by Cara Adams
Then she shivered. Damn. If she didn’t want to catch pneumonia she needed to get changed, right now. Together, she and Tegan hurried back up to the clinic, leaving the crowd still oohing and aahing over the rocks and the piece of knife under Harry Harrison’s control. As head of security he could decide whether or not it was important.
Tegan turned and high-fived Karen. “We did it, girlfriend!”
“Hell yes!”
Now if I could just work out how to get Gus and Toby into an ongoing relationship with me, life would be perfect.
* * * *
Gus felt his cell phone vibrate and checked his messages. Please attend for a second interview tomorrow at nine.
Well that was positive. He’d been just about convinced he was out of the running for the job. It was only as a bouncer, but frankly, a job was a job. He wasn’t sure how long the manager at the BDSM club would be happy for him to just help out here and there. Although he was certainly working the hours. Today he’d done the lunchtime shift on the bar, then cleaned and restocked it ready for the evening rush, as well as preparing all the orders for tomorrow. All the boss had to do was phone the order through. Gus had counted out and checked all the supplies. But still, he was employed as a Dom and he wasn’t able to do that anymore now he was with Toby and Karen.
With Toby and Karen. That sounded so cold. Yet could he really say he was “in a relationship” when they hadn’t actually discussed it? I reckon I can. Everyone seems to want to be together. Hmm, that reminds me, we need to see about getting Toby identity papers. But first, I need to plan a new dungeon scene for us all. A scene that will draw Karen and Toby out, that will make them understand we belong together. Something that will stretch their nerves, heighten their responses, and bring us together as a triad.
Gus paced the rooftop as was his habit when he was thinking. Then he went through his tai chi routine. By the time he was done, he was relaxed and his head was clear. He went into his apartment and planned the BDSM scene that would conclude with him asking them to agree to be a unit. Toby was a strong man under his quiet exterior. He’d faced a lot of difficulties with grace and strength. Likely he hadn’t even realized just how strong he truly was to have survived alone against all the roadblocks put in his way. He was a man any Dom would be proud to call his sub. Karen was beautiful, smart, witty, and stirred his cock in a way no woman ever had before. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
Gus blinked. Did I just say that? I can’t imagine life without her?
It’s true. She’s a part of me now. Life without her would be dull and monotonous, not worth living. I love her!
Gus sat at his desk for a long time, coming to terms with the revelation of being in love. He couldn’t remember being in love since he was a young man, but this was totally different. Karen had snuck up on him unawares. She’d buried herself in his heart when he wasn’t paying attention. But now, he knew he had to have her. She was his on every possible level. Which just made it even more important that he got a job so they could all be together.
* * * *
Gus was feeling somewhat confident as he waited to be escorted up to Mr. Raymond’s office. Surely he wouldn’t have been offered a second interview if they weren’t seriously considering offering him the job. Although his mind still had trouble coming to grips with the idea of a second interview for a bouncer position.
The same athletic young man in the gray suit came and collected him, and they went up the broad stairs to the next level and down the hallway to the end of the building and the other elevator.
This time Gus was half-prepared to answer a baseball question, but the young man was silent.
Again they made the long walk back up the hallway and along the second hallway to Mr. Raymond’s office. Gus took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, thanked the young man, and entered.
And nearly tripped over his own two feet. Sitting behind the desk was not Mr. Raymond, but Mr. Vukic, the Alpha of the werewolf pack. The Alpha was tall and extremely solid with the black hair and black eyes of a traditional black wolf. His skin was tanned a dark brown, and there were a few flecks of gray in his eyebrows and hair. Gus thought he was in his late fifties.
Gus stopped still and stood at attention, waiting to be told what the fuck was going on.
“Sit, sit, Augustus.”
Gus sat, but kept his spine straight, looking at the Alpha, wondering if he’d stepped into an alternate universe, or perhaps a nightmare.
“The bouncer position has been filled.”
Well, why the fuck did you ask me to come here?
Gus clenched his teeth and remained silent.
“The manager position is still vacant. Tell me why I should offer it to you.”
No wonder the fucking man was the Alpha. He’d kept Gus off balance since he’d walked through the door. Thinking fast, Gus said, “I know all about how to run a club. I can already see ways to make this club more profitable. I’m a Dom and will run a tight ship.”
“You aren’t a wolf.”
No, but I hope to partner with one real soon. “That’s correct, sir, but I’m used to working with wolves and believe I understand them.”
“You understand them so well you’ve been the fucking the brains out of one of my best females.”
Oh shit! “Yes, sir, but I plan to partner officially with Karen and Toby in the near future.”
“Right after I provide Toby with his identity documents.”
Fucking hell! Keeping up with the Alpha’s thought processes was taking more energy than walking up the Thousand Steps. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
The Alpha then peppered Gus with rapid-fire questions, allowing him no time to think through his answers until Gus was beginning to believe a real firing squad couldn’t be harder to face than this man.
