Mate or Meal 6

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Angel or appetizer? The question never crossed Clark’s mind.

Growing up, Angel was only his adopted little brother, a sibling

he’d have done anything to protect. But twenty years seemed to

have passed in the blink of an eye, and now Angel is a beautiful

young man, and one Clark’s lion feels is his mate.

Angel doesn’t know when his brotherly affection for Clark turned

into more, but he is well aware he can never let Clark know. The

mere idea of Clark rejecting him, hating him, terrifies him.

But as they begin new lives at the United Paranormal Academy,

hiding their love from each other becomes even harder. When

Angel is put in charge of an incubus student, the new arrival’s

flirtation awakens Clark’s jealousy. And while Angel and Clark

struggle with their emotions, a murder shakes the academy and is

pinned on Clark. Can their love prevail?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 37,502 words

THE GAZELL WHO CAUGHT A

LION

Mate or Meal 6

Scarlet Hyacinth

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

THE GAZELLE WHO CAUGHT A LION
Copyright © 2012 by Scarlet Hyacinth
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-270-3

First E-book Publication: January 2012

Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster

than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes
up. It knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to
death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the
sun comes up, you better be running.

—Abe Gubegna

THE GAZELLE WHO

CAUGHT A LION

Mate or Meal 6

SCARLET HYACINTH

Prologue

In the early twenty-first century, the existence of shape-shifters

was revealed to the world. Widespread panic followed after a
werewolf fanatic exposed his own friends and family to terrified
humans. The following wave of persecution ended with the
intervention of a few brave men and women, who managed to get into
contact with the President of the United States and convince him of
the wrongness of these actions.

However, fifteen years after those events, humans and shape-

shifters still live in fear of each other. While persecution on behalf of
species is legally forbidden, groups of hunters still attempt to attack
shifter settlements.

In this context, it became even more important for the new

generation to learn how to deal with these new challenges. A common
effort from several shape-shifter races led to the building of the
United Paranormal Academy, where shifters of all types could
socialize, learn more about each other, and, more importantly, learn
how to survive in an increasingly complex world.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Many voices rose to point out that the segregation between

humans and shifters could not bring about everything good, that
humans needed to mingle with other species if they were ever going to
accept the existence of people different to them. However, even with
the intervention of world authorities such as the UN or NATO, this
could not be expected to happen in a short period of time.

The young generation flocked to the university that promised to

help them through the most confusing time in their lives. With the
Academy’s increasing success, more paranormals came out of the
woodwork, and young men and women from species that never before
had contact bonded through their fight with their educational woes.
Because the most important thing the Academy did was bringing
people together and helping them find unlikely mates.

But because nothing is ever easy, even in the paranormal

community, prejudice still persisted, as did the omnipresent question.
Mate or meal?

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter One

“So, when are you going to tell Corbin how you feel?” Clark took

a bite out of his hamburger and gave his friend a look. “Come on.
Stop being such a coward.”

Layton glared at him. “Shut up, will you? Someone is going to

hear.”

Clark arched a brow at the seahorse. “Someone, like who?

Everybody knows you’re dying to have him in your bed.”

It was quite unfortunate, but also very true. Layton Pierce-

Cunningham had been crushing over Corbin Mckenna for as long as
Clark could remember. Growing up, that crush had manifested in
Layton constantly sabotaging Corbin’s dates. Now that they were
older, Layton had been trying to get Corbin to notice him, but to no
avail. Corbin seemed completely engrossed in the way of life of his
species, and like most lynxes, his relationships amounted to casual sex
with various partners. Unfortunately for Layton, Corbin saw the young
seahorse as an annoying little brother and nothing more.

Clark knew this well, and the only reason he always pushed

Layton into confessing his feelings was because he wanted his friend
to get over his crush already. If Layton clung to that misguided love
for much longer, he could miss out on his real mate, wherever he or
she might be.

Of course, Clark wasn’t exactly one to make judgments over

affairs of the heart. He himself had a secret love, but one no one could
ever know about. He couldn’t even imagine what his parents would
say or do if they found out. Even more importantly, the object of
Clark’s affection would undoubtedly be horrified.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

As if guessing his thoughts, Layton waved a hand in the air,

dismissing the previous conversation and changing the topic.
“Where’s Angel? You and he are never apart.”

Clark’s heart began to beat faster at the mere mentioning of

Angel’s name. “He went into town with Reed and your brother. They
invited me along, but I had classes and couldn’t go.”

Or so Clark claimed, but in truth, he’d invented the excuse so that

he wouldn’t have to join them. Layton’s brother, Morgan, was far too
perceptive, and while Clark cared about the young shark deeply, he
feared Morgan would figure out his secret. Sometimes, it sucked big
time to have shape-shifters with acute senses as best friends and
relatives.

Clark perpetually lived in fear that Angel would one day sense it,

but so far, the antelope had thankfully proven to be oblivious. Still,
Clark felt like he was going crazy. He’d even started imagining things.
Sometimes, Angel seemed to want him, too, but that couldn’t be.

Unaware of Clark’s thoughts, Layton arched a brow at him. “Since

when do you let Angel out of your sight?”

If he were anyone else, Clark would have fidgeted under the

weight of Layton’s penetrating gaze. The seahorse had inherited a lot
from his shark sire, and in spite of his small size, he could make
people cower with just a look. It sometimes amused Clark, but he
supposed it was fitting. However, Clark and Layton were great friends
because, in a sense, they were the same. Like Layton, Clark loved
someone who would never love him back—at least, not in that way.
Not only that, but they also tended to be more brooding, silent types.

Because of these similarities, Clark was one of the few people

Layton could not scare, an unending source of frustration for the
seahorse. “Sometimes, things happen,” he replied with a shrug.

Layton snorted, but didn’t continue his interrogation. Instead, he

picked on his tuna almost absently. Seeing his friend’s bad mood,
Clark abandoned his own lunch and said, “Hey, want to blow this
joint? Let’s go take a walk before the others come back.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Layton nodded. Silently, they dumped the remnants of their lunch

in the trash and headed out of the cafeteria. Various shape-shifters
waved at Clark as they passed. “Hey, Clark, want to go play some ball
later?” his roommate, Tate, shouted.

“Sure,” Clark replied. “See you tonight, okay, man?”
He’d probably forget, and as always, Tate would let it go. They

weren’t friends or anything like that, but Tate respected Clark’s
superior strength, so he made the effort anyway. Like Clark, Tate was
a lion, and Clark supposed that to a certain extent, Tate respected him.

However, after joining the university, Clark had soon come to

realize that, even with the danger humans posed for all of them,
shape-shifters still begrudged each other. Many carnivores like Tate
couldn’t understand Clark’s family relationships. They left Clark and
his group alone, but Clark still heard the whispers and the snickering.

As they left the crowd behind, they headed out into the huge

garden right next to the cafeteria. There weren’t many people around
at this hour—most were either in town or at lunch—so Clark and
Layton easily found a spot to sit down. “Why do you even talk to that
jerk?” Layton asked.

“I don’t have a choice,” Clark replied. “He’s my roommate.”
“I suppose.” Layton sighed. “My roommate doesn’t even look at

me.”

As a shark-seahorse hybrid, Layton had it even harder than Clark.

Clark wrapped his arm around Layton’s shoulder and pulled him
close. “Whatever. It’s not like we give a damn.”

“True.” Clark could practically hear his friend grinning. “They

wish they had something like my folks do.”

Clark nodded. Skylar and Byron Cunningham were an unlikely

match, but they loved each other deeply. Clark counted himself lucky
that his own parents were just as in love.

The thought made him wonder what they were doing. He’d never

realized he would miss them so much, but sometimes, Clark wanted
to just feel his dad’s arms around him. He sighed deeply, knowing that

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

he couldn’t return to those days, when his fathers could make things
better with just a word. No, he could not go back. The secret that
Clark kept from them guaranteed it.

Suddenly, Layton broke out of the impromptu embrace. “Hey, you

know what we should do? We should throw a party or something.”

Clark arched a brow. “You hate parties.” They both did.
“Yes, but…” Layton looked away. “Corbin likes them.”
A fist clenched around Clark’s heart. He grabbed Layton’s chin

and forced their eyes to meet. “Hey. Seriously, Layton, you have to do
something about that. You can’t pine over him forever.”

Layton pushed him away. “And what do you know? How could

you possibly understand?”

Clark caught Layton’s fists, stopping the seahorse from punching

him. At that, Layton just seemed to grow even angrier. He tripped
Clark, and because of Clark’s hold on his wrists, they ended up falling
together in the grass.

While he fell, Clark sensed a familiar presence approach. He did

his best to get up, but Layton was stronger than he looked. Just as he
struggled out of his friend’s hold, Angel and Reed appeared in his
view, followed closely by Morgan.

Angel froze and gave Clark a shocked look. The antelope seemed

speechless, something Clark immediately hated.

Reed, however, didn’t have that problem. “Oh, did we interrupt

something?” He snickered. “Sorry.”

Clark finally managed to slip from Layton’s grip and shot to his

feet. “No, no. Layton and I just had a small disagreement.”

“Knowing my brother, the disagreement wasn’t quite that small,”

Morgan drawled. “Isn’t that right, Lay?”

“Shut up,” Layton said in a disgruntled tone. “Traitor.”
Angel still hadn’t spoken, and that concerned Clark. He

remembered the last time when the antelope had given him the silent
treatment. It was many years ago, when their father had been injured
while trying to protect Angel.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Angel? Little brother, are you all right?” he asked.
Angel blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. “Fine. Fine, Clark. I

was just surprised. I didn’t know you two were…involved.” He
laughed awkwardly. “I guess I’m just not used to you keeping secrets
from me.”

Clark swallowed around the sudden knot in his throat. He was

keeping a secret all right, just not the one Angel thought.

He crossed the space between them and hugged his brother.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Layton is just a friend.”

He didn’t even know why the words came out so defensive since,

technically speaking, neither Layton nor he was involved with anyone.
Either way, the explanation worked, and Angel began to relax. “Okay.
Okay.” He spoke softly, as if just for Clark’s ears. “Sorry. I don’t know
what got into me.”

Angel smelled so good, so fucking incredible, that Clark wanted

to strip him right there and claim him. He broke the embrace before
he did something he regretted. Thankfully, Morgan seemed focused on
his own brother and had ignored the exchange.

Reed sat on a bench, seemingly thoughtful. The swan was

apparently unconcerned with the little unfolding drama, but then
again, Reed was always like that. Even if he’d been adopted—like
Clark and Angel—Reed seemed to have inherited his adoptive father’s
personality. Clark had always liked Shiloh Denning-Holden. The swan
appeared to be flighty, but was the type of person who could be relied
on when in need. Shiloh’s mate, Liam, was also a great man, and since
the two of them were the best friends of Clark’s parents, Reed was
practically another brother for Clark—and damn it, the only one Clark
had brotherly feelings for.

“Come on,” Morgan said. “We should get out of here. Classes are

starting again in, like, fifteen minutes.”

Because of the slight age difference between them, they

sometimes didn’t share classes. For Angel and Clark, it was rarer, but
it happened a lot between them and the rest of their group.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“Hey, when are Melanie, Derek, and Jace coming back?” Reed

inquired.

“No clue,” Clark replied. His three werewolf cousins had taken a

few days off to visit their grandfather. To Clark’s knowledge, they
were supposed to bring their uncle Isaac to the university as well.
Clark had stayed behind because he was reluctant to leave Angel alone
for so long.

Their family relationships were quite odd from anyone outside

their immediate circle of friends. Clark’s werewolf father, Brody, had
mated lamb shifter Carson Williams, and the two of them
subsequently adopted Clark and Angel. Brody’s brother, Soren, mated
Carson’s squirrel friend, Daniel, and later, through an arrangement,
had Melanie, Derek, and Jace with Liam’s sister, Carlie.
Unfortunately, Carlie Denning had been killed, but Daniel had raised
the three young werewolves as his own pups.

During a family reunion, Carson’s mother and Brody and Soren’s

father had met. The rest was history. They had become mates and the
result was the first half-lamb, half-wolf in history—Isaac. It also led
Brody and Soren to have a brother younger than their children.

Unfortunately, unlike Layton and Morgan, who didn’t show any ill

effects due to their half-breed nature, Isaac had always been quite
sickly. For that reason, while all of them already had several years
here at the university, Isaac had not been able to attend until now.
Clark hoped Isaac would be able to adapt, given the still-volatile
situation in the Academy.

“Was Isaac finally admitted in the university?” Morgan asked.
Clark nodded. “I’m worried about him.”
Angel released a sigh. “I hope his roommate doesn’t give him any

trouble.”

Alarm bells started ringing in Clark’s head. The way Angel said

those words made Clark believe the young antelope spoke of personal
experience. It wouldn’t be surprising if Angel’s roommate did bully
him, though. Clark had met the guy, a sable who thought he was

Scarlet Hyacinth

God’s gift to his kind. However, Clark always figured that Angel
would tell him if something happened, if he was teased in any way.

“Angel, did you have problems?” he asked.
Angel’s eyes widened, and he fidgeted uncomfortably. He didn’t

reply, something that already told Clark what he needed to know.
Angel had never been able to lie to him, not to his face. Lies of
omission occasionally slipped in, but they were innocent, like when
Angel wanted to prepare a surprise party or buy him a gift.

Not willing to push Angel into saying anything more, Clark looked

at Reed and arched a brow. “Tell me, Reed. I know you know.” If
there was anyone Angel told things other than Clark, it was Reed.

The swan shifter sighed. “You two are putting me in a bad

position.” He paused, as if ruminating over what to do.

“I just need the details,” Clark said, coaxing the information out of

Reed. “I already know he’s hiding something.”

By now, Morgan and Layton had ceased all pretense of

conversation and were now paying complete attention to the exchange
between Clark, Reed, and Angel.

“I’ll tell you if you promise not to do anything rash,” Angel

mumbled.

That didn’t sound very encouraging. “I can’t make that promise,”

he replied. He was very protective of Angel, and his brother knew
that.

Looking around at his friends, he realized he wanted to have this

conversation in private. “Come on. Let’s go to the dorm where we can
talk alone.”

“But…the classes,” Angel protested.
Clark growled in irritation. “We can skip. Cover for us, will you,

guys?”

“Sure thing, Clark,” Layton replied. Apparently, his anger with

Clark had been forgotten. “See you later, all right?”

Their three friends took off in the direction of the right wing of the

Academy. Clark took his brother’s hand and began to pull him in the

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

direction of dorm C. On normal circumstances, Clark wouldn’t have
brought Angel here. The building reserved for carnivores was
typically off-limits for herbivores, and even if no one would dare to
hurt Angel, the antelope still felt uncomfortable around so many
predators.

Now, however, most everyone was heading out to class, and those

who chose to skip like Clark were unlikely to stay in the dorm. Clark
knew for a fact Tate would be out, since the other lion was failing
Human History 1 and risked being expelled if he missed even one
course. Clark and Angel didn’t have that problem, although there was
one disadvantage in having friends of the family on the school board.
If they fucked up even a little, their parents would be the first to know.

A few students were in the dorm. A couple of cheetahs gave them

curious looks, but Clark glared at them, and they quickly averted their
gazes. No one bothered them, and soon, they reached Clark’s room.

Thankfully, he’d been right about Tate being out. He pulled Angel

inside and shut the door behind them. “Okay, now talk. What’s going
on with you and your roommate?”

Angel crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him—insofar

as Angel could glare at least. “Why would I tell you anything?”

Clark rubbed his eyes. When Angel wanted to be stubborn, he

almost seemed a damn mule, not an antelope. “Please, Angel. I’m just
worried about you, little brother. I’m supposed to protect you,
remember?”

“You’re supposed to be doing lots of things,” Angel whispered in

a barely audible voice, “but you seem to have forgotten about that.”

Clark frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Angel’s glare turned shockingly angry. “I’m talking about you

ditching me to stay behind and play tonsil hockey with Layton. I’m
talking about you going around my back and making up pretexts so
you wouldn’t have to stick around your annoying little brother. Or
what, is it that you’ve finally figured out you’re a predator and I’m
prey? Is that it?”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark had never seen Angel quite so angry. Angel wasn’t the type

of person to shout or enact violence on anyone. His name suited him
perfectly—he was an angel, a divine creature who couldn’t hurt a fly.
And because Clark knew his brother so well, he could see the hurt
hiding behind the fury.

“When we were kids, you never did that. You’d stay by my side all

the time,” Angel continued to rant, seemingly struggling with tears.

“We’re not kids anymore,” Clark murmured.
Those times were long passed. Back then, Angel was only his

bouncy and enthusiastic antelope brother and Clark his self-appointed
guardian. But they’d grown up, and while guys his age discovered
how interesting breasts were, Clark had started to notice Angel’s full
lips, the swell of his ass, and the way his eyes glowed when he was
happy. There were just so many things about Angel that made him
special for Clark. Whenever they were close, his beast roared at him
to claim their mate, but Clark couldn’t do it.

Still, he cursed himself for pointing that out because Angel

obviously took it as a rejection of sorts. He burst into tears and
instantly looked away from Clark, angrily wiping his eyes.

Clark grabbed his brother and forced their eyes to meet. “Angel,

look at me. Look at me. I’m not in a relationship with Layton. He’s a
very good friend, but that’s it.”

Angel’s big, black eyes were so deep and beautiful they

hypnotized Clark. The antelope was so close now that his scent
invaded Clark’s nostrils. God, it was getting harder and harder to stay
away from Angel and not take what Clark’s lion demanded. Even now,
only a miracle kept him from pressing his lips to Angel’s. It was one
of those moments when Clark actually thought he could smell arousal
from Angel. And now, they were alone, and no one and nothing would
bother them. Nothing, except Clark’s conscience. Whatever he
thought he felt coming from Angel must be just his own wishful
thinking.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Clearing his throat, he took a step back. “Just a very good friend,”

he repeated.

For a few moments, Angel just stared at him as if unconvinced.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Okay. But I know you’re hiding
something. If Layton’s not your lover, who is?”

Clark froze. “I don’t have a lover,” he said, shocked at his own

calmness. Blood roared in his ears as images of Angel finding out his
secret shot through his head.

“I don’t believe you.” Angel narrowed his eyes at him. “You might

believe you’re as cool as a cucumber, but you can’t fool me. I’m not
an idiot, Clark. Don’t take me for one.”

Angel made no attempt to disguise his hurt now, and Clark knew

he needed to do something, and fast. “It’s true that I’m in love with
someone,” he said.

Angel swallowed, his expression completely blank. “Who? Since

when?”

“It doesn’t matter. The feeling’s not mutual. The person in

question doesn’t love me back.”

Angel gaped. “But, Clark…How is that possible?”
Clark shrugged. “Please, Angel. Let’s not talk about this right now.

Better, tell me about your roommate.”

“My roommate is just a stupid, arrogant jerk who thinks he’s

better than me because he’s a sable and I’m a gazelle.”

Clark had already learned some antelopes thought they were better

than others. It pissed him off that Angel was target of teasing because
of that as well. To this day, he couldn’t understand why Angel hadn’t
been assigned a gazelle roommate. Apparently, the differences
between the various species of antelopes weren’t considered big
enough to warrant additional caution. At least Angel wasn’t rooming
with a wildebeest.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll put him in his place. You’ll never

have trouble with him again.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Seriously, Clark, it’s fine. I can deal with it.” Angel squeezed his

shoulder. “I’m more concerned about you.”

Angel seemed so sad that Clark’s heart threatened to burst. He

wanted to say something, anything that could wipe the sadness away,
but suddenly, Angel’s expression changed, his eyes burning with hope
and decision. “I know. Maybe I could help. I could talk to your loved
one, convince him or her to give you a chance.”

If Clark ever had a doubt over Angel’s feelings, that phrase

effectively eliminated it. “No, that’s fine,” he hastily said, surprised he
could even speak. “Thank you, but it won’t help.”

Nothing would ever help. Because Angel didn’t love him like that,

and Clark would have to shoulder this secret for the rest of his life.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Chapter Two

“Paranormal creatures can be of three types—shifters, magical and

mixed, or mythological. Most of the students here at the Academy fall
into the first category, although we’re starting to have some magical
admissions as well.”

The words of the teacher reached Angel almost through a cloud.

Because of the new influx of varied species, their tutors were
pumping all sorts of new information in their brains, preparing them
for their new roomies.

Angel very much doubted the students in question would be

received with too much enthusiasm, and the lesson would probably
serve just to make the shifters even more curious. To Angel, it was so
strange to think paranormal beings had lived so isolated from each
other. From what his father had said, no one from their community
had even thought of contacting other races. The elders were the only
one who even remembered about their existence.

Since Angel’s grandfather was an elder, though, he already knew

about these distinctions, and the class was boring him to tears. He
wished the teacher had chosen something more challenging for today
because as it was, Angel could only think about the conversation he’d
had with Clark.

“Can anyone tell me of a magical creature?” their teacher asked.
“Elf?” a student replied.
“That’s right. An elf is a magical creature.” The teacher nodded

approvingly. “Anything else?”

“Dragon,” another one said with a victorious sound.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“A dragon is a good example, but for mythological creatures.

Other ideas?”

Some students offered the occasional answer, but Angel didn’t

hear the rest of it. He was now remembering the moment Clark had
confessed he loved someone. Clark was in love. God. It couldn’t be.
Clark couldn’t be in love. It wasn’t possible.

Angel snapped out of his musings when Reed elbowed him in the

stomach. “Pay attention. The teacher’s staring straight at you.”

Angel forced himself to focus. As if on cue, the teacher directed

his steely gaze straight at Angel. “Mr. Williams-Wade? What about
you? Any examples you can think of?”

Angel instantly fell back on his grandfather’s lessons. “Elves, fae,

liches, gremlins, golems, sprites, pixies, witches, and demons are
magical creatures. Mermaids, unicorns, gryphons, phoenixes, rocs,
undines, and gargoyles are mythological. There are some who skirt a
thin line between the two, like vampires.”

The teacher gave him a surprised look. “Very good, Mr. Williams-

Wade.”

Someone murmured, “Show-off,” but with the teacher’s attention

off him, Angel allowed himself to zone out. The lesson ended without
further incident, and Angel only realized it because the students
started to get up.

He did the same, gathered his electronic pad, and headed out.

Reed was right beside him. As soon as they were out of the class,
Reed pulled him in a more private corner. “What is with you today?”
Reed asked. “Since you skipped yesterday with Clark, you’ve been
acting really strange.”

“It’s just…Clark told me something that surprised me.” As much

as he wanted to pour his heart out to someone, he couldn’t confess
Clark’s secret to Reed. He trusted the swan, but it wasn’t his place to
say something about it. “Hey, have you seen Clark out with anyone
different lately?”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Reed thought for a second then shook his head. “No, not really. He

talks to that Tate guy from time to time, but nothing else comes to
mind. Why?”

“It’s nothing,” Angel replied automatically. Could it be? Could

Clark be in love with his roommate?

It would make sense. Angel knew Tate didn’t like Clark, mostly

because of Clark’s superior strength. They lived in close quarters, so
some type of connection would have to form. Tate was quite
handsome. Well, Angel didn’t really like him, but he could see why
someone else might be attracted to him.

Angel would have never even thought about it a few days back,

but now…And God, it hurt so badly. Clark shouldn’t be in love with
Tate. He should be in love with Angel.

The mere thought froze his blood in his veins. God, he shouldn’t

be imagining himself as Clark’s mate. They were brothers and nothing
more. When was he going to get his thick skull to grasp that?

Sometimes, he managed to bury the need he felt for Clark under

thick layers of pure affection. He was just so used to Clark’s presence
that occasionally, he didn’t have to make the effort. But as more and
more time passed, Angel’s neglected libido demanded its due, and his
fantasies—all of them starring Clark—were increasingly explicit. It
was a dangerous thing, given that he lived in a shape-shifter dorm,
where privacy truly didn’t exist.

