by Jo Penn
“Ma.” Dominic mock growled and drew Chane against him, petting. “Sheesh, don’t—”
“Oh, Dominic, I can see clearly with my gift your mate has absolutely no attachment to you at this time,” the queen exclaimed. “And is withdrawing further. While you are very attached already, and may forget yourself and may make a foolish promise that will take you from us as a gesture to your cold vampire mate.”
Dominic groaned, closing his eyes briefly and shaking his head. “Really? You’re going to do this here and now?”
“I am simply endeavoring to negate any chance of a mistake, darling. Now, go seduce your vampire so you may claim him, and then I have no need to worry.”
Some of the family snickered. Chane sighed and was quickly moved along with a hand on the small of his back.
Together they walked up a grand marble staircase, neither speaking. Chane knew what was to come, though he had long ago resolved himself to not receiving a mate. He was not an immortal vampire, simply long lived, and soon to reach the end of his life. And it had been a good life. Though, now he might appear stuffy and pissy, inflexible—that had come with age and physical ailments.
It didn’t matter any longer. He was a creature and knew the laws, knew the ways. Chane would accept and abide, and truthfully, the tiger drew his interest, and with the mild stirring he was experiencing, Chane was positive the tiger was his mate and that soon he would feel a great deal more.
“I will require time once you claim me to…change my perspective.”
Dominic halted Chane along the hall, stepping in front of him. “Are you agreeing to being claimed by me, Chane? Now?”
“Oui. It is our way.”
The tiger cupped Chane’s face in his large hands and leaned down slowly, eyes never leaving Chane’s. There was plenty of time for Chane to turn his face away, to avoid the lips that covered his, but this creature, this man, was his mate. Paranormals held their mate above all else, and though Chane might not feel it, had no real connection as yet, he believed Dominic. The creature was not deceitful. He could tell with his gift.
The kiss was soft, a mere brushing of lips, their eyes never leaving each other’s. Chane’s body stirred for the first time in years, his cock twitching. Dominic sniffed deeply as he swept his tongue over Chane’s bottom lip, holding his face in his hands and tilting his chin up a little more.
Chane was no young, inexperienced cub. His body was having a reaction to this male’s touch and close proximity, and for the first time in such a long time, Chane was not bothered with another touching him, wanting something from him. Usually the interest of others irritated or niggled, but now he drew the shifter forward, sliding his hands down the man’s front to the waistband of his dress slacks, and urged him closer.
Dominic came willingly and pressed their bodies tight. His lips were soft and sensual, not coaxing or playing. No, the man was showing Chane with his mouth and body how much he wanted him, and Chane was definitely paying attention and wanted more.
“Gah! I’m frigging blind.”
Dominic jerked back and growled, but it was without heat, merely a touch of irritation and amusement. Chane glanced to the side and down at Dominic’s cousin Ace, who had spoken, and a creature whom Chane had seen at a distance visiting the Durand coven a few days ago.
“What do the pair of you want?” Dominic smirked. “And didn’t I just see you at the Armstrong coven, Ran?”
“Did you?” The other creature—Chane had no idea what type as his sense of smell had lapses—looked at Dominic blankly.
Dominic grinned. “Yeah, and I like the earring.”
Beaming, Ran rocked back on his heels. “Thanks. Oh, and congratulations! That’s cool you and Chane are mates. So, I was wondering if maybe, if you’ve got time we-ll, I know you’ve got things to do right now and will be busy for a while… I’ll come back. Come on, Ace, let’s go watch Supernatural. Vic banned me the other day, ’cause he said Deakin and I were drooling too much over Dean. So not true!”
“Hang on.” Dominic halted the young creatures. “Ask my mate what you need.”
The gorgeous little creature smiled sweetly at Chane. “Tyler said you do tai chi, and I was wondering if you’d teach me? My mate is really good at it, but I sort of…yeah, want to surprise him so we can do it together.”
