Spirit Walkers 1

Spirit Found

Enda McCaffry has seen and done many things in over two

hundred years. He's been exiled, hunted, and recruited as a

pirate. He's developed a multimillion-pound gold bullion and stone

dealership and is now Alpha of a very unusual pack.

But one thing eludes him, the one thing he is desperate to find—

his spirit walker.

Daniel King has finally escaped from under his father's dominant,

dismissive thumb. It was supposed to be a new start, but

something very strange is going on. Iron gates open without any

help. Everyone talks about walking ghosts. There are some very

strange scents in the air, and as for his body, it doesn't feel like

his own anymore.

Now Enda has found him, he knows he can never let Daniel go,

but getting him to accept this new world and his place beside him

is going to be damn near impossible.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal,
Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 38,629 words

SPIRIT FOUND

Spirit Walkers 1

Ellen Quinn

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

SPIRIT FOUND
Copyright © 2012 by Ellen Quinn
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-752-7

First E-book Publication: June 2012

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

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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Letter to Readers

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DEDICATION

For Phil,
My husband, the man who snores quietly while I work.
Thank you for answering and falling over the carpet.
I love you.

SPIRIT FOUND

Spirit Walkers 1

ELLEN QUINN

Chapter One

1841, Ireland

Enda ran his hands slowly down his lover’s back, relishing the

firm, smooth feel of his skin. Jesmond’s skin had a golden tone unlike
Enda who, although paler, seemed darker due to the dark, almost-
black hair which spread across his broad chest and abdomen, tapering
down to the dark curls surrounding his cock. They’d fooled around
for some time now but always in secret. Same-sex pairings were
outlawed. Sodomy was not acceptable in his father’s pack or in any
other pack, coven, school, or clan that he knew of. A werewolf had to
procreate, expand the pack, and thus ensure its future. If you had not
met with your spirit walker, or soul mate as some called them, then
you were supposed to take any unclaimed female as a breeding female
by your fiftieth year. You need not claim them, but you were expected
to produce young.

“Hey, where did you wander off to?” Jez murmured, licking a

slow circle around his nipple.

“Sorry, just thinking about your birthday.”
“Oh, God, no, don’t. It’s less than two seasons hence, and just

thinking about it turns my blood cold.” Jez shivered.

Spirit Found

“You won’t have any choice when the time comes, my love. You

know the law.” It was a bloody stupid law if you asked him. But as no
one was going to ask, where did that leave them?

“I will not breed with or claim a female, ever,” Jez stated

emphatically.

“But what of your spirit walker?” Enda asked, confused.
“He I will claim.” Jez smiled.
“He? That is not possible, spirit walkers are of the opposite sex.”

Enda just couldn’t believe what Jez was saying. Something like that
could not be possible, could it? He shook his head. There were no
records of it happening ever. “If that were possible, Jez, we’d be of
one spirit, and there’d be others,” Enda replied.

“No, my love. I firmly believe our spirit walkers will be male, just

not each other, unfortunately. And as for others, I’m sure there have
been, but they were not allowed to exist because packs would kill
them off as unnatural and a disgrace to their pack.”

Jez leaned in and pressed his lips to Enda’s warm, soft mouth,

slowly teasing Enda to respond. Pulling away from him, Jez smiled
down at his lover. “Now I’m sure we can think of something better to
do with this time that we have than lying in your bed talking. Your
father will be home tomorrow, and it will be a while before we can be
with each other again.”

Enda had wanted to carry on the conversation, but when Jez’s

hand caressed his skin, sliding down his torso, his fingers finally
grazing through those deep, dark-brown curls to grip his cock,
conversation was suddenly overrated.

“Yes,” he hissed as Jez slowly squeezed the base of his now fully

erect cock, gliding up the shaft and slipping his thumb over the slit.
Using the pre-cum as lubricant, he continued to stroke the throbbing
cock in his hand. Jez’s lips drifted over his nipple, sucking it into his
warm, wet mouth, circling his tongue around the hard, dark nub.
Nipping it playfully before laving it to soothe the sting, he moved to
the other nipple.

Ellen Quinn

“Ahhh!” Enda moaned at the sharp stab of pain sending blood

shooting straight to his cock and increasing his pleasure. His hands
clenched in the worn blanket covering his bed as his cock jumped in
Jez’s hand.

“Please, Jez, harder,” he yelled as he began thrusting his hips

toward Jez, sliding his hot, hard cock between those strong, calloused
fingers. His rhythm faltered as his balls pulled tight into his body, and
he felt the heat spread out from the base of his spine as his orgasm
began to rise within him. Jez slid his tongue up the curve of Enda’s
neck, grazing his teeth along the sensitive skin. Jez’s canines
extended, Enda tensed, and he finally exploded over Jez’s hand as
those teeth grazed his flesh. Ropes of creamy, white cum covered
Jez’s hand and chest, dripping back down onto Enda. Enda stared up
at Jez through glazed eyes. Lifting his finger, he slid it through his
seed and sucked it from his fingers, a slow smile creeping over his
face.

* * * *

“Ah hell,” Jez murmured as he watched Enda lick the cum off his

finger. “I need inside you, love, now!”

Enda’s laugh rumbled up from his chest as he lifted his legs,

grasping his knees and giving Jez access to his most intimate of
places. Gathering the cum from his hands and chest, Jez dripped the
creamy fluids down Enda’s crease, sliding his finger down to circle
his sweet rosette. Jez grinned as his finger slid easily into that perfect
ass, so relaxed following the powerful orgasm his lover had
experienced. Slowly sliding in and out, he added another finger.

“I love you,” he whispered into Enda’s ear as his fingers slipped

over his sweet spot.

“Ahh God, yes, Jez!” Enda yelled, bucking his hips with the

pleasure Jez was giving him. “I love you back, always,” he
breathlessly gasped.

Spirit Found

Jez smiled, hiding the sadness behind his eyes. Why couldn’t this

amazing young wolf be his spirit walker? He knew down in the
depths of his soul his spirit walker was male, just not the lover in his
arms.

With three fingers now sliding easily in and out of Enda’s hole, he

slipped his fingers free. Enda’s hole fluttered, trying to keep his
fingers inside, and a soft groan left Enda’s lips at the loss.

“Nearly there, my love,” Jez assured him. “Just slick my cock

with your cum.” Enda wasted no time sliding his hands over Jez’s
hard, throbbing shaft.

“Now!” he demanded, and who was Jez to refuse?
Gripping his cock in his hand, he slid it over Enda’s pulsing hole.

Grabbing Enda’s hip with his other hand he pushed himself in. One
long, firm thrust, and he was balls deep in his lover’s ass. Holding
himself, he waited, sweat beading on his forehead and sliding down
his face and neck. Enda looked up at him, a wicked grin spreading
over his face.

“God, I love the way you fill me.”
Knowing he could now move, Jez slid his cock from Enda’s ass

till just the head remained. With his own smile in place, he slammed
back in again, setting a strong, steady rhythm. The warm heat that
surrounded his cock was driving him wild, and with every thrust Enda
clenched his ass, trying to grip tightly to his cock. He leaned in close
to his lover, trapping Enda’s newly engorged cock between their hot,
sweat-covered bodies, thrusting harder as he did so.

“Dig your claws in me!” he yelled at Enda, twisting his neck to

give easy access. As Enda sank his claws into Jez’s flesh, his cock
erupted between them. The sharp pain/pleasure that came with his
lover’s actions sent Jez tumbling over the edge into bliss—

Suddenly there was an evil shriek which shattered their hazy bliss.
“Sodomite! What the hell have you done to my son?”

* * * *

Ellen Quinn

“Oh, God,” Enda swore as his world suddenly exploded around

him.

Jez jumped up, roughly pulling his cock out of Enda. Enda winced

not only from the swift withdrawal, but from the fact his father, the
Alpha, and his two Betas had just witnessed the entire scene.

“It’s my fault. Do not blame Enda for this. He is a good man and

loyal to this pack and you, Edmond. I will take the punishment. Leave
him be,” Jez stated clearly staring the Alpha right in the eyes.

“Yes, it is your fault, but my son is not innocent in this act of

depravity. You disgust me and will face my justice and the wrath of
the pack,” Edmond spat back.

Enda had yet to even move. As he slowly sat up, he felt in a

strange way relieved. Their secret was out. He no longer had to
pretend that he was interested in the females of the pack. He was free.
With strength he didn’t realise he contained, he stood and placed his
hand on Jesmond’s shoulder.

“Thank you, my love, but we both know this is a joint and equal

partnership, and no one should take the blame when no crime has
been committed.” Enda smiled at his lover and placed a tender kiss on
his cheek.

“No crime! No crime!” Edmond yelled, “This is the most

dishonourable thing you could have done to me. Violating our laws
and degrading the entire pack with your unnatural acts!”

Edmond turned away, storming out of Enda’s one-roomed

cottage. At the door, he turned to his Betas and growled. “Take them,
chain them as they are, and call a pack meeting at the clearing one
hour before dawn.” He left with Nate, his best friend and Beta,
following close behind. No sooner had he gone than he was replaced
by pack guards who he’d obviously prepared beforehand to carry out
this task.

Spirit Found

Enda looked at Garrick, the second Beta, as he was roughly

chained in metal laced with silver, feeling it slowly drain the strength
from him.

“He knew?” he asked, waiting to see Garrick’s reaction. Garrick

looked at his feet. Was that shame on his face? He’d been like an
uncle to Enda as he’d grown up, and he knew he was fond of his
mother, though only in friendly manner as was befitting her status.

“No, he didn’t know, Enda,” Garrick replied quietly, making the

guards pause in their task. “He suspected because you were such close
friends with Jesmond.”

“How does Jez affect this?” Enda asked in confusion. This time

his lover replied for him.

“Because I have never shown any interest in the unmated females,

and I’m nearly fifty. How many other wolves do you know that have
reached my age without bedding at least one female?”

This was very true, Enda thought, but he had not really taken

notice because he felt the same way. Enda looked at Garrick, who
nodded, confirming Jez’s suspicions.

“Chain them to the rock in the clearing,” Garrick replied, picking

up the worn blanket off Enda’s bed. He passed it to Enda.

“We’re supposed to go as we are,” Enda said, looking into

Garrick’s eyes.

“Don’t fret about that now. Just take it. It’s only just after

midnight, and with the silver you won’t be able to shift. At least it
will keep off some of the chill before the meeting. Try and sleep. You
will need the rest.”

The guards pulled the chains attached to their hands and ankles,

leading them out. The silver was really taking effect now as they
barely managed to shuffle to a cart brought up outside the cottage.

“Get in,” one of the guards demanded. Enda had to help haul

Jesmond up as they refused to help them and Jez had no strength left
in his legs.

Ellen Quinn

Shackled to the stone, Enda grabbed Jez to him, holding him as

close as he could with the chain restrictions. He enclosed them in the
blanket, grateful of its small warmth and comforting smell.

“What happens now, I wonder?” Enda asked, not really wanting

or expecting a reply.

“If we are lucky, we will be expelled, but that is doubtful as there

are two of us, which gives us a far greater chance of survival.”

“But they don’t want us to survive, do they? Why is our love

deemed so wrong?” Enda asked, looking at his lover pressed tight
against his naked body under the old blanket.

“Our love is not wrong, no matter what the law or the human

churches say. I don’t believe love, intimacy, compassion, and great
sex,” he said with a small, sad smile, “can be wrong. We’ve hurt no
one. What we do together is our responsibility and should not
influence others in their opinions about us.”

“I agree, my love. But I get the feeling both the were and human

worlds are a long way from accepting us.” Enda looked down at his
lover’s upturned face and gently brushed his lips across Jez’s. “If we
survive the hunt, which I think we both know will be the outcome of
this morning’s meeting, can we make each other a promise?” Enda
continued.

Jez nodded towards Enda even though he had yet to say what he

wanted.

“If by some miracle we survive, I want to start our own pack.”
“Yes, yes, I’d love that,” Jez replied quickly.
“Wait till you’ve heard it all, my love.” Enda smiled at the

confused look on Jez’s face. What he was going to tell Jez was a
dream he’d had for quite some time. He may be young for a werewolf
at thirty-one, but he was going to change things if the Fates and luck
were on his side.

“I want a pack made up from like-minded men, who and what

they are will not be an issue. We would accept wolves, bears, any
type of cat or bird. Any were creature in fact, as long as they had the

Spirit Found

same outlook and were of a similar opinion as us. They would find a
safe refuge and acceptance from the pack, our pack.”

“It’s good to dream, Enda, and I promise you, though we are not

of one spirit, I will support you and stand at your side as a true pack
mate.” Jez said the words solemnly, but it was the position he’d put
Enda in that sent him reeling.

“Jez, it will be our pack, together.”
“No, my dear Enda, I am not Alpha material, whereas you have it

in spades. But discussing this now is silly. I believe they will set a
hunt on us, which means at sunrise we will be released. We will only
have the daylight hours during which to escape before the pack will
set off to hunt us down and kill us. I have an idea that with a lot of
luck and a fast pair of legs we might just make it. It’s what I was
planning on doing before my dreaded fiftieth. Then, my dear, sweet
lad, we can move onward and grab onto our dreams.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

* * * *

“We’ve heard the charges brought forward by the McCaffry Pack

Beta, Nathanial O’Donnell, and I can personally confirm them to be
true. As Alpha of our pack I sanction a hunt against Jesmond Kelly
and Enda John McCaffry for breaking pack laws and bringing
disgrace and dishonour upon us all. The hunt is to the death.”

Edmond stared at his son and his lover in disgust. They would be

destroyed this night. He would not tolerate sodomy within his pack or
a sodomite for a son. He wasn’t worried. He had five other strapping
sons, strong wolves, too. Just because Enda was the one with the steel
inside him to make an excellent warrior and Alpha didn’t matter. Hell,
Anna was pregnant again. She may not be his spirit walker, but she
was a damn good breeder, which was far more important than some
silly spirit-walker myth.

He just had needed to make sure they were caught.

Ellen Quinn

“As Jesmond accepted responsibility for these acts of depravity,

his mobility will be impeded. Nate, pass me the sword.” Edmond took
the weapon into his hand. An evil smile passed his face so quickly he
knew few, if any, would notice, and none would dare speak against
him as Alpha if they had.

“Hold out Jesmond’s right hand.”
“No, father, don’t...please,” Enda began to beg.
He swung the blade, and Jez let out a blood-curdling scream

before collapsing to the ground along with his severed right hand and
wrist.

“Stem the blood flow,” Edmond ordered, and the stump was tied

off and the wound sealed with the doctor pressing a hot iron over it.
He knew there would be no escaping now. A three-legged wolf was
not going to get far, especially as he was now unconscious.

“Release the outcasts. You have till sunset tonight, then the hunt

will commence.”

“You bastard!” Enda screamed as the chains fell from him. He

lunged at his father, but with his strength drained, Edmond kicked
him back to the ground. This is even better, he thought.

“For that misconduct, you are lucky that you are no longer a

member of the pack, otherwise, mongrel, you would now be dead.”
Looking at his guards he said coldly, “Rechain that mutt. He can wait
for his ‘boyfriend’ to free him.” Disgust rang from his voice as he led
his pack away.

* * * *

Enda stood naked and proud as the pack walked past him and his

lover, still unconscious on the ground. The looks he got were a
mixture of shame, pity, and fear. His father ruled through terror and
menace, and he knew no help would come from any of them.

Spirit Found

As soon as they passed, he sank to his knees to check his lover.

The stump was a sad sight, but werewolves regenerated lost limbs. It
just took time and was a very painful process.

“Jesmond, wake up, my love, we don’t have much time, and I

can’t leave without you.” He tried to release himself from the chains,
but in his much-weakened state it was not possible. “Damn you,
father, our love was not wrong,” he yelled to the heavens.

“You are quite right, my son,” came his answer from a quiet voice

through a small copse of trees beside the stones.

“Mam, what are you doing here? Father will punish you for

helping us,” Enda said. He would recognise his mother’s voice and
scent anywhere.

“You are my son, and as a mother it is my right to love and

protect you.”

“But look at what I’ve done.”
“Oh, hush now, boy, all you did was fall in love.” Only his mother

called him boy. He was well over six foot by a good four inches and
weighed two hundred eight pounds, but he was her little boy.

“There is no crime in loving somebody, especially a fine boy like

Jesmond.” She smiled at him, her eyes full of love. She had always
been his guardian angel, never judging or denying, just giving him
love and support whenever he needed it. “Come on, let’s get you free
and the two of you away from here.”

“Thank you,” Enda said simply.
“I love you, too, my son.” She smiled as she removed the

debilitating silver-laced chains. Once done, she tossed him some pants
and a shirt. “Get dressed then you can help me with Jesmond here.”

Within minutes they were both dressed. Enda, with his strength

returning, managed to pick up Jez.

“Follow me, love. If we go by cart to begin with, it will take your

scent from the road which will make it harder to find and follow. It
will also give Jez some time to come round.”

Ellen Quinn

Following his mother who, considering she was pregnant with cub

number nine, moved swiftly and with confidence, he came upon her
cart at the opposite side of pack lands.

“Lay him in the back of the cart, Enda, dear, and stay close. He

needs your warmth,” his mother instructed.

“Done,” was his short reply.
“Good. Now where were you two going to head to? I know you

will have had a plan. You are both far too intelligent to just run.”

“Aye, Mam, we were going to head to Ballymallea, then head

down to the coast, see if we could find a boat heading for Scotland.”

“Good, my boy, you’ll be quicker as wolves, but Jez needs a little

time to regain some strength. Though his hand will take a while to
regrow, he’ll still be able to run as a wolf.” She smiled down at him
and Jez. “I can get you some of the way. As long as I’m back before
sunset so I can make sure you get your time and they don’t begin
before the sun goes down.”

“Thank you,” Enda said quietly from beside his lover as the cart

moved away.

Spirit Found

Chapter Two

“You are an angel,” Enda said, hugging his precious mother.
“Will you both be okay?” she asked, worry written all over her

face.

“Yes, Mrs. McCaffry,” Jez replied, his voice shaky. But at least he

was now conscious. “I’ll be able to make it from here.”

“I’m no Mrs. McCaffry, sweetheart, and after today I never want

to be,” she spoke with great sadness.

“Mam, you can’t leave your spirit walker. You’re of one spirit

now, and to break that would mean you will die.” Enda could not
believe what he was hearing.

“Son, Edmond is not my spirit walker. I’m not allowed to be with

my spirit walker. Edmond wanted me as I came from a long line of
good breeders. All I’ve ever been to your father is a breeding bitch.”

“Where’s your spirit walker, then? He couldn’t leave you, could

he? You wouldn’t survive.” Enda growled. He felt horrified at this
news he was only just learning now.

“Oh no, my son, he will never leave me. He is part of the pack,

and as yet Edmond doesn’t know who he is. We bonded in secret and
have kept that secret ever since. We will both wait for a time when we
can be free, and it will come, on that I have no doubt.” She glanced
out towards the sea, with a sad, soft smile. “Now enough of this. I
need to get back to make sure you have every minute you need. Go
with speed and know my love goes with you.” Looking at Jesmond
and smiling, she added, “Both of you.”

Jumping down and giving them both a kiss, she shifted into a

beautiful wolf. She was a very pale golden brown with white flecks

Ellen Quinn

running all the way through her fur, highlighting her arctic wolf
ancestry. She left them, quickly disappearing into the undergrowth.

Enda watched her go, praying it wouldn’t be the last time he

would see her.

“We’d better get moving,” Jez said softly, breaking into his

thoughts.

“Yes, I know, love. How do you feel?”
“I’ll live if we make it. It’s only a bit of pain.” Jez tried to smile as

he said this, but the light failed to reach his eyes.

“Come on, then, we need to strip and shift. Do you want me to

carry your clothes? Your balance isn’t going to be great, and I can
manage it.”

Jez looked down with sorrow and what looked like shame in his

eyes.

“Stop that now, we’re a team. I love you, so let me help.” Enda

was accepting none of this. Jez nodded and carefully began to remove
his clothes.

“Okay, we’ve six hours left. Mam won’t let them start before

sunset,” Enda stated. “And as you said last night, with a lot of luck
and a fast pair of legs we’ll make it.” Then Enda grinned. “But we
have seven fast legs so we’ll be fine.”

Jez grinned and shifted, though not before Enda saw his grimace

of pain. Well, there was nothing they could do about it now. But as he
shifted, he said a prayer that his father would pay for his crimes
against him, Jez, and his beloved mother.

* * * *

It took far longer to get to the coast than Enda had hoped. Jez had

tried to hide his pain, but eventually it got to be too much, and he had
to pause. His limb had started to regenerate, and although it was
amazing to know Jez would not be maimed from his father’s attack,
he would go through immense pain in the process. Enda had been told

Spirit Found

it would feel like his whole limb, even the part that was missing, was
on fire and this agony would only dim when the entire process was
complete.

“We’ve not much time left, my love. It’s nearly sunset, and I

know my mother said she’d hold them back, but I doubt she would
have had much influence on my father and the guards.” Enda looked
at his lover, who was lying on the ground, licking his sprouting limb
and whimpering. “We’re not going to have time to get acquainted
with someone going to Scotland to work our passage over.” He didn’t
mention Jez’s handicap as this would mean he couldn’t work anyway.
Jez still hadn’t shifted back, knowing the pain would increase in his
human form.

Enda knew he needed to get off the isle and quick, and the only

way he could think of was by stealing a boat. He had no idea how to
sail, but in their present position, he’d take the boat over being ripped
to death any day.

“Stay as a wolf and in the shadows. Keep close and watch for my

signals. This could get tricky, especially if the pack are getting close.”
Without waiting for any response from Jez’s wolf, Enda started down
the coastal track to the fishing village in the small valley.

* * * *

For once the luck that they needed was at hand. The boats had

come in with tide and the harbour was full. Unfortunately, the tide
was now on its way out and the boats would be grounded soon. Enda
slipped down the harbour wall till he came to a small fishing vessel.
There were two men aboard tying up ropes and clearing the deck.

“What about the catch?” one of the fishermen asked.
“Leave it here. The market won’t be on till sunrise, and I need

some food and female company,” his mate replied, laughing at the
other man.

Ellen Quinn

“Guess its Sally’s tavern then, ’ay?” The men climbed out of the

boat and headed toward the town.

A loud howl broke though the quiet, cool evening. Enda tensed.

They must have set off at noon to be this close.

“Your mam will have got back okay,” Jez said from the edge of

the wall where he had shifted. Enda quickly handed him his clothes,
helping his lover slowly get dressed.

“Thanks. I know Mother will be fine. She’s far too clever to let

herself get caught,” Enda replied. He smiled at his lover as he helped
him towards the boat.

“What if they come back, Enda?” Jez worried.
“Nah, those boys were off to enjoy a hot meal and the wonders of

a lass called Sally, I think we’re safe if we’re quick. The wolves are
my biggest worry at the moment.” Enda paused and looked nervously
toward the hillside where the howl had come from. “Get in and I’ll
pull the boat to the edge of the harbour wall. If we can push away and
catch the current hopefully it will pull us out with the tide.” Enda
knew he sounded far more confident than he felt. What did he know
of tides? He could only hope.

He was at the edge off the harbour wall when the howl rang out

again. Jez frantically started pushing against the wall. He found a pole
from inside the boat, but he was unable to make good use of it with
only one hand. Enda threw in the rope he’d been pulling the boat
with, but just as he was about to jump, a growl erupted behind him.
Turning, he came face-to-face with his two eldest brothers.

“Where’s Father? Too old to keep up?” he taunted. He had to slow

them down so Jez could get away.

