by Lynn Hagen
Bael was no longer ugly. He had transformed into something…beautiful. Jason hated to admit that, even to himself. Those eyes were still terrifying, but the demon himself was gorgeous. That only made him ten times more frightening. All Jason wanted to do was get away from him.
"I haven’t done anything to you. Why are you after me?"
Jason felt a push through his mind. A probe. The demon was searching for…something. Jason wasn’t sure what the guy was looking for, but the intrusion pissed him off. He didn’t like anyone poking into his private thoughts, least of all this guy.
Jason’s right foot slid forward of its own accord, taking a step. Jason wouldn’t allow himself to go. "No!"
"This is nothing personal. I was hired to kill Matt and Colton, and I plan to make them suffer before I end their lives. Killing you will be Matt’s ultimate suffering." The demon took a step and then another.
This was a game to him. But Jason had to do something to save himself.
"I’m pregnant." Jason fell forward onto his hands, panting heavily when the hold was snatched away. The demon lifted him from the floor and let Jason dangle in the air.
"What did you say?" His eyes dropped to Jason’s stomach, as if the idea intrigued him.
Jason felt the blood gathering in his face as his throat was slowly crushed. Bael pulled him close until their lips were inches apart.
"You think that will sway me?"
Jason couldn’t answer even if he wanted to. The air was cut off, and he could barely breathe, let alone speak.
Where in the hell was Nick? Why hadn’t he heard any of this? And then Jason realized that neither of them had spoken above a whisper. He would have shouted for Nick, but his airway was currently being crushed.
Bael threw him to the floor. Jason lay on his back, gripping his throat, clawing to get air back into his lungs. His throat burned as the air rushed into his mouth and he wheezed raggedly.
Bael crouched beside Jason and sniffed at him. "Ah, yes. I can smell the pup inside you."
The door flew open, and Matt stood there. Or what he assumed was Matt. The wolf’s canines were bared, and the hair on Jason’s body stood on end as a low, rumbling growl filled Matt’s chest. Jason braced his arms over his face.
The air around him stirred, and when he glanced under his arm, the two creatures were fighting.
"Stop!" Jason shouted, but they continued to battle. Matt grew bloodier, but Bael wasn’t without wounds.
Jason had begun to think Matt wouldn’t defeat Bael when Matt picked up a piece of wood from the chair they’d demolished and drove it into the demon’s chest.
The guy vanished.
Just like that he’d vanished.
Was he dead? Had Matt killed him or had the demon returned to wherever it had come from?
His mate snorted out of his nose before he shifted back into his human form. He was completely naked and it was so damn inappropriate for Jason to be turned on, but he was. How could he not be when he was enveloped by all that brawny muscle?
Matt sniffed at him in a doglike manner. "Did he hurt you?"
Jason shook his head. "He wasn’t polite, but I’m fine."
He yelped when Matt pulled him off his feet and tossed him down on the bed. It was as if a beast had been unleashed. Matt went wild as he tore at Jason’s clothes. When he stopped, Jason was left in nothing but his underwear.
"What are you doing?"
Matt stopped long enough to answer him. His tone was filled with anger. "Getting his fucking scent off you. Claiming what’s mine."
"You just fought a demon and demolished your bedroom and you want to have sex?" Not that Jason would deny him.
"Bael is dead. I’ve defeated him and now I’m claiming my fucking prize. Now shut up and turn over so I can lay my roots."
His dominance had Jason’s cock growing hard. Who knew being bossed around was one of his kinks?
* * * *
"You have got to learn boundaries."
Matt bared his canines and—to his astonishment—that snarl seemed to turn Jason on. His green eyes sparkled with lust. "When it comes to you, there are no fucking boundaries," Matt snapped.
The thought of Bael touching Jason, of what could have happened to his mate, had Matt ready to tear someone apart. He was still shocked as hell that he’d defeated Bael, but he pushed those thoughts aside, gentling his touch, making Jason whimper for him.
"Gonna let me kiss you?" He traced his fingers down Jason’s neck and watched as his mate roughly swallowed. He used his other hand to pinch and tug at Jason’s nipple, then smiled when Jason gasped. "Answer me."
Jason gripped the back of Matt’s head, fingers tangled in his hair. His mate tugged him down as his eyes grew dark. From the corner of his eyes, Matt saw Jason’s chest rapidly expanding and contracting. The vein in the side of his neck strained as it beat.
Matt slid his hand down Jason’s chest as he laid siege to his mate’s mouth. His tongue plundered as he gripped the tenting erection underneath the thin material of Jason’s underwear. Matt’s body grew tight as Jason twisted to get closer, hitching his hips, grinding his cock against Matt’s hand.
"Shit, baby. Just…shit." Matt blanketed Jason as he gripped Jason’s cock, stroked him, and drove his tongue deeper.
He shifted his body until he was between Jason’s legs, grinding their bodies together, cursing the material between them. He nipped Jason’s ear. "You’re ready to get fucked, aren’t you?"
Jason let out a low and salacious moan as he arched his back. That wasn’t good enough. "Answer me." Matt gripped his mate’s cock tighter and tugged it.
"Yes," Jason hissed. Slick sweat covered his skin in a fine layer. He spread his legs wider as Matt pulled himself into a kneeling position and ripped Jason’s boxers away. Jason only groaned louder. It was as if the man was on fire and Matt was the only person who could put out his flames.
Matt spit on his fingers and slid them between Jason’s cheeks, circling the pulsing muscle, teasing, watching as Jason tried to impale himself.
"How bad do you wanna feel my cock inside you?" He pressed the tip of one finger against the muscle. "Tell me, baby."
