Learning to Love [A Dragon's Growl 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Marcy Jacks

  “Of course I came for you!” Zane yelled, outraged. “I heard you. I couldn’t not come for you!”

  “Where did you get all of this?” Marxus asked, looking down at the many weapons Zane had strapped to himself. He wasn’t even wearing a shirt or shoes. He was literally in the jeans he’d thrown back on after leaving the bathroom. His bare skin beneath the black holsters and leather was so insanely hot. Marxus couldn’t believe how turned on he was by the sight of this.

  “I found a vampire chasing down some omegas when I came out of my room. I killed him and took his stuff.”

  Marxus blinked at that. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know how Zane had done that, and he especially didn’t like knowing the man had been in a fight at all.

  A fight Zane would stay in. Marxus knew that, even before he spoke.

  “If I asked you to stay back, to help the omegas hide and protect them, but to not fight as much as possible, would you do it?”

  Zane shook his head even before Marxus was halfway through that sentence.

  He supposed he should have known better.

  “You shouldn’t even be fighting in the state you’re in.”

  “It’s a flesh wound.”

  Somewhere in the house, Marxus heard the noises of battle. The roars of outrage and the crashing of glass and furniture.

  Varrick didn’t seem as if he was going to give up.

  “I need to go downstairs. I need to join the fight,” Marxus said, letting his fingers slide through Zane’s hair.

  Zane nodded. “Then I’m coming with you.”

  It hurt Marxus so much to hear that. “Please don’t. I don’t want you hurt.”

  Zane looked at him hard for a good long minute. It was the sort of expression that should have been enough to melt ice, but he was also clearly thinking about something, something Marxus wished he could see.

  Anything other than this silence.

  “All right,” Zane said finally.

  Marxus blinked. “All right?”

  Zane pushed himself to his feet, looking down at him and offering his hand. “All right.”

  Marxus didn’t know what to think of this. It seemed very much like a trick, but he took his mate by the hand and allowed Zane to help him to his feet.

  When he did, Zane revealed what he was really thinking.

  “I’m still going with you, but if this will distract you, then I’ll stick around in the back. I’ll watch your back, and if someone tries to sneak up on you, I’ll kill them. You can take care of everyone who tries to get the jump on you from the front, and it’ll be safer for me from my position. Got it?”

  Marxus swallowed hard. He shook his head. “Jesus, fuck, you are so sexy right now.”

  His mate was a little warrior. That was going to be a bitch to come to terms with, but at least Zane was also willing to negotiate how he would fight.

  Even if he still sounded as though he was bossing Zane around while he was doing it.

  And that was somehow still perfectly all right in Marxus’s book.

  Then Zane grinned at him, and it was almost too much to handle. It really was.

  “I am sexy, aren’t I? You can do something about it after we finish with these pricks.”

  Before Zane could reach for the door, Marxus reached out, grabbing the man by his hand. “Wait, does this mean you’re going to accept the mating?”

  Something in Zane’s eyes changed, that expression of vulnerability coming over him. “You and I can talk after this is done, but…yes. I guess.”

  “You guess?” Marxus needed less than a second to think that over, and the conclusion he came to was definitely a good one. “I’ll take it!”

  He grabbed Zane again, kissing him one last time, still needing to taste him and touch him, and it was the best damned feeling he’d ever had when Zane kissed him back.

  Zane didn’t want to admit it, but that was fine. Marxus already knew he had the man forever, and that was more than enough for him in that moment.

  The fact that they were both smiling at each other before they left the room was an even better sign of things to come.

  * * * *

  Zane hadn’t come right out and said that he loved Marxus, but when the man smiled brightly at him, as if he wasn’t bleeding and in pain, telling him he would take what he could get, it was as if he knew.

  As if something was telling him that he was getting what he wanted here.

  Zane didn’t know if he should be terrified by that or not, to know that his mate could see inside him that well, that Marxus was reading him better than Zane could read himself…

  He had to stop thinking about this. He was going to distract himself, and that was the last thing he needed when he was trying to focus on not dying.

  And not getting Marxus killed.

  Just as Zane had suggested, Marxus took the lead. He rushed ahead, as though he hadn’t just been tied up and tortured, and Zane watched his mate’s back, as well as his own, as Marxus went after the people who came at him head-on.

  When it looked to be a two-on-one, Zane raised his weapon and fired. He wasn’t about to let anyone tag team Marxus in a bullshit move like that, and when Marxus snapped the neck of the second man, he looked back at Zane.

  “Was this a normal practice for Varrick’s men? To outnumber the enemy?”

  Zane shook his head. “You really shouldn’t be looking for honor among these guys. We pretty much learned to leave it behind if we wanted to survive any of the missions.”

  A saddened expression overcame Marxus’s face at the reminder that Zane used to be among these people they were killing.

  Hell, many of them might even be like Zane and Josh. They might not want to be here but felt they had to be.

  Otherwise face Varrick’s wrath, and that was definitely a far more frightening thing to be thinking about.

  It had been enough to keep Josh and Zane working for the man for so many years of their lives.

  Marxus let it go quickly, however, and he nodded toward the stairs. “Let’s go. Do you need anything from these guys?”

