by Lynn Hagen
Raven pushed to his knees, staring at the sand on his hands. It felt real as fuck to him. He even felt the soft breeze coming off the ocean. “This is one hell of an illusion.”
“Are you freaked out or mad at me?” Jet asked. He looked so vulnerable lying there, staring up at Raven. There was hesitation and fear in his amber eyes.
“I just hope I don’t get sand in unmentionable places.” Raven winked at him.
“Oh, I can take care of that.” Jet smiled as a large blanket appeared beneath him. “Better?”
Raven didn’t want to confess that he was a bit freaked out. Jet already looked so unsure of himself. His mate was smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
Don’t fuck this up. He’s already terrified that you know he’s Unseelie. Let him know everything is okay. Raven stretched out beside Jet and tugged at a strand of his rainbow hair. “Much better, buttercup.”
Jet blushed. “No one has ever called me an endearment before,” he confessed.
If Raven’s cock wasn’t rock-hard and he hadn’t wanted Jet as badly as he did, he could have fallen asleep to the sounds of the lapping waves. But he wanted to be inside Jet, wanted to claim his little fairy—nope, he couldn’t stop using that word—and a nap would come later, after he soldered their souls together.
He pulled Jet into his arms and carried his mate to the edge of the sand.
“What’re you doing?” Jet clung to Raven. “I can’t swim!”
“But I thought this was an illusion?” Raven nuzzled Jet’s neck. “Besides, I don’t plan on letting you go.”
The water was warm, surprising Raven. It felt wet and wonderful as he moved deeper into the waves. The water reached his hips before he stopped and maneuvered Jet until his mate was straddling his waist.
He loved how Jet was staring at him, as if Raven could do no wrong, as if Raven made the sun rise and set. He cupped Jet’s cheek and fused their lips together, devouring his mate’s mouth as Jet wiggled against him, moaning against Raven’s lips.
“We need lube,” Raven whispered.
Jet held out his hand, and a bottle appeared in his palm. Raven wasn’t going to ask how he’d done that. He wasn’t going to boggle his mind with those questions. All he wanted was to bury his cock in his mate’s ass and bring them both so much pleasure.
Raven held out his hand, and Jet squeezed a good amount onto his fingers. With a snarl, and attacking Jet’s mouth again, Raven slipped two fingers inside the man’s tight ass. He closed his eyes and breathed out a long breath. Fuck, Jet was so damn tight that the ring of muscles clenched around Raven’s fingers.
The water swirled around their bodies as fireflies appeared, making the late evening even more magical as Raven stretched Jet, readying his body.
“Take me,” Jet begged against Raven’s lips. “I want to feel you inside me.”
As much as Raven wanted to make love to Jet in the water, he walked them back to the king-sized blanket and lowered Jet to his back. He cradled Jet’s head, staring into his amber eyes. Raven wanted his mate to know how much he wanted him, and not just for sex. They were both in a sticky situation, but in Raven’s opinion, Jet’s situation was much worse. He wanted to let Jet know that he wasn’t alone, that Raven would always be at his side.
Jet reached between them and curled his hand around Raven’s cock. He hissed as his mate guided his shaft to his hole. Raven kept staring at Jet as he inched his way inside the man’s body.
“Oh god,” Jet moaned as he pulled his hand away and gripped Raven’s wrists. He looked between them, watching how his cock slipped in and out of Jet’s ass, how his mate’s balls were already drawn tight, and how Jet’s cock throbbed as it lay there.
“Fuck, you’re so beautiful,” Raven moaned. He looked up and saw the lust and need in Jet’s amber eyes. “Are you ready to be mine?”
Jet nodded, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.
Raven scooped Jet up until his mate was seated on his thighs. He brushed aside the rainbow hair and sank his canines into Jet’s shoulder. His mate cried out as Raven thrust hard and deep, his own climax building to a crest.
Colorful wings shout out from behind Jet and fluttered like crazy. For a brief second, Raven was so mesmerized that he’d stopped moving.
