by Jo Penn
They all suited up and double-checked each other’s gear.
“Are we sure this is a good idea?” Adrian peered over the edge of the roof.
“Tell me why a bat shifter is afraid of a little flying,” Tris asked again.
“I’m not afraid!” Adrian got that whiny quality to his voice that could hit high pitched sonic levels. “But I’m not in bat form, and this is insane!”
“Yeah.” Ran grinned. “Off you go.”
Giving their friend an encouraging little pat on the back and stepping aside out of the way, Ran and Tristian looked at each other in surprise when Adrian fell off the roof and screamed all the way down as he free-fell toward the ground.
“Holy shit! Glide, Adrian! Use the motor! Do you think he’ll break something if he crashes?” Ran called out.
“Aside from himself? Nah, not unless the motor explodes or one of the aluminum poles comes loose, flies off and stabs someone in the throat.”
Ran smiled. “Cool.”
As they watched, Adrian finally got control of his hang glider, just before he made an undignified crash landing in the dirt. For a moment, the hang glider, balanced on the front tip, but as Adrian kicked his legs wildly and wiggled about, the contraption slowly toppled over onto its back.
They waited, but nothing more happened.
“Huh. Ready to go?”
“Sure. I’m just wondering if we went high enough. Didn’t that Google site say we needed to be up the top of a hill?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t get a chance to read it all thoroughly because Urian and Finn kept jumping me, and then your mate was saying I needed to train, and Tripp was taking my measurements for some safety suit.”
“Ah, one of those.”
“What are they?”
“It’s like a suit of bubble wrap.” Ran popped his chewing gum and positioned himself at the end of the roof.
“What! I’m not wearing a bubble wrap suit! They’re crazy if they think for one frigging second they’re getting me into something stupid like that,” Tristian grumbled, shocked.
“That’s what I said. Next thing you know, Vicus has me covered head to toe in one of those suits and Deak’s putting a shiny helmet on my head.”
“Tell me you were about to go into a fight with Renegades.” Tris snickered.
“Nope, just going to the supermarket. Let’s do this!”
“Guys! I think I sprained my ankle,” Adrian called up.
Tris watched Ran take a run up and soar off the roof with graceful movements, then plummet toward the Earth at a harrowing speed that gave no time to use the brakes and pedals. He winced when Ran crash landed a foot in front of Adrian’s messed up hang glider.
“Okay, you can do this.” Hell, now Adrian and Ran had gone, Tris had to do this or look like a wimp. Grimacing, he backed up, checked everything, then ran. “Here goes nothing!”
“What the hell is going on here—Tristian!”
Tristian, well into the future, would always blame Enforcer Drax Charmers for his possible professional hang glider career taking a dive into the large river. If Drax hadn’t distracted him at that crucial moment when he was pedaling his hardest and turning just right, he may not have overturned and got caught up in a sudden gust of wind that somersaulted him over three times and tossed him into the river.
Then of course as he was dragged under by the hang glider while struggling to get back to the surface. He had to be rescued by Drax and Trekk, who had apparently just returned from clearing a patch in the forest close by to set up a satellite base. They managed to lift the hang glider with Tris still attached and swam him out of the river. On the bank, Drax unsheathed a big, nasty looking claw and sliced through the straps holding Tristian to the contraption.
After that it was a trip to the pack clinic where Doc Eric sent Adrian to the hospital for an x-ray, suspecting a broken ankle. Ran had to have sutures for a deep cut on his arm and Tristian had a concussion from smashing his head against the side of the hang glider when submerged in the river.
Tripp and Trekk took Adrian to the hospital while Vicus snarled lethally at everyone. Deakin had a minor meltdown as they swept Ran up and took their mate home to have one of Vicus’ doctor siblings heal him. Which left Tristian sitting in his Alpha mate’s office on the sofa with Drax perched on the side of a chair drying his creamy blond hair. Uri paced in front of him. Finn was just staring at Tristian unblinkingly. That was freaky.
“What were you three thinking?” Urian finally got out between gritted teeth.
“It was just a bit of fun, and I would have made it if he hadn’t turned up and yelled out, distracting me.” Tris narrowed his eyes on the big wolf Enforcer.