Eli shifted and laughed. “He’s back home waiting for the sunset,

you idiot, the Alpha can’t be seen breaking pack law.”

So that was how the old man had planned it. Brothers sloping off,

full of grief at what their father had gone through, the pack Alpha
then being so generous to forgive them for pursuing their brother and
Jez before sunset. Enda spat on the ground in disgust at his father’s

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probable actions. What did it matter since the end result would be the
same.

Well, if this was it, he was taking at least one of them out with

him. Suddenly, another growl erupted, and a large wolf jumped over
his brothers, tackling Enda to the ground, rolling them over as it tried
to get to Enda’s throat. Unfortunately, the edge of the wall was close
and the wolf and man ran over the edge. The cold hit Enda like a
battering ram, leaving him too shocked to shift.

“Nate, Nate, leave him. It’s too cold, and they won’t survive out

there. We’ve done our job and there won’t be any bodies, either,” Eli
said, smirking at Enda struggling in the icy water.

Nate pulled away, scrambling to the side where Eli and Evan

pulled him out of the water.

“Come on, Enda, get to the boat. The tide’s pulling us out. We can

make it,” Jez called desperately from the boat. Enda was no swimmer,
but his wolf knew so he copied the basics. Jez grabbed him with his
good arm and hauled him into the boat just as the tide pulled it out of
the harbour.

“Get out of those clothes, love, otherwise you’ll freeze. Stay

conscious and try to shift. Your coat will keep you warm. Our skin’s
damp but our fur won’t be.” Enda struggled to understand, but when
finally naked he shifted and curled up in the stern of the boat. Jez
soon followed after him. Enda’s last thoughts before he let
unconsciousness take him were more of a prayer that they actually did
end up somewhere rather than drowning.

Wolves could be heard howling in the distance.

* * * *

Enda’s eyes cracked open. His wolf form had kept him warm

through the night. Jez’s had too. Enda smiled feeling the warm body
against him. Looking up, he stared into the large hulk of a ship that
seemed to be towing them along. Shifting quickly and pulling on his

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pants, he looked over to see the bow rope attached to the boat ahead.
As he reached to tug the rope free, a voice drifted down from above.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, my ’ansome. You being a long

way out and these waters are not always welcoming, especially to our
kind.”

“Shit!” Enda cursed. He’d just shifted in full view of a ship

containing god knows who.

“Stop fretting, son, we all be of a kind on The Lady Jane.” The

man smiled down at them. “Yea ready t’come aboard?”

“We might as well, Enda.” Jez’s hesitant response quietly reached

his ears. Looking down at Jez he saw he had shifted also but was
completely naked. “We’re not going to get very far on our own, and
he did say our kind. They could be shifters, too.”

Enda knew he was right, plus his friend needed rest. Friend...?

When had he started to think of Jez as his friend and not lover? He
shook himself and looked down. “Okay,” he said quietly to Jez,
helping him slip on his pants before turning and giving the nod to the
man on the main vessel.

“Okay, boys, pull ’em up.” Suddenly the boat was hoisted clean

out of the water by its bow and stern ropes, scraping up the side of the
other ship. Enda was thrown on his ass by the wayward swing, much
to Jez’s amusement. Enda couldn’t get annoyed. It was the first
laughter that had come from Jez’s lips in a long while.

“Sailors.” He mumbled, “You just can’t find a crew these days.”

Jez’s eyes rolled back as he continued smiling at Enda’s mishap.

* * * *

Enda sat on the deck with Jez, looking at the biggest men he had

ever seen. Not only that but they were identical and hot! The only
difference he could make out was that one had slightly more red in his
hair. Both were naked from the waist up and that same brown hair
was covering their chests, unfurling down their abs to disappear into

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the top of very low-lying pants. Wow, Enda thought, no wonder they
could lift them straight out of the water. Their biceps were as thick as
his thighs!

“Hello,” he said trying to sound pleasant, not sure of his reception.
“I’ll have the blond. You can have the brunette, hey bro?” the

more ginger of the pair said, grinning broadly at what had to be his
twin brother.

“Leave them alone, boys,” the smaller man spoke as he came out

of a small cabin that was at the stern of the boat. “Sorry about that,
gentleman, Gregor here and his quieter brother, Alden, can get a little
overzealous with new recruits.”

Enda had no idea what was going on. He looked toward his friend

who was barely conscious. The pain was obviously increasing as his
limb was really starting to grow, but it would be a good few days
before the worst was over. If nothing else he had to help his friend.

“Look, I don’t know what you want from us, but my friend here is

in agony. Could you possibly let him rest? He lost his hand and it’s
still very painful,” Enda pleaded for his friend.

Alden jumped forward, concern written all over his face. “Does he

regenerate?” he asked Enda, clearly understanding Jez was in no real
condition to talk at that moment.

“Yes, he will, but it’s only been just over a day, so the worst is yet

to come,” Enda said, latching onto the concern in the man’s eyes.

“That’s bloody painful,” the other brother stated, sympathy clear

in his face.

Enda suddenly felt at ease. These men were not here to abuse

them. They’d just started out by having a little fun. It had been so
long since Enda had been able to be lighthearted he’d obviously
forgotten how.

“Get one of the bottles of the brandy we’ve collected. With him

being a shifter it won’t really get him drunk, but it should cool down
some of the burn.” The smaller man looked at Alden. “Put him in one
of the bunks and keep an eye on him, I’m going to turn us round and

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head for home. We’ve collected enough for this trip. We can always
head out again later in the year.”

“Aye, aye, Captain Feathers.” Gregor grinned as went off to do

what was necessary. Alden laughed as he picked up Jez effortlessly
and carried him below deck.

Enda stood looking at the man whom they’d called Captain

Feathers. “Thank you,” he said, grateful that they at least seemed safe
for the time being.

The man smiled. “We are not your enemies, and if my gut feeling

is right, and I’m seldom wrong, we are going to be quite a team.”

Enda thought about his dream pack. Were these like-minded men?

With what the brothers had joked about, it could be a possibility.
Maybe there could be a way to a more accepting and secure future.

* * * *

“Come on below, Gregor can handle things up here. If he needs

help, he’ll yelp,” the smaller man said.

“I don’t yelp, I growl!” yelled Gregor. Both Enda and the smaller

man laughed.

“Bloody shifter hearing,” the man said as he sat down in some sort

of galley area. “Here, have some mead. You look like you could use a
drink.”

“Yes, thanks, Captain Feathers.” Enda gratefully took the tanker.
“Well, I guess it’s about time I introduced myself properly.

Captain is an old nickname that I’m still trying to lose.”

“Sorry,” Enda replied quickly, hoping he hadn’t upset the man.
“Don’t worry, mate, I’m used to it. My name is Craig Kashmerle,

but everyone here calls me Kash.” At least now Enda had a name for
his rescuer. “Kashmerle wasn’t the name I was born with. I don’t
rightly remember that one, but this one I inherited from my lover, a
great man who sadly is no more.”

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“I guess he wasn’t your spirit walker?” Enda asked, wondering

again about Jez’s beliefs.

“No, he wasn’t, nor was he a shifter. He was human, so he only

had a short life span.”

“I’m sorry.” Enda sympathised. Much as he felt for Kash’s loss, it

was also nice to realise both he and Jez were not likely to be
victimised by these men. It was more like the start of a very strong
pack. If he could get them to accept his and Jez’s idea, he didn’t even
care if Kash wanted to be Alpha.

“So, lad,” Kash interrupted his thoughts. “What’s your story?”
Well, this was it. What to tell the man? He seemed to have opened

up some to him, probably in the hope to get him to do the same.
Maybe now was the time to take a leap of faith and trust someone
with the truth...

* * * *

“And that’s how we ended up in the water on that boat,” Enda

finished. Kash had listened to every word, not interrupting throughout
the story. Alden had joined them halfway through, and he also had
remained silent. The only thing Enda had left out was his and Jez’s
hope of their unique pack. He’d wait to share that one when Jez was
with him.

“Welcome to our world,” Alden said, smiling warmly at Enda.

Enda raised an eyebrow. So it was true then, he thought.

Alden laughed, looking like he had heard Enda’s thoughts. “Yes,

we’re like minded. Gregor and I were thrown out of our family clan
and sold for wanting to be with men. Kash found us being used as
slave labour. He and Matt gave us back our freedom and we’ve
worked alongside them ever since.”

“I guess you now have two new recruits, to man this Lady for

you.” Enda smiled. His pack may well come together yet. “But what
exactly do you do?”

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Kash smiled. “Well, for the past two hundred years we’ve been

pirates.”

* * * *

It took another three days to get back to Scotland. Enda had no

idea how far they had travelled in the small fishing boat, but it had not
been in the direction of Scotland. The Lady Jane had been heading
back from the Caribbean and America and had decided to check out if
there were any merchant ships off the coast of Britain with easy
pickings when they’d come across the wolves.

Jez and Enda had been firmly accepted as part of the crew,

especially as they had brought bounty with them, a boat, and fish!
Enda had found out that Gregor and Alden were brown bears and
Kash was a fish eagle. So having an easy supply of their favourite
food went down really well in the galley on their boat.

Jez came up on deck when Kash had said they were nearly home.

He stood next to Enda, his skin still pale, but his wrist and hand had
now grown back. They were still just skin and bone, but the flesh was
slowly increasing, and now Jez was eating more it should be complete
in two or three more days.

“Enda,” Jez murmured quietly. “Why are we heading straight for

the cliffs?”

Enda had been so lost in thought he hadn’t realised how close they

were to the sheer, slate-grey cliffs off western Scotland. Suddenly, the
stern of the ship swung round sharply, causing Jez and Enda to
stagger along the side of the ship, barely managing to keep upright.
The ship carefully slid between the two overlapping cliffs into a large
cove.

“Amazing,” Enda said.
“Bet’cha didn’t see that one coming,” Gregor said, grinning from

ear to ear.

“No, we didn’t,” answered Jez, shaking his head in disbelief.

Spirit Found

“Welcome to Kashmerle and your new home!” Kash announced

to them both.

“You live in this cove?” asked Enda, totally confused. There was

a small stone dock with steps leading up. These had been cut from the
stone and led to a cave entrance, but that was it. There was nothing
else there.

“Look up, the pair of you,” Alden told them.
“Oh my God,” they both said in perfect unison. The cove’s cliff

was not just a cliff. It formed what looked like the outer wall of a
huge castle. “Who was your partner, Kash?” Enda asked.

“Why, the Duke of Kashmerle,” Kash replied.

Ellen Quinn

Chapter Three

Present-day Edinburgh, Scotland

Daniel trembled as he considered what he was about to do. He’d

be giving up everything, his training and career as a goldsmith and
working in his father’s business, Kingdom’s Emporium. With that had
come a secure salary and a home which provided cooked meals,
clothes, a hairstylist and his friends. Hell, he was even provided with
appropriate dates. If his dad could control it, he’d have been told who
he could sleep with. Now, that last part he really couldn’t wait to give
up. He snorted at his own thoughts whilst standing behind the counter
in his father’s impressive store. Some of the items on sale he had
designed himself. He loved working in gold to create stylish and
elaborate pieces of jewellery. As an apprentice his work was not sold,
but his designs were used by others. Not that his father had even
noticed any of it. The profit margins were what interested him, and
Daniel didn’t really enjoy that side of the business. He was simply a
goldsmith, not the business tycoon.

Coming out to his father had been a laugh. As far as his father was

concerned, all boys went through a gay phase through boarding
school and university, very Brideshead Revisited. Daniel had failed to
come out of this phase due to his lack of maturity, and it would still
pass. Consequently, to encourage the passing of his phase, Daniel was
constantly surrounded by suitable women. Now don’t get him wrong,
he had nothing against women. Some were lovely. But not to share
your life, hopes, and bed with.

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What Daniel hated most of all was his choices being ignored. He

hadn’t been beaten up, thrown out, or any of the things he read about
in his erotic books. But that didn’t mean he should be grateful that his
family chose to ignore his homosexuality and try and force their way
of life upon him.

It had taken two years to be ready to go, opening a private bank

account in which to slip money away. He now owned a car in his new
legal name, courtesy of deed poll. He’d even managed to secure a job
and, with the help of his new employers, a small cottage to live in. As
of five o’clock when the doors of Kingdoms closed, Daniel was
leaving. His new car was packed and ready to go. Larger items he’d
either sent ahead or ordered new and would arrive tomorrow morning.
He started trembling again, this time with excitement and not just
fear.

“Ah, son, there you are,” his father stated from behind him.
“Father, what do you want?” Daniel demanded, trying to calm his

heart rate down from the shock.

“I’d be careful, son. That is no way to address your father.”

Without waiting for a reply, Daniel’s father just kept on talking at
him. “Your stepmother and I have decided to hold a reception this
evening. The Fort-Worthins will be there with their daughter, Olivia. I
expect you there, seven o’clock sharp.”

“Why do you want me there, Father?” Daniel asked, both worried

and confused. He was normally never asked to these events. His older
brother, Charles, and his wife, Fiona, usually did the social thing.

“Because, my boy, it is time for you to grow up. We are going to

announce your engagement to Olivia this evening for a late-June
wedding.” His father smiled smugly. “You will not be late.” As his
father walked away, he called over to one of his several PAs, “Remus,
make sure the boy gets home and dresses appropriately.” Lawrence
Charles Kingdom left the store with a very self-satisfied smirk upon
his face.

Ellen Quinn

“Shit, shit, shit,” Daniel muttered under his breath. What was he

going to do now? He could not, would not go to this stupid reception.
He wasn’t going to marry Olivia or any other woman for that matter.
He knew why his father had picked Olivia. The Fort-Worthins owned
mines all over the world, and some of the most spectacular stones
came from them. There was only the Kashmerle Company that could
better them in the UK, and really, Kashmerle was an international
distributer of both gems and gold, not just nationwide. It was one of
the reasons he decided to move to Kashmerle. His father would never
think he’d pick something so obvious, and the rumours one heard
about the place in the local gay magazines might make it ideal for
Daniel and keep his father away.

Still, he had to get past Remus first. The little, nauseating man

smiled up at him from his side.

“When do you finish, Mr. Kingdom?” Remus asked in his

smarmy voice.

“Not till five, I’m afraid.” Okay, so it was already twenty-five to,

but he could try and put him off.

“That’s all right, I can wait.” He smiled again at Daniel.
Finally, five o’clock came. Daniel locked the cabinets in his

section, secured the individual alarms, and handed the keys in to
security.

“You ready to go now, Mr. Kingdom? We really must get a move

on.” Remus was now fidgeting and shuffling about nervously.

“Nearly, Remus, I just need my coat from the locker room. Just

wait here. I won’t be a minute.”

“I’ll wait outside.”
Daniel smiled. He had a chance. There was a fire escape from the

back of the locker room. It opened out onto the back lane where he’d
left his car this morning. He hadn’t wanted anyone to notice his new
car, especially packed with boxes. The lane was a private road
belonging to Kingdoms and used specifically for deliveries, though
staff did park there if the underground car park was full. If he could

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get out and away before Remus became suspicious and came looking
for him, he might make it. He had to try. Heaven only knew when
he’d get his next chance to escape.

Grabbing his coat with his wallet and keys from his locker, Daniel

ran down to the fire escape. Pushing the door open he heard the sirens
explode throughout the store.

Shit, shit, shit.
He’d forgotten the alarms. He raced out of the doors running for

his Ford Focus, ignoring Remus’s call from behind him. Bless his
little car. She started the first time as he headed to the end of the lane
and freedom. As he moved out into the main flow of traffic, he saw
the store being evacuated. Oh dear, heads were going to roll when
they worked out what had happened. He chuckled to himself. He’d
done it!

“Good-bye, David Daniel Kingdom, hello Daniel King!” he said

to himself with a smile.

* * * *

Five hours later, Daniel turned off the main road to head down to

Kashmerle. He had no idea what this final road was going to be like.
This place was so out of the way, the last town he passed was
Lochailort, a place he never knew existed until today. It looked pretty
bleak, apart from the fact that the road was in excellent condition.
Some council or someone wanted good access to Kashmerle, and for
that, Daniel was forever grateful.

He wondered how his father’s reception was going, especially

after the fire alarms had gone off at Kingdoms. He’d heard on the
radio that his escape had been put down as either a prankster leaving
from a fire door or a failed robbery attempt, using the alarms as a
distraction. His father probably knew it was him courtesy of good ole
Remus, but the shame of having one of his sons implicated would not
be allowed. Daniel felt sorry for the disruption he had caused. He

Ellen Quinn

hadn’t wanted the involvement the fire brigade and police. All he
wanted was the freedom to live his own life.

Suddenly, a large wall around ten feet high appeared in the

distance, and two huge pillars with impressive iron gates crossed the
road with the wall spreading out from them. He was here. William
and Percy, his new employers had said he would know he had arrived
by the entrance gates and surrounding wall. Daniel smiled. Go
straight through, they’d said, stay on the main road, and he’d see the
shop William and Percy’s Outfitters on the right in the centre of town.
He hoped they were still there, as he did not want to sleep in his car
tonight.

* * * *

As Daniel approached the gates, doubts began to creep in. The

gates were closed. Would he be able to open them? He wasn’t a large
man, but he kept himself fit so he had some strength. Though, his
five-foot-eight frame now looked rather pathetic compared to those
huge iron gates. He slowly approached in his car when the ground
started to shake. As he looked ahead the gates started sinking into the
ground. He gripped the steering wheel to stop his hands from
trembling. He was determined to continue, and there was no going
back to Edinburgh.

“I’ll be fine. I will be fine. Everything will be fine...” he kept

repeating to himself as he carefully drove over the gate. He refused to
look behind when he heard the gate rumbling back into place. He just
did not want to know what happening. He lived in a normal world
where gates just opened themselves, of course he did.

The town opened up like an oasis in the desert. Shops lined the

main street, with areas of housing dotted all around. Apart from the
stores, most of the properties seemed small and very rustic, stonewalls
and slate roofs, no bricks or tiles anywhere. He saw immediately the
gentlemen’s outfitters of William and Percy. He’d laughed when he’d

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first heard its description, but having seen it now, William and Percy
had it right. The whole town was like stepping back in time a hundred
years, but with modern lighting and obviously modern facilities, as
he’d applied for the job via the web address on the advert.

He pulled to a stop outside the shop, unsure of his next move. It

was approaching eleven o’clock, much later than he had anticipated.
Looking into the store was difficult as it had those small Georgian
windows that when it was dark were difficult to see through.

“Come on, Daniel, they said just knock when you arrive. How bad

could it be?” he told himself as he got out of his car.

He knocked on the door before he noticed the bell, which he then

rang, too. Great, now he’d sound impatient.

Lights suddenly came on in the far left of the shop, and he could

hear muffled grunts and then a loud “Stop it” coming from inside the
building. The main doors were all glass and Daniel had a clear view
of the men inside.

The two men who looked to be in their fifties were coming down

the stairs at the side of the store whilst getting dressed at the same
time. The one in front seemed to be the one complaining, while his
companion was giggling and trying to grab his ass from behind.

“I mean it, William. If you don’t behave there will be no pudding

for you. This must be Daniel, and I want to make a good impression,”
said the one who he now assumed was Percy.

“Oh, my darling, how could you make anything but?” William

asked as he reached the main floor before grabbing Percy for a
passionate kiss.

Daniel smiled as the two men lost themselves in their tight

embrace. If only he could find that, someone to love and tease, to
share his life with, both in work and play. Some thought living and
working with your partner had to be a bad idea, yet here was proof
that it worked just fine.

Ellen Quinn

Daniel could see the kiss was getting hotter and really didn’t

believe they were putting on a show. They had just completely
forgotten he was there.

He knocked again. “Hello? Is anyone home?” he called at the door

as though he hadn’t seen them.

“Oh, William, my love,” Percy breathlessly replied. “We need to

answer the door.” William slowly put his lover down and grinned
toward Daniel at the door. Daniel smiled. William had known exactly
what he was doing and had obviously enjoyed every minute.

Percy opened the door, “Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said, still a little

flustered. William just carried on grinning.

I’m going to like these two, Daniel thought before smiling and

saying, “Hi, I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

“It’s all right sweetheart, we hadn’t had pudding yet,” William

answered, wiggling his eyebrows at Daniel.

“Will you give over, you silly man,” Percy admonished, shaking

his head.

It had taken less than five minutes, but Daniel knew these two

men would own a piece of his heart. He could imagine them as the
two uncles you had to invite to every family gathering as they’d have
everyone in stitches from the moment they stepped through the door.

“Come on, sweetie, we’ll show you to your new home. It’s up

Castle Road,” Percy began.

“It’s on the road up to the castle,” William added.
“You’ll get used to William. Sometimes he isn’t all there,” Percy

responded as they headed out of their shop. “You follow us in your
car, sweetheart. Is that okay?”

“No problem. Thank you,” Daniel replied, trying and failing not to

laugh as the two men walked out of the shop and round the side of the
building, one in pyjamas and slippers, and the other in boxers, boots,
and a T-shirt. It was cold, but it obviously made no difference to these
two. Did people walk around like this in Kashmerle or had he met the

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town’s two eccentrics? He didn’t care. He liked them. He started up
his car and waited for them to reappear.

A sudden growling noise erupted from the side of the building.

What on earth were they driving, a dragon?

No, they were riding a huge Triumph motorbike with sidecar.

They had old-fashioned lids, and Percy was waving wildly at him
from in the sidecar. William, in his boxers and boots, was on the bike.
That can’t be safe, Daniel thought and hoped they’d take it slowly as
they whizzed down Main Street before turning sharply up what he
hoped was Castle Road.

* * * *

His home turned out to be a small end cottage. It was at the end of

a terrace that laced farther up toward the castle. Compared to his
father’s house it was tiny, but as far as Daniel was concerned, it was
perfect. The front door opened into the main room, where a fire was
already going in the hearth. Along the back wall was an archway that
looked through to a kitchen. Along the left-side wall was a curved,
wooden staircase which must lead to the bedroom and bathroom. He
couldn’t have been happier.

“Thank you so much,” he cried, the day finally getting to him,

exhaustion creeping into his bones.

“You’re okay, sweetie,” Percy said, giving him a gentle hug.

“We’ve put a camp bed up in the main bedroom, with bedding all set
up.”

“There’s milk, bread, jam, and stuff in the fridge, and tea, coffee,

and sugar in the jars. We didn’t know what you’d like so we just got a
few basics,” William added almost shyly.

“That’s wonderful. Thank you again, so much.” Daniel couldn’t

believe how thoughtful they’d been. He’d been expecting to sleep on
the floor in his sleeping bag. This was luxury.

Ellen Quinn

“Now we’ll leave you in peace. Kenneth Pendragon runs the

supermarket. He’ll be open at six if you need anything. If it’s not on
his shelves, he will have it in his back storeroom, so never panic,”
Percy explained. “Now we don’t want to see you tomorrow, so
unpack, get yourself settled, and then join us for Sunday dinner. Is
about five-ish okay, love?” Percy turned his head, asking William.

“Yes, dear, five is fine,” William answered, smiling at Daniel.
“Good, sorted, we’ll see you then.” Percy hugged Daniel again

giving him a sound kiss on his lips before walking out the door. He
was followed by William who did exactly the same, dropping the
keys into his hands as he left.

What a wonderful pair, Daniel thought as the two men raced off

on their bike.

* * * *

Bang, bang, bang.
“What the hell!” Daniel said to himself, checking his watch. Five

past six, it was only five past six in the morning. Who on earth calls
at this time?