Then he dropped Jet to the blanket, removed his canines, and fucked the man to within an inch of his life. The bond had snapped into place, deepening their connection, fusing their souls together.
“Raven!” Jet shouted as he came, his cum erupting between their bodies. The scent of his mate’s release, the smell of the salty ocean, and the light breeze against his heated skin was a combination that tore Raven under. He came deep in Jet’s ass, snarling his release until there was nothing left to give.
He rocked inside Jet, placing kisses along his soft jaw and neck. Jet panted, and his arms fell to his sides as he gasped for breath.
“That was…amazing.” Jet grinned, appearing sleepy in his post-coital state. His eyes were dazed, and he had a soft, sleepy smile on his face. His mate’s skin also held whisker burns from Raven’s closely shaven beard rubbing against Jet’s face when they’d kissed.
Their surroundings faded, and the room appeared. They were on the bed, the moon shining through their window. Raven eased out of Jet’s body and curled around him, tucking his mate against him. As soon as they woke up, Raven was taking Jet home. They’d figure out what to do from there.
But for now, he enveloped Jet in his arms and closed his eyes, smiling as he fell asleep.
Chapter Four
It had been two days since Jet and Raven had left Moose’s house and had gone to Raven’s. His mate’s house was right behind the garage he owned. It was a single-story structure with a wraparound porch and a swing. Inside were hardwood floors and comfy, overstuffed furniture.
A decorator Raven was not, but the place felt homey in its own way.
Jet was seated on the couch, his legs tucked under him as Raven made them some dinner. The smell of barbeque had Jet’s mouth watering and his stomach grumbling. He’d eaten a nice breakfast, and then Raven had worked all day at his garage as Jet lay bored on the couch, flipping through channels on the television. The guy didn’t even have basic cable.
But he wasn’t complaining. Raven’s small slice of heaven was better than Jet being homeless. His mate would never know just how appreciative he truly was. This humble abode was a hundred times better than the fancy, cold, and sterile house Jet’s parents lived in.
Jet set the remote aside, ready to get up and see if Raven needed help with dinner when the vibration in his pocket made him jump. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and saw it was his cousin, Poppy.
Crap. Jet should’ve already called him by now. Poppy might know something that could help Jet in discovering what had happened in those two weeks.
Why hadn’t he thought to talk to his cousin before now?
“Hey, Poppy,” Jet said when he answered his cell. “I know I should have—”
“What is going on?” Poppy whispered into the phone. His frightened voice made Jet sit up and look around as if trouble were in the room with him.
“What’re you talking about?” Jet’s heart raced like crazy. He’d never heard Poppy sound this panicked before.
“Unseelie guards invaded my house,” Poppy said. “I was able to flee before they spotted me, but not before I heard them shout your name. What happened, Jet? You’re always so careful. How did they find me, and how did they know to look for you here?”
“Are you safe?” Jet asked as he got up from the couch. “Tell me you’re safe.”
Jet would never forgive himself if something happened to Poppy. His cousin had been out of the dark realm for a couple of years now. No one had come looking for him since Poppy didn’t have family. He’d flown under the radar all this time, and now he’d been exposed.
All because of Jet.
“I’ll explain it all to you later,” he said. “But you still haven’t
answered me. Are you safe?”
“If you considering hiding in the woods safe, then yeah.” Poppy made a small hiccup sound, which told Jet his cousin was scared out of his mind. “I can never go home again. What am I going to do?”
“I’m coming to get you.” Jet wasn’t sure how since he still didn’t have the ability to shimmer. He also had no idea where his spell book was. He recalled having it with him when he’d visited his cousin. He must have lost it when he’d been drugged.
“Just hurry up,” Poppy whispered. “It’s dark and raining, and I’m terrified those men will catch me. I’m also scared to use magic. They might detect it and find me.”
That was another thing about Poppy. He might have been born Unseelie, but the guy sucked at being fae. His flying abilities were nearly nonexistent, his spells never turned out how they should, and half the time he couldn’t remember them in the first place.