  “Still got lots of ammo,” Zane said. “Lead the way.”

  Marxus did, and Zane continued to follow. Zane was actually pleased with how good of a team they made. Despite the fact that Marxus had no formal training anywhere and this was the first time they were being forced to work with each other, he had to admit he was definitely impressed.

  Soon, even though Marxus continued to glance back to make sure Zane was still following him, that he hadn’t been dropped on and was getting attacked, it was clear that he was trusting Zane more and more to keep himself safe, as well as watch his back.

  He only glanced back on him once per minute, instead of ten times per minute.

  They got the drop on two more men in black, in another one of the bedrooms, holding three crying omegas hostage. They shouted down at them, demanding to know where Sorin was.

  Shit. Of course they would be here for that.

  Giving Seth shit and keeping the man from living peacefully was definitely part of the mission here, but Sorin would always be something Varrick would keep on the agenda.

  If any of these men could bring Sorin back, then the chances were good they would be greatly rewarded.

  Zane was forced to go in the room with Marxus for this one, considering the cramped nature.

  Zane quickly shot and killed one of the men. His aim was true, and the man went down hard just as Marxus reached out and grabbed onto the second man in black, snapping his neck quick and clean.

  “Was that an alpha, vampire, or human?”

  “Felt like a human, to me,” Marxus said, looking at him. “Not enough resistance in the bones I broke.”

  Zane filed that information away under stuff he could have gone the rest of his life without ever needing to know, but whatever. He supposed it was his own damned fault for asking.

  “You guys all right?” Marxus asked, looking down at the three omegas.

  Z
ane turned his attention to them, as well, and then all blood drained from his face when he saw a fourth person on the floor.

  He’d been so focused on the attackers that he’d given himself a sort of tunnel vision, and he hadn’t even noticed his own brother on his stomach, eyes closed.

  “He tried to protect us,” said one of the omegas quietly. “I don’t…they wouldn’t let me help them.”

  The man sniffed, wiped his eyes, and then, as though coming out of his shock and realizing there was something he could do to help now, rushed into action.

  He turned Josh onto his back. Zane had no idea if that was something he should have been doing in the first place, but the omega did it, and he immediately put his hands over the bleeding spot on Josh’s stomach.

  Zane’s hands began to tremble again, as hard and as fast as when he’d first found Marxus.

  He pulled the knife from its holster, the one that had been bloody when he’d first run into that man in black, one of Varrick’s assassins.

  That motherfucker. That son of a bitch, piece of shit…

  This was the knife that had done it. Zane could tell that right now. It belonged to the asshole that had attacked his brother, and holy shit, Josh was right there, pale on the floor, and Zane didn’t even know if his brother was alive or not.

  He fell to his knees next to Josh, reaching out, touching his neck, terrified.

  “Zane,” Marxus said quietly, as if this freaked him out just as much.

  It especially freaked out Zane when he couldn’t find the pulse.

  But then he did find it and he was able to breathe a sigh of sweet relief.

  Oh God. “He’s alive.”

  He cried. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t make any noises, but the few tears that did come showed up swiftly and without warning. He quickly wiped them away, focusing on Josh’s face.

  As though Josh’s soul would leave his body if Zane looked away from him for a single minute.

  “Josh, please, God, don’t do this.”

  “Can you help him?” Marxus demanded.

  Zane barely heard the man, and for some weird reason, he got the impression Marxus was talking to him when he did manage to snap out of it.

  “I think so. I don’t think he’s lost too much blood,” said the omega.

  God, Zane was such an asshole. He didn’t even know this omega’s name, but he wanted to beg the man to do anything and everything he could that would save Josh’s life.

  “I think he’s in shock.”

  “Save him,” Zane begged. “Please save him.”

  He felt a firm pressure on his shoulder. He looked up. Marxus stared down at him with pity but also with strength.

  “You take care of your brother. I’m going to see to the rest of the house.”

  Zane opened his mouth to tell Marxus not to leave him, but then he quickly shut it again.

  That would have been the most selfish thing in the world to do, to beg and demand the man not to take care of the rest of the house and his family.

  He needed to go. The fewer of those fuckers out there in the house, the better as far as he was concerned.

  Zane nodded, reaching out and grabbing Marxus’s hand before the man could go.

  He seemed to shock the dragon when he kissed his knuckles.

  “You’re right. I’m in love with you,” Zane admitted. “Please come back alive.”

  Marxus blinked down at him then leaned down and kissed him hard.

  It didn’t last long before it felt as though Marxus had to yank himself away to rush into the battle taking place outside.

  Leaving Zane sitting there, hoping he wasn’t about to lose the two most important people in his life.

  Chapter Nine

  Marxus absolutely hated walking away from his mate. He didn’t want to leave him when he was feeling that vulnerable, but he had no choice, not when the house was being attacked.

  Leaving him behind was the only way he could protect him. It was the only way Marxus could keep those filthy bastards away from the omegas who were treating Josh.

  Fuck, telling Dimitri about that wasn’t exactly going to be a treat.

