Shawn pulled his lips away from Valentin’s and rained small kisses over his cheek and jaw, latching on the perfectly shaped earlobe, sucking it hard in time with his fingers over the nipple.
“You taste so good. Did you know that? You. Are. Sweet. And. Soft. And. Feel. So. Good.” The words were whispered between more kisses over his lover’s face. Valentin whimpered and arched his back, his head thrown back, exposing his throat in a silent offering.
The look on Valentin’s face matched the submissiveness of the gesture, the eyes darker than ever, glazed, half-lidded, and the offering was too much for Shawn to refuse. He let out a possessive growl and slammed his mouth over the soft skin under Valentin’s ear. He bit, hard enough to feel it, but not enough to break the skin, and sucked, drawing the blood closer to the surface.
“Oh, God! Harder!” Shawn wasn’t sure what his lover was asking for, for him to suck harder or for harder nipple play, and maybe Valentin didn’t know either. Shawn’s mouth shifted to the other nipple and Valentin’s hips lifted off the ground. He let his hand roam freely, eager to learn the gorgeous body under him, the soft, smooth skin covering the ribs, taut abs, the patch of skin above the waist of those painted-on jeans.
The moans and whimpers Valentin made were coming louder and louder, the sweetest music in Shawn’s ears. He knew he had to hurry or he’d embarrass himself, coming in his jeans like a horny teenager.
* * * *
Valentin was on fire, so aroused he thought he might explode. Once the link between them had been opened, he’d been unable to seal it again, but in that moment, with Shawn on top of him, he couldn’t care less. Everything his lover felt, arousal, a huge amount of possessiveness, hell, the man was practical screaming mine in his head, and the joy of discovery, was mixing with his own emotions until he couldn’t tell where Shawn’s ended and his began.
The mouth on his body was doing amazing things, and every touch of his lover’s hand on his skin was sending fresh waves of heat through his body. Every cell, every atom in him was awake. Nothing around him mattered anymore, not the chill of the night, or the wet ground at his back, just the man holding him in his arms and the response said man was awakening in him.
Shawn’s hand trailed to the waistband of his jeans, and Valentin pushed his hips upwards, searching for more friction. He felt Shawn’s brief hesitation, his hand hovering just above the snap of the jeans, oh, God, don’t stop now, and allowed himself to breathe only when the snap was popped open and a warm hand wormed its way inside his pants. The hand enveloped his aching cock, and he almost lost it.
Valentin lifted his shoulders from the ground, sneaked a hand around Shawn’s neck, and jerked his head up, crashing their mouths together. The other hand went straight for Shawn’s fly and, without much fumbling with the zipper, he had his hand on the prize. The heated episode from earlier had been nice and everything, but he wanted more. All of it. When his hand first touched Shawn’s dick, Shawn hid his face in the crook of his neck, his breath coming out in pants.
Valentin stilled and let out a loud cry when a callused palm rubbed around the head of his cock. Desperate for more contact, his other hand joined the first one at the waistband of Shawn’s jeans and tried to push them lower. Down! Now! Fuck! NOW! His movements matched his frantic thoughts. It was a wonder he managed to lower them in one piece without ripping those damn things in the process.
“Oh, God! I need.” Shawn growled.
“It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you. I know what you need.” It felt good to be the one in control. The fact that Shawn was actually on top of him was unimportant. Valentin was the one calling the shots. Shawn was humping against him, pushing his cock between his hands, his entire body shaking. In that moment, he was Shawn’s whole world, and that knowledge alone was enough to send him over the edge.
* * * *
Raw need rushed through Shawn body. His pupils changed, glowing in the dark and turning to slits, his fangs sprang free and sank into the tender flesh between Valentin’s shoulder and neck. Blood gushed in his mouth, and for the second time that evening the taste of his mate hit his palate. My mate. The words filled him with a joy more intense than anything he ever felt before. The walls he’d erected around his heart shattered.
