“Holy shit, Ezra?” the other incubus asked.
“Echo, help me get this damn window open. It’s wedged shut.”
Revo’s stomach plummeted at the sound of Ezra’s voice. Did Echo’s life matter to him so much, he’d risk his life escaping the clubhouse and climbing up a building?
Both Mace and Spider angled their sides and began ramming at the door. It took a couple of tries and Revo saw why. Simple symbols and containment spells had been painted on the doorway. Payne must have had a wizard or some kind of spell slinger in his employ.
Thank God, because Revo hadn’t been ready to lose his foolish reckless mate yet. The wood gave way on Mace and Spider’s fourth shove. Mace let out an outraged howl when they caught sight of Ezra shoving Echo out the doorway.
Understanding hit Revo like a sudden bolt of lightning. Both incubi looked like mirrors of each other, except Echo’s skin looked robust and healthier. Twins. In the shifter community, a single lifeline connected twins. If one died, the other soon followed. Did that apply to incubi as well?
Mace sprang into motion, and Revo followed, growling, reacting on pure instinct to protect his mate, even against the wrath of his own alpha. Behind him, he heard Spider’s paws tailing them. Ezra paled, probably at the sight of the three rampaging werewolves out for Echo and his blood.
“Shit, Ezra. What kind of mess did you bring with you this time?” Echo angrily hissed, hurrying out to the window ledge.
“My mess? Fuck you, brother. All I’ve been doing is cleaning yours.” Ezra’s mouth hung open in shock when Echo slammed the windowpane shut, and began to shimmy down the pipe beside the ledge.
What kind of fucker left his own flesh and blood to the wolves? Echo had completely gone off the rails. The brother Ezra knew and grew up with would never leave him behind. Was Echo too lost in his lust addiction he could no longer tell reality from delusion?
Ezra swallowed, turning to face them. Enraged, Mace growled at his cheated prey. Revo knew Mace, blinded with rage, wouldn’t spare Ezra. So he let himself slide rather than run the last few meters. Revo quickly rose on all fours, using his body to shield Ezra from harm.
“Revo, no,” Ezra whispered, tugging at his fur.
Ezra tried to push him away, but Revo outweighed him, even as a wolf. He hissed when Mace’s canines and claws sunk into his flesh. Refusing to back down, Revo fought and clawed, aware he began to bleed from half a dozen places. A third wolf joined their tangle. Spider did his best to keep them apart, but he was no match against his alpha and beta.
“Hey, asshole alpha. It’s me you want, not Revo!” Ezra shrieked, bringing down the nearest item—an old fashioned lamp, over Mace’s furry head, barely missing Revo’s head by inches. Fuck, Revo would never admit that move saved him, because Mace had his throat around his jaws.
“Fuck it, guys, the other incubus is getting away,” Mercy’s human voice rasped from somewhere.
That startled Mace. Mace got off Revo, gave him a warning snarl, before running out of the room. Spider followed him out. Revo heard the rumble of a bike engine outside, but he knew Echo wouldn’t get far, even with one of their stolen bikes.
“Revo, you stupid bastard,” Ezra angrily whispered, slumping to the floor next to him.
He brought Revo’s injured body to his lap, and Revo let out a whine. Fucking weak to lie on his mate’s lap and enjoy the feel of his fingers checking his fur for injuries, but Revo didn’t care. He closed his eyes to half-slits, enjoying the feel of Ezra’s fingers stroking his fur. “Get up you big lump, I need to find a first aid kit.”
Ezra drew back when Revo tried to snap at his fingers from pulling at his ear. Revo decided to remain in wolf form to rein in his anger, because if he turned back to human, he had a whole lot of obscenities to scream at Ezra.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Ezra murmured, an anguished expression on his face. “I have a lot of things I hid from you, but I thought I was protecting my brother. I guess I know now he doesn’t deserve my protection.”
Revo turned back to human, because he had to ask, “Ezra, if Echo dies will you follow? Because if you will, I’m going after Mace and Spider.”
He didn’t add he would die trying, but he didn’t tell Ezra that. Ezra bit his bottom lip and considered Revo’s question. Finally, he shook his head. “A part of me would die I think, but your mate bond would anchor me back down.”
