Yanis licked his hand as soon as Adan’s dick sprang out. He raised himself on one elbow, looked down at Adan, and took their two dicks as well as he could. They didn’t completely fit, and it was a bit awkward, but the slide of warm skin against Adan’s, the precum that wasn’t his smoothing the way, was too much for Adan.
He came after only a few tugs, screwing his eyes closed. He’d just come down from his orgasm when he felt himself cresting again. It was almost painful, and he wasn’t sure he was actually coming. Then he could feel it was Yanis, what Yanis was feeling, but it was like coming a second time right after the first one, and it left Adan feeling like jelly.
He breathed out and let his legs slide from Yanis’ waist, then slowly opened his eyes.
* * * *
Yanis resisted the urge to slump on top of Adan and slid sideways. He dropped next to Adan and hooked his arm around Adan’s waist, dragging him closer. Adan blinked at him and Yanis chuckled. “I didn’t think I was that good.”
“Huh?”
“You look blissed out.”
Adan licked his lips. “That’s because I am. I couldn’t not feel what you were feeling.”
Yanis cocked his head. “You mean you felt me coming?”
“Yeah, and it felt like a second orgasm for me. I’m wiped.”
Yanis looked down at their bodies. Their legs had tangled without him even thinking about it. Both their dicks were still hanging out, and both their T-shirts were dirty with come. “We need to shower.”
“Maybe when I have the energy to do it.”
Yanis was on board with that, so he snuggled against Adan. Adan hugged him and pressed his cheek against Yanis’ chest. It was peaceful, something that Yanis didn’t often feel. It was almost like a piece of himself he hadn’t known he’d lost had been brought back, and he felt complete, like he could stay like that forever.
Of course, they didn’t have nearly that long. They’d clearly fallen sleep at one point, because when Yanis blinked, the light in the room was different. It was darker, and he wondered what had woken him. He thought it might have been hunger, since they’d obviously skipped lunch, but two voices talking outside his room made him realize it wasn’t that.
“Knock again.”
“I already did!”
“Well, try again.”
“But what if they’re, you know, doing it?”
“Still?”
Yanis was awake enough by now that he recognized Nysys’ voice.
“You never know.” And of course, that was Keenan.
“Yeah, well, unless Yanis goes on batteries or something, I don’t think so.”
“So what do we do?” Nysys must have done something, because Keenan swore. “Nys, you can’t do that, come on! Someone will kick our ass sooner or later.”
“Nah. Jonah would kill them.”
“Nys!”
Yanis swore when Nysys and Keenan appeared in the middle of his bedroom. He tried to pull the blankets up over him and Adan, but they’d gone to sleep on top of them and he wasn’t able to.
Keenan squeaked and turned around. “See, I told you! You can’t just pop in other people’s bedrooms!”
Nysys put his hands on his eyes, but Yanis could see him peeking. He huffed and extracted himself from Adan’s arms. He grabbed a towel he’d left on the end of the bed and covered his and Adan’s groin. “Stop looking,” he told Nysys.
“I’m not!”
“You so are,” Keenan answered.
“Like you wouldn’t.”
“I’m not. Didn’t you see I turned around?”
“What the fuck are they doing here?” Adan muttered as he tried to pull Yanis back next to him.
“We came to check if you wanted to come down for dinner,” Nysys exclaimed. He let his hands fall and peered at the bed. “So, are your snakeys wakey? Do we have to leave?”
“What does that even mean?”
“Are your dicks hard?”
Keenan squeaked. “Do you really have to be so—so you?”
“Of course I do, Boo. You wouldn’t love me if I wasn’t.”
“Aww, that’s true.” Keenan turned to the side and kissed Nysys’ cheek. “You’re so sweet.”
“No, he’s not, and can you two just get out?” Adan asked.
“Are you going to come down for dinner?” Nysys asked, crossing his arms on his chest.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re coming.”
Nysys snickered. “I think you already did that.”