Knowing he would raise suspicion if he continued to act strange,

Angel focused on Reed. “I don’t really like that guy,” he said
truthfully.

“Me neither.” Reed sighed. “Unfortunately, we can’t all have

Derek and Jace’s luck.”

The two werewolf brothers were the only ones who’d been paired

together upon being admitted in the university. With Morgan and
Layton, it had been a close call, since the two were blood brothers, the
same age, and both carnivores. However, the difference in shifter
species eventually led them to be assigned to different rooms as well,

Scarlet Hyacinth

much to the two brothers’ dismay. They’d all been forced to accept it
because, in an Academy full of young men and women still wary of
each other, this type of rule could make all the difference in the world.

“True,” Angel told his friend. He might have added something

else, but he suddenly felt Clark’s familiar presence approach. Even in
the sea of shifters surrounding them, he could still sense his brother a
mile away.

Clark appeared from the crowd and grinned as he reached them.

“Hey. I hear you impressed the Paranormal Sociology teacher.”

Angel snorted. “It was nothing. I just gave him a good answer

when he expected me to go blank faced. Seriously, people love to
exacerbate rumors.”

Clark’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “You know it. Hey, you’re done

with classes for today, right?”

Angel nodded. Clark knew his schedule well since they only had a

few courses different. “Want to go hunting?” Clark suggested.

Enthusiasm immediately coursed through Angel. Hunting was

their game. As kids, Angel would shift in his antelope form and run,
while Clark tried to catch him. Clark was a bit faster, but Angel’s
slimmer build gave him an advantage. Sometimes, Angel managed to
escape his brother, other times not.

“Great idea,” he said. “Reed, you don’t mind, do you?”
Reed snickered and shook his head. “Nah. I’ll go tease Layton and

Morgan. You know it’s among my favorite activities. Oh, one more
thing. I’m going back to pack lands tomorrow. Care to come with?”

The news surprised Angel. He shared a look with Clark. “I’m not

sure. Why? Is there a problem?”

Reed shook his head. “No. I just want to see everyone.”
“Okay. We’ll think about it and tell you tonight.”
Reed waved at them and took off, disappearing into the crowd.

“Well, that was weird,” Angel commented. “I wonder if something
happened at home.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

As a rule, young shape-shifters didn’t run back to their parents

after leaving the proverbial nest. It varied a lot from species to
species, but generally, birds were quite independent, as well as felines.
In fact, as an antelope, Angel was more likely to yearn for home than
Reed.

“He’d tell us if he was worried about something,” Clark said

soothingly. “Besides, our folks would know and warn us in advance.”

“I suppose.” Angel bit his lower lip. He cared about Reed greatly

and hated the thought that the swan might have a problem he wasn’t
telling them about. “I’m just not sure.”

Clark wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get

some air, and we’ll talk to Reed later.”

Angel nodded, and the excitement over the hunt returned. They

walked out of the main building, chatting idly about their day. Even if
the concern over Reed persisted, Angel found himself relaxing,
reassured by his brother’s presence and words.

Just as they readied themselves to leave Academy grounds, Angel

spotted a car pulling in. “Looks like some of the new students are
arriving,” Clark commented idly.

Clark was right, although from what Angel could tell, it was

student, not students. Several people left the car, but only one young
man of an age close to Angel’s. Given the circumstances, everyone
seemed curious as to who the new arrival could be.

Reed, Layton, and Morgan made their way toward Angel and

Clark. “I hear his name is Alexis Whitaker and he’s an incubus,”
Layton whispered in Angel’s ear.

“Do I even want to know how you found that out?”
Layton snickered, and Morgan joined in. Sometimes, Angel forgot

their father was a mafia leader.

“All right, whatever,” he said. “We’ll find out more when he

actually enlists in classes.”

As interesting as it would be to go hunting for information on this

Alexis character, Angel much preferred spending time with Clark.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark must have agreed because he started pulling Angel toward

the exit. However, before they could make their escape, Angel’s
sociology teacher appeared in front of them. “Mr. Williams-Wade.
There you are.”

“Hello, Mr. Ruiz,” Angel replied with a tight smile. “Can I help

you with anything?”

“Actually, yes. We need someone to show the new student, Alexis,

around. Would you mind terribly helping us out? You’ve shown such
understanding of other species that I know you’d be the perfect pick.”

Angel could have kicked himself for his smart-ass answer during

the class. “Me, Sir?” he tried to protest. “But surely, a school official
would be more appropriate.”

“Oh, of course he’ll have our full support, being that he’s the first

nonshifter here at the Academy. But he also needs someone his age, a
friend, if you will, to help him adapt.” The teacher squeezed Angel’s
shoulder. “Who could be better?”

Angel’s heart fell. He knew he couldn’t refuse, and so did the

teacher. Truth be told, Angel wasn’t 100 percent sure whether the
teacher truly believed Angel could help the new student or if this was
the man’s way to put Angel in his place. Either way, Angel didn’t have
much choice.

“I would love to help,” he said, suppressing a sigh.
“Excellent.” The teacher grinned. “Please, come this way. I’ll take

you to meet him.”

“Now?” And Angel had been looking forward to the hunt with

Clark so much. “I intended to go out with Clark.”

“I’m sure your brother can wait a bit, isn’t that right?” The teacher

glanced at Clark as he spoke.

Clark didn’t answer, but Angel could feel the lion’s anger. Mr.

Ruiz took it as acquiescence. “There, you see? Now, come along. Your
new friend is waiting.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Angel found himself forced to obey. He gave his brother an

apologetic glance. In reply, Clark said, “There’s no reason why I can’t
come with, right, Mr. Ruiz? After all, the more, the merrier.”

Mr. Ruiz didn’t look very pleased, but thankfully, didn’t argue. He

nodded and gestured them toward the building they’d just left.

At a brisk pace, they made their way through the Academy halls.

Even with Mr. Ruiz there, Clark’s presence still distracted Angel.
Angel tried to focus on the teacher and his words.

“Alexis comes from a very important family in the incubus

world,” Mr. Ruiz commented. “They are very influential, and if their
son has a good experience here, others may come.”

It was Ruiz’s way to tell them not to fuck up. Well, Angel wasn’t

in the mood to play nice with anyone, let alone jump through hoops
for a new student. He still hadn’t been able to forget about Clark’s
confession the other day, and now, with his hope of a hunt with Clark
gone, God only knew when he could get time alone with his brother.

Mr. Ruiz led them to the principal’s office. Coincidentally, the

person chosen to watch over the school was Sara Huitzilin, the
hummingbird elder who’d helped secure the treaty with the President
of the United States. Angel knew her well, since Nicolas, another of
his father’s friends, had belonged to her clan before mating Corbin
and Preston’s lynx father, Garth.

The teacher knocked at the door, and Sara’s voice bade them to

enter. Mr. Ruiz opened the door and gestured Angel and Clark inside.
Angel wordlessly followed the order and slipped into the room. Other
than Sara, three people were there, a beautiful woman dressed in an
elegant suit and two men, one younger—undoubtedly Alexis—and the
other a bit older, perhaps a relative.

The moment she saw Angel and Clark, Sara beamed. “Niños,

please, come in.”

A few years back, Layton had described Sara as a cross between

Mrs. Claus and Xena, the Warrior Princess. Of course, Layton’s
metaphor might have seemed somewhat strange, but for the fact that

Scarlet Hyacinth

the seahorse had a fondness for the television show. Still, Layton’s
idea represented quite an accurate description. She had kind eyes and
a warm smile always ready for all the students at the school, but she
could also be hard-ass. After all, she came from a clan of warrior
hummingbirds. She’d changed little since Angel knew her, and her
presence always comforted him.

“I’d like you to meet someone.” She nodded toward her three

guests. “Boys, this is Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker and their son, Alexis.”
Turning toward the three, she said, “I’d like to introduce you to Clark
and Angel Williams-Wade.”

Alexis gave them both a look Angel could have best described as

calculating. “I’ve heard the Academy encourages interspecies matings,
but I admit I didn’t expect this,” he said. “You make a wonderful
couple.”

Angel froze in shock and horror, disbelief coursing to him. Clark

seemed so still by his side that he could have been a statue. The two
Whitakers studied them with arrogant disinterest, while Mr. Ruiz
released a choked sound.

It was Sara who spoke first. She laughed lightly, managing to

sound completely smooth and unconcerned. “Angel and Clark are not
mates. They’re brothers.”

Alexis blinked. “Is that so?” He didn’t seem at all embarrassed

about his mistake. “My apologies then. I have to say that you don’t
look very much alike.”

“Alexis, that’s enough,” Mr. Whitaker said. “The family

relationships between other people are none of your business.
Remember your manners. Don’t embarrass me.”

A spark of anger flashed through Alexis’s eyes, before it quickly

disappeared. “Of course. You’re right, Father.” He offered Angel and
Clark a charming smile. “Again, you have my apologies.”

In spite of the awful position Alexis had just put him in, Angel

couldn’t help but feel bad for the incubus. Simply one look at the
stern-looking couple told him they weren’t very warm parents.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Besides, Angel’s folks would never chastise him or Clark so brusquely
in front of strangers. It was humiliating.

“It’s fine,” he said, smiling back. “We’re adoptive brothers, and

it’s not the first time new acquaintances make this mistake.”

That wasn’t exactly true, but in the circumstances, a little white lie

couldn’t be helped.

“Oh, I see.” Alexis had that gleam in his eye again. “So, will I be

rooming with one of you?”

“I’m afraid not,” Sara replied in Angel’s stead. “Here at the

Academy, we keep all races separated dorm-wise, so as to prevent any
incident. We have a new dorm built for you. You’ll be the first
occupant.”

Alexis gaped. “But…You can’t expect me to sleep all alone in an

empty dorm.” Alexis turned toward his parents, looking tense and
outraged. “Mother, Father, do something.”

The woman spoke for the first time. “Principal Huitzilin, as you

must understand, incubi have certain needs. We are not used to being
isolated. While we appreciate you building a special dorm for our
kind, until others do not show up, it is useless to us.”

“Perhaps an exception can be made,” the man said. His voice was

like honey, and much to his dismay, Angel found his instincts rousing
inside him. He became even more aware of Clark’s presence than
before. Sinful images flashed in his mind’s eye, things he’d only dared
to think about when alone, in his bed.

He felt an echoing restlessness inside Clark and realized that

someone, Alexis’s father, was putting some sort of spell of them.
Thankfully, Sara intervened before things could escalate.

“Mr. Whitaker, please, you’ve made your point.” She narrowed

her eyes at the two incubi. “I do understand your situation, and we can
indeed make arrangements if the original ones are uncomfortable for
your son. However, as we previously discussed, it would be preferable
if you kept your magic in check.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Of course.” The man didn’t seem terribly bothered by Sara’s

words. “We are just concerned for Alexis, that’s all.”

“Perhaps Angel could room with me for the moment?” Alexis

suggested.

Angel was speechless. It was one thing to be asked to show

someone around, quite another to move in with that person in a new
dorm. He wasn’t particular fond of his current roommate, but
still…Alexis made him a bit nervous.

Before he could even say anything, Clark replied in his stead.

“No.”

All eyes turned on Clark. “Why?” Alexis’s father asked.
“It’s better for Angel to be among his own kind,” Clark said

steadily. As always, he seemed so calm that anyone who didn’t know
him would have sworn this was a chat among long-time friends. “He’s
an antelope, after all.”

“Is it such a big problem?” Alexis sighed. “At this rate, no one

will want to room with an incubus.”

Unfortunately, it was true. If Alexis made Angel uncomfortable,

other shifters were even less likely to accept the young demon. And
Mr. Ruiz was right about one thing. Making Alexis happy would be
very important for the future of the university.

So much effort had gone into setting up the Academy. Angel could

put a little from his part. Besides, a new friend never hurt, and he
didn’t exactly dislike Alexis. Once they got to know each other a little
better, the awkwardness was bound to disappear.

“You’re right. I mean, it’s not such a big problem. I can move

from the H dorm to be your roommate.”

Alexis looked surprised for a few seconds, and then, just like with

the anger, the true emotion disappeared under his usual mask.
“Excellent. Then, with you as my roomie, I won’t get bored here.”

Sara chose this moment to intervene. “Well, it will only be for a

couple of days. We have a new student coming in, Isaac Wade. We
arranged for him to stay in the C dorm, but the situation is a bit

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

complicated due to overcrowding in the werewolf area. I’ll talk to him
and see if he agrees to stay with you in Angel’s stead.”

Clark didn’t make any further comment, but after so many years at

the lion’s side, Angel could tell his brother was pissed. Arrangements
were made for Angel to move in with Alexis until Isaac got here, and
then Angel found himself forced to promise to show the incubus
around.

Throughout all this, Clark said nothing. Finally, the discussion

ended and everyone got to work. Mr. Ruiz, who had apparently been
designated as liaison with nonshifter races, led them to the empty M
dorm. They left Alexis and his parents there to take the incubus’s bags
to his room and returned to the herbivore-assigned building. As soon
as they were out of earshot, Clark pulled Angel into the shade of a
nearby tree.

“What were you thinking? Why did you agree to be his

roommate?”

“Someone had to,” Angel replied defensively, “and I had problems

with the sable jerk anyway.”

“I could deal with whatever problems you had,” Clark shot back.

“Didn’t you see how he looked at you? And those comments…Christ,
Angel!”

“He’s an incubus. I suppose he’s going to make sexual innuendos

all the time,” Angel argued. “Besides, it’s only for a couple of days
until Isaac gets here.”

“I love Isaac as much as you do, but you know how he is. It’s not

his fault, but he’s always delayed. Case in point, this week. Mel, Jace,
and Derek were supposed to be back with him already, but they’re not,
are they? At this rate, he’ll get here next month, and by that time, God
only knows what the incubus will do to you.”

Angel glowered at his brother. It wasn’t like Clark to be so

judgmental, especially since they knew how difficult things were for
Isaac. “Clark, you’re being unfair. We don’t know Alexis well enough
to make such assessments of his character, and anyway, Isaac is not

Scarlet Hyacinth

unreliable like you make him seem. I can’t believe you’d say
something like that.”

Clark sighed and rubbed his eyes. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m

just worried about you, all right? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not a baby, Clark,” Angel replied. “I can take care of myself.

Besides, shouldn’t you be focusing on your own roommate, rather
than on mine?”

Angel didn’t know what made him say that. His emotions were

simmering under his skin, and he was angry, hurt, and feeling
betrayed, disappointed, and yes, jealous.

“What does Tate have anything to do with this?”
Clark actually had the gall to look confused, and Angel exploded.

“You know exactly what I mean. And don’t think I forgot about that
secret love you keep from me because I haven’t.”

Clark’s nostrils flared. “Who I love is none of your business.”
There was nothing Clark could have said to hurt Angel more. He

tensed and had to struggle not to crumble right then and there. And
he’d actually dared to think Clark might feel the same for him. What a
fool he’d been.

“Fine,” he answered coolly. “Then it’s none of your business if I

choose to sleep with Alexis or not.”

Clark went slack jawed. For the first time in their lives, the lion

seemed completely gobsmacked. Angel was surprised at his own
words, but he didn’t take them back. Instead, he turned away from his
brother and fled to his dorm. He had things to pack. Keeping busy
would help him get over the pain.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Chapter Three

A few days later

“So I hear Angel is rooming with the new guy,” Layton said as

they sat together at lunch. “What’s he like?”

“Just a guy,” Clark replied morosely. “Nothing special.”
Except Alexis Whitaker was anything but “just a guy.” He was

gorgeous, funny, and he had a way of getting under a person’s skin.
Clark had seen it, and he knew his innocent Angel didn’t have a
chance if Alexis chose him as his next target.

Predictably, their werewolf friends still hadn’t come back, so

Angel remained stuck being Alexis’s roommate. Even if Clark wasn’t
quite over Angel’s words, he’d apologized to his brother, and they
were on good terms again. Therefore, since Angel spent a lot of time
with Alexis, Clark often ended up with them, too. The knowing gazes
Alexis always threw his way annoyed him beyond measure. He
couldn’t shake the feeling the incubus had somehow realized Clark
lusted for his own brother. Incubi must have some sort of special
sense about these things. It was horrible since this meant Alexis had a
powerful weapon against Clark. But if Alexis tried anything against
Angel, the incubus would pay. Even if it hurt Clark’s relationship with
Angel, Clark would not allow the innocent antelope to get hurt.

He fidgeted uncomfortably on his chair, wondering how much

longer it would take Angel to get here. Usually, he liked to go pick up
Angel from the H dorm, but since Angel had changed roommates, the
antelope had told Clark they would meet at the cafeteria instead.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Thankfully, Clark soon sensed Angel approach. “Hey, here they

come,” Reed said, as if on cue. He actually sounded a bit excited,
which was a welcome change. Since he’d come back from his
weekend getaway, he’d seemed unexplainably upset and refused to
give them any explanation.

Similarly, Layton and Morgan had also been away, so this would

the first time the two brothers would actually meet Alexis.

Clark looked toward the approaching Angel and gritted his teeth

when he realized Alexis had an arm around Angel’s shoulders. Layton
whistled. “He sure does move fast.”

“They’re not like that,” Clark bit out. “Just friends.”
“No offense, Clark,” Morgan piped up, “but incubi don’t have

friends. They have friends with benefits.”

Morgan’s comment didn’t help Clark’s temper any. So far, he

hadn’t smelled sex on Angel, but that didn’t mean anything. God,
Alexis was stealing Angel from him.

The two young men finally reached the table. As usual, Angel sat

next to Clark, which made him feel a bit better. Of course, he’d have
been even more pacified had Alexis not plopped down next to Angel.

“Hi, guys,” Angel greeted them. “This is Alexis Whitaker. Alexis,

my friends. Morgan and Layton Pierce-Cunningham and Reed
Denning-Holden.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Reed said.
Alexis grinned at them. “Likewise.” He tilted his head at Reed and

gave him an inquiring look. He seemed to want to say something but
decided against it at the last moment. He then turned toward the
bemused-looking brothers. “Oh, I know you. Well, of you. Your dad’s
Byron Cunningham, right?”

Layton nodded. “Yup. Well, one of them at least. My other dad is

Skylar Cunningham.”

Clark knew for a fact that Layton and Morgan practically

worshipped their parents, so the answer didn’t surprise him. However,
Alexis’s next comment made his mind go blank for a few moments.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“Is it true your dad has two penises? Oh, oh, and did you inherit

it?”

Alexis leaned over the table, looking very interested and eager to

hear about Byron Cunningham’s genitals. Layton had turned an
interesting shade of purple, and he released a noise that sounded like a
cross between a muttered curse and a pop. Clark braced himself for
the explosion, but it never came.

Morgan placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and smiled

pleasantly at Alexis. “And I hear incubi are gender-neutral. Does that
mean you can’t get hard? Do you get a period like women? Can you
give birth?”

For a few moments, Alexis just stared at Morgan. He then burst

into laughter. “Touché.” He sat back down next to Angel. “I’d love to
answer those questions but in private,” he purred.

“Then maybe you’ll find out then if I have two dicks, huh?”
“Maybe.”
By now, everyone in the cafeteria was paying attention to them.

Thankfully, Layton put a stop to the now-disturbing conversation. “All
right, can we stop talking about penises and erections at breakfast,
please?”

“Sure. We can continue at lunch,” Alexis replied.
Angel sighed deeply, something that told Clark he dealt with this

kind of attitude on a regular basis. “Let’s just get some food, Alexis,
okay?”

“Whatever you say, my sweet seraphim,” Alexis replied cheekily.

He winked at Clark and got up. “Let’s go.”

As Angel and Alexis headed toward the cafeteria counters, Reed

released a breathless laugh. “Wow.”

“Wow is right.” Morgan grinned. “He’s hot.”
Layton elbowed his brother in the stomach. “Don’t even think

about it.”

Clark was actually quite pleased about Morgan’s apparent interest

in the incubus. If he could get the shark to distract the incubus, Angel

Scarlet Hyacinth

would be safe. “Well, he does seem to be interested in you, so if you
like him…”

Layton gave him a betrayed look, but the conversation couldn’t

continue, as Angel and Alexis returned to the table. They were
carrying trays with their respective breakfasts. Idly, Clark noticed
Alexis’s only held an apple. He wondered if it was an incubus thing or
just vanity that made Alexis wanted to be on a perpetual diet.

Alexis bit into the apple and grinned over the table at Morgan.

“So, where are you taking me for our first date?”

Morgan seemed a little surprised, but took the comment in stride.

“I don’t know. Where would you like to go?”

“Your room,” Alexis replied with a smile.
“Whore,” Layton murmured under his breath.
Alexis snickered. “You bet.”
Morgan shook his head and smiled. “You’ll get there eventually,

but not today.”

The words were spoken softly, kindly, but with authority, and

Clark saw a small shudder course over Alexis. If he were someone
else, he’d have done a happy dance and even kissed Morgan on the
mouth for his help. As it was, the mere idea of kissing Morgan
disgusted him—the man was hot, but Clark was a one-antelope lion—
and he’d never in his life let loose enough so as to dance gleefully.
Instead, he discreetly nudged Angel with his knee. His brother owed
him a hunt.

“So, will you be okay by yourself today?” Angel asked,

understanding the gesture.

“Of course, my little cherubim,” Alexis replied. “I’ll be fine. You

can go do your own thing.”

He didn’t seem offended. In fact, he hugged Angel with an

effusiveness that roused the beast inside Clark. He didn’t want the
incubus to touch Angel. Only Clark had the right to do that.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Thankfully, Alexis soon released Angel from his hold. He got up

and went around the table. Before anyone knew what was going on,
he plopped down on Morgan’s lap.

Morgan didn’t seem affected. He grabbed a piece of sushi off his

plate and offered it to Alexis. Obediently, Alexis took it in his mouth
and ate it. It was a bit disconcerting to see, but the relationships
between paranormal creatures often were.

After breakfast, they had classes, but today, Angel and Clark

shared most courses, so Clark didn’t mind. Layton, Morgan, Reed,
and Alexis took off together, with Angel and Clark going their own
way.

Clark was one of the older students, in his fifth year at the

university now. Here, the minimum age of attendance was twenty
years old, so Angel had not been able to join him in the beginning.
That period had been the longest in Clark’s life, and many times, he’d
wanted to give up and go back home to be with his brother.
Thankfully, he’d managed to withstand through the one year necessary
until Angel at last applied as well. Most of their friends were first
years, just like Alexis, so Layton, Morgan, and Reed were probably
more suited to stand by Alexis’s side. Clark had no doubt Alexis
would be in good hands.

For the moment, Clark just enjoyed his brother’s presence. As they

entered the sports building, they ran into Mr. Ruiz. “Oh, Angel, hello.”

Clark suppressed a grimace at the teacher calling Angel by his

given name.

“Where’s your new friend?” Ruiz inquired.
“Off to his classes,” Angel replied.
Mr. Ruiz frowned. “But shouldn’t you be leading him there?”
Clark was beginning to get irritated. “Alexis is not an idiot. He

can take care of himself just fine. Besides, we introduced him to our
friends, and they committed to taking care of him when we’re not
around.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Ruiz looked a little horrified. “Your friends? The Pierce-

Cunninghams?”

Clark had forgotten that Byron Cunningham had quite a scary

reputation, and his two sons were benefitting, or suffering, because of
it. He wasn’t too concerned though. Layton and Morgan were great
guys, and Alexis must be as happy as a pig in shit at the shark shifter’s
side.

“Alexis will be fine,” Angel answered. “Layton, Morgan, and

Reed will take care of him. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re late for
PE.”

The teacher didn’t continue the conversation, so Angel and Clark

headed to the indoors sports facility. The Academy placed a lot of
emphasis on its students training their abilities and learning how to
control them. A very important section was strong physical training,
each according to each shape-shifter race. To that, psychology and
sociology were added, so that the students could understand
themselves and their society. There would also be a course in practical
magic once enough students from magical races applied. For the
moment, they only studied it in theory.

