Neon White Season One: A Tooth, Claw and Horns Chronicle

by Wulf Francu Godgluck

  “You look…” he paused and grinned, “magnifique.”

  Her blush contrasted sharply with her pale skin, complemented by the pastel peach cocktail dress she wore. Her shoulders were bare, with the dress ending just above her knees. A black sash and bow around her waist matched the black clutch purse she held in her hand. It wasn’t like the silk gowns the other women would be wearing tonight. It was chiffon and perfect for her; small and petite. He had after all picked it out and paid for it. It was the least he could do after what had happened.

  Raven smiled again.

  “And you…” she did a little school girl pose with her hands behind her back and head tilted sideways, “you look so…oh, Raven, handsome!”

  Raven could feel his blush creeping up his cheeks.

  “Where’s your date?” he asked, holding out his arm for her to hook onto.

  “Jamie is getting us refreshments,” she said as they stepped into the main hall.

  It really was a winter ball. White LED lights hung from the ceiling, every table and chair covered in ivory against pearl with white embroidery lining the edges. An enormous snow-white Christmas tree dominated the far corner of the room with translucent crystal ornaments dangling from it. Even the floor was scattered with Styrofoam dust that swirled behind people as they walked, giving the illusion of snow. Different sized chrome balls of pale blue and silver hung from the ceiling. White candles stood in the center of the tables, in glass vases giving a distorted bright glow to the flames. The lights were dimmed and various white antique Victorian mirrors of different proportions hung on the walls. Raven had to hand it to the boy, he didn’t hold back.

  As they approached their seats, the table décor didn’t fall short either. Each plate held a Christmas tree cookie glazed with pearl white icing and small blue dragées as Christmas ornaments. Christmas hollies painted in silver and light blue, mirrored the chrome balls above, with white rose bouquets in the center of the tables. Raven quietly asked himself how fucking gay was Seth Chetlér, but that question was ridiculous.

  The young alpha was as charming as he was sweet.

  Seth was a wild storm who had burst onto the Québec event scene. As an event organizer, he had made a name for himself fast after landing a job to organize a well-known celebrity’s wedding. Seth had gained his own celebrity status in the process. Why such a successful individual had donated his time, probably losing money, just to organize the event for the precinct, boggled Raven.

  Jessy’s grip on his arm tightened, drawing his attention to her.

  “What?”

  Her eyes were large, her mouth slightly open, gaping as she stared across the ballroom. Jessy stuttered, “I-I’ve never seen Landon smile like that.”

  Raven followed her gaze and felt his heart skip a beat. Landon looked… Landon looked like a bloody human being for once. His bald scalp was cleanly shaven, barren of all those small hairs that sprouted in random areas, which he never bothered to keep clipped. His beard had also been completely shaven, allowing his strong jaw-line to show. The black tux fit the man elegantly, accentuating his bulky shoulders and bull-like build. Landon wasn’t all muscle, a bit of a bear, but sturdy enough to give anyone hell in a fight.

  His smile however… Raven swallowed, even with the one chipped tooth Raven had given Landon on a drunken night when they had almost ended up in bed together... That smile made Landon’s face light up like Polaris. Raven softened his gaze, tilting his chin up to look towards the heavens, a sadness stinging his eyes.

  Just look at him, Jeremy… Just look at your hot-as-fuck husbear.

  Raven was about to walk up to Landon and complement the man when he saw—

  Raven tensed, a warmth bubbled in his blood, locking his jaws tight and grinding his teeth to the point of pain.

  Adinos Dente, one of the sons of God. The Order of Heaven—or more correctly—the Judgment of Heaven.

  Raven and Aden’s paths had crossed more times than Raven wanted to admit. He rubbed Raven’s skin the wrong way, no matter how attractive he was. To Raven, Aden was just a fucking kid; twenty-four years old, although he has been hunting supers and paras far longer than Raven.

  Heat on his left side brought him back to reality. Gently he placed a hand on Jessy’s shoulder, feeling the warmth rising in her body and burn into his hand.

  “Easy there, little lady, I’ll handle the snake.”

  Jessy huffed, then turned to Raven. “Fine, I really don’t need some stupid asshole with a god-complex to upset me and burn this four-hundred-dollar dress by letting him ruin my evening. Speaking of which, where’s that little prick who calls himself my date?!” She whipped herself around and stormed off.

