TheSoldiersScoundrel

by VictoriaVallo

  Adam longed to crawl back under the blanket and spend the day in bed with Bran, but they couldn’t. His mother would understand, in the end, but that didn’t mean it was all right to give up. Besides, Bran had made it clear he wanted to fuck Adam, and Adam definitely needed more time to prepare for that.

  He’d never yielded, not completely, and he felt it would be his undoing. He rolled his eyes even as the thought moved through his mind, yet he knew it was true. Last night had been more than fucking. They’d come together because of need that went deeper than their hard cocks. But what made Bran different? Adam had been with many remarkable men. Why was this soldier special?

  He opened and closed the door quietly before turning to look at Bran, who was now awake and looking up at the ceiling as he stretched. When their eyes met, Adam stopped trying to define the feeling. It was simply there. Maybe it would turn out to be love, but did it matter right now? No. Not at all.

  “Good morning,” Bran said.

  “Morning.” Adam moved to the chair in the corner and began pulling his boots on. “Is your friend going to provide breakfast? Or should I go see if anyone’s in the street market?”

  “He’ll make us coffee. We’ll need to stock up on food before we head out.”

  Adam rose and headed for the door. “I’ll get on that then.”

  Bran reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him. “A kiss before you go? I was just dreaming about kissing you.”

  Adam moved back and sat on the edge of the bed. “Were you?”

  Bran nodded and then pulled him into a sweet, slow kiss. When they parted, he said, “More than one night, remember?”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I’ll hunt you down if you do,” Bran said before giving him another quick kiss.

  Adam sat there, a bit stunned, as Bran began getting dressed as if he hadn’t just said something very, very possessive. And it hadn’t been said in a joking tone either. Adam cleared his throat and rose again, rushing for the door and hurrying downstairs.

  He bought fruit and bread and cheese, as well as some wine. He also replenished their water skins and checked on the horses, happy to see Bran’s friend had taken excellent care of them. Once everything was secured, he strolled back into the tavern, where Bran handed him a mug of coffee. It was strong and bitter, but it felt good going down. Calm filled the tavern, which had been noisy and full of life the night before.

  “I worried you were avoiding me,” Bran said.

  “Of course not,” Adam said, glancing around to ensure they were alone.

  “I didn’t expect you to be like this the morning after.”

  Adam met Bran’s gaze. “You expected me to be flippant, I suppose.”

  Bran shrugged. “I don’t know. Forget I said that. We’re still getting to know each other.”

  Curious, Adam said, “What did you expect? Tell me.”

  Bran grinned. “I expected you to be pretty cocky.”

  Grinning back, Adam said, “You are quite the conquest.”

  Now Bran laughed. “Conquest, huh?” He finished his coffee and set the mug aside. “I see. Perhaps I’ll leave you tied up tonight.”

  Bran began to walk outside, and Adam said, “Who said I’m letting you do that again?”

  Bran stopped and turned. “The look in your eyes last night said it all.” He grinned once more and kept walking.

  Adam watched him go and set his coffee down, his blood already pumping fast enough without more stimulation.

  Chapter Four

  Bran adjusted his position on the ground and pushed his hair behind his ears as the wind picked up a bit. Pulling his legs to his chest, he watched Adam walk over to a tree in his bear form and place his front paws high up on the trunk, stretching his body out and then giving himself a shake. Today was the first time Adam had shifted in front of him, and Bran enjoyed watching him move.

  He’d also enjoyed watching him undress.

  Bran sighed as he watched the grass move in the wind. He thought about what Adam had said the day before about how Bran “kept him guessing”. He felt he could say the same about Adam. He’d seen the younger man flirtatious and bold, then anxious and afraid, and the night before, he’d even been nervous and seemingly overwhelmed at times. He liked Adam more and more with each piece of the puzzle, each new aspect of his personality that was revealed.

  Adam came back over to where he sat, and Bran noted how graceful his movements were. “You’re beautiful like this, too,” Bran said. “Graceful.”

