by Jo Penn
“I do have my own beliefs, Vinncent, and I certainly am not taking sides. I consider each view, weigh the arguments, the evidence, and we make a decision from there,” Emile said calmly but with a sting to his tone. “I believe Kieron to be a good man who has the best interests of his family, friends, pack, and coven at heart. I have extensive evidence of this. I do not understand why your instincts are flaring, but perhaps, instead of instantly believing this undetermined feeling must mean Kieron has a hidden nefarious nature, consider instead it may just be something around him or associated with Kieron. Nothing is ever simple.”
He should have remembered the bond worked two ways.
Vinn thought over what Emile had said and paused, rewound, and went over it again. He glanced at his mate, but Emile was looking out the window, features set in deep thought. Emile was smart, like off the charts intelligent. Couple that with his knowledge of creatures, how many creatures he knew here and around the valley, plus his extensive experience with threats against him and the pride, Vinn knew his mate had said something crucial.
“Have you had many threats over the years?” Vinn asked quietly.
“Numerous. Most never amount to more than angry words and emails.” Emile briefly met Vinn’s eyes before focusing on the road in front of them.
“Stalkers?”
“Very rarely.”
“Okay, so is there anything I should be aware of?” There was, he knew it, felt it through their connection. Emile was thinking of something, but wouldn’t lock on to exactly what it was.
“Not anything worth discussing. I have a lot of work. Feel free to drop me at the High Council building and proceed with your own schedule for the day.”
They left the estate, and Vinn pointed his car toward the center of Milson City that was set up into distinct sections. Where the Aston estate and Durand coven were was known as the Valley, the wealthiest area in Milson City and in the middle of everything. A few blocks away was the start of the café and restaurant district that meandered out toward the upscale residential suburbs. On the other side was the business community and besides that, shopping galore.
The building where the apartment was housed was right in the center of the city between the different sections and a quick drive from the estate.
“Give me today, mate.” Vinn pulled up at the entrance to the building’s underground parking and looked over at Emile.
His. Vinn blinked. Prince Emile Gabriel Teroz Sanchez, the prestigious lion shifter, was his mate. Yet Vinn felt Emile could easily slip through his fingers, like the smoke from his gift. Part of it was having lost Marc nearly twenty years ago embedding a fear that would never abate, never leave him, one that would cripple if he didn’t keep a hold of his sanity.
The other part was Emile himself. It wasn’t so much the lack of affection, rather that the man was so very independent. Vinn doubted Emile needed anyone, possibly even wanted anyone. Had Emile even wanted a mate?
“I won’t give you today, Vinncent, I give you all my days.” Emile reached out and awkwardly patted Vinn’s hand that rested on the steering once, twice. “Let us talk inside.”
Truth. Vinn felt the deep sincerity, the truth of what Emile said, what the man felt. Nodding slowly, looking for something more, something perhaps more profound from his mate, he sighed at finding nothing in those gorgeous dark blue eyes other than honesty. He thought they had connected last night, he was so sure he felt something from Emile, more than lust and close to love, but obviously, he was mistaken.
Turning away, he punched in the passcode for the private underground car park and drove inside. Neither spoke in the elevator to the penthouse, and the tension between them grew. As far as Vinn was concerned, the bond between them didn’t help. It was beyond disappointing. The demon bond was talked about in hushed whispered and awe inspired gasps, but it actually sucked.
What he had wanted so desperately with Marc and would never have because Marc was dead, didn’t give him what he needed with Emile. When Vinn and Marc were together, Vinn was too young to bond them the demon way. Demons had to be twenty-five, Vinn had been a few years short of that and Marc was only a year older and a Halfling. While a lot of creatures with a mixture of paranormal types or human and paranormal were able to bond and claim in their creature kind way, Marc didn’t have that ability. They were mates, they knew it, but they couldn’t bond fully until Vinn was twenty-five.
“You spend a great deal of time in past memories of the mate you have lost.” Emile moved into the living room and sat, crossing his legs and wiping at something on the leg of his trousers.
