by Talyn Scott
“I know. How do you suppose this change will transform him?” Gage slumped into a bedside chair, wishing he could go home and spend a few hours with Azure and Sayer, instead of staring helplessly at his nephew. “Will he walk in the sun? Will he feel the call of the moon? Will he… be the same? There are some things worse than death.”
“So he’ll drink blood, have a shorter fuse on his temper, might miss out on his Florida sunshine, live a hell of a lot longer, and be harder to kill while doing so.” Jayce dropped his hand from Searlas and met Gage’s eyes. “Your lineage is still with Searlas, so I’m confident he’ll be close to the same male when he rises.” Jayce’s eyes darkened. “But if there’s a problem, any problem whatsoever, I’ll take care of it for you.”
Not said aloud: Jayce would behead Searlas if he came out on the other side a blood lusty monster. “Thank you, Sire.” Gage nodded in relief, didn’t want to be the one to taint his hands and his heart with the stains of familial blood. “I can’t believe I brought him into Pack six years ago for it to turn out like this.”
“Searlas should never have been involved with any fighting.”
Eagan leaned against the only door leading to the corridor. “He gave his life for Jenny.”
Jayce looked at Eagan. “Why do I smell vampires in Jenny’s room yet only one Pack male, your brother Mason?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea, Alpha.”
Gage added, “She wants us to postpone a Rites to Mate ceremony so she can supposedly get over Ail Ruyter.”
Jayce started pacing while rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve sent Tatum to talk to Jenny on many occasions now, even Granny. Neither thinks Jenny is lovesick.”
“I agree with Tatum and Granny.”
Jayce raised his head, studying Searlas. “Plan that Rites to Mate anyway, Gage.”
Eagan stepped forward, glancing between Searlas and Jayce. “Pardon my asking, Alpha, but if she doesn’t want Rites to mate then — ”
“She won’t be forced,” Jayce explained. “But a pureblood female is drawn to power, to virility. So if we send word to Packs around the world of her tentative availability as an unmated, they’ll come to present themselves to me. Then I’ll offer them to her for Rites to Mate, at a time of her choosing. Maybe one or more of them will pan out as her fated.”
Gage nodded. “That should be hard for her to resist.” He chuckled at Eagan’s expression. “Put yourself in Jenny’s shoes, Eagan. What if you had female after female to choose from, all vying for your attention, your adoration, and your very body. How would you feel?”
Eagan hooked a thumb in the waistband of his leathers. “The same way I always do. I get that now.”
Jayce rolled his eyes. “Back to Jenny. Arrange the Rites to Mate two weeks from now.”
Gage knew Jenny wouldn’t leave the facility for any reason. “We’ll parade the males down here, if we must.”
Jayce started misting away. “Keep me abreast of the progress. Until she’s mated to another male, Jenny is mine. I take care of what’s mine. At the least, I want to see a damn smile on her face, and I want to see it soon.”
Eagan walked to Searlas’ bed, staring down at his lifeless body. If not for the heart monitor, no one would think him alive. He hadn’t taken one breath in months. “I’m not buying Jenny’s story, either. She may have loved Ail, but I think those feelings are long gone.”
Gage agreed, “She’s hiding what happened to Searlas, and whatever she’s hiding has to do with Niall Donn.”
Eagan looked disgusted. “Of all the Gryph’s that Jenny could have on her ass, it would have to be Niall Donn. I checked around, you know. Word is, even the Master Gryph won’t piss him off.”
Gage shrugged. “Niall grew in legend years ago, when he started as a simple mercenary. His family is elite, highly esteemed in Volos’ court.”
Eagan raised an eyebrow. “And still, you told Niall that Jayce would go after his family.”
“Niall needs to stop his shit, or Jayce will pick Niall’s feathers out of his teeth.” Gage checked his watch for the umpteenth time. “The sun’s going down.”
“Go home to Miami for a while,” Eagan encouraged. “I’ve got this.”
“Not a chance,” Gage dismissed his offer kindly. “You never go home anymore, either, Eagan.”
