by Lynn Hagen
He reached into his drawer, grabbing his aspirin bottle and popping a few. Sometimes being an Alpha was a job needing many hats, counselor being at the top of the list. The urge to go to Jackson and kill him was strong. That fucker had screwed these men up pretty bad. How the hell did someone like that even survive childhood?
“Hey, baby.”
Zeus grinned when Jasper came into his office, crawling onto his lap.
“I know that look. What’s eating you?” Jasper asked.
“Hopefully you in five seconds.”
Jasper laughed, and Zeus’s headache disappeared. “My pleasure.” His mate slid from his lap, and Zeus forgot all about vampires, mates, and wounded soldiers.
Jaxxon and Sully sat in Harold’s deli, watching across the street. “I’m getting bored,” Jaxxon complained.
“Zeus said more bloodsuckers were showing up, so we wait.”
“Better not let Knox here you use that word,” Jaxxon warned.
“Weird, ain’t it?”
Jaxxon nodded. They were going to have one in their home. Well, it was better than having Jackson there. He’d take a vampire any day over that bitch.
Jaxxon hated the fact that he had the same name as their ex-Alpha. It may be spelled differently, but it still fucked with his head. He nudged Sully, nodding his head at the pharmacy across the street and one door over from the grocery store. “Did you see that?”
“Yeah, looks like the party is getting started.” Sully and Jaxxon crept out of the back entrance into the parking lot in the back and made their way around.
Sammy giggled as Trevor turned the volume up, dancing his way back over to him. “I’ve never danced to rap music before.”
“Just feel it, little darling.” Trevor grabbed him and began grinding against him. His shoulders fell back as his hips swayed. Sammy nestled his body between Trevor’s legs, running his hands over his body as the music entered their blood. Damn, Trevor could dance.
Sammy pushed away and began popping his ass as he danced close. Trevor grinned at him. Trevor danced so seductively that Sammy wanted to get naked. He slapped his ass and wiggled it for Trevor, who growled and pulled Sammy close, skimming his hands down Sammy’s back and grabbing his ass.
“Come on, Knox.” Sammy ran over and pulled the shifter from the couch. Knox looked lost. Trevor pulled his hand and brought them chest to chest. He ran his hands over Knox’s back, pulling his mate closer. Knox was stiff until Sammy got behind him, lacing his fingers into the belt loops on the shifter’s pants, and moved Knox’s hips for him.
“It’s not hard, dancing at least.” Trevor leaned forward and ran his tongue over Knox’s lips. His mate growled and grabbed him around his waist, swaying back and forth as Sammy danced around them. The guy seemed to be in his own little world.
Trevor ground his erection into Knox and smiled a devilish grin. “But that’s hard.” His heart was beating out of control. Knox was not only dancing with him. He wasn’t pulling away.
“Do you have any more music like this?” Sammy asked as he wedged his body between theirs.
Trevor ran his hand over Sammy’s head, smiling down at his small mate. “In my car.”
“Will you get it? Pleeeeeease.”
Now how could he resist that? Trevor kissed Knox deeply and then walked to the door. “I’ll be right back, get naughty.” He chuckled.
He jogged down the back steps and out into the back parking lot. His MP3 player was in the glove box. It had a whole selection of music to choose from. He opened the glove box and pushed things around until his hand curled around it.
“Thought you would challenge Michael and walk away?”
Trevor stilled with his hand still in the glove box. He wasn’t sure how many vampires were behind him, but he knew who was talking. “Hello, Tyson.” Trevor straightened and turned around. He mentally cursed when he saw that there were four of them. It was going to take a lot of energy to take down all of them.
“Don’t fucking hello me. You challenge our leader and then run like a little bitch.”
“I left because I didn’t want to be your ringleader.”
Tyson laughed. “You that confident you would have taken Michael out?”
Trevor tossed the player on the passenger seat and closed the door. “More than.” He did not want to deal with this right now, not when he had two very hot guys upstairs waiting on him. Tyson and his popgun gang had the worst timing.
“Looks like we’re right on time for your party.”
