Seven Brothers for McBride 5
Devon Morgan
He needed a hero…
While the virus ravages the town, the Morgan brothers are determined to protect the farm. When an interloper is spotted, Devon Morgan investigates, stunned to find a beautiful but battered thrall.
Terrified of being used by bunch of randy and thirsty slammers, Karsten Jones gives himself to Devon, hoping for his protection, but assuaging the lust of one man might be more than Karsten can handle.
Devon has always enjoyed the idea of being a hero, but given a chance to become one in real life leaves him torn between bringing his dreams to life and following his instincts. Keeping Karsten’s best interests in mind helps him make the right decisions, but when bloodlust hits him for the first time, will he destroy the fragile trust they’ve built?
While the two men struggle to come to terms, Caleb and McBride try to compromise, but when neither man is willing to bend, one of them makes a heartbreaking decision.
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Futuristic, Paranormal
Length: 36,588 words
DEVON MORGAN
Seven Brothers for McBride 5
Anitra Lynn McLeod
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove
DEVON MORGAN
Copyright © 2013 by Anitra Lynn McLeod
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-246-3
First E-book Publication: February 2013
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
For those who have the strength to survive.
DEVON MORGAN
Seven Brothers for McBride 5
ANITRA LYNN MCLEOD
Copyright © 2013
Chapter 1
McBride slipped in and out of consciousness. Every time he opened his eyes, pain exploded in his head, but he had to look around to get a handle on where he was and what had happened. The last thing he remembered was that he had been inside Caleb’s house, arguing with him about his ultimatum. Caleb wanted Jonas gone from the farm, or Caleb would take what he could carry and go. McBride didn’t want either situation to happen. McBride couldn’t exile Jonas unless he was prepared to let Ollie go as well, and he wasn’t. Ollie was the only one who knew how to cook. Moreover, he’d given both men his word that he would protect them despite the fact they were engaged in an illegal relationship. Jonas was a landed gentryman like McBride himself, and Ollie was a slammer. Slammers gave up their necks so the gentrymen could drink their blood, but that was all they were allowed to do. Jonas had taken his relationship with Ollie to far more intimate lengths. But it wasn’t what Caleb thought. Caleb was under the misguided notion that Jonas had seduced Ollie so he could fuck him. In fact, Jonas was utterly submissive to Ollie in the bedroom. That information rolled through McBride’s head even though he didn’t think it would matter all that much to Caleb. He was so filled with hatred toward Jonas that he wouldn’t care who was doing what to whom. All Caleb cared about was that he hadn’t been there to protect Ollie from Jonas in the first place. When McBride pointed out that the two men were completely bloodbonded and separating them would kill them, Caleb declared he could fix that problem by killing Jonas. It was another headache that McBride simply didn’t need. With the world hanging on by a fingernail, he wanted to keep all his men on the farm and working toward the common goal of survival. Infighting, petty disagreements, and long-running feuds had no place on his land. McBride would be more than willing to put his foot down and take charge, but he’d been sick and getting sicker. Worse, he had no idea what was wrong with him.
Even though McBride was the sheriff of Woven Spire, he wouldn’t arrest or detain anyone, not when he had no place to put them. Most of the populace of the county had fled, taking whatever they could with them. Luckily, the tallos farm was almost entirely self-sufficient, but McBride needed everyone pulling the same direction to make that come about. If McBride could only get Caleb to see that Jonas and Ollie were deeply in love, he thought he might relent, but considering he couldn’t even handle himself right now, dealing with the issues between the men who called his spread home was beyond him.
Besides, illegal relationships of any form didn’t matter now that the world was in disarray from the spread of another blood-borne pathogen. Everyone was calling it the blood sickness. They called those gentrymen who were afflicted bloodmad. So far as he knew, only gentrymen got the disease. But regardless of all that, McBride was a man of his word no matter what happened to society at large. He’d given the star-crossed lovers his protection, and he wouldn’t rescind that now, even if doing so would gain him the man he desperately wanted.
“McBride?” Caleb called his name and pounded on his door. “Let me out right now!”