“I am coming,” Daniel shouted as he grabbed his work slacks

from the floor. He had nothing else, as he’d not bothered unpacking
his car last night.

He opened his front door to be met by two of the stockiest men

he’d ever seen. They were practically square. Neither was excessively
tall, maybe five ten or eleven, but Daniel would swear their muscles
had muscles. Yum!

“Hello, are you Mr. King?” one asked.
“Yes, that’s me,” Daniel answered, still unsure what they wanted.
“We’re Hamish and Duncan Potterton. We’re here to deliver your

furniture.”

“At six in the morning?” Daniel asked incredulously.
“Aye, Pa said to load up last night so we could get an early start.”

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Daniel looked down the road, and sure enough, parked behind his

Ford was a large, black eight wheeler with “Potterton and Sons”
emblazoned on the side. It didn’t look like the men were going to
leave anytime soon, so he reckoned he might as well set, too.

“Give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll move my car for you,”

Daniel said, stepping back inside.

“Doesn’t have to get dressed for me,” one of the brothers

murmured as Daniel sped up stairs.

What was this place like? he wondered.
Three hours and nearly a jar of coffee later, everything had been

unloaded, assembled, and put in the correct place right down to the
Tunisian carpets he’d sent to Potterton’s for delivery.

“Thanks, guys, you’ve been amazing. I’d have never got all this

assembled without you.”

“No trouble,” Hamish said. He’d managed to work out who was

who finally. Hamish had the huge dragon tattoo all over his back, and
Duncan, if he had any, was keeping them hidden.

“Are you coming out for a beer later?” Duncan asked.
“Yeah, the Slug and Lettuce have got that Irish fiddle player

again, should be fun,” Hamish added.

Daniel was going to refuse, but then he realised this wasn’t

Edinburgh and if he wanted to go down to the pub, why not! “Okay,”
he answered. “Where is it?”

“Oh, we’ll show you. We’ll pick you up at about seven, okay?”
“Thanks. That would be great.”
“See you then!” both brothers said in unison, winking at him as

well.

Daniel smiled as he watched the truck go past. This place was

amazing, a little strange, what with those gates and the complete
openness of people. No one in Edinburgh road a motorbike in
pyjamas and slippers or seemed so happy at six o’clock in the
morning. There was something else, too, something he felt but
couldn’t explain almost like having pins and needles but on the

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outside tickling his skin. He knew he was being silly this was his new
start. The place and the people seemed just fine, no airs and graces,
just honest people doing their best.

* * * *

It had taken him ages to get ready. He wanted to wear jeans, but

his only pair was really heavy, and his father’s housekeeper had
ironed creases down the front, like a pair of suit trousers. How nerdy
could he get? So now he stood in the main room in a pair of blue
chinos and a lilac button-down shirt. Hey, he was gay, and he liked
lilac. Go Daniel, he thought.

A loud knock came from the door. He grabbed his wallet, keys,

and favourite leather jacket and headed out into his new hometown.

“Are we walking?” Daniel asked the brothers when he saw no

vehicle outside.

“No point in using a car,” Duncan replied. “The Slug’s not far and

this way and you can have a drink. You are over eighteen?” Duncan
asked, grinning at Daniel. He was going to have to watch himself
here.

The Slug was indeed just farther down Main Street, and it was

packed.

“Here, what do you want? I’ll get the drinks, and Duncan can find

us some seats,” Hamish said.

“Thanks for giving me the easy job, bro,” Duncan grumbled.

Hamish just laughed.

“Stella’s fine, thank you,” Daniel spoke up.
“That’s what I like to see, a boy with manners,” a man spoke out,

slapping Daniel on his back and nearly sending him to the floor.
Daniel looked up into what had to be another Potterton, they looked
so similar.

Spirit Found

“Pa, be careful, you nearly flattened him,” Duncan said. “Daniel,

this is my father, Ambrose Potterton. Pa, this is Daniel King, the chap
we delivered the furniture to this morning.”

“Nice to meet you, young man. Me and the missus are sat round

the back. Come and join us. There’s more room back there.” With
that, Ambrose grabbed Daniel’s arm and ploughed through the crowd
in the pub, knocking Daniel into several men.

“Sorry, sorry,” he kept saying until they arrived in what looked

like a back alcove with booths and tables.

“You’ll have to come here for lunch sometime. Mac and Jason,

the owners, serve a mean menu,” Duncan said, noticing Daniel
looking around.

“Aye, as long as you like it hot!” a woman said in the corner

booth.

“Hi, Ma,” Duncan said. “Daniel, this is our ma, Margaret.”
“Hello, Mrs. Potterton, it’s lovely to meet you,” Daniel replied.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, lad, call me Maggie.” She stood up and

gave him a hug. “What a charming fellow, I may just keep you,” she
said as she finished laughing. Daniel just stood there totally confused.

“Here we go, boys and girls,” Hamish said as he arrived back with

their drinks.

Much later, Daniel started to droop with so little sleep in the last

few days and the trauma of his move. He was struggling to keep his
eyes open. Suddenly, there a loud cry of “Mine!” from the main room,
and some loud shouts and what sounded like a fight erupting. Daniel
rose from his seat, worried about the noise and not wanting Maggie
being caught up in a barroom brawl. He was old fashioned that way
and didn’t like ladies hurt.

“What is Enda up to now?” Ambrose asked, shaking his head.
“Maybe it’s time to head back home, love,” Maggie suggested,

and Daniel agreed with her.

“Would you mind if I go, too?” Daniel asked. He did not want to

stay in a pub full of angry men, gay, straight, or otherwise, though for

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some reason beyond him there was an amazing smell coming from the
front of the pub, and he was really drawn to it. I’m losing it, he
thought, looking back down at Maggie.

“Sure, love,” Maggie answered. “Come on, we’ll head out the

back and leave those fools to sort it all out.”

“I’ll be with you in a minute,” Ambrose shouted as he headed in

to the main bar with his sons.

“Aye, I’ve heard that before, Ambrose Oswald Potterton,” Maggie

said as she left the pub with Daniel.

They said their good-byes at the start of Castle Road after Maggie

completely refused to let him walk her home. So Daniel walked up
the hill to his cottage. It wasn’t far, but as he walked he noticed the
same beautiful aroma from the pub. It smelt of honey and fresh-baked
bread on a crisp, clear autumn day. It was wonderful. And the pull he
felt to go toward it was really strange.

Sinking into his bed, he wondered where it had come from. He

hadn’t seen a bakery. He eventually gave up, finding his mind
wandering back to the pub. Was the Enda that Ambrose had
mentioned the Enda McCaffry of Kashmerle Company? Now that
would be impressive. The man was a legend in the goldsmith world.
He was the biggest bullion dealer in Britain and pretty prominent in
the world markets. He’d looked into the company while studying at
college. There was little really known about the man outside of his
business dealings, dealings that must have been passed down through
the family as Kashmerle had been round for many years. He knew his
father had made his acquaintance, but he had never had the chance to
meet him. He had seen photos in Fortune magazine and boy did he
make Daniel’s mouth water. With this last thought in his head and a
smile on his face, he finally let sleep take him.

Spirit Found

Chapter Four

Enda stared out of the south-tower window. It was his birthday

and he was now two hundred and one. He’d had these rooms in the
south tower for a hundred and seventy years. When he had arrived
they were bloody cold to live in, especially as his lover at the time had
called a halt to their intimate relationship. Having gone through what
they had up to then and saying, “We need to move on, Enda, search
for our spirit walkers,” had seemed harsh, and where did that get
either of them? Alone. Enda hadn’t been a monk, especially since
Kashmerle had become known as a safe haven for gay shifters. Hell,
even humans had latched onto the place. Look at the Pottertons.
They’d moved here for their gay sons. He’d even enjoyed a time or
two with Duncan.

He still missed Jez, although it was more the relationship they’d

shared than just the sex. Jez spent most of his time abroad these days
working for Kashmerle Industries, an aspect of the company that Jez
had set up. He invested in overseas projects and commercially viable
businesses specifically with shifter communities in mind. Jez was in
India at present, working with a small group of Bengal tiger shifters.
He’d even been known to return with a few. They now had four more
wolves and a snow leopard. They had a cat in the pack. He smiled and
shook his head. Sunan was such a shy, quiet thing, yet he produced
some of the most exquisite pieces of jewellery he’d ever seen. He was
the sole reason the company had gone into producing actual pieces
rather than just supplying high-quality gold and gems. Their
collection of collected gold and gems, as Kash always said, had barely
been dented since they’d decided they’d rather not hang for being

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pirates. Kashmerle was a world-renowned company, and no one in the
pack would ever be in need. Well, not materially, anyway.

“Enda, you ready, mate?” Gregor yelled from the stairwell.

Subtlety was lost in that man. “Ben and Bryant are coming too, so
shift yourself!”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll come,” he replied, heading down the stairs.
“Hey, don’t put out on my account. I’ve seen you naked. Not a

pretty sight,” answered Gregor, laughing as he headed out with Alden
and the Rider brothers, the two young wolf shifters that had arrived
some years ago.

They’d already left by the time he got down. But he wasn’t alone.
“Happy Birthday, Enda,” Jez said from the doorway.
“When did you get back?” Enda asked, giving his best friend a

fierce hug.

“Yesterday, and he’s been hiding ever since.” Kash laughed as he

came up behind them, slapping both on their backs. “Now I’m sure
someone mentioned alcohol, and even if you lot aren’t, I’m feeling
lucky tonight.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here and celebrate this old man’s

birthday,” Jez stated.

“I’d be careful, laddie, he’s younger than both of us,” Kash joked

as they left the castle to walk into town.

* * * *

“What is that?” Enda asked stopping in the middle of Castle Road.
“What are you talking about, Enda?” Jez asked as both men

turned round to look at him.

“That smell, it’s...Wow, I can’t explain it, it’s just...wow,” Enda

stammered.

“He’s lost it.” Kash laughed.
“I know what it is,” Jez said quietly. “He’s been looking for this

for the last one hundred and seventy years.”

Spirit Found

“What?” Kash asked, “I’m confused.”
“Do you think it is?” Enda asked the two men, a growing

awareness spreading through his bones.

“Only you can know, Enda,” Jez replied.
“It is, it has to be.” Enda shook his head, not understanding,

daring to hope.

“What’s the problem?” Kash looked completely lost.
Enda couldn’t wait and he rushed off towards the row of cottages.

Jez and Kash followed him.

“The scent must not be strong enough to fix the bond,” Jez

answered Kash’s comment as the stood with Enda in front of the end
cottage.

“It’s from here, it started here. Who lives here? Why haven’t I

smelt them before? I’ve walked down this road so many times but
never like this.” Enda sniffed and then looked at his men. Kash and
Jez stared at each other and grinned. “Come on, let’s go,” Enda
moaned.

“This could be fun,” Kash said as they set off after their mate.

* * * *

Enda stood outside the Slug. His spirit walker was inside. The

scent had gotten stronger and stronger the closer he got. Kash and Jez
arrived, looking at him curiously.

“What if he’s just passing through?” he asked them, looking at

the door.

“No one passes through Kashmerle, Enda, you know that. The

roads to Kashmerle don’t lead anywhere. We’re on an isolated
peninsula you can only get out the way you come in and the gates are
enchanted.

Even the fishermen are down to two boats out of Singing

Sands,” Kash tried to explain.

“Yeah, he must have moved here,” Jez said. “Any new businesses

come to town recently, or jobs advertised?” he asked.

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“No new businesses apart from Sunan’s jewellery enterprise

‘Klassic Designs.’ Though, both Willow’s restaurant and W&P’s are
after staff,” Enda told them. As Alpha, he knew what was happening
in their territory, but trusted the individuals on whom they hired,
keeping in mind the feelings of the pack. Before each full moon there
was an open forum where people discussed what was going on. That’s
how he knew those details, but the next one wasn’t for another week,
so he reckoned that would be when he’d find out more.

“Well, it’s probably one of the new employees,” Kash said.
“Let’s get in and meet him,” Jez said.
“Him, God, I hope so.” Enda opened the door to a packed Slug.

“Shit!” he said as he pushed his way in.

It was his walker. He could smell the scent on people’s clothes.

He growled under his breath. He did not like his walker’s scent all
over these other men when it was not on him.

“What’s your problem, man?” one man asked who carried a lot of

this walker’s scent.

“Mine!” he roared, shoving the man against the wall.
“What the hell!” the man yelled, but Enda was past caring. He

surged forward when suddenly, he saw him. And boy was it a him.
His hair was a golden-blond colour with tiny highlights of white that
you could only see when they shimmered in the light. His face was
slender and held the most beautiful sky-blue eyes surrounded by long,
breathtaking lashes. Enda felt he could lose himself in those eyes. He
had a slim, perfectly straight nose above lips, not too full but
definitely kissable.

Enda strained to get a better look at his walker’s body but it was

obscured by the patrons in the pub. I need to get to him, he thought as
he felt the spirit bond begin. The bond was a three stage process
which started when you first encountered your walker. As shifters
were immortal and their spirit walker may not be, the legend states the
spirit will walk from soul to soul until it combines with its other half.
The second stage is a simple kiss to join the mind and finally sex to

Spirit Found

join their bodies so their hearts beat with the same rhythm. Simple
really, but there were rules or rather time constrains. Once the process
had begun, you had to complete all three stages before one complete
cycle of the moon, beginning whenever the next full moon was after
the initial process.

The man he had pushed to the wall suddenly came back at him

with a punch, hitting Enda right on the jaw. Being distracted was not
something that had happened to Enda before, and it had been many
years since he’d been landed with a punch. He came back at the man
roaring. The fact he smelt of Enda’s walker was not helping. Within
seconds the man was out cold on the floor, but by this time everyone
was getting involved. Five minutes later there was a very loud howl.
Helen was not a happy barmaid.

“Right now, boys, put away your claws, fangs, and any other

offensive weapons, go back to your drinking, or get out of the Slug.”
There weren’t a lot of lasses in Kashmerle and most were mothers,
but Helen was one of the exceptions, and as yet no one had dared to
cross her. The fact that she could shift into the largest dragon you
could imagine probably helped.

Enda shot to the back of the pub, but it was empty. Had the young

man gotten involved with the skirmish? Enda swung round, scanning
the room full of disgruntled gay men. Anyone who thought they were
weak would get one hell of a shock in this neck of the woods.

“That was fun,” Kash said grinning. “Shame it finished so soon.”
“He’s gone,” Enda said, still desperately hoping to catch sight of

him.

“Who?” Jez asked.
“My spirit walker, he was here in the back room.” His scent was

divine sandalwood, cinnamon, and a male, musky aroma that his cock
was very interested in.

“He, you said he!” Jez jumped in the air. “I told you our mates

would be men.” Jez grinned from ear to ear. Enda had never seen him
so happy, and he had yet to find his own spirit walker.

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“Did he go out of the door?” Kash asked.
“He must have,” Enda replied as the three left the pub. Back on

Main Street he couldn’t smell any fresh traces of the man. Where had
he gone? he asked himself. There is nothing fresh. They walked back
to the end of Castle Road.

“Maybe he’s one of the wizards that seem to be turning up?” Kash

asked.

“More wizards. I thought we had enough with those two

characters at W&P’s.”

“Yeah, more would be kind of scary,” Kash said, laughing with

Jez.

“Look, did your spirits bond?” Jez asked, looking at Enda. Enda

knew he was getting desperate and he was losing his composure.

“Yes, he must have felt it, too,” he replied. “It was powerful.”
“He may have felt it, but did he recognise it for what it was?”

Kash asked.

“If he’s human, he may not realise what it means,” Jez said.
“He was part human, I think, though I’m not sure. I need to get up

close to him to really tell,” Enda replied.

“You’ve got a whole moon cycle to claim him and the full moon’s

not till Friday. You’ll have your full thirty-one days after that. That
will be more than enough time to go through this town, and you can
start with that cottage on Castle Road,” Kash said. Enda knew he was
trying to reassure him and that all was not lost and his walker would
be found.

Jez’s mobile decided to make an appearance into the conversation.

Checking it, he answered immediately.

“Assyn, my man, what can I do for you?” Jez asked in a relaxed

manner. Listening to the man on the phone, his face slowly fell.
Suddenly, he turned and ran back toward the castle. “We’ve got to
move, guys. I may need your help with this one,” he shouted over his
shoulder as he continued up the hill.

Spirit Found

“We’d best follow him,” Kash said, looking at Enda’s face. “I’m

sure your walker will still be here in the morning.”

Enda nodded as they followed Jez up the hill. The scent of his

walker becoming fainter the farther he went.

Ellen Quinn

Chapter Five

What was wrong with him? He’d been here only a month, well

four weeks to the day since his first full day in Kashmerle, but he felt
so lethargic and uncomfortable. His skin itched, and it was getting to
the point that he couldn’t bear to touch anyone, which wasn’t easy in
a gentleman’s outfitters. That phrase still made him smile. He had
started wearing gloves, especially when he went out to work and met
more of the locals, but people were so friendly, always shaking your
hands or more often you’d get a hug. Those were getting to be really
painful.

William and Percy invited him over every Sunday, and they were

so touchy feely he was sure he’d be in agony. Still, they were so
insistent that he’d been unable to get out of going. He walked round
to the back of their building and up the stone steps that led to their
front door. It only took five minutes, as the back of his cottage was
onto the road that ran behind the shop and their home. He knocked
and waited.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Percy said right before he gave Daniel a hug.

That was all it took. Daniel let out a strangled cry. The pain was so
intense he felt like he was losing his mind.

“Oh my, William, get yourself out here. Daniel’s dying,” Percy

yelled into the house.

Dying? Daniel thought. “What do you mean, dying?”
“Oh, my dear child, you don’t know,” Percy answered. Daniel

hadn’t realised he said his thoughts out loud.

“What on earth is going on?” William asked as he got to the door

to find Percy barely holding up Daniel.

Spirit Found

“Help me before he collapses,” Percy snapped.
When William grabbed hold of Daniel it all became too much,

and letting out a violent scream, he let the darkness take him.

* * * *

Enda was so glad to be back on the plane home. He hadn’t wanted

to go to India and sort out their stonecutters and dealers with Jez.
Unfortunately, three tiger shifters who cut their rough stones had been
imprisoned. The group of dealers who had done this were working in
the UK, laundering money through buying gems and gold from the
public and then selling to unscrupulous goldsmiths. It had been one
slick operation, but the pack had managed to get the men, their stones,
and the equipment they’d supplied the company out without alerting
the authorities of their knowledge of the criminal dealings. They
weren’t sure why this had happened, and they hadn’t had the
resources to find out any more. That might have to be another trip.

At least the tiger shifters were safe and sat further back on the

plane. He’d seen Assyn moving about. He was certainly the
spokesperson of the group. Darian and T’narr were much more
reserved.

What they had accomplished was good, but it had taken four

weeks to sort. It would be Sunday afternoon by the time they arrived
home. When he’d left, he thought he’d be back before the last full
moon, two, three days at most. Now he only had a week before the
next one and that would mean his time was up. His walker would end
up in a coma if human, and if shifter, they went insane as once the
spirit has bonded as his now was, if the next two stages have not been
completed, then to be separated from them was more than any
paranormal could deal with. Both Jez and Kash knew the
consequences of the delay. Kash had stayed at Kashmerle as one of
them had to be there as pack leader. Hopefully he’d set about
collecting some information to help Enda in his search for his

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mysterious spirit walker. He just now wished it had been him who had
remained.

“Fasten your seat belt, Enda. We’re coming into Glasgow

Airport.” Jez brought him out of his thoughts.

“Is the helicopter ready? I don’t want any holdups once we’re

through customs.”

“We should be straight through. The equipment and stones are

coming with secured freight. It would have caused too many problems
to carry that amount of stones plus the equipment.”

“Thanks for that, Jez. I’ve not been much help. My mind is on

other things.”

Jez smiled at his best friend. “It’s not been an easy trip, plus that

Assyn is quite a handful.”

“Yeah, isn’t that the truth!”
“Hello, darlings. I heard my name mentioned so I had to come and

see what wonderful things you were saying about me,” Assyn
interrupted.

“It was nothing,” Jez said quickly. “We were talking about all that

you’d been through.”

Assyn’s dark, chocolate-brown eyes glazed over a little as he just

shrugged uncharacteristically.

“You’d best go sit down, Assyn, we’re about to come in to land,”

Enda added with a smile of encouragement, which was all that was
needed to change Assyn entire face.

“Oooh, Scotland. I want to see the Loch Ness Monster, but not so

much the rain,” he said, peering out at the grey sky.

“Sir, you need to sit down for landing.” The hostess saved them

from any more of Assyn’s aspirations as he went to sit back with his
companions.

“Loch Ness Monster?” Jez asked, raising an eyebrow at Enda.
“We’ll have to ask Tobias to go for a swim in Loch Ness,” Enda

added.

“Tobias?”

Spirit Found

“Well, he is an orca, so it might work,” Enda replied before the

pair of them burst out laughing.

* * * *

It was early evening by the time they got in, and Enda wanted to

go to the cottage.

“I need to go now!” he shouted at Jez and Kash.
“Look, my ’ansome, he be going nowhere. Half an hour to a

shower and put some clean clothes on will make our Alpha a sweeter-
smelling beast,” Kash answered, his Cornish accent popping up as it
did very occasionally.

Enda had to agree, but he was not going to say it out loud. “Okay,

but I’m out of here as soon as I’m ready.”

Twenty-seven minutes later he was heading out of the castle gates

with Kash following some way behind.

The house looked deserted. Was he out with another man, having

a meal at Willow’s Restaurant, or in another’s man home? No, he
wasn’t going there. Surely their joint spirit would stop him from
doing that. Enda had not wanted anyone else since he’d looked at
those sky-blue eyes and felt their spirits combine. No one would be
good enough now. He only wanted him. He strode up to the door and
knocked. No answer. He couldn’t even hear movement inside.

“Where is he?” he asked himself. “Hell, who is he?”
“His name is Daniel King. He’s twenty-eight years old. He

worked as an apprentice goldsmith and sales assistant at Kingdoms in
Edinburgh. He took a job at W&P’s for what I’m thinking was a large
cut in salary, though I haven’t checked his references fully yet as it
keeps redirecting me out of the program.”

“That could mean he’s lying, Kash. But what would make him

lie?”

Kash shook his head. “That I can’t answer, but I’m fairly certain

he’s hiding something.”

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“At present it seems to be him. Why can’t I find him? For

heaven’s sake, I’m a wolf shifter. His scent is so faint at the front door
I don’t think it’s been used in over a week.”

“We need to check hospitals. I think the one near Fort William is

closest.”

“Why? What could be wrong?” Enda demanded, hating to hear his

walker maybe sick.

“Think about it. You said he smelt part human, so I’d say his skin

must be nearly unbearable by now. Plus if he’s part shifter he’s going
to be as unsettled, annoying, and as irritated as you are. Not a good
combination.”

“God, he must be in agony by now,” Enda said, rubbing his own

skin.

“If he doesn’t know about his heritage, he won’t understand what

is happening to him, why, or from whom. If he’s human...” Kash
didn’t finish his sentence.

“I need to find him, Kash.”
“Let’s go back and call the hospitals, see if our man has turned

up.”

“Mine, my man!” Enda shouted. Poor Kash had only used the

term our man and all the hairs on the back of Enda’s neck had risen
and his need to possess his spirit walker flooded his body. The spirit
and his wolf were demanding the completion of what had been started
four weeks ago. If he failed to finish the process he would go insane
and revert to his wolf form only he’d be feral and a lot bigger and far
more dangerous. The only option his pack would have then would be
to kill him. Enda had to get a grip and finish this.

