“If what I suspect is true, then our young friend here may be just the ticket to solve our problem,” Artemus cut in. He moved slowly towards the young man. Grant watched as Sebastian took a step back, his eyes were filled with fear.
“You can’t touch me, sir.” Sebastian held his hands out in front of him. The boy lowered his eyes but not before Grant could see the self-loathing in them. “I’m, I’m a Nerk,” the young magi whispered.
“So what, he’s a nerd. I don’t care if he’s Dracula come back from the dead—we need to get Charlie out of that damn funnel before there’s nothing left!” Sparky shouted.
“He’s not a nerd,” Artemus shook his head before kneeling in front of the distraught young man. “He’s an arcane enerkinesist, a magi who has mastery over magical energy around him. Nerk, is the slang term used by magi who fear his type of magic.”
“You say tomato, I say tomahto, who cares? All I want to know is can he get Charlie back without breaking him?” Sparky huffed as he stood with his hand on one hip while waving with the other toward the funnel circling the compound.
Ricky stepped forward and placed a hand on the young magi’s shoulder. “Can you do like you did in the room?”
“What happened?” Grant asked as he moved to stand beside his mate. He gently pulled him back against his chest.
“I’m not sure how, but when the other magi threw your mother against the wall, Sebastian ran forward and placed his hands on the man. I swear, it looked like he drained the man right before my eyes. He touched me and boy, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning; but the funny thing is, my freaky powers got stronger and allowed me to take care of the wolf who was getting ready to attack again. Then I went into the tunnel and managed to get rid of the other wolf.” Ricky leaned into Grant, “I think I passed out at some point and I feel a little weak, but otherwise he didn’t hurt me.”
Artemus nodded, “Nerks are able to absorb, retain, and also share the magic around them. I’m thinking our young friend here absorbed the magic from the magi and then used some of it to enhance Ricky’s powers. He must not have used much because I can still feel the power surrounding him.”
“So how does that stop a tornado?” Sparky interceded, “You all are sitting here talking while my mate is doing his own version of Dorothy. So Sebastian, click your ruby red slippers and get Charlie back to Kansas!”
Sebastian cocked his head to the side, “Who is Dorothy?”
Before Sparky could gather more steam, Grant stepped in, “How can you help?”
Artemus answered, “He can absorb the magic from the storm which should allow it to abate, but there is danger to those who are inside; as well as, to our young friend here.”
Grant looked at the funnel cloud and sighed, “Is there any other option?”
This time Sebastian answered as he pushed unsteadily from the wall, “I can do it and I can control his fall. If he’s too badly injured, I may be able to partially heal him as well.”
“But?” Grant waited impatiently.
“Sebastian has already absorbed magic from a magi today, and while he apparently used some of it to help Ricky and your mother, he still has most of it left. To add more to him could kill him,” Artemus said softly.
The young magi shook his head, “I can do it. Besides, it might be better if I do disseminate. Just be ready as I won’t have much time.” Before anyone could stop the young magi, he raced toward the dark cloud. He stood quietly for a moment before he raised his arms toward the sky, his lips moved, but no sound could be heard over the din of the storm.
“What did he mean, disseminate?” Sparky asked quietly.
Artemus looked sadly at the mechanic, “Think of a nerk like a battery. Energy is put in, and energy is released. But imagine what would happen if no energy could be released…”
Ricky sucked in a quick breath, “We have to stop him!”
Grant sighed, “It’s too late, look…”
The tornado had stopped moving and appeared to be shrinking before their eyes. A few moments later, two figures could be seen as they were gently lowered to the ground outside the cloud. The young magi continued to chant until the last of the storm abated before he slowly sank to the ground.
The small group rushed toward the fallen men. Sparky stopped beside his mate, his hands hovering over the still body as tears fell from his eyes. Charlie looked a mess. He was bleeding from what looked like a bullet wound to his shoulder. Then, there were the multiple cuts and bruises he must have gotten from the debris in the cloud. In short, the man was a mess. “Don’t worry, Charlie, Doc will fix you up, and then you and I are going to have a long…long talk!” Sparky said as he used his hand to try to stop the bleeding.