Trevor growled when he saw two shifters come walk around to the back of Theo’s. Now shifters wanted to fuck with him? All he wanted was to get back upstairs and fuck, get fucked, and soak the sheets with hot and sweaty bodies.
Fighting could wait.
Tyson’s dumb ass was the first to charge. Trevor had no choice but to defend himself. He twisted his body out of the way as Tyson reached his claws out. If the shifters kept the others occupied, then he could take down the two attacking him.
Trevor extended his claws and exposed his fangs as he ripped into the guy next to Tyson, taking him down easily. Taking down Tyson seemed a bit more challenging. His claw swiped across Trevor’s chest, a gash opening and blood spanning across his shirt.
“You fucker.” Trevor feigned a left hook and then came in with an uppercut, swirling around and raking his extended claws across Tyson’s back. He clutched his hand to his chest, trying to stop the flow of blood. Trevor felt lightheaded but knew if he gave in to the dizzying waves, Tyson would kill him.
Before he could take Tyson out, he and two of the men fled. Trevor couldn’t stand anymore. He fell to his knees, holding on to consciousness the best he could while his blood flowed freely.
“Trevor!” Knox shouted as he burst through the restaurant door and then shifted, attacking the two shifters that stood around the two dead vampires.
“No,” Trevor cried out weakly, trying to stop Knox from attacking the wolves that had helped him. Sammy ran out, falling to his knees next to Trevor. “They didn’t harm me,” he wheezed.
“Knox, stop!” Sammy shouted. “They helped him.”
Knox backed off and ran to Trevor and Sammy. He shifted back to human form. “What do we do?”
“Blood.” Trevor grunted.
Knox sliced his wrist once more and fed Trevor. He felt all eyes on him, but the need to heal was too great. Trevor drank deeply, Sammy holding onto him. Trevor laced an arm around his small mate.
He licked the wound once he felt his chest closing and mending. The other two shifters stood there with their mouths hanging open, gawking at Trevor.
“I need to get both of you home.” Knox picked Trevor up and laid him in the back seat of his car. “Get in, Sammy.”
Trevor handed his mate the keys, and Knox pulled from the back lot, not giving the other two wolves a second glance.
Sammy held tight to Knox’s hand as they entered the wolf’s large home. He glanced over at Trevor, still unsure if his mate was going to be okay. Sammy had never been more scared in his life than when he saw Trevor on the ground and his shirt covered in blood.
Curious eyes followed them through the halls and down to an office. Sammy moved closer to Trevor when he saw the same tall man from the ceremony.
“Zeus, this is my other mate, Trevor.”
Trevor bowed. Sammy had no clue what the protocol for shape-shifting creatures was, so he bowed, too. He didn’t remember having to do it when first meeting Zeus, but maybe no one wanted to tell him. Sammy didn’t want to take any chances. Trevor gently squeezed Sammy’s hand, and he was grateful for the small encouragement.
“Welcome, gentleman.” Zeus smiled at Sammy, and he felt calmer for some reason.
“Trevor has his old coven looking for him. I just wanted to let you know this and to let you know my mates will be staying with me.”
“Of course, make yourselves at home.” Sammy could see Zeus wanted to say more. Maybe discuss the issue of Trevor’s coven, but
it looked like he was going to do that after he and Trevor were out of ear shot.
He held Knox’s hand once again as he was shown to the wolf’s bedroom. “Here’s where you’ll stay. But you can roam around anywhere inside the house.” Knox sat down on the bed, looking from Sammy to Trevor.
“So, does that mean I can’t go to work?” Sammy was terrified of losing his job. It was all he had, and he wasn’t sure how understanding Theo would be.
As if reading his mind, Knox said, “I’m going to talk with Theo. He’s pack as well, so he understands about mates. He won’t fire you.”
Sammy took a seat on the rug, his brain taking a moment to process what Knox was telling him.
Theo, a wolf? He’d never have guessed it. Sammy jumped when he heard a door slam down the hall. His nerves seemed to be on edge all of the sudden. Trevor took a seat next to him, but instead of sitting, he stretched out beside Sammy.
