fane's shirt over his head and then his own. He wasn't sure when someone put a shirt on him, but he hadn't been wearing one throughout the whole battle. It was the cleanest thing on him, though. "Never thought of that and you're right. Ladon didn't like the separation before he shifted. Now that he's come into his own and his instincts toward Magnus will be stronger. They are for the family already."
"As it should be."
Ramsey pushed down Fane's pants and underwear. "The need to protect you is stronger now."
"Okay."
"What I'm saying is that I'm not going to try fighting it anymore." Ramsey took off his own pants and underwear. He turned and bent over to adjust the shower knobs.
All thoughts fled Fane's mind as he stared at Ramsey's muscular ass. He felt as if he were crazy again, unable to focus on anything. Only instead of having too many thoughts, he had one.
Fane touched one of Ramsey's smooth ass cheeks, running his hand over one firm globe.
Gods, his body was beautiful. Fane hadn't been able to explore it the way he had wanted too until then. Fane leaned down and kissed Ramsey on his lower back before laying his cheek there. He slid his hands down Ramsey's legs and then up to his back again.
"I'd say we're done talking about Ladon."
Fane made a noncommittal sound low in his throat and didn't move.
"You want in the shower?"
"Yes." Fane moved his hands around to Ramsey's front, gliding his fingers over Ramsey's cock a couple of times before taking it into his grasp.
Ramsey's grunt made him smile. He pumped a couple of times before letting go and straightening.
"You little tease." Ramsey rounded on him.
Fane giggled and backed up against the sink. He wished his laugh sounded manlier, but it had always come out a bit child-like for some reason.
Ramsey crowded Fane, his eyes reptilian and a wicked smile on his face.
Fane gripped Ramsey's shoulders. "It's not teasing if I make you cum."
Fane's teeth dropped down just thinking about all the ways he could give Ramsey pleasure. He needed to be clean first, though.
Fane slid away and stepped into the shower. He held out his hand for Ramsey, who took it.
Finding an empty room was next to impossible in a house so full of people. They ended up in the office with the door locked. Fane pushed Ramsey down on the couch and straddled his lap. He leaned in for a kiss when someone knocked on the door.
Ramsey growled which just made Fane laugh. "Go away!"
"Mom sent me to ask if you guys were hungry." Kristin said it like she had been laughing right before asking.
"No." Ramsey rolled his eyes and then growled when he heard Kristin laugh. Someone else was with her. "Probably Lucas or Vaughan put her up to it. Those two are assholes."
Fane put a hand over his mouth when he couldn't contain the laughter anymore.
"Are you sure?"
"Kristin. Knock it off."
"I'm just doing what Mom told me. Sheesh."
Fane kissed Ramsey on the neck even though he was still laughing. He slid his hand down Ramsey's chest and was inches from the waistband on his pants when Ramsey put a hand over Fane's, stilling him.
"They aren't done."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth that Kristin said, "Lucas wants to know if Fane's okay."
"Lucas can stop with the teasing because if Lucas doesn't, he's going to be so busy training with Fane, he won't have any time to spend with Bennett."
"You mean no time to spend with Bennett's dick," Lucas yelled through the door.
"That's disturbing to think about." Ramsey shuddered and made a face like something in his mouth tasted bad.
"You find that disgusting?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm." Fane climbed off Ramsey’s lap, eying him critically. "Undo the button on your pants and take off your shirt."
Ramsey grinned and did what Fane said. "I like the way you think, sweet." Ramsey spread his legs wide and placed a hand at the opening of his pants as if he were just about to take his cock in hand.
"Oh, you look...sexy."
"Come here. I'll suck on your lips and make them all swollen, so they'll see what we've been up too."
Fane nodded and bent down slightly, placing his lips over Ramsey. The kiss went straight to his dick almost as soon as they touched. Then Ramsey's lips covered his, and he sucked on Fane's bottom one, giving it a playful little bite before switching to his top lip.
He climbed back onto Ramsey's lap, suddenly needing some sort of friction on his cock. Ramsey g
ripped him through his pants, and he moved into the touch.
That's when the knocking came again. "Hey, guys. We need to know something else. Just one more thing." Lucas chuckled.
Ramsey ended the kiss, his hand leaving Fane's cock.
Fane leaned his forehead on Ramsey's chest. "I forgot."
"Me too." Ramsey patted him on the ass. "Go tell Lucas to fuck off. He's getting as bad as Vaughan."