“Let me help,” a soft voice said as Sebastian crawled closer to Charlie. The young magi was shaking so badly, that Sparky was afraid he was going to pass out. But before he could protest, the young boy placed his hand on the bullet wound and began a soft chant. A pale blue light formed around Charlie’s shoulder. The mechanic watched in awe as the bullet fell out of the open wound before it slowly began to heal. Once the skin showed only a pink puckered scar, the young magi fell back.
“Hey, are you okay?” Sparky didn’t like the way the boy’s skin seemed to be almost translucent. A weak smile formed on the young magi’s face before he slowly closed his eyes. Sparky couldn’t tell if he’d passed out or was just resting. “You just relax, I’m sure between Doc and Artemus, we’ll get you all fixed up.”
“Watch out!” Ricky shouted.
Sparky glanced up to see the other wolf who had attached his mate running directly toward them. “Not again!” Sparky shouted before he quickly shifted and began to run toward the crazy wolf. However, before he could reach the threat, he stopped, and his jaw dropped open.
Sal’s wolf began to float higher and higher in the air, his blue eyes showed fear for the first time since Sparky had seen him. He glanced back and saw Sebastian on his knees, his hands in the air as he chanted. The crazed wolf continued to rise into the air until he was higher than the trees. Just when Sparky started to wonder if Sal would become the first wolf in space, he saw the figure begin to fall back to earth. It felt like time had stopped, but in reality, it took only a few moments before the wolf hit the ground, speared by one of the small saplings that had been snapped off in the storm.
“Holy cow!” Sparky exclaimed. “Did you all see that?”
Alpha Grant, Ricky, and Artemus now stood with the mechanic. No one seemed willing to speak as their gazes moved from the impaled wolf toward the trembling magi. A soft groan from Charlie broke the silence as he opened his eyes and asked, “What happened?”
Sparky sat back down by his mate and slapped him gently on his now healed shoulder, “Next time you decide to take a flight, I suggest you go commercial!” Charlie blinked a few times before he slowly sat up. He rubbed his shoulder and gazed around the compound. The mechanic noticed his mate tense for a moment when he saw the dead wolf laying a few yards away from them. He glanced at Sparky, the question clearly reflected in his gaze.
“Yes, he’s dead. Seems he forgot to watch his first step before he fell,” Sparky’s glanced over at the magi who had laid down on the ground. “With a little help from our small friend here. Who knew one little body could contain so much power.”
Charlie sighed, “You shouldn’t judge magic by the size of the person wielding it. I told you my magic was unpredictable…”
“Right, about that,” Sparky grunted as he helped his bigger mate get to his feet, “Let’s not try magic unless we buy you a bubble suit. I don’t think my heart could take another episode of the Wizard of Oz, Charlie style.”
The hybrid-shifter shrugged, “I don’t know, you’d make a cute Toto.” Before Sparky could respond, the man turned and started walking back toward the house. “Let’s go home, I need a shower.”
Chapter 24
Sparky sat on his bed listening to the sound of the shower. He felt like h
e should be with the rest of the inner circle while they tried to determine the damage, but Alpha Grant had ordered him to look after his mate. His mate…he still had a hard time believing how quickly he’d become attached to the man in the next room. And how badly he wanted to kill the bastard at the same time.
What was fate thinking not only giving him a mate who appeared to live to dominate, but was also a magic user. The two things he’d fought against most of his life. He left his pack because he refused to be told what to do. He’d been imprisoned by his former boyfriend who used magic to keep him under control. He couldn’t give up control again, even if it was to his mate.
Yet here he sat, listening to the water running and wishing he was there to lick the drops from his mate’s chest. His cock stood at attention as his imagination continued to play. His body was crying out to submit; while his mind argued against it. Something would have to give, and he was afraid this time, it would have to be him. The question was, would he still be the man he fought so hard to be?
