by Lynn Hagen
The Exiled 3
Rough Ride
Twenty years ago, Morgan woke with no memory of who he was. Worse, there has been a constant voice in his head that never lets up. He has wandered from town to town looking for work but always feels as if he is searching for someone. It isn’t until he enters a small town that his past and present collide. With hellhounds on the hunt for him, Morgan finally meets the man whose voice has been in his head for so long.
Renato has suffered for two decades thinking his zaterio dead. When he is asked to help deal with a hellhound issue in Brac Village, he has no idea how much his life is about to change. Finding his mate is only the beginning. Renato must save him from a demon who has been searching for Morgan since birth—a demon who wants to use Morgan as a tool to take over hell.
Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Paranormal, Shape-shifters
Length: 31,809 words
ROUGH RIDE
The Exiled 3
Lynn Hagen
THE LYNN HAGEN
MANLOVE COLLECTION
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection
ROUGH RIDE
Copyright © 2016 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-543-7
First E-book Publication: October 2016
Cover design by Emma Nicole
All art and logo copyright © 2016 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About the Author
ROUGH RIDE
The Exiled 3
LYNN HAGEN
Copyright © 2016
Chapter One
Zaterio.
Morgan had no idea what that word meant. It had whispered through his mind for the past two decades, and although he’d done countless searches in libraries, on the internet, and had even gone so far as to ask around, he’d never gotten an answer. What was even stranger was the fact that every time that word popped into his head, he felt this weird ache in his chest like a cable that had been stretched too tight and was beginning to fray.
“Are you ready to paint the town rainbow?” Kyle appeared in Morgan’s bedroom doorway, dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a shirt that looked one size too small. The guy loved showing off his slim physique to any available man who was willing to ogle him. His hair was so blond it was almost white, and he had big, beautiful blue eyes that were so light they reminded Morgan of uncut diamonds.
“I just worked an eight-hour shift.” Morgan sat on his bed, a bottle of rum on his nightstand. He planned on spending the night with Captain Morgan so he could drown out the voice in his head—a voice that had started talking in his head twenty years ago, a voice he wasn’t entirely sure was real. Sometimes getting shitfaced silenced the voice, and other times the alcohol only intensified it. He wasn’t sure which it would be tonight, but Morgan would take his chances. All day at work he’d heard chatter in his head, and the only thing he wanted to do was shut it up.
Kyle’s blue-eyed gaze dropped to the bottle before he glanced at Morgan. “Your head all chatty again?”
He’d known Kyle for five years now, and the guy had stuck with him as the two of them wandered from state to state and town to town, looking for work but never settling in one place for too long. Kyle was running from a past he never really talked about, and Morgan was just drifting along. He felt a strange sense of searching whenever he left one town to travel to another. It was as if he was looking for someone, although Morgan had no clue who he was supposed to find.
Morgan also kept moving because he hadn’t aged in the past twenty years. He looked just as young as he had when he’d first woken to find himself in a crappy motel with no memory of who he was or how he’d gotten there.
“And that’s all the more reason to get out of this apartment and see the town.” Kyle moved farther into Morgan’s room and took a seat on his twin-sized bed. “We got here three days ago, and I’ve yet to find out what this town has to offer.”
“It’s just another small town that we’re not going to stay in for long,” Morgan reminded Kyle. “A month tops and we’ll be hitting the road again.”
“So why can’t we enjoy our month here?” Kyle leaned back on his elbows and crossed his legs, bouncing the top one as he grinned at Morgan. “I’ll buy first round.”
That idea of letting loose for a night had Morgan standing and finding something to wear. “How do you know there’s even a decent bar around here?”
“I don’t, but we’ll never find out if we stay inside.”
Befriending Kyle had been an eye-opening experience. Before he’d met the guy, Morgan had no idea that shifters existed. Kyle was an impala shifter, t
he sweetest guy he’d ever met, and a bit strange and flaky, but he was cool peeps, and Morgan had learned to trust him over the years.
“We’ll just find a local watering hole and have a few drinks.” Kyle shook his head at the shirt Morgan pulled from his drawer and grabbed another one, handing it to him. “And if I’m lucky, I can find a guy who has all his teeth that will rock for my world for a night.”