Adan grabbed the free pillow and threw it at Nysys’s head. He had a surprisingly good aim, and the pillow hit Nysys’ face.
“Hey!” Nysys protested.
“Get out or you’ll get a free show when we get up.”
Yanis laughed. “I wouldn’t tell him that. I heard what happened with Ira and Darin.”
Adan arched a brow. “I don’t know that story. What happened?”
Nysys grinned. “Let’s just say I thoroughly enjoyed their show, so don’t think I’d run away screaming if I saw you two in a compromising position.”
Adan pushed Yanis off his pillow and threw it at Nysys. Nysys squeaked, grabbed Keenan’s hand, and shimmered them away after yelling, “See you in fifteen minutes!”
Adan flopped on his back and looked at Yanis. “Do you think they’ll come back if we don’t show?”
“Probably.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“Sooo,” Yanis said, dragging the word. “Is your snakey wakey?”
Adan laughed and slapped Yanis’ chest. “You’re lucky I don’t have any pillows left.”
Yanis propped his head on his elbow and looked down at Adan. “Seriously, though. Do you think going down is a good idea? There’ll be a lot of people. Won’t the emotions be too much for you?”
“Not unless they’re very strong, or at least I don’t think so.”
“We’ll come back here as soon as you tell me you’re uncomfortable.”
“I know.”
The smile they shared was intimate, and Yanis couldn’t believe they were already there. He looked down, the feelings swamping him too strong, but he should have known Adan would understand exactly what he was doing. He was an empathic vampire, after all.
“It’s scary,” Adan whispered. “I know we’re mates, but I didn’t expect to like you so much so fast, you know?”
Yanis nodded, because he did know. “We don’t have to do anything about it yet.”
Adan grinned. “I think we already did, and I wouldn’t mind a repeat.”
“So your snakey is wakey.”
Adan groaned. “I don’t think I can ever unhear that. Jeesh.”
“They’re something.”
“Can’t say no to that.” Adan paused. “What do you think? Time to go?”
“Probably. But first, shower.”
They showered together, and Yanis had the hardest time keeping his hands to himself. In fact, he didn’t. He helped wash Adan, ignoring the smirk on Adan’s lips when Adan turned and exposed his back to Yanis. Yanis slid the washcloth down Adan’s spine, watching him shiver. “That probably feels good, huh?”
Adan groaned and arched his back, very much like a cat. “God, yes. Showering with Jared’s help wasn’t the same.”
A wave of possessive jealousy washed over Yanis. “He helped you shower?”
“Well, shit. I didn’t think you’d get so jealous. Sorry.” Adan turned around to face Yanis and put his hands on Yanis’ chest. Yanis let the washcloth fall down and put his hands over Adan’s, feeling silly for being so emotional, especially since Adan could feel it. “It was very clinical.”
Yanis nodded. “I know.”
“No, you don’t. I was stuck in that bed for a year, Yanis, and I wasn’t exactly clean when I got here in the first place. I needed to be washed, and it was a time when I was so deeply in my mind that I didn’t do much on my own. Jared took care of me, as a patient. Th
at’s all.”
Yanis swallowed. “I know that.”
“So you have no reason to be jealous.”
Yanis rolled his eyes, mostly at himself. “And even if something had happened, you didn’t even know me. I don’t think you’re a virgin, and I don’t intend to be jealous of all your exes. I wasn’t expecting my own reaction, to be honest.”
Adan patted Yanis’ chest and leaned down to grab the washcloth. “That’s the lion in you, I guess. I bet my bobcat will be just as jealous and territorial if the occasion arises. It’ll fade once we mate, you’ll see.”
“You say that like it’s a given.”
“Because it is.” Adan leaned forward until their noses were only inches apart. “I know we’re going to mate, and I know we’re going to do it soon.”
“So sure of yourself.”
Adan slapped Yanis’ ass, making him jump. “Yup. Now finish washing up. We need to get downstairs before Nysys decides to shimmer in here and sees you in all your glory again.”