Emile Sanchez was always so well put together. Vinn always thought that every time he saw the shifter around Milson City and that there was no way to get close to the man.
“I will always be thinking of Marc.” Vinn met his mate’s eyes squarely. “You got a problem with that, Emile?” If he did, then they had bigger problems than he was beginning to believe.
* * * *
Emile was stunned and wondered if the demon realized his thoughts and feelings flooded the connection linking them for all time. He doubted the man did, far too lost in his pain, disappointment, and worry. It hurt, like a knife through the heart, that Vinncent didn’t trust Emile, didn’t have the ultimate belief he would never harm his mate, would never leave him, would never grow tired of Vinn. But Emile was not one to be dissuaded and overcome with emotions. He could see reason through the pain and considered how to approach the situation. Emile would not dismiss Vinncent’s anguish over the loss of Marc. That was the demon’s pain to carry, his to own. Emile hoped he could help ease it one day. At present, they were having a communication breakdown. Doubts were filtering in. His mate was a strong man mentally and emotionally, but most people had doubts and worries. It was normal, natural.
What Emile must do was alleviate what doubts and worries he could. Smiling, he stood and casually flicked open the buttons on his shirt.
“Emile?” Vinncent’s cool silver eyes became hot liquid silver.
Emile undid his cufflinks and carefully placed them precisely in the center of the side table, then slid his shirt off and draped it neatly over the back of the chair.
“Yes, mi corazón?”
Liquid silver eyes stopped roaming Emile’s chest and flew up to his face. “Heart?”
“Of course. You are my mate and forever in my heart.”
Undoing the button and zip, Emile slid his tailored pants off his legs, rather pleased to have them off as they had a spot on them and required cleaning. He ignored the heated growl and removed his underwear, placing it with the rest of his clothes.
Fingers trailed over his spine. Emile shivered from the delicious contact. Sex, intimacy, had never felt more than mildly pleasant before Vinncent. Emile knew exactly why, as did those in his family, but others did not always understand.
It was his gift. He was precision, exact in everything. While he did not always wish to utilize his gift, and certainly not in relationships, being precise was a deep part of him. How could he be with someone when it was not precisely right? While he may like and admire others, to be with them, to share, when they were not connecting completely hurt his nature.
Turning, he found himself pulled into strong arms against a hard, hot chest. “You need to step back, Vinncent.”
“No—”
Emile raised his brows. “I wish to share with you.”
After a searching look and a hard kiss, Vinncent held his hands up and away from their bodies and stepped back.
“Further,” Emile instructed.
With an exaggerated sigh, the demon stepped back, looking frustrated. Amused, Emile flashed a smile. He enjoyed his mate. Vinncent wasn’t smooth, he wasn’t charming and didn’t always want to listen and do the right thing. He was open and honest, possibly too honest at times, full of emotions and…full of wonderful goodness and faults. It was refreshing and exhilarating to Emile, who was afflicted with perfection and precision, so much so
it could rule his life. He longed for discord and openness, disharmony and…love.
Hmm, his triplets would tease him endlessly that they had been right. He had needed a mate to feel the love, to want to feel love.
“Emile—”
He shifted and because it felt so good, stretched, flicked out his white mane, and roared.
“Holy shit!”
Emile blinked slowly up as Vinncent approached and crouched down beside him.
“You are magnificent – oomph!”
As a lion, an extremely rare white lion, Emile butted his big head against the demon’s chest and knocked the creature back on his ass. He smiled a big cat grin and flicked his tongue across his mate’s throat and cheek, savoring the delicious flavor of musky man, demon, and mate. Purring, Emile laid his body down on top of that big hard body he wanted and purred.
A deep chuckle rumbled and shook his body. “You’re just a big, affectionate kitty, aren’t you?”
Emile sniffed disdainfully. He was not a kitty. He was a majestic lion, the king of the desert plains – oh, yes, that was fantastic! Scratch right there!
