In a Stranger's Eyes

by Evans, Gabrielle

  The micromanaging, the need for control, his overprotectiveness—it all made sense now. If Raith had spent more than six centuries being subjected to mental and physical abuse, he imagined he’d be curled up in the corner of some padded room, petting his own hair and sucking his thumb.

  “The night I was supposed to meet with that alpha was the night Rastas died,” October concluded his story. “I’d planned to show up at the gathering, allow Bale to think I was doing as he’d ordered to buy some time, and then slip back home to get Rastas. Only my dear mate had gotten it in his head that he needed to slay my dragons.”

  “Mate? Rastas was your mate?” It was irrational and childish for him to be jealous of a man who’d been dead for longer than he’d been alive—well, longer than his current life. That didn’t stop the green- eyed monster from rearing its ugly head, though. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was going to, but when exactly would have been a good time? All we do is fight and fuck. I don’t see either situation being the ideal opportunity to drop this information on you.”

  “That’s not true,” Raith argued. Is that really all October thought of their relationship? Sure, they’d gotten off to a rocky start, and they still encountered speed bumps here and there, but he held his mate in much higher esteem than just some warm, willing hole to sink his cock into.

  October scrubbed both hands over his face and huffed. “No, it’s not. I’m sorry I said that. I don’t like remembering those things, and it makes me a bit of a bastard.”

  He could understand that. Only moments before he’d snapped at October simply because the man had asked him a question. In hindsight, syphoning the magic from Phillip may not have been the best idea. He’d felt wound tight and on edge since they’d arrived home, and remembering some of his more idiotic escapades had done nothing for his personality.

  “Okay, so Rastas was your mate.” He bit out the last word, and it left a sour taste in his mouth. “In the vision I had, he was threatening Bale, demanding that he release you from the pack.” He wasn’t sure how much he should reveal. “Do you…do you know how he died?”

  “Bale mauled him,” October responded in a hollow voice. “He brought Rastas’s body to me and gloated. That night I vowed I’d never let anyone have that kind of power over me again.”

  Oh, they were a pair. Both so riddled with guilt and self-loathing that it was a wonder they even managed to get out of bed in the mornings. How did someone move on from the things they’d lived through?If time healed all wounds, Raith imagined he just hadn’t lived long enough, because his scars felt raw at times.

  “We still don’t know why I was channeling your dead mate, though. Even if he was trying to send you a message, that’s more Thane’s area.” Rastas had been a witch, though. Perhaps the man had taken some of his magic to the grave with him.

  “Channeling? What do you mean?”

  “I wasn’t just seeing this play out in my head. I was Rastas. I could feel everything he felt, knew everything he knew. It was creepy as hell, and I have no desire to repeat it.”

  October leveled him with a calculating look but said nothing further on the subject. “Perhaps your brothers might know more about this.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Though he’d never admit it for worry that it would inflate the witch’s already oversized ego, Torren had a vast store of knowledge when it came to all things magical. If anyone could give them some insight, it would be his eldest brother. “We’ll ask this weekend when we visit.”

  “You’ll have to let me know what you find out.”

  “Or, you could just come with me and hear it firsthand.” Yes, he’d snubbed his mate earlier, but he’d been in a pissy mood. There was nothing he’d like better than for October to accompany him back to Casper forthe weekend. “Besides, I was hoping that Aslan and Lynk could help us ask Kaito some questions about his dad. They’re much better at that kind of stuff than I am.”

  A beautiful smile lit October’s face, and he curled his fingers in Raith’s hair to pull him into a deep, searching kiss. “I’d like that, but there’s no need to wait for the weekend. We can leave as soon as the sun sets.”

  “Hey, I’m still in charge of our personal stuff, remember?”

  “It was just a suggestion.”

  Raith gave his lover a devilish look as he rolled him to his back on the mattress and loomed above him. “And it was a good one. It still counts as you being bossy, though.” He skimmed his nose along the column of the vampire’s throat, groaning at the deliciously fragrant scent that was uniquely October. “You know what that means, right?”