* * * *
Adan could feel the emotions spilling from the dining room even before he got there. They were still on the stairs when he started feeling them—hunger, love, lust, curiosity, happiness. They all mixed, but he was able to tell them apart. It was confusing, but most of all, overwhelming.
Adan paused at the bottom of the stairs and Yanis put a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”
Adan nodded. “Yeah. Just a bit much, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Not like I have a choice.”
“Of course you do.” Yanis squeezed Adan’s shoulder. “We could move out, find a quieter house. I know you consider a lot of people here friends, but you wouldn’t have to see them all together. Maybe it’ll be easier in smaller groups.”
Adan shook his head. “No. They’ve put up with me for an entire year. I’m not going to run away as soon as I’m awake again.”
“You wouldn’t be running away, and I’m sure Dominic wouldn’t mind. He’s a good man.”
“I don’t doubt that, I just... I feel like I need to give something back. They’ve been taking care of me for so long, and I haven’t given anything in return.”
Yanis kissed Adan. “I’m sure you’ll find a way. Let’s go to dinner, and we can go talk to Dominic tomorrow and figure stuff out. I need to find a job, too, anyway.” Adan nodded and Yanis grinned. “Ready to surprise everyone?”
At least that was bound to be fun. “Don’t you think Keenan and Nysys already spilled the beans?”
“I don’t know them very well, but they strike me more as the boasting type, you know, the we knew it before you did kind.”
“Let’s see, then.”
Adan let Yanis walk slightly ahead of him, even though they were holding hands. He swallowed and tried to separate the emotions he could feel. He felt his vampire part stir in his chest and he let it out. It was weird, almost like another sense, very different from when he was angry.
Yanis stopped at the dining room door and looked at Adan. Adan took a few minutes to push the emotions swamping him toward the back of his mind, then he nodded. Yanis pushed the dining room door open and stepped in.
Dinner wasn’t quite ready yet. Some people were still walking back and forth between the dining room and what Adan assumed was the kitchen, bringing in bottles and serving plates. Other members were serving, passing plates around, while some were talking and getting settled.
Adan knew the entire pride wasn’t present. Jared, Soren, and all the other people who’d sat with him while he was trapped in his mind had talked about the pride, so Adan knew there were a good sixty members in it now. He also knew the families lived on their own in the cabins not far from the house, and that most of the mated couples without kids lived in the house but didn’t always eat together.
He was half hidden behind Yanis, and took the opportunity to look around. Soren was there, sitting next to a dark-skinned man who had to be Andrew. Keenan and Nysys were there too, of course, and Keenan was sitting on a big man’s lap and talking in a loud voice, his hands flying around as he did.
Adan recognized Jared and his mate, Adrian, Dominic and his mate, Ira and Darin, a guy who had to be Darin’s twin, and a bunch of other people he couldn’t remember the name of, if he’d even known it in the first place. He wasn’t sure what was more overwhelming—the emotions, or the amount of people.
There were several free seats, and Yanis went for two of them, exposing Adan. A little guy with blond hair so light it was almost white noticed him and gasped. Adan thought he remembered the guy’s name—something with a J. Justin? Maybe James?
No one else noticed, at least not until Nysys turned and squealed. The silence that fell on the room was almost worse than the level of noise there had been before as everyone turned and looked at Adan, who was still awkwardly standing next to the door.
The prevailing emotion was surprise now, and delight coming from Nysys and Keenan’s direction. “Adan!” Nysys yelled, breaking the spell. “Come on, I saved two seats.”
Adan looked at Yanis, trying to tell him with his eyes that he’d rather sit next to a hungry alligator, but Yanis just grinned and went to sit where Nysys wanted them. He even made sure to leave the seat right next to Nysys for Adan, and Adan scowled at him. Even so, he sat in the free seat and gave Nysys a tight smile. Nysys didn’t seem to notice Adan wasn’t too happy and beamed at him. “You made it.”
“Of course we did. You might have come get us if we didn’t, and that was the last thing I wanted.”