“Yeah, I know, unsettled, annoying, and irritating,” Kash

mumbled as he headed back up to the castle.

“Do we have W&P’s number? They might know something.”
“We will find him, Enda, and in time.”

Spirit Found

“Look, I’m going to wait here in case he comes back,” Enda said,

sitting down on Daniel’s front step. “I have my mobile. Let me know
what you find out.”

“Sure thing. Will you be warm enough?”
“What do you mean?”
“We both know you’re not going to come home tonight, Enda.”
“I’ll be fine, man, once my Daniel’s found.”

* * * *

“How is he, Perce?”
“Oh, Willy, he has obviously been in close proximity to his

walker. I’m fairly sure he’s part shifter, but there is also human. That
was why he couldn’t cope with the pressure on his skin when I
hugged him. The only touch he can cope with now is his walker’s.
I’ve put him under sedation for the time being. At least it means he’s
not in any pain.”

“Does he have any idea who his walker is?”
“I don’t think he has any idea about the whole concept. When I

mentioned shifters and their spirit walkers he thought I was going
insane.”

“Well, that’s actually true, but you do keep it well hidden.”
“You are not going to get any pudding tonight for that!” Percy

huffed, turning away from William. He didn’t get far.

“Ahh, put me down!”
“Nope, I need my pudding,” William said before claiming Percy’s

lips. Percy melted against him, wrapping his thighs around William’s
waist. As Percy let William carry him to their bedroom when they
went through the doorway, the air around them shimmered as if some
magic force field had been walked through and the two fifty-
something men disappeared, leaving in their wake two very different
fellows. Percy grinned. Now this was the William he liked to get
down and dirty with.

Ellen Quinn

As the door closed, the phone began ringing in the store, but there

was no one coming out to answer it.

* * * *

Click. Some doors were just too easy to break into. Enda opened

the door and slipped inside. Closing the door behind him, he sniffed
the air. Man, his walker smelt good. He looked around at the tidy
room. The cottage was small, but his Daniel had obviously tried to
make it home. A deep burgundy sofa leant against the back wall with
a similar chair by the window. On the left wall a curved staircase, on
the right an open fireplace. It was set so it looked like his Daniel had
been planning to come back. It was late November now, so it wasn’t
warm, not this far north. He hoped he wasn’t stuck outside. Where
was he? Enda so wanted to go upstairs, to see where his man slept, to
be able to lie beside him in his bed with their bodies sweaty and sated
in each other’s arms. Enda could feel the ache in his body. He needed
his walker. His mind was spinning thinking about him yet still being
unable to find him. He made himself ignore the stairs and headed
through the archway into the kitchen. Again, this was tidy. No signs
that he’d eaten at home, but his scent was strongest by the back door.
He uses the back door, that’s why I was so confused by the lack of
scent. He opened the back door and could clearly smell Daniel
walking down the small yard and out of the gate. He quickly closed
the door and followed the fresh trail.

Five minutes later, he was outside the back entrance of W&P’s.

Sniffing carefully, he followed the scent to the couple’s front door. He
was here, he could sense him. He’d found him. He knocked on the
door, and leaning in to listen he could hear the grunts and groans of
two men. He could feel his anger rising. No, it couldn’t be. Suddenly,
the door swung open and a man stood in front of him, but only just as
his legs did not look very stable.

Spirit Found

He swayed in the doorway, then said shyly, “I think Percy and

William are um, ah, a little busy.” Daniel swayed again and Enda
jumped out of his stupor, reaching forward to hold his walker. He
looked fragile with dark circles under his eyes. His left hand was
absently rubbing his right arm. Anguish swept over him. What had he
done?

“Don’t touch me,” Daniel screamed, stepping back so quickly he

almost fell over.

“I won’t hurt you,” Enda rushed to explain.
“No, you don’t understand. There is something wrong with me,

with my skin. I can’t bear to be touched.”

“I know, love, I can help you. What you’re going through is easily

resolved, often before it gets to this stage. I’m so sorry.”

More grunts came from the room down the hall.
“Look, I have to go,” Daniel said while writing a quick note on

the pad by the table inside the hall. “You’ll have to come back later.”
It was as though Enda hadn’t spoken.

“Didn’t you hear what I said? I can help you,” Enda said, hoping

Daniel would listen and take his offered help.

“No, thank you,” he said quickly as he slipped past without

touching Enda, pulling the door close behind him. He managed two of
the stone steps before he started to tumble. Enda knew what was
going to happen so he sprang across the steps to take Daniel up into
his arms. Daniel looked at him and shivered.

“Hello, Daniel King, I am Enda John McCaffry, and you are my

spirit walker.”

* * * *

Daniel shook as this gorgeous stranger scooped him into his arms.

He had expected intense pain when Enda picked him up and then
shook anyway when it didn’t happen. He felt okay, more than okay as
a wave of pure lust shot through him going straight to his groin. He

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looked up in to those intense, grey eyes and shivered, completely
confused.

“Hello, Daniel King, I am Enda John McCaffry, and you are my

spirit walker,” the man said. Daniel began to shake even more. This
was Enda McCaffry, bullion and stone dealer from Kashmerle. The
man he’d been daydreaming about since he heard his name mentioned
in the Slug weeks ago. And Enda was carrying him in his arms. What
he meant by the spirit thing, he had no idea, and he didn’t care.

Daniel had known the man was handsome from the news

coverage about him, but it had been sadly understated. The man was
magnificent. He must be at least six foot four or five. He looked a
good eight inches taller than his own five eight. His shoulders were so
broad Daniel decided to take a risk. Hell, the man was walking off
with him so why not? He slid his hands over Enda’s hard pecs,
revelling in the toned muscle under his fingers. He looked up into
crystal-grey eyes that were smiling down at him from a strong but
friendly face. He had rich, mahogany-brown hair that seemed to be
tipped white at the ends. That must cost a fortune, he thought. His jaw
was square and covered in a dusting of dark stubble, and his lips
looked so smooth and full, he so wanted to kiss them. Daniel started
fantasizing about what it would be like to lose himself kissing those
lips.

It was only when Enda grinned and asked in a husky voice, “Do

you like what you see?” that Daniel realised he been staring at the
man with obvious lust in his eyes.

“No! No, I mean yes, oh no, I’m so sorry, please put me down, I

must get home.”

“Isn’t that where we are?” Enda asked him.
“What?” Daniel asked, looking around and realising he was at his

back door. “How did you know I live here?”

“I followed your scent.”
Okay, he needed to calm down take a few deep breaths. He had to

get his head round the fact that Enda being this close gave way to

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very different emotions, almost like a balm over his soul. All the pain
had receded, and he no longer felt anxious or tired. What was this
man doing to him? And as long as it didn’t stop, why didn’t he care?
All this business about smells and ghosts or spirits as they seemed to
call them here was getting a little weird. He just hoped everything
would make sense, eventually.

“Are you going to open the door?” the man asked. “Or would you

like some help?”

Get a grip, Daniel. But the man sounded so genuine in his offer of

help Daniel thought sod it and handed over his keys. The man, Enda,
he should say, didn’t look like he was going to leave anytime soon, so
what was the point arguing? And for some unknown reason Daniel
wasn’t afraid. No matter what happened he knew deep down this man
would never hurt him.

So much for making sense!

* * * *

Back in Daniel’s home, Enda was slowly going insane, both

metaphorically and physically. Daniel’s scent invaded his senses from
every angle, and the need to claim him was overwhelming. He had so
wanted to do this slowly, to prepare Daniel for what lay ahead. Being
Enda’s spirit walker was supposed to be a joyous moment, and he
needed to understand that they would be joined forever, mind, body,
and spirit. But he didn’t have the time. The full moon was in a week,
and the only reason Daniel was conscious was because Enda was
close.

“Look, Daniel,” Enda began. “I’m so sorry I don’t have time to

explain everything, but I know what’s wrong with you, and I can help
you.”

Daniel turned and looked at him as he walked into the front room.
“Okay,” he said crossing his arms over his chest and staring

straight at Enda. “Explain.”

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“Right. I’m a werewolf—”
“Oh no, get out. You are a complete nutter.” Daniel jumped up

and went to push Enda away.

“No, please hear me out,” Enda begged and then carried on

quickly when Daniel paused.

“I am a wolf shifter, and in our world we are blessed with one

spirit walker. You are mine. Our spirits are already joined. Do you
feel a pull toward me, like you want to be with me but you’re not sure
why?” Enda watched as Daniel’s eyes widened. Good, he had his
attention. Now for the tricky part.

“The reason you are so sensitive is because although our spirits

are now joined, our minds and bodies are not. And the only way to fix
this is to join them.”

If it was at all possible, Daniel’s eyes got even wider. “And just

how do we do that?” Daniel asked, though the look on his face told
Enda that he had made a fairly accurate guess.

“We are of one spirit, destined to be together for the rest of our

lives, two halves of a soul finally joined.” Enda was running out of
ways to explain it.

“One spirit, together for life as in partners, just you and me

together, no one else,” Daniel murmured.

“No others ever. Now my spirit had bonded I will want no other,

just you.” He slowly approached Daniel. He was done waiting. He
was going to have his walker and join them, mind, body, and spirit.

Spirit Found

Chapter Six

Daniel stared at Enda. He’d listened to what he’d had to say, but it

didn’t really make any sense. Hell, the man was his perfect wet
dream. If he just wanted to get into his pants all he had to do was ask.
Yet a large part of him wanted to believe Enda. There was something
strange going on. Why was Enda able to touch him? And his skin did
feel better when he was near him. Was that part of the reason why he
felt this compulsion to be with him? He was so not like this normally.
With his father, he tried to keep his social life undercover, choosing
his partners carefully and taking time to get to know them. Enda was
making him want to throw caution to the wind and yell, “Take me,
I’m yours!”

Enda started moving toward him with a predatory look in his eyes.

It looked like the conversation had finished, but Daniel wasn’t ready.
He backed away from Enda, but the man kept on moving forwards.
Daniel had nowhere to go though this was his home.

“Well, I’ll think about what you s–said,” he stammered.
“No time left,” Enda said, his eyes raking over Daniel’s body.
“I don’t ooh...” Daniel started to say as he backed into the couch

and fell in a heap on the cushions.

Enda emitted a low growl. What on earth was that? It sounded

like a wolf, Daniel thought as his gaze rose up to meet Enda’s, the
man towered over him.

“Get your clothes off,” Enda demanded. Daniel’s mouth fell open,

“Now!” Enda snapped.

“Well of...aaaaah!” Daniel screamed as Enda placed a knee

between his thighs and claws extended from his fingers and he ripped

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Daniel’s shirt open. Lifting him up with one arm, Enda pulled the
ruined shirt from his back. Letting out another growl, he stared down
at him. Daniel could feel his nipples hardening as his soon-to-be lover
looked down at Daniel’s pale smooth skin. Daniel was so turned on
and the man hadn’t even touched them yet. Enda growled.

God, these growls are hot. Daniel thought. He’d never made

anyone else growl before, and the power it gave him was going
straight to his cock, which was getting more and more interested. His
slacks were doing nothing to hide the effect this man was having on
him.

Enda’s face suddenly appeared right before him. “I’ve wanted to

do this since the moment I first saw you,” Enda murmured before
Daniel’s lips were suddenly enveloped for a deep, passionate kiss, and
he had no will to resist. Enda’s tongue slipped along Daniel’s lower
lip, and Daniel moaned, giving Enda entrance to the warm depths of
his mouth. Enda devoured him, thrusting his tongue into Daniel.
Daniel felt like he was melting into a pool of lust on the floor, and
that was just with his kiss. Daniel let him invade, opening up to this
strange, gorgeous man as Enda licked, sucked, and completely
controlled the kiss.

As the kiss continued, Daniel began to see things in his mind.

Pirate ships, hidden caves, castle rooms, and then pictures of him.
One in the Slug, seen from a long way off, then in the doorway of
W&P’s, another in this man’s arms, looking up at him with lust and
wonder in his eyes. Are these Enda’s memories? He knew they
weren’t his, especially as he was in them. Another image invaded
Daniel’s mind where he was running very fast and on four legs really
low to the ground. What was Enda doing? Then he stopped and
howled. Daniel jumped in the man’s arms and gasped.

* * * *

Spirit Found

“Now our minds are joined, my sweet man. We can share our

memories, our thoughts, and communicate with each other whenever
and wherever we want to.” Enda’s thoughts invaded his mind.

“How did you do that?” Daniel asked, too shocked to be terrified.
“It happened when we kissed,” Enda said out loud this time.
“Just say something in your mind and push it out to me,” Enda

instructed.

“Okay,” Daniel said doubtfully.
“We are wearing far too many clothes.” Now why had he gone

and thought that?

“Oh, my sweet baby, I agree.”
“Me and my mouth or mind or whatever, I’m in so much trouble

now,” Daniel muttered to himself as he found that Enda was
removing his own clothing.

“Whoa, we really should, err, should do, oh hell, you’re

gorgeous,” Daniel breathlessly let out as Enda slowly unbuttoned his
plaid shirt. Men should not wear plaid. Except watching Enda’s pale
skin, with dark brown curls whispering across his chest appearing
before him was breathtaking. As it emerged between the deep red
plaid it had him changing his mind as saliva pooled in his mouth.
“Wow!”

“Thank you,” Enda said with a gleam in his eye as he let the shirt

fall to the floor. He slid his hands down his body, touching the line of
dark hair that trailed to his navel and down below his waistband. He
popped the button, and Daniel felt his heart speeding up. This man
ought to come with beta-blockers. His heart was not going to survive.
Enda slowly lowered his jeans. There was no underwear and his large,
dark-pink cock sprang free, drips of pre-cum pooling at the top of the
slit on the smooth, glistening head. Any thoughts of taking this slowly
fled Daniel’s head. He wanted this man with his walkers and spirits
and crap. He wanted that thick cock inside him.

Daniel reached up and grabbed Enda’s waist with the intention of

pulling Enda down, but the man didn’t move. Instead, Daniel found

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he was pulling himself up against Enda. Enda’s arms encircled him,
his hands sliding down Daniel’s back. Daniel shivered. He was on fire
for this man. Enda’s hands slid under Daniel’s ass, pulling him closer.
This time it was Daniel who initiated the kiss, delving his tongue
inside Enda’s honeyed depths.

God, he wanted to taste this man inside and out. Enda’s mouth

came away and he howled. Daniel’s cock, which had been interested
before, was now aching, pushing against the confines of his pants and
Enda’s abdomen. A large damp spot had appeared, and Daniel wanted
the restrictive clothing “Off!”

“Oh, I hear you, baby,” Enda said as suddenly his pants were split

in two. Enda had literally gripped his ass and pulled the fabric from
his body.

“Hell, that was hot!” Daniel thought, suddenly realising that Enda

would hear what he was thinking. Daniel felt the cushions press into
his back, and a large, callused hand began sliding abrasively down his
dick.

“Ah, Enda, squeeze it, harder, more, please!” Daniel muttered

incoherently. Enda slid his thumb over his slit collecting the pre-cum,
using it to lubricate those calluses on his hand. He continued sliding
along Daniel’s cock.

“Anything for you, baby.”
Daniel arched his back, bucking into Enda’s tight fist. He was so

close to the edge he just needed something more...

Enda grabbed his jeans and pulled out a tube of lube, letting go of

his cock. Daniel whimpered. “It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you,” Enda
said, opening the tube and spreading a liberal amount over his fingers.
Placing himself between Daniel’s legs, he lifted them to rest on his
shoulders. Daniel couldn’t say anything. He was that desperate to feel
that firm throbbing cock inside him. He strangled a cry as he felt the
blunt tip of Enda’s finger slide over his hole.

“Yes,” he hissed, pushing forward and trying to force Enda’s

finger inside him. Finally giving up, he took a deep breath and made

Spirit Found

himself relax. As he did so, Enda pushed his finger in. He paused
until Daniel started to squirm on his finger, then he withdrew then
plunged it right back in. Soon Daniel had worked up a rhythm, and as
Enda finger fucked his lover, he added first one then another digit.

When he finally added a fourth finger, Daniel thought he was

going to explode. He wanted Enda’s cock.

“Now, Enda, please, I need you,” Daniel begged.
Enda withdrew his fingers and Daniel moaned. “I’m here, baby.

Say my name. I want to hear you scream my name.”

“Yes, Enda.”
Enda slid his hands up and down his own cock, spreading the last

of the lube. Pushing himself up against Daniel, he looked down into
his lover’s face.

“Look at me,” he said. “God, you are so beautiful.” At that point,

Daniel didn’t care what he called him as long as he was there. Staring
right at him, Daniel watched his expression as Enda slid balls deep.
Daniel closed his eyes as the feeling of Enda’s long, hard cock
overwhelmed his senses. This just felt so right.

* * * *

Enda watched his beautiful walker as he slid his cock home. The

bliss he saw in Daniel’s eyes as they closed was amazing. Emotions
were drifting across his face, amazement, passion, adoration, lust,
and, what Enda prayed for, love. His dick was encased in Daniel’s
warm, slick heat, and it was so tight, he had no idea how he was going
to make this last.

Daniel nodded his head, and Enda gripped his hips and began to

move. It was exquisite torture. He bit the inside of his lip to stop
himself from simply exploding inside Daniel as he slowly built up the
intensity of his thrusts. Daniel raised his hands and brushed his
fingertips over Enda’s peaked nipples. He was so sensitive now they
immediately tightened into hard nubs. Daniel twisted his hips and

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brought himself up to kiss them. He was so gentle with his touch
Enda thought he might go insane with the delicious pleasure he was
laving upon him. He pushed Daniel into the cushions, changing the
angle and hitting Daniel’s sweet spot.

“Aghhh...” Daniel wailed as Enda felt him tighten his muscles

around his cock.

“Bite me, Daniel!” Enda yelled as he scored a small cut with his

claw on the side of his neck and shoulder making sure he broke his
skin. Pushing Daniel’s head in place, he felt the teeth sink into his
broken flesh. Enda bit down hard with his extended canines in the
same place on Daniel’s shoulder, and his world just exploded around
him. Daniel screamed, pulling his teeth away as he erupted, spilling
his hot, sweet seed between them. Enda howled so loud he swore the
windows shook as he coated Daniel’s inner walls with his life juice.
Then he felt it, the bond. His heart beat with Daniel’s, their minds
were open to each other, and their spirit was one.

He felt it as it happened, remembering being told about the knot,

but until you bonded with your spirit walker it wouldn’t happen. And
wow, what a feeling it was. His cock began to swell, attaching itself
to Daniel’s prostate. Daniel suddenly sprang up, clutching Enda’s
shoulders as another orgasm raced through him. Enda felt him
contract around his swollen shaft, causing Enda to erupt once again in
pure pleasure. Daniel’s eyes rolled back as he passed out in Enda’s
arms.

* * * *

“Hello there,” Enda said, smiling down at his walker when his

consciousness returned. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“What just happened?” Daniel asked, but before he could answer,

Daniel continued. “I feel like my whole life has just changed. I’ve just
had the most...Well you know.” Daniel looked down at their bodies,

Spirit Found

still together, smelling of sex, sweat, and something else he couldn’t
put a name to. His cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.

“Hey, we’re walkers now of one spirit, no need for any

embarrassment. Maybe a warm cloth to clean up with but no
embarrassment.” Enda smiled down with so much affection and love
in his heart.

Daniel giggled. “And that at the end that...” Daniel just shook his

head and looked at Enda with wonder, causing Enda’s cock to twitch
inside Daniel before he slowly pulled away.

“Come on, we need to go upstairs to the bathroom.”
Grabbing the clothes off the floor, Enda dumped them on the

couch. Daniel’s were beyond help. First thing in the morning he was
going to open an account at W&P’s for Daniel, as he had a feeling
he’d be ripping off a lot of his clothes.

He followed Daniel’s ass up the stairs, his body already taking

interest again. They had to walk through the bedroom to the
bathroom. Daniel seemed a tidy, organised person, as everything was
in its place or so it seemed. A queen-sized bed sat against the back
wall covered in cream sheets and a deep plum quilt and comforter.
He’d keep Daniel warm in the future. Enda smiled to himself. He
couldn’t wait to bring Daniel home.

The shower came on, and Enda headed for the bathroom. The

shower was inside the bath, but there was enough room for two he
decided as he stepped in behind Daniel, pulling the curtain back into
place. Daniel was gorgeous dry but when wet he was sinful. He
leaned over Daniel’s neck, licking his mark. The saliva in his bite had
healed it almost as soon as his teeth withdrew, but there would always
be the mark to tell others who he belonged to. He was also now
covered in Enda’s scent, which would last for days and was easily
renewed with sex. Enda realised he had some explaining to do. But as
his palms rubbed the soap suds into Daniel’s body, that problem just
didn’t seem quite so important.

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* * * *

Daniel had turned into a wanton slut, and he just didn’t care. He

leaned into Enda’s massive chest as the man ran his hands all over his
body. Daniel had no chest hair, so Enda was slowly sliding the soap
along the smooth planes of his chest. He had no illusions about his
body. I’m skinny. “No you aren’t, baby, your body is lean and strong
and your skin is so smooth.” Enda slid his hands lower through the
pale-blond curls around his groin. He placed one hand around
Daniel’s cock and slowly began to pump it. Daniel melted back
against Enda’s chest. Daniel felt Enda’s cock slide up and down
between his ass cheeks as he pushed behind him. Stroking a finger
over his sensitive entrance, Enda pushed his digit in. This was quickly
followed by more. He was easily ready for Enda, who removed his
fingers and placed the blunt tip of his cock over his pulsing rosette
before he pushed his hot, hard penis in.

Daniel pushed his hips into Enda’s groin, feeling Enda’s slick

head slip past his ring of muscles, going deep inside him. He placed
his hands on the tiled wall and began to push with Enda’s thrusts.
Enda’s hand continued his pump his sensitive cock which was now
dribbling pre-cum down Enda’s hand. Enda moved his hips and began
hitting his prostate with regular precision. With that tingle of pain,
Daniel felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff of pure pleasure
desperate to jump off. Each thrust caused sparks to run up his spine
and through his body.

Suddenly, Enda’s canines sank into his flesh, and that was all it

took. Daniel soared over the edge, and listening to the roar that came
from Enda, he took him with him. The knot on Enda’s cock swelled
up again inside him. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, that
first time he’d had no idea what was coming. He tensed as it attached
itself inside him and he was lost. His body just exploded and he felt
himself go, the pleasure was just so...

Spirit Found

* * * *

Enda finished drying off Daniel’s hair. Daniel was awfully quiet,

and Enda did not want any secrets between them. Their minds may
have been joined, but Daniel still had to think of something for Enda
to hear it, and at the moment his mind seemed strangely blank. It
hadn’t helped that the man had passed out again, though Enda’s ego
was ten feet tall. He held him as he’d rinsed them off, finally slipping
free as the water began to cool.

“What have I done?” Daniel’s mind thought as he slowly came

out of his haze.

“It’s time to talk, my beautiful one,” Enda replied to the unspoken

question. Picking Daniel up and carrying him to the bed, he laid
Daniel down before sliding in beside him. Enda enjoyed the fact that
Daniel had made no complaints about his moves or the fact he carried
him. His wolf almost purred with this fact.

Daniel looked at him, uncertainty in his eyes. “Is this more about

spirits and werewolves and things?”

“Yeah, it is the way of things for people like me.”
“People? Just how many are there?”
“Well, in my pack, at the moment, there are eleven, but we are

hoping to swear in three more in a week’s time, just before the full
moon,” Enda explained, leaning on his elbow, looking down at his
lover.