Of course, the PE class was one of the most difficult ones for

Clark, not because of the actual exercises, but due to the way Angel
looked in the shorts that emphasized the swell of his bottom and the
delicious scent of his sweat. Angel was on the track team, while Clark
had gone with wrestling. He could run track, too, but other felines
were faster and he got easily distracted by Angel.

The main sports room was huge, and each team had their own

coach. Here, shifters were not separated according to what they ate.
PE focused on teamwork, so it was very likely for students from
various races to be paired together. The track team, for example, held
a lot of herbivores, but also their traditional predators, like cheetahs. It
was a way for the coaches to point out that here, between the walls of
the Academy, they needed to learn to control their hunting instinct.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

For Clark’s part, he needed to cooperate with rhinos, hippos,

boars, and gorillas, as well as with other carnivores. Thankfully, they
each had their own weight category, so Clark would never risk being
squashed by an out–of-control elephant. It was actually an interesting
exercise because his lion always rose inside him when challenged. It
took a good deal of control to keep the beast leashed. In a sense, PE
class was always the most dangerous because all their instincts were
simmering, just waiting to be let loose.

They first went to the lockers, where they quickly changed in their

PE clothes. Clark couldn’t help but steal the occasional glance at
Angel. He caught a glimpse of Angel’s tight ass and forced himself to
look away. He’d already gotten hard, and he needed to keep his
arousal in check.

He counted to ten in his head and summoned the most distasteful

images he could think of. His cousins naked. Tate and his girlfriend
fucking. Alexis and Angel together at lunch. Well, that did. His
erection started to flag, and he finished dressing in a morose mood.

When he and Angel headed toward the main PE room, though,

Clark pushed aside his own jealousy. As always, he squeezed his
brother’s shoulder in a wordless advice to be careful. Angel gave him
a brief smile then rushed toward the track team area.

Usually, most everyone practiced outside, but the weather on

Academy grounds didn’t always allow for it. While shifters could
easily run in the rain and were often forced to, coaches preferred to
alternate easier with difficult tasks. Today, clouds had gathered above
the Academy, so it seemed the track team would run inside. Clark was
thankful for this because, this way, he could keep an eye on Angel.
The football and basketball teams had chosen to risk it and go outside
regardless.

The class started, and Clark was placed in front of his opponent,

another lion shifter named Jonathan. A hippo from Clark’s team
whispered a warning in Clark’s ear. “Careful,” he said. “I heard he
was boasting he’d knock you out.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark suppressed a grimace. Sometimes, the competiveness

typical to felines tired him. Right then and there, he just wanted to be
with Angel and ignore the stupidity of his fellow students.

He shrugged, unconcerned. He could take the other lion,

especially with his new motivation. Now that Alexis was busy, he’d
be able to spend some time with the sweet antelope.

Clark and Jonathan circled around each other, two predators in a

face-off made serious by the egos involved. Jonathan lunged at Clark,
but Clark managed to avoid him. With the corner of his eye, he kept
watch over Angel, now running across the field at full speed.

In a few brisk motions, Clark grabbed Jonathan and dumped him

to the floor. With his own body, he immobilized the other shifter,
holding him down in spite of Jonathan’s struggles.

Just as the coach declared him the winner, a sense of alarm

coursed through him. Clark lifted his eyes, only to see one of the
cheetahs in the track team, a young man named Leiland, shift into his
animal form. The feline started chasing after Angel, dodging his
teammates who attempted to stop him.

None of them were supposed to change into their beast form

except on their private time. They were allowed to run or fly, but not
while engaged in activities with other shifters who could get hurt in
the process. Shifting during PE class not only went against the rules,
but it was also very dangerous.

Without hesitating one single second, Clark jumped off Jonathan.

In human form, he couldn’t fight a cheetah, so he allowed his body to
melt into that of his lion. Cheetahs were faster than lions,
unfortunately, but Leiland had chosen the wrong antelope to pursue.
Angel didn’t always show it, but he was, in fact, much faster than
other members of his species. Realizing the danger, Angel didn’t delay
in shifting shapes as well. He managed to avoid the cheetah and
headed toward Clark.

Leiland didn’t seem to realize what Angel intended, not until it

was too late at least. Clark pounced on the cheetah, stopping him from

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

his pursuit of Angel. His opponent tried to claw at Clark, but Clark’s
mane prevented the cheetah from managing to get a good grip. He was
bigger and stronger, and it would have taken him no effort to tear his
sweet Angel’s attacker.

Luckily for Leiland, their coaches intervened. “Enough, Clark. Let

him go.”

Clark snarled, unconvinced. What if he released the other cat and

Leiland decided it was a good idea to continue his previous activity?

Angel appeared behind Clark’s coach and gave him a pleading

look. “Seriously, Clark. Let him go.”

Hesitantly, Clark moved away from the cheetah. The moment he

was safely off the second feline, two shots rang out and tranquilizer
darts hit the out-of-control student. For a few seconds, Leiland tried to
fight against the substance, but then, he fell on the floor, motionless.

Panting, Clark shifted back into his human form. Angel rushed to

his side and hugged him. They were both completely naked, but when
Clark gathered Angel to his chest, it wasn’t arousal coursing through
his veins, but terror and the realization of how easily he could have
lost Angel. What if the weather had been sunny today and the track
team decided to train outside? Clark wouldn’t have been around, and
perhaps Leiland would have caught Angel. The mere thought made
him want to hurl.

It seemed Angel was just acknowledging his brush with death

because his knees gave out, and he ended up leaning against Clark
with all his weight.

“Clark, take your brother to the infirmary,” the coach said. “We’ll

talk later.”

“Yes, coach.” Clark lifted Angel in his arms and, without looking

back, left the PE room. He stopped briefly by the lockers to get
dressed and, more importantly, dress Angel. It wasn’t even his own
jealousy that caused him to do so. On a normal day, Angel didn’t even
care all that much about nudity. They were shape-shifters, after all.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Even so, something inside Clark told him Angel needed the normality,
the brief armor those clothes provided.

The detour took merely a few minutes, and throughout this time,

Angel didn’t speak again. Clark was beginning to regret his decision,
but as they left the PE building, Angel whispered a barely audible,
“Thanks.”

Relief flooded Clark. Angel was obviously still in shock, but he’d

gotten away without any injuries. He rushed his dear brother to the
infirmary, where the medic and Sara were already waiting for them.
Clark gathered the coaches had informed the two of the events.

Clark placed Angel on the infirmary bed and took a step away.

Angel reached for him and gave him a look. “Don’t go. Call Dad.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Clark said. Just by looking at his

brother, he knew the real problem. It wasn’t even that Angel felt
afraid. Rather, the threat of death had brought back things they both
would have preferred to forget.

Many years back, when the existence of shape-shifters had been

discovered, Clark and his family had been attacked. Clark could still
remember the sight of his brother’s young face splattered with their
dad, Carson’s blood. Their father, Brody, had been almost insane with
grief, even while he’d tried to calm them down, to tell them
everything would be all right. Clark didn’t know what would have
become of them had their dad died that day, and he didn’t even want
to think about it. However, Angel had been very affected then and
hadn’t spoken for many days. Sometimes, when certain things
happened, the shock returned.

Clark retrieved his cell phone and immediately dialed home.

Moments later, his dad picked up. “Hi, Clark. Is something wrong?”

His concern showed even through the small vid screen of the cell

phone. It always baffled Clark how his parents could tell something
was bothering him or Angel, even if they weren’t even blood. “A
cheetah attacked Angel during PE class.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

His dad released a choked “baa,” something that only happened

when he was either very upset or very happy. “Oh, God,” he said as he
clutched his chest. “Is he all right?”

“He’s not hurt. He wants to talk to you.”
“Pass him the phone, Clark. Oh, God.”
Clark handed the phone to his brother, in spite of the doctor’s

indications. Angel clung to the cell phone as if it were a lifeline. “Hi,
Dad.”

At the other side of the connection, their dad started rambling,

“Oh, my baby. Are you okay? What happened? Are you receiving
good medical treatment? We’re coming there right now.”

Angel released a small laugh. “I’m fine.” He seemed to gain a bit

more color in his cheeks at their dad’s voice. “Clark saved me. He
fought the cheetah for me.”

As if the words had just made Angel understand something, his

eyes widened and he stared at Clark. “Clark, get your ass here. Doctor,
would you please check him? He’s the one who got into a fight, not
me.”

Clark shook his head. What injuries the cheetah had managed to

inflict on him already started to disappear, and he didn’t care about
himself anyway. “Angel first.”

The doctor rolled his eyes, took the cell phone from Angel, and

handed it back to Clark. “Right. Angel first.”

While the doctor checked on Angel, Clark returned to the

conversation with his dad. “The doctor’s looking at Angel now, and
I’m fine.”

“We’re on our way,” his dad said. Indeed he already seemed on the

move. “Just…wait for us, okay?”

Clark smiled fondly. “We’re not going anywhere. Breathe, Dad.

Breathe. We’re fine.”

After that, his father also demanded to talk to him. Even if he

didn’t manifest his emotions as openly, the werewolf looked
concerned as well.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“We’ll see each other soon,” Clark soothed his father. “And keep

Dad calm until you get here. He’s hyperventilating.”

“Will do,” his father answered. “Take care of yourselves, all

right?”

Both of them were reluctant to stop the conversation, but Clark

finally ended the call when the doctor finished checking Angel.
“Physically, there’s nothing wrong with him,” the medic said. “He just
needs some bed rest and a break from socializing.”

“We’ll discuss this with your parents,” Sara piped up.
“Can I go to my room now?” Angel inquired in a small voice.
The doctor studied Angel, and after a few moments, he nodded. “If

you’re feeling up to it, yes.”

Clark took his sweet Angel in his arms once again and, after a

respectful good-bye to Sara and the doctor, left the infirmary.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Chapter Four

“What do you mean you’re being suspended?” Reed screeched.
Angel sighed. “According to Sara, it’s just a temporary thing while

they investigate. Both Clark and I went against the rules when we
shifted.”

“That’s bullshit,” Reed replied. “You did it to save yourself.”
“Yes, well, it would seem that the cheetah’s parents believe Angel

baited him by shifting first, and then I attacked him unprovoked.”
Clark squeezed his hand. “That fucker. I should have torn his jugular
out.”

“This is an outrage,” Alexis commented. He looked upset,

something Angel had never seen him be. “They should be focusing on
why the attack was possible in the first place. The guy should have
been tranquilized by the coaches the moment he shifted.”

Morgan and Layton shared a look. “You know, accidents happen,”

Layton drawled. “People disappear.”

Alexis perked up and grinned wickedly. “Or he can suddenly have

an erection he can’t get rid of.”

Angel shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, guys, but seriously,

no. I don’t want you to get into trouble.” He didn’t doubt his friends
would do all they’d said, and more, but right now, he didn’t want to
worry about more violence. He just wanted to sleep, preferably in
Clark’s arms.

“It’s not so bad. We get some time off, and we’ll be with our folks.

I think they need it, too, after the scare.”

Reed didn’t look convinced. “If you say so. You’re leaving in a

few hours, right?”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Angel nodded. “As soon as our parents are done talking with Sara

and the others. It could take a while.”

Reed offered Angel a small smile. As always, the swan seemed to

read his mind. “Well, until then, get some rest, both of you.” He
turned toward the rest of the group. “Come on, guys. Let’s give them
some space.”

Everyone got up and made a beeline for the door. Just before he

left, Alexis mouthed at Angel, “Go for it.”

Angel would have liked to know what that meant, but Alexis

didn’t stick around for him to ask. With a few warm good-byes,
everyone was gone, leaving Angel and Clark alone.

Angel lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes. “I guess our

hunt’s off again.”

Clark cuddled by his side and pulled him close. “We have plenty

of time now that we’re going home.”

For a few moments, Angel didn’t speak. He buried his face in

Clark’s shoulder, simply inhaling the other man’s chest. Clark was so
warm, his simple presence so comforting. A light growling sound
escaped Clark, and Angel cracked his eyes open.

“Are you purring?” he asked with a grin.
Clark just grunted. “Get some sleep. You need it.”
And Angel would have obeyed. The purring was so very familiar,

just like everything about Clark. Angel didn’t remember much since
before his time with his parents. Of course, he knew the story—that
his mother had been killed by a lion pride and Clark’s mother adopted
him, only to find her death shortly after. Unfortunately, he couldn’t
recall either of his mothers, except very distantly, as if through a
dream. What he always remembered, though, was Clark.

Whenever Angel was afraid or upset, Clark would purr in that

strange way of his. Lions didn’t purr like house cats, but that was all
right because, for Angel, it was just one more thing he loved about
Clark.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

This time, though, the sound roused something different inside

Angel. The cheetah might not have hurt them severely, but he could
have. He remembered Alexis’s words and wondered. Could he be
brave enough? Could he try to tell Clark how he felt?

His gaze met Clark’s, and he hesitated. What about Tate? Did

Clark truly love the other lion? He’d seemed honestly puzzled when
Angel had confronted him about it. But even if Angel was completely
wrong about Clark’s feelings for Tate, that didn’t mean the lion
wanted the same thing Angel did. God, it was stupid to even
contemplate it.

So what if Clark’s scent made Angel want to tear off his clothes

and simply lose himself in the other man? So what if Angel had loved
Clark even before he’d known what this type of affection meant?
They were brothers and nothing more. Angel couldn’t risk having
Clark hate him by confessing his feelings.

He’d have kept quiet, in spite of the whirlpool of emotions inside

him, but all of a sudden, there were soft, strong lips on his own. At
first, the situation didn’t really process, so he remained stiff and
unresponsive.

A low, rumbling growl snapped him out of his trance, and he

realized in shock Clark was kissing him. The lion rolled them over,
and his bulk pressed Angel into the mattress. If Angel had any doubts
as to Clark’s desires, they were blown apart by the feel of the other
man’s erection against his thigh.

He didn’t move, too fearful that this was a dream and if he even

breathed, he would shatter it. Unfortunately, his precaution had an
opposite effect. Clark moved off him and shot off the bed. “I’m sorry,”
he said, passing a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

He seemed nervous, more nervous than Angel had ever seen him.

As if through a haze, Angel got up and took Clark’s hand. It was now
or never, and after that kiss, Angel could no longer retreat behind his
walls and pretend the only feelings he had for Clark were brotherly.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“I’m not,” he whispered as he looked up to meet Clark’s gaze.

Clark was much taller and much larger than him, but somehow, Angel
had always thought they were a perfect fit. Angel’s build allowed
Clark’s arms to wrap around him completely, and his head reached
Clark’s shoulder, as if it were meant to rest there forever.

Angel licked his lips, uncertain as to how to convey the feelings in

his heart. In the end, he went with what his instinct told him. Lifting
himself up on his tiptoes, he pressed his lips to Clark’s.

Angel wasn’t very experienced in terms of kissing. In fact, his first

kiss had come just moments earlier, with Clark, just like he’d always
dreamed. He wouldn’t have known how to take control of the
situation, and anxiety gripped him. He might have interpreted the
signals wrong. Maybe Clark had merely confused Angel for someone
else.

That thought and all others vanished, though, when Clark released

another growl and attacked his mouth. Angel might have initiated this
kiss, but he was just along for the ride now. Clark licked the seam of
his lips, and Angel gladly surrendered, opening for his mate. Because
he knew now that Clark wasn’t his brother—or not just that. They
were soul mates, always had been.

As a rule, gazelles didn’t mate for life, and neither did lions. But

Angel and Clark had never been like others of their kind. Their beasts
didn’t rule over them. Their hearts did. Angel might have never
acknowledged it, but there was a reason why he’d always refused the
advances of other antelopes. In his heart, Angel had always known the
only one for him was Clark.

Clark thrust his tongue in Angel’s mouth, and Angel moaned in

delight as Clark plundered and devoured him. Clark seemed ravenous,
and with each second that passed, he took more and more. Right then
and there, Angel would have given Clark whatever he wanted.

Clark walked them back toward the single bed and pushed Angel

on the mattress. Angel fell and, for a few seconds, had an arousing
view of the lion looming above him, a predator ready to devour his

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

prey. Angel wasn’t afraid. He wanted Clark to devour him. He ached
to be one with the man he’d desired for as long as he could remember.

Those few instants passed, and Clark quickly got rid of his shirt.

He undid every button slowly, all the while holding Angel’s gaze, as if
waiting. Angel knew Clark well, and he could easily read Clark’s
intentions. The lion always worried for Angel and was now giving
him the chance to back down. Angel had no intention to do so, but he
admitted that the show was very nice. In truth, Angel didn’t want to
rush through this either. While his body was eager for consummation,
his soul and mind ached for more.

Clark finally dropped his shirt on the floor, toed off his shoes,

removed his socks, and began to work on his pants. The sound of
Clark’s zipper being lowered somehow snapped Angel out of his
trance. He realized that he should probably be undressing as well, and
not just simply watching his mate strip for him.

With trembling hands, he started removing his own shirt, but his

fingers froze on the buttons at the first sight of his mate’s erection.
Thick and long, Clark’s prick pointed accusingly at Angel, demanding
attention. Golden hair surrounded the base of Clark’s cock, and Angel
ached to bury his face in it. Pre-cum already oozed from the tip of the
shaft, and Angel wondered how it would taste. Wild and delicious like
Clark’s kiss, no doubt.

Clark’s grin was a dark promise as he joined Angel on the bed.

They didn’t speak, didn’t say another word. It wasn’t needed. Clark’s
hands went to Angel’s clothing, slowly helping him out of the
material. With almost excruciating gentleness, Clark did what Angel
had been too distracted to achieve. Angel’s shirt was the first to go,
then his shoes and socks. Those talented fingers hesitated slightly
when they reached Angel’s fly. Taking a leap of faith, Angel lowered
his own zipper, revealing his erection to Clark’s gaze.

He was by no means as impressive as Clark, but the lion seemed

to like what he saw. He released another of those low growls, and
Angel couldn’t suppress a shudder. He loved hearing Clark when he

Scarlet Hyacinth

let loose his beast. Clark’s roars were particularly magnificent, and
Angel had always secretly dreamed of hearing them while they were
together in bed. It seemed that today, he would finally get his wish.

Clark’s motions began to get quicker when the lion saw Angel had

no intention of protesting. Soon, Clark undressed Angel completely.
They were both naked on the bed now, so close Angel could feel the
heat emanating from Clark’s skin.

There was no going back now. Clark moved over Angel, lowering

him to the mattress. Not knowing what else to do, Angel relaxed
against the pillows and waited. He felt inadequate and poorly prepared
to give Clark pleasure. At the same time, though, he knew Clark
would not hold it against him, so his fears were chased away by the
mix of lust and familiarity inside him.

Clark lavished him with butterfly-light kisses, taking his time in

exploring every inch of Angel’s body. Clark’s every touch enflamed
Angel more and more, and he almost came when his mate’s hot mouth
enclosed his nipple.

“Clark.” He released a small bleat-gasp. “Oh, God, Clark, please.”
Clark lifted his mouth and met his gaze. Clark’s honey-brown eyes

seemed almost black now with the fire of passion burning within their
depths. “I love how you say my name.”

The words sounded animalistic, possessive, and Angel could tell

Clark’s beast had been awakened. He arched against his mate,
demanding more, needing more.

Clark crushed their lips together once again, and on instinct, Angel

wrapped his legs around Clark’s waist. Still clinging to the lip-lock,
Clark changed their position, pulling Angel upright and into his lap.
The new situation made Clark’s prick nudge against Angel’s crease.
His anus clenched in need, and Angel started trembling with the desire
to coming together with Clark like that, in the most intimate way two
men could be connected.

Clark seemed to want the same thing. The lion’s hands went to

Angel’s buttocks, kneading and massaging. His strong fingers

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

separated the ass cheeks, and one dry digit rubbed at Angel’s hole.
Angel’s gasp was swallowed by Clark’s kiss.

They separated their mouths when they found themselves forced

to breathe. Much to Angel’s dismay, Clark released him from his arms
and left the bed. For a few terrible instants, Angel thought Clark had
changed his mind, especially when he saw Clark pick up his pants.

But then, he understood Clark was searching through his pockets.

Angel wasn’t exactly naïve, so he realized what Clark was looking for.
“In that nightstand,” he said.

Clark looked toward him, then, as indicated, opened the

nightstand drawer. He retrieved the tube of lubricant Alexis had given
Angel as a thank-you present for moving in.

Clark didn’t seem amused. “Why do you have lube?”
Angel would have felt offended, except he knew he’d baited Clark

into jealousy with his comment from a few days back. Truth be told,
Alexis always teased him, but he’d never actually made a serious pass
at him. Angel had gotten used to it, although he still couldn’t bring
himself to flirt back.

“A gift from Alexis.” He arched a brow at Clark. “I’ve never

actually used it, and I was thinking we could try it now.”

Clark pounced on the bed, and the bed springs protested at the

sudden weight. The lion squeezed Angel’s in his arms, murmuring,
“And I don’t want you to ever use it with anyone except me.”

“I’m yours,” Angel whispered back. “I always have been.”
Lions were by nature possessive, and in that, Clark was no

different. Angel found it incredibly arousing to have that
possessiveness directed at him. Now more than ever, he wanted to feel
Clark’s cock inside him, to have his mate pound him, fuck him until
nothing but the two of them remained in this world.

He admitted he didn’t know much about sex, but the mechanics

didn’t elude him. He lay back down and lifted his legs, bending
himself almost in half and exposing his hole to Clark’s gaze. Gazelles
were naturally flexible, so Angel could do this and much more.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark opened the tube of lubricant and poured a liberal amount on

his fingers. Angel’s heart started beating even faster with every
passing second, and he nearly jumped at the first touch of Clark’s
slick digits against his hole. What if he didn’t do this right? What if
Clark hated it and never wanted to be with him again?

As always, Clark sensed his apprehension. He supported Angel’s

legs, removing the strain on his upper body, even if Angel didn’t
particularly mind the position. Always holding Angel’s gaze, he
slowly inserted a finger inside his body.

At first, Angel remained tense, so it didn’t feel very comfortable.

The frown on Clark’s face didn’t help things. His fears and
uncertainties returned with a vengeance. He might have lost his
arousal altogether, except out of the blue, Clark released Angel’s legs,
moved lowered down on the bed and in one smooth motion,
swallowed down Angel’s cock.

The suddenness of it all took Angel by complete surprise. He went

from fear to red-hot arousal in the expanse of five seconds. Clark
didn’t even give him time to process the exquisite pleasure. He
bobbed his head up and down Angel’s prick, swirling his tongue
around the head, driving Angel wild with pleasure. That growling purr
escaped Clark, and the vibrations swept through Angel’s cock until he
couldn’t focus on anything else.

With the pleasure came a relaxation he couldn’t have achieved

otherwise. The finger in his ass no longer felt unpleasant. In fact,
Angel wanted more of it. As if guessing his thoughts, Clark added
another digit, scissoring them gently, stretching him, and increasing
the ecstasy. Angel was torn between impaling himself on the fingers
and thrusting up in the volcanic heat of Clark’s mouth.

The decision was taken out of his hands when Clark hit that

special spot inside him. Angel saw stars and, crying out Clark’s name,
found his peak. Without even blinking, Clark drank down Angel’s
seed, continuing his odd, growling purr.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

The nirvana zinged through Angel, driving away all the shadows

that would have spoiled the moment. He rode the afterglow, enjoying
every moment of it and, most of all, enjoying the knowledge it had
been brought about by Clark.

Even as he began to recover, he felt completely boneless and more

relaxed than ever. Clark, it seemed, had been counting on this. The
lion slicked his cock up, and lust rose inside Angel again as he
realized what would happen. At last, he would get his wish.

Once again, Clark lifted Angel’s legs over his shoulders. His cock

nudged at Angel’s opening. Angel held his breath, waiting, hoping.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Clark slid home.