  Adam knelt and shifted back, the change quicker and smoother than his shift into a bear had been. Adam smiled at him. “It’s one way you can tell a shifter from a real animal. They move differently. And the eyes are different, if you can get that close. You can tell a person is looking at you and sizing you up.”

  “Ever been around real bears?”

  Adam nodded. “Yes, but only at home, where they knew my scent. They know there’s something odd about us, but they don’t feel threatened.” He settled on the grass, not bothering to dress. “Most shifters love all animals, and the beasts can sense that.”

  “Not a lot of hunters, then?”

  “No. Though we do eat meat, of course. Just no hunting for sport.”

  Bran leaned closer to kiss Adam, but he froze when he saw a man approaching with a drawn arrow pointed right at Adam. Bran held his hands up and stared the man down. “We don’t want any trouble. Just tell us what you want.”

  The man chuckled. “I think I want what you were about to get.”

  “Get behind me, Adam,” Bran said.

  Adam turned to glare at the man. “No. I’ll stand and fight.”

  The man winked. “I’d love for you stand up, sweet boy. Get a better look at the goods.”

  “You won’t touch him,” Bran said, putting himself between the man and Adam despite Adam’s words.

  “He’s no safer back there,” the man said, nodding in the opposite direction.

  Bran turned and saw another man with an arrow trained on them, and a third man held a jagged knife at the ready.

  The man with the knife grinned. “Stand and deliver, my friends. Just your money and a quick go with this little whore of yours. You must be loaded if you could afford such a pretty lad.”

  “I’m not your friend, and I said he won’t be touched. Not by any of you,” Bran said. He tried to formulate a plan. The problem, of course, was the men with the arrows. They could let the arrows fly before Bran had a chance to take any of them down.

  “Oh, come now. Be reasonable,” the first man said. “We’re being generous by letting you keep him.”

  “Cover me, if you can,” Adam whispered very low.

  Bran turned, as he had no idea what Adam meant to do. And then he saw Adam begin to shift. He drew the knife from his boot and threw it at the first man, then threw Adam’s boots toward the other bow-wielding man and lunged for the man with the knife.

  All was chaos then. He wrestled with the man with the knife, knocking the blade from his hand and getting a good punch in. He threw in a second for the man calling Adam a whore. The first man shot at Adam and missed, but the second man was leveling his bow again. Bran knocked his feet out from under him and then cracked the bow over his knee, splintering it just enough to make it useless. He rushed toward the first man, who was now in a standoff with Adam. Bran eyed their belongings and tried to inch over so he could get to Adam’s sword.

  “One step closer, and I shoot him,” the man said. “Seems he’s a bit too dangerous to stick my dick in.”

  “You lower that arrow now,” Bran said, approaching slowly while trying to keep his eye on the other men.

  “He worth so much to you?” the man asked, laughing.

  “Yes. If you hurt him, I will kill you.”

  “Kill me, eh? So he’s more than a pretty face and tight ass?”

  “Keep speaking of him that way and I will hold you down while he mauls you.”

  “Adam
would never do that. He’s far too sweet,” a new voice said.

  A man in a flowing blue cloak with a sword at his waist came striding up with a smirk upon his face. “Lower your arrow, Bernie. That’s my baby brother there. Annoying as he can be, I’ll maul you myself if you harm him.”

  Bran stared at the dark-haired man, who did bear a resemblance to Adam and his brothers. “And who are you?”

  “Why, I’m Klaus. Surely you’ve heard tell of me if you’re Adam’s lover.” Klaus eyed Bran up and down. “Well done, little brother. I prefer a nice wet pussy, but I’d have a fumble with this one any night after a couple of ales.”

  Bernie had lowered his arrow, and the other two men came to stand behind Klaus with their arms crossed, trying to catch their breath. The one Bran had punched wiped at his nose but said nothing, just glared at Bran. Adam shifted back and walked over to Klaus without bothering to cover himself.