“Your pack? Are they slaves? Do you own them?” Daniel looked

horrified.

“God, no, I don’t own anyone. I am the Alpha. They swear loyalty

to me and the pack, and I promise to serve and protect them.”

“This really is real to you, isn’t it? I’ve moved to a place of make

believe and it’s drawing me in.” Daniel began to tremble. Enda could
see the emotions on Daniel’s face. All of this was really upsetting
him.

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“I know it’s a lot to take in, baby. I so wish I could have done it

differently. I was taken away on business for far longer than I
thought, I’m sorry.”

* * * *

Enda looked so desolate that Daniel knew he had wanted things to

have been different. “But how different?”

“What has and is happening wouldn’t be that different, but you

would have had more time to get use to the idea. Understand this
though, you are it for me now. I only have one spirit walker, and I
have claimed you. We are joined, spirit, or you may say soul, body,
our hearts will beat in time with each other, and mind, which is how I
can answer some of those unspoken questions.”

Daniel had to get away from all this, this strange werewolf stuff,

so he clung on to the one thing that had thrown him.

“We didn’t even use any protection, both times.” Daniel gritted

his teeth and powered on. “I’ve never gone bareback, ever. It’s my
one rule. And in the space of a few hours I’ve thrown it all away. I
need to get tested,” he said, trying to jump from the bed.

“Baby, please relax. Do you think I’d do anything to endanger

your health or threaten your life? My whole purpose is to protect you,
to look after all your needs, to cherish and love you.”

“Love me?” Daniel couldn’t believe he was hearing this. He’d

known about this enigmatic man for quite some time, but only as a
character in the business his father dealt in and what the tabloids
spilled out. But that wasn’t the real Enda, just others’ perceptions of
him. He couldn’t take any more.

“Yes, my beautiful Daniel, I will love you like no other ever has,

or ever will.”

Tears began to form in Daniel’s eyes. He tried desperately to stop

them, but one traitorous tear escaped down his cheek. Enda leaned

Spirit Found

over and kissed the tear from his face, taking Daniel into his embrace
and wrapping those big strong arms around him.

“Sleep, my love. We will sort things out in the morning, just you

wait and see.”

Daniel could not resist this incredible man. He felt safe, warm,

sated, and loved. His eyelids slid closed and he let sleep take him.

Ellen Quinn

Chapter Seven

Daniel woke up early. The safe feeling from last night had gone

and now he felt trapped, a huge, heavy weight laid across his waist.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked at the gorgeous man in bed
beside him. He thought he looked stunning before, but in sleep, with
the unusual, white-tipped, midnight-brown hair all mussed and his
strong features relaxed, he took Daniel’s breath away. Daniel didn’t
consider himself unattractive, just too slender and, next to this man,
plain.

Daniel needed to talk to someone to try and help him make sense

of all this make-believe stuff. Enda was kind of biased, and Daniel
just couldn’t think straight around the man. One look in those crystal-
grey eyes and he’d do and agree to anything the man said. He slowly
slid up the bed and leaned on the headboard. He tried to get his
thoughts into some sort of order. Enda said he was a werewolf, which
either made him mad or the entire world Daniel had lived in was
about to turn insane.

He kept saying they were spirit walkers, and that one really had

him confused. If Enda had said soul mates Daniel would have at least
some understanding about what it meant, even just mates like those he
read about in his books. The fact he said they, as in both of them, only
had one and that was it for life sounded very final to Daniel. What if
they didn’t get on? Hell, it wasn’t like they’d had any time to get to
know each other. They hadn’t even been on a date. He was also
uneasy about the lack of a condom, though he was as much to blame
for that one as Enda. He was going to get tested, and so help him he
was going to find some control. So if this did happen again, and a part

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of him he wasn’t admitting to knew he did want this to continue, he
was going to be ready. And that was the really unsettling part, he so
wanted this to continue to develop into a relationship. To have
someone at his side like Enda, willing to be with him as his partner,
lover, and friend, was all Daniel had ever wanted. But Daniel had
never let himself believe it could or would ever happen.

Very slowly, he slid out of bed. Grabbing some trendy jeans and a

smart shirt for work, he disappeared into the bathroom only to come
back and snag some underwear. He couldn’t have lasted five minutes
minus underwear knowing what was lying naked in his bed.

Once shaved, washed, and ready, he crept back into his room.

This was ridiculous, creeping around in his own bedroom, but he
couldn’t face Enda right now. He grabbed some paper and a pen. He
would not go and leave Enda nothing, so he jotted down a quick note.

Slinking downstairs like an interloper in his own home, he

grabbed his shoes from the floor. He couldn’t even remember when
they’d come off. They were dressy trainers in black and were dead
comfortable to work in. Unfortunately, he’d forgotten socks. Oh, for
heaven’s sake, Daniel, he told himself, you work in a gent’s outfitters.
Where was the problem?

Closing the back door behind him, he headed out. He had two

choices, either the Potterton boys or William and Percy. With William
and Percy’s eccentric, accepting ways, it was an easy choice.

* * * *

Enda rolled over and spread his arm out. The bed was cold and

very much empty. Daniel had gone. There was silence in the
bathroom, so he wasn’t in there. Enda sat up and listened. The house
was silent.

Where had he gone? He realised he had gone about things all the

wrong way, but he was sure there was some shifter in his walker.
He’d felt the animal inside when he’d taken him. It was latent, but

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that would possibly change now. Daniel would need to have a
grandparent who was a shifter for him to bring out the extra strength
and to develop heightened senses. Alternately, if one of his parents
was a shifter, he would be a half-breed. That would be enough for the
bonding to be able to wake the latent animal within him and for
Daniel to be able to shift. He now knew for certain that his walker had
no idea about his ancestry or the world that Enda was part of. Hell, he
didn’t think Daniel had any idea what animal he would shift into if he
was able to do so now. The enzymes from Enda’s seed, saliva, and
blood could be kick-starting all sorts of reactions in his body. He
needed to be with him to help him through all of this.

Looking down for his clothes, he noticed a sheet of quality writing

paper propped up against the alarm clock. In elegant script across the
front, it said Enda McCaffry. This was not good. He leaned over and
picked the letter up. Sitting back, he opened it slowly and then
carefully read the lines Daniel had written for him.

Dear Enda,
I’m sorry to run out on you, but I needed some space. Last night

was amazing, but I need to get a grip on what is happening. What you
say seems so believable when I’m lying in your arms. But in the cold
light of dawn it seems so unreal to me. I’m not sure I can live within
your reality as I find it hard to believe either in it or in your belief in
it.

Please leave and give me some time to get a handle on this. If you

still want to see me, please leave a contact number, but I will
understand if you do not.

I’m so sorry, Enda.
Your friend, Daniel x

Tears ran down Enda’s face. Daniel could not back away. They

were bonded now. Enda would give up everything if he had to. Daniel
was his heart and soul. He could not survive without him. He would

Spirit Found

not give him up even if he had to spend his life in the shadows just to
be close. He said he wanted space. Well, he’d give him a little. The
full moon was coming, and he knew the pull would be impossible for
him to ignore. He just hoped the beast inside Daniel felt the same.

* * * *

Daniel knocked rather tentatively on their front door. He heard a

muffled shout and a loud “oomph” and a frantic “I’m coming!”
Seconds later the door was swung open by a very dishevelled Percy,
followed closely by William, looking no better. Daniel had to smile.
In their haste, they put each other’s jogging pants on. William’s came
just past his knees, and Percy could pull his up to his chin.

“Are you okay?” they asked in perfect unison.
“We knew you were with Enda so we assumed he was the one,”

Percy continued, William nodding behind him.

“I really need to talk to someone about all this strange crap that

seems to be going on around me.”

“Come in, sweetie,” William said, giving Percy a healthy nudge.
“Oh, of course, how rude of me. Come on in and sit down. We

will do whatever we can to help,” Percy apologised.

Walking into the main room, Percy walked over to the cabinet

beneath the wall-mounted plasma-screen television. He poured three
large scotches, bringing one each for Daniel and William and then
fetching his own.

“Sit down, sweetheart,” Percy said, pointing to the sofa. William

sat next to him and Percy sank into the matching, soft blue suede
armchair. “Now tell your Perce and Wills all this crap.”

“I don’t drink in the mornings,” Daniel started with.
“You will this morning, sweetheart,” William answered. “I have a

feeling you’re going to need it.”

Daniel’s eyes widened and he took a sip of the expensive malt. He

took a deep breath and slowly went through everything that had

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happened. He did leave out the details when it came to the sex but let
them know it had happened. When he finally finished, he took another
sip and found they’d been right. The scotch was helping.

Percy and William had not interrupted his speech except to

encourage him to continue. When he’d finished, they’d looked at each
other and nodded.

“You can do it, too, can’t you?” Daniel asked. “Talk to each other

without saying anything.”

“We are soul mates, like you and Enda are spirit walkers, and

there are many similarities, but I’m not going to start with that at the
present,” Percy began.

William moved closer and held Daniel’s hand, giving it a

comforting squeeze.

“The world you have grown up in, Daniel, is not all that it seems,”

Percy said reassuringly.

“Oh, God, you’re going to say it’s all true,” Daniel interrupted.
“Shush, sweetheart, let Perce finish,” William admonished gently.
“In our world there are supernatural beings, similar to humans but

with extraordinary abilities. There are four main realms. Others do
exist, but for now we’ll stick to the four. Were creatures sometimes
known as shifters are one group. They, like Enda, can shift into
different creatures. Enda is a wolf. Not only that, he is Alpha of the
Kashmerle Pack. This is the highest ranking there is in were lore.”

“So there are more than just wolves?” Daniel was shaking as he

asked this. William put his arm round Daniel and put the scotch back
in his hand for a drink, which Daniel gratefully took.

“Were creatures are predators, so no cows or sheep,” Percy said

lightheartedly. “You’ll find there are bears, all varieties of wild cat,
birds of prey, so not just mammals. And all were or shifters, as they
are now known, have the two forms. Their animal or beast and their
human shape. There are even some mythological were creatures, but
they are rare and seldom seen.”

Spirit Found

Daniel’s eyes grew wide with amazement. “M–Mythical,” he

stammered.

“Where did you think the idea of dragons came from?” Percy

asked.

“Ooo–okay,” he whimpered. “Sorry, do carry on.” He gripped

William’s hand tighter and hoped like hell William wasn’t a dragon.

“Good. The other groups are vampires—”
“Aghhhh!”
“Demons or elementals—”
“Nooo!”
“And finally, magic users, which is where William and I fit in,”

Percy finished.

Daniel opened his mouth to say something, but for the third time

in twenty-four hours he slipped into the darkness, and this time he
really wanted to go there.

* * * *

Enda got out of bed. He knew he had to find Daniel, but he

needed to get a better feel for the guy. His clothes had been placed
neatly on the chair, and he slipped them back on as he didn’t fancy
wandering about town naked. As a shifter you lived with the fact that
you ended up naked since it was part of being able to shift. Even other
paranormals could accept it. It was just those oversensitive humans
tended to take offence.

Looking round, he noticed there was something missing in the

house, and it was now very obvious. Last night he had been a little
distracted, but Daniel had no pictures, nothing from his past. It was
like his life had only just started. He suddenly remembered what Kash
had said about the research he’d done, how the internet was sending
him in circles. What was his man hiding?

In the kitchen, there was little to eat. He would have to change

that habit. A shifter had a high metabolism, and Daniel was part

Ellen Quinn

shifter. With the sex drive Enda had, it was going to be essential he
ate more food. He smiled to himself. He was not going to let his
walker go. Come hell or high water this was going to work out.

Walking across the kitchen, he noticed a door, another thing he’d

missed last night. He didn’t think it was important, but he was
curious. Opening the door, he entered a shabby utility room. Most of
the cottages didn’t have this as they were terraced with only front and
back outside walls. Daniel’s was at the end, so he got the benefit.

Enda stared at the workstation placed in front of the window for

best use of the natural light, though at present the blinds were shut to
hide the station from external view. Looking more closely, he
recognised the low-quality gold and stones, the standard materials for
an apprentice. What wasn’t standard for an apprentice was the quality
of the work. He’d only ever seen work this fine once before and the
creator lived as part of his pack. Sunan would be overjoyed to get
another goldsmith of this quality to work with him on his new
business venture of “Kashmerle Klassic Designs.” Like Kashmerle
Company needed to make any more money with what was still stored
under the castle. Hundreds of years of swiping from pirates had
proved very profitable.

The workstation was organised, and he even had a small vacuum

for the tiny slivers of gold that fell. A goldsmith’s dust could be worth
over a thousand pounds. They processed their own in the castle where
they readied the gold to be taken to the assay offices in both
Edinburgh and London. They had hallmarks at both.

Daniel was the perfect walker for him. The Fates knew what they

were doing. Shame life kept getting in the damn way.

He headed out the back door, making sure the house was secure,

and followed Daniel’s scent straight back to William and Percy’s
home. Bounding up the steps, he pounded his fists on their front door.

A few moments later it opened with an unimpressed Percy

standing in front of him.

Spirit Found

“This place is turning into Piccadilly Circus,” he said, placing his

hands on his hips and glaring at Enda.

“I’ve come to see my Daniel,” he stated using his Alpha voice.
“You can turn that tone off, sonny, it don’t work on me.

Especially as I now know why poor Daniel was in so much pain. I can
only be grateful my soul mate wasn’t were-folk the time he took.”

“Did you need me?” William asked, coming to stand beside

Percy.

“No, my love, Enda’s just here to apologise and then he’s going.”
Enda made a move to go forward but found he couldn’t pass the

threshold.

“Oh no, sonny, you are only apologising to us. When we think

Daniel is ready, we may let you in again, but for now that poor man
needs some time to adjust.” Percy, for all he was the smaller of the
two wizards, was not someone you ever wanted to cross.

“Fine, I’m sorry, I know I should have helped Daniel sooner but

business...”

“Business, you have to say business. How much damn money do

you need? You poor spirit walker was left high and dry. No one was
told about him so they could help. You just left him.”

“I told Kash,” Enda said in his defence.
“Told him what, to research Daniel’s past so you knew everything

about him right down to his inside-leg measurement.” Percy was
fuming.

A gasp came from behind Percy, and Enda could see Daniel’s

frightened face.

“You had me researched?” he whispered.
Enda couldn’t lie to him. It went against everything walkers stood

for. “We just checked your references, love. I just wanted to know
you were who you said you were. With so many paranormals we have
to be careful. We have to keep our world a secret.”

“It’s not my world, and the more I hear the less I want it to be.”

Ellen Quinn

“I think it’s time you left now,” Percy said, giving Enda a hard

stare.

“How much does he know about Daniel?” Enda thought.
“What about Daniel? What are you hiding?” Daniel almost

screamed in his head.

“Please give me a chance to explain, love. I’m so sorry this has

happened this way. We’re spirit walkers. You have to understand how
special this is.”

The door closed in Enda’s face. He growled like the hounds of

hell were after him, running at the door. For all his supernatural
strength the door did not budge. Whatever spell those two meddling
wizards had come up with was not going to break down anytime soon.
He sprang off the stone steps, shifting while flying through the air,
and racing through the back streets till he could enter the forest. He
did not care if anyone had seen or heard him he just had to get away.
He’d barely gotten inside the tree line when he was met by Jez, Kash,
and the rest of the pack, who had all heard his anguish and had come
in support. Two huge bears lumbered up beside him as he ran. They
would all keep him sane and bring him back when exhaustion finally
obliterated the pain.

* * * *

“Don’t be too hard on him, sweetie,” William said as they sat

back down. “We spend a long time looking for our soul mates
knowing we only have one.”

“Yes, and sometimes we look so hard we miss what’s right in

front of us.” Percy looked at William with so much love and devotion
in his eyes Daniel didn’t know where to look. Was that what he and
Enda could have? He had to be honest and say that the way Enda
looked at him was very similar. He just hadn’t really understood what
he was looking at.

Spirit Found

Okay, Daniel said to himself, let’s face this thing head-on. “All

the films you see about this stuff, is that all true?”

“Oh, God, I hope not,” Percy said. “They’re just people’s

imaginations going off on a walk in the wrong direction. I’m a
wizard, and I flatly refuse to wear a pointed hat with a cloak,
especially if they were covered in silly symbols and glitter. At my
height I’d look ridiculous.” Daniel couldn’t help laughing at his
friend.

“Oh, I don’t know, love, if you wore nothing underneath it, well

that has endless possibilities.” William leered at Percy.

“Oh, stop it and be sensible, the boy needs our help,” Percy huffed

with no menace in his voice at all.

Daniel made his decision then and there if this type of relationship

could be possible with Enda he would try and give this supernatural
thing a go. William and Percy had such an amazing rapport with each
other, for all they argued and teased each other it was all laid on a
foundation of love, respect and a joy to be in each other’s company.
“Can you explain more about werewolves, please?”

“Of course, sweetheart. William, could you please just open the

shop? It’s nearly ten, and we need to look like we want to do
business.”

“No problem, my love. Why don’t you rustle up some breakfast

while I’m gone?”

Daniel had no idea how he was going to open the shop and then

come back for breakfast when the entire workforce was going to be
up here eating. But hell, his wizard knowledge was even worse than
his werewolf, and he was going nowhere near demons and vampires
anytime soon.

“Could you put the cutlery on the table in the dining area,

sweetheart? And I’ll bring in breakfast.”

Daniel laid out knives, forks, and spoons, as he had no idea what

would be served. Their Sunday lunches had been a voyage of
discovery with dishes from all over the world. He need not have

Ellen Quinn

worried. Percy turned up with toast, bagels, cream cheese, tomatoes,
scrambled eggs, and bacon. William pulled out the plates and they all
sat down.

“Right,” Percy said after tucking into his eggs. “Werewolves, you

know about the fact you only get one spirit walker and how they bond
with the mind, body, and spirit thing. They also cannot transmit any
human diseases, nor catch them, which is why no condoms.”

Daniel gave a small sigh of relief knowing he was safe.
“I’ve never been troubled by illness myself,” Daniel mentioned.

“My brother caught everything. I even managed to skip chicken pox
when my brother was covered in spots. Though it also meant I had the
best attendance record at school, which wasn’t quite so good.” He
laughed as he remembered.

“Do you think that tells you something?” William asked.
“Yeah my stepmother kept me on my five fruit and veg every

day.”

William smiled. “Umm, maybe.”
“Werewolves can regenerate themselves, most supernaturals can,”

Percy continued.

“What do you mean regenerate?”
“If they lose a finger a new one will grow back,” William

answered.

“The only thing that can’t regenerate is the head, though it may be

able to grow a new body. I’m not sure on that, we all try to keep our
heads,” Percy added.

Daniel wasn’t sure which was worse, what they were actually

telling him or the fact he believed them.

“They have great strength and very good senses, some more so

than others, but on that part you’ll have to ask Enda.”

“What else? Oh, there is actually no such thing as a werewolf.”
“Huh?” Daniel mumbled in shock.
“No, they can either be a wolf or a man, not some Hollywood

version of half-and-half. And although they do hunt, it is only the

Spirit Found

same prey a natural wolf would go after, not humans or domestic
livestock,” Percy finished.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Daniel said.
“That’s all we know really, the rest is down to individual

traditions that they carry with them through the years,” William
added.

“How long do they live?” Daniel asked hesitantly.
“They’re immortal, like the rest of us. We last as long as we stay

alive. Enda celebrated his two hundredth birthday last year. He’s two
hundred and one now, I think.”

* * * *

Percy looked across at Daniel after he’d finished this last

statement to see the young man’s eyes roll back as he slowly slid off
the chair into oblivion once again.

“How do you think he’ll take it when he finds out he’s one, too?”

William asked his lover.

Ellen Quinn

Chapter Eight

“Hello,” Daniel said rather sheepishly.
William laughed. “Don’t worry, sonny, your secret’s safe with

us.”

“I’ve turned into a wuss!” Daniel muttered.
“So would I if I’d have had to face all of this in just a couple of

days. Percy and I were born the end of the sixteenth century, so we’ve
had plenty of time to get used to it.”

Daniel paled. “Sixteenth century?”
“The end of so it’s not too bad,” William said, looking at Daniel,

waiting for him to go again.

“It’s okay, I’m f–fine,” Daniel stuttered.
“We’re going to help you. Don’t you worry, Percy’s out brewing

up some smelling salts as we speak.”

“That’s so reassuring.” Daniel decided not to ask about the

brewing. He’d just pretend Percy had gone next door to the chemists.

“You are in a very special place. Kashmerle is one of the few safe

havens for the likes of us.”

“Who do you mean by ‘us’? All of you paranormals, super people,

or me, a totally confused human?” Daniel asked.

“A bit of both really, gay men are outlawed in many covens and

packs. Often either killed or expelled with nothing, and I mean
nothing, to be hunted down and then left to die.”

Daniel gasped, but didn’t interrupt.
“You’ve met most of the pack,” William informed him.
“I have,” Daniel responded. “When have I done this?”

Spirit Found

“They’ve all introduced themselves when they’ve come into the

store. I think they were being nosey. It’s a big thing for a shifter to
find his spirit walker and as those lads gossip more than a bunch of
old women, news about you would have passed through the castle like
grease on a pole.”

Daniel thought back to all his customers and there were some who

stood out. “So people like Alden and Gregor, those enormous twins,”
Daniel suggested.

“Yep, they are part of the pack. Enda and Jez were expelled and

hunted but managed to get away and sailed from Ireland until Gregor,
Alden, and Kash crossed paths with their boat. They were all gay and
together formed the Kashmerle Pack. They took in any type of shifter
who had been expelled or had run away from their homes in fear of
their lives because of who they chose to love.”

“Enda’s a good man, isn’t he?” Daniel murmured, looking down

at his palms twisted into his lap.

“Yeah, sweetie, Enda is one of the good guys. But even good guys

cock up occasionally. Look at me.” William smiled as Daniel couldn’t
stop the laugh that burst from his chest.

“And how did you cock up?” Daniel asked curiously.
“By taking nearly three hundred years to notice me!” Percy

interrupted, walking over and sitting in William’s lap on the sofa.

William smiled up at his lover. “I got there in the end, though.”
“Yes, after I practically threw myself at another man.”
William growled.
“Oh, don’t worry, love, he had horrid BO and he chewed his

fingernails.” The look of utter disgust on Percy’s face had Daniel
laughing, so much so that the other two had to join in.

After several minutes of Percy extolling William’s virtues,

William became serious once more.

“Kashmerle is enchanted. When the pack allowed us entry to form

our very small Kashmerle coven, we worked with them to enchant the
wall and gates. Only those who are invited or have asked to come

Ellen Quinn

here and have been accepted by the pack and coven can pass through
the gates.”

“So my dad can’t find me?”
Percy raised an eyebrow, but William answered. “He may find

you, Daniel, but unless you invite him here he can’t get in.”

Daniel felt the relief flow over him. Running his hands through

his white-blond hair, he stood up.

“I’m sorry I’ve not been to work today. You have been so good to

me with the job and home and your support. You’re the uncles I
didn’t have, and I appreciate it.”

“Uncle, uncle, how old do you think I look?” Percy almost

screamed.

“Sorry, you look really good being over four hundred years old.”
“How old?” Percy glared.
Daniel knew he was in trouble, and all he’d been desperately

trying to do was say thank you.

“How old?” Percy repeated.
“Well, somewhere in your fifties?”
“Grrrr!”
“Early fifties-ish?”
“That is it we are removing the cloaking,” Percy stated. The room

suddenly shimmered, and where once William and Percy sat, there
were now two much younger men.