“Don’t worry, Sammy, we don’t bite.”
Sammy laughed. “Yes you do. At least you bit Trevor.”
“True, but that was different.” Knox’s eyes settled on Trevor, and his cheeks gave off a slight tinge of pink. Sammy thought it was adorable. “You two can use some of my T-shirts to sleep in until I can get your things.” Knox looked at Trevor once more. “Where do you live? I’ll get some clothing for you.”
“Check my trunk.”
Sammy gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sleeping in your car? How?”
“I slept in the trunk during the day, not too comfortable, but it did the trick in a tight pinch.” Trevor shifted to an elbow and ran his hand over Sammy’s face. “Don’t worry about me, little darling. It’s nothing.”
“But you were homeless. I feel so bad that you slept in a trunk.”
Sammy was going to find out what happened to make Trevor leave his home, and everyone he knew. This wasn’t right, and it was exactly what happened to him. He knew more vampires were going to come after Trevor, and maybe they needed a good talking-to, and Sammy was the one to give it to them.
Knox led them down to the kitchen. He knew Trevor didn’t eat food but he didn’t want him to feel left out. It was strange how protective Knox had become since mating the vampire. It was a drive inside of him to keep his mates safe. And he was really starting to like Trevor as well. He had depth to him that Knox never would have guessed at.
His headache came back when Minsheng and Yasuko came into the kitchen. Once again Kamiko was nowhere to be found.
“Which one vampire?”
“Minsheng.” Knox said his name in a warning tone.
“It’s okay.” Trevor chuckled. “That would be me.”
“I see fangs?”
Knox watched as Trevor pulled his top lip back, baring his fangs to Minsheng. The little shit wasn’t even afraid. “We have good dentist in town. Zeus take me once.”
Trevor began to laugh, and Knox relaxed, going back to fixing Sammy his plate.
“I’ve never heard that one before,” Trevor said once he stopped laughing.
“You bite me, I bite back,” Minsheng warned.
“Then I promise not to bite you.”
Knox rolled his eyes. The conversation was becoming too weird for him. He stirred the chili Jasper had made and grabbed some crackers, setting the bowl in front of Sammy. “What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll take a juice if you have one.” His small mate smiled at Knox, and he felt his heart beat a little faster. Sammy had the clearest blue eyes he had ever seen, and when he turned them on Knox, he was a goner.
He pulled his attention away before he started to blush. He’d never blushed in his life until finding his mates. “Where’s Kamiko? Knox asked as he shoveled a spoonful of chili in his mouth.
“Talking to man in closet again,” Minsheng answered.
The spoon clattered to the table as Knox stood, racing to Kamiko’s room.
Chapter Six
Knox, Sully, and Torem searched Kamiko’s room as the small man sat on his bed watching them. The three Asian men had been here for months, and he really didn’t know Kamiko. The guy hardly came out of his bedroom.
“Minsheng said there was a guy in your closet that you talked to,” Knox questioned him when they came up empty.
“No, no man.” Kamiko shook his head.
Knox knelt down in front of the little man. “If someone is bothering you, I’ll stop him. I promise.” After being kidnapped from Japan and being forced into prostitution, Knox would kill anyone that threatened the three, even Minsheng and his sharp tongue.
“No man. No one bother me,” Kamiko repeated. He was so demure that Knox often forgot he was a man. The guy was so effeminate.
“I’m going to take your word for it, but if anyone bothers you, let me know.”
Kamiko stood and bowed. “I will.”
The three left the room. Knox couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had been watching them the whole time.
“They are gone,” Kamiko called into his closet as he opened it. He watched eyes of flame appear and then Takeo’s body soon followed.
“Did they harm you?” Takeo asked.
“No.” Kamiko blushed and sat back down on his carpet. “Now we finish our talk?”
Takeo smiled and sat with him. “Now we finish.”
“So, you really a blood sucker?”
Trevor turned to see a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “Are you really a dog?” he asked.
The shifter chuckled. “Touché.” He pushed from the wall and extended his hand. “Name’s Rave.”
“Trevor.”