He was jerked from his thoughts as Charlie walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, and yes, there were those damn drops of water that he longed to trace with his tongue. He saw the slow smile that grew on his mate’s face as his gaze focused on Sparky’s obvious arousal. “It seems like someone missed me,” Charlie said softly, as he dropped the towel to the floor.
The hybrid wolf slowly prowled toward the bed, his eyes glowed, with his wolf. Sparky swallowed, maybe lying naked while he waited wasn’t the best idea for the talk he had wanted to have with his mate. But then again, he knew his wolf would want to reconnect after being so close to losing Charlie. Before he could utter a sound, his mouth was caught in a bruising kiss.
Sparky opened his mouth and let the larger man explore until he finally pushed back to catch his breath. His cock was so hard, he was sure he’d explode before Charlie could even get to second base. “I…I need,” the mechanic groaned.
Charlie grinned, “Don’t worry mate, I have what you need. Just relax and let me take care of you.”
The mechanic yelped as he was yanked down onto the bed, his legs pushed forward to his shoulders. He groaned when he felt wet fingers probe his entrance. When had Charlie managed to get the lube? All questions left his mind when he felt first one finger and then two breach him. He almost leapt off the bed when those magic fingers found his sweet spot. “Ugh, I’m gonna—I can’t…” Sparky gasped as the tingle in his spine grew, and his balls drew up until he was sure they had disappeared.
“Go ahead, come for me, Sparky,” Charlie growled as he added a third finger.
That was an order he and his wolf could agree on as Sparky felt his cock erupt. The creamy substance coating his chest and some of it even hitting his face. He groaned as Charlie slowly licked him clean while still stretching his hole. “I’m ready—please Charlie!” Sparky hated the slight whine in his voice, but his body was screaming to be filled in only the way his mate could.
“I’ve got you,” Charlie whispered as he removed his fingers and quickly rubbed the excess lube on his cock. Sparky had a moment to be disappointed with the emptiness he felt when his channel was empty but then he gasped as something large poked at his entrance. “Ready mate?”
“Just do it!” Sparky ground out as he tried to impale himself on his mate’s cock.
“Easy, we’ve got plenty of time,” Charlie said as he pushed further inside until he’d breached Sparky’s ring. The burn was still there, but Sparky didn’t care. He needed his mate to move. As if reading his mind, Charlie began to press in deeper, taking his time but waiting after each stroke to make sure Sparky was okay.
“Harder!” Sparky ground out as he clenched around his mate’s cock.
Charlie just grunted as he began to move more quickly until he was pounding into Sparky’s ass. The bed creaked beneath their combined weight, and Sparky was sure he would have a concussion from his head hitting the headboard. But he didn’t care, his wolf howled, and he felt his teeth drop. The need to reclaim his mate rode him hard.
“Go ahead, claim me,” Charlie whispered in his ear as he let his own teeth skate along the sensitive area of his prior bite. Sparky shuddered but followed yet another command as he bit down on his mate’s shoulder. At the same moment, he felt teeth bite into his own. He howled as his cock exploded for the second time. His orgasm seemed to go on forever as Charlie continued to pound into his ass.
A moment later, Charlie pressed deep and yelled Sparky’s name. The mechanic could feel his channel being filled while he used his muscles to milk every last drop from his mate. He grunted as his mate collapsed on top of him for a brief second until he managed to roll and pull Sparky into his arms. So much for our talk, Sparky thought as his eyelids slowly closed. His last thought was maybe giving up some control wouldn’t be so bad.
Charlie woke slowly and smiled as he saw his mate sleeping peacefully beside him. He carefully removed his arm. Sparky groaned for a moment but rolled over and fell back asleep. He was glad. The past few days had been rough on his mate. Just the thought of what Winston had done made him want to kill the magi all over again.
The hybrid wolf moved quietly to the bathroom. He took care of business and glanced at his reflection in the mirror. The bullet wound was barely a scar. He had no idea what happened, but he was feeling totally healed except for being a little sore. Sure, being part shifter, he normally healed quicker than a human. But even in wolf standards, this was fast. A puzzle to be solved another day.