Valentin’s cock was throbbing against his own, his hand hot and rough on his skin and the first tingles of an impending orgasm made his balls draw tight. He tightened his grip around the body under him and drew another mouthful of blood. Valentin bucked and shuddered and came with a rush, wet heat splashing over his stomach. The smell of his release and the small jerks Valentin’s cock gave against his own sent Shawn over the edge. With the last bit of control, he pulled his fangs out and let himself go. His eyes squeezed shut, nose buried in Valentin’s hair, he rode out each wave of pleasure shaking his body.
* * * *
Valentin kept rubbing both of their cocks through Shawn’s release, the rhythm slowly decreasing only after Shawn’s body stopped jerking on top of him. Shawn’s head was still hidden in the crook of Valentin’s shoulder so he couldn’t see his face, but he could smell Shawn’s release and it was intoxicating. Spit pooled in his mouth. Would it taste as good as it smelled? He extracted his hand from between their bodies and brought the cum-splashed fingers to his mouth. Sensing the move, Shawn lifted his head, his eyes still wild and dazed. Locking his eyes with Shawn’s, Valentin stuck out his tongue and licked their mixed seed from his fingers. Before the movement was completed, his insides clenched, fear of how his gesture would be received burning him and yet he was unable, and unwilling, to stop himself. If that was everything he was going to have with Shawn, he wanted to make the most out of it.
The gray eyes followed intently every move, reminding him of the magnificent feline lurking under Shawn’s skin. Valentin licked his fingers clean, briefly wishing it was only his lover he was tasting. He is gonna bolt. Any minute now he will realize what he is doing and will run like crazy in the other direction.
* * * *
Shawn was fighting a fresh wave of arousal as he watched the tip of Valentin’s tongue lick the cum from his fingers. A slow growl rumbled through his chest.
“That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Shawn drawled out.
Valentin’s eyes widened. He swallowed loudly. “Not trying to ruin the party here, but you do realize with whom you were just rolling in the mud, right?”
Shawn chuckled. “Of course.”
Shawn shook with laughter as his eyes glowed with arousal. “Yeah, I did notice that small detail.”
Valentin shoved his fist playfully into Shawn’s shoulder, the most threatening scowl he thought himself capable of on his face. “Small? I might not be hung like a horse, but I’m not small either.”
Shawn’s eyes grew dark, his gaze trailing down Valentin’s body, and his husky voice sent a surge of hope through Valentin’s chest. “You’re right. Nothing small about you.” And he smiled mischievously before continuing. “Though some meat on your bones wouldn’t hurt you.”
This time Valentin shoved him harder, almost managing to budge Shawn away. “Now I’m skinny, too?”
“No offense, kid, but you are skinny.” He bucked under the hard body pressed into his. To his utter dismay, his own body reacted instantly at the contact, his cock hardening so fast his head almost spun, and it only fueled his anger. Small? Skinny? Kid? He didn’t know which insult to address first. He knew Shawn was baiting him, and it felt right, and that scared the crap out of him.
“Have you forgotten so easily just how old I am?”
“No. I remember exactly how old you are. But three hundred years is really not that much in your world. And you do look like a kid, with those big, innocent eyes.”
“I’m not a kid, and I’m not innocent.”
* * * *
Riling Valentin was proving to be so much fun. Especially when his eyes were throwing daggers and he was all flustered and spitting mad. If he didn’t know any better, Shawn could have s
worn his lover was a cat. A feisty, gorgeous feline. And he’d be damned if he didn’t like the image. Speaking of which… “Are you planning on fainting again? Because I want fair warning in case you throw up again.”
“What?” Dark eyes widened, and embarrassment colored Valentin’s cheeks.
“Don’t be so outraged. You did throw up. And fainted. For the life of me I can’t understand the whys.”
Valentin pushed at Shawn’s shoulders, and this time Shawn allowed him to escape his arms. Valentin stood, shoulders hunched, movements shaky. He stepped away, putting some space between them, not meeting Shawn’s eyes. “I’m dying.”
