He had no idea where the Book of the Banished was, though. And even if he did, they would never allow them to live after he revealed the whereabouts. Unable to even move—weak, vulnerable, felled by an unworthy adversary—Torren could do nothing but watch as the life drained from Aslan’s eyes.
He welcomed death. Welcomed the end. Without his mate, without his child, he had no joy, no sunlight, and no reason to draw his next breath.
Shaking himself out of the depressing memory, Torren felt the moisture of one hot, salty tear as it trickled from the corner of his eye and off the tip off his nose. He growled as he wiped it away roughly.
He would not be weak again. This time, he would fight to protect what belonged to him. This time, he would win.
Suddenly, Boston was thrown off his feet, hurdling backward through the air with Aslan still clutched in his arms. He landed in a heap near the roaring fire, and Torren watched as his mate rolled across the grass and came to a stop several feet away.
He’d taken only two running steps when a mountain of a man appeared out of nowhere, scooping Aslan up in his arms and turning to face Torren with a devious grin. “It’s over, Braddock. You’ve failed again.”
His fear from moments before was overshadowed by a cold, dark rage, leaving him shaking from head to toe. Taking another measured step forward, he clenched his hands at his side, his gaze locked on the asshole, contemplating exactly how to end his worthless existence.
“Put him down,” he ordered in a low, dangerous tone.
“What will you do? You can’t stop me, just like you couldn’t stop my ancestors. Back off and maybe we’ll let you live this time.” All around him, Enforcers battled with the circle of witches, but Torren paid them no attention. The witches were outnumbered and even with their magic, they were no match for the Enforcers of Haven. Already he saw two on the ground, limp and unmoving. That left only three others, plus the fucker still holding his mate.
“What do you want with him?”
“I’m not stupid, Braddock. I know you’re more powerful than me.” He clutched Aslan closer, obviously aware that Torren wouldn’t do anything to risk harming his lover. “I want the Book of the Banished, and I want the original circle dead. I’m going to need a little help to accomplish both.”
“It doesn’t work that way.” Torren growled and took another step closer. “Only one soul can pass through the threshold.”
“Yes, but if it’s the right one, he can bring back the others.” It was true. Torren’s own brother, Thane, had such an ability.
Even if Aslan’s life wasn’t at stake, there was no way he could allow that to happen. “Put him down,” he repeated.
The witch shook his head and began backing away toward the circle of fire. Torren watched as the flames parted, leaving a small gap just big enough for his enemy to escape through. Fortunately for Torren, the idiot hadn’t counted on the enormous white tiger that catapulted through the air, hitting him in the back and crumpling him to the ground.
Once again, Aslan went rolling across the grass, still seizing as he curled in on himself. Damn, his baby was having a rough night.
Rushing across the field, he skidded to a halt, throwing himself on the ground and wrapping Aslan up in his arms. His mate’s would-be kidnapper wasn’t a threat to them any longer, would never be a threat to anyone else. The big tiger—Xander—had seen to that, and Torren could only be grateful.
There was still one battle left to win, and though it left his heart bleeding, it was one that Aslan would have to fight alone. “Aslan! Open your eyes. Fight for me, baby. You’re stronger than they are. You can do this.”
Chapter Sixteen
His entire body hurt like the ten shades of hell. The seizures continued to ride him hard, barrel rolling him beneath a wave of debilitating pain. His chest was on fire, burning hot like the blue flame within an inferno. His eyes, his temples, his skull—it all pounded like the bass blaring from a wall of speakers inside a techno club.
Time and reality warped into something resembling a carnival fun house. Nothing was real, yet everything was real. Darkness pressed in on the edges of his vision, calling his name, reaching for him. The tendrils of peace tickled at his senses, luring him closer into a place where nothing could hurt him.
Desperate to make the pain stop, Aslan followed the curling rings of fog that beckoned him into the unknown like a lover’s finger crooking invitingly, teasing him with the promise of sinful delights.