  “So these are your men now? Rapists?” Adam spat.

  “I just saved you, Adam. Show some respect and gratitude.”

  “Respect? For you? That would be a first.”

  Klaus only continued to smirk. “You wound me. I do love you, you know. I rushed right over when the wind carried your scent to me.”

  “You love yourself. You never come home anymore.”

  “I’m too famous. I’d get caught.”

  “If you had more brains you’d find a way.” Adam walked over to his pile of clothes and began to dress.

  “Yes, I guess Mom would like to see me,” Klaus said. “She does adore me so.” He smiled. “And I bet Amelia next door is just about grown up by now. Tell me, how are those tits looking? She had a fine pair by thirteen, I remember.”

  Adam pulled his shirt over his head. “Shut up, you filthy perv. She’s eighteen and married to the Ganshaw boy. He’d break you in half easily.”

  “Gods, I remember him. He probably would.” Klaus shook his head. “Damn. Too late again.” He turned back to Bran. “You’re a soldier. Are you struggling with the morality of arresting your lover’s brother? You seem the type.”

  “Only an officer would have the power to actually arrest you, though I could take you in for any one of the bounties on your head,” Bran said.

  * * * *

  Adam finished pulling his boots on and turned to Bran. “But we can’t. We’re outnumbered, plus we have a mission.”

  Bran glanced over at him. “I wasn’t saying I meant to try. Just correcting your brother regarding my rank.”

  “Oh, a mission, you say?” Klaus said. “Any profit in it? I could lend some of my muscle for a cut.”

  “We don’t want or need help from you or your scumbag posse,” Adam said as he walked over to Beast, who was tense after all the commotion. “It’s all right, boy.”

  “Can’t you even tell me what’s going on? You’re as bad as Garrick.”

  Adam went still but then slowly turned. “Seen him lately? I heard he went to the mines.”

  Bran eyed him a moment but then seemed to catch on.

  “Saw him yesterday,” Klaus said. But then he closed his mouth and eyed his brother. “Ah. He wouldn’t tell me where he was going, which I thought odd. And he didn’t want to ride with us, even though I offered to pay him a little to help us.”

  “Garrick will always avoid work.”

  “No. He was determined to keep going north.” Klaus crossed his arms. “Why in blazes would he be trying to get away from you?”

  “He kept going north, you say?” Adam said as he mounted Beast. Bran finally moved to his own horse and prepared to depart, watching him the whole time.

  “What’s he done? Knocked someone up?” Klaus asked.

  “Does it matter?” Adam asked.

  Klaus looked to his men. “Get back to camp. I’ll only be a minute.”

  The men obeyed without question or complaint, and Klaus stayed silent until they were gone. “What’s Garrick done?”

  “Something he’s already served his time for. But Mom wants him brought home. Wants to send him off with Dad.”

  “Garrick at sea? Sounds like a nightmare,” Klaus said.

  “But that’s what she wants,” Adam said.

  “And you always do whatever she says.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Such a sweet lad.”

  “What was he wearing?” Bran asked.

  Klaus paused a moment before looking over. “Clothes.”

  “Thanks for nothing,” Adam said, turning Beast toward the road.

  “Don’t be so hasty,” Klaus said. “We can make a deal.”

  “No, thank you.”

  Bran asked, “What kind of deal?”

  Adam stopped and turned back but didn’t say anything.

  “I’ll tell you all I can if you promise not to send a message south the very moment you reach the next village,” Klaus said.

  Adam looked into his brother’s eyes.

  “I know you too well, Adam. I’d like at least a head start.”

  “Is the information you have worth that?” Bran asked.

  “I think so. Deal?” Klaus eyed them both.

  “Deal,” Bran said. “We’ll get something to eat before sending any kind of message.”

  Adam pressed his lips together but still nodded, knowing they needed to know if the man in black was in fact Garrick.