“Wow!” Daniel said. “It took you nearly three hundred years to

notice Percy?”

“Oh, I really like this laddie!” Percy beamed.

* * * *

“How is he?” Gregor asked as Kash came back from his friend’s

rooms. The castle was huge, and each member of the pack had their
own apartment within it.

Spirit Found

“He’s exhausted. Hopefully he will sleep, but he’s fighting it in

case Daniel tries to talk to him.”

Jez looked at Kash. “This is my fault, isn’t it? I should never have

insisted he come with me.”

“You weren’t to know, Jez, it was supposed to be just a grab and

run,” Kash said, using one of their old pirate terms.

“Yes, but we only get one spirit walker, and I nearly manage to

put Daniel in a lifelong coma and send our Alpha insane.”

“Yeah, Jez, you must do better next time,” Alden said. “Quit the

self-pity crap. It’s not going to help either of them. Plus, he is the
Alpha. In the end, the decision was his.”

Jez nodded. Whining wasn’t going to change anything, and he

was the Beta, for heaven’s sake. “One of us should be keeping a
discreet eye on Daniel, just so we know where he is and that he’s safe.
The pack is supposed to protect the walkers and is responsible for
their well-being. As far as I know, they are bonded, spirit, mind, and
body. Daniel is one of us now whether he wants to be or not. He will
get our protection.” Jez used the steel in his voice that came with
being Beta.

“I’ll draw up a rota for surveillance duty,” Kash said.
“Put me down for first watch,” Angus said. “I finished my shift

smelting and have had a good five hours’ sleep.” Angus was one of
the most laid-back wolves out. But he was nosey, and as one of the
pack who had yet to see his Alpha’s walker, curiosity won out.

“Fine, take Bryant with you. Someone will be out at dusk to

replace you.” Kash confirmed, “We’ve no rush orders on and even if
we did, this takes priority.”

The pack nodded. Enda was well liked and respected. He may not

have been the eldest there, but his presence and charisma held friend
and foe alike. He’d stood up for every man there and had their backs
in a crisis. This pack had been his dream, and they were damn proud
to be included in it.

Ellen Quinn

* * * *

Enda listened to his pack. He knew they would protect Daniel, but

he couldn’t sleep not knowing where Daniel was. Whether Daniel was
still with those overprotective wizards or alone in his own home, he
had to know his walker was safe. He needed to be closer to him and
he wanted to change the note he had left in response to the message
Daniel left him. He had to tell Daniel where he stood and what he
wanted, without pushing him away. Sorry was no use. He turned
quickly and disappeared down the side steps to the south gate.
Hopefully, his pack wouldn’t notice he was gone.

Enda stood outside the house. Daniel had come home and turned

the light on in the kitchen. The need to go inside and reclaim his
walker was overwhelming. But he had to wait. Daniel had to call him.
He scrunched up the piece of paper up with his mobile on. They
didn’t need it. They were bonded walkers. He knew he had to let
Daniel learn these things for himself. Otherwise he would never
accept Enda’s world. Then he felt it, tiny hints of pressure in his
mind. He froze.

“Enda, are you here?”
It was faint and very hesitant, but Enda thought his heart would

burst. He answered as he’d said in his note. “Always.”

Daniel had to call for him. It wasn’t enough. He heard a sob. What

was he doing?

“I need my s–spirit walker.” Enda’s heart jumped for joy, but his

walker was crying. He moved so fast he didn’t even bother to be
quiet. He yanked the door open, slamming it hard behind him as he
raced up the stairs two at a time. His spirit walker needed him. He
heard his name called but didn’t have time to acknowledge it. Daniel
flung his arms around him, pulling him close. He grabbed hold of his
man, crushing him to his chest. Looking down, he saw the tears in his
beautiful eyes and knew they were mirrored in his own. Words

Spirit Found

weren’t necessary. As his lips possessed his walker, his mind heard
those sweet, sweet words, “My spirit walker.”

* * * *

Daniel had finally left the eccentric couple when it was obvious

Percy was getting far more interested in whom he sat on than whom
he’d been talking to. And with their new youthful appearances, he
couldn’t blame them. He was also pretty proud that he’d remained
conscious through the whole shimmering thing. That had also done
something else. They say “seeing is believing.” and Daniel now truly
believed the world he lived in was nothing like the norms he had
always assumed.

And then there was Enda, Enda John McCaffry, business man,

bullion dealer, stone dealer, werewolf, Kashmerle Pack Alpha, lover,
and apparently his spirit walker. He knew from what Percy and
William had told him that their spirit walker, or soul mate as they
called them, was the most important thing to happen in a
paranormal’s life. He was feeling very uneasy as the feelings he’d had
at the beginning of the day were mostly based on fear and not on the
truth which he’d been too much of a coward to accept.

He suddenly remembered his shameful note. Had Enda read his

message? Of course he had, you idiot, that’s why he’s not here.

He ran upstairs to the bedroom. His bed had been made, and there

on top was a note. His had gone.

He picked up the paper and sat on the bed. He opened the single

piece of paper and read.

My Dear Daniel,
I have said my sorrys, I will say no more. I’ve told you the truth. I

would never lie to you. It is now up to you to believe. There is a lot in
our world that is amazing. I would be honoured if you would share it
with me.

Ellen Quinn

Your spirit walker always,
Enda John McCaffry

A tear slid down Daniel’s cheek. There were no contact details.

He couldn’t reach him. He wanted his spirit walker. What was it Enda
had said about their minds? Something about them being joined,
bonded. Could he reach Enda though his mind and could he reach him
anywhere? He might as well try. He had nothing and everything to
lose.

“Enda, are you here?” He was shaking as he whispered those

words in his mind.

“Always,” was whispered softly back.
Daniel tried to stifle a sob but failed miserably. “I need my s–

spirit walker,” he stammered.

Suddenly, he heard a door burst open. “Enda,” he called. Getting

up, he headed to the stairs. Then he came face-to-face with his spirit
walker. He didn’t need to think. This just felt so right. He flung his
arms around Enda’s neck as the man lifted him into his embrace.
They looked into each other’s eyes for one brief moment before
Enda’s lips possessed his in a stunning kiss. Daniel smiled inside.

“My spirit walker.”

* * * *

Moving towards the bed, Daniel wrapped his legs around his

lover. He was grateful he’d managed to release some of his inner
prejudices and was accepting this world that Enda belonged to. Enda
was exploring every part of his mouth and the taste was sending
shock waves straight to his cock. As he fell back onto his bed, he felt
his shirt tear in two. If Enda kept this up, he’d be out of clothes soon,
and at this very moment Daniel could not see any problem with that.
If Enda wanted him naked all the time, he was not going to complain.

Spirit Found

Enda pulled his T-shirt over his head revealing hard, toned

muscle. Daniel could not resist. He had to touch, to lick, to taste. The
pull inside of him to be close to this man, to be with him, to have him
filling him with his hot, slick cock and pulsing against his inner walls
was almost frightening.

Daniel was driving himself crazy. He grabbed the button of his

jeans and had them open and the zipper down in less than a second,
sliding them and his boxers down his legs. His swollen cock sprang
free, spreading pre-cum across his belly. Lying back, the slick head
glistened as he used his thumb to spread the cum over the sensitive
tip. Enda leaned down and licked some cum from the slit.

“I need more of that, baby,” Enda groaned as he dropped to his

knees. Pulling Daniel’s legs, he quickly got rid of the rest of Daniel’s
clothes. He grabbed his thighs, pulling Daniel to the edge of the bed.
Placing Daniel’s legs over his shoulders, he stared down at him
Daniel squirmed, embarrassed by the position.

“Hold still, baby, let me look at you. You are so beautiful laid out

like this just for me.” Enda looked at him and all embarrassment fled.
Enda eyes were filled with lust and something else, something he’d
seen in Percy’s and William’s eyes. Enda lowered himself, spreading
Daniel’s ass cheeks. Daniel suddenly realised what he was about to
do. No one and done that to him before.

Enda’s tongue slid across his puckered hole, slowly passing his

perineum to lap at his balls. He slid his tongue round each of them
before taking one inside his mouth. Daniel bucked his hips as he felt
Enda’s warm wet mouth suck in his ball and sparks of pure adrenaline
rocketed through him. His cock, which was desperate for attention,
started jerking. Daniel gripped his cock and, using the copious
amounts of pre-cum as lube, slowly began to jack off.

Enda looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes. “That’s it, babe, you

please yourself while I feast on your heady taste and scent.” Enda
buried his face in Daniel’s pale blond curls, inhaling his musky scent.
His tongue came out and slid back to his hole, licking around the

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muscle, making it spasm. As Daniel relaxed, Enda hardened his
tongue and pushed against the muscle, fucking his ass with his
tongue. Saliva slid from his tongue down the crack of Daniel’s ass.
Daniel had never felt like this before and he did not want it to stop.
Enda brought his hand up and pulled on Daniel’s dick, squeezing
almost to the point of pain. With the other hand, he pushed a finger in
his ass alongside his tongue. When he hit his prostate, Daniel knew he
was going to come. The pressure had built to boiling point. Enda
flicked his prostate again and Daniel jumped.

“I can’t stop, I’m coming,” he screamed as Enda rose up and

swallowed Daniel’s cock. The first shoot of seed erupted and hit the
back of Enda’s throat.

* * * *

Enda licked his lover clean. Daniel leaned back looking

debauched and boneless. Enda rose up and grinned. He wasn’t even
close to being done yet.

He unbuckled his belt and popped the button. Daniel moved

forward and pulled the zipper down. He held onto the jeans and
pushed them down Enda’s thighs. Enda’s dark-pink cock sprang free
and smeared pre-cum on Daniel’s cheek. Daniel’s tongue licked the
glistening tip of Enda’s cock, but Enda knew he wouldn’t last and he
wanted to be balls deep in his walker when he came, claiming him
and covering him with his scent.

“Not this time, baby. I need to be inside, to claim you again,”

Enda’s said, feeling the urgency within his body. “Get in the middle
of the bed, love.”

He smiled as Daniel quickly scrambled to the middle of the bed.

“On your back, babe. I want to see your face when I make you come
again.”

Daniel trembled at his words as he quickly lost his the rest of his

clothing.

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“Lube?” he asked as he crawled up the bed.
“Top drawer, bedside cabinet.” Daniel pointed to the left side.

Enda reached over, opening the drawer and reaching in. Daniel ran his
hands over his chest, raking his fingers across Enda’s chest. Enda
shivered as he found the lube. Pulling back, he leaned in and kissed
the man who was slowly taking over his heart. It was gentle to start
with but soon the urgency to be with his walker took over and the kiss
deepened, stopping only when the need for air forced them apart.

Enda leaned back, taking the lube and spreading a liberal amount

on his fingers before dribbling a bit down Daniel’s crease. He trailed
his finger down over his relaxed hole, dipping the tip of his finger in,
pushing in farther as he felt Daniel’s muscles around him. Soon he
had three fingers pumping in and out, touching Daniel’s prostate
every now and then, causing Daniel to thrash around on the bed.

“Please, Enda, I need you, I want you in me, please!” Daniel

begged.

Using the lube left on his fingers, Enda slicked up his engorged

cock. Leaning forward, he placed Daniel’s legs over his arms. Staring
at his lover with what he knew was love in his eyes, he pushed at his
hole with the blunt end of his cock until he was seated fully within.
Enda’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, watching the emotions on
Daniel’s face.

“You are mine, my spirit, my mind, and my heart, always.” Enda

watched the tear slip from the corner of Daniel’s eye, slipping down
his faintly shadowed cheek.

“Yours,” Daniel whispered and Enda’s wolf roared. Placing both

his hands either side of Daniel’s chest, he began to thrust, the sweat
from his body dripping down to join that of his lover. Daniel wrapped
his legs around Enda’s waist and pushed back against him. Enda
wanted to make this last, but that wasn’t going to happen. Changing
his angle, Enda hit Daniel’s sweet spot, hearing his lover’s cries he
continued in the same spot.

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“Harder, give me everything,” Daniel begged. As Enda really

started to hammer into his lover, his canines dropped and his claws
dug into the sheets. Daniel reared up gripping Enda hard, “I’m going
to—ahh, Enda,” he gasped. Enda sank his teeth in, tasting the sweet
essence that was Daniel. Just at the point when he thought he could go
no higher, Enda felt a set of teeth much larger than a human’s sink
into his shoulder and his orgasm racked through him like a bullet.
Electric tremors pulsed through his body as his cock ejected volley
after volley of his hot semen, Enda in all his two hundred years had
never come with such force. He saw sparks dash in front of his eyes
and could only hope the man wrapped around his body could feel it,
too. His knot extended, and his world was perfect!

* * * *

Daniel felt his orgasm rising up from his spine, every muscle

aware of the pleasure flowing through his sweaty body. From
somewhere deep inside, he felt a shift, like his body was waking up.
Something inside him moved. What it was, he couldn’t tell, but it was
riding the wave of his climax. Suddenly, he had to bite, he had to bite
his spirit walker, and his mouth itched almost painfully to do so.

He felt Enda’s extended canines sink in and his climax hit him. He

opened his mouth as a physical change came over him and he sank his
teeth into Enda’s neck. He tasted a coppery flavour and realised it was
Enda’s blood. He should be shocked but his body was convulsing
around Enda’s cock, shaking out the most amazing orgasm that he
just didn’t care as he let the bliss envelope him. When the knot came
he clung on, determined to stay conscious through the shuddering
tremors of pleasure.

“Daniel, Daniel, lick my neck to seal your mark, my love,” Enda

urged.

“Un, what? Okay,” he muttered as he swiped his tongue over the

teeth marks he’d left on Enda’s neck. He froze as he was pulling away

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and looked carefully at the marks. His sated haze began to clear very
quickly. Those were not his teeth marks. They were not even human
teeth marks!

“What the hell happened? How did I do that? Did I do that?”

Questions filled his mind.

Enda pulled back from him, and Daniel knew why. Even he could

hear the fear and confusion in his mind.

“Are you ready for the truth, my love?”

Ellen Quinn

Chapter Nine

Enda stared down at Daniel as his cock slipped from its warm

hole. He now knew Daniel was at least half shifter, not full, otherwise
Daniel would have had a far better understanding of their world as he
would have been shifting since his early teens. He knew nothing
about Daniel’s family as his past life was a mystery. As far as he
could tell, the man was an orphan. They could not find any birth
records for him, and he did not believe Daniel was hiding his shifter
heritage. He needed to help Daniel, and by the look of shock on
Daniel’s face he may have to rebuild the man’s whole life.

“Daniel, who are your parents?” Enda was surprised to see a look

of panic on his walker’s face. Now he really was intrigued.

Daniel swallowed and looked away.
“One of them had to be a shifter, my love. It’s in your genetic

makeup. It was dormant, which tells me you are a half breed. My
saliva and seed would not have triggered the change without that.”

Daniel was still not looking at him when he spoke. “I never knew

my mother. She disappeared after I was born. My father is a
disapproving businessman who wants a straight son.”

“From what you’ve said, I would say your mother is the shifter if

you have never seen your father shift.”

“No my dad shoots. He doesn’t shift,” Daniel said. He looked at

Enda and opened his mind, showing him a hunting lodge which Enda
assumed was his father’s. On the walls were trophies from all his
father’s multiple kills.

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Enda shuddered and the picture was gone, Daniel obviously

seeing his distress. “No, I don’t think your father is a shifter, but it
looks like he killed a few.

* * * *

Daniel began to shake. His whole life was a lie. A lie he believed

his father had created to hide his true identity. What he had thought
was true no longer held any reality, and what had always been fairy
tales was now very much part of his life. “How do you know he’s
killed shifters?” Daniel asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Shifters resemble the natural animal in every sense but one,”

Enda said. “What differs is their size. We are much bigger than the
natural animal. It’s how we recognise our own when we are hunting.”

“My father has been killing over-sized animals for years. In fact

he’s never been that interested in anything else.” Daniel was
beginning to suspect Enda might be right. If his father knew about
shifters he definitely wasn’t a fan.

“I believe your father could be a shifter hunter, but until I get

more proof we’re just going to have to be careful.” Enda finished his
sentence, stroking Daniel’s cheek. Daniel had never felt so
vulnerable, but at least this revelation went someway to explaining his
father’s attitude towards him. But what of Charles?

“Will my brother be the same?” he asked. Charles had never

shown any canine tendencies, but hey, he’d missed everything else.
He probably missed that, too.

“Your brother will only change if his mate is a shifter,” Enda said.
Daniel thought of Fiona in her high heels and hair extensions

shifting into a wolf and going for a run. He started to laugh. Enda
raised an eyebrow at him, and he smiled back. “She would only be a
shifter as long as it didn’t damage her false nails or mess up her
makeup.” He laughed.

Ellen Quinn

“I’ve never seen a female wolf with eyeliner on,” Enda said, and

they both ended up nearly in tears.

“Do you think they’d walk well in heels, as she never goes

anywhere without them?” They laughed together, and Daniel felt
better. After all that had been thrown at him over the last few days,
turning into a shifter was a walk in the park. Well, sort of, he only had
the worry of snapping his bones and growing fur and things? Daniel
shivered at the thoughts. Of course he had nothing to be anxious
about.

He tried to stifle a yawn but failed as his eyelids began to get very

heavy.

“I think my lover needs some rest. That part shift will have taken

a lot out of you,” Enda said pulling his T-shirt out and gently wiping
them clean. Throwing the shirt on the floor, he looked gravely at
Daniel. “Now, will you still be beside me in the morning, or am I
going to have to tie you down to the bed?” Enda leered at him.
“Actually, I think I may do that anyway,” he said, grabbing at Daniel
quickly to have him in a tight hold.

Daniel yelped then giggled. “No, I promise, I will be here in the

morning.”

“All right then.” Enda grinned. “But I’m not forgetting the tying-

up part just yet!”

* * * *

Daniel sat in the conference room at Kashmerle Company

headquarters, on the lower ground floor of the castle. Where else
would it be? Enda had told him that the interior of this floor was
where the fine processing of the gold was done to fill the orders from
around the world. They made ingots in all sizes from your small
jewellery-store supply to enough for a statue for some Middle Eastern
billionaire. He knew Enda was rich, well, he supposed the pack was
rich as they all took a part in it, but he had no idea of the scale. He

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worked with gold and had a good working knowledge of its retail
value. If he had to make an educated guess, he had seen over £40
million this morning alone. He hadn’t dared think about the value of
the jewels.

He was coming in to be sworn in as part of the pack at the pre-

full-moon meeting. It still seemed very surreal to him, but he would
have been doing this anyway as Enda’s spirit walker, with or without
this whole shifting thing.

The table was long and could have sat many more than the

fourteen that were gathering round. One of them would be absent,
Enda said. He was a killer whale and spent most of his time
swimming the oceans. Daniel felt quite proud of himself as he had let
that piece of information go by him without a single flicker of unease.
As the men poured in through the door, Daniel’s eyes widened. These
were the biggest men he had ever seen, and not only that, they were
all hot! At any other time Daniel would have been drooling, but now
he only had eyes for Enda. His was the smile that made his breath
hitch, his were the eyes that made his heart melt, and his was the body
that made sitting in this chair awfully uncomfortable! He knew he was
falling for his walker, as Enda sometimes called him, if he hadn’t
already. And this realisation, along with his unknown ancestry, had
him flooded with guilt.

He knew he hadn’t been honest with Enda, not that he’d been

dishonest, either. What he had told Enda was the truth. It just wasn’t
the whole truth. He had come to Kashmerle to start a new life, leaving
all remnants of his former life behind. He was now Daniel King, sales
assistant and now, a shifter. He did not want to go back through his
old life again. As far as he was concerned it was gone. His father
couldn’t get to him and as for his shifter side that apparently was his
long-gone mum. He was keeping his secrets. If his father was a hunter
then he didn’t want Enda or the pack for that matter anywhere near
him.

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There was one secret he would like to know, though, and that was

what on earth was he going to turn into when he did shift?

“Right, we’re all here,” Enda broke into his thoughts. “I’d like to

welcome William and Percy from the Kashmerle coven once again.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Percy said, waving quite happily at

everyone. William just grinned and winked at Enda. Neither had gone
back to the “middle-aged-man” look they’d been sporting before.
Percy obviously was keeping his youth. The rumour was their
nephews now ran the outfitters.

Enda went on then to talk about business both with Kashmerle

Company and then Kashmerle town, how security was, and how it
was going to cope with their annual Christmas Gala. Percy and
William seemed to have it covered, and all guests who accepted had a
forty-four hour window in which to arrive and then leave. This went
from 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 16

to 12:00 midday on the

following Sunday. They would not gain entry before that time, even
on local vehicles, and if still within Kashmerle afterwards, they would
be frozen and removed forcibly. Everyone agreed with that, and the
locals would all be included in the invite to help disguise their
numbers. And finally, the vaults and lower ground floor would be
completely sealed apart from the south-tower stairwell which could be
adjusted to go straight to the Cove Cave for those who wanted a look.

“It’s the best way to quell any rumours about our horde of pirate

treasure.” Enda grinned.

“Now, has anyone anything further to add before we go to our

new guests?” No one said a word. “Good. Formal introductions
please, Jez.”

Jez stood up and introduced three tall, slender young men. “These

are Assyn Tibet, Darian Ramoth, and T’narr Salem. They are Bengal
tigers from India. They have been cutting stones for their clan for
many decades and I recently met up with them when we were
scouting for our own stone cutters. As most of you know, Assyn came
out to his family after my visit, saying he wished to work within our

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101

company. Darian and T’narr also expressed an interest, which put all
three under house arrest. We did not know at the time that they were
being used to recut old stones, stolen from around the world, making
them appear as legitimate stones.”

“Not much of a job change then,” Angus said with a grin.
“Nah, we were the Robin Hoods of the pirate world,” Gregor

countered, though he had a troubled look on his face.

“Lord, I hope not. The idea of you in green tights, brother, is

enough to put anyone off their work.” Alden gave his brother a small
smile as the entire room burst out laughing. Even Daniel couldn’t
imagine the mountain of a man that was Gregor Kranski, Russian
brown bear, in green tights.

“Do bears wear tights?” asked a small voice from the end of the

table. The whole room fell about laughing apart from Gregor and the
owner of the voice.

Gregor looked like something had smacked him in the face as he

stood up and growled, “Mine!” He was staring straight at the slender,
beautiful man who owned the small voice.

“Noooo!” cried the small voice as he stood up and tried to leave

the room but in his haste couldn’t get the door open.

Gregor sprang up onto the table, running down the length of it. He

jumped from the table and was about to grab the small-voiced man
when the Alpha yelled, “Stop!” Glaring at Gregor, he continued. “Sit
back down both of you, please. We will sort this out as men, not
animals.” The steel in Enda’s voice made Daniel take note.

Was this the way Enda was when he found him? he wondered.
“Yes, my love,” Enda answered. “Remember that night when that

fight broke out in the Slug?”

“That was because you had found me?”
“I’m afraid so, my love. We spend our whole lives looking for our

spirit walker. When we finally meet them we can go a little loopy.” He
finished looking carefully at Gregor, who had sat down near the three
tiger shifters. Small Voice was now in the middle looking anywhere

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but at Gregor, and he was shaking quite violently. The other two tiger
shifters looked really confused as well, which seemed strange. Had
they not come across spirit walkers?