“It’s not as though I have a mate and Younglings. I’ll go home tomorrow,” he insisted. “I’m sure your female wants both of her males in her bed tonight, not just one. Even if all you can do is crash next to them.”
Gage could do a hell of a lot more than that. “If anything happens, especially if Searlas finally takes a single breath.”
“I’ll call you to mist here.”
Gage inclined his head. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, I’m his friend, and still his Pack mate no matter what vampire law dictates.”
“I can’t think past his rising to deal with legal implications,” Gage replied as he started dissolving. “Remember, day or night, call me.”
Gage misted to Miami, tired and hungry — though not for food. As his molecules swirled over his rooftop garden, he watched Sayer bend his head between Azure’s legs, licking and sucking her as she luxuriated on a pool float. She was responding with words even Gage couldn’t make out, which meant his Azure was going to climax.
His dick materialized before the rest of him.
He grabbed the thing, solidifying the remainder of his body right next to his mates. “Playing without me, I see.”
Azure, his little siren, turned to beckon Gage into the water, right when Sayer scraped his fang around the hood of her clitoris. She opened her mouth to scream, and Sayer yanked her to him, sliding her off the raft and into the water. The next thing Gage saw, as he jumped in the pool completely naked, was Azure trailing her curled fingers down Sayer’s back when the male impaled her with a gentler thrust than normal.
“I said you weren’t coming again without gripping my cock, Azure Blue.” Another thrust from Sayer, the water shooting up around them like Yellowstone geysers, he growled, “And I meant it.”
“Sayer!” Her head lolled back, landing right on Gage’s shoulder. He brought his hands around to her breasts, skimming her hard peaks and elongating those luscious wet nipples.
“I never tire of watching you come,” he breathed into her ear, then trailed his mouth down the side of her throat before scraping his canines on the tendon he loved to bite.
Azure loved that bite, too.
Sayer found a rhythm he wanted, using Gage’s body to give him resistance. Gage let one hand drift from her breast to travel down her stomach, stopping just as he reached her clit. She jerked in his arms when he strummed her there, since her nub was extra sensitive from Sayer’s sharp teeth. Then Gage pried her pussy farther with his thumb and forefinger, so Sayer could get his thick cock in and out of her better.
“You are so beautiful between your legs, Azure,” Gage reminded her as he looked over her shoulder, watching his co-mate take her deep. Azure reached around, clawing at his shoulder when another orgasm neared. “My turn.”
Sayer pulled out, didn’t mind even though he was also on the brink of coming, because Sayer enjoyed a touch of erotic torture, loved to hit the breaking point repeatedly without going over. That is, until he could no longer stand the wait.
Azure squirmed greedily as Gage circled her pussy with the tip of his cock, wanting to be filled again. Playing with his mate was what this werewolf liked to do, a prelude to sex more times than not. “Tell me what you want,” he demanded as his arm tightened around her waist.
She gasped, trying to ease Gage’s cock where she needed it to go. “The male I’m missing lately.”
His heart skipped a beat. Then he ceased all teasing and plunged into her with one smooth stroke. “And I miss you,” he said as her sweet sheath fluttered all around him, moving in a rhythmic motion he’d never found in another female. Nor would he want to now. He pulled back on a slow glide, h
is balls cool from the pool water, his dick hot from her scalding pussy, and trailed nibbling kisses across her jawline. “All for me,” Gage reminded Azure, as he did every time he took her.
They lost themselves as the minutes passed, Azure’s heat ascending with every slide from Gage, and every kiss and potent caress from her loving Sayer. They pampered Azure the way she should be pampered, like their goddess.
When Sayer sensed Azure legs going stiff again, he lifted them, hooking her knees over his forearms. Gage held on to his release, savoring the insistent throb for the next round.
Azure screamed Gage’s name so loudly that he threw out a bubble of miasma to catch her screams. Only for their ears, Gage thought, never again wanting other immortals to hear her cries of pleasure.
