Rough Ride [The Exiled 3] (Siren Publishing: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection)

by Lynn Hagen

  “Please,” Morgan said when Renato tried to move around him. “Don’t go. I need to hear your voice.”

  “I thought you wanted to shut it out.” There was accusation in Renato’s tone.

  “You still refuse to see my side of this.” Frustrated, Morgan went for the bottle on the nightstand. He’d asked Theo for a drink, and the man had brought him an entire bottle of vodka. It wasn’t rum, but in a pinch, it would do.

  “How are you getting drunk from that?” Renato asked. “Shifters can’t get drunk from human alcohol.”

  “Am I a shifter?” Morgan asked snidely. “No, I’m not. Kyle told me I wasn’t. I don’t know what the fuck I am, but trust me, buddy. I can get pretty wasted. If you stand there long enough, you’ll see.”

  Renato’s eyes narrowed. “You need to put that bottle down.”

  “And you need to tell me what happened to your back.” Morgan took a swig and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “Looks like neither of us is going to get what he wants.”

  “Are you purposefully trying to piss me off?”

  “Are you purposefully trying to be an ass?” Morgan took another swig and then swayed. “I tried to tell you the reason I wanted the voice gone, but you’re a stubborn ass who doesn’t want to listen. Fine, don’t listen. Do whatever and I’ll do whatever.”

  Renato snarled and advanced toward Morgan. Eyes widening, Morgan tried to race around the bed to get away, but his movements were jerky and slow. Renato had his arm wrapped around Morgan’s stomach in seconds. He snatched the bottle and threw it across the room. It shattered against the wall.

  “You will not do whatever,” Renato growled softly into Morgan’s ear. “I will not watch you do this to yourself.”

  “This coming from a man who has a bloody back. I know whip marks when I see them. Who the hell are you to judge me when you have your own way of self-destructing?”

  “It’s not the same.” Renato let him go, and Morgan instantly missed the closeness and heat of Renato’s body. He never claimed to make sense. Morgan wasn’t even sure why he wanted to be close to the jerk, but he did. In fact, he was desperate for it.

  The crazy feelings inside of Morgan didn’t stop his anger from flaring, though. “It’s exactly the same, but shine on, you crazy star.”

  “What exactly does that mean?”

  “Don’t ask me to explain things when I’m this pissed.” Or half sober. Great. Now his head had started to pound.

  “You’re not making any sense.”

  “And neither are you,” Morgan said. “You come back here in the middle of the night with your back shredded. I tell you what. Since we’re both fighting inner demons, the next time you go to get whipped, hell, I’ll join you. We can be beaten right beside each other. And then when we get back here, we can get drunk off our asses.”

  Renato’s eyes darkened. “Anyone lays a hand on you and I’ll kill them.”

  “You’re fucking hopeless.” Morgan headed for the door. There had to be another bottle of liquor somewhere in this weird house. Mansion. Castle. Whatever.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Renato headed for Morgan. More like bore down on him. Morgan rushed to the door and flung it open, but Renato was fast and slammed it closed before he could escape.

  “You can’t keep me locked up in here!” Morgan spun and swung at Renato. His fist connected with the man’s jaw. Shocked that he’d struck the man, Morgan’s eyes went wide, but he bit back the apology.

  Renato growled, baring his fangs. “Do that again and I’ll tie you to the bed.”

  “Don’t threaten me with something I might enjoy.” Renato had him pressed against the bedroom door. The heat coming off the man was scorching. “Why are you burning up?”

  Morgan sucked in a breath when Renato sniffed at his shoulder. His lips skimmed along Morgan’s jaw, his neck, and around to his ear. “I’m in mating heat.”

  “Y-you what?” Morgan’s pulse throbbed heavily in his ears as he stood stock-still. “What does that even mean?” He had a pretty good idea.

  “I have two days to claim you, or I go completely mad. My brethren will have to put me down.”

  The guy said it so matter-of-fact that Morgan wasn’t sure just how sane Renato was to begin with. He bit back the groan as Renato’s lips continue to explore. His body heat was making Morgan sweat, and Morgan’s cock began to swell. Insane images began to flutter through his mind. Insane images like Morgan bending over and begging Renato to fuck him.

