The Real You

by N. J. Nielsen

  “Aw jeez, come here. Mitch may have banned kissing, but I haven’t,” Remi said as he hugged them both. He then kissed each of them tenderly.

  “Please don’t upset my guys, Mitch,” Eric said casually. “I’ve just gotten used to them being happy.”

  “Um, Eric. I think they’re our guys now, both officially and privately,” Mitch teasingly corrected his friend.

  Remi added his own thoughts. “Damn straight. Ours. Not yours. So don’t forget it.”

  “Sweetie,” Eric cackled like the deviant Mitch knew he was. “They will always be my guys.”

  “I thought I was your guy?” Dav pouted.

  “Dav, sweetheart,” Eric said with a touch of sarcasm. “You are my life. Don’t ever doubt that, but these men are also mine. I have looked after you all for far too long to stop now.”

  Mitch whistled when Dav grinned, then he jokingly kissed Eric right on the mouth. “I knew you loved me best.”

  “Always, baby.” Eric smirked then he got up and started clearing away the dishes. He tried to protest when Mitch got up to help, but Mitch shut him down.

  Isiah and Claudius joined the others as they left the two best friends arguing in the kitchen.

  Chapter Eight

  Mitch waited until they were alone. The moment they were, he stopped their pretend argument and said in all seriousness, “I think Tagh’s nice. I didn’t get the feeling he was a pain in the ass, nor did I get the whole creepy-vibe thing that you did.”

  “Because he was on better behavior with everyone here.” Eric shrugged. “Hello, maybe that’s because he hasn’t asked you on a date yet. The guy is weird, I tell you.”

  “Did he really ask you on a date?”

  In typical fashion, Eric rolled his eyes. “We are so not going there.”

  “I think he’s rather cute. I like him. I reckon he’d make a great boyfriend.” Mitch nudged Eric’s shoulder playfully.

  Eric turned and stared at him. “Mitch, don’t you think two boyfriends are enough for you? Or is it three, seeing as there’s now Remi as well?”

  “Not for me, silly. I meant he would be a great boyfriend for you.”

  Eric dropped the plate he was washing with a splash and appeared frozen in shock at Mitch’s declaration. “What…what would make you say that? I’m not…”

  “Gay?” Mitch ended for his friend. “We’ve been friends for over two years, Eric. I kind of worked out a long time ago where your preferences lie, and I can tell you, it doesn’t make any difference to me. I still love you anyway.”

  “Daven doesn’t know, and I’d prefer to keep it that way,” Eric said quietly, then he resumed washing up. “Promise me you won’t say anything. Not even to Claudius and Isiah.”

  Mitch put down his tea towel and wrapped his arms around his best friend and confidant. “I promise, Eric. I’ll keep your secret for as long as you need me to.” Mitch let go and stepped back so he could look Eric in the eye. He winked. “You want to go out dancing with me tonight? It might be fun. We can get our groove things on.”

  “Can’t. I promised Claude and Isiah I’d take them shopping for clothes for this stupid dinner dance at the weekend.”

  “What dinner dance? I don’t have to go, do I?” Mitch shuddered. Why do I get the feeling I’m going to be the main attraction?

  “Because we are,” Remi answered his question.

  Eric nodded. “Weirdly, you, Isiah and Claudius are the guests of honor. I bet they freak out completely when they realize Remi is there as well.”

  “See. I told you so.”

  “Why?” Mitch asked.

  Eric shrugged “Who knows? Maybe it’s because the guild has taken an interest in you and the relationship you have with Claude and Isiah. Whatever the reason, I’m determined to make sure all my guys look fan- frickin -tastic.”

  “What about me? You know my wardrobe consists of jeans and T-shirts. What am I supposed to wear?” Mitch stated. He hated playing dress-up. It was something Lewis had always forced him to do. He’d gotten rid of all his suits after he and Lewis had finally broken up.

  “Well, I guess that your new best friend, Murtagh, can take you shopping. That’s if he’s willing to stick around, of course.” Eric grinned then jumped as Murtagh spoke behind them.