  Pissed beyond all belief, Marxus rushed down the stairs three at a time, feeling as though he was flying even though his wings had been shredded. He roared the battle cry of a warrior as he leapt over the railing over the last five steps, landing on the back of one of the men in black before the stupid bastard even knew what hit him.

  Marxus felt a little wild then as he sank his fangs down onto the throat of the man. He hadn’t even noticed there were others. His only mission was to kill this man here, to make him pay, to make them all suffer.

  These pricks had killed Albert. They’d killed his best friend, tried to kill the rest of his friends, and they wanted him and his kind wiped off the face of the Earth.

  He hated them, and he wanted them dead.

  The man beneath him screamed beneath his mask, spinning around like a bull trying to buck off a rider.

  Marxus didn’t know what it said about him that he was able to hold on well while the man died.

  He could understand now why Sorin loved drinking blood. Well, he was a vampire and he had to drink blood, but there was definitely something empowering about it. If it didn’t taste absolutely horrible, Marxus might develop a taste for it.

  The man went down hard, and then the two others in black rushed him.

  They swung their batons. He deftly ducked out of the way. One man’s knee got punched and shattered. Marxus had no idea who he’d hit, but he definitely heard the scream.

  Seth and Stefan rushed into the foyer where he was fighting, roaring, fangs popping out of their mouths in feral looks Marxus had never seen on either man before in his life.

  And it didn’t matter because the sight of them coming and joining him in this battle, two more powerful dragons offering their strength, was more than enough to make the rush of pleasure and adrenaline hit him.

  Marxus roared again, this time from the empowerment of being joined by his brothers, instead of the rage he felt from being attacked.

  He got back into the fight, and this time he fucking loved it.

  Seth and Stefan took out the last remaining men in black, snapping heads as if it was nothing to them, and then there were five dead men in black on the floor.

  Marxus frowned, and he had to actually count the bodies because he could have sworn there were only three.

  No, there were five. Holy shit, he must have been so lost in the rush of battle that he actually didn’t notice when more had come to join the fray.

  It was sloppy, and despite how good it had felt to win the day, he didn’t like that he’d let himself get so distracted.

  That wasn’t something he wanted to make a habit of when his mate’s life could be on the line.

  “You all right?” Seth glanced at his shoulder. “You’re bleeding.”

  “Again?” Marxus cursed and checked. There was some blood on his shoulder, but there were no new cuts. It was from his back. The blood had just slid over his shoulder when he’d been down on his belly.

  “I’m fine.” He’d explain to them what happened when they were done taking out the trash. “Dimitri’s mate got stabbed.”

  Seth’s eyes flew wide. “What?”

  “Holy shit.” Stefan rubbed his hand over his sweaty face.

  “He’s alive,” Marxus said quickly. “He was when I left him, anyway.”

  “Not a good way to end that sentence,” Seth growled. “Where is he now?”

  “Upstairs. Some of the omegas are trying to tend to him, and Zane is with him.”

  “Does Dimitri know?” Stefan asked, still glancing around to make sure they weren’t about to get swarmed.

  “I haven’t seen him since this started. It was too fast.”

  “I know,” Seth growled. The way his arms trembled as he clenched his fists was hard to miss.

  He was definitely taking this personally. Marxus didn’t thin
k he could blame the man for that.

  “Okay, well, if the omegas are fine right now, we need to clean up the rest of the house, make sure no one else got in. There’s more fighting outside.”

  Marxus growled. “We should go now. Zane took a bunch of weapons from one of these cocksuckers.” He kicked one of the dead bodies. Apparently he still needed something to take his aggression out on because keeping still was just making him go insane.

  “Zane has weapons on him?” Seth raised a brow at that.

  Marxus glared at his alpha. “Yes, and he’s using them to defend the omegas and his brother. He even killed a few of these pricks already.”

  Stefan and Seth looked at each other. Whatever silent exchange they were having didn’t last long before they turned their attention back to Marxus.

  “All right,” Seth said, motioning for Marxus to follow as he started marching to the back doors. “We’ll trust Zane with those kinds of weapons for now. Help us come deal with the assholes still outside, and we’ll get everything settled before dumping the carcasses into the furnace or something.

  That sounded like an excellent way to deal with their new infestation of dead enemies. Marxus cracked his knuckles, hardly able to wait for when he could help load up the bodies.

  Outside, however, on the backyard lawn, it was another matter entirely.

  Zane had suggested that Varrick had only sent his men to attack as part of a distraction or an annoyance, just to remind Seth that Varrick was still out there and he could still cause problems.

  The number of people outside the house didn’t look like a mere annoyance. It looked like a small army.

  There had to be a hundred of them, and Marxus suddenly got the impression that he needed to run back to his mate, grab him, and fly away from here with Zane before they were completely swarmed.

  He shook the cowardly thought from his head, ashamed, knowing his alpha would be ashamed of him, too, if he could hear Marxus’s thoughts.

  Thank God Marxus was in his human shape and not his dragon shape.

  “All right, guys,” Seth said, growling low, his eyes becoming a bright shade of red, the same color of red as his scales as they formed over his body. “Pick a cluster of them and get to work.”