“Nope, this is all on you, Adrian, and Ran.” Uri pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing. “Was it Adrian’s idea? I would believe it, and we’ll have a chat about not following others blindly.”
“We pulled it out of a hat and what the hell? You think I blindly follow others like a little sheep?”
Uri sighed. “No, but that I could deal with. The last week you’ve been pulling stunts like this, and now all three of you are hurt. Why couldn’t you just go do your research and play a game of pool instead? And as much as I like the cub, I don’t see what you have in common with Adrian.”
Tristian frowned up at his mate. “Why don’t you like him?”
“I do, Tris, really I do. But he’s a bit of a walking trouble magnet, and I don’t want any of you hurt.”
“Well, he, Ran, and Eddie are my besties.” Tris stuck his chin out.
“Baby, you’re mine, and Uri’s age put together.” Finn finally blinked. He smiled slowly. “You didn’t get much of a childhood did you, själ. Nor have you been able to live a little and try things. You can be my best friend. I’ll try things with you.”
Tristian melted and went and sat on Finn’s lap. He loved how both his mates always welcomed him, no matter how they were feeling at the time or what was going on. He pressed a kiss to Finn’s smooth cheek and trailed his fingers over the seer’s chest.
“I want to try lots of things with you, mate, in and out of bed. And you and Urian are my best friends, my lovers, my mates and everything to me.” Tris gazed up at Urian. “You, Drax, and Sebastian are best friends. Finn is best buds with Deakin and Dalton.”
“It’s great you’ve made friends,” Urian said with a smile. “Just cool it on the dangerous activities. Hell, one more and I’ll have gray hairs, and poor Adrian will probably end up in a body cast. I don’t even want to mention a rampaging bear if anything happens to Eddie.”
“They’re only dangerous now,” Tristian murmured, pulling out his phone and climbing off Finn’s lap.
“Explain,” Urian demanded.
Tristian was finding that Urian had begun asking for an explanation about a lot of things Tristian said, usually when he was talking about doing something. When Tris got frustrated, Finn laughed and told him Urian was learning that sometimes they were on two different wavelengths so was just clarifying for safety sake.
“Next time I’ll research better.” Tris’s head spun, and he stumbled back a few steps.
“Think you need to rest for a bit.” Finn pulled Tristian back onto his lap and close against his long, lithe body. “Might be a good idea to take you for a lie-down.”
Which meant sex. Lots and lots of hot, sensual lovemaking. Tris’s dick sprung up immediately. He was all for it. Then his head ached.
A knock on the door followed by it swinging open drew their attention, Tris looking around Finn’s shoulder to see the guy who was there the day Finn and Urian caught up with Tristian in Canada. That felt like a lifetime ago now.
Drax snapped his teeth at the creature. “You knock and wait to be asked to come in, Owlington.”
“Sure, Enforcer.” The shifter swiftly went outside and shut the door.
They all heard a knock. Uri bit his lip, Finn chuckled, and Drax rolled his eyes.
“The pup is going to get repri
manded again very soon. Get in here, Owlington!” Urian called out.
“Hiya, Alpha, Enforcer, Alpha mates. Captain Croggen said I needed to bring my forms in for tracking training.”
“You’re a sharpshooter, right?” Tristian went to climb off Finn’s lap but his mate didn’t let go. He frowned at his seer and got the stink eye. “What?”
“I remember you two drooling over each other. You stay right here.”
“Yeah, I’m a sharpshooter. Why? You need me to take someone out for you? No prob. Where do you want the bullet? Eye? Forehead? Through the throat?”
“There will be no taking anyone out.” Drax stood up. “Let’s go, Dene.”
Tris watched them go and huffed out a sigh as the door closed. “I just wanted to learn how to shoot better. I need to be able to protect you both, and from what I researched, Dene Owlington has the best stats on the High Council database.”
“Did you also read that he’s been having psychological evaluations to see if he’s fit for duty as a cop?” Urian sat on the sofa and patted the seat beside him. Finn and Tristian joined their mate. “Let’s take this a day at a time. You’re doing great with your gift training and health wise, aside from the concussion today, you’re one hundred percent better. We’ll protect each other. For now, live and enjoy yourself. We just want you happy, Tristian.”