  “Mmm, you feel it, too.” Renato nipped Morgan’s jaw. “The fire burning inside of you. The need to feel me pounding my cock into your ass.”

  Morgan whimpered. He opened his mouth to deny Renato’s claim, but he couldn’t. It was the truth. It felt as if an electrical storm was licking along his skin. Goose bumps rose. Morgan’s breathing became shallow. He bucked against Renato as he hissed. The man was rock-hard. Morgan felt the man’s dick jabbing into his gut.

  There was no way he could think with Renato so close. His brain was short-circuiting.

  Renato slammed his hands on either side of Morgan’s head as he kissed and licked his way to Morgan’s lips. Morgan bucked against Renato again, desperate for some kind of release.

  The kiss was slow burning at first. Teasing. Renato’s tongue slid over Morgan’s bottom lip before he nipped it. Morgan inhaled sharply and then moaned. When his lips parted, Renato’s tongue drove inside, plundering Morgan’s mouth as he ground his cock into Morgan’s stomach.

  The taste. The feel. The smell. Morgan couldn’t seem to get enough. Something stirred deep inside of him. A need so desperate that it bordered on madness. A feral growl rumbled up his chest, but Renato ate it up and gave his own, deep, menacing growl in return. A battle of wills. Morgan wasn’t the aggressive type in bed, yet a darkness had surfaced in his gut, and he suddenly wanted to throw Renato down and ravage the man’s body.

  “It’s trying to draw to the surface,” Renato said as he broke the kiss and ghosted his lips over Morgan’s jaw.

  “Wh-what is?” Morgan felt the beast. He just chose to play ignorant because he feared what was happening to him. He’d always feared what lurked inside of him. It had never broken free before, but he’d always suspected it was there. And when those guys had broken into his apartment, Morgan finally had proof when he’d tried to shift. He didn’t want whatever it was to be free, but the longer Renato kissed him, the longer Renato revved Morgan up, the harder it was to fight the growing sensations.

  “You know,” Renato said. He bit down on Morgan’s Adam’s apple. “You don’t have to be afraid, zaterio. I can handle him. He won’t hurt me.”

  Morgan’s breathing became erratic. What Renato was doing to him was no longer a turn-on. He thrashed against the man, trying to shove Renato off of him. “No, I-I can’t.”

  “How can you fear something that is a part of you?” Renato leaned back and gazed into Morgan’s eyes. “You should embrace it.”

  “Let me go.” Morgan bucked against Renato, and this time Renato released him. Morgan’s skin was tight. His gums ached. His gut twisted into a thousand knots. “Why are you trying to bring it out?”

  “I wasn’t.” Renato had released him but hadn’t moved away. “Your beast is simply reacting to my beast.”

  Morgan staggered sideways. He put distance between them as he tried desperately to get his breathing back under control. He blew out a series of breaths, his heart hammering, his skin still tingling. “You don’t want that to happen.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because!” Morgan turned away from Renato. It was too dangerous. If by some freak accident he bled on Renato, the man would suffer unbearable pain. Morgan had seen it happen before. He was a walking biohazard.

  “Because what?” Renato snarled.

  “You have a split personality.” Morgan hugged himself. “When you came into my apartment, you looked at me with worship in your eyes. When we get here, you act as if you don’t want to
be anywhere near me. And now, you want to fuck me. Hot and cold and then hot again. Your duplicity is confusing as hell, Renato. Plus, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that that voice actually belongs to someone and I wasn’t just crazy.”

  Renato’s jaw clenched. He turned and started toward the bathroom. Morgan’s gaze landed on the man’s bloody back. “Tell me why you let someone whip you.”

  Morgan jerked back when Renato spun so quickly that he should have fallen. “You want to know why?” He advanced, and Morgan had to force himself not to take a step back. “Because I allowed my chosen one to die. Because I allowed him to die alone. Because I had failed him and the loss was so devastating that all I wanted to do was die with him.”

  “But I’m not dead.” Morgan still wasn’t sure he bought the fact that he was Renato’s mate, but he wasn’t completely dismissing the idea either. He was in a world he didn’t understand and nobody had given him a playbook.