Vinncent was good at discovering all the places Emile liked to be scratched. He purred, hissed when he didn’t like something, sniffed his mate’s scent, and rubbed all over Vinncent until the man smelt like a mixture of both of them, and importantly, he smelt like he belonged to Emile.
Getting up, he wrinkled his nose at smelling another lion, two actually, and a part one. To remove the other lions from his territory, Emile climbed furniture and rubbed himself along the walls. Vinncent laughed and bitched that Vicus, the other lion, wasn’t going to like that.
They wrestled, chased, and played, Emile revealing a side of himself that only his family and a few very close friends ever saw.
“Shift back, now, mate.” Vinncent flopped onto the large curved sofa.
Emile did, stretching and sweeping a hand through his hair. It was irritating how his hair never went back to how it was before he shifted.
“You have a wave in your hair.” Vinncent grinned.
“Do I?” Emile glided a hand over his hair, smirking at Vinncent’s startled expression. “It is handy to have a gift such as mine.”
“I’ll say. Just a wave of your hand and your hair is perfect.”
“Yes, it is precisely in place. Though I usually would not use my gift for such a small task, it is rather fun to see your surprise.” Emile joined his mate on the sofa, uncaring about his nudity. “Our gifts are a deep part of who a creature is. Take for instances, Ran, your brother Vicus’s mate. My brother Dominic has the gift of soothing, though he can twist this to cause damage to others. Dominic is training and working with Ran who has a calming gift. Dominic is a soothing nature, others are drawn to him because of this. Ran exudes gentle and calm.
We use our gifts in everyday to important tasks. Ran will sit in a courtroom and calm creatures down so as to discuss urgent matters and resolve situations. I can utilize my gift to have my clothes precisely in place, an ornament exactly the correct measures on a table, or direct a missile with precision.”
Vinn’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. You can do that?”
“I can. I am powerful enough to control a rocket, a missile or fix my hair into place with a little concentration. I am precise in what I do, my gift is a part of me and can dictate my actions, but it does not take me over. I am also a man and a lion, and your mate. Do you doubt my commitment to our mateship?”
“You felt all that before, hey?” The big, gruff demon glared at the floor, hands clenched into fists on his knees.
Emile slipped his hand into his mate’s. “We are joined. I feel you, Vinncent, in every part of me. You are caught up in your pain that fills your soul and stops you sensing my presence, nor feel my affection. I respect that Marc will always be with you, through your love of him I begin to understand and will never take that from you. I know the worry you carry from having lost a mate will always be with you and I accept this, though also know at times I will find it difficult—”
“I will try—”
“Vinncent.” Emile squeezed Vinn’s hand. “I am not unfeeling. Why would I be with my mate? I do have the capacity to be compassionate, but I, too, have feelings and will at times have feet of clay. So, we will bear with each other and accept our faults, our strengths, and be forever thankful we found one another. I, for one, am grateful. While I never understood why my family and friends found me challenging and indifferent to their emotions, and I may not have thought of having a mate, I never envisaged having you. I believe you are very brave, Vinncent Aston. You have, despite unimaginable pain, kept the vow you made to your mate and lived. You kept that promise, Vinncent, and though confused, perhaps conflicted, hurting for what could have been and what you have lost, you continue and open your heart to me. I admire you, mate.” Emile smiled, his eyes alight. “And you bring me joy.”
* * * *
The darkness in Vinn’s soul shifted and shrunk. It would always be there, there would be times when he would drown in it, but the love he had for Emile, for his family, brought him happiness. The lion shifter was even more than Vinn could have ever guessed. There was real strength and depth of character to the man, a generosity and caring that Vinn would treasure.
“I love you, Emile.”
“Come show me how you love me, mi corazón.”
Vinn kissed his mate, never able to get enough of Emile’s taste, and the passion that was between them. They rose from the sofa, Vinn leading the way into the nearest bedroom. It only took a moment for Vinn to strip off his dark green jumper and drop his black jeans and kick them and his boots off. Taking his mate into his arms, Vinn wanted to show just how much he loved the prestigious creature that was his. He grabbed the lube in the top drawer beside the bed, and they kissed as he laid them down.