  “As it happens, I’ll be staying for a few weeks on guild business, so I’d be delighted to take Mitch shopping for something to wear.”

  Mitch smiled graciously. “Thank you, Tagh. You’re a true gentleman.”

  “I can see I’m going to be stuck with that nickname, aren’t I?”

  “It’s not that bad. At least Isiah didn’t name you Murt.” Mitch bit his lip to keep from laughing.

  “Well, there is that,” Murtagh agreed.

  * * * *

  Later that afternoon, Claudius and Isiah seemed reluctant to let Mitch go off alone with Murtagh. He knew they were worried Gabriel would try to harm him again and they wouldn’t be there to protect him. In the end, they only agreed after Remi had set both their minds at rest. Mitch still couldn’t figure out why they didn’t all go shopping together. It would’ve been much easier.

  “So, Tagh, Eric tells me you’ve been by the house every day since I had my little accident,” Mitch said as they drove across town to the retail outlets.

  Murtagh shrugged. “It’s now part of my job to see to your health and wellbeing.”

  “I’m all healthy now. So does this mean we won’t be seeing much of you from now on?”

  Murtagh seemed to think for a moment. “With accepting your new residence, it was agreed you would take in guild members as guests from time to time. As a matter of fact, you’ll have a full house this weekend because of the dinner dance.”

  Mitch smiled at the evasiveness of Tagh’s answer. “I like you, Tagh. I hope you spend heaps of time at our place. Feel free to bring a girlfriend, or a boyfriend.” Mitch watched Murtagh’s reaction closely.

  “Mitch, if you’re trying to find out which way my affections lie, then you have only to ask.”

  “Okay, Tagh. I’d like to know if you’re gay?” Mitch asked bluntly. He figured Murtagh had offered, so he couldn’t complain.

  “That, my sweet Mitch, is none of your business.” Tagh chuckled. He pulled the vehicle into the first available parking space, turned off the ignition, exited the car then waited for Mitch to do the same before locking it.

  Mitch spoke coyly, “I thought you said I only had to ask.”

  “I did, but I never said I was going to answer you, now did I?” Murtagh said. He seemed to enjoy the fact that Mitch burst out laughing. Still cackling like teenagers, they made their way into the heart of the megastore. It was time to shop like the demon he was inside. If he had to be dressed up like a turkey and put on display for the world to see, Mitch was determined to look bloody good. That, and he didn’t want to embarrass his men by appearing like he didn’t fit in. The best part was the guild was footing the bill for his new clobber.

  “This would have been so much easier if I knew what Claude and Isiah were going to be wearing. I’d hate it if we clashed horribly,” Mitch stated.

  “They’re vampires. Your men will dress in the traditional black, but you would think they’d have better imaginations. I guess they all stick with tradition. But for you, my dear, I have other plans.” Mitch got the feeling Murtagh wasn’t being completely honest with him. Not that he thought Murtagh was lying, exactly. More like he was withholding information.

  By the time they had finished shopping, Mitch found himself in the possession of a beautiful dark purple suit, along with a deep gray shirt. At first, he couldn’t understand Murtagh’s choices until they were home again and he saw Claudius’ and Isiah’s new suits. It seemed both men had bought the exact opposite of what he had. He couldn’t wait to see them all dressed up for the real event tomorrow night.

  “It would seem someone has been sharing information about our clothes.” Mitch smirked. Thinking back, he couldn’t remember Murtagh
ever being on his phone during their outing.

  “Not me,” Eric stated. “I was busy enough keeping your men in check. Apparently, they don’t like shopping.”

  Daven held up his hand. “Guilty. I suggested the colors to both Eric and Murtagh and left the rest up to them. You guys being opposites was a pure coincidence.”

  The whole situation was a little strange, and Mitch wasn’t sure what to make of it all. He got the feeling Daven knew more about their lives than he was letting on. As soon as he was able, Mitch was determined to pin Daven down and figure out exactly what he was keeping from the rest of the household. If it had anything to do with Claudius, Isiah and himself, then he figured they had a right to know. He was also unwavering in his need to find out more about this prophecy he’d heard whispers of ever since he’d started acting as a day warden for Claude and Isiah.