Fane nodded and lifted off Ramsey's lap, walking to the door. His cock was still so hard he could use it as a hammer and build a house. He put his hand over it.
He had his other hand on the knob and turned making sure Ramsey was still okay with their brand of teasing.
Ramsey moaned and licked his lips. "You look debauched."
Fane grinned and turned back, opening the door so wide they'd be able to see Ramsey sitting on the couch.
Lucas and Kristin stood in the doorway with their mouths hanging open. Lucas grinned a second later. "So what have you two been up too?"
"You interrupted Ramsey jacking me off."
Kristin gagged and moved away from the door. "I can't anymore. You're on your own, Lucas."
"Don't you want to hear about how I was just getting ready to suck his dick?" Fane yelled after her. If there was anyone else in the kitchen, he couldn't see them passed the short wall blocking the view, but they certainly heard him.
A second later Bennett came into view and grabbed Lucas around the waist. "Come on, troublemaker. You've had enough fun."
Lucas chuckled and then waved to Fane after Bennett threw him over his shoulder. He smacked Bennett on the ass playfully as they moved out of sight.
Fane shut and locked the door. He discarded his clothes as he made his way over to Ramsey again. Ramsey unzipped his pants and took them off. He reached in between two of the couch cushions and pulled out a bottle of lube.
Fane stopped. "When did you put that there?"
"I didn't. It's one of the others. Probably Gabriel's because he and Shawn fuck like rabbits. Could be Bennett's though. Very doubtful it's Garridan's. He's way too careful. Found it by accident a month or so ago and just left it in there."
Ramsey popped the top and coated his cock with the stuff, spurring Fane to move in on him. Fane's teeth dropped down before he even finished straddling Ramsey's lap. Fane didn't settle right away. He wanted Ramsey inside him first. Ramsey moved his cock away when Fane would have positioned himself over it. Fane hissed and took Ramsey's cock in hand.
Ramsey raised his eyebrows, and he smiled. "I don't want to hurt you, sweet."
"I need it too much to wait."
"You need blood. You waited too long." Ramsey scowled at him
"Yes. I need you." Fane positioned the head of Ramsey's cock at his hole and sank down until Ramsey was partially inside. He let go and placed his hands on Ramsey's chest, lube smearing into Ramsey's skin but he didn't seem to care.
The scowl changed over to pleasure. Ramsey even smiled when Fane sank down a bit more, although he had to stop again to let himself adjust.
Fane smiled back but then the pleasure took over his entire body, so he moaned.
Fane sank down even more and then lifted up. He moved on Ramsey, up and down in a slow, almost lazy, rhythm. The only thing he wanted for the rest of his life was to feel that good all the time.
Ramsey gripped his waist, moving him at a faster rhythm. When Fane took the hint, Ramsey rewarded him by taking his cock in hand, jacking him off.
Ramsey tilted his head to the side and Fane couldn't wait any longer. He struck, his teeth sinking into Ramsey’s mating mark. Ramsey cried out and then stiffened, his cock in Fane as far as it would go.
Fane took long pulls of Ramsey blood, the taste of it washing over his tongue. He grunted when he became full and then bit down harder when his own orgasm slammed into him.
Ramsey cried out again. Whether in pain at the renewed force of the bite or in pleasure, Fane didn't know. He couldn't think past the white hot pleasure. He pulled his teeth out and let his head fall back, his eyes closing as the pleasure just kept coming at him like a train.
He could feel wet liquid at the corner of his mouth, so he licked at it. It was a bit of Ramsey's blood. He licked the rest off his mouth as he came down from his orgasm.
He collapsed on Ramsey's chest, breathing heavy, so tired he could sleep for a week.
Ramsey panted, his breathing just as harsh as Fane's. Fane could feel it moving the strands of his hair.
Fane took a deep breath when he could, calming himself. "What happened?"
"I think when you came, you could feel me cum again because I certainly felt yours. Nearly passed out, it was so good."
"Yeah."
Ramsey kissed Fane on the top of his head. "I'm gonna lay you down."
"M'kay." Fane was already half asleep.
When he felt his body fall to the side, he straightened his legs. Unfortunately, Ramsey's cock fell out of his ass when he did.
"Gonna get something to clean us up."
Fane didn't even comment. He felt a blanket cover him and heard the rustling of clothing, which was probably Ramsey getting dressed.