Some of the vicious fae had called him Forrest Gump. That was almost everyone, to be honest. Jet had spent most of his life defending Poppy against such cruelty.
He didn’t blame his cousin one bit for escaping the realm when he’d had the chance.
“Poppy?” Jet pulled the phone from his ear when he reached the kitchen. His cousin had hung up without telling Jet exactly where in the woods he was. Was he still by his house, or had he run farther than that?
“What’s wrong?” Raven asked. He looked past Jet as though trouble were right behind him.
Jet explained the call he’d gotten from his cousin. “This is all my fault. They found him because of me, and if they get their hands on Poppy, King Arion might kill him.”
Jet was close to tears as he talked. Poppy wouldn’t last an hour with Arion. Jet didn’t want to even think of the cruelty their king would unleash on poor Poppy for leaving the realm.
“Where does he live?” Raven asked as he cut the burner off.
Jet grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and scooped some pulled pork from the pan, dropping it into his bowl before grabbing two hamburger buns.
When he looked at his mate, Raven was staring strangely at him.
“What?” Jet asked. “I’m starving. I can’t go on a rescue mission on an empty stomach.”
“Where does he live?” Raven repeated the question.
“On the outskirts of Brac Village. Do you know where that is?”
Raven shook his head, which made Jet sigh in frustration. “It’s about two hundred miles from here. How’re we gonna get there in time since I can’t shimmer us there?”
His mate pulled his phone out while he left the kitchen. Jet followed while trying to slop the pulled pork onto one of the buns. He was making a complete mess since the meat had been cooked in barbecue sauce. He felt like a toddler who needed a bib.
“Hey, Moose. It’s Raven, and I need another favor.” Raven grabbed his boots by the door. Jet hurried into the kitchen, set the bowl aside, and washed the mess off his hands. Darn it. He would just have to eat later.
When he returned to the living room, some stranger was standing on the front porch talking to Raven. Jet stepped outside and looked the guy over. “Who are you?”
The man had pointy ears and green eyes that weren’t that friendly looking.
“This is Ruttford,” Raven said. “And he doesn’t like small talk.”
Jet shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to make new friends, anyway. I just need to know if you can get us to Brac Village.”
But Jet was curious. There was something off about the guy. Jet moved closer and inhaled deeply.
Ruttford narrowed his eyes. “Stop sniffing me. If you’re that curious, I’m a Christmas elf. Can we get on with this?”
Jet wished he had his shimmering abilities so they didn’t have to deal with this prick. But Ruttford was there for transportation. Their interaction would be over in a moment.
With a nod, he touched Ruttford’s shoulder. Raven did the same. The porch shimmered away, and they were in an alley close to the center of town. Jet recognized Main Street, and he really did miss Brac Village with its wonderful stores and streets filled with people who seemed to love the town as much as Jet did.
“I take it you can make your way from here?” Ruttford didn’t stick around for an answer. He walked down the street and disappeared around a corner.
“That guy is a straight-up asshole,” Raven muttered.
Jet agreed. He’d never met a Christmas elf before, but if that was how they acted, Jet never wanted to meet another one. Not that Unseelie celebrated Christmas, but if Santa had to work with those types of jerks, he felt sorry for the jolly guy.
A cop car pulled up next to them when Jet and Raven left the alley. “I’m Sheriff Werth,” the tall, dark-skinned man said when he got out of the car and joined them on the sidewalk. “Maverick told me to be on the lookout for you two so I can help you find someone in need of help.” The guy smiled at Jet. “He said one of you would have rainbow-colored hair.”
Jet pulled at a few strands as he scooted closer to Raven. Moose was a giant, but Werth wasn’t far behind him in size and stature. He also hadn’t the first clue how Maverick knew about this.
To humans, Maverick Brac was the mayor of this town. To preternatural, they knew Maverick’s pack ran Brac Village, and any shenanigans weren’t tolerated. Poppy had told Jet all about the alpha leader. Maverick was also a member of the Ultionem.
So was Panahasi.