When the young man blushed and glanced away, Chane found himself drawn in regardless, and did something he rarely ever did. Being in demise and because of the accident a few years ago, he could no longer sense others’ gifts and creature types. Of late that did not bother Chane. Now though, curious as to what it was about the strawberry-blonde-haired man with amazing sapphire eyes that drew his interest, he reached out and lightly touched the creature’s shoulder. Immediately, he felt a calmness seep into him and purity.
“Oh wow!” Ran jittered a little and was jerked back from Chane by Ace.
“Hey! Whacha doin’ to him? You can’t touch!”
“Settle down, little cousin, and mind your manners with my mate,” Dominic said quietly but firmly. His eyes, though, were watchful as he looked at Chane. “What was that Ran felt?”
“It was like I got supercharged!” Ran grinned. “You amped up my gift?”
“Oui. Je…word?” Chane turned to his mate and spoke in French. “Amplify.”
“Shit! You’re an amplifier? Why the hells wasn’t that in your bio?” Dominic exclaimed, obviously shocked.
Chane waved that off as unnecessary. “I do not know.”
“What’s he saying?” Ran asked curiously.
“That he’s tired and needs to rest.” Dominic frowned. “Why are Vicus and Drax letting you out?”
Ran just smiled and shrugged. “Just hanging with my friend.”
“Good, okay, you go do that. Come on, mate.”
“Tell Ran I will teach him.”
Chane’s English was normally very good, but he was tired, his head hurt, and there was a great deal to think on. So this one time he would let Dominic translate.
Dominic drew Chane against him. Once he spoke to the two friends, Chane was led down the hall and to the right, up a flight of stairs, and finally to a door, which the shifter opened and ushered Chane through. His first reaction was to recoil at the pair of boxer shorts hanging from a coat stand, and then he caught sight of the gym bag laying in the middle of the foyer beside what were very dirty sneakers, a pair of sweats with stains on the knees, and a bag of rotten bananas.
Without a word, Chane turned on his heels and walked straight back out of the room.
“Chane? Hey, where are you going?”
Chane was going anywhere but back into that…that pigsty! There were clothes and accessories tossed about everywhere, a bag probably filled with rubbish and fruit rotting!
“Okay, just wait!” Dominic jumped in front of Chane, hands up. “Tell me what’s wrong. You agreed to being claimed—”
“No here! Pig pit!” Chane tried to step around the creature, but the man gently gripped his shoulders, halting him.
“Huh? Okay, let’s settle down.” Dominic used his soothing gift, gently stroking Chane’s arms. “Now, let’s try this again. Why did you agree to claiming, but then storm out of my suite?”
Chane was tired but took a moment to think of the correct words. “Suite be disturb.”
“What? Ah, let’s try this in French.”
A little annoyed, Chane glared, grabbed his mate’s arm, and jerked the man in front of the door. “See mess! Disturbing! Me not go there, no.”
Dominic winced. “What if I promise to clean it up real quick? Come on, mate, I need to claim you!”
Chane looked at the man and shook his head, not moved by the whining. “It took lot time to clean. I tired. Want to rest and bath. You clean, I rest and bath.”
“Shit!” Dominic ran a hand through his hair, messing the glorious shoulder-length, deep white-blond strands. “Okay, honey bun, how about—”
“Honey bun!” Chane spluttered.
The tiger shifter didn’t waste any time, crawling over the top of Chane on all fours, head down, and nosed pressed against him. With one hand he lazily caressed across Chane’s groin, startling and arousing him. Having a strong, powerful, handsome male looming over him with heated, lustful dark eyes had Chane’s breath catching in his throat and fangs sliding out.
“Now that’s hot,” the tiger purred. “You feeling me now, mate?”
What Chane was feeling was the heat pouring off the creature. Obviously the feline’s mating heat was rising, and the need to claim must be burning the man up. Knowing this, Chane tilted his head to the side, exposing and offering his neck to the man.