Something held him back, something warm, solid, and unmovable.
Though he tried to shrug off the hold, it wouldn’t relent, calling him back to where the pain seared through him like a nuclear blast.
“Aslan! Open your eyes. Fight for me, baby. You’re stronger than they are. You can do this.”
He knew that voice, responded to it by instinct. Struggling against the spasms that wracked his body, Aslan pried his eyelids back and stared up at the most beautiful angel he’d ever seen. A dark warrior angel, come to earth just for him.
“That’s it, caro. Right here. Keep looking right here.” If Torren was afraid, he didn’t show it. His hands were rock steady as they moved over Aslan’s face, stroking his cheeks and down the sides of his throat. His voice never wavered, never broke. As always, Torren was his rock.
“No, you can’t trust him.”
“Come with us. Let us take you away from the pain.”
“Let us in.”
“Let us in.”
“Let us in.”
Over and over the words chanted inside his head, almost lyrical in their rhythm and cadence. They called to him, coaxing him closer to the dark void once again.
“No, damn it!” Torren shook him roughly. “It will not end this way. Not this time. Open your goddamn eyes and see me!” His mate’s mouth crashed down on his, his tongue plunged between his lips, and he stroked the inside of Aslan’s mouth, leaving no crevice unexplored.
Hard, hungry, desperate, the kiss pushed away some of Aslan’s pain, replacing within him a new kind of scorching heat. “Torren,” he whimpered, clutching at his lover’s shirt, terrified of being dragged under again.
“I’m right here. I’m always going to be right here.” Torren took his mouth again, demanding that Aslan respond to him as he claimed what was his. “I love you.”
Those three little words that held the power of the world slammed into him like the first rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds after a violent storm. Something primal, instinctual, and almost savage rose up inside him, pushing a growl through his lips as he flipped their positions and pinned Torren beneath him on the ground.
The voices in his head raged and screamed, thrashing about and throwing themselves at the cages he’d locked around his mind. Paying them no attention, Aslan attacked Torren’s clothes, stripping his lover with sure, quick fingers. “Can’t stop,” he warned.
Luckily, Torren understood, because he whispered the same words he’d used the night before, though instead of stretching Aslan wide, Aslan plunged three fingers into the slicked and loosened hole of his mate’s ass. The muscles gripped him, sucked him in, and massaged his digits.
Too far gone for even that bit of foreplay, Aslan pushed his jeans down his hips until his aching cock sprang free, the crown a deep purple, engorged, and dripping an extraordinary amount of pre-cum.
Lining the tip up with Torren’s entrance, Aslan tried to beg forgiveness with his eyes as he slammed forward, seating himself in one jarring thrust.
Torren’s back arched up off the ground, his cock leaked liberally against his abs, and the most magnificent cry of pleasure exploded from his lips and into the night. Around them the fires burned, people shouted, and the war waged on, but none of that mattered. It was background noise, a distant rumble that barely registered as Aslan’s entire world, his whole reason for being, centered to the point where his cock plunged into Torren’s hot, tight, willing body.
He didn’t know what was happening to him or why he f
elt the absurd need to possess his mate, dominate him, own him, but the need was there, uncontrollable as he slammed into Torren hard enough to make his own teeth rattle. The ground trembled beneath him, thunder rolled overhead, and flames danced around them, the orange light flittering across his lover’s sweat-soaked skin, making him glow like some Egyptian sun god.
As his climax rose over him like the swell of the ocean, words he’d heard only once before in a language he’d never spoken came spilling through his panting lips. “Datum gratis. Duo corda sicut unum. Obligo me ad vos. Offer totum, quod sum et pignus amoris mei aeterna.”
The orgasm that tore through him left him blind and deaf, tired and feeble as a newborn kitten as he pumped ropes of seed into Torren’s convulsing channel. His mate roared out into the night, sticky streams of cum shooting from his cock to cover his chest, abs, and even his neck.