Revo instinctively pulled on their mate bonds. He wrapped and tugged at the threads connecting his wolf to Ezra until it hurt to breathe for both of them. Revo couldn’t see them, but they were there—not flimsy, breakable string, but steel chains tempered and strong. Ezra hadn’t lied. If Echo died, all Revo had to do was remind his mate of life.
He stroked the chords of Ezra’s throat, lingering on his personal brand. Revo pressed Ezra against his chest. Began nibbling, leaving tiny bites up Ezra’s neck, jaw and finally took his lips. Revo pressed his thickening shaft against Ezra’s belly, damned pleased Ezra’s hand wandered below to begin taking care of his need.
At the sound of footsteps they parted, but it was only Payne and some of his security guys. At least Payne didn’t ask why Revo was lying on another incubus’ lap, although Revo did feel him nudge at his wolf to feel for the mate bonds connecting him to Ezra.
“Did the boss get the other one?” Mercy rasped to Payne, who had gotten a first-aid kit.
“Mace will call, if they did,” Payne answered. “You guys can rest up first here. Take it easy.”
One of his goons offered to tend to Revo, but Ezra firmly shook his head and said he’d do it himself. Revo didn’t know whether to feel smug or embarrassed to be pampered.
Ezra and he had a lot of shit and baggage to deal with. Secrets to unload and honesty to enforce, but they shared an unspoken understanding.
What Ezra said that morning rang true. They remained strangers to each other. The undeniable chemistry between them couldn’t be the sole foundation of their relationship. Working at it would give Revo a fucking headache, but if Ezra was willing to do the work so would he.
“Ready to go home?” Revo asked Ezra.
Ezra blinked when Revo stood and offered him a hand up. Slender fingers clasped Revo’s, the strength in them surprising. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Chapter Nine
The chase took Mace and Spider back to the starting line, the invisible border that separated Wolf County from the rest of the dead world. Reality seemed to explode into harsh sunlight and glaring colors during the hunt. The intense light hit his eyes, made him snarl in annoyance. His paws dragged through the hot gravel, twitchy, full of caged-up energy.
The moment Mace saw the incubus Echo it felt like he’d been punched right in the gut by some invisible metaphysical force. No, Mace reckoned it had been something nasty—like tiny hooks sinking into skin, and one wrench was bound to draw bits of skin and blood.
Something unexplainable grew inside him, spreading from his belly to the rest of him—head, groin, and limbs, not unlike a vicious little animal burying its way out. Emotions Mace felt whenever he managed to get himself high, unable to differentiate between fucking and killing.
The roar of one of their stolen bike sputtered, became less fierce. The steel beast finally weakened by the number of lunges and scratches Mace and Spider made on its back. Revo would kill them for wrecking his bike, but Mace figured it would balance out the scales.
Revo got out of line, risked his neck for a demon that fed on sex, but if Mace killed Ezra, Revo would soon follow. Werewolves mated for life after all. Abominations who lived on after their fated died, half-shadows and stubborn fuckers like Mace well—they no longer came out right.
“Oh fuck. Oh God,” Echo hissed along those lines as the engine died a few feet from the county’s welcome sign.
To Mace’s right shoulder, Spider let out a triumphant howl. The lean-bodied incubus quickly ditched the bike, didn’t look back, and started running.
Futile effort fucker. Nonethele
ss, the sight of his running prey excited Mace. Nothing quite like expending energy for a meal worth having. Spider darted past him, black form leaner and faster compared to Mace’s larger sized beast, but Mace caught up to him in no time. Spider closed his teeth over the hem of Echo’s shirt, brought him down to the pock marked road with a cry from Echo.
Mace let out a brassy and possessive growl that made Spider pause, flatten his ears and back away. Wise enough to know he hadn’t stand a chance on-foot against two werewolves Echo didn’t bother running. He sat up slowly, curled his body into a tight ball, watching with wide and fearful eyes as Mace and Spider circled him. Like this, dressed in a pair of battered sneakers, faded skinny jeans and a ratty shirt plastered with sweat against his back, Echo looked like something a cat would drag in.
Had this little demon really been the source of Mace’s pain?