Memory returned, reminding McBride about what had happen
ed. To prevent Caleb from leaving the farm or killing Jonas, McBride had locked him inside his house after threatening to force him into a tentative bloodbond with Jonas. Just thinking of the horrible threat made McBride cringe. He’d only issued it because he’d been desperate to get his way. Ashamed of himself, he’d stepped out onto the porch and locked Caleb in when the headache that had been haunting him for days exploded into pain so vicious he’d fallen. He struggled to rise but found he couldn’t. His legs refused to obey the orders of his brain. While he lay there incapacitated, Caleb continued to pound on the door, making it vibrate against McBride’s back.
Over by the big house, McBride saw Jonas. He’d shouted something at him just moments ago, but McBride couldn’t recall what he’d said other than it was something important. It had to be significant because Jonas was now running across the field toward where McBride was with all the other men hot on his heels. Only the direst of circumstances would cause Jonas to move in any direction where Caleb was at. As to why the other men were following him, McBride had no idea.
“Let me out so I can help you!” Caleb’s pounding fist was so strong it was shaking the entire mechanical house. Despite his wavering grasp on consciousness, McBride had to marvel at the sheer strength of Caleb’s body. He was powerful, complex, and so alluring that McBride had willingly broken the law just to have a few stolen moments in his arms.
Tormented by his inappropriate longings, McBride had struggled to keep his hands off Caleb no matter how badly he wanted him. Ultimately, he’d failed, but when the world started falling apart, he thought finally they could be together, only to have Caleb put another obstacle in their path.
Just as the gray started to encroach on his awareness, Caleb smashed through his living room window. The metal screen was electrified to keep out vermin and keep in his slammers, but Caleb ripped his way through that with barely a wince. His tolerance for pain was astonishing.
Looking up, waiting for Caleb to storm off to meet Jonas in the middle of the road so he could tear him apart with his bare hands, McBride was stunned when Caleb knelt down beside him. Was Caleb’s longing for him greater than his hatred for Jonas? If it was, there might actually still be a chance for them to be together.
“What’s wrong with you?” Caleb’s massive hand was soothing against McBride’s neck.
“I don’t know.” Despite the still-cool morning air, McBride felt so hot he swore he was melting into the rough boards of the porch. He tried to stand, but he still couldn’t get his legs to work.
“Let me help you.” Rather than helping him to stand, Caleb carefully stretched McBride out so that he was now flat on his back. The spinning dizziness lessened, and McBride found himself able to draw a full breath without pain.
It was far more comfortable than the awkward slump he’d made, but he fought to sit up so he could try to prevent a fight between Jonas and Caleb.
“Stop struggling.” Caleb’s hand pressed against McBride’s chest, holding him flat. “You’re in no shape to go anywhere.”
Realizing that for once he simply wasn’t capable of doing anything, McBride relented and collapsed. Looking up, Caleb’s face filled his field of vision. Wicked green eyes were so intently focused on him it was almost physical. The more McBride looked, the more he saw Caleb’s care and compassion.
“How could I be so wrong?” McBride thought he didn’t want Caleb to go because he needed his help with the farm, but that wasn’t it at all. He wanted Caleb here because he was falling in love with him. No man would ever be able to incite his passions the way Caleb did.
“When have you ever been wrong?” Caleb grinned.
“I want you.”
Ever so slowly the smile slid off Caleb’s face. It was clear he wanted to say something because his lips parted, but it was just as obvious he wasn’t going to allow himself to confess the truth in his heart because he forcefully closed his mouth. To gain himself a moment, Caleb tucked his long, black hair behind his ears. A silent battle seemed to rage behind his expressive gaze. For a moment, he thought Caleb would bend down and kiss him, but he only frowned and continued to soothe McBride with tender touches.
“Please don’t,” McBride started but didn’t have the breath to finish.
“Please don’t what?”
“Don’t leave me.” McBride hated himself for sounding weak and needy, but he also couldn’t let Caleb go without trying to keep him here. It wasn’t just for himself, but for every man who called the farm home. Caleb was a good worker, but he also knew how to fix anything mechanical. Losing him would leave them vulnerable to machine failure.
Caleb didn’t speak. He stayed crouched down next to McBride, caring for him as best he could, but how long would it be before he realized he could kill Jonas or simply walk away? Not long given how intelligent the man was. Because of his size, Caleb could be dismissed as all brawn and no brains, but McBride knew that wasn’t remotely true. Like the calm surface of a mile-deep lake, Caleb’s outward display of anger and aggression obscured his depth.