Falling forward, unable to hold himself up for even another moment, Aslan sighed when his lover caught him in his warm embrace. “I’ve got you,” Torren whispered into his hair. “I’ve got you, baby.”
“What the hell just happened?”
He could feel Torren’s lips stretch into a wide grin. “You finally accepted me as your mate. Even if you didn’t realize it, there was some part of yourself that you were holding back, too afraid to let yourself be loved. When you let go of that, accepted who we are and that we’re meant to be together, it kind of just exploded.”
“I didn’t hurt you did I?” He’d never forgive himself if he’d hurt Torren.
“I have never experienced anything so amazing. And when you claimed me, holy fuck. It was like the sun exploded inside my chest.” Aslan chuckled breathlessly. “That’s exactly what I thought when you claimed me. What were those words I said? I know what they meant, but I don’t know the exact wording.”
“Given freely. Two hearts as one. I bind myself to you. Offer all that I am and the pledge of my eternal love.”
“That’s beautiful. I like that.” It was only then that he noticed the night around them was silent. Lifting his head from Torren’s naked shoulder, Aslan scanned the clearing, his hand going to his mouth when he noticed the multitude of fierce-looking animals, their pale coats glimmering in the moonlight. “Are they…” He trailed off when he noticed the two mangled bodies on the ground. “Who are they?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” Stavion grimaced as he sauntered up to them, holding out a hand to pull Torren to his feet.
“Two got away, two are dead, and two others are being escorted to a nice holding cell.” He looked Torren up and down, and then turned his gaze on Aslan. “Nice show by the way.” Aslan’s face went up in flames as he quickly stuffed his limp cock back into his jeans. “Torren, do something.”
His lover threw his head back and laughed, the sound coming straight from his belly. “You started this, caro. ” He relented, however, picking his pants up from the ground and pulling them on.
“So, is it over?”
“Hardly.” Torren’s smile fell from his handsome face. “They’ll regroup, maybe recruit more, and be back, but we bought some time to reinforce our defenses.”
They had won this round, but there would be others. Aslan understood what Torren was trying to tell him, but he felt confident that as long as they stuck together they could face anything that came their way. “Let’s get Wren and go home.”
* * * *
“Thane is the only one who can pull Mikko out of Purgatory.” Torren scrubbed at his face, his eyes itching with sleep deprivation.
He’d been awake for nearly twenty-eight hours, doing what he could to help ensure the welfare of Haven. Once they’d talked about security improvements—even adding several new Enforcers with Ridley’s announcement that he wanted to move some of his pack to Haven—the topic moved on to finding his brothers.
He had an idea of where to look for Thane, but he was leery of speaking his suspicions to Stavion. The vampire was either going to be pissed or devastated. Torren wasn’t looking forward to either reaction. “From what Aslan tells me, the place he was held before he came here was close by, a short drive to be exact. I think that’s the best place to start looking for Thane.”
“Did you say it was a vampire coven?” Raith asked. He looked haggard, slumping in his chair in the library of Stavion’s mansion.
Torren worried about him, but had no idea how to help his brother yet.
Raith’s question made him realize that maybe he didn’t need to unload the information, but could possibly lead Stavion to the answer.
“Yes, a vampire coven near here.”
“The only coven that’s close by is the Snake River Coven.” Stavion shook his head, a frown on his face. Torren saw the exact moment that understanding hit him. Stavion’s head popped up from its bowed position, and his eyes bored into Torren’s. “No.”
“I’m not saying it’s true, but it’s where we need to start.” Gods, he didn’t want to see the look of hurt and betrayal on his friend’s face. It hadn’t been that long since Stavion had been an Enforcer for the Snake River Coven before taking over the leadership role of Haven.
“I’m sorry, Stavion.”
Stavion held a hand up to halt him. “We’ll do what needs to be done. I trust you and I trust Aslan. So, Snake River is where we’ll start.” He pointed to two of his Enforcers. “Varik, Demos, you’ll leave tomorrow night.”
“I’d like Lynk to go with them.”