Then Mace made his first mistake.
He didn’t tear out Echo’s throat and put an end to this sorry assed mess. Instead, he scented the incubus.
Mace nosed his way up Echo’s golden throat, and ignored the way he visibly flinched. Echo grew still at Mace’s warning rumble. Motionless like a statue with the exception of his air he expelled from his lungs and the sound of his heart beating evenly against his chest. He smelled wrong had been Mace’s first thought. Like a collection of other people, perhaps the scent of his other victims, but underneath he was a blank slate—pure unsullied nothingness. Echo could be anyone and everyone.
What the fuck?
Echo suddenly grabbed a fistful of Mace’s fur. Impulse prevented Mace from snapping his neck with his teeth, but his front paws sunk a couple of inches into the denim fabric, drawing blood. Echo’s breath tickled against him, panting and aroused. Mace realized Echo was still high. Riding on whatever effects he got from feeding on the lust of others.
“Boss, careful. He’s caught you in his trap,” Spider’s human voice rasped from behind him.
No, not Mace, especially when Echo pressed the perfect line of his throat against Mace’s canines—conceding defeat and offering himself up.
Echo badly wants to die. He’s been searching for a long time for the person worthy of taking his life, Mace thought.
Bloody coward. Mace shrugged off his wolf as easily as changing a new set of clothes. Fur flowed off him, organs rearranged inside him, and his canines and claws withdrew. He grasped Echo’s throat easily with one hand, cradled him close like a lover would so he could deal the damaging verbal blow. “You fucking spineless piece of shit.”
Echo flinched at those words. Painfully closed his eyes and finally looked at Mace. “Please. Get on with it.”
“You want to die so badly, fucker?” Mace’s fingers dug into Echo’s silken neck. Every muscle there stood out, and Echo’s pulse beat against him in anticipation and want. “Things like you disgust the hell out of me.”
“You’re afraid we’re so alike,” Echo whispered, voice barely audible, but Mace caught each one.
Mace let go of him, distancing himself. Echo rose on his knees, looking up at him, confusion and desperation etched on his face. This little demon could be a fucking dangerous drug.
Echo would bring Mace nothing but the strange mix of ecstasy and misery. Once Mace took him, he had a feeling wouldn’t be able to easily shake off his new addiction. Echo was unlike the cocks and pussies easily available for Mace’s access back at the clubhouse. No. Echo was the sort of poison that got under his skin and refused to leave. Pure gasoline and Mace would burn.
“If you ever show your face here again, I’ll fucking make sure you regret ever being born, you understand?”
A weak threat every one of them there knew—including Spider.
Stunned, Echo stared at him, gaping for a few seconds before finding his tongue. “You’re letting me go?”
“Killing you is a mercy you don’t deserve. Now get out of my fucking sight,” Mace hollered.
Echo hesitated, and then scrambled back to his feet. He started walking, occasionally stumbling, and glancing back at Mace. Mace looked impassively at Echo and hoped the fucker had enough sense to stay away forever from his town.
“You’re afraid because of how alike we are.” Echo’s words didn’t hold a shred of truth. Mace wasn’t a fucking out-of-control sex demon fucking everything in sight to get high.
“Boss—” Spider began, shutting his mouth when Mace rounded up on him.
“This fucking incident stays between us, you understand? You breathe a word of this and you’re a dead son-of-a-bitch,” Mace warned, venom coating every syllable.
Spider considered Mace for a few seconds. Spider was too smart for his own good, but he had been a good choice. Like Revo, Spider had been one of the few people Mace trusted to keep his secrets.
Spider wisely shut his trap about whatever he initially wanted to say. He nodded curtly instead. “I’ll sing whatever song you want, boss.”
“Let’s head back.” Mace shifted back to wolf.
Throwing Echo out had dulled and numbed everything else, it seemed. Much better. Mace made a mental note to remind Revo to retrieve his bike. He started thinking about other club business that needed to be taken care of, because the sooner things went back to normal the sooner he’d forget about the crazy incubus that could have been his new choice of poison.
Chapter Ten
“What do you call a biker’s male version of an old lady? An old man?” Ezra asked lazily from their bed the moment Revo entered the room.
