Published by Silver Publishing
Publisher of Erotic Romance
Published by Silver Publishing
Publisher of Erotic Romance
Hunter and the
Hawk
Symbiotic Mates 1
Gale Stanley
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Hunter and the Hawk © 2011 Gale Stanley
ISBN # 9781920484606
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Dedication:
For all those who believe true love knows no barriers.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and
trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned
in this work of fiction:
Aspirin: Bayer AG
Jeep: Chrysler Group LLC
symbiosis:
Biology: the intimate living together of two kinds of
organisms, especially if such association is of mutual
advantage
symbiont:
Biology: an organism living in a state of symbiosis
Hunter and the Hawk
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8
Chapter One
Hunter centered his chin over the cue stick and
concentrated on his aim. The game-winning ball sat just in
front of his face, waiting to be dropped into the pocket. He
studied it, imagining where the cue ball would need to hit
in order to make his shot. Stick level, he took a few warm-
up strokes.
Perfect. This wager is as good as won—
"Dogfight!"
Fuck! A perfectly aimed shot gone to hell.
Disgusted, he threw down his cue stick and made
his way toward the bar where two men were arguing over a
spilled beer. As he got closer, the hackles rose on the back
of his neck. Only midnight and a fight brewing already?
One of the two wolves spotted him approaching and
nudged the other. They both stood and moved off toward
the exit, taking their argument outside.
Good enough. Why ruin the night by turning a
simple beef into a real brawl? If the men were smart
enough to settle things between themselves, Hunter
wouldn't get involved.
The Wolf Den always drew a rough crowd on
Saturday night. Rafe, the pack Alpha, encouraged the males
to visit the bar, enticing them with drugs and alcohol.
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9
"A lone wolf is a frustrated wolf and frustrated
wolves cause trouble." Hunter wished he had a nickel for
every time he heard Rafe utter those words; he'd be a rich
man. He didn't always agree with their pack leader, but he
gave him the respect he deserved and kept his mouth shut.
Their Alpha believed every wolf needed a mate.
And if he didn't have a mate, then he needed a fuck buddy.
With so few women available, the club had become a place
where unmated Lycans could find a sex partner.
Relationships had been forged in the Den, but for the most
part the club remained a haven for one-night stands.
The shifters, full of randy animal spirits, behaved as
well as could be expected. Dogs fight. It's the nature of the
beast. Anything could trigger it—a bump in passing,
jealousy over one man's attention to another, or jockeying
for dominance in the pack. Prevention was always the best
policy. Two or three pack enforcers, strategically stationed
around the bar, usually managed to maintain a testosterone-
friendly atmosphere, their mere presence a reminder that
the Lycans were being scrutinized.
But tonight, the air seemed supercharged with
tension. Utilizing extra enforcers had been a good call.
Hunter took one of the vacated seats at the bar and
the bartender slid a bottle of mineral water in front of him.
Tyler winked as he leaned over and rested his elbows on
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10
the bar. He smiled at Hunter seductively. "What are you
doing later, sweetheart?"
Heat traveled up his spine. Maybe he was crazy to
turn down a sexy wolf like Tyler. He knew the bartender
didn't have a regular partner, preferring serial flings to
monogamy. Relieving his sexual frustration with a man like
Tyler wouldn't be a hardship. Coward. Are you going to
hide behind your grief forever?
When he was just a pup, a few inexperienced
encounters had convinced him he preferred males. Then
Rafe had paired him with a female mate and he'd put those
urges to bed. Hunter could have taken lovers on the side—
many did—but he'd chosen to remain faithful. He hadn't
been with a man in twenty years. Hell, he wouldn't know
what to do with a man. Tyler would laugh him out of bed.
Hunter reached for the bottle. "I'm on overtime."
The bartender sighed regretfully. "You know what
they say about all work and no play."
"No. What do they say?"
"That it sucks." Tyler took his hand and turned it
over. "You're starting to grow hair on your palms." He
rubbed a thumb over Hunter's palm.
Hunter pulled his hand away and looked at it. It
wouldn't surprise him.
Tyler broke up laughing. "If you change your mind,
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11
you know where to find me."
Tyler's trim ass held his attention as he walked
away. Shit! Hunter washed a few aspirin down with a
healthy swallow of water and held the cold bottle against
his head. His temples throbbed along with the hot, pulsing
beat of the electronic dance music. Colored lights around
the dance floor winked in the mirror over the bar,
intensifying the pain in his head. He'd rather be on patrol
outside any day of the week.
A brawny wolf took the stool next to him and
caught his eye in the mirror. The man flashed a toothy
smile and leaned over to whisper in Hunter's ear. "Buy ya a
beer?"
Hunter wrinkled his nose at the stench of unwashed
dog and held up his bottle. "No, thanks." Doyle always
struck him as a cruel bastard, a yobbo, not someone he
wanted to get up close and personal with.
Persistent, the man laid a hairy paw on Hunter's
upper thigh and squeezed. "How 'bout a dance? They're
playing our song."
Hunter turned his head swiftly, his lip curling back
in a low, threatening growl.
Doyle backed off and put his hands up in surrender.
"Some other time."
Hunter ignored him. He was here to keep an eye out
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12
for trouble, not start it. Why prove the Alpha right? Rafe
would just try harder to find him a new mate.
He and Rafe went way back, more like brothers
than friends. Even though he knew the man had his best
interests at heart, Hunter didn't want him choosing his mate
again. Yeah, he was frustrated as hell, but this time he
wanted to go slow and choose his own lover.
Although Rafe was older by five years, they'd
always hung together as kids. Hunter had idolized him and
the older boy had enjoyed being put on a pedestal. He'd
been sixteen when Rafe challenged Ulric, the old bastard
who ran the pack back then. Rafe had won easily and as the
newly made leader, he'd been hot to show the pack what he
could do. Even then, their numbers had been decreasing.
Rafe swore he'd turn the tide and started conducting his
own breeding studies.
The men weren't happy when he chose their mates,
but they followed his orders for the good of the pack.
Hunter had mated with Tena willingly. Maybe there were
no bells and whistles but they had cared about each other.
In the twenty years they'd been together there'd
been no whelps. Yeah, Tena had conceived, several times
in fact. But she never carried the baby to term.
Rafe had suggested on more than one occasion back
then that it was time for Hunter to mate with one of the
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other females. A proven breeder, he'd called him. Maybe
he'd have better luck with one of the other she-wolves. The
Alpha hadn't cared if he stayed with Tena as long as he
spread his sperm around. Hunter had refused. Only on that
point had he defied Rafe. He might be old school, but he
believed in loyalty to one's mate.
With Tena gone six months, he knew Rafe wouldn't
let him hold off much longer. Guilt sat heavy on his
shoulders. He should be trying to help his people increase
their numbers, but he didn't enjoy fucking around. What if
he got someone else's mate pregnant? If he should be lucky
enough to father a child, he wanted to be the one to raise it.
And coming between a woman and a mate she loved didn't
sit well with him. A complicated situation for sure.
He would never want Rafe's position. The Alpha
had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and had to make
some tough decisions. In the end, Hunter usually went
along with whatever Rafe decided.
Suddenly, a frisson of unease radiated up from the
base of his spine. Every hair on his body stood on end. He
hadn't seen or smelled anything out of the ordinary, but his
instincts were usually spot-on. Over the loud music, he
heard a series of low threatening growls.
His head snapped around, nostrils flaring and amber
eyes searching for the culprit. The wolves were gathering
Hunter and the Hawk
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14
near the entrance and the crowd prevented him from seeing
anything. Suppressing his own growl, he straightened to his
full six feet, five inches and made his way toward the
disturbance.
The men stepped aside as he passed. They knew he
wasn't there just to shoot pool, and they respected his
position as lead enforcer.
At the center of the mob, a ginger wolf circled a
man he'd never seen before. A sweet, coppery scent wafted
off the stranger. Underneath it, a dusky hint of feathers
tickled his senses. Strangely enough, he didn't find the
vampire's aura repulsive.
From the looks of things, more than a few punches
had already been thrown. The black-haired stranger sported
a bruise along his jaw and one eye was swollen shut. The
right sleeve of his white silk shirt had been ripped off,
revealing a hawk tattoo on his bicep. Despite this, he stood
stock-still. You had to respect a man who took this kind of
punishment without hitting back. His assailant, a wolf
known as a bully and bigot, didn't have a mark on him.
This had to be stopped before the fight escalated.
Right now, the other wolves were content to watch and
enjoy a fight they knew their taller and heavier pack mate
would win easily. But if the stranger decided to fight back,
the other Lycans might feel compelled to help Toby. Then
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15
Hunter would have to deal with a bunch of dogs who
wanted in on the fight.
"Toby! Back down."
"Fuck off, Hunter!" The ginger-haired man didn't
even turn his head. "You gonna protect a bloody buzzard?
Maybe the same one that killed your mate and plucked her
eyes from their sockets?"
Hunter clenched his fists at his sides and tried to
contain his rage. He didn't know who he wanted to hit
more, the bloodsucker or Toby. He caught the vampire's
eyes over Toby's shoulder and saw that they registered
shock. Maybe a vampire-hawk had killed Tena, but it
wasn't this one.
Talking wouldn't work. Not on Toby. Not on the
others. The wolves smelled blood and they were in no state
of mind to think about anything except a kill.
He considered his options. One or two men he could
handle. And the other enforcers were standing by ready to
keep the drugged-up crowd at bay.
He moved in behind Toby. The Lycan snarled but
didn't acknowledge him. Hunter slid his right hand under
Toby's arm and up behind his head, pushing forward. At
the same time, he pulled Toby's left arm behind his back,
trying not to dislocate the man's shoulder. "It's not worth it,
man. Calm the fuck—"
Hunter and the Hawk
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16
A blur behind the vampire slammed into the black-
haired man's back, knocking him to his hands and knees.
An immense gray wolf locked massive jaws on his arm and
pulled. Bones snapped like twigs, but the vampire went to
his stomach without making a sound.
"You don't want to do this, Doyle!" Hunter fixed his
eyes on the wolf. Everyone stilled. The gray wolf held tight
to the man's arm. A twist and a roll, and those strong jaws
would rip it off.
Tread carefully.