Adan was aware the rest of the table was still mostly silent and staring at him. He sighed and looked around, meeting everyone’s eyes. “Yes, I’m awake. I’m fine.” Adan wasn’t sure if he should tell everyone about his little quirk. He looked at Dominic and Dominic shook his head, the movement so small Adan wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been looking for it. He nodded in return in what could have just been a salute to the alpha.
Everyone was still looking at him.
“So, uh, Jared managed to find my mate. This is Yanis,” Adan said, pointing his thumb at Yanis. “He’s the one who got me out of the state I was in.”
Someone finally cleared his throat. “Well, welcome to the family, Adan. It’s good to see you.”
Adan nodded. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I know you.”
“Right. I’m Nate, the pride’s beta. This is my mate, Derick,” he said, tilting his head toward the man next to him. “You’ll get used to the amount of people milling around.”
“I hope so. You’re so many.” And they radiated so many different emotions, although Adan was glad the one winning was still surprise, followed by incredulity. He wasn’t able to pinpoint what everyone around the table was feeling, but it was almost like the same emotions twined together.
Adan concentrated on Yanis, relieved to recognize affection coming from him. Yanis was also proud, and Adan knew it was of him, even though he didn’t know why Yanis felt that way.
Conversations started again and Adan sighed in relief. Nysys leaned toward him, looking serious. “Really, you’ll get used to it. We’re a lot of people, but we’re family. We have your back, no matter what.” Adan nodded and the seriousness disappeared from Nysys’ face. “So, what do you want to eat?”
Adan looked at the table. It was very long, what with so many people having to eat together, and it was full of dishes. There were only a few different meals, though, and Adan decided he wanted the roast chicken.
His mouth watered as Nysys dished him some. Jared hadn’t starved him during the time he’d spent in the infirmary, but the food he’d been fed had been bland at best. Adan had dreamed of chicken and potatoes, of steak and ice cream, and he couldn’t wait to eat.
Adan speared a potato and put it in his mouth, almost moaning at the taste. It had been too long.
“Are you trying to give me a boner?” Yanis whispered. He’d moved closer to Adan and Adan hadn’t even noticed.
&nb
sp; “Just enjoying food for the first time in years.”
Yanis smile was soft. “You can have as much chicken as you want from now on.”
Adan was distracted, both by the food and by Yanis. That was why he wasn’t ready when he was hit by a wave of hate so strong he could taste it even though he wasn’t feeding from it.
He gasped and let his fork drop. The clang of metal on ceramic was loud, but Adan didn’t care. He put both hands on his face and closed his eyes.
It was so strong, like nothing he’d ever felt before. Not even the little girl’s pain had been so strong, and she’d been badly burned. Who hated so much? And why?
“Adan? What’s wrong?”
The hate was still there, but it was dimming, curiosity mixing with it. Adan didn’t even try to pinpoint who it was coming from. He leaned against Yanis when Yanis put an arm around Adan’s shoulders and focused on the worry Yanis felt for him.
It took a few moments, but Yanis’ presence helped a lot. Adan was able to ignore the hate, especially now that it had dimmed, replaced by other emotions. He didn’t even want to know who it had come from. It had been too dark, too strong an emotion for him to want to.
He hoped he’d never have to feel that again.
* * * *
Yanis ushered Adan out of the dining room, uncaring of the whispers and questions coming their way. “What’s wrong? Is it your power?”
Adan groaned. “I can’t fly.”
“You’re well enough to joke, so it’s not bad.”
Yanis pushed Adan into one of the chairs in the entrance and kneeled in front of him. He put his hands on Adan’s thigh. “Seriously, Adan. How are you?”
“I’m fine. It was just... so much. So much hate. It swamped me.”
Yanis frowned. “Hate?”
“Yeah. It tastes like copper and hot sauce. Very hot sauce.”
“That’s... okay. So someone in the dining room hates someone else. I’m not surprised, with so many people living under the same roof.”
“No, it’s more than that. It wouldn’t have been so strong if it had been like you said.”
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