“Yes, and you’re grounded.”
“Huh? What?” Tristian frowned at Finn, unsure he’d heard right. “Oh, right, I get it. No more hang gliding until I do more research. Grounded. Okay, I’ll get on the research.”
“Nope, that’s the different way of thinking again.” Finn grinned, jumped up and headed for the door. “You’re grounded, grounded. As in a punishment. I’ve got a High Council meeting in thirty minutes, see you both later.”
Tris growled and would have followed, perhaps jumped his seer mate and argued, but his wolf turned them around, and Tristian found himself laid out beneath the hunky creature. A big hand slid beneath Tristian’s jumper and glided over his skin, playing with his treasure trail, dipping into the top of his tight jeans and then up to pluck at his nipples. At the same time, their lips locked in heated need.
Urian, he’d discovered since they mated, was a very physical creature. To the point when he spoke, aggressive at times, fun at others, he had a lot of heat and needs inside him and expressed through touch and gestures. Tris was pretty damn sure he was addicted to his Urian.
“Need you, baby bear.”
“Yours, always.” Tris went to sit up and take off his shirt, but a sharp pain in his head had him pausing. “Ouch. Don’t stop.”
Deep gray eyes studied Tristian intently. “You will lay there and do nothing, got it? No moving. You do. We stop.”
“Oooh, Urian,” Tristian grumbled.
“I could tie you up if that helps—shit, okay, baby, I won’t ever tie you up. Promise, baby, never.”
Tristian felt the sudden surge of panic and fear leave him, and he relaxed back on the sofa. He remembered his mother and sister tied to poles as they were bashed and violated, remembered being tied up and helpless. His head pounded, tears welled up, and memories spilled out. Urian held him so tenderly, lovingly, petting and listening and wiping away his tears as they fell. When he was exhausted and empty of tears, Urian left Tris briefly and came back with pain killers and water then they snuggled on the sofa, Urian talking of their lives together, what he loved about Tristian and Finn, what he looked forward to. They fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms and the cracks in Tristian’s heart soothed and mended.
* * * *
“Wake up, baby.” Urian knew a person with a concussion wasn’t supposed to sleep for a while after an accident, yet he’d forgotten after Tristian broke down and told him about his horrid time when his sleuth turned on him and his family.
Carefully, he pulled Tristian’s shirt up and tugged it off. He smiled as Tristian’s blueberry eyes blinked up at him groggily, a little unfocused. His mate was well put together. Urian ran his hands over Tristian’s slender, chiseled body. Lightly tanned with a thin golden treasure trail over a flat, muscular stomach down to narrow hips, small firm ass and slender fit legs. Leaning down, Urian licked one pale tan nipple and tweaked the other with his fingers, Tristian pressing up into him. Finn was long and lithe, fit and toned with a golden complexion while Tristian was shorter, slender, with chiseled muscles. Urian loved the differences and greatly appreciated both his mates’ beautiful bodies.
“How’s your head?” he asked, scraping his teeth over Tristian’s collar bone as he undid the button on his mate’s tight jeans. “Truth.”
“Okay, throbs a bit. This takes my mind off it.”
“Good. Stay still, remember.”
“Impossible,” Tris panted.
Sliding the tight jeans down and pulling off shoes and socks, Urian got his mate naked in record time, and the lube that was tucked beneath the sofa in his hand and himself between his mate’s spread legs. Smothering his fingers in lube and drizzling a generous amount along Tristian’s crack and knowing the sofa was now going to be drenched in the shit and not caring, he rubbed that pretty little star he wanted to sink his cock into.
Since bonding, Urian and Finn had both noticed Tristian, while still being a bit snappish and grouchy, had opened up a lot. The bear was also into everything, wanted to know what was going on, and try things out. Uri liked it, Finn, not so much. After the hang gliding incident today, Urian was leaning toward agreeing with Finn. He’d come up with something to keep his mate busy and distracted.
