by Gale Stanley
Right then, Levi didn’t care. Somehow, covering up his assets in designer clothes made the stud look even sexier. Levi’s imagination worked overtime, trying to picture him naked—broad shoulders, hard chest, narrow waist and long legs.
Where the hell does he get his clothes? It must be a bitch getting suits that fit right.
The stud appeared to be assessing Levi as well. For a few more seconds they just eyed each other. Then the taller man’s intense dark brown eyes did a slow slide down Levi’s body, stopping at the growing bulge below Levi’s waist. The man’s nostrils flared, and a sly smile spread over his face. Then he winked.
Every submissive pheromone in Levi’s body came to life. Blood surged to his dick, causing his erection to ooze like a leaky faucet. Levi’s wolf growled inside him, unhappy about his attraction to this human.
Stuff it, Rolf.
Levi’s blood pumped hot and his cock inclined toward the big man, like a dowsing rod to water. Levi might just break one of his cardinal rules about fraternizing with the customers. But not unless the suit showed some ID.
“This is a private party. I need to see—”
Mr. Sex-in-a-suit pulled an invitation from his pocket and held it out in front of him. Levi took the card and read it carefully.
Simon Black.
The name didn’t ring any bells, and nothing on the invitation gave a clue to Black’s profession, but then the invites never did. Kirby respected everybody’s privacy, even the men who didn’t deserve any respect. Looking up from the card, Levi studied Black’s face. Something about the man, other than sex, disturbed Rolf. Levi couldn’t put his finger on it, but he had nothing concrete to base his suspicions on. He couldn’t deny a man entrance because of animal instinct, and dressed as he was, Black appeared to be a VIP. Levi waved Simon Black inside with a grunt and watched him walk toward the low stage with a confident swagger. The man’s arrogant attitude annoyed Levi, and he made up his mind to keep an eye on Simon Black.
Levi still held the invitation in his hand. He knew Black didn’t need it now that he was inside, but returning it would give him an excuse to follow the man. He left his post and came up behind Black, who was inspecting the much shorter blond slave. When Black stepped aside, Levi had an unobstructed view of the slave, who stood with his head sunk between his shoulders. The broker grabbed a handful of long white-gold hair and yanked it back so everyone could see the slave’s face.
The blond stared straight ahead into space with hollow eyes. Lines at the corners of his mouth muted his youth and beauty, but he appeared familiar. Levi’s head went swimmy in a few seconds of pure thoughtless shock. He could not believe his eyes. Noah! Ten years had passed, and Noah had to be twenty-three now, but his short stature and thin body made him appear even younger. A boy growing into manhood changed a lot in that amount of time, but not his scent. It was Noah. Levi knew it. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind.
Shock turned to anger. On closer inspection, Noah had a trance-like expression on his face, almost as if he didn’t know where he was. What had they done to him? Drugs? Levi didn’t like the implications one bit. This was not a submissive looking for a new Master.
This is bullshit! I’m going to end this farce before it goes any further.
“Stop!”
Noah’s head jerked at the sound of Levi’s voice, and for a second, the boy’s eyes cleared and recognition flickered in their blue depths. All too quickly, Noah’s eyes clouded again and his head drooped.
Levi’s heart twisted. Fists clenched at his sides, he took a step toward Noah. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
Scowling, Levi twisted his head. It was Rod Kirby, his boss. He opened his mouth to insist that the auction be stopped, but the look on Kirby’s face stopped him. From the corner of his eye, Levi saw the other bouncers approaching. Even if he revealed his wolf, something he did not want to do, he would be overpowered easily and lose any chance of helping Noah. Playing this smart meant not losing control.
Kirby’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Is there a problem, Levi?”
“No, sir. No problem. I’m just returning Mr. Black’s invitation.” Levi handed the card to Simon Black. Their eyes met for an instant, and Levi got the distinct impression that Black knew exactly who he was and what he was thinking. It wasn’t possible, but he didn’t like anyone looking at him like that. Unsettled by the other man, Levi averted his eyes. “Sorry, Mr. Kirby.” Levi headed away from the stage and returned to his post by the door. When he looked back, he saw Kirby and Black exchanging words. Damn, if only he could hear them. So what if he could? Right now, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop the sale.