  “Can you simply turn off your pain?” Renato asked. “That bottle of booze says you can’t. We’ve both lived with inner demons for so long that they have their claws embedded in us.”

  It was in Renato’s pretty brown eyes. He was still crushed over Morgan’s perceived rejection.

  He opened his mouth to argue his point once more when someone pounded on the door. Renato glared daggers at the door. “What!”

  The door swung open. Dog looked between them before his gaze settled on Renato. “We have doggies sniffing around the hangar.”

  When Dog said the word doggies, he glanced at Morgan. The accusation was clear in the man’s eyes, and Morgan wanted to sucker-punch Dog.

  “Fuck you.”

  Dog grinned. “What did I do?”

  “You’re being a dick,” Morgan said. “You think I’m one of them.” He shoved a finger at Dog. “I’m not, so go fuck yourself.”

  Dog held up his hands. “Did you hear me say that?”

  Morgan pushed past Dog, but before he moved into the hallway, he turned to the man and said, “Thank fuck I didn’t sleep with you.”

  “What the hell did you just say?” Renato asked in a low and deadly tone.

  Dog took a step back. Morgan turned to see darkness and death in Renato’s eyes. Morgan was beyond pissed and didn’t care. He just didn’t care. “I met Dog at The Lucky Clover. The guy has some smooth moves and can kiss like a dream.”

  Dog paled seconds before Renato attacked. Renato was like a beast unleashed as the two crashed against the door, the wood splintering. Morgan jumped back and instantly regretted taunting Renato. The two were like mountains colliding. Punches were thrown, claws came out, and fangs were exposed.

  Oh shit. Morgan should’ve kept his big mouth shut. The two were tearing the room apart. He backed into the hallway and then saw men racing his way. Morgan backed up even farther as the men rushed the room and tried to break Dog and Renato apart.

  Morgan couldn’t do this. It was too much. He ran down the hallway into a vast living room. He glanced around, spotted a door, and raced through it. The descending steps were made of concrete, and there were torches on the wall. He wasn’t even going to bother to ask why there were torches. Did someone come down here every day to make sure they were lit?

  Do you really care?

  He spilled into a room filled with plants. It looked strangely like a greenhouse, but there weren’t any windows or sun to help the plants grow. Morgan had glanced around for an exit, desperate to get away from all the insanity, when it felt as if his brain exploded.

  Dropping to his knees, Morgan gripped his head, crying out as flashes and flashes of images assaulted him. He instantly knew who the people in the images were. His family. He also saw himself exploring the mountain, unsure why he’d felt drawn to it. He’d found a door, had gone inside, and then realized that he’d been followed. A massive dog had attacked him, leaving Morgan to die.

  With the last of his strength, he’d stumbled away. When he had woken later, he hadn’t remembered the attack. Morgan was sure. He was sure of all of it. He’d gone to the family barbeque, played some volleyball, and then gone home.

  He couldn’t remember how he’d ended up in that crappy motel, but that was when he’d woken to a wiped memory.

  He knew who he was now. He remembered it all.

  Morgan curled up on the floor, cradling his head, feeling as if he was dying all over again. He cried out, writhing, feeling as if his bones were breaking. His back arched as his muscles locked up on him. Morgan twisted to his hands and knees, trying to crawl away, trying desperately to escape what he knew was coming.

  “Morgan!”

  Renato’s voice sounded far away. Morgan fought not to shift. Black hair sprouted along his arms. His face exploded in pain before it began to change shape. Claws slid free. “R-Renato. H-help me.”

  Before Renato could get to him, Morgan’s transformation was complete. He lowered his head and growled as the room filled with men.

  “It’s just me, zaterio.” Renato held up his hands, moving slowly toward Morgan. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “He’s a fucking hellhound,” one of the men said with a curse.

  Morgan’s growl deepened.

  “Calm down, zaterio.” Renato moved closer. Morgan closed the distance. He stood in front of Renato, protecting the man from everyone in the room. The move was instinctual, and Morgan didn’t fight against it.

  “Does he think we’re gonna hurt you?” Dog asked. When Morgan snapped at Dog, the man held up his hands. “Aiight. Peace.”