The stranger wasn't human and Hunter knew his
injuries would heal, but no species he knew could re-grow
a limb.
Toby spat at the man lying on the plank floor.
"You're protecting a fucking bloodsucker?"
"One who has every right to be here."
"Says who? A fucking treaty that's older than both
of us put together?"
Hunter exerted a little more pressure on Toby's
neck. "That treaty is the only thing standing between us and
a race war. Do you really want to be the one who breaks
it?"
Toby tensed. "He started it."
"Doesn't mean you have to finish it. I don't think the
Alpha is ready to do battle because you can't keep your
Hunter and the Hawk
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17
temper under control."
Toby relaxed in his hold. "You can let me go. I
won't touch him."
"Go get a drink." Hunter shoved him toward the
bar, then looked around. "The rest of you follow him.
Show's over."
The men grumbled but they dispersed, and after a
few tense seconds the gray wolf backed down and released
the vampire's arm. He rolled to his back and cradled his
forearm to his chest.
The wolf shook its head from side to side and
baptized the vampire with bloody saliva. Doyle's furious
gaze held Hunter's and sent an unmistakable message.
Why did it feel like he'd just met his real enemy?
Hunter and the Hawk
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Chapter Two
Aidan's arm throbbed, the pain of knitting bones
almost worse than the initial break. Still, it could have been
worse. If he lost his arm, he'd never fly again.
Somehow, he'd managed to keep his cool and not
fight back. Swallowing his rage had been the right thing to
do, the only thing to do. A display of anger would have
made the situation worse. And he planned on getting out of
this alive.
One by one, the hard faces around him disappeared
until only his dark savior remained. The man's face
revealed nothing. "Can you get up?"
"I could use a hand." Aidan winced as the Lycan
put a hand under his good arm and hauled him to his feet.
He had to raise his head to look in the man's eyes.
"Thanks." If the eyes are windows to the soul, then this man
means me no harm. It was a strange moment that
challenged all his assumptions about Lycans.
"I want to talk to you." The Lycan's voice held no
venom. "But not here."
Aidan might be crazy, but he trusted him. Of
course, he didn't have much choice. This was the enemy's
playing field and he couldn't fly off. Not yet, anyway. He
nodded assent. The Lycan scanned the room a last time and
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19
they walked outside.
They were in a heavily forested area. A long,
curving driveway snaked through the conifers and led to a
brick garage. At the far end, they entered what appeared to
be an attached workshop with kitchen facilities. Aidan
entered first and heard a lock click behind his captor. The
Lycan gestured to a ladder-back chair by a small table and
then stood over him, poker-faced.
"Your name?"
"Aidan."
"Don't even think about trying anything, Aidan. I'll
kill you without a second thought."
He believed a fair-minded man stood in front of
him. But he also had no doubt the man would kill if
provoked. It had never been his intention to cause a fight.
He had more important things on his mind. "You can trust
me." He hesitated. "I'm sorry for your loss."
The impassive face hardened. "My loss is not your
concern. And I have no reason to trust you."
"I didn't come here to start trouble. As far as I
know, there're no directives against vampires drinking in
your Club." The wolves and the Kindred didn't deliberately
exclude each other from their establishments. According to
the old treaty, he had every right to visit the Den, but the
bad blood between the two species guaranteed he wouldn't
Hunter and the Hawk
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20
receive a warm welcome. Still, he hadn't expected the
situation to turn so ugly.
"You're right," the Lycan said. "We don't exclude
anyone. But then, most buzzards know enough to stay
away."
He winced at the epithet. "I came here to see your
Alpha. I didn't know how else to contact him."
"You have a death wish, vampire? Coming in for a
drink is one thing, getting close to the Alpha is out of the
question."
"I expected an interrogation, but I hoped it would
come from your leader. When I wouldn't give my reason
for wanting a meeting with him, your men decided to beat
it out of me."
He'd hadn't known just how powerful Lycans were.
They didn't have the advantage of flight but they were
physically stronger.
At least he'd been able to talk Abbi out of coming.
His twin had some great qualities, but tact and diplomacy
were not among them. Hell hath no fury like a female
vampire, and his sister had a temper worse than most.
If they had both been taken prisoner there would be
no chance of rescue. No one at the Colony knew what they
were up to. They were on their own. But if they were
successful it would all be worthwhile.
Hunter and the Hawk
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21
Abbi, a hematologist, specialized in the field of
blood and blood-forming tissues. She'd been studying the
Kindred bloodlines for years, trying to figure out the
connection, if any, to the infertility in their women. Her
experiments had shown promising results. The research led
her to believe iron deficiency anemia might be the cause of
their problems. Several years ago, after massive infusions
of human blood, a few of the females had become pregnant,
only to suffer miscarriages a short time later. They were on
the right track but they needed stronger corpuscles.
The wolves were mortal but they possessed healing
powers that gave them a long life span. Their senses were
highly developed and they could shift at will. Transfusions
of Lupine blood might be the answer to the Kindred's
survival.
Getting samples of their blood was imperative. It
wouldn't be easy, but Abbi knew the Lycans also had
reproductive problems and their species might derive some
benefit from her studies. She hoped the possibility of a cure
would be too tempting for them to pass up.
Aidan believed in his twin, but cooperation was a
pipe dream. Vampires and Lycans had been enemies for
ages. They would never work together for a common goal,
especially one that required sharing blood.
Their own Sire believed in survival of the fittest, the
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22
fittest being the Kindred. He combated dwindling numbers
by turning more humans. As if born vamps could be
replaced so easily. The humans retained too much of their
mortal body chemistry. They were more human than vamp.
The Kindred grew weaker and their bloodlines more diluted
with the death of each true-born vampire.
Abbi wouldn't go to the Sire without concrete proof
that Lycan blood would be beneficial to the health and
fertility of the Kindred. Until that day, they were on their
own and taking a hell of big risk. Aidan had brought an
extra bargaining chip, one he wasn't anxious to use. But it
looked like they were destined for failure without it.
"You took a big chance coming here tonight."
"It's important that I talk to your Alpha." Damn, he
was dry. He forced the words through parched lips.
"You'll talk to me instead."
Aidan shrugged. "Okay, I don't have much choice."
He ran a dry tongue over his lips. He hadn't fed since early
morning. Licking his lips only made him thirstier.
"Want a drink?"
He allowed himself a ghost of a smile. "You
offering?"
The man bared his teeth and let out a low growl of
warning. Aidan regretted his attempt to lighten the mood.
"It was a joke."
Hunter and the Hawk
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23
"I'm not laughing. Don't try it on the others. They'll
kill you for saying less."
"If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have said it."
"What does that mean?" Hunter said in a gruff
voice. "You think I'm soft because I didn't kick the shit out
of you when you were down?"
"No. I believe you're a man who listens to reason."
He'd always been taught that wolves were savage, feral
creatures. Looking at this wolf, it was hard to imagine
Hunter as the wild creature he'd been painted.
"Up to a point. And you've reached it." Hunter
retrieved a bottle of water from a small refrigerator and set
it in front of Aidan. Then he swung his chair around and
straddled it. He folded his arms on the back of the chair and
watched him drink.
It wasn't blood but it soothed his throat. "Thanks."
Those amber lupine eyes radiated intelligence and
curiosity, not hostility. Could he trust him with the
information he had? Wolves had a pack mentality. They
would band together to avenge their own. The last thing
Aidan wanted was a race war that neither side could afford.
But what choice did he have? If he didn't do something his
kind would die off anyway.
"Talk. What's this important information you want
to share with my Alpha?"
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"A Lycan woman was killed. I know who did it."
* * * *
Hunter snarled and threw his chair aside. He
grabbed the vampire by the throat and yanked him up to
eyelevel. "Whatever sick, twisted game you're playing, you
picked the wrong partner." He shoved the vamp back down
on the chair and took a deep breath to calm himself. If he
let rage take him over, he'd never learn the real reason the
bloodsucker had shown his face here.
"It's not a game. I have evidence."
What were the odds a bloodsucking leech would
finger one of his own? Not likely. "If that's true then give
me a name," he spat out.
"I'm here to make a trade."
His nostrils flared with impatience. "Go on."
"The identity of the killer for Lycan blood."
So that's it. They're planning an attack and
somehow having our blood will give them an advantage.
"Why do you want Lycan blood?"
"I need your word that you won't share this with
anyone other than your Alpha."
"You have my word."
The vampire hesitated.
"I'm a man of my word, no matter who I give it to."
"It's for research."
Hunter and the Hawk
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25
I was right. "Researching the best way to kill us, no
doubt."
"No. To keep us alive. We're only concerned with
strengthening our numbers. You can understand that. Your
population is shrinking as rapidly as our own."
This is insanity. "I should kill you right now. You
want us to help you increase your numbers while ours
dwindle. Do you think I'm a fool?"
"Hear me out. My sister is a doctor. She's been
studying our reproductive problems for years. If her
assumptions are correct, we may be able to help your
people as well as ours."
"Vampires helping Lycans. You expect me to
believe that?"
"No. But I hope you'll believe me. If helping Lycans
means saving my people, then I'm willing to take any risk."
"Even death?"
"I'm here. That should prove something."
Hunter studied him for a few moments. "Do you
lead the Kindred?"
"No."
"Why didn't your leader come to see our Alpha?
Why did he send you?"
"He didn't. No one knows I'm here except my sister.
Our Sire is a stubborn man. He thinks he can fix our
Hunter and the Hawk
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26
problems by turning more humans. After so many years,
most of our people are vampire-human hybrids, and their
blood is diluted and weak. Lycan blood might supply the
missing component that will allow born vampires to breed
again. Soon, there will be so few of us the opportunity to
try will be lost."
"I thought your people were immortal."
"There are still ways we can be killed. For the most
part our relations with humans are good, but not all of them
support us. Our Sire prefers to blame Lycans for any
attacks rather than bite the hand that feeds us. I'm not
suggesting he's right."
"Right or wrong, it just proves my point." But the
vampire makes sense. Science might be their only hope for
survival. He'd always assumed Rafe had someone
conducting studies for their own people. "There's too much
animosity between us. Lycans won't accept vampire blood
and I can't imagine the Kindred accepting ours."
"That's exactly why we haven't told anyone. My
sister wants to prove her theories. Then she'll go to our
Sire."