The words were softer than a whisper and Shawn had to strain himself to catch them. At first he just stared, his mind blank of all thoughts, then the meaning sank in and his stomach lurched.
“I’m not sure I understand.”
Valentin whirled around. “My wording was pretty much self-explanatory.”
Deciding that having this conversation with his bare ass on the ground and his dick hanging out wasn’t going to cut it, Shawn pushed himself up and tucked himself in. He took a long whiff like he was trying to gauge the state of the other man’s health. “I’m no expert here, but to my knowledge, vampires are disease-proof. And you do not smell like you’re dying. Just a bit off, like you’re sick or something.”
“You are right. Vampires are resistant to most diseases. And yes, I am. Dying, I mean.”
“Why?”
Valentin turned around, uncomfortable under the weight of Shawn’s gaze. “Poison.”
“I didn’t know poison works on vampires.”
“Not your everyday kind of poison. But there are some.”
“Your everyday kind poison? Are you shitting me?”
A soft chuckle escaped Valentin.
I could get used to this sound. Longing hit him hard. Longing for another’s touch, for this man’s, and for the first time, to share his life with someone. No. Not someone. My mate. But if Valentin was right time was the one thing they didn’t have. The burning in his gut intensified.
Valentin stared at him, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “We should go. Sun will be up shortly.”
Shawn threw his hands in the air, playing a cool he didn’t feel. “Let me guess. Sun burns you to ashes.”
“If that were the case, why did we have to bother bringing those guys all the way here? We could have left them by the side of the road for the sun to do its job, don’t you think? It’s just that I’m not feeling so hot and I need some rest. And to get the hell away from here.”
“Okay. That sounds reasonable. Where to?”
Valentin stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Shawn. “What do you mean ‘where to’? I am going into hiding. Some R&R without the R.” At Shawn’s blank stare he cocked an eyebrow as he continued, “Rest and recreation, without the recreation part.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know… MASH 4077, Hawkeye Pierce, Frank Burns, Hot Lips Houlihan. Boy, you’re young.” Valentin turned around and continued the trip back to the car. Shawn stood his ground for a few seconds and then scrambled after him.
“I might be young, but even I know it’s not polite to walk away on someone. ‘Specially in the middle of a conversation.” A grunt was his only answer.
They neared the car as the first rays of dawn reddened the sky. For Valentin, the minutes before sunrise were always the hardest. He felt sluggish, like he was moving through thick fluid. His body became heavier, a huge weight pressing on his chest, choking him, muscles and bones constricting to the point of pain. Good thing he didn’t need to breathe. Or he’d really be dead.
“Hey, are you all right?”
A hand landed on his shoulder, and despite its gentleness, the pressure almost brought him to his knees. “Yesss.” He willed the word out through clenched teeth.
“Are you sure? You don’t look okay to me. Maybe you should sit down.” His first reaction would have been to roll his eyes, but Shawn’s concern moved him. He knew he was reading too much into it, but damn it felt good. The pressure around him heightened to new levels and the world tightened around him. The sun finally rose, and the invisible strings choking him loosened. But it all happened too late. He vaguely heard Shawn yelling his name and blackness claimed him once more.
Chapter 7
Valentin’s knees wobbled and buckled.
“Oh, crap!” Shawn lunged, a second too late. Valentin’s head hit the ground and he remained still. Shawn fell to his knees next to him.
“What do I do now?” he wondered aloud.
Valentin’s chest wasn’t moving, and Shawn cursed himself for not noticing if Valentin was breathing before or not. He checked the carotid for a pulse, and only the softest ripples reached his fingers. He placed his ear on his lover’s chest and listened intently. The heartbeats were faint and highly irregular, but they were there. The sun broke through the horizon and bathed them in light. The gap between the beats grew wider and Shawn’s own heart stilled for a second. Was Valentin dying for the day as those in the movies did, or was it the poison to blame?