  The guy’s face was bloody and bruised from the fight, and the smell of blood made Morgan’s mouth water. If Dog didn’t get away from him, Morgan feared he’d attack the man. He just might for that bullshit stunt he’d pulled in the bedroom.

  “I need everyone to clear out of here,” Renato said, as if reading Morgan’s mind. He brushed a hand over Morgan’s head as he spoke, and Morgan leaned into the touch.

  “Damn, he’s so big,” another man said. “His spine comes to your waist, Renato. Maybe you need to back the fuck away.”

  “He’s not gonna hurt me,” Renato said with confidence. “But I can’t say the same for you guys. Get the hell out of here.”

  The men cleared the room.

  Renato turned and squatted. He cocked his head to the side and stared at Morgan. “You’re a hellhound, zaterio. Do you have any idea what that means?” He ran his hand along Morgan’s muzzle. “You’re in more danger than you know. Not from my brethren, but…shit. This is why those hounds are fighting to get to you. You’re unique. The first human to not only survive a bite but to be transformed by one.”

  Morgan licked Renato’s jaw.

  “This is one helluva shitstorm.” Renato grabbed Morgan’s jaw and gazed into his eyes. “But I promise you. I’ll fight to the death to keep you safe.”

  With a whimper, Morgan pushed into Renato.

  “One helluva shitstorm,” Renato muttered as he led Morgan from the plant room.

  Chapter Seven

  The bank of monitors against the far wall of the living room revealed the hellhounds sniffing around the hangar. The winged beasts had had problems like this before, but Nazaryth had gone to the Keeper and bartered with the old coot for stronger spells of protection. He hadn’t had problems with anyone coming near the castle since that fateful day Morgan had been bitten. And now the hounds where there, trying to find a way in.

  Nazaryth knew why they wanted Morgan. The man was unique, but there had to be more to it than that. His gut told him there was a larger picture going on here. Maybe a phone call to his adversaries wouldn’t hurt. There were seven hounds outside right now, but more would come. Nazaryth would bet his life on it.

  He and his men were good, but they weren’t invincible.

  Dog was leaning against the wall by the monitors, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at Nazaryth. “He’s a hellhound. What part of that are you not getting?”

  Nazaryth wasn’t in t
he mood. He really wasn’t. Not only did he have to deal with the fact that one of his men was mated to a hellhound he had to deal with the seven currently outside the hangar trying to get inside the castle. “Not now, Dog.”

  “I’m not saying anything against Morgan. You know I’m not. Fuck, Renato has suffered enough. He thought his mate was dead. Talk about the birth of some serious issues.”

  “You think I don’t know that?” Nazaryth snapped as he turned to glare at his best friend. “We’ve all felt his pain. I more than anyone know what Renato has suffered through. I’m the one who saved him from killing himself more than once over the years. So don’t stand there and lecture me, Dog. Morgan stays. We’ll just have to deal with—”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Dog held his hands up. “I didn’t say anything about booting him out. There’s no way I’d toss him to those hounds.”

  Nazaryth was getting a migraine. “Then what the hell are you complaining about?”

  “Guys?” Trigg said from behind Nazaryth. “If you’re done bitching at each other, you might want to take a look at the monitors.”

  “Where’d they go?” Nazaryth looked at every angle, every camera placed on the exterior of the castle. The hounds were gone.

  “I don’t trust this,” Trigg said.

  Neither did Nazaryth. He frowned when a woman walked up to the hangar and knocked. She literally knocked. Her hair was long and dark, her eyes the shape of almonds. They were as gray as storm clouds, and she wore tight jeans and a leather vest that hugged her small breasts. Zooming in, Nazaryth zeroed in on her face. Who the hell was she?

  “Hello?” the woman said as she banged on the hangar door. “Those hounds won’t stay gone long. Either you let me in or I’m gonna be Puppy Chow.”

  “It’s a trick,” Trigg said. “You let her in and the next thing we know, we’re all dead.”

  Nazaryth snorted. “It’s a tiny woman, Trigg.”

  “Your point?” Trigg jabbed a finger toward the monitors. “She could be a demon in disguise.”