"What kind of proof will he accept?"
"A successful pregnancy. We haven't had one in
several years. If she can carry an eyas to full term we're
sure he'll be willing to negotiate."
Hunter and the Hawk
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27
"And you trust someone to father a child in secret?"
"She'll use artificial insemination if she has to."
Hell, it could be a trap, or the answer to our
prayers. If I let it go, I might be dooming us to extinction.
"Tell me who killed my mate and I'll consider it."
"I can't. It's all I have to bargain with."
I can't make this decision myself. "You'll stay here
until I talk to my Alpha."
"Not a good idea. If I'm gone too long, my
disappearance will be noted. And if I'm tracked to your
Wolf Den, there'll be more fighting and we'll accomplish
nothing. Any chance of fixing our problems will be lost
forever."
Hellfire. "And if I let you go, I take the chance of an
attack."
"Trust me. I learned nothing here tonight that would
aid my people in an attack. At least think about what I've
told you. If your leader is as stubborn as ours, then keep
this to yourself. We only need a little of your blood to see if
there's any connection. If the results are successful, we go
to our leaders. If they're not, no one will ever know, and no
harm's been done."
"And the killer?"
"I promise you'll have the name either way."
Hunter and the Hawk
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Chapter Three
Hunter stood at the window in Rafe's second floor
office, looking down at the empty Club and stalling for
time. He still had no idea what he would do.
"I can't believe I have to let these fucking leeches
into our club." Rafe paced, his booted footsteps making the
wood floor creak. "If only I could find a legal way to get
out of the treaty. I've had our lawyers working on it for
years, but they can't break it."
Down below, Hunter spied Tyler entering through
the front door. The bartender always came in early to get
things set up. Sunday nights weren't packed like Saturday
but it would still be a decent crowd. "I didn't know that."
"Sensitive information is passed along on a need to
know basis. The treaty doesn't concern you."
The words cast a chill that lowered the temperature
in the room. He'd always believed he had Rafe's
confidence. "The treaty concerns all of us."
"You only have to worry about following it. Let me
worry about proving it's a flawed document. It was ratified
so long ago, it doesn't apply anymore. Unfortunately, the
rest of the world thinks it's the only thing preventing a race
war between us and the Kindred. Public opinion has always
been against un-ratifying it—up until now."
Hunter and the Hawk
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29
"What changed?" Hunter shoved his hands in his
pockets, but kept his back turned.
"Something that does concern you, the death of
your mate. I believe it's only the beginning. More attacks
will follow."
"So you really believe it was a vampire?"
"Don't you?" Rafe sounded surprised.
I'm not so sure. "Yeah. Yeah, of course I do. But
there's no real proof."
"You sound like the Council. That's what they told
me when I asked for a full investigation. The assholes
wanted to see a drained body. As if the mutilation wasn't
enough. But as long as it could have been peregrines or
some other predator, they weren't ready to stir the pot.
Personally, I don't need any more evidence. My gut tells
me a vampire-hawk killed her." A heavy hand landed on
Hunter's shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry, we'll get our
proof and put the buzzard away for good."
Instead of offering reassurance, Rafe's words made
him uneasy. What else is he hiding? Hunter blurted out the
question that had been dogging him since last night. "What
about research? Doing that on the QT too?"
The pressure on his shoulder lifted and Rafe moved
away. "What are you talking about?"
"Scientific studies to find out why we have so much
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trouble reproducing."
"We've been through all that." Rafe's chair slid
across the wood as he seated himself. "Studies were done
years ago when I first took over the pack."
"Not since? That was twenty years ago. Things have
changed."
"Not that much."
"What kinds of studies were done?"
"I don't remember. That science stuff goes over my
head. I just know we didn't find anything useful. There's no
scientific basis for our infertility."
A knot formed in his stomach. "So nothing's been
done lately?"
"What is this, the inquisition? Come sit down and
let's talk current events. I want to know how that
bloodsucking leech got away."
Hunter kept his back turned. For the first time in his
life he planned to lie to his Alpha and he didn't want to face
him when he did it. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I take full
responsibility for the vampire's escape. I never should have
questioned him alone." There, it was done. Now he was
eyeballs deep in Aidan's bloody mess. He turned at last and
took a leather chair in front of Rafe's desk.
Rafe's amber eyes showed nothing but sympathy. "I
know you like to be in control but sometimes you have to
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accept help. You don't have to prove anything. Not to me.
We've known each too long for that."
Then why don't you talk to me anymore? "It just
never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to handle him
myself." If only Rafe were angry, it would make lying a lot
easier. He felt guilty as hell. "It won't happen again. I
promise you that."
"Forget it. It's done. I have extra security around the
perimeter. The next time he shows his face we'll get him.
Did he tell you anything useful?"
"Sorry. No. His arm healed quickly and before I
knew what happened he shifted to his hawk form and
escaped through the open window." Rafe knew him well,
knew he wasn't that sloppy, but he seemed to accept the
story with no reservations.
"Doesn't matter. I think it was all a ruse to get in my
office. If they're planning an assault they'll want the layout
of our complex."
"Are we ready in case of attack?"
"We will be. Can I count on you for help, Hunter?"
"Of course, Alpha. Anything you need."
"Good, because our visitor gave me an idea. I'm
sending you to the Colony."
"Why me?"
"You don't let emotion control you. I like the way
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you keep your cool around the enemy. Just remember that
when you're surrounded by bloodsuckers and you'll be
fine."
"What am I looking for?"
"Anything and everything. Keep your eyes and ears
open."
"When do you want me to go?" Rafe's trust weighed
heavy on his heart but he set it aside. The Alpha had
handed him a way to contact Aidan without casting
suspicion on himself, and he would take advantage of it.
His mind churned with possibilities.
"I'll leave that up to you. Just don't wait too long
and make sure your security detail is covered."
"You got it."
"Good. I have one more thing I want to discuss."
"Okay."
"We've talked about this before. A wolf shouldn't be
alone, especially one who's always had a mate."
Not this again.
"I'm more convinced than ever you need a partner.
Your grieving is clouding your judgment. It's affecting your
duties."
Hellfire! Now Rafe had something to pin on him to
prove his point. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it? I don't think so." Rafe looked at him through
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narrowed eyes.
Fuck! Rafe really did think he'd been lax. "I make
one mistake and you think my judgment is off. It could
happen to anybody. I don't need some bitch to watch over
me."
"Are you finished?" Rafe asked calmly.
"I need a drink." Hunter got up and looked through
the liquor cabinet. He took out a bottle of whiskey.
Rafe raised a brow. "Since when did you start
drinking?"
"Since you started this crap again."
Rafe's square jaw hardened. The only other sign of
his anger was a slight flare of his nostrils. "This isn't just
about you, Hunter. Whatever I decide is for the good of the
entire Pack."
He put the bottle and two glasses on the desk and
sat. "I'm sorry, Alpha." Sometimes he forgot just how many
people depended on Rafe. The man had a lot on his plate.
The Alpha talked on and on, expounding on the
virtues of coupledom. How a lone wolf might let himself
get caught up in the powerful allure of vampire seduction.
How a mate would ground him. A few sips of the liquor
and the words turned to a steady drone.
"I've been talking to Marrok about you."
The name cut through his haze. "What?"
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"His daughter will come of age in a few months and
she'll be ready to mate. Marrok agrees you would make an
excellent husband."
Hunter stared in shock. He'd expected to be chewed
out, punished, maybe severely. He hadn't expected this.
"I'm not ready for another mate."
"You could do worse. Marrok raised her right.
She'll make a docile and obedient mate."
"She's a child. Mate her with one of the younger
men."
"Maybe I will, if your union doesn't produce any
cubs. But right now I need you sharp and I think she'll be
good for you."
Hunter stood. "So your mind is made up on this?"
"It is."
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Chapter Four
The Kindred had their own dance club. They called
it the Parrish and its soaring masonry spire drew Hunter to
his destination like a beacon. It sat squarely in the middle
of an abandoned town the vampires had taken as their own.
As far as Hunter knew, he would be the first Lycan to set
foot inside the high stone walls and ironwork that
surrounded the Colony. Rather than making him anxious,
the knowledge excited him.
He rarely got a chance to leave the Lycan city of
Arcadia. His position as lead enforcer kept him busy. Even
if he wanted to travel, where would he go?
Other than his people and the Kindred, there were
no other ferals in this remote area of the Pacific Northwest.
At least none that he knew of.
Ferals. The word stuck in his craw. A name
bestowed by the humans on anyone not like them, it was
not complimentary.
The humans, aside from those groupies who chose
to live in the Colony and feed the vampires, had long ago
moved on to more urban areas. Although the vampires
mingled with the humans out of necessity, the Lycans kept
to themselves.
Both the hawks and the wolves preferred the great
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expanses of mountain and forest. Some said their enmity
started with a fight over land, but each group had legal
documents proclaiming ownership. Neither side would sell,
so they were forced to live in close proximity, although
much of the beautiful forestland remained an undeveloped
buffer between the two communities.
Hunter smiled to himself. Now he would get to see
how the other half lived. And he wouldn't have to sneak
around to do it. The more he thought about his meeting
with the Alpha, the less guilty he felt about keeping his
own secrets. Rafe justified his secrecy by saying he did it
for the good of the pack. He could say the same.
He'd put a lot of thought into what the vampire told
him, but up until his meeting with Rafe he'd been
undecided about actually helping him. Rafe had made the
decision easier. His words hadn't rung true. When
something doesn't sound right, it usually isn't.
Hunter had always believed his leader put the pack
before everything else, but Rafe's stance on scientific
research puzzled him. The older Lycans stuck to the old
ways, as did Hunter himself, when it came to mating and
certain other pack customs. But an Alpha should not let
tradition stand in the way of science if it meant the survival
of the pack. Hunter had the uncomfortable feeling that if he
confided in Rafe, the Alpha would brush the vampire's
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theories aside and any chance of investigating them would
be lost. He couldn't let that happen. Besides, the possibility
of bringing his mate's killer to justice proved to be a
powerful incentive.
When Rafe told him to visit the Colony, it seemed
as if a divine destiny was at work. Would he finally realize
a purpose to his life? Or would he be the one to hasten the
demise of his people? Only time would tell. He had to
follow his instincts. This might be their only hope for
survival.