Morgan chuckled. “Just because Brac Village is a small town doesn’t mean everyone here is a backwoods redneck.”
Kyle raised a platinum eyebrow. “Tell that to the last town we were in. I still have nightmares about that crazy farmer who swore I was his soul mate.”
Smirking, Morgan slid his shirt on over his head. “Stop looking so damn good and you wouldn’t have men chasing after you.”
Kyle fanned himself as he grinned widely at Morgan. “I can’t help it I was blessed with devastating looks.”
“And a huge ego.”
A glint of something passed behind Kyle’s eyes, making his smile falter for a second before his grin widened. “Ready?”
Morgan wished the guy would tell him what had happened in his past to make him run from place to place with him, but all Morgan knew was that the shifter never wanted to stay in one town for too long.
Tucking his feet into a pair of shoes, Morgan grabbed his wallet and keys then slipped his cell phone into his back pocket. “Ready.”
“Great!” Kyle led the way from the apartment.
They normally stayed in cheap, crappy motels, but Brac Village didn’t have any of those, so they’d been forced to rent a furnished apartment. It was good there was no lease. It was a month-to-month kind of thing, which left them the freedom to walk away any time they wanted to.
They moved along the path that led from the entrance of the building, different varieties of azaleas and hosta perennial plants along both sides of the walkway. They had saved for a car and shared the beat-to-shit Honda, but the night was so nice that Morgan grabbed Kyle’s arm and pulled him to a stop.
“Why don’t we walk?” There was something about Brac Village, but Morgan couldn’t put his finger on it. Ever since they’d entered the town, Morgan felt a weird sense of belonging. That had never happened in all the time he’d traveled around the United States, not once, and the feeling made him ill at ease for some reason. He wanted to walk in hopes that he would discover why this town called to him in a way that had him ready to pack his shit and run as fast as he could.
Kyle frowned. “You’re joking, right? Walk? This coming from a man who drives to a deli one block over?”
“I’m not that damn lazy,” Morgan argued. “I did that one stinking time, and you’ll never let me forget it.”
With a grin, Kyle shook his head. “So glad you convinced yourself of that.”
“That I’m not lazy or that I did it one time?”
“That you’re not lazy.”
“Can we just walk without you putting me through the grinder?”
“Fine.” Kyle started down the drive, his hips swaying from side to side. “But if we’re mugged, it’s gonna be your fault.”
“We’re not gonna get mugged,” Morgan argued. “And if anyone tries, you can just shift and bite him.”
Kyle’s blond brows shot up. “I’m an impala shifter. I’m not from a dominant pantheon. If someone tries to mug us, I’ll be the first one running away screaming my fool head off.”
Morgan waved a hand to the building next door to their apartment. “The police station is right there. I highly doubt anyone will try anything.”
“But we’re walking away from the station, moron.”
With a growl, Morgan moved in front of Kyle and headed down the street. After working at the local diner for three days, Morgan already knew the small town wasn’t just a few buildings and acres upon acres of corn fields. There was a vast forest surrounding the village, but there were also a ton of shops. He’d yet to explore the entire town, but from what he’d seen on his way to and from work, this place was a well-hidden gem.
From the looks of it, at least. But the folks who had wandered into the diner had been friendly enough, and Morgan and Kyle’s boss, Cody, was a really nice guy. Kyle had informed Morgan that the man named Keata was Cody’s mate and then had to explain to Morgan what a mate was. And according to Kyle, neither Cody nor Keata was human.
Just as long as they didn’t go all furry on Morgan, he didn’t care. It was a paycheck, nothing more.
“Hey, look.” Kyle pointed to a bar when they’d cut down a side street. “The Lucky Clover.”
“It looks and sounds pricey,” Morgan complained.
“Just one or two drinks.” Kyle grabbed Morgan’s hand and pulled him along the quiet street.
Over the entry door was a burgundy awning held up on either side by gold poles. There was also a green carpet in front of the entrance. The place was definitely high-end. The wooden front door had smoky glass in its center, the name of the place sandblasted into the glass, and the handle on the door was gold and slanted.
“Come on,” Kyle said as he opened the door. “While we’re here, maybe the bartender can tell us where to find a cheaper place to hang out and have drinks.”
“The local minimart?”