  Jinkies! James was in for something he didn’t expect, the poor twink.

  But something had shimmered in Jessy’s eyes back in the hospital when Raven had told her about Aden and Order of Heaven. Especially when they came to the topic of how paras and supers were treated as less than humans. Raven prided himself on having a partner that shared the same view as him… Unlike a certain, unwelcomed viper, slithering amongst his colleagues.

  Raven watched Aden. He was dressed in a plain tux, nothing fancy. His cropped brown hair shorter than Raven’s, his eyes scanning the hall. For a moment Aden looked in Landon’s direction, Raven’s heart drummed faster, before Aden turned away. Raven snatched a champagne glass from a passing waiter’s tray, immediately switching the glass to this right hand as the left began to shake. He made his way through the crowd, greeting people as he passed. Some colleagues patted him on the back, others offered him smiles or jokes. He was still focused on Aden until he saw something that made his skin crawl. Landon strode up to Aden and cupped the boy’s cheek with a big beefy hand, leaned up and brushed his lips to Aden’s before he walked off.

  Raven boiled with anger so blind in his flight, before he knew it, he clasped Aden’s forearm with his left hand more forcefully than he wanted. “You hurt him, and I’ll kill you with my bare hands, I swear to God.”

  Aden blinked and for a couple of seconds stared blankly at Raven. The expression didn’t last long on the man’s golden skin.

  Raven’s hand began to shake.

  Aden leaned close, his voice dripping with ice, “You sure, old man? You’re shaking.” There was a curl to Aden’s lips as he smiled dryly, but it wasn’t the nerve damage that caused Raven’s hand to tremble. Every fiber of Raven’s being buzzed with heated overprotectiveness. Raven gritted his teeth, and in as low a voice as his emotions would allow, confronted Aden.

  “This is no place for your kind. This is a private event for police officers and personnel, so what the fuck are you doing here?”

  Casually Aden cradled Raven’s wrist and pulled Raven’s hand off his forearm.

  “I’m here to support my lover, Detective. You know him too, Landon Voss.”

  Raven clenched his jaw, his suspicion confirmed, yet he couldn’t understand why these two would even find each other remotely attractive… Fine! He could see why Landon would find Aden appealing…but Aden and Landon?

  “Not just that, Detective, he’s my dom, and I’d much appreciate it if you don’t mention to him or anyone else about the order I belong to. Don’t want you to slip and cut your throat on something now do we? So how about we just stay out of each other’s way?”

  Raven stood flabbergasted, not by the open threat, the kid did that often enough when their paths crossed, that the appeal of it had long ago lost its effect, but… Landon was a Dominant…? Someone needed to skull-fuck Raven sideways to make sure he wasn’t hearing things; he wouldn’t have seen that shit coming even if it shoved a dildo up his ass. Landon was too impatient to be a Dominant. Jesus, that image messed with his head. Raven couldn’t even.

  Aden leaned in with his tall frame and whispered in Raven’s ear, “You do look delicious, Detective White.” Raven clearly heard Aden lick his lips. If Raven’s gaze were a heat ray, Aden would’ve been in cinders.

  Raven would
have roared and bared fangs and claws if he was a super, when he saw Aden stroll up to Landon, grope his meaty ass and squeeze the bear’s globe. The real shock, one he could feel down to his toes, was the docile puppy expression on Aden’s face when Landon growled at the boy. Landon’s face was dark, hard deadly lines, cutting sharp indents and… Raven didn’t know a lot about the BDSM lifestyle, yet that dominant expression was enough to even make him yelp a “Yes, Sir.”

  Raven scavenged the dessert table, which was sparsely populated with small cakes and pastries, all sprinkled with a dusting of powdered ‘snow glitter,’ nougat, fudge and nuts. His cheeks still radiated nuclear heat after accepting his award. He’d honestly thought it was just going to be some silly plastic thing of recognition for his years of service. Something that was destined to gather dust in a backroom closet or bottom drawer of his desk. Not a bloody medal of honor! The thing was as heavy as his balls, especially since they’d not seen any action for the last three months. He should go out and celebrate, sure his nuts wouldn’t complain… He sighed. His heart might beg to differ.