Jason drove his ass down, then cried out. The muscle gripped Matt’s finger so tightly that he felt his eyes begin to glow. He had to feel that tightness on his cock. Matt had to be buried inside Jason, and soon.
"That bad," Jason groaned. He tilted his head back, his neck muscles straining. The sight was fucking beautiful. Matt worked his fingers, twisted his wrist, stretched Jason until he was begging for Matt’s cock.
He pulled his fingers free and lined the head of his cock to Jason’s hole. Matt had to grit his teeth to stop himself from punching forward. He wasn’t going to hurt Jason, no matter how badly he wanted inside his snug body.
The sensual smile that curved Jason’s lips said he was more than ready to take Matt into his body.
Matt dropped to his hands, placing them on either side of Jason’s head. He nipped his mate’s lower lip and sucked it into his mouth as his natural lube bathed Jason's hole. When the spurt of pre-cum happened a few times, Matt inched inside his mate.
Jason gasped. "Matt!"
"I’m just getting started with you, baby."
Jason closed his eyes, gripped Matt’s shoulders, then pushed back. His soft whines of need grew louder as Matt gritted his teeth and eased back. He wanted to scream to himself from the incredible pleasure of Jason’s flesh against his.
He gripped Jason’s slender hips as he moved harder, faster, and deeper.
Soon, Jason was crying his name, bucking against him, his head twisting against the sheets, arching as his cock erupted.
The scent of Jason’s release sent Matt tumbling over the edge. His cock pulsed as he bit into Jason’s shoulder, and his balls emptied.
Jason lay there panting, covered in a thick layer of sweat. His hair was wet and matted to his forehead as his eyelids fluttered closed.
Matt eased from
his mate and dropped beside his slender body. He pulled Jason into his arms as his heart settled to its normal rhythm.
"Don’t ever scare me like that again."
Jason wiggled until he was facing Matt. "It’s not like I go out and find trouble."
As Matt brushed his knuckles over Jason’s soft cheek, he knew he wouldn’t be able to go on if anything ever happened to his mate. "I love you."
He was stunned when the words slipped so easily from between his lips. That wasn’t what he’d meant to say, but Matt wasn’t taking them back. He meant them. He honestly loved Jason.
Jason’s green eyes lit up as he smiled at Matt. "You better, since you knocked me up." He snuggled closer and yawned. "Love you, too, Sugar Shack."
Matt chuckled. Yes, he’d finally found the one person who fit, and he wouldn’t trade Jason for the world. He might have started out thinking his mate was plain, but he was the most beautiful man to Matt.
"So glad you asked if you could give yourself to me." He nuzzled Jason’s neck.
"So glad I pepper-sprayed myself." Jason shook as he laughed and, to Matt, the sound felt like home.
* * * *
Colton left his mother’s house after consoling her the best he could. Only time would help to heal her broken heart. Though he wasn’t sure if even time itself could help her.
He’d lost his father and now his brother was gone. His mother was the only family he had left. It tore at his heart that she would lose him as well when the Consiglio got their hands on him.
Instead of going home, Colton headed to Grizzly’s for a drink. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not when he had a death sentence hanging over his head.
Mother fuck. He couldn’t think of a way out of this. Even if he decided to run, there was no place he could hide.
As he approached the tavern door, Colton felt something stir the air. He glanced around, expecting to find a Consiglio member standing somewhere behind him. They would be the ones to come after him for killing a Master. Not a bounty hunter.
No one was there, but he felt a presence—a very strong and powerful one at that. "Show yourself," he growled to the dark night. "Don’t hide in the shadows like a coward."
Colton knew his time was short, but he’d be damned if anyone played mind games with him. Bo the alligator hissed and moved backward, as if afraid of whoever was there.
The shadow beside the wooden building moved. A stranger stepped under the security light. He was tall and sleek, and silky dark hair fell to his shoulders. The guy might be gorgeous, but the air was heavy with lethality.
"Who the fuck’re you?" Colton knew every member of the Consiglio and this guy wasn’t one of them.
The stranger tucked his hands into the pockets of his slacks. He wore a finely cut suit—the kind that would cost more than most people made in a year. "I am Lucian Veneto."
"And that means what to me?" Colton wasn’t in the mood to make a new friend. Lucian’s scent reeked of vampire. But not just any vampire. This one was ancient. There was a certain flavor to the air around him—old, authoritative.
"You defeated Magnus." The statement was casual, yet Colton’s wolf growled. He wasn’t going down without a fight if Lucian was here to punish him.
"And what, you came here thinkin’ to exact some kind of revenge?" He had his Glock pulled before Lucian could blink. "You’ll have to get in line, pal."
Lucian seemed unperturbed at the weapon pointed directly at his heart. "On the contrary. You defeated Magnus. That makes you the new Master in Mercury."
"I don’t think so." The guy had to be smoking something. There was no way Colton was leading any vampires—let alone Magnus’s psychotic bunch.
"You are relinquishing your rightful place as their Master?"
"I’d rather stake every last one of them," Colton replied.
"You speak the truth." Lucian cocked his head to the side. "The Consiglio cannot touch you if you become the new Master."
Colton was too stunned to speak. Was this guy for real? Had he found a loophole that would save his life? Even so, it was a loophole Colton wouldn’t be using. "I’d rather deal with the Consiglio than rule over a bunch of bloodsuckers."
Lucian took a step forward. Immense power bled from the vampire, stirring the air even harder. A slight wind picked up and Colton had a feeling it was Lucian’s doing. He also had a feeling he was truly fucked.
Lucian’s eyes narrowed. When the vampire spoke, Colton’s assumption was confirmed. "I wasn’t giving you a choice, wolf."
THE END
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