Stavion dipped his head. “Good idea.” A soft grunt drew his attention, and Torren smiled down at Aslan where the man curled in his lap, sleeping soundly against his chest.
“He’s not going to have an easy life. The voices will always be with him.”
“Then you teach him how to control them,” Jory said from Stavion’s side. “Give him something to fight for and a place to feel safe when it becomes too much.”
“I’d give him the world if I could. He won’t be in this alone.” The library door opened, and Raven stepped inside, grinning from ear to ear with a bouncing little boy balanced on his hip. “Look what I found.”
Aslan jerked awake at Wren’s laughter, rubbing at his eyes and moving off of Torren’s lap to sit upright, holding his arms out just in time to catch the little pixie as he sprinted to them. “Hey, you. Did you have a good nap?”
Wren bobbed his head energetically. “Yep, but now I’m hungry. Can I have waffles?”
“Yes!” Jory said enthusiastically. “I love waffles!” The room erupted into laughter at his outburst, and Torren decided that happy felt damn good. “Did you find out anything?” he asked Raven as the Enforcer moved farther into the room and perched on the arm of one of the sofas.
“Yes.” He looked pointedly at Wren. “I’ll fill you in later, but let’s just say that it won’t be a problem. There is no one left to fight you for custody. Congratulations, man.”
Torren had asked Raven to see what he could dig up on Wren’s biological family. He’d even given him permission to use whatever brand of interrogation he wanted on the werewolf alpha that had been holding Wren captive. If Torren understood him correctly, all of Wren’s family was dead, probably at the hands of that same alpha.
He’d find out later what Raven had learned, but just then his heart was about to burst out of his chest.
“Hey, little monster, come here.” He lifted Wren into his lap and looked him in the eye, hoping the boy would understand what he was about to ask. “Do you remember when you asked if you could stay with me and Aslan and your uncles?”
Wren bobbed his little head, his hair flopping around in his face.
Torren pushed the locks back and cradled his soft cheeks. “Do you want to be part of our family, Wren?” The child looked at him in confusion, but Aslan took his small hand and drew his attention. “What Torren is trying to ask you is if you’d like for him to be your daddy.”
“And you?” Aslan nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Wren looked like Santa C
laus himself had walked into the room and dumped a whole sleigh full of toys at his feet. “Yes, yes, yes!” He squeezed Aslan around the neck and rocked back and forth. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Aslan closed his eyes tight and hugged Wren fiercely before letting him go, smiling so brightly that it almost hurt to look at him.
Then Wren turned his attention on Torren, holding onto his neck as he buried his face in his throat. “Does Mr. Pokey get to stay, too?” Petting his silky curls, Torren smiled and kissed the top of Wren’s head. “Absolutely. And we’ll even get you that puppy.” Wren nodded, squeezing Torren a little tighter. “I love you, Daddy.”
Torren doubted there was a dry eye in the room after that. The big, bad Enforcers coughed or cleared their throats, and all found something very interesting to look at that conveniently hid their faces.
His own eyes flooded, making his vision blurry, but he didn’t care who saw them.
He didn’t deserve them, not Wren or Aslan, but he would work every day to be worthy of their love. Holding his child— his child—in his arms, he curled his other hand around the back of Aslan’s neck and pulled him close to kiss his lips gently. “It’s always been you, and it always will be. I love you, Aslan.” His mate looked too choked up to get any words out, but that was okay. Torren saw it, felt it, every time Aslan looked at him, touched him, or sighed contentedly as he slept in Torren’s arms at night. Aslan was the sturdy one, the foundation that held up their relationship.
Torren was a powerful witch, but he couldn’t hold a candle to the magic inside Aslan’s heart.
Hard times waited for them, but they would face whatever came.
Aslan had opened his heart, torn down his walls, and given him a family in return. Maybe he’d never trust anyone as much as he did Aslan, but maybe that’s the way it was supposed to be. He’d failed to keep his mate safe before because he’d refused to reach out for help.
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