Today though, he needed to solve the puzzle that was his mate. Of course, the fact he had spent most of his life avoiding people and especially any kind of attachment left him a little at a loss. He didn’t do hearts and flowers. Besides, it took so much energy to keep his shields up, why be with someone only to find out what they really felt. It had happened the first time he’d tried a date. By the time the movie was over, he could tell all the guy wanted was a quick fuck with the local freak.
Charlie had learned a long time ago that people’s words rarely matched what they really felt inside. It had jaded him to the point that he wondered if having a mate could change him. It wasn’t a trust issue, he trusted Sparky with his life.
So far, his mate not only helped him keep his shields in place but even now, he felt a strange sense of peace. His hand hovered over the place that his necklace normally hung. Even the magic of the pendant hadn’t been able to quiet his mind as completely as the quirky man sleeping on the bed.
He climbed into the shower and let the hot water run over his sore muscles. So much had happened since he’d been rescued it was hard to wrap his mind around it. When Sparky had been kidnapped, he thought he was going to lose his mind. It was why he wanted his mate to leave the battle. Just the thought of losing the fiery pint-sized man caused the breath to leave his body. They needed to talk, that was clear. Boundaries needed to be set because there was no way he was going to lose his mate. He’d never survive the loss.
Sparky slowly opened his eyes and sighed. He found himself wrapped around a pillow that smelled of his mate. For a moment, he wondered why the man wasn’t in bed beside him; but then he heard the shower start in the bathroom. How he’d love to just walk in and help his mate clean up; but for the first time in his life, he felt unsure.
He sat up and winced at the soreness. One thing was for sure, more nights like the last and he’d have a permanent hitch to his walk. Sadly, sex wasn’t the problem. If only the two of them could figure out a way to compromise, but so far his mate seemed the type to insist he was the one in the driver’s seat.
The mechanic rose to his feet and walked slowly into the bathroom. His breath caught as he saw the wet Greek god standing under the showerhead. Before he could chicken out, he stepped behind his mate and wrapped his arms around him. “Come here often, handsome?” Sparky asked as his mate turned to face him. He could see the hard cock pointing in his direction, just begging for a little loving.
“Well, look who cam
e out to say, hi,” Sparky said as he sank to his knees. “Come to, papa!” Before Charlie could say a word, the mechanic swallowed the man’s cock, working it until he could feel the man’s pubic hair against his face.
“Oh, goddess!” Charlie moaned as he placed his hands in Sparky’s hair, guiding him. The mechanic smiled around the large member as he continued to deep throat his mate. He grabbed Charlie’s ass and pulled him closer, enjoying the tug on his hair as the hybrid shifter began to use his mouth. Sparky felt for the tiny star he knew was hidden between his mate’s cheeks. As his mate’s moans became louder, he knew the man was close.
He gently pressed a finger inside and waited for his mate to relax. When Charlie didn’t complain, he pushed in further until he found what he was looking for. “Ung—I’m gonna..” Charlie gasped as he tried to pull his cock free. But Sparky wasn’t having it. He simply pulled the man’s hips closer while syncing the thrust of his finger with the rhythm of his mouth.
“Sparky!” Charlie yelled as his cock spurted into the mechanic’s mouth. Sparky swallowed as much as he could but the volume was so much, some leaked down his chin. The mechanic allowed the now soft member to slip from his lips as he sat back on his heels. The water would clean what he missed but damn, the man tasted good. Even better was the way his mate leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed with a soft smile on his lips.
“Now, that’s what I call the breakfast of champions,” Sparky chuckled as he stood and moved under the shower to wash. He couldn’t believe he’d come at the same time as his mate, untouched. It was the first time that had happened.
“Here, let me,” His mate turned Sparky and began to use his strong hands to spread the soap. Sparky groaned when Charlie paid special attention to his cock. Even though he had just come, the damn thing was already searching for more. At this rate, they’d never leave the bedroom again. Hmmm, but would that be such a bad thing?
Battle for a Mates Heart Page 23