He loved his mate’s body, every smooth line, the muscles that flexed beneath silk and Emile’s scent drove Vinn crazy with lust. He loved how Emile gave himself entirely, and the passion between them burned hotter than the fires inside him. Using his hands, lips, and tongue, he kissed, licked, and touched every inch of his mate, nipping here and there and leaving love bites.
Emile returned the caresses, trailing his lips and tongue over Vinn’s chest while fingertips glided down his chest, over his abs, and lightly brushed his weeping cock. Vinn desperately wanted to toss Emile back on the bed and fuck him hard, but at the same time he couldn’t move, his lion now had full control and was playing Vinn’s body with each sensual stroke.
Finally, after teasing with those light strokes, Emile took Vinn’s cock in hand and stroked him from head to base, nearly making Vinn spill.
Five more strokes and Vinn snarled and pulled Emile back up the bed. He didn’t waste any more time, kissing Emile hungrily as he lubed his fingers and stretched Emile’s hole as quickly as he could without causing any pain. By the time he was pushing his prick inside his mate, they were both so on edge neither would last more than a dozen thrusts. Their loving became almost desperate, their bodies joining and moving together, touching, and kissing, Vinn getting closer with each thrust deep inside his mate’s tight, slick warmth.
When they came it was together, their bodies so tangled with one another he felt they were one fully, the intimacy so deep he never wanted to be apart from his mate.
“You never will be.” Emile gently brushed hair from Vinn’s forehead.
No, they would never be apart. Vinn was a demon, and his kind bonded, which meant they could not be far from one another for long, but what he felt for Emile was more than the demon bond of mates. Vinn just didn’t want to be away from his lion.
Vinn leaned down and brushed his lips over Emile’s. “What do you want to do this afternoon? Order pizza? Watch a ball game? Fuck some more?”
Emile chuckled and wiggled. “For now, I wish to shower and clean up. After, wine, and if we must have pizza, make sure it is the good one from Enzo's.”
Letting hi
s mate up, they showered together, and while Emile was drying off, Vinn pulled on his black jeans and poured a glass of wine and grabbed a beer. About to pop the top on the beer, he was forestalled by an alarm going off.
Emile walked into the room. “Someone has broken in?”
Immediately, he went into action. “Yep. Dress.”
Jumping up, Vinncent went directly to the security panel on the wall.
“I would prefer not to wear those pants again. Are there perhaps spares in the bedroom?”
“What?” Vinn grunted, distracted. “Dress, mate.”
“I will not put those pants on. They have a mark.”
For a moment, Vinn was stumped. There was a mark?! Then he recalled how Emile reacted to the drink Davor gave the lion shifter in Zurich and Drake calling his brother ‘nutty.’ Emile could be a touch pedantic. Snorting a laugh, he flicked the screens and saw a dozen creatures at the entrance to the building. He recognized Jax Turner, a lion shifter, and bodyguard for the Sanchez’s.
“There are dozens of clothes, used and new, in the bedrooms. Choose what you like, Lacey and Jayce keep the place stocked for all sizes. Jax and some of the pride bodyguards are here. Must be something going on. Where’s your phone?”
“In my pants pocket.” Emile tensed, eyes narrowing ominously. “Do not touch my phone, Vinncent. I have valuable, confidential, information I do not want to be lost.”
Shit. Puffing out a growl, Vinn nodded and watched his mate grab his clothes while suspiciously watching Vinn and backing out of the room. Yeah, his mate had a few quirks. Fortunately, Vinn found them amusing.
Pulling out his own phone while watching his naked mate slam a bedroom door, Vinn put a call through.
“Yo. What’s happening, bro? I can see a half dozen pride bodyguards breaking into the apartment building. You want back up?”
“No. I was going to ask for Jax’s number, but since they’re already on their way in—” Vinn winced as one of the bodyguards took an electric shock and lay twitching on the floor. The rest of the group left him there. “I’ll just chat with them when they get here.”