It was strangely easy. Oh, it hurt a bit, no doubt about it, but the

burn seemed like such a natural part of it that Angel gleefully accepted
it. In fact, it made the entire thing better, more real. It gave him an
anchor to cling onto in a world that was quickly starting to melt
around him. And when Angel sensed the curls of Clark’s pubic hair
tickling his bottom, he realized in awe he’d managed to take the
entirety of Clark’s prick.

Clark stilled inside him in an obvious attempt to allow Angel to

get used to the sensation of being invaded. Angel, however, didn’t
need to wait. He clenched his ass around Clark’s prick and met his
mate’s eyes steadily. “Please, Clark. Take me. Claim me.”

Clark didn’t immediately obey. He scanned Angel’s face, as if

wanting to make sure there were truly no doubts in Angel’s mind.
Angel knew the exact moment his mate yielded. Something seemed to
snap, like a switch was flipped. Clark pulled out of him and then
thrust back in, so hard Angel couldn’t help but cry out, “Yes! God,
yes!”

From then on, it all became a blur. Clark’s rhythmical grunts and

growls mixed with Angel’s bleating gasps. They moved together as
one, Clark’s prick always hitting Angel’s prostate and Angel clinging
to Clark’s shoulders, impaling himself on his mate’s shaft. The tips of
Clark’s long, blond hair tickled Angel’s skin as the lion moved above

Scarlet Hyacinth

him, adding to the sensation. Thrust, pull, shove. In, out, in, out,
massaging the inner walls of Angel’s anus, giving him everything he’d
ever wanted. It was so good, beyond anything Angel had ever
experienced.

With his mate’s cock pegging his gland so deliciously and all his

senses invaded by the scent and strength of Clark, Angel soon reached
the brink of orgasm again. He just needed one more thing, just one
thing to push him over the edge. He dug his fingernails into Clark’s
flesh, exposed his neck, and released another breathless “please.”

He didn’t know what he wanted, but Clark apparently did. The

lion’s fang sank into his throat, and the hot pleasure-pain washed over
Angel, breaking away every remaining barrier in Angel’s heart, body,
and mind. This time, his climax wiped away everything except Clark,
and he actually felt their connection click into place.

Wet heat filled his clenching channel, and a burst of ecstasy

flooded their bond. Angel choked, unprepared for the assault, now
clinging to consciousness by sheer force of will. He didn’t want to
lose a single second of their time together. In that moment, he felt as if
he could see into Clark’s heart, and was awed at the extent of the trust
and the love.

Clark released his hold on Angel’s neck, and his voice appeared in

his mind. “Only to you. I’d only ever surrender my heart and soul to
you.”

The lion hugged him tight, and like that, embraced, as one, they

rode their pleasure, until at last, the wave of ecstasy began to dim.
Clark’s cock, now spent, slipped out of Angel, and finally Angel could
make himself speak. “And I, to you. My mate.”

“Your mate,” Clark confirmed. Their lips met into a sweet kiss,

one of happiness, not lust. When they broke apart, Clark rolled off
Angel and cuddled him to his side. The small bed made it so that they
needed to be very close together, but Angel didn’t mind.

“Now get some sleep,” Clark said out loud, every bit the contented

feline. “You need your rest.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

It was exactly what Clark would have said before, and Angel

realized then what he’d done. He’d actually mated Clark. He almost
couldn’t believe it. And yet, it felt so right.

Angel had first loved Clark as a brother, when they’d been young

kids. They’d been best friends, accomplices in pranks, and their
connection had only strengthened with time. Having Clark as a lover
should be confusing, but instead, it seemed natural, like a completely
normal progression of their emotions once they’d grown enough to
accept it.

Satisfied with his conclusion, Angel obeyed his new mate and

closed his eyes. He couldn’t even remember why they were in his
room and not at classes, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that
mattered was that at last, he had his mate, and nothing would ever be
able to part them. With the sound of Clark’s growling purr ringing in
his ears, Angel surrendered to peaceful slumber.

* * * *

“This is very risky,” the lion told his lover in a whisper. “I want

Williams-Wade out of the way as much as you do, but I’m not sure it’s
a good idea.”

“Don’t be silly.” The other man pressed a kiss to the lion’s neck,

making him shudder. “What could possibly go wrong?”

A million things could go wrong, really, but when his lover spoke

to him like that, the lion couldn’t even remember what they were. His
brain turned off, all the blood pooling into his cock.

“Besides, if you don’t go for that date, I have to,” the other man

added. “And you know what’s going to happen then.”

Possessiveness swelled inside the lion. He hated that he had to

share his lover with other people. This was his chance to get rid of one
of them. He wouldn’t chicken out. He’d take it.

“You won’t be going anywhere.” He growled at his man. “I’ll

teach that guy not to mess with me.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

His lover snickered, self-satisfaction obvious. The lion might have

tried to say or order something else, but the other man reached for his
prick, and all thoughts dissipated. The sound of the zipper seemed
obscenely loud in the darkness of the supply closet, but no one was
around other than the two of them. Besides, even if they did get
caught, it wouldn’t matter. Who cared about two students having a fun
romp when there were much more important things going on?

The lion groaned as his lover released his cock out of its confines.

“Fuck. Suck me.”

“Shh,” his man said. “I’ll take care of you.” A skilled hand

wrapped around his cock, massaging gently. “As long as you do what
I want.”

“Anything.” The lion growled back. “Anything you want, baby.”
He saw his lover smile in the darkness and distantly wondered

when he’d become such a slave to the other man’s whims. The doubts
disappeared when his lover knelt at his feet and took his erection in
his mouth. Pleasure exploded over his senses, and all apprehension
melted as pure sex and need took over. Oh, yeah, he’d do anything his
lover wanted, as long as he got to keep this.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Chapter Five

Carson Williams-Wade stalked over the pathways of the Academy

angrily. He couldn’t believe the accusations that had been directed at
his kids by people who should honestly know better. After everything
Carson and Brody had done to help the common cause, here they were
now, having their sons threatened by a cheetah who’d been unable to
control his beast. As if that weren’t enough, the parents of Leiland, the
cheetah in question, now claimed it had all been Angel and Clark’s
fault, and most everyone in the PE class seemed to agree with them.
One of the wrestlers competing with Clark, someone named Jonathan,
even claimed Clark had been particularly violent that day.

“Slow down, little lamb,” his mate told him from behind him.
Carson turned around and glared at his mate. Brody had never

gotten over his original nickname for Carson, even if Carson had
actually stopped being a lamb years back. He was now officially a
ram, with horns and everything. He’d have loved to use them on all
those people pointing accusing fingers at Clark and Angel. Right then
and there, his hands were tied, and he just wanted to see his sons and
go home.

Brody cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss over his nose.

“Breathe, Carson,” Brody murmured. “I know how you feel, believe
me. But we can’t let the kids see it.”

As Brody hugged him, Carson nodded and struggled to calm

down. Their sons needed them to be level-headed, not to fall apart
under the first threat. After a few moments in Brody’s embrace, he felt
like he wouldn’t explode if he saw one single cheetah in front of him.

“All right. I’m calm.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Brody pressed a brief peck to his lips. “Besides, you heard Sara.

They’ll be studying the video feeds, and no matter what anyone says,
the truth will come out.”

That thought made Carson feel a bit better. He was convinced his

sons were telling the truth, so their innocence would be proven by the
recordings.

Brody released him from his arms, and hand in hand, they made

their way toward the M dorm, the building especially erected for
magical and mythological beings. Angel had told them on the phone
that he would briefly be staying with a new student, an incubus named
Alexis Whitaker. Brody and Carson had been a bit concerned, but
when they’d arrived, they had met Alexis and they found him to be a
friendly, polite young man, who showed genuine concern for Angel
and Clark. That made him all right in Carson’s book.

Carson didn’t know exactly if his two sons were there, but he went

with his instinct and with his logic. They were unlikely to go to
Clark’s room, where it was teeming with other felines, and it would
make sense to seek solitude in a building that was nearly empty except
for them and a couple of guards.

Outside the dorm, they found a couple of bored-looking guards

who demanded their identification. After showing their visitor passes
and explaining they were Angel’s parents, the guards let them through.
Carson gathered they must have known in advance about the visit
because they didn’t give Carson and Brody too much trouble.

They went up to the first floor, heading toward the room that had

been assigned to Alexis and Angel. As they reached the destination,
some sort of odd feeling settled over Carson’s heart. It wasn’t bad, per
se, but rather strange and a bit disconcerting.

Brody seemed to feel it as well. He knocked at the door and

waited for an answer. A thump and curse sounded inside. “Yeah?”

It was Clark’s voice, and even if he sounded as calm as ever,

Carson was a parent, and he could sense something was different. “It’s
us,” he replied. “Can we come in?”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“Just a minute,” Clark replied.
Carson shared a look with Brody. “Is everything okay, son?”

Brody asked.

“Everything’s fine, Dad,” Angel replied just moments after. “One

second, and we’ll be right there.”

Angel had never been a good liar, and Carson could hear the

anxiety in his antelope son’s voice. Even if normally, he’d never have
burst in on his sons or intruded on their privacy, the day had played
havoc on his state of mind. Without allowing himself to hesitate, he
pushed the door open and stepped inside the room.

At first, the sight that met his eyes didn’t really process. He stared,

blinked, rubbed his eyes, then stared again. Yes, he was seeing things
right. Angel and Clark were half-naked, struggling with the sheets in
an obvious attempt to camouflage what they’d been doing. It was
quite a no-brainer, really. The entire room smelled like sex, and it
didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened.

His two sons were completely frozen. Clark could have very well

been a statue. Absolutely no emotion showed on his face. Angel,
however, had a deer—well, a gazelle—in the headlights look, as if he
couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

Sensing their fear and uncertainty, Carson smiled. “Get cleaned up

and dressed. Your dad and I will wait outside. Come get us when
you’re ready to talk.”

With that, Carson pushed his mate out of Angel and Alexis’s

room. Brody finally snapped out of his own daze. “What in the world
was that about, Carson? Were they—?”

Carson silenced his werewolf mate with a kiss. “Shh. They’ll hear.

And don’t tell me you’ve never suspected because I know that’s a lie.”

It was true. A part of Carson had always sensed the deep affection

between Angel and Clark hid something different, something that
even the two young men might be reluctant to pursue. Brody had
shared his suspicious, and they’d always tried to teach the boys that it
was all right to love whoever they wanted. Carson and Brody

Scarlet Hyacinth

wouldn’t care about them any less, no matter who they chose as their
mates.

Of course, the fact that he’d somehow seen this coming didn’t

eliminate his surprise. Shape-shifter parents were generally accepting
of sexuality in their children, but for Carson, it still came as a shock.
Faced with the reality of his two sons’ maturity, Carson couldn’t quite
wrap his mind around the fact that his boys had grown up so quickly.

At the same time, Angel and Clark clearly thought they were doing

something wrong, but the more he thought about it, the more Carson
was convinced this was the way things were meant to be. It would
have been stranger for him and Brody had they not sensed it already.
As it was, Carson thought that he could easily accept it, if this was
truly what his two boys wanted.

“Do you think they’re mates?” Brody asked him through their

bond.

“I think so,” Carson replied. “And what better match could we

hope for?”

Brody nodded then sighed. “It’s just that…It won’t be easy for

them. Not everyone is as accepting as we are.”

Unfortunately, that was true. Even after twenty years, Brody and

Carson still received ugly glances on account of their relationship.
Shape-shifters weren’t used to having prey and predator mating, and
even if the Academy officially encouraged the mingling of various
species, most students and parents remained uncomfortable with the
concept. After all, thousands of years of prejudice didn’t change in a
couple of decades.

“We’ll help them,” Carson said, “and they’re fighters. They’ll

know how to defend their love for each other.”

Before Brody could say anything else, the door to the room

opened, and Clark gestured them inside. Brody and Carson accepted
their son’s silent invitation and stepped into the room. Carson took a
deep breath. This would probably be the hardest conversation he’d

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

have with his sons, but above all, he needed to point out that, no
matter what happened, he was on their side.

* * * *

Clark waited as his parents sat down, suppressing the urge to

fidget. There were two things he feared in the world. The first was
losing Angel, and the second losing his parents. He’d been through
that already, with his real mother, and while he didn’t remember her
too well, he did recall it had hurt, and he’d missed her.

Thankfully, his dads had never tried to make him forget about that

part of his past, or his mother. Once, they’d even told him and Angel
they were thankful to her, thankful for saving Angel’s life and
protecting Clark. They’d always given him so much affection that
Clark couldn’t imagine how much a rejection from them would hurt.

He might have been able to withstand it, except he knew Angel

would be crushed should their parents hate them. And that thought
was truly terrifying since he could do very little to keep Angel from
suffering.

“Don’t look so glum,” his dad suddenly said, smiling. “We’re not

upset.”

Angel gaped at Carson. “Papa?” he said in a small voice. “You

don’t hate us?”

“Oh, sweetheart. Of course we don’t hate you.” Carson got up and

extended his arms. Angel instantly ran toward their dad, and Clark
found himself joining him.

“We’d never hate you,” the other man murmured softly.
As the embrace broke, Clark suppressed his embarrassment over

running to his dad like a child and cleared his throat. “I hate to make
you repeat yourselves, but you’re really not angry?”

His werewolf father shook his head. “We were a bit shocked, but

really, we already sort of suspected.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark just stared. “They suspected?” Angel’s voice swept through

their bond. “Oh, God, Clark. They really knew. And they saw us
naked. And they know we had sex.”

Now that the panic over their parents’ possible rejection was

dwindling, Clark and Angel both felt the mortification at being caught
with their proverbial pants down by their folks.

Their father tsked as if guessing their thoughts. “It’s nothing to be

ashamed of. I am displeased with the idea that you ever considered us
hating you, though. I don’t want to hear that type of nonsense ever
again.”

“Yes, Dad,” Clark said. He had no idea how, to this day, his father

managed to have such a hold over him. Sure, Clark would have never
allowed his parents to separate him from Angel, but his bond with his
parents was almost as strong as during his childhood, something quite
unusual for shape-shifters.

“At any rate, we’ll discuss this more at home.” Carson’s

expression darkened. “We should probably go.”

The earlier events flashed through Clark’s mind in a slideshow of

unpleasant images. Had it been just a few hours back when he’d
fought that cheetah to save Angel? It seemed unbelievable.

“What happened?” he asked simply.
“They’re making investigations now,” his werewolf father said.

“Sara will do the best she can, I’m sure, but it seems some witnesses
claim you and Angel were the ones who started it.”

Anger coursed through Clark. “But that’s crazy. There were

like…two dozen people there. You can’t tell me everyone was on
Leiland’s side.”

“The coaches seemed to have a conflicting view of the events.

One claimed Leiland shifted first and tried to attack Angel, while the
other said things happened the other way around. Out of the students,
very few came forward. A guy from your wrestling team, Jonathan,
claimed you were being rough and out of control.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Clark couldn’t believe his ears. “We were wrestling. What did he

expect? Christ.”

“Will we get expelled?” Angel inquired. His voice sounded

strangely calm, and even through their bond, Clark didn’t feel any
agitation.

“We won’t let that happen,” their werewolf father said. “Besides,

Sara’s people are looking into the video feeds of the area, and they’ll
find out who did what.”

Clark had forgotten about the cameras that covered most of the

areas in the university. Since the Academy needed to keep a leash on
potentially lethal student attacks, visual surveillance was all over the
place, except in the actual dorm rooms, where the young men and
women were granted privacy. That sort of raw fact couldn’t be
interpreted for someone else’s benefit, and while some of the students
and teachers might dislike Clark, Angel, and their friends, the
surveillance staff was too well disciplined to fall into something like
that.

“We’ll talk to Skylar and Byron, too,” his dad added. “They’ll get

to the bottom of things.”

Angel laughed lightly. “I suspect Morgan or Layton must have

done so already.”

It was quite likely, given how angry the two had been earlier. His

dads chuckled as well, and Clark might have joined in, but something
stopped him. He sensed several presences approaching quickly, and
for whatever reason, he could tell they weren’t very friendly.

Angel and their parents seemed to feel it as well. Clark pulled

Angel closer to him, while their parents took position in front of them
in a defensive posture. Clark didn’t actually think they were in
physical danger, since the Academy was well guarded. Furthermore,
he also sensed Sara close by, and she would never do something bad
to Clark and Angel. Even so, it never hurt to be ready.

Scarlet Hyacinth

A minute or so later, a knock sounded outside. Clark’s werewolf

dad went to open the door, and when he did, Sara and a couple of
other shifters walked inside.

Sara’s expression was completely blank. She seemed to be in

Xena the Warrior Princess mode, as Layton would put it. Something
bad had happened.

“What’s the matter, Principal Huitzilin?” Angel asked politely.
“Leiland Travers is dead,” she replied. “He was killed by a lion.”

* * * *

There were some days in Angel’s life that he could always

remember with great clarity. One of them was the day he’d been
adopted. He could still recall the first moment he’d seen the couple
who would later become his parents. He could still hear Carson say,
“It all started with a lamb and a wolf…” Then, there was his first
anniversary spent with his parents, which coincidentally, was also
Melanie, Jace, and Derek’s birthday.

Other memories weren’t so pleasant, like the time his dad had

been shot. And now, Angel was sure today would always remain in his
memory, both for the beauty of some of its moments and for the
terrible twist it had taken.

He might have been able to get over nearly being killed earlier that

morning. He was a gazelle shifter, after all, and gazelles lived aware
of the dangers surrounding them. Even in the wild, many succumbed
to predation. An antelope of any kind wouldn’t survive for long if he
or she dwelled too long on almost being killed.

Mating Clark had wiped away the lingering traces of

apprehension. He’d received a big shock when their parents
essentially caught them in the act, but they’d surprised him by being
tremendously understanding.

But all that risked being lost with the new events shadowing his

life. With the death of Leiland Travers, a terrible accusation loomed

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

over Clark, and indirectly over Angel. Given Clark’s recent conflict
with Leiland, he was the natural suspect. But when Angel argued
Clark had been with him ever since they’d left the gym, Leiland’s
parents countered that Angel might have participated in the attack.

Angel chewed on his fingernails as he waited in Sara’s office. He

didn’t know what had happened, where Leiland had been found, or
even how they could be so sure a lion was behind the attack. He
gathered certain animal bites left different types of traces, but even if
that was the case, there were plenty of other lions here at the
university. Today’s events didn’t automatically mean Clark had done
the horrible deed.

Clark had been secured in a room in the administrative building

and their parents had gone to investigate the issue. Angel was left
alone under close watch in the principal’s office. He’d have gone
crazy if not for his bond with Clark.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Clark told him again through their

connection. “Remember the video feeds? They’d have registered I
went into your room and didn’t come out. We’ll be fine.”

Angel gathered his knees to his chest and closed his eyes. “I’m

scared, Clark,” he admitted. Something like this had never happened
before at the university, and it would be treated with great seriousness.
All the board of the directors had been summoned, as well as Clark
and Angel’s elder and the leader of Leiland’s clan, as well. Since
Clark and Angel had been adopted by Brody, the two of them had
been integrated under werewolf authority, which meant their
grandfather would have to come. Angel was happy about that. He
trusted his grandparents, and he knew the werewolf elder would do
everything in his power to clear Clark’s name.

Angel didn’t really know much about Leiland, except for the fact

that, as a cheetah, he was a solitary individual. Many felines were like
that, with the exception of lions, who socialized more. Apparently,
cheetahs and other cats like them came together in clans for the
purpose of shape-shifter protection, but other than that, they didn’t

Scarlet Hyacinth

have too strong bonds of fellowship. He wondered just how much the
elder cheetah would press for Clark’s punishment.

All these uncertainties made him want to scream. He got up and

began pacing, trying to consume his nervous energy. When that didn’t
work, he sat back down and focused on his connection with Clark.
“Who could have done this?” he asked his mate.

“Anyone,” Clark replied thoughtfully. “Felines are very

competitive, and if Leiland had another enemy, that person could have
seen the right moment to get rid of him and place the blame on
another.”

“It could also be someone who hates you and wants to frame

you.” Angel found that scenario very likely, given the earlier
accusations addressed to them. “Do you think we should tell Sara?”

“Knowing her, she’ll probably figure it out on her own,” Clark

replied. “She did seem upset earlier. I wonder if she already knows
something.”

That would be great, but in Angel’s opinion, it was also doubtful.

Had she known who’d been behind the killing, she would have dealt
with them already. Angel wondered if the lion murderer hadn’t left
behind any clues or scents. It wasn’t easy to hide one’s identity in the
shape-shifter world, not with the strong senses of their kind. He
wished he could go to the scene and sniff around a bit. Antelopes were
particularly sensitive when it came to predators, so maybe he’d be
able to find something. Then again, even if he did, no one would
believe him since he was under suspicion as well.

Angel sighed deeply and buried his face in his hands. He could

sense Clark’s mind furiously working, trying to find a solution, and
somehow, it helped to know Clark hadn’t lost hope. He didn’t know
how long he just sat there, ruminating over ideas, still in contact with
his mate without actually talking. He was so lost in his trance that
when the door opened, he jumped and released a startled bleat.

His shock spoke volumes of the depth of his concentrations since

he had very keen hearing. This new bond would take some getting

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

used to. A different time, he’d have heard Sara coming a mile away. In
fact, neither he, not Clark, should have been taken by surprise when
their parents came to the room. While, under normal circumstances,
Angel wouldn’t have minded losing himself in Clark, now, it was too
risky.

Sara didn’t comment on his slipup. “How are you doing?” she

asked instead.

“A bit worried,” Angel admitted. “What’s going on?”
Sara gave him a kind look, and she again seemed the warm,

motherly figure Angel remembered. “Don’t be concerned. Clark is not
honestly under suspicion.”

Angel gaped at her. “He isn’t?”
Sara sat down at her desk. “I don’t know yet who did this, but I do

know it wasn’t Clark.” She eyed Angel speculatively. “Independently
of my affection for the two of you, I’m too old to fall for such ploys.
Our killer might have viciously mauled a man, but he’s still much
younger than me and can’t fool me.” Sara shrugged. “Besides, if Clark
had wanted to kill Leiland, he wouldn’t have backed down during the
class.”

“People can argue against that,” Angel found himself saying.

“They can claim Clark merely wanted to do it somewhere in private.”

A ghost of a smile slipped on Sara’s lips. “Indeed. That’s one of

the reasons why Clark and you are for the moment under lock and key.
If our perpetrator believes I bought these lies, he’ll slip up.”

Angel didn’t know how he felt about that. “Is Clark going to be

imprisoned for it? Am I?”

Sara shook her head. “I wouldn’t do such a thing, pequeño angel.

In fact, I’ve already seen the videos, and once I present them to the
board of directors, we’ll pursue the investigation more deeply. We’re
waiting for the Pierce-Cunninghams, as I’m sure they will be able to
sense things we cannot. Until then, it’s safer for you to be behind
locked doors.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Angel rubbed his chest absently. “Could we at least be in the same

room?” he inquired.

“Of course. As we speak, I’m making arrangements to strengthen

the security around the M dorm. I’ve discussed the situation with your
friends. They will be staying with you. Since the dorm is essentially
empty, it won’t be a problem. Your parents will be staying in town.”

Angel wasn’t exactly comfortable with being babysat, but that

hardly mattered now. As long as he could be with Clark, everything
else ceased to matter. Thankfully, Sara kept her promise, and shortly
after, her phone rang. The dorm was apparently ready for them.

Sara herself led Angel back to his room. Through his bond with

Clark, Angel registered his mate’s progress. He knew someone else
had gone to retrieve the lion and they were supposed to meet at the
dorm.

When he reached his room, his friends were already waiting there.

Sara assured them the situation was under control then took her leave,
presumably to check on the guards. Once she left, Alexis and Reed
pounced him, rushing to interrogate him over what had happened.

“I don’t know more than you do, I’m afraid,” Angel told them.

“I’m just hoping whoever killed Leiland will be discovered.”