Hunter pulled up to a wide arched gateway that
seemed to be the main entry into the walled city. The door
to a small brick guardhouse opened and a man dressed in
black, snarling mastiff in tow, approached his Jeep. The
dog growled then jumped up and set its massive paws on
the open window.
Hunter looked the dog in the eyes. "Calm down,
boy." It quieted immediately and sank to his haunches.
"Birds of a feather," the guard muttered.
"The only bird here is you," Hunter responded.
The guard's hand went to a holster and Hunter put
his hands up in surrender. "I'm not looking for trouble. I'm
just here to drink and dance."
"Wait here." The guard returned to his security post.
A few minutes later the gate swung open. Without a
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moment's hesitation, he drove through and followed a long
dirt road.
Once upon a time the Parrish had been a
functioning church; now it was the devil's playground. If
the façade had been designed to impart a powerful
impression on approaching worshippers, it had succeeded.
The imposing Gothic exterior and wealth of stained-glass
windows put Hunter off. He might not be a religious man,
but a church wouldn't have been his first choice for a dance
club.
The road took a left and ended at a big gravel
parking lot. He left the Jeep and headed for the front
entrance of the building.
The arched portal with timber double doors seemed
plain compared to the rest of the highly ornate exterior.
Religious figures and gargoyles peered at him from the
flying buttresses. They grinned slyly as if to say, you don't
belong here. They were probably right but it was too late
now. The doors slid open silently and swallowed him up.
The narthex had an open archway that led to the
nave. A line of partygoers stood before a red velvet rope
waiting for admittance. Hunter got in line behind them.
Finally, he stood in front of the rope and an androgynous
figure in a black robe unhooked it so he could pass through.
Those ahead of him moved steadily forward. One
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by one, they stepped over a seemingly comatose body lying
in the aisle. He wanted to stop and check the man's pulse,
but the throng behind him shoved him forward and there
was no going back.
A world unlike anything he'd ever experienced
opened up in front of him. A world with no boundaries.
Electronic dance music filled his ears and the metallic scent
of blood filled his nose. Off to his right, genderless figures
sprawled sacrilegiously on the few rows of remaining
church pews, most of them in various stages of fucking or
feeding. Those ahead of him melted into a decadent scene
of exhibitionism.
Beneath high vaulted ceilings, the vast main
chamber swarmed with the nocturnal denizens of the
region, all engaged in a perfect pandemonium of sex, drugs,
and blood.
Black, dilated eyes bored into him from all
directions. Hunter had always prided himself on being
fearless but he had a sudden attack of vulnerability that left
him shaky. Coming here was a mistake.
He shook off the urge to flee and headed toward the
bar, avoiding the puddles of blood on the polished
hardwood floor. A dark-haired vampire, surrounded by
pale, saucer-eyed humans who wailed like banshees at
whatever he told them, flashed him a seductive smile.
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Damn, were all vampires beautiful? Hunter nodded
and took the first empty stool. A smiling female bartender
set a drink in front of him. "Compliments of Ethan." She
gestured to the vamp he'd just passed.
He accepted the drink, held up the glass in salute,
and smiled. The vamp saluted back and took a big swallow
from his own glass.
Shit. He had no idea what was in his glass but
pissing off a strange vampire right off the bat didn't seem
like a good idea. He took a tentative sip, tasting a good,
pleasantly tart merlot.
Glass in hand, he swiveled on his stool and leaned
back against the bar to survey the room. Couples moved
sensuously on the packed dance floor, more in foreplay
than dance. One by one they left the floor and made their
way to couches set in dark corners of the cavernous space.
Some couldn't wait and they put on a more public sex
show.
One pulsating beat turned into another. Most of
those gyrating to the tempo were males. Some appeared to
be feeding while they danced. It surprised him to see so
many humans. He knew the vamps needed blood and
encouraged human followers but he had no idea so many
would volunteer, no doubt enticed with liquor and drugs.
Not so different from the wolves in that respect.
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He raised his glass to his lips, surprised to find he'd
already emptied it. The bartender asked if he wanted
another but before he could turn to answer, an opening on
the floor allowed him a glimpse of a man whose long
ebony hair whipped around his head like a silk curtain. He
danced bare-chested, his perfectly honed body moving in
ways that made Hunter's mouth water and his dick leak.
Makes me wish I could dance.
As the black-haired man moved to the erotic beat,
the play of muscles in his back held Hunter mesmerized.
Broad shoulders tapered to a slim waist and a compact ass
outlined by tight black leather. His heartbeat sped up when
he saw the hawk tattooed on the man's bicep.
Hunter craned his neck, trying to catch a better look
at the man's face, but he'd buried it in his partner's throat. A
sharp pang of jealousy hit with the force of an arrow. What
the fuck is that about?
The music changed, more dancers crowded the
floor, and Hunter lost sight of the tattooed man altogether.
It had to be Aidan. They needed to talk, and sitting
here drooling like a hungry dog would not get him the face-
to-face time he needed. He stood and headed toward the
dancers.
Sex and sweat perfumed the air and underlying the
mix, Aidan's unique scent. His cock twitched in response.
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Jostling his way through the crowd, he avoided the hands
that reached out to caress him as he passed.
The floor fairly vibrated with a thumping beat.
There they were, only a few feet in front of him. His heart
pitched and rolled; the rest of him stood frozen, staring.
Aidan, his body still moving to the beat, lifted his
head and stared back with eyes that sent goose bumps
rippling over Hunter's flesh. A three-M look for sure, one
of those movie magic moments when everyone and
everything else in the vicinity disappears. Excitement
snaked down his spine and a throbbing started between his
legs. Tempted by a vampire. Insane, but the man is sexy as
fuck!
Aidan looked down as if he suddenly remembered
his partner hung limp in his arms. He gave the man a shove
to send him stumbling off through the other dancers. Sweat
gleamed on the vampire's smooth, hairless chest. His
coffee-colored nipples begged to be sucked. Hunter's
mouth went dry.
He drifted closer, his eyes focused on Aidan's
flexing pecs. Warm, dreamy desire flowed through his
body. His eyes dipped, followed a path down the center of
the man's abs to the waistband of his leather pants. Pants so
tight they might have been painted on. They outlined a
large, tempting package at his crotch. Suddenly he wanted
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nothing more than to go to his knees, yank those pants over
the man's slender hips, and swallow him whole.
Dark pupils, rimmed with green and framed by
black lashes so long they looked false, twinkled with
amusement as if their owner knew exactly what he'd been
thinking. Sensuous vampire lips curved into a come-hither
smile that he felt powerless to resist. He covered the few
feet between them without taking his eyes off Aidan's.
His gut clenched when the vampire grasped his
hips, holding him in place. As if he could even think of
walking away.
"Dance with me." The voice, as seductive as the rest
of him, flowed through Hunter's veins like warm honey.
The vampire's moves became more sensual and Hunter's
body followed his. Their faces were only inches apart, yet
Hunter couldn't find a flaw on the man's pale, chiseled skin.
He was cover model perfection.
The air suddenly seemed heavier. Aidan's unique
scent covered Hunter like a down comforter. The hands,
now on the small of his back, held him closer. Is it the wine
making me dizzy? Or the long, hard cock pressed against
mine?
Aidan's lips covered his. One hand slid over his ass
and squeezed. The vampire deepened the kiss and
swallowed Hunter's moans.
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What's happening to me?
The beat picked up. Another couple on the crowded
floor bumped them roughly. Aidan laughed and steered him
away. He slipped behind him and reached around,
encircling Hunter in strong arms and pulling him back
against a hard chest. The steel ridge of an erection now
pressed firmly against his ass, while the large hands at his
groin framed his genitalia.
The light scrape of stubble grazing his neck sent
electric currents straight to his cock. Damn it. Move your
hands. Touch me.
With a soft whimper, he arched back against Aidan.
Hellfire. He felt like a randy pup with his first crush. Hot
and horny. Wanting more but afraid to ask for it. Things
like this never happened to him. He didn't understand it and
he wasn't sure he wanted to. He felt light-headed and giddy
from high-level arousal.
A velvety voice whispered in his ear. "Are you here
to trade or fuck?"
Suddenly speech was tricky, his thoughts a jumble.
"Wha—"
"I can hardly hear myself think in here. Let's go
somewhere quiet." Aidan took his arm and led him off the
dance floor like a child.
Walking across the room was like wading through a
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river of thick syrup. It required focus and a strong will. He
had neither. Woozy and anxious, he had to force his feet to
move. Time decelerated to a lethargic crawl; seconds lasted
for minutes, minutes went on for hours. Their journey took
on the proportions of Homer's Odyssey. At last, Aidan
stopped in front of a heavy wood door. On the other side,
they passed through a series of narrow halls.
The gloomy labyrinth with its hidden nooks and
crannies seemed a perfect setting for a horror novel.
Hunter's legs felt rubbery and he stumbled.
"Here we are." Aidan unlocked a door and turned
on a dim light.
The small room, with a carved bed and dresser, took
on the dimensions of a stadium in his addled brain.
"Where are we?" he mumbled.
"It's a feeding room." Aidan showed a bit of fang.
"For those of us who like privacy."
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Chapter Five
The room spun in ever decreasing circles and the
vortex sucked Hunter down with it. When the motion
stopped, he found himself sitting on the edge of the bed,
gripping the mattress as if it were a lifeline.
Next to him, Aidan scrutinized his face carefully.
"Are you all right?"
He bit back a wave of nausea. "Fine. I feel fine."
The strange, muzzy feeling in his head receded a bit.
"Did you drink anything?"
"No… Wait a minute." I can't believe I was so
stupid. "Yes." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Someone at
the bar bought me a drink. He must have put something in
it."
The vampire's extraordinary eyes sparkled with
amusement. "I'm afraid you'll live. The drinks are laced
with a mild aphrodisiac."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask." Aidan put a hand over his. "Don't
worry. It won't hurt you. The humans like it. It enhances
the intensity of their orgasms."
"Orgasms?"
"Feeding induces a climax. You'll enjoy it, I
promise."
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"Fuck no! I didn't come here for that." He pulled his
hand away. "You said your sister needed a little blood."