Kirby took the stage for a moment. “And now for our last event of the evening, we have something special. A man who chose our venue for his first time on the block.”
Levi’s nostrils flared. Fucking liars. No way did Noah choose this. He didn’t even know where he was.
The auctioneer came out and replaced Kirby on the platform. He tapped on the mike to get everyone’s attention. It was Noah’s turn. Noah’s auction. There was a knot in the pit of Levi’s stomach the size of Texas.
Everyone got quiet. So quiet, Levi swore everyone could hear his heart beat in the silence. The atmosphere in the room was charged with obvious sexual tension. Most of the bidders, dressed in tight black leather and other fetish clothing, were sporting ill-concealed erections. The agent reached over, grabbed Noah’s leash, and gave it a tug. Levi wanted to kill him, but Noah just looked up at the auctioneer blankly and didn’t move. The auctioneer’s expression tightened, and he tugged again.
The crowd stirred. Loud murmurs and impatient whispers traveled from one horny man to another. They were tired of waiting. Grasping hands lifted the slave and set him down on the stage. Levi caught a glimpse of Noah’s frightened expression. It was as if Noah had just woke up and realized what was going on. Levi’s wolf clawed at his guts, wanting him to do something, now.
Too late. The auctioneer put a hand up for silence. “Like Mr. Kirby said, this auction is special. The slave comes with a one-year contract, to be renewed at the buyer’s discretion. All the necessary medical and psychological tests have been done, and the paperwork is complete. This slave is ready to give up all control to his new Master. So let’s get started. I’m going to open the bid at one hundred thousand.”
There was a collective gasp from the crowd. This was an unheard of starting bid. Kirby hadn’t been kidding. This auction was different. In the past, contracts had always been eligible for renegotiation after a week. A year was a long time, and it appeared that all the power was in the buyer’s hands. Whoever took Noah home could extend the contact with or without his consent. The whole situation stunk of corruption. This was a prearranged sale, not an auction. The members of this club had big bucks, but no one paid that kind of money for a slave, regardless of what kind of contract came with him. Only someone who had earmarked this slave for an ulterior purpose would cough up that kind of money. A number of people were profiting from Noah’s misery. Who?
The grumbles and complaints died down, and finally a hush came over the crowd. A hand went up. It belonged to Simon Black. Despite his disgust, Levi had to admire the man’s demeanor. It must be hard to stay cool, calm, and collected in such a heated atmosphere. This guy must have balls of steel, and obviously money was no object to him.
“Do I hear one hundred and ten thousand?” The auctioneer screamed.
Dead silence was the response.
“Going once.” The auctioneer looked around the room.
“Going twice.” The auctioneer hesitated for a few seconds.
“Sold! To Mr. Simon Black.”
A faint smug smile played on Simon’s lips as he stepped on the low stage. Circling Noah, he examined him carefully and spoke a few words to the auctioneer that Levi couldn’t hear. Then Simon stepped off the stage, and the slave was led away.
Why does he want Noah so badly?
Fear coiled in Levi’s
stomach to think Noah might disappear from his life again. After coming so close, that was unacceptable. Levi swallowed hard. All his animal instincts screamed at him to do something, but this wasn’t the time. He had no business behind the stage. Kirby’s security guards would be on him in a heartbeat.
Play it smart, Levi. You have a solid lead. Use your talents to capitalize on it. Do what you do best.
Levi had a sense of smell that was much more acute than a human’s. Odors didn’t overwhelm him. He had an animal’s ability to pick out a particular scent even if it was diluted in the air. Black’s scent, as well as Noah’s, were freshly registered in his olfactory receptors, and Levi would follow them wherever the trail took him.
Chapter Two
Like cliffs flanking a valley, two black-clad security guards towered over Noah. One was built like a sumo wrestler. His ham-like fist curled around Noah’s arm with a tight restraining grip. The other guard was rail thin, but he held a telescopic stun baton ready to be electrified with the press of a button.