“Good. You’re hired. Andy will take you over every inch of this property now. You’ll finish the tour in your office where you will write me a report detailing at least three improvements you can make immediately and several more to introduce over the coming year. Your starting salary will be ten percent higher than the departing manager’s, and you’ll receive a bonus if the membership rises fifteen percent and a second bonus if the profits jump fifteen percent. Agreed?”
Gus’s brain was reeling. He was hired. He had a job. “Agreed, sir.”
Gus stood up and the Alpha nodded at him. “You can move into the manager’s apartment tomorrow. I expect you to be ready to start work on Monday. I also expect you to formalize arrangements with Karen and Toby promptly. Your apartment here is plenty big enough for three. Good-bye.”
“Good-bye, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Gus managed to walk out of the room but only just. He had a job and an apartment and the Alpha’s approval to partner with Karen and Toby. All in an instant. His brain was reeling with the speed at which everything had happened.
“Right, sir. Do you want to start in the basement and work your way up, or at the top and work down?” asked the young man in the gray suit, presumably Andy.
“I think we’ll start with a strong black coffee and a notepad and pen.”
Gus grinned at Andy and the other man grinned back. “Yeah, the Alpha does have that effect on people.”
* * * *
When Toby came inside from doing his morning chores the red message light was flashing on the farm’s answering machine. Toby never answered calls, but he did like to listen to the messages just in case it was something important and he needed to call Quinn and let him know.
He pressed the button and it was Ambrielle. “Hey, Toby, you really need to tell me your cell phone number. This call’s urgent. Josie from Wolf Central rang to say you have an appointment there at noon. I hope you get this message in time.”
Toby hurried into the kitchen to check the clock. It was only eleven. As long as he showered fast he’d be fine. Of course, he didn’t have a cell phone. It was not something he’d needed very often. However, this was the second
time recently it would have been good if he’d had one. If he stayed here, he’d get one. If. Hell yes, this might be his opportunity for a normal life. If Josie actually let him make an appointment.
All the way into town Toby tried to work out whether he was on his way to an appointment with the Alpha, or if this was just the meeting to set up the appointment. If he’d had a phone perhaps Josie would have told him some available timeslots and booked his meeting like that. He refused to let his hopes grow too high that this was an actual meeting with the Alpha. It might be, but then again, maybe not.
When he reached Josie’s desk it was five minutes to twelve. He’d made it. She handed him a small business card. “Write your cell phone number on it, please.”
“I don’t have a cell phone.”
“E-mail address then.”
He shook his head.
“So how do I contact you?”
Toby felt himself blushing. “I hope to get a cell phone soon. Meanwhile, leaving a message at the shape-shifter clinic with Ambrielle would work.”
Josie shook her head. “Welcome to the nineteenth century. All right, take the lift up to the fourth floor and wait in room 403.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Well, that sounded more hopeful. More like an interview than just being given a time for one. Toby pressed the button for four, noting that the elevator only had numbers to be pressed up to four. After that there was an electronic eye, so presumably people needed a swipe card to go higher.
He stepped off the elevator looking right and left, but unlike in many big buildings there were no signs indicating which way to turn for various rooms. He turned right and quickly found that was correct. Room 401 was on his right and 402 on his left. There were no more doors for quite a few paces, and he was wondering if perhaps he’d turned the wrong way after all, when he came to 403. The door was standing open, and several people were gathered around a table. Hesitantly he waited in the doorway. He searched his memory, but he was certain Josie’d said 403. Perhaps all these people were waiting for appointments.
He stepped inside the room and stood against the wall, not wanting to be too conspicuous, but one of the men saw him and said, “Mr. Hawk?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Good. Come and sit here.”
Instantly, all the people stopped talking and looked at him. Every fear Toby’d ever had rushed to his gut, and he had to swallow hard against the roiling nausea. His brow was covered in sweat, and perspiration was dripping down his spine. He was glad he’d been told to sit because otherwise he’d have either fainted or run away. He’d never been the center of attention like this before. Attention was dangerous. Invisible was best. What did these people want? Was he about to be exposed and sent to a mental health institution? Surely the wolves wouldn’t harm him. After all, they were shape-shifters, too, and understood the necessity to be hidden.
“My name’s Bob. I believe you need identity papers. Is that correct?”
How did they know? He hadn’t said anything to Josie or Oscar. Surely Karen or Gus hadn’t said anything. “I didn’t say anything to Josie.”
Bob just looked at him. “When you asked to meet the Alpha he wanted to know why. His understanding was that you need identity papers. This meeting has been set up on the basis of that assumption. Is it correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Otherwise all these people would be wasting their time. Now, where were you born and what is your date of birth?”
“I know my date of birth. I’m thirty-five, but I don’t know where I was born. I think probably in the Arizona desert though, where my mother had friends.”
One of the other men, a slender man with pale skin asked, “You’re not a wolf, though. What shape-shifter are you?”
Once again Toby’s heart pounded, and a lump of fear almost prevented him from speaking. He gulped in some air and swallowed hard. “A hawk.”