“Aside from Prince Christian, I’ve never talked with a vampire before.” Rave spoke as they walked down the hallway. It was almost dawn, but Trevor had become restless as Sammy and Knox slept.
“You know of the prince?”
“He comes here often along with Alpha Maverick Brac.”
Trevor was surprised at the news. Prince Christian wasn’t known to travel outside of his club, The Manacle. It would be an honor if he ever got to meet him. “Thank you for talking with me. I have a feeling my presence here isn’t very welcomed.”
“Nah, ignore these lug heads. Make yourself at home.” Rave grinned and then left Trevor to his wandering. He walked back to the bedroom to find Knox and Sammy cuddled together. Trevor sat on the carpet and wondered how his life had taken such a turn from a week ago.
“You gonna sit down there all night?” Knox asked in the darkness.
“Just thinking.” Trevor watched as Knox pulled away from Sammy and sat on the side of the bed. He studied Trevor for a moment before speaking.
“It’s not you. It’s the whole vampire thing.”
“That clears thing up,” Trevor joked.
Knox chuckled. “That was a little vague, wasn’t it? I just don’t trust easily. Not after what I’ve been through.”
“Do you think I’m evil?” Trevor couldn’t help but become nervous while he waited for Knox to answer his question. Those who weren’t in constant contact with vampires always assumed they were evil from Hollywood movies. Out to drain someone’s body of its fluid and convert them. The truth was, a person had to be born a vampire. Only the prince or an elder could make a vampire.
“No.” He glanced down at Trevor. “Not you.”
“Then why give me such a hard time?” Trevor didn’t want to be enemies with Knox. So how could Trevor diminish a stereotype that someone perceived him to be and nothing more?
“I guess I lumped you in with all the rest of them.”
“But you know that’s not fair to me?” Trevor watched as Knox moved from the bed and onto the floor with him. The shifter was gloriously naked, and Trevor became instantly hard. Knox moved over to him, crawling above him as Trevor’s back was slowly lowered to the carpet. Knox’s mouth was mere inches away, and Trevor desperately wanted to close the gap.
“I know, and I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you.” Knox swooped d
own and captured Trevor’s lips. He moaned and wrapped his legs around Knox’s large waist. Although the man was only two inches taller than his six-three height, his body was massive. Trevor found it such a turn-on.
“You’re so beautiful,” Knox moaned into Trevor’s mouth. He pulled Trevor’s shirt from over his head, kissing his pale chest. Knox was the most incredible masculine sight he had ever beheld. Although Trevor was a man of power and strength, Knox made him feel safe and whole with his massive arms wrapped around him, cocooning him from the world.
Something he desperately needed right now.
“Take me,” Trevor pleaded.
Knox pulled away and divested Trevor of all his clothing. Knox’s hazel eyes drank in Trevor’s body as Trevor lay there naked and exposed. Knox’s hands were everywhere, touching Trevor in places that set him afire. Knox skimmed his knuckles over Trevor’s cock, and he arched his back, wanting that hand to return.
Trevor hissed when Knox took his manhood into his mouth. His knees fell to the sides as Knox took him down his throat.
Trevor’s eyes blazed, the room turning crimson as Knox worked his throat muscles on Trevor’s cock. He could feel Knox’s tongue working the bundle of nerves under the crown. Trevor was lost in the sensation of euphoric pleasure. Never had a lover ever taken their time to make love to his body this way. It was always meaningless, cold, and detached.
Trevor’s hands spanned over hard muscles. His fingers glided over soft hair as his head rolled back, gasping as Knox worked magic on him. He pulled at Knox’s shoulders, not wanting to come like this. He wanted his shifter buried inside of him when he came.
“Fuck me.” His voice was hoarse.
Knox pulled back and walked over to the bedside to grab the lube. Trevor watched tight ass muscles move as Knox approached the bed. His gums itched to sink into each well-muscled mound. When Knox turned, he salivated at the sheer size of his cock. Trevor had held it in his mouth, had felt it deep inside of him, but to see it jutting so proudly was like looking at a work of art. The head was red and swollen. Trickles of pre-cum leaked and glistened.