Jet had to watch what he said and be careful not to reveal he and Poppy were Unseelie. “It would be great if you could give us a lift to my cousin’s house.”
Raven grabbed Jet’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Excuse us for a moment,” he said to the sheriff.
His mate pulled him aside. “If whoever came looking for you is still at Poppy’s, do you really want to drive up to the front door?”
“I thought of that,” Jet whispered. “But I didn’t want to tell the cop to take us to the middle of the woods. That would seem too suspicious, and the last thing I want is for him to investigate why we’re heading into the woods.”
Raven narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like you going anywhere near Poppy’s. What if King Arion is there? Do you think he’ll let you waltz right out of there?”
His mate had a point. “Why didn’t you say that before we left your house?”
“Because I have no idea where I’m going or what Poppy looks like, but that doesn’t mean I want you in harm’s way.”
“He could stay in my car while you search the woods,” Werth whispered from behind them. “I can also take one of my deputies with me to help you search.”
Jet jerked around and gave a nervous laugh. He hadn’t heard Werth approach. The wolf shifter seemed to have light feet for such an enormous guy.
Raven simply rolled his eyes. “Fine, but if shit gets funky, I want Jet out of there.”
Werth nodded as another cop car pulled to the curb. “Looks like Deputy Jacoby is right on time.” The sheriff walked away to talk to the deputy as Jet slipped into the back of Werth’s car. His mate sat in the front seat, and Jet felt like a criminal when he realized he couldn’t open the doors.
Jet prayed this was the only time he was ever in the back of a police car as the sheriff drove them from town.
* * * *
Raven didn’t like this one bit. He should’ve left Jet at home, but again, he had no clue where he was going or what Poppy looked like. If he’d been thinking, he would’ve brought Moose with him and asked for a picture of Poppy.
That would have been the better and smarter option. But he’d allowed Jet to rush him, and Raven hadn’t used his head.
As they drove out of town, Raven’s gut told him to stay sharp, that the men who had invaded Poppy’s home might still be around. Raven had no defenses against dark magic and hoped it wasn’t used. Having the sheriff and his deputy going in blind was a crap move, and one Raven didn’t like, but he didn’t want to reveal anything, because then he would have to tell them that Jet was Unseelie.
That wasn’t going to happen. Raven didn’t know the sheriff or the deputy, and although he believed them to be upstanding men, that didn’t mean he trusted them with Jet’s secret.
“You can pull over here,” Jet said from the backseat. “His house isn’t too far up the road.”
“And why aren’t we going any farther?” Werth turned to look at Raven once he’d parked on the side of the road. “I don’t mind helping you guys, but I need to know what I’m getting myself into.”
The deputy walked up to Raven’s rolled-down window. He was tall, muscular, with chocolate-brown eyes and auburn hair. “What’re we doing, boss?” he asked.
Werth studied Raven. “What are we doing?”
“My cousin called and said he was in trouble,” Jet said as he leaned toward the glass that separated the backseat from the front. “He didn’t say why, either. Poppy doesn’t bother anyone and keeps to himself. So if he says he needs help, I come running.”
The sheriff grabbed the shotgun from its bracket in the front seat and got out. “Then we go find him,” he said.
Raven looked at Jet. “Stay low and shout if trouble comes your way.”
“Like I could escape if I wanted to.” Jet waved at the door. “It doesn’t unlock from the inside.”
Raven got out, let his mate out, and then coaxed Jet into the front passenger seat.
“No playing with the lights or siren,” Werth warned with a stern look.
Jet’s bottom lip slid out. “You take all the fun out of a search and rescue.” He grabbed his phone, hit a few buttons, and then Raven’s phone chirped.
His mate had sent him a picture of Poppy. The guy was gorgeous. He had a head full of neon-green hair and soft electric-blue eyes. Did all fairies have such odd hair coloring?
“Be careful,” Jet said through the open window. “If Arion sent those men, they won’t play nice.” Jet reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather bracelet with an amulet in the middle. “Put this on. It’ll protect you from basic kill spells.”