  With a huff, he spun and bumped into someone, smearing the sky-blue cupcake’s icing all over the gentleman’s sleeve. A deep growl, dark and gruff, fissured down Raven’s spine, halting him, and the apology ready to slip from his lips.

  Seriously? Growling? God fucking dammit, it was an accident!

  “Listen here, chap.” Raven stepped before the man, jabbing a finger into a wide, solid chest. “Don’t growl at me.” Raven’s gaze travel up the expanse of that chest. “It-s…rud-e.” Raven stared, his finger still outstretched. The man’s light green eyes glowered back, his thick eyebrows joining in the middle, his lips pulling into a deadly sneer, allowing Raven a glimpse of white teeth.

  Raven heard, as well as felt himself take a painful breath. The man gave off a deadly vibe from his tensed frame, those neck muscles appeared volatile and ready to detonate. Raven’s gaze lingered on the rugged face: a strong prominent chin, thick copper-blond scruff along his hard jaws, some signs of gray or white, he wasn’t too sure, with the way the light played on the facial hair. There was no grace to his nose. Those deep brow with thick eyebrows, shadowed his sweltering gaze. His face held an intense governance, an untidiness one couldn’t quite place but was drawn to. His lips were pure, undiluted sin.

  He wore a simple onyx tux, with a soft-blue bowtie and matching handkerchief in his pocket, along with a pastel blue dress shirt. The massive man towered over Raven. His blond hair healthy with a silky sheen in the light.

  God, the man was beautiful, and Raven’s prostate was about to nuke itself into oblivion.

  Then he saw the cupcake smears on the man’s scruff and nose, all sparkly. He must have been taking a bite when Raven bumped into him. The man’s face seemed to have had an intimate meeting with his glittery white cupcake. Raven fought for dear life trying to hold back the laugh attempting to bubble out of his throat, because he was sure this man looked ready to slaughter him dead.

  “Let me get that for you, sir.” Raven’s hand shot forward. He wasn’t even thinking when he scooped a fingerful of the icing off the beast’s nose. His heart shuddered when those lips pulled back, showing canines. Shit. And the tingle in Raven’s nostrils was about to warrant him his own death sentence.

  “Dad, what the hell did you do to your suit?” a soft, elegant voice Raven instantly recognized spoke behind them. Raven would have greeted the kid, but ‘Dad’ coming from the lips of Seth Chetlér was a revelation Raven wanted to be spared from. At least if the mystery beast-man had stayed just that—a mysteriously hot stranger—Raven could have jacked off to the image tonight. Now each time he would be think of the man, images of a happy family, and Chetlér senior banging his, more than probably hot, wife would cloud his mind.

  “It wasn’t my fault!” Mr. Chetlér growled at his son.

  Seth stepped around his father, his dashing, bright face creased with a frown, went smooth when he regarded Raven.

  That charismatic smile spread over the young alpha’s lips. “Detective Raven.” Seth’s warm eyes held something more than just a regular hello.

  “I-I,” Raven stuttered, this was too much for him. Discovering Seth had a father, Raven had to rephrase that thought, a totally hot hunk of a father, here at the Winter Ball, and along with the fact that Seth was an alpha Lycan, which would make Chetlér senior the ‘alpha-daddy’. It also explained why Raven’s nose tingled. Fucking cheese balls. Bloody hell, Raven was going to die.

  He just hoped the allergy meds didn’t royally screw him in the ass.

  “It was an accident,” Raven and Seth said at the same time.

  “I am sorry, Mr. Chetlér.” Raven briefly flicked his gaze up at the mammoth alpha before looking awkwardly down at his feet.

  “Dad needed to get out of the house, he was becoming too much of a caveman lumberjack cooped up there alone in the woods,” Seth explained, a smug grin on his face, those soft green eyes still shimmered with knowledge only notorious to the young pup. “So I decided to bring Dad as my date tonight, though ‘dragged with me’ would be a better choice of words and maybe…” Seth batted his long lashes, his cheeks the cutest sight of pink. “You know…” he leaned in, dropping his voice to a low whisper, knowing his father could hear him, and said, “maybe find my dad an actual, potential date.”