Kyle huffed. “I’m not getting drunk at a minimart, Morgan. Stop whining and get your butt inside.”
Morgan stepped inside and glanced around. The first thing he noticed was the dark wood behind the bar, the chandelier made of iron, and the marble bar top. Instead of stools, there were plush brown chairs with print patterns. The floor was dark wood with touches of orange and gold streaked through it.
Kyle gave a low whistle. “Now this is fancy. I bet there aren’t any famers in here.” Under his breath, Kyle muttered, “Thank fuck.”
“I think we should stick to one drink.” If they didn’t, the money they’d managed to save so far would be gone in one night. “Or maybe we should just head back to the apartment and drink that bottle of rum in my room.”
Kyle made a low, suffering noise in the back of his throat. “One drink, Morgan. I promise we’ll get out of here after that. Besides, how are we supposed to find hot guys if we hang out in your bedroom? We’re not. So it’s settled.”
Morgan glanced at the chairs and then at the bar. “So do we seat ourselves or wait for someone to show us to some chairs?”
“You could always come sit with me.”
Morgan jerked at the sound of the deep and sultry voice behind him. When he turned, his eyes widened. The man behind him was devilishly handsome. Long dreads ran over one shoulder, and his skin was the color of caramel. Damn if Morgan didn’t want to take the stranger up on his offer. It had been too long since he’d had sex, and this guy was right up his alley.
“Is that invitation for both of us?” Kyle asked.
The guy’s dark eyes seemed to smolder as he looked between Kyle and Morgan. “Two handsome men? Aiight, let’s do this.”
Morgan had a feeling the guy’s mind was deep in the gutter. When the stranger walked ahead of them, Morgan whispered, “I think he thinks he’s going to have both of us in his bed.”
Kyle crinkled his nose. “I hope not. He’s cute and all, but I’m not into threesomes. I was just talking about sitting with him.”
Morgan grinned. “He’s talking about you sitting on him.”
There was deep hesitation in Kyle’s eyes when he glanced toward the stranger. He shook his head, turning back to Morgan. “I’m not into the leather and lethal type.”
Neither was Morgan. Still, they took a seat in the plush chairs and damn if it didn’t feel as though Morgan had just sat on a cloud. The stranger returned with three glasses in his hands. After passing them out, he sat right next to Morgan.
“Haven’t seen you around these parts.” He took a drink, his dark eyes studying Morgan over the rim of his glass.
“Just got to town,” Morgan said.
“I think I’ll head over to the bar,”
Kyle said as he stood and wandered away.
“Friend shy?”
“Doesn’t want to be a third wheel.”
Glancing from Kyle to Morgan, the man said, “He doesn’t have to be.”
Morgan held up his hand. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. Kyle is like a brother to me, and there’s no way you’re getting lucky with both of us.”
The man’s eyes seemed to sparkle as the side of his mouth twisted upward. “So does that mean I’m getting lucky with you?”
A burst of laughter shot from Morgan’s chest. “You want to get lucky in The Lucky Clover?”
The man chuckled as he stuck out his hand. “Dog.”
Morgan set his drink on the round coffee table in front of him and stood. “Thanks for buying me a drink and then insulting me.”
The guy’s chuckle deepened. “That’s my name, love. I wasn’t insulting you.”
“Your name is Dog?” Either it was a nickname or his parents hadn’t loved the guy. “Really?”
“Really.” The man didn’t seem offended at Morgan’s question. He must’ve gotten that reaction a lot. “And your name is?”
Taking a seat, Morgan picked up his drink and held it tightly in both hands. He never gave his name when hooking up. That made things less complicated. He always gave his last name instead. “Seamen.”
Dog nearly choked on the sip he’d been taking. He coughed as his eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“What’s wrong with my name?”
With a laugh and a wave of his hand—as if apologizing for the outburst—Dog said, “A gay man named Seamen. This is truly my lucky night.”
Morgan had never thought of that before, but now that Dog had pointed it out, he groaned and wondered how many other men had thought the same thing. “That confident?”
Placing his drink on the table, Dog turned to him and took Morgan’s hand, pressing his soft lips to Morgan’s knuckles. Morgan shivered and exhaled deeply. His body reacted to the touch. His cock jerked as his stomach tightened in anticipation of the night ahead.