Before the conversation could continue, Clark appeared, and

everyone went to their respective rooms, leaving Clark and Angel
alone. Angel didn’t know how much these precious moments of
privacy would last so he stole a kiss from Clark.

The lion hugged him tight, prolonging what Angel had meant to be

just a peck. “Everything will be all right, my angel,” Clark said
through their bond. “Everything will be all right. You’ll see.”

And when he was in Clark’s arms, Angel could actually believe it.

* * * *

Back in Sara’s office, Brody waited for the principal to come talk

to them again. The past few hours had really put things into

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

perspective, and he was wondering whether he and Carson had done
the right thing in trusting the Academy with their precious sons.

The principal returned from the dorm, and as soon as she entered

the room, Carson gave her an earnest look and asked, “Did you tell
them?”

Sara shook her head. “There is no point, not yet. They would just

feel betrayed and hurt, and I want to avoid that at all costs.”

Brody felt half-angry, half-relieved. “We’ll have to tell them

eventually.”

“I agree.” Sara gestured for them to sit down. As they did so, she

joined them, not behind her desk, but on the couch next to Carson.
She had a special affection for Carson, since he was her dear Nicolas’s
friend. This was why Brody knew she could be trusted. “I don’t want
to say anything until I’m certain my suspicions are correct. This is a
very delicate situation, as I’m sure you understand, and I need to keep
watch over the issue a bit more.”

Yes, Brody understood, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He

was far too well accustomed with the bitterness of betrayal, and above
all, he wanted to keep his sons safe from it. “I’m not sure, Sara. I just
don’t feel right. They’re exposed like this.”

“I promise you, Brody, they’ll never be at any risk.” Sara gave

them a serious look. “You know I love those kids as if they were my
own.”

But they weren’t hers, now were they? She couldn’t understand

just how worried he and Carson were for their boys.

Carson bit his lip. “Maybe we should just leave, take them, and

go.”

Sara didn’t speak, obviously knowing that, in the end, the decision

belonged to them. Brody shared a look with his mate. “What do you
think?” he asked through their bond.

Carson got up and headed toward the window. Brody joined him

and together, they looked outside.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“They can’t leave yet,” Carson replied. “Clark would never agree,

and they’d always have the suspicion looming over them.”

“But should they not know about what Sara told them?” Brody

inquired.

As he spoke, he noticed Alexis Whitaker passing through the

courtyard outside. He seemed to be heading toward the student
recreation facility, but God only knew if that was true or not.

“I really don’t know,” Carson said as he watched Alexis disappear

into the building. “I don’t know, and it kills me.”

“Let’s wait a bit.” Brody took his mate’s hand and squeezed it.

“Father is coming soon, and if he sees something amiss, we’ll go
ahead and tell them. I’ll mention it to Layton and Morgan. They can
keep an eye out. And God help us all if it’s true.”

He didn’t even want to think what would happen if Alexis had

truly been behind Leiland Travers’s murder.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Chapter Six

Elder Kevin Wade arrived early the next morning, together with

his son Isaac and grandsons. Clark was a bit surprised his grandfather
had allowed Isaac to come here at such a time, but he supposed there
were reasons for everything.

No matter the circumstances, he was more than glad to see his

cousins and his uncle. He and Angel met them at the gate, together
with all their friends.

The moment the young werewolves stepped out of the cars, there

were shouts of joy and exclamations of relief and concern. Clark’s
cousin, Melanie, launched herself at him and hugged him tightly.

“Oh, Clark. We heard. I can’t believe you’re being blamed for

such an awful thing. I swear to God, I’ll make them pay.”

Clark hugged her back, gently soothing her concerns. When he

was certain she would not run off to behead anyone in his defense, he
released her from the embrace. Physically, all the three werewolves
looked a lot like Soren, their biological dad, but they’d also inherited
a lot from their mother, Carlie. According to Clark’s uncle, Melanie
was all Carlie, and having her had been a great comfort for all those
who’d loved Carlie and suffered from her loss.

Jace and Derek were talking to Angel, their arms all over Clark’s

mate. Clark didn’t mind since werewolves were naturally very tactile.
For them, it was a very normal thing, and the twins were like…well,
his brothers. It was quite ironic that his actual adoptive brother would
turn out to be his mate, and he would find other siblings in his cousins
and friends.

Scarlet Hyacinth

Isaac stood away from them, looking a bit uncomfortable and out

of place. Clark felt bad for his uncle, and especially for ever saying
Isaac was unreliable. They all knew how hard it had been for Isaac to
adapt to life as a half-breed. It wasn’t common knowledge, but unlike
Layton and Morgan, Isaac could turn both into a ram and into a wolf.
It couldn’t be something easy to deal with.

Clark made his way to Isaac’s side and hugged the young

werewolf. “Hi there, uncle. Welcome.”

Isaac offered him a small smile. “Thanks. I would have loved to

show up in less worrisome circumstances.”

Clark suppressed a sigh. “It’s a difficult situation, yes, and not

because I was accused of being involved.”

In fact, the evening before, Sara had announced Angel and Clark

had been officially cleared of all suspicion. Of course, other students
still gave them the ugly eye. However, the real problem wasn’t their
hateful whispers, but finding out the actual murderer.

Just the thought that someone had killed a man just to accuse

Clark of it made him sick to his stomach, no matter how out of control
and dangerous the man in question had been. He couldn’t be a
hypocrite and claim he regretted Leiland’s death, but at the same time,
he wanted the guilty party to be punished. It was an increasingly tense
situation, more so since Sara had reinforced the security around the
university and set even stricter rules than before. Apparently, Leiland
had been killed outside the actual Academy and in the neighboring
forest. It was not unusual for students to want to run there, but that
day, Leiland should have been watched, not let loose. It was actually
quite strange. Had Leiland’s friends and teachers taken his outburst
more seriously, the cheetah would perhaps still be alive.

Sara had pointed this out, too, and also emphasized that anyone

who had any information on Leiland’s killer should come forward
before something worse happened. To Clark’s knowledge, no one had.
He’d have tried to find something out, but Byron Cunningham,
Layton and Morgan’s father, who’d arrived shortly after the murder,

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

had given all students clear instructions to stay out of the
investigation.

Truth be told, Clark was most concerned for Angel. Clark couldn’t

leave the Academy—he was no quitter—but he’d have preferred for
his parents to take Angel with them, at least to live somewhere else.
The town near the Academy was controlled by shifters, and it would
still be safer than the university, where a killer was on the loose. Sara
had given permission for herbivores and smaller omnivores to
temporarily move there, but not to return to their homes, since the
investigation was still in progress.

Strikingly, none of the students left, though, and everyone returned

to their classes. In a way, it made Clark sad. Death was such a normal
thing in their lives that they’d all come to accept it just like that. He
wondered if there would ever come a time when shape-shifters would
allow themselves to fear and grieve like humans did.

Shaking himself, he focused on Isaac, knowing how hard it must

be for the werewolf to come here now. “Come on in. It might not be
the best time to show up here as our friend and relative, but if a little
bad talk doesn’t bother you, I trust you’ll be fine.”

Isaac snorted. “Please. Of course it doesn’t bother me. I just don’t

want you to be accused of a crime you didn’t commit.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Clark’s grandfather. Elder

Wade had been briefly occupied with Clark’s parents, but now
summoned Clark and Angel to him. They shared a brief hug, after
which the werewolf turned all business. “Tell me all the details, boys.
What exactly happened?”

As they walked inside, Clark started to explain the events, from

Leiland’s attack on Angel to Sara’s notification of Leiland’s death. He
skipped his mating with Angel, since now was not the time to shock
his grandfather with such news.

“The video feeds clear me of any involvement,” he finally said,

“but Principal Huitzilin has yet to find another suspect.” From what
she’d told them at least. Clark suspected there was more going on

Scarlet Hyacinth

them Sara or any of the other “adults” let on. It irritated him that they
still thought of him as a child who couldn’t handle things, but in the
end, he could do very little about it. He’d chosen discretion as the
better part of valor. Instead of turning into Sherlock Holmes, he
preferred to keep a close eye on his mate, just in case someone wasn’t
happy with just killing a cheetah, but wanted to do the same thing
with an antelope.

His grandfather and his parents left for yet another meeting with

the principal, and Clark was left in charge of the new arrivals. He
introduced Alexis to the group. The incubus seemed to be on his best
behavior, as he was polite and even courteous, especially with
Melanie.

“You know, you were supposed to be my new roommate until this

whole fiasco,” he told Isaac. “I’m not sure where you’re going to stay
now.”

“With me,” Layton offered. “I’m the only one who doesn’t have a

roomie.”

“Wait.” Melanie lifted a hand. “Did you guys change rooms or

what?”

Clark nodded. “Angel moved in with Alexis a few days ago so that

Alexis wouldn’t have to live alone. Then, this whole killing thing
happened, and we all sort of banded together at Sara’s suggestion. She
thought it would be safer, at least until she found out who was behind
Leiland’s murder.”

Jace let out a thoughtful hum. “So what about me and Derek? Are

we moving, too? What about Mel?”

That, Clark didn’t know. He supposed his cousins should probably

move to the M dorm, too, but things were getting a little out of hand.
Truth be told, Clark didn’t really get why they all needed to live there.
Sometimes, it seemed Sara had an ulterior motive for asking them to
band together.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“I suppose the principal will tell you,” Alexis offered. “But for the

moment, why don’t we go to town for a little while, have a drink or
something? It’s always nice to celebrate new things and new friends.”

“We have classes later,” Melanie reminded them.
“We’ll come back in time,” Alexis pleaded. “Come on, guys. The

mood’s here so gloomy. I can’t bear it.” The incubus turned toward
Morgan. “Tell them, Morgan.”

So far, Morgan had been almost eerily quiet, but now, he nodded.

“It’s not a bad idea. We all need a little distraction.”

“I’m with Morgan,” Layton added. “I almost hate to say it, but I

like Alexis’s idea.”

Clark studied his friends, for the first time that day realizing

something was different about them. He couldn’t quite put his finger
on it. It wasn’t really visible since they were acting the same as ever.

“I can feel it, too,” Angel said through their bond. “I wonder if

something’s wrong.”

“God, I hope not,” Clark said. “It would be last thing we need.”
“Besides,” Layton added, “this way I get to see Corbin.”
It was all so…normal it felt wrong. Granted, Clark would have

liked to see Corbin and Preston as well. The two lived in the town
adjoining the Academy, and even if they didn’t actually go to the
university, they attended the occasional class. They also worked in
town, Corbin owning a repair shop and Preston a bookstore. Clark
wondered if they knew about the killing. Probably not. Otherwise,
they’d have come to the Academy by now.

Still, Clark felt a bit strange at the thought of going out for drinks

in such a situation. As it turned out, he wasn’t forced to choose. A car
pulled in behind them, and several slim, tall men exited it. Clark’s
every sense screamed danger.

“Let’s go back to the dorm,” he told his friends.
The others must have sensed the problem as well since they didn’t

comment or protest. However, they didn’t get too far before a

Scarlet Hyacinth

woman’s voice shouted, “There they are. They’re the ones who killed
Leiland.”

Clark stole a look behind and recognized Leiland’s parents

approaching with the men he’d first seen. He’d never spoken to the
Travers family, and he had no desire to do so now. He’d only seen
them once, from afar. The cheetahs seemed intent on reaching him,
however, and the noise they were making was starting to draw
attention.

Clark couldn’t leave now since running away meant cowardice

and admittance of guilt. He stood his ground and waited until the
cheetahs reached him. “Are you Clark Williams-Wade?” the elder
cheetah inquired.

Clark simply nodded. “I am.”
“What are you doing walking around?” The man frowned. “You

should be imprisoned for what you did.”

“I haven’t done anything,” Clark replied. “There’s no reason why I

should be punished.”

“His parents have connections, and no one cares that my son is

dead,” Leiland’s mother shouted. Clark had the urge to roll his eyes.
He couldn’t understand the reason of the sudden pressure. To his
knowledge, neither Leiland nor any of the other cheetahs were very
close to their families. Perhaps she’d loved her child in her own way,
but if she’d truly offered Leiland support, things might not have ended
like this. Still, he contained his impulse since it wouldn’t be fair of
him to judge people he didn’t know.

Just as the elder cheetah opened his mouth, obviously intending to

say something else, Mr. Ruiz appeared out of nowhere. “Please, calm
down, everyone. Principal Huitzilin pointed out earlier that the video
feeds exclude Clark’s involvement.”

“Fabricated evidence,” Leiland’s father said. “It proves nothing.”
“Mr. Travers, believe us, we’re as interested as you in finding the

guilty party. Leiland’s death pains us all, and the killer will be
discovered.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Was it Clark’s impression, or did Mr. Ruiz’s gaze linger over his

friends for a few moments? What did the teacher think he would find
there? Did he suspect Morgan or Layton? Granted, the two brothers
had offered to make Leiland disappear, but Clark was convinced they
hadn’t actually done it, if only because they would never risk putting
Clark and Angel into the spotlight like this. Besides, Ruiz couldn’t
know about that conversation, right?

“Something strange is going on,” Angel said through their bond.

“I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like it.”

Ruiz probably wouldn’t have been able to calm the cheetahs

down, but Sara showed up, with Clark’s grandfather and parents
trailing behind her. “Please, follow me,” she said simply. “We have
much to discuss.”

The cheetahs threw a few more hateful glances Clark’s way, but

didn’t comment. They followed after Sara as she led them into the
administrative building. However, before the group disappeared
inside, Clark caught sight of his werewolf father stealing a look
toward them, not actually at him or Angel, but at their friends. What
the fuck?

With nothing of interest going on, the students dispersed and the

courtyard cleared. That was fine with Clark because he suddenly felt
off. Perhaps he was seeing things and he needed to take a break from
it all.

“Look, guys,” he told his friends, “I’m sorry, but you’re going to

have to go out without me.”

Angel nodded. “I won’t be good company, either. But have fun.”
Their friends looked a bit put out, but they didn’t insist. Clark and

Angel said their good-byes, and Clark took advantage of the
opportunity to make his escape with his mate. He ran to their room,
locking the door closed behind them once they were safely inside.

“I have no idea what the fuck is wrong,” he told his mate, “but I

just feel like I’m suddenly in The Twilight Zone.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“I know.” Angel sighed and rubbed his eyes. “And it’s not like we

can even say—they did this or that. It’s just…strange.”

Clark knew exactly what Angel meant. He plopped down on one

of the beds and groaned. “I don’t get it, Angel. I really don’t. Layton
and Morgan would tell us if they knew anything, right?”

“I haven’t known them to keep secrets before, not from us, at

least,” Angel answered. He sat next to Clark and put his head on
Clark’s shoulder.

As usual, Angel’s proximity had a soothing effect on Clark. He

gathered his mate in his arms and pulled him down on the bed. They
fell together in a heap, cuddling against each other like small children.

One upon a time, when they’d been kids, it might not have gone

any further than that. Like werewolves, lions were social creatures and
very tactile with their loved ones. But Clark had long ago passed that
line with Angel. In spite of the situation, he found himself hardening.

They were so close that Angel didn’t delay in noticing it.

“Someone’s happy to see me,” he said. He draped his leg over Clark’s
waist and rubbed their bodies together. Clark groaned as his erection
came into contact with Angel’s. He hadn’t actually intended to do this
when he’d brought them to the room, but now, he couldn’t think of
any better idea.

He lifted Angel in his arms and rolled them over until he had his

mate under him. Angel’s pupils were already dilated with need,
something that aroused Clark beyond measure. And yet his own desire
was lazy, almost silent. He couldn’t explain it, but he allowed his
instinct and his heart to guide his actions.

Slowly, he began to take Angel’s clothes off, taking his time with

each button and piece of material. He pressed light kisses over every
inch of skin he revealed, occasionally licking it, loving his mate’s
taste. Angel gasped, that sweet, almost bleating sound that made
Clark’s cock throb in answer. Even so, he didn’t rush. He drew
everything out, simply enjoying the moment and losing himself in his
mate’s want for him.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Angel seemed to sense his mood and allowed Clark to do

whatever he wanted. The impatience and despair melted, and Clark
brought his lips to Angel’s, groaning when his mate immediately
surrendered to him.

Never once releasing his hold on Angel or breaking their kiss,

Clark finally removed Angel’s shirt. He allowed his hands to roam
over Angel’s creamy skin, greedy, wanting to touch more, to feel
more. His fingertips seemed in direct connection with his cock
because simply brushing his fingers over Angel’s body took Clark
almost to the brink of coming.

He broke their lips apart only when the need to breathe forced him

to. He took advantage of the occasion and set to work on the rest of
Angel’s clothes. Angel fidgeted and squirmed, but Clark didn’t relent.
He unzipped Angel’s fly, almost hypnotized at watching the tiny teeth
of the zipper lower. Angel tried to help him, making his best effort to
shimmy out of the slacks, but Clark stilled him, gently caressing his
hip. “Shh. Calm down. We have all the time in the world.”

And it felt like they did. There was no real urgency behind Clark’s

need. While their first coupling had been driven by an almost
desperate desire for the completion of their bond, this was different.
This was about comfort, about making sure they were there for each
other no matter what happened. Still, just the sight of Angel’s hard
cock made his mouth water. It truly came as no surprise. Sometimes,
he wanted Angel so much he thought the only way to fulfill that need
was to consume his mate, which really, could be considered quite
ironic since, by shape-shifter standards, they were predator and prey.
He’d rather die before he hurt Angel, and yet, he wanted to devour his
mate, make them one for all time. Somehow, his love for Angel
managed to keep his lust in check.

Clark smiled to himself as he realized he hadn’t yet removed

Angel’s shoes and socks. He proceeded to remedy the situation and
took off both items, dropping them to the floor. He threw the shirt on
a nearby chair then returned to his mate. Angel was completely naked

Scarlet Hyacinth

now, while Clark remained dressed. Clark was all right with that. He
wanted to focus on Angel, purely on his mate’s need.

Angel lifted his head and crooked his finger at him, beckoning

him closer. “I need you,” the antelope whispered through their bond.

There was no real need for them to speak using their mind link.

They were alone, and no one could hear them should they choose to
talk out loud. But Clark understood Angel’s choice. It felt like they
should speak through the bond. The closeness they shared demanded
it.

Because of that very same connection, Clark could see what his

mate wanted. He saw the images flashing through Angel’s mind, the
fantasies only he could fulfill. Even while holding a tight rein over his
control, Clark could never deny his mate. It was physically impossible
to him.

He simply nodded and quickly took his shirt off. He didn’t care

about his own clothing, so he made short work of it. After he was
naked, he crawled onto the bed and simply hugged Angel. For a few
moments, he just held his mate, savoring Angel’s scent and the
knowledge that they were mated forever.

Their hard cocks pressed together, reminding Clark to get down to

business. Clark reached between their bodies, palming his mate’s
cock. Angel released a small bleat-gasp, urging Clark along, and the
sound was like fuel thrown on an open fire. Clark’s desire emerged
hotter and brighter than ever. His beast needed to claim his mate,
needed to reassure himself of Angel’s presence and affection.

Clark briefly released Angel from his embrace and rolled over to

reach for the nightstand. He retrieved the half-empty tube of lubricant
and quickly returned to his mate. He nearly swallowed his tongue
when he saw his mate with his legs high up in the air, his hole
exposed to Clark’s gaze.

The tiny rosette seemed to wink at Clark, and he opened the lube

bottle. He poured a generous amount on his fingers and met his mate’s
eyes as he rubbed the slick liquid over Angel’s anus.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“You’re so beautiful, my angel,” he murmured through their bond.

“So very beautiful.”

Angel released a sigh of contented satisfaction and pushed back

against Clark’s finger. Clark couldn’t resist. He held Angel’s gaze as
he inserted one digit into his mate’s opening. Angel’s body yielded for
him, allowing him entrance. Feeling his mate’s need, Clark didn’t
delay in adding another finger. He crooked them inside Angel’s body,
seeking that special spot that would make his love see stars. When he
found the spongy gland, Angel thrust back against his fingers,
moaning. “Please, Clark. Please. Take me.”

Clark couldn’t have stopped himself if he wanted to. He removed

his fingers from his mate’s body and slicked up his cock. Even his
own hand felt far too good on his prick in his state of arousal, so he
did it as quickly as possible. He then positioned his cock against his
mate’s opening and simply pushed.

His mate was tight, so tight, and still, seemed to have no trouble

taking Clark’s considerable girth. Even so, Clark went slow, making
sure Angel enjoyed this as well. He shouldn’t have worried. The
pleasure he felt coming through their bond mixed with his until they
were almost undistinguishable from each other. There was no pain
whatsoever, just the ecstasy of their two bodies and hearts coming
together.

Clark started to move, gentle thrusts growing harder, then falling

back into the more sedate pace. He supported his mate’s legs on his
shoulders to make sure there was no strain on Angel, keeping his
motions steady and always, always, aiming for Angel’s prostate. His
mate came undone, moving with him, fucking himself on Clark’s
cock. They fell together in the perfect rhythm that could only exist
between true mates. Over and over, they chased their pleasure without
rushing it. Angel’s anus squeezed Clark’s so deliciously, inviting him
in with every movement either of them made. But beyond the physical
pleasure, there was so much more between them, relief, happiness,
and fulfillment.

Scarlet Hyacinth

When Clark’s orgasm came, it took him completely by surprise. It

washed over him with the gentleness of a spring breeze and the
intensity of a supernova. It might have seemed paradoxical, but right
then and there, it was just perfect.

Lost in the moment, Clark thrust one last time inside Angel, then

lowered his body over his mate’s and sank his fangs into Angel’s
throat. Another wave of ecstasy shook him as he pumped his mate full
of his seed. At the same time, his connection with his love flooded
with pleasure, and wet heat splashed on his belly as Angel found his
peak as well.

For a few instants, the world disappeared, and the only thing that

remained was the two of them, together, sharing the nirvana they
could only find in each other’s bodies. Their bond shone with the
energy of their combined orgasms, and Clark held onto it and onto
Angel. It was only his intrinsic concern for Angel that allowed him to
release his hold on his mate’s neck and lick the wound clean. After all,
he didn’t want to injure his sweet angel.

When the tremors of their joint climaxes subsided, Clark slipped

out of Angel’s body and smiled at his mate. Angel smiled back.
“Everything’s fine,” the antelope said.

Clark nodded. “We’re probably just jumping at shadows.” When

he had him in his arms, all his earlier doubts seemed foolish and
without a rational basis.

He briefly left the bed and retrieved a wet washcloth. As he

cleaned Angel up, his mate finally replied, “We’re being silly. There’s
probably an explanation for everything.”

Clark dropped the washcloth on the floor and cuddled next to his

mate. “Agreed. Now, get some rest, Angel. We’ll check on the rest
later.”

* * * *

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

The sound of a key rattling in a nearby door woke Angel from his

slumber. He opened his eyes, wondering why such a noise would
startle him. In a dorm, it wasn’t unusual for fellow students to burst
into their respective rooms at ungodly hours.

But gazelles had a specific sense for danger, and that sense alerted

Angel that something wasn’t right. He stole a look at the clock on the
wall and realized just an hour or so had passed since he’d last spoken
with his friends. If they’d gone to town like originally planned, they
wouldn’t have had enough time to stay for drinks and come back.

Without further hesitation, Angel slipped out of the bed and pulled

his pants on. Clark cracked his eyes open just as Angel headed toward
the door. “What are you doing?” the lion asked through their bond.

“Just checking to see what’s going on. Someone’s in the other

room.”

“It could be one of the guys,” Clark replied.
A bump sounded from the adjoining chamber, and Angel arched a

brow. “All right, all right,” Clark said. “But you stay here. I’ll
check.”

Angel opened his mouth to protest, but Clark didn’t give him the

chance. Moving fast, the lion pulled his pants on and stealthily headed
out the door. Angel hated just sitting around and waiting while his
mate could be in jeopardy, so he peeked out into the hallway.