  His mate puffed out a breath dramatically, but his eyes were twinkling with eagernessas he wound his long legs around Raith’s midsection to pull him closer. “A deal is a deal, draga.” His arms came up to encircle Raith’s neck, and he arched up against him like a cat in heat.“I’ll pay my penancelike a man.”

  “Good answer.” With a mere thought, he used his magic to remove their clothing, groaning deep from his chest when their heated skin met without any barriers between them.

  While punishment and play would be fun, his brain always shut down when they were like this. Most of the blood in his body rushed straight to his aching cock, leaving little left over for such things as cognitive thinking. It was as thoughOctober’s bare flesh held some kind of mystical property that sent Raith back to his twenties when he’d been an overly hormonal, sex-starved lunatic.

  The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and electricity danced across his skin. Their lips met in a hard, hungry battle for dominance, and Raith rocked between October’s thighs, grinding their erections together as he plundered the sweet depths of his mate’s delectable mouth.

  Rolling across the mattress in a tangle of limbs, Raith pulled his lover on top of him to straddle his hips. His fingers tangled in October’s slinky, blond strands, tugging the vampire back to him for another deep, desperate kiss. Their tongues tangled and swirled, and every new taste ratcheted his desire until his head swam with it.

  Too lost in his own lust, he relied on another push of his magic to slick and stretch October’s entrance, knowing he couldn’t be gentle if he tried to attempt the job himself. October gasped in surprise and released the breath on a shuddering moan as his eyes rolled back in his head. His hips jerked in sporadic movements, rubbing his heavy cock over Raith’s abs, while a gorgeous look of surrender played across his handsome face.

  Rising up over Raith’s rigid length, he gripped the shaft by the base and positioned the weeping crown at his entrance. “Oh, no, you don’t,” Raith warned, wrapping his arms around his lover’s waist in a firm hold to keep him in place. A small measure of reasoning penetrated the river of lust his brain floated in, and he nipped at October’s collarbone in reprimand. “Stand up and put your hands behind your back.”

  It was no wonder that the man always got his way. All it took was one look at his beautifully sculpted body, and Raith could barely remember his own name, let alone that he was supposed to be proving a point. More precisely, he was trying to teach his man that sometimes it was far more fun to give up control than to hold so inflexibly to it.

  Moving hesitantly, October pushed himself up and stood at the foot of the bed, linking his hands behind his back as instructed. There was a measure of reserve in his posture, but he wasn’t arguing or making demands.

  “There’s no need to look so nervous,” Raith reassured him. “I might push your boundaries a little, but I’ll never take you anywhere you don’t want to go. I know we had a deal, but you can say no at any time.”

  “I know you wouldn’t hurt me,” October admitted. “It’s not that.” A flush crept up his neck, and he bowed his head on a sigh. “I’m just beginning to realize how much of what you’ve been telling me is true. I can’t even make love to my mate without needing to control every aspect of it.”

  Scooting to the edge of the mattress, Raith sat up and spread his legs as he motioned October clo
ser. “Come here.” He settled his hands on his lover’s hips when the man shuffled forward to stand between his knees. “Stop thinking so hard and just enjoy it.” Then he tugged October closer, capturing the head of his thick cock between his lips.

  His lips stretched taut around his mate’s shaft while he laved the spongy crown with his tongue, paying special attention to the sensitive area just below the ridge. Bobbing his head, he took a little more of the length into his mouth with each downward glide, shaking with need as his own cock throbbed madly between his thighs.

  The panting moans pouring from his lover did nothing to quell his desire. October’s fingers curled around Raith’s shoulders, digging into the flesh in a bruising hold. The lean hips beneath his hands rocked, trying to push the thick cock deeper into his mouth, but a quick flex of his magic rendered October completely immobile.