It’s overkill, Simon thought disgustedly, as he followed behind them. Noah had been heavily drugged and he appeared docile as a lamb being led to the slaughter.
The little entourage was headed for the back entrance to Hot Rods where a car waited to whisk Noah away. Simon had no idea where. His boss dispensed information on a need to know basis. Just as well, it felt like a fucking death march. He didn’t want to think about Noah’s future. Once he saw Noah off, his job here would be done and he could forget about the young slave.
The hallway seemed to go on forever. Every other ceiling light had burned out and the corridor was filled with shadows. As they walked, Simon’s gaze trailed down the boy’s back and over his ass. No doubt about it, Noah had a beautiful body, all smooth flesh over taut muscle. Did his boss intend Noah to be a sex slave? Or did he have some other reason for purchasing the boy?
Curiosity killed a cat, Simon, and it could kill you.
When would he learn to mind his own business? But he couldn’t help lusting after the figure in front of him. Every dominant bone in his body urged him to reach out for the slave, shove him to his knees and…Damn, it had been way too long since he’d felt the suction of a man’s mouth on his dick. The job had taken over his life and his only source of relief lately was his own hand. And the damn butt plug kept drawing his eye. He wanted to pull it out and fill the boy’s ass with his own hardening cock.
“Okay, this is it.”
Simon’s head lifted at the sound of the guard’s voice. They had reached the back door. The man with the stun gun opened it and they all exited to the parking lot. An unmarked black van blocked the view of the street beyond. Didn’t matter, Simon’s gaze was locked on Noah. The slave’s pale blond hair, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, made him look like an angel.
Suddenly, the back door of the vehicle opened and two men climbed out. Simon almost laughed. With their dark suits and sunglasses, they looked like agents from the Matrix movie.
Four hands reached out, grabbing Noah roughly, and Simon didn’t feel like laughing anymore. The muscles in Noah’s back went tense. Long thin welts Simon hadn’t noticed before suddenly became apparent on the boy’s pale flesh. Someone had whipped Noah in the past, and he had a feeling it hadn’t been consensual. Simon felt bile rise in his throat.
Noah struggled and turned a frightened face to Simon. The boy’s eyes were clearer and shone like blue pools of appeal. His lower lip trembled as Simon returned his gaze.
This is wrong.
Simon’s heart twisted. For just a second he wanted to grab Noah and run. Then the agents shoved the boy into the van, climbed in after him, and slammed the door shut. The van started up and pulled away, taking Noah with it.
The Hot Rods’ security guards went back into the building, leaving Simon alone in the parking lot. He leaned back against the brick wall of the building, and looked up at the stars. They were brilliant tonight.
Where the fuck are they taking him?
Simon felt like a monster. He looked down at his hands. They were shaking. He’d never done anything like this before. He hoped he’d never have to again. He needed a drink badly. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his car keys.
* * * *
Levi felt dirty, like he needed a shower. The whole evening had left a bad taste in his mouth, and he wanted to wash it away with whiskey, but he intended to follow Simon Black and he needed a clear head for tracking. There’d be time enough for a celebratory binge after he found Noah. Maybe he’d give up this crap job and take Noah away somewhere—far, far away, where nobody would ever find them.
Waiting for the end of his shift was not an option. Levi almost made it to the door, when he happened to catch a glimpse of Kirby, the ever present cigar in the corner of his mouth. His boss held up a hand as if he wanted Levi to wait up.
Fuck you, Kirby!
The man was a scum-sucking bottom feeder who should not be permitted to live, but right now, Levi had bigger fish to fry. Why deal with the middleman when the direct link to Noah was within reach? Getting outside before Black took off was crucial. Levi had no time to waste getting reamed out by Rod-Fucking-Kirby. He pretended he didn’t see the man but when he turned toward the entrance, two burly security guards blocked his path.
“York. Where you going in such a hurry?” Kirby’s gravelly voice was harsher than usual.