He was just in time to see Clark run straight into Alexis. The

incubus was just coming out of the room he shared with Morgan.
He’d obviously been the source of the noise Angel heard. Angel
frowned. How strange. He’d never felt in danger around Alexis
before.

“Hi,” Clark greeted the incubus. “What are you doing here? I

thought you were out with the others.”

“I came back,” Alexis replied dismissively. “I forgot something.”
“Forgot something?” Clark repeated. “What?”

Scarlet Hyacinth

Alexis didn’t reply. Instead, his eyes went over Clark’s shoulder to

Angel. “Oh, I see how things are now. No wonder you chose privacy
over going into town.”

Angel felt his face flame. Neither he nor Clark had given much

thought to their appearance. Since very little time had passed, Angel
probably still had love bites and both of them still smelled like sex.
They both felt safe in this dorm, surrounded by their friends, and it
hadn’t occurred to them that they risked discovery.

Then again, Alexis had been the one to encourage Angel’s

relationship with Clark, albeit through hints and innuendos. Angel
suspected his incubus friend had known about their feelings from the
moment they’d first met. He had no reason why he should feel
uncomfortable under Alexis’s scrutiny. Still, there was something
challenging in the incubus’s gaze, something Angel hadn’t seen
before. It unsettled him, making him regret they hadn’t been more
careful.

He might have even tried to deny it, but Alexis didn’t give them

the time. With another laugh, he swept past Clark and disappeared
down the corridor.

Clark came back inside, a frown on his face. “Was it just me, or

did he act strangely, as well?”

The doubts that had subsided after the lovemaking session came

back full force, and Angel nodded. Perhaps they were jumping at
shadows, but something had to be there if they both felt it.

Clark walked toward the window and peeked outside. “There’s no

sign of Layton or Morgan,” he told Angel. “If he came back, wouldn’t
Morgan have come with him?”

“Maybe he never left,” Angel suggested.
“But that’s strange. He’s the one who came up with the idea in the

first place. Besides, why would he lie when I asked him?”

Angel joined Clark by the window and tried to find Alexis with

his gaze. The incubus was now crossing the yard and heading toward

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

the student recreation center. Halfway there, though, a large man
stopped him.

To Angel’s surprise, he realized it was Jonathan, one of the

wrestlers in Clark’s team. Clark didn’t get along too well with the
man, and if Angel remembered correctly, Jonathan had also been
among the voices who’d accused Clark of killing Leiland.

Angel expected his friend to be angry with Jonathan, but Alexis

did no such thing. Instead, he effusively hugged the lion and pressed a
brief kiss to Jonathan’s lips. Angel gaped in shock. What the hell?
He’d been completely convinced Alexis was smitten with Morgan.

As Alexis disappeared with Jonathan toward the recreation center,

Angel shared a look with his mate. “I don’t like this,” he said. “I don’t
like this at all.”

“We have to discuss it with Alexis tonight,” Clark replied.

“Morgan’s my friend, and I won’t have him being cheated on.”

“I agree.” Angel bit his lip and leaned against his mate. “I almost

can’t believe it, though. Could I really be so wrong about Alexis?
Look, maybe we’re mistaken. Maybe it’s an incubus thing, like saying
hi. We can’t know until we ask.”

“I hope you’re right.” Clark’s expression looked glum, and Angel

knew what Clark was thinking. Even if the kiss might be a
misunderstanding, what was Alexis doing with Jonathan in the first
place? So many questions, so few answers, and Angel began to think
that, with the exception of Clark and maybe his parents, he was
surrounded by strangers.

* * * *

Jonathan arched a brow at Alexis, feeling both pleased and

apprehensive at his lover’s behavior. “I thought it was too risky for us
to be seen together.” It always pissed him off that he was forced to
watch Alexis with that shark, Morgan, every day, but Alexis claimed it
was all part of the plan.

Scarlet Hyacinth

“It is,” Alexis replied as he pulled Jonathan into the recreation

building. “But I couldn’t run into you and not kiss you.”

Jonathan melted, his possessiveness awakening once more. He

pressed Alexis to the nearby wall, rubbing against him wantonly.
“When can I mate you? I need it so badly.”

Alexis chuckled. “Soon, when things cool down a bit.” He sighed.

“I didn’t expect the principal to see through the ploy so fast. Does
anyone suspect you?”

Jonathan considered the question. The day he’d left the dorm to

meet up with Leiland Travers, he’d run into Tate outside. Tate knew
Jonathan had been gone that day, but Jonathan doubted the other lion
was a big threat. “Tate might,” he replied, “but I’m not too worried.
He wouldn’t say anything.”

“Oh, okay. If you’re sure.” A grin spread on Alexis’s beautiful lips.

“Now, I have to tell you something. You have no idea what I found out
just now. Clark is fucking his brother.”

A mix of shock and disgust coursed through Jonathan. “Are you

sure?” When his lover nodded, Jonathan added, “What a freak. We
have to let everyone know.”

“Agreed.” Alexis smirked. “Maybe we can’t get them out of here

with the Leiland thing, but by the time we’re done, they’ll run on their
own.”

Feeling in a better mood than in ages, Jonathan laughed and pulled

Alexis toward the main computer room. “Come on. We have lots of
stuff to do.”

* * * *

After watching Alexis go with Jonathan, Clark felt increasingly

troubled. As much as he hated to admit it, the incubus’s attitude just
didn’t seem normal.

He and Angel quickly cleaned up and dressed in new clothes.

Clark wanted to talk to their parents, but he didn’t know how much

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

longer the meeting with the principal would last. Even so, both he and
Angel were too anxious to stay in the room, so they decided to go
downstairs. Perhaps they’d be able to overhear something from
student conversations. Any clue would be better than none.

As they left the dorm, Clark distantly noted security had been

strengthened. Prior to the killing, the M dorm had only held a limited
number of guards since there were only a couple of students to watch
over. Now, however, it seemed Sara was taking the situation seriously.
Did she think they were in danger, or was there a different reason for
her choice?

They slowly walked away from the dorm as if they were simply

out for a walk. The Academy grounds were quite spacious, and there
was a good distance between each dorm and the actual school
buildings. It was only his shape-shifter vision that allowed Clark to
even see Alexis meet up with Jonathan. He wondered if the incubus
had thought he was safe because of the distance, or if Alexis just
didn’t care about being discovered. Then again, perhaps Alexis had
broken up with Morgan. That would certainly explain Alexis coming
back from town early, as well as Morgan’s strange behavior.

The conclusion reassured him a bit, but he still wanted to see if his

parents had any news on the killing. Thankfully, luck was on their
side, and they ran into their fathers in the courtyard. “Hi,” Clark said.
“Can we talk to you?”

His dad nodded, and his expression looked glum. “Let’s go to your

room. We wanted to discuss something with you as well.”

Clark and Angel led their parents back to the M dorm and into

their room. Once the door shut behind them, Clark turned toward his
fathers and said, “All right. You can stop with all the secrecy.
Whatever it is that you’re hiding, just tell us. We can take it.”

His werewolf father sighed. “All right, Clark. Sara didn’t want you

to know this, but we feel you have to be aware of the facts.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Sara believes your friend, Alexis, is somehow involved in

Leiland Travers’s murder,” their dad said. “It seems he has been seen
with a lion, that Jonathan individual.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t have to mean anything,” Angel protested.

“Even if Alexis does have a relationship with Jonathan, it would only
make him promiscuous, not a killer.”

Brody sighed. “Yes, but unfortunately, after a close scan of all the

videos, Sara found evidence that Alexis had also been sleeping with
Leiland. Leiland’s roommate confirmed that the cheetah had a
relationship he was very secretive about, and that day, he was
supposed to meet his boyfriend.”

“But Alexis was with us earlier, and then with Morgan,” Angel

protested.

“Which is why Sara concludes there are two options. Either

Jonathan killed Leiland out of jealousy, or Alexis spurred Jonathan
into the murder.”

Clark felt cold inside. “But why would Alexis do something like

that?”

“I don’t know, and neither does Sara,” Carson replied. “It’s the

only reason why she hasn’t made her move yet.”

“All this is circumstantial evidence.” Angel shook his head,

obviously refusing to believe his friend could have done something so
awful. “It doesn’t mean anything. Besides, there are many other lions
who could have killed Leiland.”

Carson squeezed Angel’s shoulder. “Byron caught Jonathan’s

scent at the scene of the murder. The lion tried to mask it—you know
all these devices that are now used to eliminate scent—but with
Byron’s help, we found the lingering traces anyway. Apparently,
Jonathan didn’t realize Byron had this ability.”

“So it’s certain.” Clark couldn’t understand anything anymore.

“It’s certain Jonathan killed Leiland.”

Brody nodded. “The main problem is that it seems incubi have the

gift of influencing the morals of people who are attracted to them,

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

hypnotize them if you will. So the situation is a bit difficult, as we
don’t know whether Jonathan acted on his own or if his judgment was
impaired by Alexis’s magic.” He gave Clark and Angel a serious look.
“Either way, keep this under wraps until we find a solution, and be
extra careful around Alexis.”

Clark thanked his parents for their trust. He didn’t doubt their

words for a single second. All the while, he couldn’t help but think at
Morgan. Clark knew Morgan well, and the shark shifter had fallen for
Alexis hard.

“Does Morgan know about this?”
“Some,” his werewolf father replied. “He didn’t take it well.”
No wonder Morgan and Layton were acting a bit strange earlier.

Clark turned away from his parents and hugged Angel tight. He had
no idea how to approach this situation and how to deal with an enemy
he’d thought a friend. Why would Alexis do this? Why?

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter Seven

Angel and Clark met up with their friends just before classes

started. Everyone looked a little livelier, and Alexis was hanging onto
Morgan’s neck as if nothing had happened earlier.

When he saw Angel, Alexis hugged him tight. “I missed you, my

little cherubim,” he cooed. “What have you been up to?”

Angel broke out of Alexis’s embrace, wondering what game the

incubus was playing at. Alexis seemed to have made a complete one-
eighty from earlier, which once again led Angel to question his
friend’s guilt. He couldn’t make himself believe Alexis could be so
cold and calculating.

“The usual,” he replied tightly. “Come on. Class is about to

begin.”

Alexis’s expression of glee disappeared, replaced by a frown.

“Angel, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Angel replied, forcing himself to be calm. “We’ll talk

later, okay?”

Alexis nodded, but he seemed wary. “Sure. Later.”
Thankfully, no one paid any particular attention to their exchange.

They entered their building without further incident. However, as they
walked through the corridors, they couldn’t help but notice people
were giving them odd looks. It wasn’t something necessarily unusual,
not when Angel and Clark were concerned, but it seemed different
somehow.

Angel shook himself, gathering that Leiland’s killing and his

accusations might have made him paranoid. For all he knew, Alexis
could have his own problems, and judging him without finding out

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

what they were was unfair. Morgan and Layton had inherited certain
traits from their father that made them somewhat inscrutable at times,
and the reasons behind Reed’s strange trip would eventually be
revealed by Reed himself.

He half managed to convince himself of this when a snicker

sounded behind him. It was enough to trigger chaos, and more than
one student burst into laughter. Others booed and threw stuff at them,
shouting expletives and making rude gestures. The men were
particularly graphic, cupping their crotches and giving them lewd
glances, while most of the women sneered in disgust. There were a
few students that seemed to just want to mind their own business, but
they were lost in the sea of anger, disgust, laughter, and hatred.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened, but Angel

still couldn’t make himself believe it. He noticed many of the students
held fliers in their hands and spotted one on the floor. Almost in a
daze, he picked it up and almost hurled at the words written on the
paper.

The flier had obviously been something manufactured quickly,

since in this day and age, no one ever used them. Even school books
had been replaced with electronic devices. Paper was only kept in
stock since more old-fashioned members of the board insisted on
having the reports in physical form as well as in electronic format.

Some of the students were holding their electronic pads and

browsing them, so Angel gathered there must have been e-mails sent
out as well. And they all said the same thing, that Angel and Clark
were sleeping together, all in rude, coarse words.

Angel allowed the flier to fall back on the floor, suddenly feeling

like he wanted to wash his hands. He looked up and noticed Jonathan
staring straight at him. “Come on, deny it.” Jonathan laughed. “Lie.
We all know it’s true. Bunch of freaks.”

Strikingly, everyone seemed to believe the same thing. It was a

strange thing since the flier didn’t provide any actual facts, just
accusations. Angel stiffened. Who were these people to judge him and

Scarlet Hyacinth

Clark? They couldn’t possibly understand their bond. Besides, Angel
and Clark’s mating was no one else’s concern.

“Fuck off, Jonathan, and mind your own business.” The guy was

basically a killer and had the nerve to accuse Angel and Clark on their
bond. Angel had the urge to punch Jonathan’s face in. The lion must
be behind it all. Alexis couldn’t have pushed Jonathan into murder.

“This is my business,” the lion replied with a self-satisfied grin.
It wasn’t hard to figure out Jonathan had been the one to reveal

Angel and Clark’s bond. But other than their parents, only one other
person knew about it. Alexis.

Angel didn’t turn toward his friend. He made no move to show the

fact that he realized the truth. It didn’t mean anything. Even if he only
knew Alexis for a few days and the facts seemed to condemn the
incubus, Angel still wanted to trust.

“Talk to him,” Clark said through their bond. “This can’t wait. We

need to know.”

“Thanks,” Angel replied. He turned toward Alexis and grabbed

his friend’s arm. As he stalked away, he heard Jonathan start to
protest, something that just made Angel more suspicious. He ignored
it and found the first free room.

As soon as they were out of the hallway, Alexis broke out of his

hold and glared at him. “What’s going on, Angel? You’re acting
strange.”

“Strange?” Angel laughed. “I’m acting strange? What about you?

Why in the world are you involved with Jonathan? Were you the one
to tell him about me and Clark?”

“What? What are you talking about? I barely know Jonathan, and I

would never put you in such a difficult situation. You know that.”

He sounded so confused that Angel ached to believe him. “What

about earlier, when we saw you with Jonathan?” Angel asked. “You
even kissed him.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

Alexis just stared at him. “Are you high, Angel? How could I do

something like that? You very well know I’m with Morgan. I would
never cheat.”

Angel suddenly felt very tired. “And I suppose you weren’t

sleeping with Leiland either.”

Alexis now looked angry. “No! I realize I’m an incubus and we

have a certain reputation, but seriously, Angel, how many guys do you
think I can fuck at the same time?”

“Three apparently,” Angel replied. He took a deep breath and

shook himself. He had to give his friend the benefit of the doubt. After
all, he hadn’t seen the videos with his own eyes. Besides, electronic
evidence could be manufactured, couldn’t it? Of course, Sara would
probably take all precautions before she made accusations based on
surveillance feeds, but still, a mistake could sneak in. And yet…What
about Alexis’s kiss with Jonathan? Angel had seen that with his own
eyes. Why was Alexis even lying now?

“Look, I saw you with Jonathan myself just a few hours ago, so

there’s no sense denying that.”

“I was with Morgan all day, Angel.” Alexis gave him a confused

look. “Seriously, I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

It was Angel’s turn to grow angry. Lying was one thing, but this

was ridiculous. “Alexis, you came by the dorm. You talked to Clark.
What the hell?”

Alexis shook his head. “I haven’t been to my room since this

morning. I don’t understand why you’d even say something like that
when you know I left with Morgan and the others.”

It was too much. Angel dropped on a nearby chair and buried his

face in his hands. Truly, Alexis had no reason to lie about something
like that.

“Someone was there. I’m not crazy, Alexis.”
For a few moments, the incubus didn’t speak. Angel almost

thought Alexis would come up with some sort of excuse. However,

Scarlet Hyacinth

his friend surprised him again. “Okay, I believe you,” Alexis replied
softly.

Angel’s eyes shot up. “What?”
“You wouldn’t accuse me of something false, so there’s clearly

more to this than we know. Someone’s walking around the school
pretending to be me.”

The thought had never occurred to Angel, but it made sense. He’d

felt something was off about the way Alexis had been looking at him
back at the dorm. Perhaps it hadn’t been Alexis after all.

“Don’t get excited,” Clark told him through their bond. “It might

be a ruse.”

But Angel was already excited. It was a possibility he hadn’t

considered, and the more he thought about it, the more obvious it
seemed. Of course Alexis wouldn’t sleep with Leiland and Jonathan.
Hell, he wouldn’t physically have the time since he was with Morgan
three-quarters of the day.

“But how is this possible?” he asked his friend. “Do you have an

evil twin or what?”

“Not that I know of,” the incubus replied. When Angel gave him a

confused look, Alexis added, “In our world, the concept of monogamy
is different, but I’ll tell you about that later. The point is I have a lot of
half siblings, both from my mother’s and from my father’s side. But
it’s quite unlikely that either of my brothers would be identical to me.”

Angel chose not to pursue a line of questioning to inquire into the

mating habits of incubi. Instead, he inquired, “So what could it be,
then? Magic? A spell?”

“Maybe.” Alexis didn’t seem convinced. “I have to talk to the

principal. This is very dangerous.”

Angel agreed. He hadn’t actually told Alexis that the impostor

could be involved in Leiland Travers’s killing, so the incubus didn’t
even realize just how many things his doppelganger had done. They
needed to talk to Sara at once. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to discuss the

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

situation with Morgan’s parents. They were probably furious with
Alexis if they thought the incubus had cheated on their son.

As if his thoughts had power to bring about events, Clark

suddenly said through their bond, “Heads up, Angel. Jonathan just
told Morgan he’s sleeping with Alexis and basically claimed
ownership of Alexis in front of the whole school. Whatever you do,
don’t come here.”

But the incubus seemed to sense something was wrong, too. He

frowned and, before Angel could do anything to stop him, rushed out
of the room. Angel hastened after his friend, but only reached Alexis
when the incubus was already in the middle of the chaotic hallway.

Indeed, Jonathan and Morgan were in the middle of a somewhat

uneven fight. The balance should have been on Jonathan’s side, since
unlike Morgan, the lion could shift anywhere. Being a water creature,
Morgan didn’t have this ability. However, that didn’t seem to matter.
In fact, Morgan was holding a lion-form Jonathan down without too
much trouble, making Angel realize just how strong Morgan was, and
moreover, how many other abilities Layton and Morgan had inherited
from their father.

The problem, it seemed, was that Morgan, while generally kind

tempered, turned out to be quite defensive where Alexis was
concerned. In fact, there was no sign of the nice, sociable, calm young
man Angel called a friend. This was a killer, and one who could
strangle a lion with his bare hands.

Clark tried to separate the two, but Layton pushed him away. Isaac

and the others attempted to help, but the seahorse watched his
brother’s back with more hostility than Angel would have thought
possible. Clark might have managed to dodge past him eventually, but
Jonathan might be dead by then.

Thankfully, Alexis called out, “Please, stop, Morgan. Don’t waste

your life for someone who isn’t worth it.”

At first, Angel thought Morgan would ignore the sensible words. It

was, indeed, dangerous, since if Morgan killed Jonathan, he would

Scarlet Hyacinth

receive a severe punishment, and Layton as well, simply for helping.
Thankfully, Morgan understood this and slowly got off the lion.
Together with Layton, he stepped away from Jonathan. Morgan didn’t
delay in making his way to Alexis’s side. “He was throwing wild
accusations at you,” he said. “I couldn’t allow it.”

Alexis smiled, and Angel’s heart hurt at the affection he saw in

that simple twist of lips. He might not know everything about incubi
relationships, but he shouldn’t have judged Alexis so rashly, especially
in a world like theirs, where magic could be used to fool all senses.

“Thanks,” Alexis replied. “I really appreciate you defending my

honor.”

Morgan laughed lightly. “Brat,” he said, affection obvious in his

voice.

Of course, the situation couldn’t be resolved so easily. Jonathan

shifted back to human form and shot to his feet. “You idiot. Do you
think Alexis belongs to you? That slut’s been banging half the
carnivore dorm.”

“That’s not true,” Alexis cried. “Morgan, don’t believe him. He’s

crazy.” Or perhaps he had been fooled by the impostor like all of
them. Of course, Angel knew neither he, nor Alexis could say that.

“Of course, I don’t believe him.” Morgan sneered at Jonathan as

he hugged Alexis to his chest. “Just don’t come near Alexis ever again
if you want to live.”

Jonathan seemed to grow insane with anger. “You little bastard. I

won’t let you do this. I killed for you once. I’ll do it again.”

Even the air seemed to freeze around them as all the students in

the hall stared at Jonathan. The lion didn’t even seem to realize what
he’d said. He continued his rant, ignoring the shocked silence
surrounding him. “You’re mine, Alexis. You promised you would be
after we got rid of Leiland, after we took care of your problem with
Clark. We made plans. Why are you doing this?”

Angel felt almost bad for Jonathan, or would have, had the lion

not killed a man and blamed it on Clark. Besides, he hadn’t forgotten

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

the stunt with the fliers. It now seemed so small, and no one even
gave any sign they even remembered it. The students were more
focused on the confession of guilt and the proof of obsession
unveiling in front of their eyes. All the young men and women who’d
previously joined Jonathan to point fingers at Angel now took a few
steps back away from the lion.

Angel truly didn’t know what would have happened had his

parents not chosen this opportune moment to show up. Sara was with
them, as well as Skylar and Byron Cunningham and the two elders.

“Enough of this,” Sara said. “Everyone, to your classrooms.

Jonathan, you’re coming with us.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Jonathan’s nostrils flared. “I have to—”
The lion froze, as if his words had been cut off by some invisible

force. “Silence,” Byron said, his voice a near whisper. “Go with Sara.
Mr. Whitaker, you come, too.”

Alexis nodded. He looked a little afraid, and Angel couldn’t blame

him. Byron could be very intimidating when he wanted to.

As Alexis took a step forward, Morgan caught his hand and

stopped him. “No. He hasn’t done anything wrong. He doesn’t have to
go anywhere.”

“Morgan, don’t fight with me,” Byron said in a low voice. “Now

is not the time to be contrary.”

“I’m not being contrary.” Morgan straightened his spine and stared

straight at his father. “I’m just protecting what’s mine.”

Byron looked torn, obviously reluctant to hurt his son. Thankfully,

Skylar intervened in a situation that could have gotten ugly fast.
“Look, sweetheart, we have to find out what happened, for everyone,
including Alexis. Jonathan made a very serious accusation, and we
need to look into it.” He smiled. “But you can come with us if it will
make you feel better.”

Morgan and Alexis shared a look, and then Morgan nodded.

“Okay. That’s fine. Thanks, Dad.”

Scarlet Hyacinth

“Everyone else, return to your studies.” Skylar clapped his hands

together.

When Angel didn’t move, his father arched a brow at him. “That

includes you, Angel. Come on, move it. You’ve been skipping far too
many classes lately.”

A different time, Angel might have felt distraught at the

reprimand, but now, he was just too overwhelmed. Between the shock
of having his mating revealed to the school and the new information
that had come to light regarding the killing, he just wanted to go back
to the dorm.

Alas, it was not to be. All the students dispersed toward their

respective classrooms, even if no one seemed very excited. Angel and
Clark remained with their friends, and Angel experienced a brief
moment of panic when he realized they’d just found out about his
relationship with Clark, too. Would they hate him now? Would they
laugh like the others?

No such thing happened. Layton, Reed, Melanie, Isaac, Jace, and

Derek grouped around him and Clark. “I suppose congratulations are
in order,” Reed said cheekily.

“At least something good is happening.” Layton sighed. “I don’t

understand anything anymore with this Alexis business.”

“Let’s drop it for now,” Melanie suggested. “We’ll probably find

out more later.”

Reluctantly, they all agreed and headed toward their respective

courses. Unfortunately, today Angel and Clark didn’t share classes, so
Angel found himself forced to brave the room full of students alone.
Still, the bond with his mate lingered at the bottom of his mind, and in
the end, it proved to be quite easy to ignore them.

He tried to pay attention, and for the most part, he even managed

to fake interest in what the teacher was saying. He became completely
distracted, though, when his mate’s voice drifted into his mind.