  Raith wasn’t looking for a sub. That wasn’t what any of this was about. He had no desire to lead every aspect of their love life or issue orders inside the bedroom. All he wanted was to give October a little taste of what it could be like between them if the man could simply overcome his ingrained need to choreograph every little detail.

  Pulling off of October’s cock with a naughty slurp, he also released the holding spell before spinning his mate away from him and pulling him down to his lap. They both groaned as Raith’s length penetrated the yielding muscles of October’s entrance, invading the snug channel until he was fully seated to the base.

  “You want to move?” he whispered into his lover’s ear. “Now you can move. Ride me, Tober. Fuck yourself on my cock.”

  A breathless cry tumbled from October’s mouth as he planted both feet on the floor and braced his hands on Raith’s knees. His svelte body moved in sensual waves as he rose and fell, impaling himself on Raith’s rock-hard length.

  His tight inner walls surrounded Raith like a glove, molding to his flesh and massaging him from root to tip. After only a few minutes, the tempo change, and his mate bounced on his cock, arching up until only the crown remained and then dropping hard and swift back to Raith’s lap.

  “Fuck,” Raith growled against October’s nape. “You’re too good at that. I’m not going to last.”

  October only grunted in response and increased his rhythm, slamming down onto Raith’s dick forcefully. Curling one arm around his partner’s chest, Raith fisted October’s bouncing cock and jerked him in quick, rough strokes.

  His heart pounded too fast. He couldn’t catch his breath. Fire blazed through his body, and his stomach clenched, heralding his oncoming climax. October’s dick pulsed in his grasp, and glistening tears of pre-cum seeped from his slit. The roll of his hips became wild and uncoordinated, his muscles tensed, and his ass clamped down on Raith’s cock in an unbreakable hold.

  “Come for me,” he commanded, twisting his wrist sharply to add a bit more friction around the helmet of his lover’s dick. “Come in my hand, Tober.”

  “Raith!” The shout echoed around the room as October pushed back against his chest and bucked through his orgasm, coating Raith’s hand and wrist with a volley of sticky cream.

  The sounds, the smells, the tight grip on his cock, it was all too much. He pressed his face against the side of his lover’s neck to muffle his own cry of completion, shuddering hard as he filled October’s channel with his release.

  When feeling returned to his extremities, and his brain began to function once again, he cuddled his mate close to him and peppered kisses down the side of his face. “I’m glad you’re coming with me to Casper.”

  “I’m glad you decided to stay,” October countered, arching his neck to capture Raith’s lips.

  “Mmm, so am I.” He would be a fool to give this up. Not just the sex—though that was spectacular—but the closeness they shared in moments like this. October made it so easy to forget all the reasons he’d originally thought being with the vampire was a bad idea.

  As long as Raith refrained from claiming his mate, battled back the growing desire to bind them for eternity, everything would be fine. The magic that recognized October as the missing part of his soul battered against Raith, screaming for him to complete the connection, but his growing feelings for the man wouldn’t allow him to do it.

  Their time together had been too short for him to call it love, but he cared about October. He worried for the man, troubled himself with concerns for the leader’s safety, and felt sick to his stomach at the thought of never holding his mate in his arms again. All the reasons he should proceed with the mating bond were all the reasons he couldn’t do it.

  With the added darkness of Phillip’s magic now polluting his soul, he couldn’t bring himself to be so selfish. It was his burden, and he’d been successful in dampening its effects so far, but he wouldn’t force his mate to suffer in the shadows with him.

  “You need to feed.”

  “You’ve had a very trying night, draga. It can wait.”

  “Please.” Raith rarely begged for anything, but he needed to give something to the man. His heart wasn’t pure enough. His soul was tainted. He was too worried about the consequences to even allow October to claim him, but giving himself freely so his mate could feed was the one thing he could offer.