“Right. The most likely heritage for you then is a Native American from the Navajo Nation. A hawk would be a perfect fit for them,” said the pale man.
Other people asked other questions. He was stood against the wall and half a dozen photographs taken of him, and then he was told to change his button-down shirt for a sweater someone handed him, and more pictures were taken. Gradually Toby relaxed. These people were brusque, businesslike, but not threatening. The questions they asked were to help them provide him with his papers.
At the end of two hours he had a birth certificate, a driver’s license, a social security card, a bank account, and even a high school diploma.
“How can I ever thank the Alpha?” he asked.
“It is usual to work for the Alpha to repay a debt. That might be in your regular job, or doing a project for him that requires your special skills. Since you’re a hawk, you should have no trouble repaying him. He’s very fair and doesn’t abuse his power,” said Bob.
“Thank you.”
Toby looked around the room at all the people who’d helped him. “Thank you all very much. You’ve given me the hope of living a normal life and I’ll never forget you.”
There were mumbles in reply, but Toby doubted that any of them understood what a radical, life-changing thing had just happened to him. From being a nobody and an outcast, now he was somebody. A person with all the paperwork he needed to live just like everyone else. Now he could go looking for a real job, save up some money, be able to join in fully with Karen and Gus. He wouldn’t be dependent on charity anymore, or what he could earn in tips. He’d be a contributor to society. And the first thing he’d buy would be a gift for Karen.
Wynter had told him all about Karen, Tegan, and herself finding the gold bricks in the lake and solving the problem of George Thorne. Of course it was still too soon to know if the shape-shifter clinic would be allowed to keep them, although Sierra was hopeful they would be, but at the very least there’d be a handsome reward paid to them. He would buy a tiny gold brick lucky charm for Karen to remind her of her discovery. With a bracelet or a pendant to hang it from. He’d get a job and give Karen the jewelry, and then he’d tell her he loved her and ask Dom Augustus to be his Dom permanently and let the three of them stay together.
He loved Karen so much, and at long last he’d be able to demonstrate his love for her knowing he’d never have to run away again.
All he needed to do was find a job, and with a high school diploma at last it should be easier than ever before.
* * * *
“Stand back to back, spines together, in the center of the dungeon.”
Karen was really looking forward to this dungeon scene. She sensed an air of excitement about both Toby and Dom Augustus and was intensely curious as to what it was they knew and she didn’t. First, the dungeon scene, then she’d get their news out of them. She was an expert at finding out people’s secrets, and these two men wouldn’t be able to hold back from telling her.
Of course they might be planning to tell her anyway. Which wouldn’t be half as much fun as extracting the information from them, but one way or another she’d know what was going on by the end of the evening.
However, right now, she was intrigued as to what Dom Augustus had planned for them.
She rested her butt against Toby’s taut ass and waited for the next instruction.
“Arms outstretched at shoulder height, feet shoulder width apart.”
It was sexy to move her body to fulfill the Dom’s instructions while feeling Toby’s skin touching hers. Almost as if they were two parts of the one whole, moving together to make a picture or pattern with their bodies.
Dom Augustus slipped a blindfold over her eyes. Well fuck! That makes it harder. But she was a wolf with excellent hearing, so she’d just have to concentrate her resources on listening for clues.
“Entwine your fingers.”
Toby’s arms were longer than hers, so she waited while he bent his elbows then she was able to clasp hands and fingers with him. As soon as their fingers were entwin
ed there was the snap of a handcuff locking them together.
Karen felt hands on her ankles and a piece of wood pushing against her feet. Dom Augustus tapped one foot then the other, and she stepped on the block of wood, finding it was just the right height to mean she was now as tall as Toby and their arms were much more comfortable.
He is a good Dom. So considerate. Not that I’ve worked out what his plan is, as yet.
A rope joined them around the waist, tying them together, and then there was silence. Karen listened hard and finally thought she heard the faintest hiss from Toby, but had no idea what it meant. Until she felt a clothespin grip one nipple, and another on the other nipple. Next there were clothespins on her labia, one on her belly button and some on her inner thighs. Oh, that’s sneaky. I never knew the inner thighs were erogenous zones.
Now Dom Augustus began to tease them in all seriousness. He used a flogger on bits of her skin, and she could hear the air move through it as he flogged Toby. She was flogged on her legs and around her waist, across her hips, and on her shoulders.
Next came a wire brush, prickling over her skin, harder, then lighter, never where she would have expected it to be, always surprising and arousing her.
Behind her she felt sweat on her back and didn’t know if it was her own reaction or Toby’s, but it was still erotic. They were both being aroused together. She could smell the tang of their sweat and also Toby’s arousal and her own. The harder she concentrated, the more she realized she could tell just from the faint aromas in the room. She’d recognize both men by their personal masculine scent anywhere, now.
A weight rested around her neck. “Are you mine, Karen? Do you agree to be my sub?”
“Yes, sir.” She hadn’t spent much time thinking about a collar, but she trusted Dom Augustus completely, and loved him as well. The answer was easy to give, a promise she would keep.