“I’m not in the mood for jokes,” Revo grumbled. He shut the door behind him, glad to hear the loud music cut off.
“You don’t want this then? Too bad.” Ezra let out a little huff. Revo’s gaze pinned Ezra’s, who was about to reach for his discarded clothes on the floor.
“Stay there while I undress,” Revo told him. Ezra grinned and happily eased his tempting lean body back into the sheets.
“So what made my grumpy wolf so moody?” Ezra asked, watching him dress. Revo thoroughly enjoyed Ezra’s appreciative glance as he kicked off his boots, and discarded his leathers and the rest of his clothes.
“Chasing fucking poachers in the vineyards,” Revo muttered.
Despite the shitty jobs he’d been assigned to recently, Revo was back on speaking terms with Mace. Mace refused to discuss what happened with Echo though, although Ezra assured Revo his twin was still alive and kicking somewhere.
“What the fuck happened?” Revo asked Spider, but Spider remained tight-lipped and told him to leave it alone. Well, whatever shit went down, Revo had been glad Echo was still alive, and by extension, Ezra hadn’t felt the impact of his death.
At the end of the day, it felt good to be home and find Ezra in his bed. Two months had passed since the incident. Ezra had taken to bartending at Club X, and while some of Revo’s brothers still didn’t trust him, Ezra had slowly gotten used to MC life. It had been tough at first, adjusting to Ezra’s night working hours, but they’d gotten around it.
“How did your day go?” Revo asked.
Before Ezra, the thought of a domestic arrangement, or what passed for one, had never crossed his mind. Revo expected Ezra to come with his own set of terms and over the weeks they’d tried ironing out some of the kinks of their relationship. Some days they wanted to kill each other. Other days they wanted to do nothing but fuck. They still had an undeniably long way to go, but Revo wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ezra faked a yawn. Revo could easily tell because he could see the outline of Ezra’s shaft peeking through the sheets. “Usual stuff. Got a couple of newcomers in town joining the usual crowd—a mercenary group made up of a mishmash of different shifter animal groups, but Payne says they’re old friends of Mace.”
“Yeah?” Revo frowned, about to ask a couple of questions, but any logical thought left in his head died the moment Ezra slid off the bed and knelt in front of him.
He watched Ezra, cock twitching when Ezra curled his fingers around his base. Ezra blew gently
against his hardening prick, breath warm and eager.
Revo groaned, and fisted his hair. “Don’t fucking play around.”
Ezra gave him a wicked smile. His tongue darted out and swiped the pre-cum gathered on Revo’s tip. The tease. Revo tugged at his hair and Ezra got the message. He took Revo between his lips, the heat of his velvet mouth pulling him in like a vortex. Ezra didn’t gag once and by now, knew each of Revo’s buttons he could press.
Revo groaned at the sight of Ezra’s head bobbing up and down. The knowledge that talented little mouth solely belonged to him, for his own use and pleasure made him take the lead. Sensing the shift, Ezra surrendered his control so Revo could fuck his mouth. He thrust into Ezra’s willing heat, growling, but still careful. It didn’t take long for the pressure inside Revo to spill over.
“Swallow,” Revo instructed with panting breaths.
He didn’t need to say the words, but he liked hearing them. It was fucking hot the way Ezra sucked at his softening shaft, all the while watching him. If Ezra had full control of his mouth, he would’ve worn a secret wicked smile.
“Bed,” Revo said after.
“We’re on monosyllabic words now?” Ezra demanded, still on his knees, looking every bit tempting and fuckable. Heart softening, Revo stroked his mussed up hair, and then cupped his cheek. Ezra leaned into his hand, sighing like a needy kitten. Revo thumbed his bottom lip.
“Get on the fucking bed. Please?” Revo managed to add the last word.
“Nice catch on ‘please,’” Ezra quipped. He surprised Revo by taking his fingers and laying a kiss on his scarred and inked knuckles. “How do you want me?”
Revo thought about it for a second. “Come.”
After taking a tube of lube from his bedside drawer, Revo sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Ezra to his lap so Ezra’s legs came on either sides of him.
“Arms around my neck, pup,” Revo ordered, banding one arm around Ezra’s waist, pulling them close.
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