Sliding a finger inside his mate’s tight hole, Urian took Tristian’s pretty slender cock into his mouth and sucked. His little bear gasped and nearly thrust his cock down Urian’s throat as he bucked up. Pressing Tristian back onto the sofa, Urian licked the spongy head of the cock in his mouth and enjoyed the flavor that burst on his tongue. Apples and something fresh and crisp. Sliding another finger inside, he went to work bringing his mate to fever pitch by sucking and licking, nibbling and teasing. He loved the taste of his mate, loved all of the man’s reactions, the moans, the little breathless chuffs and spurts of cum he was rewarded with.
Removing four fingers and licking Tristian clean of that yummy seed, Urian sat up and with cock in hand, pushed past the guardian muscle and popped inside tight heat. Strong legs wrapped around his waist, the position sinking his cock deeper into his mate. Urian shifted forward and lifted Tristian’s hips. He thrust, hitting bottom. Briefly, he closed his eyes, panting through the overwhelming need to come.
Then he moved, watching Tristian writhe beneath him, head thrown back, hands above his head holding on tight to the arm of the sofa. Stunning. Little muscles squeezed his cock. Urian stuttered.
Fuck, he was going to orgasm after only a few strokes! Growling, Urian began moving deep and fast as he leaned down and captured Tristian’s lips, needing to taste his man.
They loved hard and fast, moving together as one, the pleasure between them a hot flash that would never burn out. Breaking their kiss, Uri caught hold of Tristian’s slim hips and slammed his cock in deep again and again, his body trembling with need, the buildup so intense sweat dripped from them both. Tristian jerked beneath him, hips sliding, cock letting loose a stream of seed. The look of bliss on his mate’s face, the smells, and feel, sent Urian over the edge and he couldn’t hold back his own pleasure any longer. His balls emptied inside the sweet tight ass he couldn’t get enough of.
When finally empty and sated, for now, Uri withdrew and flopped down beside his bear.
Two minutes later, relaxed and growing sticky, he heard a soft snuffle. Jerking upright, he swore.
“Okay, baby, wake up.”
Tickling didn’t work. Tapping Tristian’s cheek and caressing the man had little effect, except for a snuffle and twitch. Standing, Uri rolled Tristian into his arms and walked over to the private bathroom attached to his office. He didn’t use it to shower often, only if he were in a rush before an importan
t meeting, and he’d certainly never used the tub before. Sitting on the edge of the large bath he turned the taps on as he poured in some of the healing oils Mason gave him a while ago.
“Baby bear, Finn’s right, you are so grounded.”
“Don’t want to be,” Tristian murmured without opening his eyes. “I’m gonna sleep now.”
“Nope. We’re covered in cum, sweat, and you need to stay awake. Let’s go over the rules for your grounding.”
“Oh, man, it was just a bit of fun.” Tris yawned and managed to open an eye. “I’m immortal, I’ll heal.”
“Even a paranormal can be seriously injured. You need to give your body time to heal properly. Otherwise, you could make this worse.”
“Fine, fine.”
Smiling, Uri lifted them into the bath. “You have all the fun you want, baby. Just remember, from now on, there’ll be guards everywhere watching you three, so don’t expect to actually do any of the shit you plan.”
That woke the grouchy bear up. Tristian growled and got huffy when Urian just laughed and soaped them both up. They were still in the bath twenty minutes later when Finn strode in.
“So while I’m working my fine ass off, you two are making a fun mess on the sofa and relaxing in a bubble bath.” Finn crossed his arms and tapped a foot.
“Had to keep our mate awake, remember? Concussion.” Uri grinned.
“He let me fall asleep twice,” Tristian piped up.
“Oh, you are in so much trouble, Urian Starters! Out of there. You have a meeting in twenty minutes with Misha.”
“Ugh, fine. Here, help Tris out. Make sure he doesn’t slip and knock his head.”
Tristian protested he wasn’t an invalid but let them help him, wrap him up in a towel and put on the sweats that were stocked in the bathroom. With a kiss from both his mates, Urian was left to dress and get ready for yet another important meeting. At least he’d have fun sparring with the uptight Misha Durand, vampire prince, though he’d much rather be at home in bed with his two mates.