“I was thinking, Angel,” Clark said. “Maybe after all this is over,

we should go.”

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

“Go?” Angel repeated. “Go where?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Clark replied. “Somewhere we can be just the

two of us, without all the bullshit. I love our friends and our family,
but really, we’re not kids anymore, and…I want a life with you. I want
what our parents have.”

Angel imagined a little house of their own, maybe children further

along, and immediately his mood lifted. “I’d like that, Clark. I’d like
that.”

With him focusing on his connection with his mate, the class

passed with striking ease. Finally, the teacher declared it over.
Everyone turned off their tablets and filed out of the room. Angel took
his time, not particularly eager to mingle with his fellow students.

“My teacher’s taking forever,” Clark said through their bond.

“Wait for me outside, okay?”

Angel nodded, even if Clark couldn’t actually see him. “Will do.”
He wandered out of the building, considering what they’d found

out today. How could he help his friend? He believed that for
whatever reason, Alexis was being set up, but who would do
something like that and why?

He headed toward the dorm, deciding he was unwilling to wait for

Clark with so many people around. The guards in front of the dorm
didn’t give him more than a cursory glance, and Angel realized just
how easy it would be for someone with that sort of magic to move
around. Even if the Academy had sophisticated electronic systems
installed, everything still relied on appearances, and the impostor
seemed to have the ability to fool both people and machines.

Still musing over this, he reached his room, retrieved the key, and

opened the door. He was surprised to see Alexis sitting alone on the
bed with his head in hands. Technically speaking, this was no longer
Alexis’s room, but Angel didn’t give too much thought to that. He was
more concerned about the incubus’s obvious sadness, and the fact that
Morgan and the others were nowhere to be seen. Angel made his way

100

Scarlet Hyacinth

to Alexis’s side and placed a hand on the incubus’s shoulder. “What
happened?”

“They don’t believe me,” Alexis replied. “Sara thinks it was really

me behind it all. They had videos…They showed Morgan.”

The incubus looked up, and Angel was shocked to see his friend’s

eyes swimming with tears. “He was so angry, Angel. I’ve never seen
him look so angry.”

Angel sat next to Alexis and hugged his friend. “Do you think

he’ll break up with you?”

“I don’t know anything anymore,” Alexis replied. “Those

images…Whoever was there looked so much like me. I don’t blame
them for not trusting me.” He released a bitter laugh. “A few weeks
ago, I couldn’t have cared less about what happened to me. But now I
don’t want to be locked up somewhere and be forgotten. I don’t want
to lose Morgan.”

“Where’s he now?” Angel inquired.
“He went with his father after the entire fiasco,” Alexis replied.

“They’d have locked me up with Jonathan, but Mr. Ruiz suggested I
should be separated from my accomplice.”

In that moment, it really dawned to Angel just what a terrible

situation they found themselves in. Alexis could very well lose his life
if the true culprit behind the murder wasn’t found.

“But if Morgan was there, he must have said he was with you

earlier, when Clark and I saw the fake you at the dorm.”

Alexis licked his lips in obvious nervousness. “He did, and many

others saw me that day in town. That’s my only hope now and the only
reason why they didn’t immediately judge me as guilty. They’re going
to talk to Preston and Corbin and everyone else who was at the bar we
went to. So now, it’s a waiting game.”

“Hey, you didn’t do anything.” Angel poked Alexis in the arm.

“Once they realize that, everything will come back to normal. You’ll
see.”

“I hope you’re right,” Alexis replied.

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

101

The conversation didn’t continue, as a knock sounded at the door.

Once again, Angel was invaded by that strange sense of danger, but
Alexis said, “Come in.”

Angel was relieved when Mr. Ruiz cracked the door open and

peeked inside. “Ah, you’re both here. Excellent.”

“What is it, Mr. Ruiz?” Alexis asked.
“Principal Huitzilin wanted to see you,” Mr. Ruiz replied. “If you

would, please follow me.”

Alexis immediately perked up. “Is there any news? Is Morgan

there?”

“I believe so, yes,” the teacher answered.
Alexis’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Angel found himself

getting excited for his friend. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Clark’s voice came through their bond as Angel rushed out of the

room with the incubus. “Be careful, Angel. I’m not sure you should go
anywhere with Alexis right now.”

Angel ignored the advice. He was convinced of his friend’s

innocence. Besides, what could possibly happen with all the guards
now in the Academy? The impostor had to be crazy to show up, and
more so with all the commotion from earlier.

They followed after Mr. Ruiz, heading toward the principal’s

office. Once there, the teacher led them inside. The office was dark,
but Angel could see Sara sitting at her desk as usual. She was turned
away from them, looking out the window, as if in thought. “You
wanted to see us?” he asked.

Sara didn’t reply. Too late did Angel realize Sara’s form seemed

far too limp. A heavy blow hit the back of his head, and he fell to the
floor. The last thing he saw before everything went black was Alexis
looming above him.

* * * *

102

Scarlet Hyacinth

The instant his connection with Angel faltered, Clark knew

something was very wrong. The final image he’d seen through their
bond was that of Alexis’s face. They must have been right about the
incubus all along. Somehow, Alexis had been behind those crimes and
managed to use Morgan as alibi.

Clark didn’t know why Alexis would do such a thing, but it didn’t

matter. He was too terrified for his mate to even care about Alexis’s
motive.

Ignoring the teacher who was, for whatever reason, still holding

court over the rest of the students, Clark rushed out of the class. He
shouldn’t have left Angel’s side in the first place. Knowing that the
problem with Leiland had yet to be solved, he should have stayed with
his mate.

Thankfully, their connection provided the place where Angel had

gone before losing consciousness. Clark hastened to Sara’s office, still
scenting Angel as he passed through the corridors. Much to his
dismay, when he reached the principal’s quarters, he found it empty.
Angel had been there, but his scent was almost lost in the myriad of
smells in the office. The earlier meeting had held many people
together, making it hard for Clark to track what had happened.

Either way, he knew Alexis couldn’t have taken Angel too far. The

question appeared as to what the incubus had done with Sara. And
how did Mr. Ruiz fit into all of this? Was he also a prisoner of Alexis?
Surely, one man on the smaller side like Alexis couldn’t carry three
other people. Not to mention that the Academy administrative
building had security measures in place.

As such, Angel had to be nearby. Following his mate’s scent,

Clark left the room. Oddly, he found that Angel’s smell seemed
entwined with Byron’s. Clark knew Morgan’s father had been here,
but this felt different.

As he ran, he retrieved his phone and, with a press of a button,

dialed his parents. Once he explained the situation, they agreed to
meet up with him outside the administrative building. He also called

The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion

103

his cousins and friends. He hesitated slightly before talking to
Morgan, but in the end, decided the shark deserved to know what
happened as well.

He realized the scent took him toward the back of the building and

the storage facility. There should have been several guards in the area,
but none seemed to be around. Even if he’d promised to wait for his
family, he rushed forward to find his mate.

Clark went past the entrance of the building with a reasonable

amount of ease. There were very few things that could keep him at
bay when in search for his mate, and a couple of locks simply didn’t
cut it.

However, just as he thought he was finally reaching Angel, he

found a strong metal door blocking his progress. He tried to force it
and hissed in pain when the electricity system protecting it was
activated. Great. He’d run into the area with the most security in the
entire Academy grounds, where only a limited number of people could
come in. In this part of the building, the most sensitive files were
probably kept and only authorized personnel were allowed inside. The
system used the most recent technology in identity detection to
prevent intruders from breaking in. Clark guessed that without a DNA
sample matching the ones inputted into the system, he wouldn’t have
much luck in getting inside.

In spite of this, his despair pushed him into something he wouldn’t

have tried on normal circumstances. He shifted into his lion form and
wildly began clawing at the door. Shocks of energy went through his
body, making his muscles spasm, but he didn’t let up.

At one point, he sensed more people come up behind him.

“Sweetheart, back away from the door,” he heard his dad say. “Come
on. We’ll open it.”

The beast was unwilling to stop its assault on the metal, but Clark

trusted his parents. He knew they could get him inside faster than he
could ever hope to manage. After a brief moment of hesitation, he
slowly stepped back, all the while giving his fathers a wary look. His

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friends and the Cunninghams were also there, which was actually
quite a good thing. It seemed Byron had the code to the door, and he
didn’t delay in making his way to the DNA scan. A few seconds
passed while the machine did its job, and then the door slid open.
Immediately, Clark bounded inside. He looked around, trying to find
his mate. His mind whirled when he couldn’t find anything.

The room they’d struggled so much to get into was completely

empty. There was absolutely no sign of either Angel or Alexis there.
The shock and heartbreak broke through the remnants of his control.
He released a roar of anguish that echoed through the large, cavernous
room. Angel! Where are you, Angel?

A gentle hand caressed his fur. “We’ll find him, Clark,” his dad

murmured. “Come on. Shift back.”

His father’s words barely reached him, but Clark did indeed shift.

His beast couldn’t help him now. It was time for reason to take over.

As he changed back to human form, Skylar Cunningham pointed

to something that looked like the remnants of a burnt sphere. “He
must have taken them out of here by magic,” he said.

“Christ.” Byron cursed under his breath. “I knew it was a bad idea

to allow magical creatures to mix with shifters.”

“There’s no proof Alexis did this,” Morgan said stubbornly. “I

admit it looks bad, but you heard what he said. Someone is
impersonating him.”

Right then and there, Clark couldn’t bring himself to care about

this debate. He just wanted to find his mate. The rest would have to
wait until later.

Without a word, he rushed out of the building. Something told him

that there was little more he could do while still in the Academy. He
didn’t know what range the spell could have, but he still sensed Angel
nearby. He needed to go, at once.

Just as he prepared himself to shift into lion form again, he saw a

car pull in. Preston and Corbin got out. They seemed concerned and a
bit anxious.

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The two lynxes had always been close friends of his family, and

their abilities could help Clark in his search. He rushed toward them
and, without allowing his friends to even speak, said, “Angel’s
missing. He was kidnapped by a magic user.”

“That incubus?” Preston frowned. “He didn’t seem like the type.”
“We don’t know yet,” Clark replied, “but I think they can’t have

gone far. I can still sense Angel close.”

“Got it.” Corbin began to take off his clothes, and Preston did the

same. “We’ll help.”

Clark thanked his friends then melted into his second shape.

Behind him, his parents and friends emerged from the building. They
seemed to know what Clark had planned. His father, as well as his
cousins, his grandfather, and Isaac, turned into their wolf forms. His
dad chose to shift into his ram shape, too, while Reed turned into a
large, beautiful swan. The others were water creatures so, instead of
shifting, got into Byron’s large vehicle and Corbin’s car.

Clark roared again then started running, following his instinct and

hoping it would lead him to his mate. This area wasn’t quite suitable
for lions or other shifters who generally found homes in jungles or
savannahs, but he made do. At one point, they separated into four
groups. Preston and Corbin came with Clark, while the large number
of wolves split into two and went in different directions. Finally, the
two cars explored another part of the forest. Clark hoped it would be
enough because they didn’t have time to wait for reinforcements.
Please, Angel, be all right, he prayed. Be all right.

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Chapter Eight

Angel cracked his eyes open to a pounding headache threatening

to split his skull apart. He didn’t know what had woken him, or why
his head hurt so much in the first place. For a few moments, he
seriously considered just zoning out again until the pain went away,
but the sound of a whispered voice addressing him snapped him back
to focus, “Angel. Gracias a Dios, niño. Estás bien?”

Angel managed to open his eyes and focus his gaze. For the first

time, he realized he was in a small cage of sorts. He forced himself
not to panic and continued to register his surroundings.

Through the bars of the cage, he spotted Sara trapped in a net. She

was the source of the voice Angel had heard. At first, the reasons as to
why they would be bound like this didn’t really process, but then, he
recalled himself and Alexis following Mr. Ruiz to Sara’s office, then,
nothing. Still, it didn’t take a genius to figure out they’d somehow
been captured by their nemesis.

“I’m fine,” he told Sara. His voice sounded unconvincing even to

his own ears. “What happened? How did we end up here?”

“It seems your friend didn’t much appreciate my decision,” she

replied, her voice holding barely restrained anger. “I didn’t expect his
audacity to reach quite these levels.”

“Alexis?” Angel gaped at her. “Alexis brought us here?”
That couldn’t be right. Alexis would never do something like that.

He’d been unjustly accused. Angel knew it.

But his confusion became a distant voice at the back of his mind

when his connection with Clark burst to life. “Angel, are you all
right?” his mate asked. “Where are you?”

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107

“I’m fine,” Angel replied. “I’m not hurt.”
His headache was already starting to dwindle, and his captor

hadn’t injured him further. Refusing to think about the identity of the
culprit, Angel chose to look around for a bit. He realized the room his
cage was in seemed strangely familiar. He’d seen that wooden floor
before, as well as the wardrobes now covered by protective plastic.
He’d grown up around them. This was his house, well, his former
house. Angel couldn’t remember much of it now, since he and Clark
hadn’t spent too much time there. However, those first days when
he’d first been brought here would never disappear from his mind,
just like the time when they’d left.

After his dad’s injury, Angel and his family had moved onto his

uncle’s pack lands, for safety in numbers. Later on, the land bordering
the two houses—theirs and that of Reed’s parents—had been donated
to the Academy.

This was not common knowledge, as his parents had chosen not to

advertise their generosity. However, Angel had mentioned it in
passing to Alexis. It hadn’t actually been something he’d intended to
do. Rather, he always referred with a lot of familiarity to the area, and
when he started feeling comfortable around Alexis, it just slipped out.

It made no sense that Alexis would bring them here, to a place

Angel could identify. Alexis had, therefore, been telling the truth.
Someone else must be behind the kidnapping.

Clark seemed to register at least part of the whirlwind of thoughts

passing through Angel’s mind. “We’re on our way,” the lion said.
“Just stall, Angel. Wait for us.”

“I’ll try,” Angel promised. For the moment, he couldn’t see any

hostile presence, so he hoped he wouldn’t have any trouble.

But he couldn’t rely on just that. He needed to find a way to get

out of this cage. It was very small, so even shifting in his antelope
form wouldn’t help. Sara’s net seemed similarly designed to keep her
from escaping. However, perhaps if they worked together, they’d have
a chance to free themselves.

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Crawling to the very edge of the cage, Angel analyzed the net

holding Sara. It was hanging from the ceiling, held up by a hook with
a lock which was tied to a powerful wooden beam. There was no
chance that Angel could even attempt reaching it, and even if he did,
he would need to have a key. He looked around, trying to find a
weapon, something he could use to force the bars of the cage.
Nothing.

Before he could come up with a solution, he heard footsteps

closing in. Moments later, Alexis entered the room. “Oh, you’re
awake.” The incubus grinned as he knelt next to Angel’s cage.
“Excellent. I thought I’d have to torture you to snap you out of
unconsciousness.”

It was surreal to hear his friend talk like that. But looking into

Alexis’s eyes, it was easy to see that this was not his friend, not really.

“You’re not Alexis,” he said with decision in his voice. “I don’t

know what you want, but you’re not going to get away with this.”

A flash of surprise appeared in fake-Alexis’s eyes before it was

quickly masked, hidden behind a smirk. “Believe what you will. It
won’t help you.”

The man got up and grabbed a large bag from an armchair. In

fascinated horror, Angel watched his kidnapper open the sack and
grab several mechanical devices. Angel might not know much about
weaponry, but he could identify a bomb when he saw one.

Stall. He needed to stall and buy Clark time to get here. “What do

you think you’re going to gain by killing us?” he asked. “Our families
will never stop hunting you.”

“If they find me.” Fake-Alexis looked toward Angel again.

“Remember, my dear Angel, I’m a magical creature. I don’t move
through the same circles you do.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Angel replied. More than ever, he was

convinced this was not Alexis. His friend liked to call him “my sweet
seraphim” or “my little cherubim,” but never “my dear Angel. “No
one is unreachable,” he told the impostor.

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109

“Is that so?” the other man asked. “I guess we’ll just have to see

about that.”

Angel would have liked to say something else to distract the man,

but everything he tried failed. He hit the cage with his legs and even
shifted into his antelope form. For that, he earned a brief, amused
look, but nothing else. Sara tried her best as well, but the net was
thick, and even in her hummingbird form, she couldn’t break away.
After a little while, the man ignored them completely and seemed
completely focused on the bomb.

“We’re close to the house, Angel,” Clark’s voice came through

their bond. “Just buy as a little more time.”

But there wasn’t anymore time. Finally, the device was planted

and the timer started. In two minutes, the bomb would blow up.
“Well, it’s time for me to go,” the kidnapper said. “See you in the next
life.”

With that, the man turned on his heel and abandoned Angel and

Sara alone in the room with a ticking bomb.

* * * *

Alexis angrily rubbed the rope tying his wrists against the chair,

trying to break free. He’d been so stupid. He’d never have thought his
nemesis was disguised as Mr. Ruiz, the seemingly harmless
Paranormal Sociology teacher.

Of course, he also hadn’t expected to have a skin-walker hunting

him. Skin-walkers lived at the boundaries between shifters and
magical creatures, but without qualifying as mythological. This was
because they didn’t actually have the ability to change into an animal
or specific creature, but rather, stole the shapes of other beings.

Alexis had never thought to meet one in his lifetime since they

were despised by the paranormal world and basically considered
extinct. But this one was alive and well, and seemed intent on hurting
Alexis. Alexis needed to get out of there before it was too late.

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Guilt assaulted him as he recalled the conversation he’d earlier

had with the skin-walker. His kidnapper had forced Alexis to come
with him by threatening to kill the principal. As they’d walked toward
the storage facility, the skin-walker had taken Byron Cunningham’s
form, therefore finding it easy to carry the limp forms of Sara and
Angel. Seeing Mr. Ruiz turn into Byron had been like a shower of ice
water, but he’d recovered and managed to ask, “Why are you doing
this?”

Fake-Byron had laughed, a sound so unlike the real Mr.

Cunningham that it startled Alexis. “You really don’t understand, do
you? This shifter-magical-creature alliance shouldn’t come to pass.
Shape-shifters already have trouble within their own ranks. So
magical and mythological beings need to stay away.”

“That doesn’t explain anything,” Alexis countered.
The skin-walker had grinned, but had not replied, at least not

while they were still within Academy grounds. Alexis had gone along
with his captor’s wishes and obediently stepped through the
rudimentary portal the skin-walker managed to create. Once at the
house, his nemesis finally revealed his plan.

“You’ll be blamed for all this, Mr. Whitaker. I was careful to

provide clear snapshots of you taking out Sara. Also, once your friend
wakes up and sees you taunting him, he’ll tell his mate all about it. I
hear shifters can speak to their mates telepathically.”

It was in that moment that Alexis had understood the skin-walker

planned their deaths. Of course, he should have realized it earlier. He
felt horribly stupid, but he’d decided to make up for it. He vowed that
he would not die here, and he would not allow his friend or Principal
Huitzilin to perish either.

It wasn’t easy to free himself, but at last, his effort paid off and the

rope tying his wrists snapped. Thankfully, the skin-walker had
underestimated him and not bothered with securing him with more
attention. Of course, Alexis understood the reason. Incubus magic
could influence people to do the caster’s bidding, but had no effect on

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111

objects. In fact, in terms of physical strength, incubi were the weakest
of the demon races. But their cunning, stealth, and magic made up for
that lack.

In the other room, he heard Angel talk to the skin-walker. At one

point, there were loud noises that sounded like someone bashing
against a metal bar. Alexis felt concerned for his friend, so he rushed
to free himself from the ropes around his legs. Finally free, he got up
and found the first object he could use as a weapon. It turned out to be
an old fireplace poker. Alexis felt distantly amused, since he hadn’t
seen something like that since his childhood years. Alexis’s family
had long ago automated the fireplace system in their home, and pokers
seemed like a relic of the past. Regardless, the item made for a good
weapon, so Alexis was glad for its presence.

He slowly made his way toward the next room, where he knew

both the skin-walker and the other captives were located. As it turned
out, he reached the doorway just as the kidnapper was coming his
way.

It was almost surreal. The skin-walker was wearing Alexis’s face,

so for a brief moment, Alexis froze, staring at himself, almost
hypnotized. But the copy wasn’t quite right, and something in the
skin-walker’s eyes betrayed the fact that he was nothing more than a
fake.

The shifter reached for Alexis, but before he could do anything,

Alexis brought the fire poker down on his opponent’s head with all his
might. It seemed he’d underestimated his own strength as the skin-
walker crumbled to the floor in a heap. Alexis briefly knelt and
checked the man’s pulse. He was still alive, but out like a light. Thank
God.

Alexis rushed back into the room, panting. He found Principal

Huitzilin tied into a net that kept her from escaping and Angel in a
cage. “Are you crazy?” Sara asked. “Stop that thing.”

She was looking at a ticking device, and Alexis realized in terror

the skin-walker had placed a bomb in the house. He stared for a few

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moments, but the numbers on the LED screen told him he didn’t have
much time. Truly, it didn’t seem like a very complicated bomb, and
perhaps Alexis might have attempted to disarm it had his life been the
only one in jeopardy. Instead, he rushed back out of the room and
searched the skin-walker’s clothes. He found a bunch of keys with
reasonable ease, but there were so many. Which ones fit the locks
keeping Angel and Sara trapped?

Alexis went to Angel first, since he wasn’t sure how he would pull

Sara down. He tried several keys before finding the right one. All the
while, he was acutely aware of every passing second. Sweat trickled
down his spine, and his hands trembled as he finally opened the door
to the cage.

Angel burst out of the cage. He took the keys from Alexis, hopped

onto a wardrobe with the agility only a gazelle could have and
grabbed the wooden beam that supported Sara’s net. Crawling onto
the beam, he reached the lock of the hook. On the third try, he
managed to unhook the net. Sara fell onto the floor, and immediately,
Alexis proceeded to help her out of the net. Angel jumped down from
the beam just as Sara was finally free. There were only fifteen seconds
left, and the bomb was continuing to tick.

“Go, go!” Alexis said.
He knew they were both faster than him, and he would slow them

down. Angel and Sara grabbed his hands and pulled him along, and
their speed boosted Alexis’s, make him go faster than he could have
on his own.

They ran past the skin-walker, and as much as Alexis regretted it,

he couldn’t stop. The seconds were passing quicker than even
hummingbirds could run. None of them could carry the unconscious
man outside and save themselves, too. And as selfish as it might be,
Alexis wanted to live. He wanted to live and see Morgan once more,
kiss those full lips again, feel Morgan’s strong arms wrap around him.
If he survived this, he would tell Morgan everything, confess every
emotion that bubbled inside him. Life was too short to be afraid.

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113

They burst out of the house and into a beautiful grove. Distantly,

Alexis realized they hadn’t gone too far from the Academy. In fact, if
he had to guess, this house must have once been Angel’s home, the
one the antelope had mentioned in a conversation between them.

But that thought vanished when at last, the bomb exploded. A

deafening boom sounded behind them and the strength of the blast
sent both Alexis and his companions flying as if they were nothing
more than leaves scattered in the wind. Pieces of burning wood flew
around them. He heard Angel cry out in pain, and the sound both
frightened and relieved him. At least Angel was alive.

Alexis fell on his knees and rolled around, struggling to move

away from the inferno. He didn’t get too far. Something hit him hard,
and Alexis’s world melted into fiery pain then darkness.

* * * *

Angel screamed as a branch on fire hit his back. He rolled over,

doing his best to dodge the falling projectiles. For the most part, he
succeeded, in spite of the pain still radiating from his shoulders.
Similarly, Sara managed to avoid being too hurt. Alexis, however,
wasn’t so lucky. Angel saw a large, burning beam hit his friend. Terror
swept over him as Alexis’s body went very still. For a brief, horrible
moment, Angel couldn’t move. He just stood there in disbelief. But
the sight of the fire consuming Alexis’s clothes snapped him out of his
trance.