"She does." He grinned shamelessly. "She also
wants to test the effects of feeding. I guess I forgot to
mention that."
Aidan moved a little closer. Hunter knew he should
pull away, but his thigh tingled at the contact and he had an
overwhelming desire for more. He wondered how much
better it would feel if there were no clothes between them.
An image flashed through his head—his naked body,
spread-eagled on the bed, Aidan's hungry eyes devouring
him as he climbed between his legs. His cock filled at the
thought.
Is this what I really want? Or is my intoxicated
brain playing tricks on me?
A strong hand squeezed his inner thigh. "It just
heightens the pleasure of release. Nothing more. It won't
entice you into doing something you don't want."
Can vampires read minds? Aidan's words weren't
reassuring. Hunter already wanted sex. It wouldn't take
much to entice him. But he'd denied himself all these years;
surely his willpower was still intact. "And it's just a small
bite?"
"If that's all you want."
You don't have to read my mind to know what I
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really want. Not when my cock is ready to bust out of my
jeans. "Yeah, that's all. Just take a little blood for your
test."
Aidan sighed and took his hand away. "I'll respect
your wishes, Hunter. You're helping us. I can't ask you for
anything more."
Disappointment washed over him. He actually felt a
little insulted. Didn't Aidan find him attractive? Obviously
not or he wouldn't give up so easily. Hellfire! Since when
had he become so undecided, wavering between one course
of action and another? He'd already decided to get
involved. Why not just man up and go after what he really
wanted instead of hoping the vampire would make the first
move and take it out of his hands?
Because he couldn't admit to himself that he wanted
to fuck a vampire. He had to keep reminding himself of
what Aidan was because right now the man's masculinity
and remarkable beauty drove him to distraction. "Let's get
this over with." He started unbuttoning his shirt.
Aidan's nostrils flared and the hunger in his eyes
sent a thrill of pleasure straight to Hunter's groin. "Let me
help you."
His breath caught at Aidan's touch and he
shuddered.
"Are you afraid of me, Hunter?" The vampire raised
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a brow.
"Of course not." More afraid of his own strong
desires than anything else, he tilted his head to give the
vampire access.
Aidan held his head and licked a spot on his neck. A
thrill shot up his spine and he didn't give a shit anymore if
Aidan knew he was hard for him. Managing to twist his
head, he nuzzled the vampire's cheek.
"What do you really want, Hunter?" The husky
murmur all but drove him crazy.
"I don't know."
"I do. I can see the hunger in your eyes when you
look at me. Why do you fight it? I want the same thing, and
you have no idea what that look does to me. I've been
dreaming about you since we met. How you'd taste. How it
would feel to be inside you." He pressed his lips against
Hunter's in a soft kiss that melted him. The kiss deepened
and the vampire's fingers trailed over the dark hair on his
chest, down to the zipper of his jeans. He unzipped him and
freed his aching cock.
His mouth fell open; a small gasp escaped. "Fuck,
Aidan. What if someone catches us?"
"They won't," he murmured. "Not here. And what if
they did? It's not like we haven't drunk animal blood
before. There have been times when we had nothing else."
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Animal blood? His back tensed and he snarled.
"Relax. It's not how I think." The vampire caressed
him, long slow strokes. "But it's what I'd say if anyone
questioned me."
He recognized the truth in the words. They each
played a dangerous game, lying to their people, keeping
secrets. It couldn't be helped.
His cock throbbed in Aidan's hand. Restless
anticipation took over and he leaped to his feet. The jeans
couldn't come down fast enough and he stood there, hard
and heavy, his cock dripping like a leaky faucet while he
watched Aidan undress. The vampire's lean, muscular
body, hairless except for the dark curls around his stiff
prick, was beautiful.
Aidan sat, gripped Hunter's hips, and pulled him
closer. He leaned forward and tongued his slit. A low growl
rumbled up from Hunter's chest and he threaded his fingers
in the black silk of vampire hair. Then hot, wet heat
swallowed him and his legs almost buckled.
The vampire took him deep and his fangs scraped
sensitive flesh—ever so slightly, but enough to send him
over the edge. He came with a shudder and a groan. Aidan
caught him before he fell, dragged him onto the bed, and
rolled on top of him.
"Like that, do you?" The emerald green of Aidan's
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eyes had all but disappeared.
"Fuck, yes!" The mix of pain and pleasure was like
nothing he'd ever experienced before. He'd gone off like a
kid.
"So did I." The vampire licked his lips. "What's
wrong?"
"I've never come that fast in my life. It's been a
while."
"It's okay. I love how responsive you are to me."
Then soft lips found his and shared the earthy flavor of his
release. He opened to Aidan's thrusting tongue and all
rational thought fled.
Aidan nuzzled his neck and licked a path over his
chest, plastering the hair to his skin. He sucked a nipple
into his mouth and bit down around it.
The sensation shot right to Hunter's groin and his
spent cock hardened again.
Propped up on his elbows, Aidan stared down at
him with burning eyes. "Do you know what you do to me,
lover? I'm so fucking hard. I want inside you. I want it
bad."
A flush crept up Hunter's face and he licked his lips.
"How long has it been?" Aidan asked softly.
"I, uh… Never."
The vampire's eyes widened in surprise. "We don't
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have to—"
"I want to." His whole body ached for this and for
once, he intended to take what he wanted.
"I'll make it good for you." Aidan pushed his bent
legs back and buried his face in Hunter's ass. His long
tongue licked and teased his entrance before pushing deep
inside his channel.
Hunter's breath came faster and harder. "Aw, fuck,
I'm going to come again."
* * * *
"Not yet, lover." I've waited long enough to make
you mine. This time I intend to be inside your sweet ass
when you come. Aidan pulled Hunter's hips onto his lap.
Aching to get inside him but not wanting to hurt him, he
took his time and pushed inside slowly, until only the head
of his cock was buried.
Hunter groaned, spurring him on. "More!"
"Patience," he crooned, determined to be gentle.
With his lover's pelvic area propped on his thighs, he
admired the thick prick in front of him, stroking and
caressing the shaft and rolling the heavy balls.
Hunter roared and wrapped his legs around Aidan's
waist, impaling himself balls deep.
Fuck! It literally stole Aidan's breath away. Being
completely sheathed inside his lover's tight heat was
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dizzying. Knowing Hunter wanted this as much as he did
made him crazy. Hearing Hunter's groans drove him higher
and the urge to fuck and feed took over.
He leaned forward, pushed his tongue between
Hunter's lips, and swallowed his moans and whimpers. The
wolf kissed him back passionately, making it tough to stop.
There would be more kisses. Right now he wanted blood.
Rocking against him, he licked a spot where neck met
shoulder and sank his fangs deep.
Beneath him, Hunter's body tensed and arched; his
wet heat exploded between them. The force of his lover's
climax and the sweet taste of his blood set off lightning
bolts behind Aidan's eyes. Every suck brought a fresh burst
of pleasure. His hips snapped faster and with one final
thrust he filled Hunter with his cum and claimed him
forever.
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Chapter Six
Hunter's fingers dug into Aidan's flesh and his eyes
rolled back in his head. The first flash of pain quickly
turned to pleasure and he couldn't hold back his release.
With one more thrust, Aidan let out a bloodcurdling
yell and claimed his ass. The sucking at his neck continued.
Every pull from his veins brought another spasm of ecstasy.
He felt his blood flow through Aidan's veins and he willed
his heart to pump faster so he could catch his lover's
rhythm. Now their hearts beat in sync. Is this what it means
to find your soul mate?
Hunter woke moaning Aidan's name. He reached
out but found only empty space. His gritty eyes didn't open
easily; bright sun spilled in through the blinds and burned
them. His head pounded like a tom-tom. Sitting up
carefully, he reached for the aspirin on the nightstand and
chewed a handful before attempting to get out of bed.
Where the fuck are my sunglasses? He couldn't
remember the last time he needed them. Shirts went flying
as he searched each dresser drawer with no luck. He gave
up and went to the window. Squinting, he looked down at
his Jeep and tried to remember how he got home. It was all
a blank. He thanked his lucky stars he'd made it at all.
Every part of his body ached. He hadn't been so
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well fucked since… Since never. He dragged himself into
the bathroom to inspect the damage.
Hellfire! Two puncture wounds stood out like a
brand at the base of his neck. At least they were low
enough that he could cover them with a collared shirt.
A trail of hickeys led from his nipple to his cock
and back again. He groaned, thinking about how they got
there. The thought of Aidan's mouth on his body, how he'd
licked and sucked and scraped his fangs along tender flesh,
made his balls fill and his cock rise.
The purple bruises could be covered easily enough.
A smile creased his face. The fun of getting them made the
nuisance of covering them well worth it. He'd just have to
remember not to undress and shift in front of the other
wolves.
The sex had been amazing. He had no regrets. Well,
one. He regretted that it wouldn't be happening again.
There was no denying the physical attraction
between him and Aidan, but it had to be the drugs or
vampire seduction. The man who had writhed on Aidan's
bed and shamelessly begged to be fucked had come to his
senses. The vampire had shown him how good it could be
between him and another man, but next time he'd find his
ecstasy with a wolf.
Still, he had to admit he liked the vampire. Admired
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his spirit and willingness to face danger for something he
believed in. When had he ever put himself on the line for
his beliefs? Never. All his life he'd been a follower, blindly
accepting whatever the Alpha decreed under the edict of
pack loyalty. Was the hawk more a man than the wolf?
Dangerous thoughts. The pack operated as one.
Strong leadership was essential to keep order and stability.
To deviate would put everyone in danger.
Or did suppressing individual ideas and dreams put
them all in greater danger, the danger of extinction?
Thinking like that would get him banished from the
only family he'd ever known, and he couldn't exist without
them. Rafe was right. He'd let vampire seduction lead him
astray. He needed to put his faith in the Alpha and take a
mate. He'd gotten his first mate with child, only to have it
end in a miscarriage. Maybe this time his seed would take
hold. He owed it to the pack to try.
Thanks to Aidan he felt confident in his sexuality,
but to what end? A twinge of regret made his heart twist. It
would have been incredible to explore that sexuality with
someone he cared about. If only Aidan was one of his
kind… But it wasn't meant to be. They weren't meant to be.