  Twisting to the side in his lap, October studied his face for a long time. “Okay then.” His lips fluttered against Raith’s throat, and the bite he administered was so incredibly tender that it brought moisture to Raith’s eyes as emotions bombarded him.

  He didn’t take much, though, and when he pulled away, Raith immediately knew something was wrong. “Not again,” October moaned, doubling over as he clutched at his stomach.

  “Shit.” Snatching the vampire up in his arms, he rushed him to the bathroom and deposited him on the floor in front of the toilet. “Easy, caro. It’s okay. Deep breaths.” He stroked the hair back from October’s face, feeling useless and helpless like he never had in his life.

  Had his blood done this? Was the evil inside him so powerful that it could actually make someone else ill? The thought depressed and angered him all at once. “I’m sorry, Tober. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I was just trying to protect the people I love.”

  “Not that,” October slurred. “Not magic.” His heaved again, and there was absolutely nothing Raith could do but caress his back and wait for it to pass.

  “Then what?”

  Slumping against him, October shivered, and his head lolled to the side on his shoulder. “Gold,” he rasped. “You have gold in your system.”

  The only way that could happen was if someone had been purposely poisoning his food and drink. Hewouldn’t be able to detect a pinch of gold dust, and it was relatively harmless to him. It was downright deadly for his mate, however.

  Apparently, some cosmic power had decided that they didn’t have enough on their plate to deal with. Now, they could add attempted assassination to their growing list of dangers. Raith didn’t have a clue who would want to hurt his mate, but he was going to find out.

  And the gods have mercy on the asshole when he did, because Raith was running damn low on forgiveness these days.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Uncle Raith, Uncle Raith, Uncle Raith!” Wren chanted as he sprinted through the living room and jumped into Raith’s arms. “I missed you!”

  October couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he held Kaito in his own arms and watched Raith light up with love as he cuddled his nephew. His lover might look big and tough, but he was really just a big marshmallow on the inside.

  “Who is that?” Kaito asked quietly.

  “This is Wren,” Raith answered as he hitched the little pixie up on his hip. “Wren, this is Kaito. Why don’t you show him your room while I talk to your daddy?”

  Wren smiled widely and bobbed his head. “Okay.” His expression became serious when Raith sat him on his feet, though. Gazing up to his uncle, he pointed a finger at him and glared. “You stay.”

  Raith gave a mock solute. “Yes
, sir.”

  Both boys giggled, and Wren grabbed Kaito’s hand, pulling him toward the hallway. “C’mon! I got lots of toys. Do you like Legos?”

  “What’s that?”

  “You know, you build stuff with them. I’ll show you how. And then we can build a fort. If we’re quiet and don’t make a mess, Daddy will let us have ice cream later.”

  “I like ice cream!” Kaito replied with enthusiasm. “Do you got chocolate?”

  “Oh, we gots all kinds of ice cream.” Wren leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially. “If we draw Daddy a picture and look really sad, he might build a fort for us with magic.”

  October leaned against his mate and chuckled as the pair disappeared down the hall with their heads bent together, no doubt devising all sorts of plans to manipulate their guardians. “Well, they hit it off.”

  “I’m glad. Kaito needs to have friends his own age.”

  Slipping his hand into Raith’s, October squeezed his fingers gently and stretched up on his toes to kiss his lover’s cheek. “You would make such an amazing father, draga.”

  “Thank you.” His shoulders slumped, and his gaze took on a distant quality. “I can’t risk it, though. Hell, I almost killed you. Do you really want to put a child through that?”

  It took everything he had not to growl. “You didn’t almost kill me, and it wasn’t your fault.” The anger dissipated as quickly as it had come, leaving him feeling sad morethan anything. “Please stop blaming yourself.”

  It was alarming to find out that someone was trying to kill him, but October was no stranger to attacks. He’d just have to be more cautious until they found the perpetrator. In the meantime, his mate needed to stop damning himself for things he couldn’t control.

  Raith just grunted and tugged on his hand. “Let’s find Torren.”