“Azure Blue’s right,” Sayer whispered to Gage as Azure went boneless. “You’ve been gone a lot these past months. And though it’s for good reason, she’s been lonely for you. We need time together. You have a place with our mate that I can’t fill.”
Sayer was right, of course. Azure was mated to both of them, her needs attuned to each male. Even so, Gage could never turn over Searlas’ rising to another Pack male. “At this point, Searlas has no other family, and Maestru confirmed he's rising.”
Slinging wet hair from his eyes, Sayer regarded Gage with glittering blue eyes that denoted his Habaline blood. “I would offer to train him in controlling his bloodlust.” Sayer opened his mouth wide, his fangs snapping down. “But I cannot leave Azure alone to meet him, nor will I allow Searlas here until he’s well past a year in Undead terms.”
Azure stirred in their arms, trying to get comfortable. He kissed her temple as Sayer stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“You could mist to the Joint Faction Facility to train Searlas, while Azure works at the clinic. You know I always have unmated Pack males watching her when she works anyway. And as far as the year goes, I think that’s a little excessive. A few months after his rising should tell us how his temperament is, then we can bring him back here.”
“First off, if you’d been home more often, you would know that Azure quit working six weeks ago.” Sayer tossed back his head, shaking it. “I’m turning into… What do the humans say?”
“A nagging fishwife.”
“I don’t see how fish has anything to do with my frustration.”
Neither did Gage. “Azure quit her job?”
“I insisted.” Sayer preened. “And now I’m insisting that Searlas does not come here any sooner than a year from his rising.”
“Well have to work this — ”
“I know you’re awake now.” Sayer lifted Azure’s chin with the crook of his finger.
“No, I’m not,” she argued impishly.
“Tell him now, or I will turn you across my knee.”
“Oh,” she laughed deviously, “I’m really not telling him now.”
Gage’s heart skipped another beat, and his breath was a little ragged when he said, “You’re expecting.”
“I am.”
Sayer lowered her legs, and Gage turned Azure. He held her face between his hands. “How long have you known?”
“Just kiss me.”
Gage took her mouth with his, hugging her with Sayer. He never thought this was going to happen, had given up for the months they’d tried and tried then hadn’t succeeded. And just when Gage thought he could bear no more waiting, Azure had thrown him this blessing of a curveball.
“As soon as I can, I’ll take time off from work,” he promised, and a male could never go back on his word, especially a vow made to his mates. “As for now, I will find a capable Pack male to shadow Searlas once he rises.” His inherent instincts were to protect his female and the young she carried. It was nearly impossible for Jayce to leave Tatum and Ardan, even while knowing that Bren and Mike stayed with them always.
“Now you understand why Searlas can’t come here.”
Gage nodded, understanding that Sayer would shape-shift into something horrifically monstrous, far worse than a werewolf ever dreamed of being, and eat his nephew. “I’ll keep him away from the house, from our Azure and our young, until we agree together when the time is right.”
Azure started arguing, “I don’t want you to — ”
“I’m insisting we don’t argue about this now.” Sayer gripped the base of his cock, smiling the crooked smile that tended to stop traffic on South Beach, just as Gage aligned the underside of his erection over her clitoris. “Not when we can celebrate, nice and slow.”
Sayer closed his eyes in relief as his cock slid inside Azure, both working her pussy a little differently. She gasped as Gage stroked upward. “Too much?” Sayer asked her, concern instantly replacing his ecstasy.
“It’s extra sensitive,” she groaned, wiggling her ass. Azure inclined her neck, offering her vein to Sayer for his dinner. “Just take it slow and feed even slower.”
Pressing his forehead to the back of her head, he said, “I know you love my bite, Azure Blue, but I must stick with Gage until you’ve delivered. I won’t risk you or our Youngling.”
“This is it?”
“Only for a little while.” Sayer moved carefully, threading his erection as Gage glided across her clit, both meeting on the downstroke. They stayed united in timing, both fighting not to come until Azure found her pleasure.
She shivered in anticipation as Sayer raked his fangs, glistening with endorphins, over her skin. A groan left her mouth right as the oral daggers sank into her neck.