Expecting the shifter to strike immediately, he was startled when instead Dominic popped the buttons on Chane’s soft cotton collared shirt and pushed it aside. Laying his palm flat, he caressed and mapped Chane’s body while at the same time pressing his groin to Chane’s and rubbing them together.
“Tell me, Chane, do you feel our connection?” Dominic pressed a soft peck to his lips, eyes dark and watchful.
Raising his hands from where they lay spread out beside him, Chane very lightly traced the man’s lips, his forehead, the slightly sunken cheeks, the rounded, strong chin, and down along his neck, enjoying the slight brush of fine bristles.
“No, there no connection, a small stirring…I say this but feel little arousal. Arousal disuse for long time.”
Dominic frowned momentarily, then brightened. “Okay, that’s a sign. As long as you’re meaning you haven’t been aroused for a while?”
“I say this,” Chane hissed.
“No, no, you really didn’t, honey bun.” The creature smiled, nuzzling Chane’s throat.
Before Chane could retort, sharp teeth embedded in his neck above where a collared shirt would sit. He’d heard from a young age of the claiming bite and its effects, but nothing could ever have prepared him for the explosion following the slight discomfort caused by Dominic’s teeth. His body bowed, hands dropped away and flopped uselessly at his side, head filled with muffled static, and cock went rock hard. With a couple of pulls of blood, his balls tingled and a hand wrapped around his erection just as it spurted his release. Pleasure so high and intense rocked his system, overloading him.
* * * *
Laving at the claiming mark he’d left on his gorgeous mate’s throat, Dom smiled in satisfaction. Shifters loved it when they caused their mate so much pleasure they passed out.
Gently petting Chane, Dom took his time sniffing and stripping the passed-out vampire. He would love to continue their bonding, just not while his mate was asleep.
The man was too slim, and there were bruises scattered over the vampire’s body. Frowning, he would have thought the healers at the Armstrong coven would have sensed them with their healing gifts and treated each. Leaning closer to a few on Chane’s stomach, he sniffed and ran his fingers over the top, startled when just that light pressure marked his mate’s trim, lithe body.
Alarmed, Dominic quickly stripped off his mate’s collared shirt, coat, pants, and socks and shoes, leaving Chane only in his boxer shorts. Going to the bathroom, Dom wet a towel and returned to the bedroom where he cleaned his mate up. He ran a hand over his mate and watched a few streaks of bruises appear while another part of his body healed an older bruise. Something wasn’t right. He understood Chane was in demise and his body wasn’t healing itself, but Dominic had just claimed him, joining their lives together, connecting them.
Maybe it was because they had not mated fully. Dominic had only claimed Chane. That was enough to begin the process of joining them. It might have provided Chane with a bit of healing but not enough to stop his demise.
Well, shit. Now instead of being satisfied and pleased, he was anxious he’d lose his mate before they bonded and mated fully. Moving Chane under the sheet and quilt, Dominic went to the window and drew the blinds before stepping out of the guest bedroom that was across the hall from his suite and beside his other littermate, Emile’s. Not wanting to be far from his mate, Dominic took out his phone and called Linc, his adopted brother and a paramedic.
Fortunately, Linc had been in the family room and rushed straight up after he stopped for his paramedic backpack. Dominic watched anxiously over Linc’s shoulder as he took Chane’s vitals and checked him over, biting back a few little growls over his mate being touched. He used his gift to sooth himself and Linc, who could be a little anxious himself at times. Understandable, considering the little mountain lion’s history.
Whenever Dom thought of what happened to Linc all those years ago, whom he considered a brother, he found it difficult not to hunt Linc’s birth pride down. Turning on a cub because he was gay and leaving him bloody and broken in a ravine was a loathsome act. Fortunately, Emile had seen to the cub’s retribution against his so called family. Now the Sanchezes were Linc’s family and they were damn fortunate to have the mountain lion, and Dom adored his adopted brother.
Linc looked up at Dominic from his position beside Chane. “Did this happen as soon as you claimed Chane?”