His destiny lay elsewhere.
The vampire had gotten the blood he needed. There
was no reason to meet again but every reason not to. If
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Aidan's people spotted them together too often, they might
get suspicious. Putting Aidan in danger was not an option.
If the research didn't provide the desired results, no
one would be the wiser. If it did, then their leaders would
be meeting and hopefully Rafe would understand why he'd
gone behind his back.
He turned the shower on full force. Maybe it would
revive him. He was toweling his hair when his cell went
off.
Rafe. Trying to run his life again. He'd arranged a
meeting with Marrok and the daughter. Fuck. Not today. He
needed a little time to settle down from the high he'd had
with Aidan. Rafe insisted. He'd even gotten someone to
replace him on guard duty that night. He had no reason to
beg off.
* * * *
Marrok answered the door. A big man, gray and
grizzled, he wore a perpetually angry look on his face. His
wife had died in childbirth and he'd been a lone wolf too
long. Adhering to Rafe's edicts, he spread his seed among
the she-wolves but it didn't change the fact that he'd been
left to raise Grace alone. Afraid she'd run wild, he was a
strict disciplinarian. No doubt he couldn't wait to get her off
his hands.
Hunter shifted the flowers he'd brought from his
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right hand to his left and stuck his paw out. Marrok took it
in a firm grip. "Come in, Hunter."
Said the spider to the fly.
"Rafe is already here." Marrok led him into the
parlor.
Hunter nodded to Rafe and set the flowers on a
table. There was no sign of Grace. Not surprising. Females
had little say in these arrangements. Neither did he, for that
matter.
After a few minutes of idle talk, Hunter cleared his
throat. "I want to ask you something, Marrok." From the
corner of his eye, he saw Rafe throw him an annoyed look.
He was supposed to leave all this to the Alpha. "Your
daughter is very young. Is she really ready to settle down
with a mate?"
"Of course she is," Rafe broke in. "We wouldn't be
here otherwise."
"Rafe is right," Marrok said. "Grace is—"
"Almost eighteen and perfectly able to speak for
herself."
Marrok glared at his daughter as she entered the
parlor. "I told you to wait in your room."
She ignored him and held the flowers to her nose.
"Are these for me?" She smiled at Hunter.
He smiled back. "They are." She looked older than
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he remembered. How long has it been since I've seen her?
Tall, she had womanly curves that filled out a pair of tight
jeans and an equally tight red t-shirt. He could tell she
wasn't wearing a bra. The peaks of her nipples were plainly
visible through the material.
"Well, thank you, Hunter. I'll just put them in water
and be right back."
He watched her hips sway in exaggerated
movement, obviously meant to entice him. Is this the same
girl Rafe described as a docile mate?
Marrok sighed. "Young people today don't respect
the old traditions."
For the most part Hunter did, but he felt a she-wolf
should have some say in her future. "She deserves to have
a—"
"Your daughter has grown into a beautiful young
woman," Rafe said quickly. "Hunter is a lucky man."
"Any man would be lucky to have her," Hunter
said. "But maybe we should take this slow. Let her get used
to the idea." Let me get used to it, too.
"She's ready. Graduated last month and already
bored looking after me. I don't want her getting any big
ideas about running off to the city like some of our boys
have done."
Hunter's ears perked up. "What's that all about?"
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Rafe cleared his throat. "It's nothing. Just Eric's two
boys looking for adventure and women. We'll find them
and bring them back home before they get into trouble."
"If they don't get themselves killed first." Marrok
snorted. "Too many people out there aren't wolf lovers."
"I don't understand." Hunter frowned and looked at
Rafe. "Those boys aren't much older than Grace. Why
didn't you match one of them up with her?"
"Because she wants—"
"Because," Rafe interrupted Marrok, who clamped
his mouth shut immediately. "We know your seed works,
Hunter."
"Yeah, but it didn't work until Tena and I were
together for twenty years. We didn't have to marry so
young."
"Are you saying you weren't happy with Tena?"
Rafe asked.
"No. I'm not saying that at all. I just don't want
Grace to feel forced into anything." Like I do.
"She doesn't." Grace walked back into the room and
put the vase of flowers on a table. "Daddy, if you and the
Alpha don't mind, I think Hunter and I need to talk—
alone."
"Know your place, daughter."
"I think Grace has the right idea." Rafe exchanged a
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look with Marrok. "It's time these two got to know each
other."
Marrok grunted assent and Grace turned to Hunter.
"Let's take a walk?"
He stood and Rafe followed. "I'll walk you two out.
I really need to get back to my office."
The young woman took his hand and led him away
from the house. The shingled cottage was small, but
Marrok owned a big piece of land. Trees lined both sides of
an overgrown path, hiding the moon, and shadows danced
around them. Grace tripped over a knobby root underfoot
and Hunter caught her.
She held onto him, her face close to his. A few
awkward seconds passed, while he debated giving her the
kiss she obviously wanted. Then he gripped her waist and
set her aside. She looked disappointed but now that he had
her alone, there were things that needed to be said.
"Grace, I want you to know you can talk to me
about anything and it will stay between us. Be honest with
me. Do you really think you're ready to get married?"
"I want to do what's best for the pack." She
squeezed his hand.
"Think about what's best for you. If you tell me you
don't want this, I'll talk to your father and the Alpha. You
don't have to feel forced into anything."
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Grace tugged him toward a small hay barn.
"Honestly, Hunter, I'm not being forced at all. I really want
to marry you."
Sighing, he followed her inside. Neatly piled
haystacks filled the interior. The girl had been brainwashed.
How could he convince her to follow her own mind when
he couldn't do the same? He forced a smile. "Why don't we
get to know each other first? I'm willing to wait."
She dropped down on a pile of wool pony blankets
and patted a spot next to her. "But I'm not. I don't want to
wait anymore."
He settled down heavily next to her and hay dust
rose in a cloud around them. "At your age a few months
can seem like years but in reality—"
"Hunter, I've been waiting for ten years."
His mouth fell open. "What are you talking about?"
"Well maybe not ten, but a long time. It seems like
I've wanted you forever."
He shook his head. "An adolescent crush."
"You might call it that but my daddy knows better.
The Alpha too."
He looked at her in shock. Everyone knew about
this puppy love but me? "How did Rafe find out about your
infatuation?"
"I, uh…" She hesitated.
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"You can tell me anything."
"Okay, then. When I had my sixteenth birthday I
told my daddy I wanted to mate with you." She twirled a
long lock of tawny-gold hair around a finger.
"You what?"
"My daddy went to the Alpha and talked to him.
Other wolves have more than one woman."
"Your father would have let you mate at sixteen?"
She shrugged. "The pack needs babies. Everyone
knows that."
"And what did Rafe say about this?" A cold feeling
of dread settled in his stomach.
"Rafe told him you'd already refused to take another
female. That you lived by the old ways and believed in
having only one mate."
Okay, now he knew why Rafe had paired him with
Grace. "That's true. As much as I want to help our people, I
believe that law is sacrosanct."
"My daddy respected that, but when your wife died
he went to the Alpha again. He told daddy that he would
arrange things when the time was right." She moved a bit
closer. "It's time, Hunter. I might be younger than you but I
know what I want. And I know how to take care of a man.
I'm ready to be a wife. Your wife."
"I don't know what to say. I had no idea." A vein
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throbbed in his head. Another headache on the way.
She giggled. "Well, now you do." She straddled his
lap and tackled him down onto the blanket. "We can start
trying for that baby. We'll be married soon, there's no
reason to wait." Her flushed face was so close to his, he
could count the freckles on the bridge of her nose. Flames
of desire danced in her eyes.
"Not here."
"I want you now, Hunter. I'm not a virgin if that's
what you're worried about." She pressed her lips to his. It
wasn't the kiss of a shy little virgin. Her fingers were busy
at the buttons on his shirt. She lifted her head, then froze.
"What's this?"
Hellfire! He'd forgotten about the hickeys. Up until
now, he and Grace were nothing to each other. He really
didn't need to explain anything, but if they were going to be
mated they should get off on the right foot. Should he tell
her what they were? He didn't want to hurt her. "Some kind
of allergic reaction, I guess."
She laughed and circled his nipple with a finger.
"Bullshit. I know a hickey when I see one." Her eyes were
drawn to his neck and she pushed aside the collar of his
shirt. She stared at the fang marks for a long minute. "I
don't care what you did before. I only care about what
happens now."
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She knows what the marks are. He saw it on her
face. If Rafe found out, he'd be suspicious. The Alpha
might have sent him to the Parrish, but he didn't say
anything about giving blood. If he had any lingering doubts
about taking Grace as a mate, he pushed them aside. He
needed her silence. "You know what happens now. I
believe in monogamy. There won't be anyone else. I expect
the same loyalty from you. Whatever happens between us
is nobody's business."
She gave him a satisfied smile. "I understand."
Gripping the hem of her shirt, she pulled it over her head.
Her breasts bounced free, and she leaned over him and
rubbed a diamond hard nipple over his lips.
Time to seal the deal. Silence for sex. He flicked his
tongue over her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.
She let out a little gasp and rubbed her jeans-
covered pussy over his cock. Just as he expected, there
were no bells and whistles, but his randy wolf liked to fuck
and had an animal's innate need to procreate. His cock
filled and he gripped her ass, urging her on. She ground her
hips frantically against him. At least she seemed to be
enjoying this.
Grace moaned and panted. Finally, she scrambled
off him and tore off her jeans while he got rid of his.
Settling between his legs, her hands moved over his thighs.
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She leaned over his groin—
No. He didn't want that. He grabbed her hips and
positioned her over his stiff prick, impaling her in one hard
thrust. She grunted and started fucking him, moving up and
down. When he knew she was close, he circled her clit and
pinched. She groaned and her pussy spasmed around his
dick.
Okay, his turn. He thought about Aidan. How the
vampire's skin felt under his hands. How it felt to have that
big, hard cock filling his ass.
Fuck! He gripped her hips, held her firmly, and
thrust his hips up, pumping jets of semen deep inside her
womb.
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Chapter Seven
Aidan usually slept during the day. Unlike the
mythical creatures that writers patterned after the Kindred,
his kind could function without being burned to piles of
smoking ash. But the sun bothered his eyes. It made sense
to avoid the daylight.