Gage kissed her throat, right next to where Sayer was feeding, and started to move his cock faster. “She’s getting there, and I’m losing it.”
Gage’s breaths became choppy, matching Azure and Sayer’s, and his balls tightened far too soon to be acceptable. But he didn’t worry as he came, because he had all night to share the bed he’d neglected for far too long.
When his female let go, Gage groaned, “Oh, my Azure,” as sweet relief pushed him over.
Chapter 9
Eagan leaned over the bed, staring at Searlas’ comatose body. “Come on, Sear. Tell me what happened. Tell me who did this to you, and I’ll unleash a Pack of Ruyters on his ass.”
A wheezing gasp escaped Searlas’ chest, an echo of the way he’d died. “Eagan… I smell you.”
“Sear, no, don’t try to get up.” Eagan’s heart rate accelerated, teasing Searlas’ fangs. “I’ll get Mason, hang on.”
With his next wheezing breath, Searlas grabbed Eagan, pulling him into the steel trap of his arms. His hiss — a brutal reminder of what he’d become — the only warning before Searlas latched onto to his best friend’s throat. He fought not to tear, not to ravage the salty, buttery flesh, while warring between what his mind said he couldn’t have and what his body deigned to take.
Unfortunately for Eagan, Searlas’ body won.
After he sucked Eagan’s flesh between his teeth, he bit down, sensing a sexy pop on his tongue. He shuddered from the sensation, from the thrill of hot wetness as it spread across his mouth. In seconds, his breathing started smoothing out and Searlas groaned as he took his first swallow.
Then swallowed again.
And again.
And again.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Eagan cursing him, telling him to stop. But how could he stop, when the smell of pure Beta blood had taunted him for far too long?
“Searlas, if I transform I’ll end up killing you. So stop!”
Through the dizziness, he sensed Eagan’s blood soaking into his flesh, through his circulatory system, down to his muscles, and deep into his bones.
Power!
Life flowed from blood.
So why not take more?
“Searlas, listen to me!”
Why should he listen to prey? Better yet, why should he allow prey to thrash around and hit him, leeching effort Searlas should conserve in order to heal?
Instinct fueled his next decision, telling him to pull back, to release his bite. Whe
n he reluctantly obeyed, he kept his hold on Eagan and swallowed a wash of liquid suddenly excreting from his fangs. He shuddered when the taste of sin entered his mouth, warm and inviting, the way he remembered the haven of Jenny’s delectable body.
During his subsequent bite, he delivered his endorphins, lulling Eagan with his fangs and tongue. Eagan’s movements slowed, his breathing quickly following.
In and out.
Slower.
In and out.
This is the stuff, Searlas thought as the Beta’s blood knitted his body. Blood is fuel. Blood is everything.
Eagan started moving his hips, moaning. “Searlas, you dumb fuck.” A louder groan followed by an orgasmic shudder. “Stop using your endorphins on me, or I’m going to blow in my pants.”
When he took his next swallow, Eagan cried out, screaming every obscenity in his vocabulary arsenal. “Don’t make me fuck you up!”
Searlas released his bite, shoved Eagan from his bed, and opened his eyes. “Shut off the light!”
Eagan grabbed his throat with one hand and pushed a button on Searlas’ bedrail. The lights dimmed. “Satisfied?”
“In more ways than one.” Smiling weakly, Searlas winked at Eagan. “I can’t believe you were my first.”
“Could you say that without my blood on your teeth?” Eagan straightened his clothes. “I always figured a rising was a big deal.” He sat down, running his fingers through his hair to try and straighten the mess Searlas had caused. “I’m kind of disappointed.”
“I can’t say that I am,” Searlas pointed out, still tasting Eagan’s marvelously potent blood. He wanted more, so much more. “For the past few weeks, I could hear Uncle Gage go on and on about his suspicions, about how upset he was for me. And I feared it, really feared everything that might happen.” He curled his tongue around his fang, thinking about the endorphins he’d utilized. “Until I sensed this surge, man. It’s incredible. I have power, Eagan.”