The first vibration of a car’s engine tickled Shawn’s ears. It was time to go. He cradled his lover in his arms and placed him gently in the front seat. Thank God they’d put the vehicle back on the road before they disposed of the bodies. He idly patted his pockets in search of the keys and remembered that he wouldn’t need any, as Valentin had hot-wired the car in the first place. He climbed behind the wheel, brought the wires together, and the engine sprung to life. He drove one-handed, the other resting gently on Valentin’s chest, searching for the pulse with deft fingers.
What was he supposed to do now? He knew nothing about vampire physiology or how to help his mate. His mate. How did that happen? Sure, he’d heard of mates before, but in the feline kingdom they were so rare. Wolves were luckier, they were prone to mate for life by nature, and they cherished the bond as something precious. Felines, not so much. They were solitary creatures, hunted mostly alone, and met only for procreation purposes. Sure, it happened sometimes, but those few who mated were regarded as oddities.
His parents had been bonded, and he’d witnessed firsthand what it had meant for his mother to lose Gregory, Shawn’s father. She would have died, too, if not for baby Shawn. After her first husband’s death, she’d been ordered to marry Timothei, Lucan’s father, in order to strengthen the bond between the Irish pride and the Balkanian one. While Alec, the Romanian prime, had always been a kind leader, she’d been miserable with her new husband and had slowly faded away until there was nothing left but an empty shell. And now she was dead.
Which brought Shawn back to the beginning. He didn’t want a mate. He never wanted the complications, and a male mate—a vampire on top of that, half-dead and on the run—was bound to be just that. But it was too late now. Shawn knew without a doubt that the man next to him was his Fated One. The attraction, the possessiveness he’d felt toward Valentin since the beginning, the loss of control, the link between them, they all said the same thing. Mate. Fuck! Fuck! What was he supposed to do now?
He needed answers, but he couldn’t take Valentin to Alec. He had only a handful of friends, and since he didn’t know what he was up against, he hesitated to bring any of them into this.
The only one who could have provided some help was an old buddy, Andrei. Last Shawn had heard, he’d taken control over his pack, but Andrei lived down in Bucharest and it was a long way there, crossing through countless pack and pride territories for which Shawn didn’t have permission to pass. He reckoned they could follow the borderlines or the main roads, which were fair game, but any straying could mean their deaths. He made a mental note to call Andrei and ask for his help. He might not give them shelter, but he might be able to offer some advice.
Shawn sighed. He was getting ahead of himself. For all he knew, Valentin might not want anything to do with him. It was a possibility that he had to consider.
But first things first. He needed to get his mate back on his feet.
* * * *
Oh shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! I can’t believe it happened again. I fainted like a last-century bride at the first sight of a dick. It can’t possibly be more embarrassing than it already is.
Valentin sat on the edge of a bed, having the mother of all headaches, in what he assumed was a cheap motel room. All by himself. Oh, there was a note written on the back of a receipt. “Gone grocery shopping. BRB. Don’t go anywhere.” He read it twice, and it still made no sense to him.
Gone shopping? Who leaves a sleeping vampire in a hotel room and goes shopping?
Steps sounded outside the door. His heart jumped. Too light to belong to a mere mortal and too heavy to be a vampire’s. That left only Shawn.
The key slipped into the lock and Valentin groaned inwardly. Too soon. He reckoned he’d be ready to face Shawn again in a century or two.
“Well, hello there, sleeping beauty.”
Valentin sank lower into the mattress, burrowing his face into his hands.
“Oh God, take me now.”
“I’d rather not. I like having you around.”
Valentin lifted his head to glare at Shawn just in time to see him flopping on the nearest chair, holding a giant paper bag filled with take-out food. The man was hot. There wasn’t any other word for it. And his scent was intoxicating. Valentin wasn’t sure what had happened to bring his smell sense back, and he didn’t care. Not when the scent filled the room, seeping into every crack and pore, making his mouth water and his cock hard.
“Glad to see you are looking better.” The words were nonchalant, but Valentin picked up a slight edge to them. And he could have sworn he saw a flicker of concern passing through Shawn’s eyes. Could this be? Does he care?
Perfect Timing Page 7