  In the last couple of months, Mitch had learned there was more in the world than just the humans and vampires, though for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why the other species of beings had decided to remain hidden away from the world. Did they fear being persecuted by humans if their existence ever came to light? Mitch guessed so. Since moving in, he had listened often to Claudius and Isiah talk about their lives and how different species had different rules of how they interacted with everyone around them, and within their own species. The kicker was that they all still had to abide by human laws as well.

  Mitch understood his life was going to have to change a lot more. There was so much he had to learn about the world that he now found himself a part of. He couldn’t even fathom how much more he’d have to get his mind around. Deep down, he knew his life was never going back to the days when he only had to listen to Eric’s stories about Daven and the other two men he took care of. Only now did he realize how much Eric had actually left out of their previous conversations.

  Mitch wasn’t fussed over the fact Guild Master Tomas was about to make him undertake further lessons. Murtagh had told him while they were out on their shopping trip that these lessons were needed. But he didn’t explain why the extra lessons were needed. Mitch had to wonder what the guild was getting out of all of this. Why were they so fixated on Claudius and Isiah and the relationship they had with Mitch himself?

  What pissed off Mitch the most was the way they were all concerned about Claudius and Isiah now. Where the hell had they been when the two men needed them most? When their money had been tight? They had gone from poor to rich within weeks, and now there didn’t seem to be anything the guild wasn’t willing to do for Claudius and Isiah. Mitch was seriously starting to think the whole situation was a bit suspect, and if somebody didn’t start explaining shit soon…

  “Don’t look so worried. It’s only a dance. They’re not going to eat you,” Daven stated. “Maybe they’ll nibble a bit, but nothing too harmful.”

  Mitch studied Daven. For some reason the guy wasn’t acting right. Since when did Daven joke around? “Who are you and where’s Daven?” Mitch retorted dryly.

  “Baby, I’m all me.” Daven took a moment to run his hands over his own chest, preening for the rest of them.

  “That’s not funny, Dav,” Eric groused. “You’ll have Mitch running for the hills. He’s not even fully settled into this relationship. I’ve been trying to ease him into the situation, not throw him in the deep end with his hands tied behind his back.”

  Mitch couldn’t stop himself from asking, “What does the guild really think about our relationship?” He wasn’t even sure Daven would answer, but he had to try.

  “The truth is, the guild doesn’t think you’re their True One. The guild thinks you’re only the catalyst which will lead Claudius and Isiah to their True One.”

  “What’s a True One?”

  When no one answered, Remi explained, “A True One is the one person meant for them. The person who can love them both and treat them as individuals. I think the prophecy goes something like this. When two male children are born as one, it will indicate the start of a new dawn among our kind. These males will be the first to find their True One in a different paranormal species. These two males will be so alike no one will ever be able to separate them. Not even their own families will be able to tell them apart. It is said that they will know their True One in four ways.

  “This person alone will see them for who they are.

  “Both men will publicly claim this person in their need for comfort.

  “Both men will find true release deep within this person. I guess it’s because vampires can’t fully orgasm until they find their True Ones.

  “And, lastly, this person will accept that to be with one means being with the other, as they cannot separate themselves.” Remi fell silent for a moment before adding, “Do you see where I’m going with this?”

  As everything snapped into place, Mitch stated, “The guild is wrong. We’ve experienced true release. Many times over to be exact.” At their shocked looks, he went on, “You all took so long, so Remi explained everything to me.”

  “Is this true?” Daven asked Claudius and Isiah, who sat grinning like Cheshire cats.

  “We told you Mitch was our True One,” Isiah said.

  To clarify, Claudius pointed out, “Gabriel finally did something right by infecting Mitch. He went from being human to part of the paranormal world. I don’t care what the guild thinks. Mitch is ours, and we’re not giving him up no matter what they say.”