His people had the ability to shape-shift into hawks,
nocturnal predators with wing spans approaching eight feet.
It was said that long ago, a genetic mutation in Kindred
DNA had spawned the Duck Hawk, often referred to as a
peregrine. Smaller raptors with no human abilities, they
tended to shy away from vampire-hawks.
He'd heard all the stories. How eons ago vampire-
hawks had tried to organize the peregrines in the hopes of
using their ability to dive at high speeds against the Lycans.
According to legend, the outcome had been less
than successful and more trouble than it was worth. He'd
never seen anyone actually communicate with the dumb
birds and he tended to discount the stories.
Abbi, on the other hand, was fascinated. She'd been
studying their genome sequence to see if they were actually
related to the Kindred. All that had been put aside when her
blood studies showed results. Now she focused all her
attention on Lycan hematology and genetic code. A small
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sample taken from Hunter's finger revealed significant
differences between Lycan blood and Kindred blood. When
they were mixed, other changes occurred. The blood she
took from Aidan after he'd fed on the Lycan showed
extraordinary mutations. Aidan tried not to dwell on what it
all meant. For better or for worse, he'd signed up for this
and he was willing to accept the consequences.
Even the subtle changes he'd begun to notice in his
body. A heightened sense of smell and hair growth where
there'd been none before were disquieting but manageable.
His attraction to Hunter was not. The agreement between
him and the Lycan had been a business arrangement, one
that he'd initiated. He had thought he could handle anything
that came of it. But somehow he'd been turned into a giddy,
love-sick fledgling. And the wolf probably had no idea of
the impact he'd made on him.
They were a perfect match—sexually anyway. Each
seemed to know what the other needed. No words were
necessary. And he'd never had such an intense orgasm
before. If anyone had told him he'd share such intimacy
with someone so seemingly incompatible, he would have
said they were crazy.
Of course he wanted more, but it was totally out of
the question. They'd parted agreeing not to see each other
again, unless they had good reason. But he found himself
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thinking about Hunter at odd moments, wondering what he
was doing, who he was fucking…
No. He wouldn't go there. The Kindred were not
jealous people. Blood and sex were closely related. Feeding
and fucking were physical needs that had to be filled, and
most of the time it really didn't matter who did the filling. If
they were lucky enough to find affection with a mate or a
partner, it didn't mean they wouldn't share. They were
never strictly monogamous, not like the Lycans, or how the
Lycans used to be.
He'd thought about trying to contact Hunter. Since
he'd tasted the Lycan's rich blood, it seemed no one else
could satisfy his hunger. But he refused to put the man in
jeopardy until they had concrete evidence that Abbi's
theories would help both groups. Then they would ask for
more blood. So far Abbi's tests had been inconclusive, but
one could only hope.
For the past week, something else had been off. His
sleep had been filled with disturbing dreams that he hadn't
bothered Abbi with. He put them down to his increasing
hunger for blood and sex.
Yesterday, he'd been particularly restless. A
gnawing hunger ate away at him and he didn't know how to
satisfy it. Last night, rather than feed at the Parrish, he did
something he hadn't done for years. He flew into town and
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looked for fresh prey.
The bars in town closed at two. He picked one in a
rundown area, and perched on a rooftop across the street,
waiting impatiently for the last stragglers to emerge.
He knew immediately who he wanted. The drunk
walked with an unsteady gait, his rubbery legs threatening
to buckle under him. When the man wondered off from the
others, Aidan dove, shifted in mid-flight, and landed behind
his unsteady prey as he reached an alley. The drunk
stumbled and gave no resistance when Aidan pulled him in
the dark corridor between buildings.
Aidan tackled him, and the body, soft with fat,
cushioned his fall. He sank his fangs into the throat. The
blood tasted like water and he couldn't get enough to
quench his thirst. He drank and drank and drank, suddenly
realizing the flow had turned to a dribble, the heartbeat
abnormally slow.
He'd almost killed the man and still he wanted
more. The human must have been sick, weak with anemia
or some other blood disease. He flew home, shifted, and
crawled under the blankets, weak and shivering with cold.
His hands dug into the sheets. His gums ached with
a need to bite into something. He wanted to hunt again, but
this time he wanted to fill the void inside him with the flesh
and muscle of his prey. He wanted meat. He rarely ate
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meat. Even his hawk hunted mainly for sport. Like all born-
Kindred, the mainstay of his diet was blood.
Nauseated, he leaned over the side of the bed, but
nothing came up. He lay back, clutching his stomach. Pain
like he'd never known shot through his body. His muscles
cramped, limbs flexing and moving of their own will. The
hurt spread, finding every space in his body, going from
bad to worse before it finally receded.
From the far corner, a scrabbling noise in the wall
broke the tomblike silence of his bedroom. He lay perfectly
still, listening. There it was again. A tiny heartbeat thumped
in his ears. The musky smell of rat seeped into his nostrils
and made his stomach growl with hunger.
He got off the bed, dropped to the floor, and
followed his nose. As he got closer, the rat darted past him.
His arm shot out and he grabbed the rodent by its tail. He
swung it hard and bashed its head against the wall.
The smell of blood renewed the ache in his gums.
Saliva dripped over his chin. He brought the body up to his
mouth and opened his jaws to feed. At the last second, he
gagged and tossed the carcass across the room.
He put his head in his hands. What's happening to
me? Terrified, he reached for the phone to call Abbi.
Another pain shot down his spine and bowed his
back. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."
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* * * *
Abbi injected something in Aidan's arm and
withdrew the syringe.
"What are you putting in me now?"
She looked at him sympathetically. "It's just
something to relax you."
The cool cloth she placed on his head soothed him.
"What's wrong with me?"
She shook her head, her face creased with worry. "I
don't know. Not yet, anyway. This is uncharted territory but
I'll find out."
"I feel drained, hungry all the time. I almost killed a
man tonight. It can't go on." His eyelids drooped.
"It won't. I promise I'll do everything I can to help
you through this."
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Chapter Eight
Hunter's bruises, even the fang marks, had
disappeared. If Rafe had scheduled his meeting with Grace
a day later, she wouldn't have seen a thing. But what
difference did it make? She didn't care about the past, only
their future, and he intended to be a faithful husband.
Age didn't matter. Lycans had a long life span. He
and Grace had many years of marriage ahead of them. The
thought didn't thrill him, but he'd make it work. Few
couples had any choice when they mated. He should be
happy he had a woman who actually wanted him and
wanted to take care of him.
The fading light was easy on his eyes. Hoping this
inflammation or injury would just go away, he'd put off a
visit to the doc. But the light sensitivity remained, and
keeping to the house during the day made him crazy. He
promised himself he'd get his eyes checked tomorrow. And
ask Doc about his weight loss. He'd weighed the same for
years, but now all of sudden he'd lost five pounds. Why?
He still ate the same amount of food. Lycans rarely had
health issues. It was probably nothing. Right now he just
wanted a little fresh air.
* * * *
He spread a blanket on the roof, stretched out on his
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back with his hands behind his head, and looked up at the
moon. In this small house he'd shared with Tena, one of
their favorite things had been to sleep under the stars on
warm nights.
The vastness of the sky fascinated him. Knowing
how far away those stars really were made him feel small
and insignificant, but amazed and grateful for their beauty
as well. Here, with the breeze ruffling through his hair and
sound of crickets in his ears, he felt totally at peace with
himself and the world. Only one thing was lacking,
someone to share it with.
His thoughts turned to Aidan. What was he doing
right now? Dancing at the Parrish or fucking a new lover?
He shook it off. It wasn't his concern.
A rustle of feathers caught his attention. Aidan! He
bolted upright. At first he thought it really was Aidan
perched on the guardrail, and his heart lurched. But the
hawk transformed in front of his eyes and a female version
of the vampire sat there. Her womanly body and small,
perfect breasts didn't entice him, but she had Aidan's long
black hair and dark eyes rimmed in green. His chest
tightened and he drew a breath to calm his racing heart. For
a few minutes neither spoke.
"I can see why my brother loves you." Her sharp
eyes raked his naked body. "You're attractive, in a hairy
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beast kind of way." Her gaze settled below the waist. She
raised her head and an eyebrow. "He neglected to mention
all your assets."
His chest fluttered as if the hawk was trapped
inside, beating its wings against his ribcage. He hardly
heard anything after loves you. He never considered the
vampire might have feelings for him. If it were true—
"Can you talk? Or do you just growl and bark?"
He couldn't hide the stupid grin on his face. "You
must be Abbi."
She rolled her eyes. "How can you tell?"
"Aidan told me you were feisty." He didn't have any
false modesty, none of the Lycans did, but he wished she
would stop looking at his dick. Her intense gaze reminded
him too much of Aidan and his cock filled automatically.
"Is he okay? Why didn't he come himself?"
"No. He's not okay." Her light tone turned serious.
Tight bands of fear constricted his chest and left
him speechless.
"I'm not sure he could even fly this far." She sighed
heavily. "He doesn't know I'm here." Her back straightened
and her voice took on a challenging tone. "I thought it best
not to get his hopes up in case you weren't willing to help
him."
Worry turned to anger. "Of course I'm willing. Tell
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me what's going on."
"I ran tests, mixing your blood with ours. The cells
mutated. Then I took some blood from Aidan and saw the
same changes taking place. The transformation of his cells
have begun to affect his body. It started with small things.
Things he never told me about, even though I stressed the
importance of logging everything and anything that
happened. He has trouble sleeping, a continuous hunger,
and a desire for the hunt. Two nights ago he fed from a
human without permission and almost killed him. His body
is growing weaker. No matter how much human blood he
drinks, it doesn't sate him. Even vampire blood doesn't
satisfy the hunger."
He forced out the question he really didn't want to
ask. "Is he dying?" He couldn't be dying. Vampires didn't
die.
"I don't know." Her voice broke. "It's all my fault. I
convinced him to help me with the research."
"No. It's my fault as much as yours. If he hadn't fed
from me…"
"I don't know that it's because of your blood. Right
now, I'm not sure of anything. Do you have any
symptoms?"
"I didn't take any blood."
"But you shared saliva and semen. Inadvertently,
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maybe even blood. Are you sure you haven't noticed
anything different?"