He shot forward, his mind completely on his goal. He felt Clark’s

panic through their bond, but he couldn’t back away now. He’d never
be able to forgive himself.

By miracle, he reached Alexis’s side unhurt. But then a larger

obstacle appeared. The wooden beam lay over Alexis, and it wouldn’t
be easy to move. Taking a deep breath, Angel shifted into his antelope
form. He used his hoofs to dislodge the beam, even if the burn

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threatened to scorch his flesh. Sara made her appearance as well and
helped him, even if it couldn’t have been easy for her to do so.

It seemed to take forever, but at last, they had his friend free. They

pulled Alexis away and found cover behind a big rock. Tears streamed
down Angel’s face as he looked at his friend. Angel was in pain, but
that didn’t matter for him. They needed medical assistance for Alexis,
as soon as possible.

He focused on his bond with Clark and desperately prayed for

help. Around them, the fire seemed to be growing hotter and brighter,
and suddenly, Angel realized that neither he nor Sara might make it
out of this after all.

Closing his eyes, Angel sent a message to his mate, “I love you,

Clark.”

* * * *

The explosion shook the mountain, and Clark’s terror increased

tenfold. Through his bond with Angel, he’d seen what had happened.
He now knew Alexis had been telling the truth all along. But that did
very little to help him or the three former captives. The bomb the
impostor had set was incredibly powerful. Even if they’d managed to
get out of the house, Angel, Alexis, and Sara still received a strong
blow.

Clark felt Angel’s pain as if it were his own. He felt the scorching

fire burn his mate and released a panicked roar. When he heard
Angel’s whispered declaration, his heart almost stopped. “I love you,
Clark,” his mate said, and it sounded far too much like good-bye for
Clark’s comfort.

“Oh, God, Angel. Please, don’t die, love,” he answered. “Please,

live, for us.”

At the other side of the bond, Angel’s voice came through a wave

of pain, “Clark, help us. Help us.”

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115

Clark ran as quickly as possible now. They were very close, so

much so he could feel the heat from the bomb singing his fur. He
reached the grove that formerly held their home and tried to find his
mate through the trees now consumed by flames.

His beast led him to Angel. His mate had been struck by a burning

branch, but he’d managed to take refuge behind a large rock that
survived the blast. Alexis and Sara were also there. Ignoring the
danger, Clark slipped through the foliage, until at last, he reached his
mate’s side.

Angel wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face in

Clark’s fur. “God, Clark. Alexis is injured. He’s hurt really bad.”

So focused on Angel, Clark had not realized Alexis was out cold.

He felt a little sick when he realized the extent of the incubus’s
wounds. The incubus’s right side had been completely disfigured, and
given the current circumstances, Clark couldn’t even be sure Alexis
would live.

Shifting, he gave his mate a serious look. “We need to get him,

and you, to a doctor.”

Clark had no idea how he would carry the hurt man out of there

since he had little knowledge of the anatomy of magical creatures. The
fire was spreading, though. Thankfully, Corbin and Preston made their
appearances as well. Clark took his mate in his arms, while the lynxes
grabbed the other two captives. They headed back, fleeing from the
fire that threatened to consume the forest.

A few minutes into their flight, they found their friends and

families heading their way. The two cars stopped, and Morgan jumped
out of his father’s vehicle. He snatched Alexis from Corbin’s arms and
released an agonized shout.

“I hope you’re happy now,” the shark told Sara. “This is all your

fault.”

There was so much anger and pain in Morgan’s voice. Clark

himself tasted the bitterness of guilt in his mouth, both because he’d

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believed Alexis was behind the murder and because he couldn’t help
but feel relieved that Angel’s injuries were less serious.

Brushing away those feelings, he ushered his friend toward the

car. “Morgan, come on. We need to get him to see a doctor.”

Morgan nodded and loaded the incubus into the vehicle. Clark did

the same with Angel. Even if his mate wasn’t as hurt as Alexis, Clark
was still concerned.

As the cars advanced through the forest, Clark hugged his mate to

his chest. He still couldn’t believe it. He’d been so close to losing
Angel tonight, and even now, he could feel the pain radiating through
his mate.

The trip seemed to take forever, but at last, the cars reached the

Academy. Doctors were already ready and on the move. With great
reluctance, Clark handed his mate to the medics. He plopped down on
a chair in front of the clinic, only distantly registering Morgan pacing
to and fro around him.

He didn’t know if he could have kept his sanity without his bond

with Angel. As it was, Clark remained completely aware of what went
on with his mate. Angel’s pain started to dwindle as his shape-shifter
abilities and the doctors’ ministrations soothed his hurts. It was like a
balm on Clark’s heart, and he found himself growing more relieved
and, at the same time, more anxious with each second that passed.

Thankfully, the doctor soon let him know that he could come in

and see Angel. As he rushed inside, Clark spotted another medic
talking to Morgan. The situation didn’t seem so great with the
incubus. For Morgan, for Angel, and for Alexis himself, Clark hoped
the doctors would be able to fix things. Alexis deserved it. He’d saved
Angel’s life, and that was something Clark would never forget.

All thoughts vanished when he reached Angel’s room. His mate

was struggling to get out of bed, stubbornly working on the machines
that were supposed to monitor his vitals. The moment Clark stepped
inside, Angel turned toward him and froze, hands still on the wires.

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117

In a mere instant, Clark was by his mate’s side and crushed the

antelope to his chest. “God, Angel. I thought I’d lost you.”

Angel didn’t answer. He just buried his face in Clark’s chest and

sobbed quietly. Clark held his mate, soothing him, until the shock
started to pass. Finally, Angel broke away from his embrace and
wiped his eyes. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. I want to check on
Alexis and Sara.”

Clark took his mate in his arms, unwilling to allow Angel to make

the least bit of effort. As they left the room, Clark pressed another kiss
to Angel’s forehead. Whatever happened from now on, they could deal
with it, as long as they were together.

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Epilogue

“So, when are you going to tell Corbin how you feel?”
Alexis nibbled at his salad, chewing it slowly as he analyzed

Layton’s face. In turn, Angel watched his friend, wondering for the nth
time that day what went on in the incubus’s head.

Alexis had suffered extensive burns on the right side of his face

and upper body. By miracle, his eye had survived, perhaps because at
the last moment, the incubus seemed to have shielded it. But his
cheek, arm, and chest had taken the brunt of the injury.

Angel and Sara had been wounded as well, albeit with less

severity. But the greatest difference was that their burns had healed,
whereas Alexis’s had not. Apparently, incubi didn’t have those kinds
of abilities, or at least Alexis didn’t. Medical treatment had helped
Alexis heal a good part of the destroyed skin, but the scar was still
there. From what Angel had heard, doctors were optimistic that, in
time and with more surgical procedures, Alexis would regain his
previous good looks.

For the moment, though, Alexis had let his hair grow until it

covered the right side of his face. He seemed to be taking the whole
thing far better than Angel had expected. It worried Angel because he
suspected it was all a mask, and deep inside, Alexis was suffering
deeply. At least his friends had integrated Alexis into their group.
Beyond that, Angel couldn’t do much else, not until the incubus chose
to open up.

It was quite funny to hear Alexis and Layton banter like they were

old pals, but at the same time, it just added to Angel’s concern. If

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119

Layton realized the situation, he didn’t show in. Instead, he offered his
customary “shut up.”

“So, what are you and Clark doing after graduation?” Alexis

suddenly asked.

Angel was startled at the question. “That’s still a year away,” he

replied hesitantly.

Truth be told, he and Clark had been discussing leaving. It was

just Angel’s concern for Alexis, as well as their reluctance to abandon
their family and friends, that kept them from doing so.

Alexis just arched a brow. “But surely you’ve got an idea.”
Angel fidgeted uncomfortably and shared a look with his mate.

Clark smiled at him and squeezed his hand under the table. “We were
thinking of going to Africa.”

“Africa?” Reed repeated, seemingly taken aback.
Angel nodded. “Our kind is originally from there, and we want to

reach out to shape-shifters that might live in the wild. You know, like
Principal Huitzilin’s clan.”

“There are still so many things we don’t know, so many places we

haven’t explored,” Clark added. “Shape-shifters live separated from
one another. We have to be united if we can hope to survive.”

Alexis beamed at them. “I agree.” He took a sip of his juice then

said, “I was talking to my siblings the other day. They might come to
the Academy as well.”

“That’s excellent news,” Isaac offered. He was a permanent fixture

at their table these days and had managed to adapt quite easily in
Academy life. “I didn’t think they would agree after what happened.”

Alexis shrugged, but Angel could see the tension in his friend’s

shoulders. “We can’t let that man win.”

That man, the skin-walker who’d been behind Leiland Travis’s

murder, as well as the one of Mr. Ruiz. The teacher’s body had been
discovered after a careful scouring of the lands around the Academy,
revealing that the shifter had killed then replaced Ruiz. They still
didn’t know if the skin-walker had acted on his own or had allies

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guiding his actions. He was dead now, and he’d taken whatever
secrets he might have held to his fiery grave. Since skin-walkers could
not borrow the powers of the people they impersonated, the automatic
consequence was that he had merely instigated Jonathan into the
killing, but not forced anything Jonathan had not wanted to do. For
this reason, Jonathan had also received a severe punishment and
would be imprisoned for many years, away from all the people he’d
hurt and lied to. The cheetahs had angrily demanded a death sentence,
but many shifters were unwilling to fall back on their previous bloody
habits, knowing that the issue could escalate should Jonathan become
a martyr. In the end, much to everyone’s relief, Leiland’s family had
agreed to the original conditions.

But some things could not be changed, like Jonathan’s revelation

of Angel and Clark’s relationship. With what had happened, the
importance of their mating had faded, but once the excitement over
the skin-walker’s capture began to die down, Angel and Clark had to
face the outcome of that knowledge.

Morgan squeezed his lover’s shoulder. “Let’s not talk about that

anymore,” he said. “What about the holidays? What are you guys
doing then?”

“We’re going home,” Melanie said.
“So am I,” Reed offered. The words brought to mind the ongoing

mystery behind Reed’s frequent visits to the pack. Angel still hadn’t
figured it out, and he wondered what Reed kept hiding from him.
Often times, he felt guilty for not paying as much attention as he
should to his closest friend. He hoped one of these days Reed would
take a chance and trust him.

“We haven’t decided yet,” Clark answered. Angel wouldn’t refuse

going home, too, but at the same time, he and Clark were considering
looking into some of their future options. It was actually quite funny
that Alexis had asked them about it now, when they were both so
wrapped up in it. The incubus was truly perceptive in some things.
Truth be told, Angel felt torn. A part of him would have loved nothing

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121

more but to elope with Clark, but another wouldn’t let him abandon
his loved ones.

The meal ended with a little more chatting, and after that, they all

went their separate ways. Angel watched Alexis go with a heavy heart.
The incubus had saved his life, but Angel could do nothing to save
him.

“He has Morgan,” Clark said. “Morgan will take good care of

him.”

The thought soothed Angel since, indeed, Morgan and Alexis were

inseparable lately. “You’re right,” he told his mate. Besides, with so
much happening with their loved ones, he and Clark had very little
time for themselves.

Hand in hand, they headed back to the dorm. Some of the other

students had classes, but not the two of them. Angel was looking
forward to an afternoon spent together.

Unfortunately, as they reached their room, they found a poster

taped on their door. Angel didn’t even get to see what was written
beyond the “fuck off” before Clark ripped it off.

“They shouldn’t be able to get in here,” Clark said angrily. “There

are guards at the doors.”

Angel sighed and rubbed his eyes. Apparently, some of the guards

didn’t mind turning a blind eye against the pranks, not if these deeds
were directed at two men they considered in an anomalous
relationship.

“This sucks.” Angel sighed. “We’re just out of a bad situation with

the skin-walker, and now we have to face prejudice as well.”

Clark opened the door to their room and together, they walked

inside. “Perhaps we should take a holiday. Away from it all. Just leave
everything behind, take time for the two of us.”

Angel plopped down on their bed and buried his face in his hands.

“But classes end in two weeks, Clark.”

“Whatever.” Clark shrugged. “I’ve had it with this. Pack your

bags, Angel. We’re going to Africa.”

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* * * *

A few weeks later, Angel found himself in a small cottage in

Tanzania. It had taken longer than expected to make arrangements for
a living space, and in the end, they’d chosen not to leave at once.
Angel’s concern for his friends kept him from packing up and leaving,
at least until the holiday. But now, they were finally here, in the wild.
It wasn’t exactly the Ritz, but Angel liked it. He felt free, free of the
constraints he’d always sensed ever since becoming old enough to
realize it. For the first time, he could openly show affection toward
Clark without fearing they would receive ugly glances or insults. He
could go for long walks with his mate and not worry about prejudice,
killers, or the entire world for that matter.

It was kind of selfish of him, but Angel needed this time alone

with his mate, to recover. Death somehow meant so much more now
that he had a mate, and truly, they hadn’t even gotten to know each
other as lovers before the whole business with the skin-walker started.

Of course, the fact that they were far away from civilizations also

had its disadvantages. One of them was that Clark had to go to a good
distance away for supplies. Angel would have gone with him, but they
were still new around here and didn’t know how the locals would take
an openly gay couple.

Thoughtful, Angel stepped outside of the cottage and sat down on

the grass. The sun’s hot rays caressed his skin, and Angel closed his
eyes, simply taking in the heat. He wondered if they could find other
shape-shifters around. Quite frankly, Angel didn’t feel ready to face
such a challenge. He just wanted to be with his mate. The rest would
follow, in time.

Angel imagined his mate’s face, his strong arms and his full lips.

He thought about Clark’s amber eyes and the way the lion kissed him.
He imagined Clark pounding his ass, filling him with that thick prick
of his.

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123

“You little minx,” Clark’s voice said in his mind. “You should be a

fox, not a gazelle.”

Angel laughed to himself and relaxed, the murmur of Clark’s

words a comforting caress. He must have fallen asleep because the
next thing he knew, a shadow blocked the sun’s rays. Angel opened
his eyes and saw his mate looming over him, an amused smile on his
handsome face.

“You really look like an angel when you’re asleep like that.”
Angel’s face heated, but he managed to stammer a coy reply,

“Only when I’m asleep?”

Clark laughed and plopped down on the grass next to him. For a

few moments, Angel didn’t know what his mate would do. Then, out
of the blue, Clark pounced on him, covering Angel’s smaller body
with his own. His eyes were molten as they took in Angel’s face.
“Come here, my angel.”

There were no words after that. Clark crushed his mouth to

Angel’s, his tongue licking across the seam of Angel’s lips. Angel
gladly opened for his mate, Clark’s taste and scent assaulting his
senses.

Clark ravished him, exploring his palate, taking and giving like

only he could. He seemed hungry, starving for Angel, and the lion’s
desire was like a drug for Angel. He parted his legs, accommodating
his mate’s body, needing more, aching for Clark’s possession.

Clark broke the kiss and briefly met Angel’s gaze. Angel wouldn’t

have thought it possible, but Clark’s eyes seemed even more heated.
Angel thought that he might melt simply because of that flame.

Clark’s fingers skillfully undid the button of Angel’s shirt and

released him from the material. The lion caressed Angel’s skin with
both greed and gentleness. Every touch made fire flow through
Angel’s veins. He felt like he’d fallen into a dream, a dream that was
too beautiful to be true.

Sometimes, it was hard to believe that just a month or so ago,

Angel had been struggling with his emotions, trying to hide what he

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felt for the man who’d been his brother for years. He’s been such a
fool. Emotions like these could not be hidden. They were too
powerful, and Angel couldn’t have hoped to mask them, especially not
from Clark, who knew him so well.

By some miracle, Clark felt the same, though, and every soft kiss

and soothing stroke confirmed it. Clark’s mouth pressed featherlight
pecks over Angel’s face then went lower down to his neck. He licked
down Angel’s chest until he reached Angel’s nipples. The little nubs
peaked, as if demanding attention, and Clark didn’t delay in providing
what was asked for. He took the bits of flesh in his mouth, suckling
lightly and occasionally even applying a hint of fang. Angel bleat-
moaned and arched against his mate, his entire body blazing and
demanding Clark’s invasion.

Clark’s hands went to Angel’s pants and worked them open.

Angel’s erection sprung free, rubbing against the material of Clark’s
jeans. The friction just added to the sensation, and Angel suddenly
couldn’t take it anymore.

“Clothes. Off,” he told his mate. He grabbed for Clark’s T-shirt

and pulled at it with a strength born out of desperation. Even if
gazelles weren’t the strongest shifters around, the cloth ripped. Clark
stopped his light suction on Angel’s nipples, and Angel could feel his
mate’s arousal and surprise. Even if he’d have liked to protest at his
mate’s pause, he knew Clark could sense his desires. Indeed, moments
later, the lion ripped off his jeans and took care of Angel’s pants and
shoes as well. Angel almost felt bad about the loss of the denim
trousers since jeans were quite rare these days. That thought lasted for
about a second because then Clark finished taking off his clothes and
was above Angel, completely naked.

Urgency coursed through both of them, and Angel cried out when

his mate took his cock in his mouth. Like with their kiss, Clark proved
to be ravenous, bobbing his head up and down Angel’s prick, sucking
almost wildly. The volcanic heat was too much, and Angel writhed on

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125

the ground, clutching at the dry grass with his fists in a vain attempt to
find an anchor.

Clark continued his sensual torture until Angel could no longer

distinguish the heat coming from the sun with the one emanating from
his mate. It was good, so very good. No, that word couldn’t possibly
describe what Angel felt, but few things could. Angel’s mind short-
circuited, and he couldn’t hope to be coherent in any way.

His mate spread his legs wide and rubbed a dry finger against

Angel’s hole. Angel moaned once again, the sinful sensation both a
promise and a torment. His anus clenched with the need to be filled
and the animal inside Angel demanded to be taken by his mate.

But Clark had never been one to rush, not even in their most

passionate moments. He would never just take Angel without
preparation. Even as he pressed his digit into Angel, he did so slowly,
mindful of the lack of lubricant.

However, the light burn served to arouse Angel further, and when

his mate’s finger hit his prostate, he saw stars. Torn between the
heavenly suction around his prick and the onslaught of sensation
coming from his ass, Angel cried out and exploded. At the last
moment, his mate retracted his mouth, and as such, caught a good
portion of Angel’s semen on his fingers.

Dazed, Angel could do nothing but lay there, panting. Clark didn’t

seem to mind. Using Angel’s own cum, he slicked up his cock. The
mere thought made Angel’s spent dick stir, and when Clark’s slick
digits reached for Angel’s opening once again, Angel was already
hard.

Clark’s fingers slid right in, and the lion held Angel’s gaze as he

scissored them, preparing Angel for invasion. Clark didn’t speak, but
he didn’t have to. Angel could hear his thoughts through their bond.
“So beautiful. My angel.”

Right then and there, Angel couldn’t think of anything better than

to be Clark’s. He pushed back against Clark’s fingers, sending his
mate a mental message, “Please, Clark. Please, take me.”

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Thankfully, Clark didn’t prolong his torment. After a few more

seconds, he removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock. The
lion lifted Angel’s legs on his shoulders and positioned himself at
Angel’s opening. Slowly, ever so slowly, he pushed inside.

They fell into a rhythm that was as right for them as breathing.

They fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and Angel sank
into it, into that pure sense of rightness that came whenever Clark
touched him.

His mate continued to piston in and out of him, always aiming for

his prostate, and they moved together, Clark thrusting in, Angel
impaling himself on Clark’s cock. Moans, grunts, and gasps formed a
symphony of passion, and the scent of sex mingled with that of nature,
surrounding Angel like a cocoon.

There, in the wild, in the middle of the savanna where their kind

lived together from the beginning of time, Angel and Clark made love,
their bodies bound in both lust and love. It was somewhat fitting, as in
this land of primal passions, the discrepancies between antelopes and
lions were even worse than in other places. But for the two of them, it
didn’t matter. The continent that harbored fights to the death between
their two species also sheltered their love.

Clark’s eyes never once looked away from Angel’s face, and Angel

was almost afraid to blink, lest he lose sight of his mate for a single
instant. The pleasure between them soared higher and higher and even
if he’d come once before, Angel found himself on the brink of orgasm
again.

And then, Clark sang his fangs into Angel’s neck, and Angel’s

world burst into brilliant colors. Once again, he found his peak, but
this time, their bond seemed to glow even brighter, and Clark was
right there with him. The lion thrust one more time inside Angel and
filled him with hot seed.

Their joint climax swept over them like an overwhelming wave,

and it was only by miracle that Angel didn’t lose consciousness. He

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127

rode it out, his mind a litany of his mate’s name and his body evidence
of their union.

When at last, the haze of pleasure began to dwindle, Clark slipped

out of him. Angel thought Clark might lie back down on the grass, but
the lion didn’t. Instead, he took Angel into his arms and walked back
to the hovel.

Their bed was small and modest, but comfortable. Clark placed

him down on it then retrieved a cleaning rag. Thankfully, Clark
seemed to have had the foresight to supply the hovel with water
before waking him.

After cleaning themselves up a bit, Clark and Angel sat together

on the bed, their bodies entwined. Clark actually began to purr, that
growling sound Angel loved so much. Comforted and happy, Angel
found himself dozing off, feeling safe in Clark’s arms.

The sound of their phone ringing startled him from his sleep.

Almost instantly, concern invaded Angel. “Who could it be?”

Even if in modern times, people could reach each other via cell

phone virtually anywhere, his parents and friends had promised to
only call them for emergencies. Clark released Angel and got up from
the bed. He retrieved the phone and took the call. “Hello.”

“Hi, Clark,” their dad’s voice said at the other side. Due to his

advanced hearing, Angel had no trouble making out the words. “I’m
not sure if I should tell you this, but…Alexis disappeared.”

Just like that, the world came crashing down on Angel’s oasis of

comfort. He shot to his feet and found a change of clothes.

“Morgan is beside himself,” he heard his father say. “I think he

needs his friends. And perhaps Angel can get Alexis’s parents to tell
us where he’s gone.”

“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Clark said. “Thanks, Dad.”
Clark ended the call and wordlessly began dressing as well. As

they finished with their rushed preparations, Clark came to Angel and
embraced him. Through their bond, the lion’s voice came, strong and
comforting, “Don’t worry, Angel. We’ll find him.”

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In a strange way, it almost reminded Angel of the time he’d been a

young boy. Clark had hugged him and comforted him so many times
he’d lost count. But now, it was different. Now, they were mates. And
as much as Angel worried for his friends, a part of him was still
ecstatic over the simple fact that he had Clark with him. His lion had
mated him, and no one could ever separate them. Now, it would be up
to Angel and Clark to help their friends find their own way.

THE END

WWW.SCARLETHYACINTH.WEBS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A native Romanian, Scarlet was born in 1986 and grew up an avid

fan of Karl May and Jules Verne, reading fantasy stories and
adventure. Later, when she was out of fantasy stories to read, she
delved into her mother’s collection of books and, of course, stumbled
onto romance.

As a writer though, Scarlet Hyacinth was born one sunny summer

day, when a dear friend of hers—the same friend who introduced her
to GLBT fiction—proposed they start writing a story of their own. As
it turns out, the two friends never did finish that particular story, but
Scarlet discovered she had a knack for writing and ended up starting
to write individually. And so, between working on her dissertation,
studying for exams, and reading yaoi manga, she started writing the
Kaldor Saga. Along the way, Scarlet met a lot of wonderful people
who supported her, and in the end, she found her story a home and, in
the process, fulfilled a beautiful dream.

Also by Scarlet Hyacinth

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 1: The Lamb Who Cried Wolf

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 2:

The Wolf Who Hatched an Egg

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 3:

The Love He Squirreled Away

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 4:

The Lynx Who Claimed the Sun

Siren Classic ManLove: Mate or Meal 5:

The Shark Who Rode a Seahorse

For all other titles, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/scarlet-hyacinth