“Let’s get back to the point.” Enda nodded at Jez.
With a wry smile, Jez looked back at the tigers. “Okay, before

Robin Hood here got involved, I mentioned the men were used to
recut the stones to then sell as new. I might add, our stones don’t
necessarily need recutting, we just choose to do so to fit our
customers’ demands. We managed to locate the men and remove
them and nearly all our shipment of stones. The men have agreed to
abide by the ethos of our pack, and up until five minutes ago were
willing to swear loyalty to both pack and Alpha. I have to ask now, is
that still so?”

“We are staying,” said the one on the right. Daniel still didn’t

know which one was which, so he raised his hand. He didn’t want to
butt in.

“Do you have a problem with these men being in the pack?” Jez

asked with a frown on his face. Enda growled at Jez.

“Oh no, no problems at all. I’m sorry, I just wanted to know who

each one was, their name, which man belongs to which name,
please?” Talk about stumbling over a simple question, Daniel thought.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Daniel.” He looked at the men and asked, “Would

you like to introduce yourselves?”

“Sure,” said the confident, flamboyant one. “I’m Assyn Tibet, but

please call me Syn.” He smiled at Daniel. Next came the pale one of
the three. Where the others’ colouring was golden and black mixed in
streaks through their hair, his was pale blond, very similar to Daniel’s.

He stood up. “I’m T’narr Salem,” he said proudly, nodding his

head before sitting back down.

So Small Voice was Darian. Everyone waited to see if Gregor’s

spirit walker was going to speak. His small voice came out stronger
but still quietly. “I’m Darian.” He paused then suddenly rushed on,
“Darian Ramoth.”

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103

“Thank you, Daniel, it was my fault I did not introduce them

correctly.” Jez apologised. There was a pause as everyone stared at
them and Gregor, but he didn’t speak.

“Good, welcome to the pack,” Enda continued after Jez. “Before

we proceed, I would like to introduce Daniel to the pack. He is my
spirit walker, and I believe most of you, apart from the tigers and
Sunan, have met him?”

Grins appeared around the room.
“I would like to say at this point, thank you,” Percy piped up.

“Having Daniel in our outfitters has been great for business. I do
believe every one of your pack, apart from those mentioned now,
have a new wardrobe.” The grin on Percy’s face was just getting
bigger and bigger. William looked like he was trying really hard not
to laugh.

The men in the room all looked really sheepish. Enda looked

around. “Is that so?” he asked.

Where Gregor would usually have been the one to answer,

nothing was forthcoming. He was so preoccupied Daniel didn’t think
he’d even heard what had been said. Angus finally filled the silence.
“None of us had really seen him, Enda. You never brought him up to
the castle. You just disappeared off and kept him hidden away in his
house. We wanted to meet the guy and I did really need a nice pair of
bright-red dress slacks.” He glared at Percy who could no longer
contain himself and fell about laughing.

“Yeah,” Alden said. “Mine and Gregor’s matching fluorescent-

peach jumpsuits are perfect for that special occasion.” By now
William was shaking and crying. Daniel hadn’t realised what the
wizards had been up to. He’d just rung up the transactions. “I must
now say I am grateful that green tights were not part of the outfit,”
Alden finished.

Daniel wondered if all meetings ended up like this, serious first

and then everything falling apart at the end. Enda looked at Percy,

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who was now sitting in William’s lap. If he hadn’t been, Daniel
reckoned he would have ended up on the floor.

“So are we going to see these lovely outfits?”
“No!” came the unanimous reply.
“Oh,” said Percy. “That would be such a shame.”
“I quite agree,” Enda replied.
“No!” came an even louder denial from the men.
“Yes,” Enda said, using his Alpha tone. “You will all wear your

new outfits at the Slug on Christmas Eve, won’t you, Gregor?”

“Yes, what?” Gregor asked in confusion as half the room groaned

and half burst out laughing.

“Okay, quiet. All stand,” Enda said, and the whole room took note

and reacted. “Place one of your hands on the gold seam embedded
around the table.” Daniel watched everyone place a hand on the gold
band.

“We will all say the oath again. We will go clockwise.”
Enda had explained the ceremony to him. Each individual would

say his name, before the simple oath was repeated together. Even
Percy and William swore the oath as the pack and coven were united.
Daniel waited patiently for his turn.

“I, Daniel King...” He was last, as he sat on Enda’s right, so the

others joined him straight away. “Promise to uphold the laws of
Kashmerle. All men are equal no matter who they are or what they
may be, nor whom they choose to love. Our loyalty remains forever to
our pack and Alpha.”

Everyone paused as Enda then said, “And I, Enda John McCaffry,

Alpha of Kashmerle Pack, promise to uphold the laws, to serve,
protect, and honour all those here present and those away.” Raising
his second hand, he slammed down on the table. The rest followed all
shouting loudly, “Kashmerle!”

* * * *

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105

“Well, that was an interesting evening,” Daniel said as they

walked out of the castle.

“We’ve had worse,” Enda replied.
“That’s what I thought,” Daniel said grinning up at him. “I wish

all meetings could be as much fun. How’s Gregor coping?”

“Not too well. Darian has disappeared into his room and Syn and

T’narr refuse to let him anywhere near. When I left there was a huge
Russian brown bear sulking in the corridor just before their rooms.”

Daniel laughed. Gregor was a friendly, happy-go-lucky sort of

man. The idea of him sulking did seem absurd, especially as a bear.
“Oh, the poor man.” Daniel sympathised.

“He’ll get over it,” Enda reassured Daniel. “At least Darian knows

all about spirit walkers. He probably wants to be with Gregor just as
much.”

“You think so?”
“Yes, I do, what you have to remember, my love, is his

circumstances. He’s been kept captive by his own people, threatened
with death not only if he didn’t work but also for being gay. He
finally thinks he’s found freedom and a safe haven in which to live,
only to find it comes with a three-hundred-fifty-pound mountain of a
man who seems to spend his time sulking as a grumpy bear.”

“Put like that, I can see your point. And Darian can’t miss his

spirit walker in a peach jumpsuit on Christmas Eve.”

Enda laughed. “What else did those men buy?”
“Oh no, I’m not telling, and don’t force me to or I’ll make sure

you have one of your own.”

* * * *

Enda grinned as he watched his lover picked up his speed and

started running to his house. Daniel let out a delightful squeal when
he realised Enda was hot on his tails. It was at that moment Enda
knew he was totally and hopelessly in love with his spirit walker and

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nothing and nobody was going to come between them again. Now all
he had to do was get the stubborn man to move into his home with
him, even if it was a seventeenth-century castle.

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107

Chapter Ten

Enda rolled across the bed sliding his hand down Daniel’s chest,

finally stopping when he’d tangled his fingers in Daniel’s pale pubic
curls. Daniel was nervous. What was he supposed to do? He looked
down at his sleeping lover beside him. Enda could sleep like the dead.
He leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Some help you are,” he
whispered. Tomorrow night was the full moon. Apparently, he was
going to shift, and he didn’t even know what to. Knowing his luck
he’d turn out to be a duck, a killer duck of course as he had to be a
predator, but a duck nonetheless.

There was a huff of laughter from his sleeping companion. “A

killer duck?”

“Oh, go back to sleep, you. As I said, you’re absolutely no help.”
“Quack, quack-quack...Quack!”
Enda’s entire body started shaking. Daniel was so glad someone

was amused by all of this. Enda slowly rolled onto his back, taking
Daniel with him so he was sprawled across his damp, slick body.
They had spent the rest of the evening after Daniel’s first pack
meeting making hot, hard, sweaty love. He knew it was love, though
neither of them had said the actual words. Enda’s eyes were an open
book. He hid nothing, which could pull at his guilt strings if he let it.

“God, you feel good,” Enda said as he rubbed their rapidly rising

cocks together. He opened his eyes, looking at Daniel in question.

“What?” Daniel asked. He’d started off nervous. Now he was

nervous, aroused, and just a little worried.

“Do you ever top?”

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Ellen Quinn

“What?” Daniel asked again, dumbstruck. He’d never been asked

that before, due to his height and slender build, his few past
connections had just assumed he bottomed, never thinking to give him
a choice.

“You know, do you like fucking, topping, whatever you want to

call it?”

Daniel couldn’t, wouldn’t lie. “I don’t know.”
Enda frowned. “You don’t know?”
“No,” Daniel said, feeling a little angry at his tone.
“Would you like to?”
“He didn’t just say that, did he?”
“Yes, love, I did. I love either position and would love to feel your

long, smooth cock fill my ass.”

Daniel’s cock just got very interested in the game that they were

playing. “Turn over,” he said as a lustful gleam filled Enda’s cloudy
grey eyes. “I’m not sure I’ll get it right the other way round.”

“Baby, there is no wrong way,” Enda said, turning again and

pulling Daniel into a passionate kiss. Daniel’s lips were swollen from
earlier, but he would let Enda kiss him all day and he wouldn’t
complain. Enda’s tongue slid across the roof of his mouth tasting
every part, pushing his senses into overdrive and turning his body to
mush. Yes, he could do this all day. Daniel caught his tongue and
sucked hard, pushing his hard, leaking cock up over Enda’s hip,
leaving a trail of pre-cum across his thigh. Enda pulled away, turning
back, and pushed his ass in the air for Daniel. Daniel rubbed those
hard, muscular globes dusted lightly with that dark, smooth hair. He
leaned in and kissed each firm cheek, giving each a bite before
moving on.

“Yes!” Enda moaned pushing his ass farther towards him. Daniel

rewarded him by licking his tongue down Enda’s back and into his
crease, stopping when he circled his dark rosette. “Oh, God, yes,
baby, I love that.” Encouraged, he continued licking and nibbling at
Enda’s puckered hole, loving the musky taste and scent of this man.

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Slowly, as Daniel laved his hole, it began to relax, softening under his
curious attention. He firmed his tongue and speared it into his hole.

“Ahh, yeah, oh, baby, that feels so good.” Not bad praise for

someone who had never done this before. He pulled back and did it
again, only this time pushing deeper. Saliva slid out of his mouth and
coated Enda’s entrance as he fucked that tight ass with his tongue.

“Please, baby, I need you in me, now!” Enda begged. Daniel

couldn’t believe it. This powerful man both in his business and home
life was begging to be fucked. Daniel was so turned on his cock was
continually leaking pre-cum.

“Lube?” Daniel asked, his voice rasping with need.
“Where, baby?”
“Left bedside drawer,” Daniel answered, desperate to penetrate

his lover. Enda reached out, stretching his glorious body in front of
Daniel. Daniel had no choice he had to run his hands down Enda’s
sides, pressing his fingers gently into the firm muscles, Enda suddenly
huffed and scuttled away.

“You’re ticklish.” Daniel grinned and chased after him, reaching

just above his hips, sliding his fingers around really gently.

“No, I’m not, stop it!” Enda laughed, wriggling away from

Daniel. “No! aunty, granddad, uncle, cousin!”

Daniel stopped. Looking at Enda, he raised his eyebrow in

question.

“It’s uncle. I can never remember which one you shout when you

want someone you stop,” Enda answered.

Daniel laughed. “Come on, big guy, let me love you.”
Enda’s eyes went from a dusty grey to dark, swirling clouds in

seconds. “Oh, yes please, my love.” He gave Daniel the lube which
he’d been holding and turned once more. Daniel smiled. He’d
squashed the whole tube out of shape. Squirting a little over his
fingers he gently spread it over Enda’s sensitive hole. Feeling it relax,
he slipped a finger in. He swirled it round before quickly adding a
second. Enda moaned and pushed back on his fingers. Daniel

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scissored them inside before pushing in a third. Pushing in deeper, he
twisted his fingers around until he felt that small bud of nerves.
Trailing his fingers over the nub again and again he watched as Enda
writhed and moaned, bucking every time he passed the spot.

“Now, Daniel, I don’t want to come without you inside me.”
Daniel put a little more lube in his hand and slid it up and down

his cock. Placing it at Enda’s opening he rubbed gently over the dark
rosette. He watched it relax almost begging for him to enter before he
slowly pushed in.

“God, you’re so hot and tight.” Daniel gasped as he continued to

ease into his lover’s body. He had never felt anything like this. His
cock was encased in a delicious, tight grip that was pulsing around
him. “Wow,” he breathed.

“God, yeah,” Enda grunted and began to rock back and forth on

his knees. “Now!”

Daniel took the hint and began to move. Pleasure raced through

his body, always ending in his cock which pulsed in time with his
thrusts.

“More!”
The intensity began to build and Daniel could feel his balls

tighten. He began to increase the pressure to his thrusts until he was
hammering into Enda. Sweat beaded on his brow and slowly ran a
path down his taught body.

“Agh!” Enda screamed and Daniel knew he’d hit his sweet spot.

He hammered again at the same angle, keeping Enda right on the
edge. “Close!”

Enda had been reduced to single words, moans, and grunts.

“Yes!” he yelled. Daniel leaned forward and gripped Enda’s engorged
cock, pumping together with his hips. One, two, three strokes and
Enda roared his release, shooting pearly ropes of cum over Daniel’s
hand and the bed sheets. Daniel pulled his hand back, and placed both
on Enda’s hips in a vicelike grip as he pushed himself deep inside.
His canines extended again, and he sank them straight into the pulsing

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vein in Enda’s neck. His lover reared up and Daniel felt a second
climax rushed through Enda’s cock, jerking seed over his chest and
abs. Daniel released Enda, and pulling his head back he howled,
letting his climax take him flying over the edge.

Daniel slumped over his walker’s warm, damp body. But then it

happened. His cock began to swell like a knot forming, and he could
feel it pressing into what must be Enda’s prostate. It felt like it was
attached physically but really it was the head of his cock swelling so
much it could not be released. His whole body felt euphoric. Wow!

“Aghhh!” Enda screamed as his cock erupted for a third time, his

seed was no longer purely white, but it still burst from him. Seeing his
lover explode again sent ribbons of power through Daniel’s body.
That must be from the pressure his knotted cock gave. He tilted his
head back and howled.

“Wow, I howled,” Daniel thought.
“Yeah, baby,” Enda answered eventually, letting Daniel slip free

as the knot receded. “But I don’t think you’re a wolf.” Enda rolled
over away from the damp spot, taking Daniel with him.

“No, then what was that?” Daniel thought.
“You may be wild dog or coyote,” Enda thought as he got up and

went into the bathroom.

“Really? But I’m neither African nor American.” Basically, he

thought, we have no idea what I am.

Enda, having cleaned himself, returned with a warm, damp cloth

and gently cleaned Daniel. He returned the cloth and came back.

“You may be a howling killer duck?” Enda thought as he burst out

laughing.

They snuggled under the covers together, Daniel laying his head

on Enda’s chest, wrapping their limbs together. Daniel felt so relaxed
and safe in his lover arms, he hadn’t the energy to worry. He smiled,
realising what Enda had done putting his fears to the side. He was
finished worrying about all this shifter business, what would happen,
would happen.

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“Thank you,” he whispered as sleep swept him under.

* * * *

Enda opened his eyes, looking down into two beautiful crystal-

sky-blue ones looking back at him.

“You snore!” the owner of the blue eyes accused.
“No, I don’t, it’s just muffled breathing.”
“Of course it is, dear, because you listen to it all the time.” Daniel

laughed.

“I wonder what sort of night it will be,” Enda wondered, changing

the subject quickly.

“A terrifying one,” Daniel answered, getting out of bed to look

outside. “Wow!”

“I agree,” Enda concurred, staring at Daniel’s lean, naked body.

Daniel giggled and wriggled his ass, squealing when Enda lunged for
him, pulling back into bed.

“Give over, I meant outside, it’s snowing,” Daniel reprimanded

him. Though Enda knew that there wasn’t an ounce of anger in it.

“Oooh, that could mean cold paws. How soft are your hands and

feet?” Enda knew soft paws would take a little wearing in. As cubs
after their first shift, they were only allowed to shift for short periods
until their first full moon. This would allow their pads would harden
and they could take a long run. He flipped his lover over, feeling his
feet.

Daniel shrieked, pulling his feet away quickly.
“Now who’s ticklish?” Enda leered.
“It’s just my feet, whereas you seem to giggle from wherever.”

Daniel leered back.

“Joking aside, love, you’d probably best not run too much tonight.

The snow may be a blessing, cooling your pads down, but it can also
be a curse if they get cut or damaged in anyway.”

“Thank you for caring,” Daniel whispered in his mind.
“Always,” came his reply.

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Chapter Eleven

Percy and William had insisted Daniel take the day off to get

ready for his big night. You’d think he was about to open on a new
West End show, not run around a forest naked as, at present, a killer
duck.

“I’ve arranged for us to meet with Sunan at lunchtime. I want you

to meet him. I’ve mentioned you’re a goldsmith—”

“Not fully, I’m still an apprentice.” Daniel jumped in. Enda had

been asking him to show Sunan his work, but the stuff he brought was
his own personal designs not part of his apprenticeship portfolio. He’d
left all that at the college he was attending as David Kingdom.

“Do you just want me to meet him?” Daniel asked, hoping yet

knowing that wasn’t the answer he’d get.

“You know what I want, Daniel,” Enda said, looking directly at

him as he finish his porridge, with salt of course. Daniel sighed. He
might as well get it over with. It would also distract him for the day,
which he reckoned was Enda’s whole idea.

Enda grinned, showing Daniel that he’d listened to his thoughts.
“Butt out!” he growled, feeling his teeth itch again. He got up and

headed into his utility room, where his workstation was situated. He’d
been really impressed with Hamish and Duncan’s dad for finding one
so quickly for him. It was the way he relaxed. He couldn’t afford
high-quality materials for his work as his father had refused to fund
his “hobby.” He didn’t care. He’d found the funds, though with
saving for his escape, it had had to take a two-year sabbatical. He
liked his pieces and occasionally wore some, but hadn’t intended

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them to be looked at by a master craftsman. He put his pieces in his
case. They were all still down here as he hadn’t yet sorted them.

“Do you want your porridge?” Enda called from the kitchen.
“No, I’ve had enough.” Daniel replied, thinking Enda was now

tucking into his breakfast. That man could eat. Yet there wasn’t an
ounce of fat on him. He felt his cock stirring in his pants as he thought
about Enda’s body.

“Stop that,” Enda muttered as he walked into the room.

“Otherwise we’ll never get anywhere today.”

“What did I do?” Daniel said, hoping he’d kept his thoughts quiet.
“During the full-moon cycle our senses are even more heightened.

I could smell your arousal,” he said, looking at the bulge growing in
Daniel’s pants. He growled, pulling Daniel into his arms, plundering
his lips. Daniel melted against him, rubbing his cock over Enda’s hard
shaft and enticing a groan from Enda’s throat.

Through another groan, Enda pulled away.
“I’m turning into a wanton slut!” Daniel blurted out.
“I don’t have a problem with that.” Enda grinned. “Cause you’re

my wanton slut.”

“Yes,” Daniel agreed. “All yours.”
Enda smiled and gave Daniel a tender, chaste kiss that completely

melted his heart. “You ready?”

“Unh?” was Daniel’s sensible reply. He lost all brain function

around this man.

“Are you ready to go?” he repeated less succinctly as he grabbed

his case.

“Yes, all done.”
“So, when are you going to pack the rest of your stuff and come

live with me?” Enda asked, a very serious look in his eye.

Daniel knew this would eventually come up as Enda had been

hinting at it subtly since he claimed him a week ago. And that was his
sticking point. It had only been a week. Enda kept assuring him that a
spirit walker was for life. There would be no other for him and, he

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hoped, Daniel, too. But that life he was referring to was never ending.
When these guys promised forever, it wasn’t just the next sixty years.
There was no end.

“I’m not ready yet, I’ve only just got here. I like my new home

and I like having a boyfriend, but I’m not going to jump right in with
the first man I meet.” As soon as Daniel said it he realised his
mistake.

Enda had yet to say a word as he stared long and hard at Daniel.

After an agonising moment for Daniel, Enda finally spoke. “Well, I
will leave you to be you then, so you can meet all those others you
want to get to know. As your boyfriend, I’d hate to get in the way.
Don’t let me know if you find the second or third man you meet is
good enough to jump in with. But remember a spirit walker’s bond
can only be broken by death and that’s for both of them.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just want to be me for a while longer,

not Enda McCaffry’s other half.” The hole he was digging was
getting bigger.

With that, Enda walked out of the utility room and through the

house. Daniel heard his front door open and close quietly. He even
heard Enda’s truck start and drive off. Heightened senses, right.

He still hadn’t moved. He couldn’t. An overwhelming fear had

taken over him and a hollow feeling in his chest made him feel like he
couldn’t breathe. He stumbled and sat at his workstation looking at
the clear space, only then realising Enda had had his case in his hand.
He knew Enda wouldn’t steal from him. He was too good a man.
With that thought, a sob broke from Daniel’s throat followed by more,
great gulping sobs. Why did he have to be so careful? Why couldn’t
he just take a chance? His whole life he’d carefully planned
everything, always holding his own, always able to stand on his own
two feet, not needing anybody. His father would be so proud. Picking
himself up, he went back into the kitchen. Enda hadn’t eaten his
porridge. It sat in his dish, quietly congealing. He scraped it into the
bin and rinsed out the dish. He would sort the rest later.

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He went back upstairs to make the bed, but as he walked in the

smell hit him. Enda’s sweet sweat mixed with his musky aroma, and
it also smelled of sex. Hot. Dirty. Raunchy. Sex. He curled up in the
comforters, breathing in Enda, and cried. He was an inarticulate idiot.

* * * *

Enda was an idiot. He knew Daniel hadn’t meant those things the

way they sounded. Ah shit, the poor boy had had his whole world
blown apart in the last eight days. Enda should be grateful he could
manage speech.

Unfortunately, what Daniel had said had cut through him like a

hot knife through butter. That his spirit walker could feel like that was
not how it was supposed to be. Now he knew he was being silly.
What had he expected? To find him on a beach and he’d run into his
arms and everything would be peachy? Hell, he was turning into a
romantic sap. The problem was where Daniel was concerned he was a
romantic sap. He liked moonlight strolls, dinners by candlelight, and
cuddling absolutely anywhere! He had to be an astute business man, a
strong Alpha, but when it came to his personal life and his spirit
walker, he just wanted to be loved.

He had to go back. He had walked out on Daniel on the eve of his

first shift. He was supposed to protect and support his walker, not
abandon him at such an important time. He changed into loose-fitting
jogging bottoms and a baggy sweatshirt, grabbing a second set for
Daniel. He then headed to the dining hall were everyone was
congregating before they headed out.

“I’m going down to meet up with Daniel,” he told his pack. He

knew they were curious when he had come home without him. He’d
given the case to Sunan and then gone straight to his rooms. “I’ll meet
you at the northeast gate in an hour.”

“Yes, Alpha,” the pack said in unison.

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He turned and left them to their meal. He just wasn’t hungry,

which was not good as he would be burning a lot of calories tonight.

“Enda, wait!” Jez called him back from his thoughts. Turning to

look at his best friend and ex-lover, he raised his eyebrow in question.

“Take this. You’ll both need it.” Jez passed him a paper bag. Enda

peered inside. There were two huge beef sandwiches, two energy
drinks, and a large chocolate bar.

He closed the bag and looked at his best friend. “Thank you.”
Jez nodded and walked back to the dining hall. They didn’t need

to say anything. They just always looked out for one another.

* * * *

Daniel woke with a start, covered in sweat, and his entire body

felt like it was on fire. He had to cool down. He stripped off and ran
into the shower, turning on the cold water. Five minutes later, he still
wasn’t cooling down. Snow, I’ll go lie in the snow. Rational thought
had gone. He just had to cool down.