“What’s happened?”
McBride turned his head and realized that Jonas and the other men were surrounding the porch. Weakly, he tried to grasp Caleb’s hand to hold him back, but he was in no position to do anything. With slow-creeping dread, he watched as Caleb rose to his full height. At six eight and three hundred pounds, Caleb was as big as McBride himself.
Jonas took a step back, but rather than turning tail and running, he kept his gaze riveted on Caleb while maneuvering his mate behind his slight body. Ollie was easily fifty pounds heavier, but Jonas was determined to protect him.
McBride felt the moment in time slow down. He saw the look of fear in Jonas’s eyes, but also there was intense determination to protect the man he loved. Little did Jonas know that Caleb had no intention of hurting his brother. Putting Ollie behind him only made Jonas a better target. Turing his attention to Caleb, McBride felt a flicker of hope when a curious expression altered Caleb’s fearsome features. Was he impressed by Jonas?
Time sped up, and the moment was lost.
“What’s wrong with McBride?” Jonas looked ready to take a step toward him, but one growl from Caleb kept him where he was.
“I don’t know, but you aren’t going to touch him.” Caleb took a stance in front of McBride. He put his hands on his hips, making it clear if anyone stepped a foot onto the porch, he was going to fight them. Wisely, no one took up the challenge Caleb offered. And whatever attempts to keep their attraction to one another secret were clearly over. No man did what Caleb was doing unless he was utterly smitten. As worried as he was to have the truth out, McBride couldn’t stop a feeling of pride. Regardless of what Caleb said, he was indeed still firmly attracted to McBride.
Jonas looked from McBride to Caleb but then turned his attention down the long drive. “The valet said there’s someone coming.”
And now McBride remembered what Jonas had yelled to him. The valet was stationed in the cupola of the big house so that he could keep watch over the farm and warn them if anyone was coming. Since McBride’s communication unit seemed to be on the fritz, McBride had told him to tell the butler and Jonas if he saw anything so that the chain of command was fully covered. He had to warn Jonas verbally as he—unlike most gentrymen—didn’t have a communication unit installed in his right earlobe. It was a good thing McBride had given that order, or they wouldn’t have a heads-up on their impending visitor.
Caleb looked toward the long drive, and McBride followed his gaze. Far down by where the county road became McBride’s private road there were small wisps of dust rising into the air. It was so faint that McBride thought his eyes might be playing tricks on him. He hadn’t been able to trust much of anything he saw lately.
“How many?” Caleb asked.
“One.”
A long note of silence spun out. McBride struggled to issue orders, but like his misbehaving legs, his mouth was refusing to follow his commands, too. There was a simple way for the
men to check who it was and what his intentions were, but McBride was unable to communicate.
Caleb looked down at McBride, his gaze alternately tender then frustrated. After what seemed like forever but was probably only seconds, Caleb let out a long sigh and turned his attention away from McBride.
“Devon, go find out who’s headed this way.”
“You expect me to just walk out there empty-handed?” Devon’s aquamarine eyes showed his fear. “What if he’s armed?”
“Did the valet say he was?” Caleb asked.
Jonas’s eyes went big, and it was clear he was regretting not inquiring about more details. Worse, McBride couldn’t tell them there was a cache of guns in the big equipment shed. “He just said a lone man was coming up the long drive.”
“I don’t think it’s wise to head out there, weapon in hand.” Caleb looked down at McBride, who was able to nod in agreement. “Simply get on a dressiter and go out as near as you need to in order to assess the situation. If he’s hostile, come back and we’ll decide what to do. If he’s friendly, check him for weapons then bring him on up to the big house.”
“We can’t let anyone from town see the sheriff like this.” Jonas was still keeping Ollie tucked behind him.
As obvious as it was that Caleb didn’t want to agree with Jonas on general principals, he also wasn’t a pigheaded fool. “No, we can’t.” Caleb knelt down, giving McBride a breath of his wicked scent. Even drenched in sweat, the man smelled nothing but good. “I’m going to pick you up and carry you over to the big house.”
Devon Morgan [Seven Brothers for McBride 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 1