  “Thank you,” Klaus said, sounding smug now. “He was dressed all in black. No horse. I did trade him for a better pair of boots. High ones with a buckle on the outside of the thigh, though desperately in need of a polish. He had one satchel with him. Blue and brown embroidery on it. Stolen, I’m sure. He was testier than usual. Wanted a horse but I wouldn’t part with one. We have two men walking as it is.”

  “How many in your gang now?” Adam asked.

  Klaus smiled. “Not part of our deal, little brother.” He waved his hand. “Off you go. This is getting boring.” He turned on his heels and began to stride away.

  “Please come see Mom. Come alone. Cover your hair with a scarf and grow a beard. No one will recognize you.”

  Klaus turned and rubbed his face. “A beard? On this handsome face? You’re insane.” He began to walk again. “Go back and tie yourself to Mom’s apron strings again. It must feel odd not having you underfoot.”

  Adam watched him go and then urged Beast to the road. After a few minutes of silence, he said, “We won’t keep that promise.”

  “I know,” Bran said. “But I think he knows that, too.”

  “Of course he does. No one in my family can be trusted.”

  “I’d trust Viktor. And I trust you.”

  Adam tried to give him a smile but failed.

  “Are you all right?” Bran asked a few minutes later.

  “Of course. You were the one fighting. No one ever managed to touch me.” He gave Bran a once over as he asked, “Are you all right? I didn’t see everything when you went after the other two men.”

  “Fine. They couldn’t get a blow in. And I knocked the knife away.” Bran hesitated before saying, “What I mean is, were you scared? Did it upset you?”

  “Because a man said he wanted to rape me and another man leered at me and said filthy things? I’m fine. Nothing came of it.”

  “It’s all right if you’re shaken up.”

  Adam felt his cheeks flush. “Yes, it was … frightening. But I’m fine. I promise.”

  “I’ll leave you alone, but tell me if you need anything.”

  Adam pulled on Beast’s reins and brought him to a halt. Once Bran had stopped beside him, Adam said, “Give me that kiss we were denied. Hold me and let me show you I’m fine.”

  Bran moved Ghost closer and wrapped one arm around Adam. Then he cupped his cheek and said, “Now I have proof. You are nothing like your family. You’re brave and honorable, and I like being at your side.”

  Adam drew in a quick breath at those words, his exhale cut off by Bran’s strong lips. The kiss was deep and hungry, and Adam leaned against Bran and soaked in his strength.
When they pulled back, he said, “I was scared, but … I loved hearing what you said.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I meant it. I’d have killed him if he’d harmed you.”

  “But you don’t like fighting and violence.”

  “No, but it’s not about liking it. It’s about protecting what’s mine.”

  “Yours?”

  Bran nodded slowly. “Yes. Until you don’t want that anymore.” He licked his lips. “But you don’t seem tired of me yet.”

  “No. Not even close.” As much as he wished to stay there and keep kissing his increasingly possessive soldier, he looked down the road. “Let’s go. I want to warn others about my brother and see if we can find a trace of Garrick.”

  “Lead the way,” Bran said.

  Adam smiled. “You say that almost every time we set out.”

  “I do?”

  Adam nodded. “Yeah.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Just noticed. Nothing wrong with it, of course.”

  “Good.” Their eyes held a moment longer. “I have no problem following your lead.”

  You sure about that? I think you’re the one leading me someplace new. But Adam just smiled and urged Beast onward.

  * * * *

  Bran ran as fast as he could along the shortcut he’d been told about. At the time, it had seemed wiser than going back for Ghost and taking the long way. He knew he probably should’ve gone back for Adam, but he didn’t want to risk Garrick getting away. Three men had confirmed that a man fitting Garrick’s description exactly had gone down to the mill to buy a horse less than half an hour ago. He’d hurriedly asked for directions and taken off, tossing a coin to a lad outside the butcher’s shop and asking him to go get Adam. The lad had taken off right away, looking pleased with himself at being given such a task, so Bran hoped the boy would actually do as he’d been asked.