He couldn’t go out naked, but his skin felt irritatingly itchy, and

he wanted to let the cold air touch his skin. He grabbed a pair of
loose-fitting cotton shorts he bought for a holiday he had never gone
on, slipped on some canvas shoes, and ran out of his back door and up
to the forest around the castle. He knew he wanted to find Enda, but
after what he’d said he couldn’t just walk up to the front door and ask.
He hit the forest just as the sun set and the full moon lit up the
cloudless sky. What was going to happen now?

Suddenly, every bone in his body snapped. He felt like an

eighteen-wheeler had just run over him. He screamed as he fell to his
knees and fur started to sprout all over his body. He was in agony. His
face started to elongate as hair, no fur, started to cover it, and what the
hell was happening to his ears? Finally, it all became too much. He
slumped on the ground, closing his eyes and letting the pain take him.

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* * * *

Enda reached Daniel’s house just before sunset. He could feel his

wolf stirring with in him. He was strong enough to resist the need for
a while, but eventually he would have to succumb to the pull of the
moon. He knocked. No answer. He tried the door. It was locked.
Rather than breaking in, he went round the back to find the door there
wide open. He sniffed inside. Daniel wasn’t home. Guilt ran through
his body. He should never have left him. What sort of spirit walker
was he? A lousy one, he answered for himself. He shook his head.
The sun had set and he could feel his wolf inside him demanding his
freedom.

Enda had to find Daniel. He sniffed the air. Daniel’s scent was

strong, but he knew this could be misleading as he used this door a
lot. He walked down the path to the gate. The strongest scent went
towards W&P’s but that was his most-travelled path. The most recent
scent went north. He followed that one. As he approached the forest,
the snow began to fall again, not too heavy, but the wind was also
picking up. That would not help him, or Daniel, for that matter. Had
he shifted? Had his body accepted his beast?

He howled into the night, “Oh, God, Daniel. Where are you? I’m

so sorry.”

His wolf was growling inside to be let out, as if to say, I’ll find

our spirit walker and I’ll take care of him. He entered the forest but
the wind and snow was blowing Daniel’s scent all over. He stripped
off his clothes, wedging them and his spares for Daniel in the arms of
an old sycamore tree. He let the heat rise through his body, and
throwing his hands on the ground he let his wolf run free. He prayed
that his instincts would allow him to find Daniel.

* * * *

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Daniel opened his eyes. He was frozen and his body was covered

in snow. He stood up and shook his fur. His fur! He looked down at
his white fur and paws. What had he turned into?

He heard a howl in the distance and crouched close to the ground.

He didn’t want to be found like this. He started walking away from
the howl when Enda voice echo in his head.

“Oh, God, Daniel. Where are you? I’m so sorry.”
He held very still. Why was Enda sorry? He’d been the one to

mess up, big style. He turned and walked toward the howl slowly and
very quietly.

* * * *

Enda needed help. He had to find his walker. He knew the pack

would wait for him at the north gate, so he headed that way. It didn’t
take him long to get there. The pack immediately stood, obviously
sensing his fear, worry, and guilt. He managed to shift, though it was
a struggle. His wolf wanted to find its walker. Looking up, he saw the
beautiful fish eagle that was Kash perched in an oak on the side of the
small clearing.

“Kash, can you circle and look for any movement? Daniel’s scent

is completely distorted with the weather. I know flying won’t be easy
but if you could do it in short bursts...” He never finished his
sentence. The eagle spread his wings and took off under the cover of
the trees. Enda knew that was tricky for Kash due to his size, but
Kash knew the importance of a man’s spirit walker and would do
whatever he could to find Daniel.

Turning to the rest, he smiled. They were the most mismatched

pack in the world, and he wouldn’t change them for anything. “Will
you help me find him?” Two bears, three tigers, one white, which was
a surprise, four wolves, and a snow leopard all bowed their heads. “I
think he is south of here but where I’m not sure.” Again they nodded
and went to move out when a loud squawk echoed around the

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clearing. Kash swooped in and perched back in his tree looking at a
gap in the trees. They all stared as the moonlight glinted on pure
white fur as Daniel walked into the clearing.

Daniel was a stunning arctic fox.
“Daniel?” Enda asked, looking at his gorgeous walker. Daniel

walked up to him, stood right in front of him, and then growled at the
pack. He bared his teeth, looking ready to take any of them on. What
on earth was going on?

“Enda, you idiot,” came a shout from the tree. Kash had shifted

and was sat in the branches.

“Unh?” was Enda’s intelligent reply.
“You’re naked and you’re his spirit walker. He’s warning them

away. Shift, man, and he’ll calm down.”

“But we’ve all been naked before.”
“He hasn’t. He doesn’t understand the etiquette yet. He’s reacting

like you would if he was naked in front of all of us.”

Enda growled.
“Exactly, you numb nut!” Kash shifted back and glared down at

him. Numb nut? Kash was getting worse with his silly names. He
looked at the rest of them and knew “numb nut” was going to be
around for a while. Daniel growled again as Angus shook his coat.
Hell yes, Daniel, his spirit walker was here and he needed to help
him.

“Okay, I’m going to stay close to the castle with Daniel. I’ll see

you at lunch tomorrow after you’ve rested, and thank you for your
loyalty and concern.” Slowly his pack moved off, Gregor following
the tigers, Alden with the wolves, and Sunan sloped off on his own.
Enda didn’t know where to, but he went the same way every full
moon. It couldn’t be his spirit walker, as he had been doing it for
nearly two years. He knew leopards were solitary animals, but he
could get solitude off in the forest, yet he always headed to town. He
was never seen of course, but that’s where he went.

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Daniel nudged his side, knocking him on his ass. He pounced on

him and started licking his face.

“Hey, my gorgeous walker, do you have any idea how beautiful

you are?”

“No, I’m so sorry, please believe me. I couldn’t bear it when you

left. It was like a huge hole had forced its way into my chest. I
couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe. Enda, I think I love you.” The last
bit was whispered but Enda heard it loud and clear. He grabbed
Daniel burying his face in the warm, soft fur.

“Oh, my love, my dear, sweet love, I feel the same. I love you so

much. I need you with me, I didn’t mean to push. I don’t want you to
be anything but who you are.”

“I know, Enda, I need to let go of some of my past. I’ve always

had to be careful, hide my true self. I thought I was going to have to
go back to that, not realising that being with you is my true self.”

Enda smiled. “I love you.” Then he stood up and shifted into an

unusual but beautiful wolf, his mother’s arctic breed shining through.
He was about to lead the way round the castle when that small voice
sounded hesitantly in his head.

“Enda, what am I?”

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Chapter Twelve

Daniel stood at the top of the balcony looking down at the room

below. It was the night of the Kashmerle Company Christmas Gala
where the pack entertained their colleagues and competitors in the
gold and gem industry. There were dealers from all over the world
here, mining corporations and goldsmiths of every shape and size.
Within the industry it was an honour to be invited, and it was by
invitation only.

Daniel was overlooking the sports hall, except now it had been

transformed into a ballroom. A huge set of chandeliers hung from the
ceiling casting a sparkling glow over the biggest ballroom Daniel had
ever seen, and he’d seen a few. But even his father couldn’t have
competed with this. The walls were coloured what he would call a
Victorian red, sort of old-fashioned burgundy, but the coving, pillars,
and architectural features where all in a pale cream. With stained
windows along the one wall, it was stunning and screamed money.

The pack had done all the work. Duncan and Hamish had helped,

bringing in the tables and chairs from heaven knew where. These had
been scattered around the edge of the room, leaving a large space for
dancing in the centre. A bluesy jazz band was warming up at the
moment, and the guests were due any minute. William and Percy had
adjusted their enchantment to allow guests in and were at present
dancing in the middle of the dance floor. They were discussing very
loudly when they could go and pinch something to eat. Daniel had a
suspicion William was a foodie. Percy had said he was never happier
than when he had an apron on, only to then add, in just an apron and
wiggle his eyebrows. Those two were incorrigible and great fun to be

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with, and considering the amount of time it took them to realise they
loved each other they had had some serious making up to do and were
enjoying every minute of it.

The guests began to drift in, and he knew he should go downstairs

to stand beside Enda, but he felt so out of his depth. This was
Charles’s department. He’d accompanied Father on the social
occasions of the gold industry, not him. Hell, he was still trying to get
used to the idea of moving in with Enda. Who had an address that
read Kashmerle Castle, Castle Road, Kashmerle? Well, apparently he
would if he moved in with Enda this Christmas. Things had settled
down between them, and he had been spending more and more nights
at the castle. Enda’s rooms were amazing. He even had a pool. It
wasn’t very big, but the idea of naked swimming with Enda had
endless possibilities. He could feel his cock perking up at the idea.
What would it take to entice Enda away from these festivities...

“Well, hello, Mr. McCaffry, thank you so much for our invite.

This is my wife, Cynthia, my son, Charles, and his wife, Fiona. This
is my good friend and colleague, George Fort-Worthies, his wife,
Meryl, and their daughter Olivia, who is engaged to be married to my
other son, David. Unfortunately, he’s away at present.”

Daniel froze he was directly above this little group and could here

every word. What the hell was his father doing here? Oh, Daniel turn
your brain on. How long has your father been in the gold business?
Of course he has an invite, and Enda couldn’t do anything because
you didn’t tell him. But this was his sanctuary, his place to be who he
really was. And what the hell did his father mean by announcing an
engagement that didn’t exist? Daniel knew the answer. His father
expected him to come crawling back when the money ran out. The
fact he’d lived by his own means for years hadn’t even crossed his
father’s mind.

“It’s my pleasure, Mr. Kingdom. Hopefully my partner will be

down in a moment and I can introduce you,” Enda replied.

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Time to crash and burn, Daniel thought. He was not going to run

or plan an avoidance scheme to save his ass. He was proud to be
Enda’s partner, and this might be the last time he could prove it,
seeing as his hidden identity was about to come to light. He spotted
the group walk into the great ballroom and slowly began his descent
from the second-floor balcony. At least he was going to have one hell
of an entrance.

He smiled as the group turned to see him descend the stairs. His

father’s face was a picture.

“Hello, Father,” he said as he boldly walked over to Enda.

Leaning in, he kissed his cheek and whispered through his mind, “I’m
so sorry, I wanted this all left behind.”

“I didn’t realise you knew my son, David.”
“Neither did I?” Enda thought, a myriad of emotions crossing his

face. “Yes, Mr. Kingdom, this is my partner Dan, er, David,” Enda
said.

“No, it’s Daniel, my love. I never use David,” Daniel said. He was

not going back, ever. Even if he lost Enda because of his own
stupidity, he was not going back to being a piece in Lawrence Charles
Kingdom’s plans for making money.

“David, what on earth are you doing? You just kissed that man.”

Olivia had a high, grating voice that only got higher when she was
agitated. It sounded painful.

“Olivia, I’m gay. This is my life partner, Enda McCaffry. I have

never proposed to you, and I never will. I love Enda. I apologise, Mr.
and Mrs. Fort-Worthies, if my father gave you any other impression.”

George Fort-Worthies had turned a lovely shade of purple, which

didn’t suit his blotchy, pockmarked skin. “I do apologise, Mr.
McCaffry. We obviously had the wrong impression.” At which point
he grabbed his wife and daughter and headed off in the opposite
direction, disappearing into the growing crowd.

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“Anything else I should know about before we continue, life

partner?” Enda slowly drifted the thoughts across Daniel’s mind. He
looked at Enda. Enda wasn’t smiling.

“No–yes,” Daniel stuttered. The look of concern on Enda’s face

was endearing. He just hoped they would come through the other side
intact.

“What the hell are you playing at, boy? I told you this nonsense

had to stop. You are going to marry Olivia in June and finally become
a man.” Lawrence growled.

“No, Father, I’m not. I’ve been a man for some time now, and you

are going to have to accept me as I am.” Daniel was not going into
that argument now or ever again.

“What happened to my mother?” Daniel wanted answers.
“Your mother is dead. She went into a coma before you were

born, and we kept her on life support until you could survive. Then
we turned her off.” His father said with disdain, “I shall expect you at
the Willows after this event, and we will discuss your behaviour and
how you will apologise to Olivia and her parents.” Lawrence turned
and began to walk away.

Daniel knew it was hopeless. His father only listened to his own

voice. He also suspected his father had no idea of his shifter status.
Daniel was just a tool in his arsenal to gain power and money. But
how had his mother kept her shifter life hidden from him? Things just
didn’t make sense.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kingdom,” Enda said politely.
“Sorry, we have to go.”
“Yes, I think you do, and Daniel will not be joining you. He will

be here with me.”

“Huh,” was Lawrence’s only response as he walked towards the

main entrance, his wife hot on his heels.

* * * *

126

Ellen Quinn

Enda’s head was swimming. Daniel King was really David

Kingdom. With all that was going on, this really was an unexpected
and worrying problem. Still, he felt in his heart that David or Daniel
did not involve himself in his father’s dealings. He knew he wasn’t
David, not any more. Daniel’s documents were legal. William and
Percy would not have accepted them if they weren’t. He was who he
said he was. He wasn’t running away so much as running toward a
future, their future. He should be mad. Daniel could have told him,
but Enda hadn’t been deceived. What had Daniel said? “I wanted this
all left behind”? He’d deal. He knew Lawrence Kingdom and hell,
after seeing the way he treated his son, he could understand Daniel’s
statement. They’d had little to do with Kingdoms. As a business he
sold them some of their gold, but he’d never really trusted the man.
Admittedly he’d only been going on instinct before, but now with
Daniel’s perspective he was going to keep a close eye on the man.
There was no way he was letting him anywhere near his man or his
pack for that matter. He placed his arm around Daniel’s waist and his
walker melted into him, looking up with a hopeful gaze.

Charles looked at them.
“Why did you ask about our mother?” he asked quietly.
Daniel looked back at his brother who still hadn’t left. “I just

wanted to know a little more about her,” Daniel replied.

Enda knew he was desperate to find out about his ancestry, but he

also knew Charles and Daniel were not full brothers. There was no
shifter in Charles. He was full human. His scent stood out as plain as
day. It was how all shifters identified different races. Daniel being
new to his beast had yet to learn the differing scents of the people
around him.

* * * *

“I only remember a few things,” Charles said. “She was always

alone and quiet, that is, until she got her dog.”

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127

“She had a dog?” Daniel asked. He knew he needed this

information, but he was terrified what he was going to find out.

“Yes, it was the only time she really smiled. Father said she loved

the dog more than she loved him.” Charles shook his head. “I used to
think she was going to leave us. When she moved into the summer
house, she kept the dog with her. She was expecting you, and I think
she felt safer with the dog there. I think Father thought she was
having an affair. He ran down one night with a shotgun saying he was
going to kill the bastard. There was no one there, though he did shoot
the dog. She changed after that. All she did was hug the small case of
ashes and cry. Not long after, she slipped into a coma. They hooked
her up and kept her going for another couple of weeks, until you were
born. Then she was gone. Father just left her ashes in the cellar. I
added the dog’s to them.” Charles shivered.

“What happened to them?” Enda asked. Daniel knew, having

already worked out what had happened. Ice ran through Daniel’s
veins at this discovery. He’d lost his family before he was even born.
No wonder he hadn’t really fit in. Did his father know? He didn’t
think so, but then again would his father care either way? He was just
a pawn in one of his father’s games. As for shifters Daniel had his
suspicions but wasn’t sure and was certainly not going to his fa—Mr.
Kingdom to find out. If the man didn’t know, Daniel wanted it to stay
that way.

He suspected he should be more upset, but there was no love lost

between him and his father, and now there wasn’t even the connection
of blood. He was almost relieved.

“To be honest, I forgot all about them. I know that’s bad, but I

was only a bairn. I came across them again when I’d passed my
driving test and Father let me use the old Land Rover. I was in the
cellar looking for a tool kit and oil. I found Mum and took her into the
woods behind the summer house. I buried them near the pond by an
old oak tree. I carved her name and the dog’s into the old oak and said
good-bye.”

128

Ellen Quinn

“Thank you,” Daniel said. It might have taken his brother nearly

ten years to lay them to rest. But it was too much to ask a boy to bury
his mother and her spirit walker when he was alone. And Charles was
his brother, maybe not full, but he didn’t have his father’s destructive,
single-minded determination to get whatever he wanted.

“What was the dog’s name?” Daniel asked.
“Danny Boy, she always called him Danny Boy.” Charles smiled.

Daniel thought he must be remembering something about her and the
dog, well, fox. “It’s why I asked Father to name you Daniel. He didn’t
know the dog’s name and I thought Mother would like it.” Tears
began swimming in Daniel’s eyes as he took in what his brother was
saying. He had something from his brother that was special as only a
ten year old boy would think to give.

“What breed was he?” Enda questioned, breaking the tension.
“I never knew. He was really large but I’ve never seen a breed

like that at that size. His tail was bushy.” Charles snorted. “And he
was white, the purest white I’ve ever seen. He was probably a giant
husky or something.”

“Fiona, Charles, we’re going now!” Lawrence’s voice carried

through the open doors.

“I’d best go.” He grinned at Enda. “By the way, I love the way

you make everyone walk through the closet to get to the ballroom.”

Enda laughed. “You’re one of the very few to notice that.”
“Look after my baby brother,” he said and held out his hand.
Shaking it, Enda answered, “I promise you I will.”
He punched Daniel on the shoulder as he turned to go, “See you

around, Squirt.”

Daniel snorted. “Not if I see you first, Dribble.”

* * * *

What a party, Enda thought as he looked around at the crowd. He

could hardly believe no one had tried to listen in for any gossip. That

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129

was until he saw the pack strategically placed around them. Jez
looked across and gave him the thumbs-up. He nodded. Jez waved his
hand telling him to go.

Thank God for best friends. He waved his thanks and slipped out

to the front reception and pulled Daniel up the stairs. He didn’t say
anything. He wanted to wait and hear what Daniel said. His brother
had no idea what he’d actually told Daniel. The only thing good about
the whole sad story was it highlighted how strong the spirit-walker
bond was. It was one of the reasons few shifters ever married, unless
it was their spirit walker, and even then most didn’t. The bond was so
much stronger than a piece of paper.

They walked into his apartment. He wished it was theirs, but

Daniel said he still wasn’t ready. He guided him straight up the stairs
to the bedroom. Daniel walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, his
hands trembling in his lap.

“I was born David Daniel Kingdom. Though I have recently found

out Lawrence Charles Kingdom is not my father. Until the age of
twenty-three I lived the life he wanted me to, with the exception of
my choice of partners. Though this was just put down as
experimentation, and he figured eventually I would grow up and
comply with his wishes. I wanted to be a goldsmith like my supposed
father, but I enjoyed the creative side rather than the business. I put
myself through college and then saved for my escape.” His eyes
looked up with determination and fear.

Enda wanted to go to him but knew he needed to say this. He sat

beside him. “I always planned to leave as I knew my father wouldn’t
listen to or agree with my life choices. I changed my name through
deed poll. I am Daniel King,” he said, looking straight at Enda.

“I know you are, my love.” Enda couldn’t hold back anymore. He

leaned in and kissed him. Daniel’s breath caught, and he leaned into
Enda. Enda felt Daniel’s slender hands sliding up the sculpted lines of
his chest.

130

Ellen Quinn

“I planned to leave everything behind so I could be me. I didn’t

want any of that part of my life affecting my new choices. I never
meant to hurt or deceive you. I wanted you to have the real me.”

“So no more secrets? You’re not married with five children?”

Enda raised his eyebrows. “I just thought I’d ask, you know, in case
they happened to pop round.”

Daniel’s lips curved up in a shy smile, “I don’t and never have

done women, so no marriage or any offspring. I just couldn’t cope
waking up next to Olivia every morning. The thought terrifies me.”
Daniel shook, and a look of distaste spread across his face. Enda
laughed. They were going to be more than okay.

He had just one more question. “Your mother?”
“There’s not much to do or say with that. My mother found her

spirit walker and, like me, she couldn’t live without him. What my
father did was wrong, so very wrong, but I have to let it go. I never
knew either of them, but I know the time they shared was very
special.”

“It had to be.” Enda smiled down at Daniel. “They made you.”
Daniel pulled Enda’s face in for a slow but passionate kiss.
“There is something I would like, though.” Daniel looked down,

going all shy and nervous.

“What’s wrong? What do you need, my love?” Enda held him in

his arms, pulling Daniel onto his lap.

Daniel took a deep breath in and barely whispered, “I’d like to

wake up next to you every morning.”

Enda smiled at the man in his arms, after two hundred and one

years he’d found his spirit walker, and he was coming home. They
still had a long way to go, but the love they shared would take them
anywhere.

“Always, my love, always.”

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131

Epilogue

Daniel sat in the Slug and Lettuce. His grin was just getting bigger

and bigger. Enda sat next to him rubbing his hand along the inside of
his thigh. In full view of everyone and no one was batting an eye.
Kashmerle was a very special place, and Enda and his pack had
played an essential part in creating it.

Everyone was accepted here, even wearing fluorescent-peach

jumpsuits. Alden and Gregor looked like they’d just come from a
pantomime rehearsal. The ugly sisters never looked so good. Gregor
was always close to Darian. He never let the man out of his sight. The
new addition of Jonah, who had come back from India with Gregor
and Darian, was still a little surprising. Everyone was curious as to
what had gone on in India with the three of them, but as it seemed to
be working, folk left it alone.

Angus’s very tight, red dress pants and gold lamé top had come

straight out of a seventies dance movie, yet it looked hot as hell on
him. All of the outfits were completely over the top. The men wore
them with good grace and were getting a lot of interest from the men
of the town. Daniel had not escaped, dressed as an elegant gentleman,
the colouring exactly matching that of the mallard duck, complete
with a make-believe pistol. He was, and had a feeling always would
be, the pack’s “killer duck!”

Enda also had an outfit from the wizards. He had a brown, two-

piece sweater and pants, which hugged his body in all the right places.
The material, though, was soft but rough looking and sort of knobbly,
apparently to represent the husk of a nut.

132

Ellen Quinn

The wizards had done the obvious and dressed in long cloaks with

pointy hats even though they’d said they never would, and neither had
stopped laughing since they arrived. Percy had a wicked sense of
humour, which everyone was enjoying.

Sunan’s outfit had made one hell of an impression. Daniel had had

no idea he was going to get one. He’d been working with the quiet
man for a while now, spending part of his time still working at
W&P’s, part as a goldsmith in Klassic Designs. Sunan had been
amazed by his work and was going to help him with his city and
guilds qualifications. The man had a sad loneliness to him which
made his outfit even more of a surprise. It was skintight and made of
black leather, pretty much identical to the Catwoman outfit from an
old Batman movie. Poor Hamish had taken one look at him and
growled, and Hamish was human. He’d taken Sunan into the back and
wouldn’t let anyone near him. Hamish looked like he might be the
only man who could put a smile on Sunan’s face.

Enda’s hand slipped higher up Daniel’s high, the edge nudging his

rapidly growing cock.

“Behave!” Daniel demanded quickly through their bond.
“Why?” Enda replied innocently. Daniel giggled and slipped his

hand behind Enda, sliding under the waistband of his fetching brown
trousers. His fingers traced the line of his crease.

“Okay, I think it’s time to go!” Enda’s voice sounded strained.
“No, it’s not, we’ve only been here an hour,” Daniel complained.
“An hour too long if you ask me.”
Daniel moaned as he stood up, pulling his hand free and not

caring what people thought.

“You know the pool,” Enda said with a smile.
“The one in your huge home,” Daniel replied.
“Our home,” he reminded Daniel. “I was just thinking of opening

one of my presents and taking it in the pool.”

“Which present would that be?” Daniel hadn’t bought him

anything for the pool.