  Raven’s blood drained to his toes, seeing Mr. Chetlér face colored in a dark flush… Was the Lycan blushing? Raven swallowed, those emerald eyes, a hellstorm, as Mr. Chetlér stared at his son, who seemed perfectly calm despite the fact he was about to meet a very tragic death, hopefully only figuratively.

  “I’m gonna go clean this crap off.” Mr. Chetlér grunted in harsh tone, the rush of his words brushing Raven’s face. He turned that magnificent frame of his and stomped off.

  “I do have a confession to make, Detective White.”

  Raven frowned, his gaze a willing prisoner watching Chetlér senior walk out of the main hall to the outside garden.

  “Tonight, all of this, was for my dad.”

  Raven snapped his attention to Seth. “What?”

  “When you came over to speak to Niko,” Seth grinned and bit his lip, “Dad saw you entering the house, and he just started, huffing and puffing, I think he was dripping too.” The young alpha tapped his lips, all innocent as he said, “Well, I’m pretty sure it was his essence I’d smelled. It’s got quite a strong odor. It was in that moment I knew I had to somehow get the two of you together.”

  “So your mother and father are separated, and your dad really doesn’t mind dating the same sex?” Raven asked, just to be sure, just before he gave his overexcited dick a nasty case of blue balls.

  Seth fell silent, a still sadness crossing his face as he looked down. “Dad loved Mom, he still does, but… Before she passed away, he promised her, to find someone that would make him happy again, but she also made me promise her; Protect your father till he has found someone worthy to protect again.” The pup peered up, a sheen in his bright green eyes. “I was very young when I made that promise, but I hope to finally fulfill it. To one day have with my own mate, what they had.” Seth reached for his neck, running fingers over his throat as if seeking something there that should be. “Mom didn’t just talk about protection…” Seth smiled softly and laid a hand on Raven’s shoulder. “I don’t mean to insult him, honestly I don’t, but I believe my dad could use some help…getting those icing smears off his blazer and lips.”

  “You sneaky little shit.” Raven grinned.

  The cold December air was refreshing in a shivering kind of way when Raven stepped from the ballroom, out into the night. He scanned the area, spying thick hedges—it seemed to be some form of a labyrinth—towering and throwing dark shadows along a path.

  From his left, a low growl boomed in the silent night. The clouds separated above, giving way to the moon as Raven turned towards the sound, but found no one there. He swung around, coming face to face with ‘daddy’.


  The sight knocked the breath from him. Green eyes glowed through the black-rimmed spectacles on Chetlér’s face, the glass tinted with the reflection from a cellphone screen held close, a face that looked plain pissed.

  “Nice suit,” the wolf’s voice rumbled, the tone reverberating through Raven’s blood.

  “So is yours, Chetl—”

  The Lycan pushed Raven up against the wall, and he grunted, his heart speeding up. Not good, not good. Warnings flared in Raven’s brain.

  “Yes,” Chetlér snapped, “up to the point you smeared it with icing!”

  Raven’s blood froze, the wolf’s heated gaze already ripping him to shreds, but he suppressed the shiver. There was a deadly tension in the Lycan, his body eruptive, looking ready to combust. Raven wouldn’t stand a chance against this monstrously huge beast if he decided to sink teeth and claws into him.

  “Then you had the audacity to shove your finger in my chest and touch my nose,” Chetlér stated roughly, bracing himself against the wall with his left hand. Raven swore the alpha’s suit cried for mercy, and the fucking moon deemed it acceptable to wash the Lycan in her silver light, lending a luminescence to his golden skin and light-blond hair.

  Raven avoided Chetlér’s gaze, focusing on the thick neck, and the fat jugular pulsing wildly in his throat. He was a captivating beast, despite his virile, tyrannical mien and this volcanic presence he perpetuated around himself.

  Chetlér growled, the rush of warm breath sparking pins and needles as Raven’s skin pulled tight.

  The wolf leaned close, lips and teeth skimmed Raven’s skin as he spoke. “You don’t do that to monsters like me.” Then, Chetlér’s lips grazed Raven’s ear. “Not when he’s been lusting for you and your cute, tight ass for a month.”

  Raven gulped when Chetlér licked his fat tongue along the palpitating vein in Raven’s neck, swept in and took his earlobe between his canines and… The bastard didn’t bite…he goddamn suckled on Raven’s ear as if it was honey, his mouth warm, wet and fatal.