He wasn't sure how many minutes passed when Ramsey wiped a warm wet cloth across his ass. Then it was gone, and Ramsey slid behind him. His big arms curled around Fane.
Chapter Eighteen
Ramsey kept his hands in the pockets pants as he stood, waiting for the clan to file into the yard. It would be one of the last clan meeting he’d call. The clan didn’t know that yet and he wasn’t sure how his statement would settle with them, especially after the battle. Ramsey thought about waiting but changed his mind.
Ramsey scrubbed a hand down his face.
Gods, was he doing the right thing?
Saint Lakes hadn't ever experienced so many deaths all at once in the entirety of its existence until the battle. Maybe he should let things settle before making such a big announcement.
He held out his hand for Fane without looking in his direction. Fane took it and slid next to him. Ramsey laced their fingers together and smiled down at him.
Fane smiled back.
That one silent show of support was all Ramsey needed to calm his nerves.
He cleared his throat and began to speak. "All those graves all at once...well, I guess I don't have to say how sorry I am for those lost. And I thank the gods for Lucas who saved as many as he could." Ramsey looked over at Lucas and smiled.
Lucas smiled.
Ramsey sighed. "For a clan who had never experienced a battle, we did well. We won because we worked together. We forgot our differences and fought for each other.” Ramsey looked over at Tim, who nodded to him. Whatever rift they had mended somehow.
“The people we just buried sacrificed so we can live and I will forever be grateful."
Ramsey's heart beat in his chest, and he had to pause to calm himself down. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing.
Fane squeezed his hand, and it was all the reminder he needed to get him talking again. "I can't say we'll never have another battle. We're still caught in the middle of a much big war that hasn't even begun escalating yet. We all need to stay vigilant and fight when the time comes. I'll be fighting next to you. I promise you that." Ramsey took a deep breath. "Just not as your Alpha."
His comment was met by complete silence as if the words didn't register right away. And then they all were talking at once. Ramsey waited them out, and eventually, someone let out a high-pitched whistle.
When they quieted again, Ramsey continued. "Ladon will take my place. Because he's so young, I'll be close at hand for everything. Garridan will, as well. We'll be his betas for the time being, and when he's comfortable leading, he can hold a challenge or pick others if he chooses. If he wants us to stay on indefinitely, we're both willing to do that as well. The transition will go as smoothly as possible."
"If you're stepping down shouldn’t we all get a chance at the Alpha position," Tim spoke up.
/> Ramsey turned to Ladon. "Come here, brother."
Ladon came forward and stood beside him, his hands clasped behind his back. "A challenge isn't appropriate. Not today after so many of us need time to grieve properly. We'll hold a challenge six months from now. Ramsey will stay Alpha until that date. The winner of the challenge will take over." Ladon looked right at Tim, his eyes narrowing. "Satisfied?"
Tim's eyes widened, and Ramsey knew then they could all feel the power Ladon gave off.
"Thanks for that, asshole. Six months? It'll feel like six years," Ramsey whispered to Ladon.
Ladon smirked. "Serves you right for throwing me out there like that. Not gonna do jack crap without talking to Magnus anyway and you know it."
“Yeah, we need to talk about him. Later, though.”
Ladon nodded. His eyes changed, and he growled, the sound low and menacing.
Ramsey redirected his focus back on the clan members. “Thank you all for coming.” He wanted to say more about the losses they sustained but didn’t think there was anything left to say.
As Alpha, the clan was his responsibility and he let them die. Logically he knew the battle wasn’t his fault, but his emotions said differently. It would take a while to work through the guilt.
Tim walked up to him. His eyes darted to Kristin and Josh, who stood next to Gabriel near the house. He didn’t address them but cleared his throat when his gaze met Ramsey. “You proved yourself. You’re a good Alpha, and I don’t think you should quit the job.”
Ramsey smiled. “Thanks but my time is done.”
Tim nodded. “I can respect that.” His hands went into his pockets and he looked at the ground before meeting his gaze again. “Look. I still don’t approve of your mating but you’re both good leaders. I guess that’s what really matters.”
Fane squeezed his hand right before speaking. “My sensei died in front of my eyes. A man held a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. It didn’t even take seconds for him to die.”
Ramsey let go of Fane’s hand and drew him in for a hug. “I think what Fane’s trying to sa—”
Tim held up a hand. “I know what he’s trying to say. Get my head out of my ass.”