Running his hands through his hair and messing it, he sighed. “As far as I know. I thought he was just unconscious. That can happen from the intensity of the bite and connection, but then I noticed he was healing yet bruising at the same time. A healer at the W&W coven said my mate’s body isn’t healing by itself anymore.”
“I think his body is in a type of flux, which basically means, Dominic, he is still in demise, but his natural vampire healing is trying to do its job.” Linc frowned. “I would still have a healer check your mate. He really needs to feed also, and do you mind if I draw blood to run tests?”
“No. What sort of tests?”
Linc gave rather a long list of tests and conditions that had Dom scowling. Damn, he was fortunate to be immortal. He never really got ill and healed quickly from injuries. It made him think of creatures who did not have the same luxury and what could be done to assist.
“For now let him rest. I will call the coven and request an in-house check-up, or, if you prefer, I can call Dr. Layke or Dr. Lacy Aston?”
“Whichever you think would be best.”
“What’s going on?”
Dom turned to see his older brother, Drake, standing just behind him. They were littermates, but more than that, brothers. They could sense and feel each other’s emotions when close, and if very upset in some way, even feel each other when far apart. They were brothers and best friends, like they were with their other littermate, Emile the prestigious, though Emile wasn’t known for his affectionate, open nature. No, Dominic was the open, affectionate one, Drake the protector and caring one, while Emile was…not very affectionate and did not always get the emotions and behavior of others. He was part of them though, and they couldn’t do without Emile. He gave his all, his support, his mind that solved problems others couldn’t even fathom, and he was too smart to be real.
Dom quickly explained what was going on, Drake giving him a hug and staying with Dom while Linc drew blood and then called Dr. Lakye Aston. It didn’t take long for Layke to arrive. He lived in the Village section of Milson City five miles away with his large family, the head of which was Avenger Vicus Aston.
Layke was a wizard and highly skilled in healing. He was also one of the state’s top surgeons. His bedside manner usually sucked, and he didn’t socialize with others outside his family, as far as Dominic was aware. That could be due to the fact Vicus was an Avenger, which made the entire family targets for Renegades, or that Layke preferred not to associate with others.
Once, Sebastian
had said there was something deeper inside the wizard than the flippant, antisocial demeanor, but Seb didn’t elaborate, saying he wasn’t sure and it was confusing. That was peculiar as normally Sebastian could see inside another easily with his gift.
Layke greeted them with a nod and got straight to work, Dom watching anxiously, Drake right beside him.
“Well?” Drake demanded some time later.
Like most of wizard- and witch-kind, Layke was on the skinny side of slender, though he was a little taller at five foot twelve. The man was hot with white-blond hair and amber eyes, but he was also very reserved and didn’t encourage any interest shown his way.
“The vampire is in demise. The claiming has jump-started his natural vampire healing, but it is not sustainable. I checked your vampire’s medical records with the Durand and Armstrong covens and will run some tests. In the meantime, he has medication, which he should be taking as prescribed, and he requires a good feed of blood. If you are squeamish over supplying blood, Dominic, I can arrange a blood donor or do a transfusion.”
Dom gaped at the wizard. “Squeamish? Why would you think I was squeamish over taking care of my mate’s needs?”
“Because he is starving, so obviously you are not seeing to your mate’s needs. Now, your decision?”
While Dominic pulled on his patience—frigging wizard—Drake stepped forward and assured Layke that Chane would be well taken care of.
“Man, I see why Vicus and Lacy keep Layke on a tight leash.” Drake chuckled once the wizard left the room, without even a good-bye. “He must offend at least thirty creatures a day.”
“I think he does it on purpose.” Dom sighed. “I need to organize Chane’s belongings being sent here and get him settled properly.”
“Curious, brother. Why are we in this room and not your suite?” Drake asked.
Laughing, Dom explained how Chane had reacted at the sight of his suite, which had Drake laughing also. It was well-known in the palace how messy Dominic was, and at present, he was having a bit of a feud with housekeeping.
“Guess I’m going to have to grovel to housekeeping if I ever want my suite cleaned again.”