  “And you shouldn’t have to,” Murtagh said quietly. “Finding your True One is a glorious thing for us all. It gives the rest of us hope that we can one day find our own true mates.” He shook his head. “I never really believed in the prophecy, but after meeting all of you, I think I’ve finally seen the light.”

  Mitch wanted to know what species Murtagh was, but Eric had explained once that it was bad manners to ask someone their age and species. Mitch thought it was bloody stupid himself, seeing as how the guild had all but decided Mitch was no good for Claudius and Isiah all because he was born human.

  When Eric squealed, Mitch nearly had a heart attack. His friend launched himself at him and his mates. “This is so exciting. We’ll have to have a party to celebrate.”

  “Isn’t that what this dance is for tomorrow night?” Mitch asked.

  Eric rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but it will be full of stodgy, boring guild members and all the people they’ve invited. I want something that’s more for us, where we can invite all our friends so we can at least have fun.”

  “Not all guild members are stodgy and boring,” Murtagh said with a trace of hurt in his voice. “Some of us are actually decent people.”

  “You keep thinking that, sunshine, but the rest of us know the truth,” Eric retorted snippily.

  Daven growled without any real heat. “I’m a guild member, Eric, or have you forgotten that?”

  “Dav, don’t be ridiculous. You’re one of us. Believe me, there is definitely no stodginess about you.”

  Again, Mitch got an inkling there was more to the story of Eric and Murtagh. Maybe one day he’d find out what it was all about. Usually, his friend was nice to everyone. What was it about Murtagh that seemed to rub Eric the wrong way?

  Chapter Nine

  “You look gorgeous,” Claude said the moment he saw Mitch walk into the lounge. He was more amazed with every passing second at how Mitch found it so easy to love both him and Isiah. Mitch always made them both feel special, never once getting weirded out because Claudius and Isiah often got mistaken for identical twins, or that people found it strange that there were three of them in the relationship. Though he had noticed, since they had mated with Mitch and Remi, people were getting them mixed up less and less. Maybe somehow the new body they all shared partially changed the similarities surrounding him and Isiah. Well, he hoped so at least.

  Mitch bowed. “Thank you, kind sir. You don’t scrub up too badly yourself. You and Isiah are both absolutely stunning. There are going to be some jealous people there tonight. I’
ll be the one grinning like a loon, because I have the two sexiest men to call my own.”

  “You’re right. They’ll all stare at us,” Isiah complained as he joined them. “Even knowing we aren’t related, they still have doubts and think we’re being incestuous. It pisses me off that people can’t see us for who we are.”

  “Then they’re idiots. We know the truth, and what they think doesn’t matter,” Mitch said as he hugged Isiah.

  “Who’s going to stare at you, Isiah?” Daven asked. He stood leaning against the doorframe.

  That right there was what Claude had been thinking earlier. He and Isiah were dressed identically, and yet Daven said the right name. Maybe their lives really were changing for the better. Claudius still understood Isiah’s reasoning. So many times others had said unflattering things when they thought others couldn’t hear them. More than once they’d been spat on, or had things thrown at them by passersby. Why, if they thought he and Isiah were the chosen ones, did they treat them like utter shit? In the end, they had decided to never touch in public, especially now that they had Mitch in their lives. Claudius would never be able to forgive himself if he thought their actions would get Mitch hurt again, or worse—killed!

  “So how are we getting to this shindig?” Mitch asked as Daven and Murtagh herded them toward the front door. Eric had already gone to meet up with whoever he was escorting to the dance. His friend had been very secretive about it all.

  Murtagh answered, “We have been given the use of one of the guild cars for the evening. Now, put smiles on your faces and get ready to become the main attraction of tonight’s event.”

  “Is it too late to say we’ve come down with something, and need to be allowed to stay at home in bed?” Mitch asked.

  Claudius couldn’t help but smirk.

  “No way. It won’t hurt you three to play nice for one night. Let them all stare to their heart’s content. When they’re all finally satisfied Mitch is your True One, we can get the hell out of there, go home then relax. Personally, I can’t wait until they realize Remi is there as well. This is going to be a hoot.”