“I feel sick—”
“You been drinking on the job?” Kirby shifted his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other.
“Course not. It’s all the fucking smoke. I need some air.”
Kirby’s eyes narrowed cynically as he weighed Levi’s words. “Well, get the hell out, but clock out first. I’m not paying you for one minute more than you deserve.”
Shithead, I deserve three times what you pay me to work in this dive.
But Levi held his tongue, nodded tightly and headed for the time clock in Kirby’s office. He moved as fast as he could without looking suspicious and breathed a sigh of relief as he finally walked out the backdoor that led to the parking lot.
He didn’t see any sign of Black or Noah but he did pick up their scent at an empty parking spot.
Fuck!
It made his job that much harder, but not impossible. Hunching down on his heels, he sniffed and studied the tire tracks on the ground, gathering as much information from them as he could. Even with all windows rolled up in Black’s car, some scent would escape. The freshness of the trail and the calm weather conditions would help, too. He kept his eyes peeled to the gravel. The tracks told him that the car had turned left out of the lot, and that was where he headed.
Levi soon lost the tire tracks among all the others in the street, but he detected a faint trace of the occupants, enough to convince him he was going the right way. Continuing down the center of this street would be a suicide march during the day, but at this time of night traffic was light.
Still, it was slow going. Tracking in wolf form would be faster, but unleashing Rolf could get him killed. And being mistaken for a dog was no guarantee of safety. In this part of town, drivers deliberately ran down animals for sport, and bystanders would either look the other way or gather round and cheer.
A horn blared behind him, and a souped-up Toyota missed him by a matter of inches. A young punk stuck his arm out the driver’s-side window and gave Levi a one-finger salute.
His inner wolf took offense, and before Levi could stop himself, he started shouting curses at the driver. “Fuck you! Why don’t you watch where you’re going, asshole?” As soon as he opened his mouth he knew he’d made a mistake.
A female voice screamed from inside the car, “Get him, baby. Run him down.”
The fucking Corolla made a U-turn and picked up speed.
Shit!
Levi ran for his life. Hit and run was a game around here. Bored punks roamed the streets in packs, trying to impress their girlfriends. They didn’t need a motive to kill. It was just entert
ainment to them. They were more dangerous than any wolves Levi knew.
He hopped a fence and took a shortcut through someone’s yard. As he sprinted through a flower bed, he heard a door open and dogs barking. Looking over his shoulder, he snarled at the two pit bulls behind him, but they kept coming. The dogs were fast motherfuckers, too. They kept up with him, no problem.
Fuck. I can’t catch a break.
Levi ran like the hounds of hell were after him. He managed to leap over the chain-link fence at the back of the house and just kept going. When his lungs were ready to burst, he stopped for a breath. Panting, he leaned over, hands on knees, and scanned the area. No dogs and no Toyota.
Thank you, Jesus, but where the hell am I?
The street sign was one of those gay-friendly ones, with the rainbow flag permanently affixed to the bottom, to designate the city’s Gayborhood.
Fuck! Locust Street is a long way from Hot Rods.
He could kiss Noah’s scent good-bye.
Pissed off and frustrated, he had to concede that he’d lost the trail and might as well head home.
At least he had a name—Simon Black—and he knew a hacker, a smart son of a bitch who claimed he could find out anything about anybody. The man was arrogant, but he’d proven himself once before, hacking into Kirby’s computer so Levi could see if his boss had any connection to the Were Resistance. He hadn’t, but maybe Kirby had an address for Black. It was as good a place to start as any.
A metallic black Jaguar passed him, practically purring with power. Halfway down the block, it stopped and backed up. Levi gave the Jag a curious glance. He couldn’t see through the tinted windows but it didn’t matter. He didn’t know anyone who owned such a hot car. The Jag kept pace with him. Not good. Levi got ready to run again. Just then the window came down and he heard his name.
The car stopped and the driver called out again. “York.”
Levi bent to peer in the window.
Black?
“Get in. I’ll give you a lift.”