"No." He stopped short. "Maybe. I've lost five
pounds. My eyes are sensitive to light…"
Her jaw dropped.
"What?"
"I need you to come back with me. Now."
"Of course, if you think I can help. Just tell me
what's going on."
"I'm not even sure myself, but I think you may be in
danger, too. I need to run more tests. Can you follow me? I
know an overgrown back road no one uses anymore."
"I'll meet you at the side of the house."
* * * *
Hunter jumped over the old chain link fence. Abbi
had already shifted and unlocked the back door of a two-
story brick building. He followed on four feet and padded
into a room lined with white tiles. It smelled faintly
antiseptic.
An image of his human form took shape in his mind
and his body followed it like a blueprint. His human eyes
scanned his surroundings. Every inch of space was filled
with counters, microscopes, weird looking devices, and
vials containing fluids of various colors. It made him
uncomfortable. He turned to Abbi. "I want to see Aidan."
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"I think that's a good idea. I live upstairs. He's
staying with me."
Hunter followed her up a narrow flight of steps into
a small living room, dining room combination. A hallway
led to a bedroom and bath.
Stopping in front of the closed door, she motioned
him inside. "Go ahead." She looked him up and down. "I'll
try to find you something to wear. You're bigger than both
of us put together."
He laughed at her exaggeration and opened the door
without knocking. Aidan's black hair fanned out against the
pillows. His chest was bare and a thin sheet was pulled over
his hips. Hunter's throat worked as he tried to swallow.
Aidan stared wide-eyed for a few seconds, blinked
innocently, and grinned. "Did Abbi transfuse you or are
you just glad to see me?"
Hunter scowled at him, but he couldn't make it
stick. "You think I need a transfusion to get it up?" What he
needed was to feel Aidan's bare skin against his. He was on
the bed in two strides, stripping away the sheet and
straddling the vampire, hugging him. "I missed you."
Aidan clung to him and kissed him, nipping his lip
and licking the blood as if he'd been wandering the desert
for months with no water. He murmured against Hunter's
flushed face. "I need to touch you."
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Hunter groaned. A spasm shot through his penis as
Aidan held their erect cocks side by side and massaged
them together. "Fuck, Aidan," he panted. "Feels so good."
Reaching between them, he rolled both pairs of balls in his
hands, rubbing them together.
Their lips met again, and their tongues dueled while
Aidan used his palm on their slippery knobs, spreading the
oozing pre-cum over their shafts. Both cocks throbbed and
surged under his strong grip. Aidan, his eyes glazed with
lust, worked them with firm, long strokes. His hands slid
over the cockheads and down the shafts until he brought
them both to ecstatic climax.
Hunter moaned into his mouth and felt Aidan's
explosion join his, splattering their legs and stomachs with
copious amounts of cum.
A few minutes passed and they sat with their
foreheads resting against each other.
"Wow," Aidan finally said.
"Yeah, that was intense," Hunter agreed. "You don't
belong in this fucking bed. What are you trying to pull?"
Aidan sighed and pulled back from their embrace.
"I don't know what's happening to me."
Hunter missed the closeness immediately. He put a
hand on the nape of Aidan's neck and pulled him back for a
kiss. "We're going to find out if it's the last thing we do."
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"I'm afraid it just might be." Aidan's voice
quavered.
"Don't you dare even think it! Either of you. We
will find out," Abbi said vehemently. She walked in
carrying a wire basket. "And it will not be the last thing
anyone does." She set her basket on the bed and pulled out
a syringe.
Aidan groaned. "Oh, no, not again."
"Now you know how the rest of us feel when you
feed. Like a goddamn pincushion." Hunter grinned at him.
"At least I give you an orgasm."
"Hunter, suck him off while I draw his blood."
Hunter stared at her in shock for a second, then
started moving back. "I think I can handle that."
"Down, doggy. I wasn't serious." Abbi rolled her
eyes. "I need your blood too."
"You already have my blood."
"Don't be a baby. I need to see if there have been
any changes."
"I'll hold your hand if you hold mine." The vampire
smirked. "Or would you rather I hold something else?"
Scowling, he grabbed Aidan's hand and put his
other arm out for Abbi. "I don't believe there's a thing
wrong with you."
"You could be a little more sympathetic," Aidan
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muttered.
The tension on Abbi's face eased. "I'm glad you're
here, Hunter. He hasn't complained in days."
"Glad I could be of service. I think."
Abbi tied a tourniquet around his arm and looked
for a vein. He closed his eyes as she slid the needle in.
"Okay, you can look now." The two vampires were
watching him with amused expressions. "I'm going to run
some tests. Don't tire him out, Hunter." She gave him a
warning look and Aidan laughed as she left the room.
* * * *
"I had no idea Abbi went looking for you. But thank
you for coming."
"Of course I came. This is my fault. My blood did
this to you." Hunter, lying on his side next to Aidan, rested
his head on his hand and gazed down at him.
"So you came because you feel guilty?" Aidan
hoped there was more to it than guilt.
"Partly. And because this experiment is too
important to let it fail."
"Right." Aidan's face fell.
"And I did miss you a little." The Lycan flashed a
wolfish grin.
"Bastard." He grinned back. "I missed you, too."
The urge to touch and taste proved too great. In the
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blink of an eye, he lined himself up so his mouth was at the
wolf's crotch. He slipped an arm under Hunter's bottom leg
and inhaled the musky scent that drove him wild.
Swallowing the hard cock nudging his lips, he moaned
when he felt the Lycan do the same to him.
Aidan used his hand and his mouth, wanting to give
his lover the same pleasure he was receiving. For a while,
the only sounds were licking and sucking and an occasional
muffled groan.
Hunter's balls drew up and Aidan knew he was
close to coming again. He slid his lips up the Lycan's hard
length releasing him, and, before he could protest, Aidan
sank his fangs in Hunter's groin. He didn't know which was
sweeter, the thick, coppery blood or the unintelligible
animal sounds coming out of his lover's mouth. He
squeezed his lover's cock and Hunter shuddered, jets of
cum coating them both.
His own release boiled up. One more thrust in that
hot, wet—
Aidan's eyes went wide with shock as Hunter's
mouth pulled away from his cock and twin needle-points
pierced his inner thigh. Then all else faded in the sheer
ecstasy of feeding his lover. He couldn't tell where Hunter
ended and he began. Pleasure mixed with security, a feeling
of not being alone, love…
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He let Hunter suck long after he came. It just felt
too damn good. Each pull from his veins was like a stroke
to his cock. If only it could last forever.
Abbi's scream, usually so loud, sounded very far
off. "What the fuck!"
The fangs withdrew from his thigh and Aidan rolled
over on his back. Abbi put a hand to his chest, checking his
heartbeat. "You could have killed him," she said to Hunter.
The Lycan bolted up, looking confused, blood
dripping from his mouth.
* * * *
Hunter wiped his mouth with the back of an arm,
shocked to see so much blood. He ran his tongue around
the inside of his mouth and a sharp tooth pricked it.
They were both watching him, transfixed.
Abbi sat on the bed. "Open your mouth."
He opened for her and she looked from him to
Aidan. "Fangs."
Unbelieving, he felt them with his fingers and
shook his head.
Abbi brought him a hand mirror from the dresser
and held it in front of his face. It was his face, but when he
bared his teeth, there they were: fangs. Hellfire!
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Chapter Nine
What the hell was happening to him? Fangs. Blood.
This was so far outside Hunter's realm of understanding he
couldn't wrap his head around it. Worse, he felt totally
betrayed by someone he'd come to trust. Aidan hadn't just
taken his blood. He'd ripped the heart from his chest.
"Get rid of them," he snarled.
When Abbi shook her head, he grasped one fang in
his fingers and tried to break it off. Aidan grabbed his arm
to stop him but he swatted it away. "Keep your hands off
me."
Aidan stared at him, clearly horrified. Abbi
remained calm. "That won't solve anything."
"What will?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."
Fist pounding on the bed, he glared at Abbi. "You're
full of shit. You have no idea what's going on."
"Please," she begged. "Let me take more blood."
"Fuck! You just took my blood."
"Hunter, you and Aidan just fed from each other. I
need to see how that affected your blood. Please? Maybe
I'll find something that will explain all this."
What other choice did he have? She was the only
one who might be able to help him. He held out his arm.
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Abbi took his blood, then Aidan's. "This won't take
long. I'm just going to look at your blood cells under the
microscope."
He refused to look at Aidan and they sat in
awkward silence. His people didn't let fear affect their
judgment, but he sure as hell felt afraid now. Why had he
ever agreed to this? Instead of helping his people, he'd put
them all in danger.
The vamps had found a way to change Lycan cell
structure. Not only did they want to turn the humans, they
wanted to transform his people as well. And he played right
into their hands. He'd been so fucking stupid.
"Hunter, please." Aidan touched his leg.
He drew back, snarling. "Don't touch me."
"I never meant for this to happen."
"Shut up! I don't want to hear anything you have to
say." Listening to the bloodsucker is what got him into this
mess in the first place. Rafe was right. He'd let vampire
seduction infect him. He should have fought the attraction.
Even now, his body tightened and his cock stirred because
Aidan sat so close. He had to force himself to get up and
move away. The vampire's smell, the beat of his heart,
everything tempted him beyond reason. Despite the
depravity of their coupling, he still wanted him. Somehow,
he had to fix this.
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* * * *
A tense thirty minutes passed while Abbi checked
the blood samples under the microscope. Hunter tried to
read her face when she walked back in the bedroom but her
expression revealed nothing.
"Well?" he asked impatiently.
"It's just as I thought. The blood I took from Aidan
this past week showed a decrease in red blood cells and the
remaining cells were smaller than normal."
"And my blood caused that?"
"The lack of your blood. Components in your blood
caused changes in Aidan's body and mutations in his bone
marrow. Cell production increased. But without your blood
to nourish him, cell production decreased to a dangerous
level. Human blood doesn't sustain him anymore."
"This is bullshit. You've been using me. All this
time you've been making something that will change my
people, make us more like you."
"You're wrong, Hunter. Look at me." Aidan said
hoarsely. "Can't you see what's happening to me?"
Hunter sat and scrutinized Aidan carefully. Except
for his genital region, his skin had always been smooth and
hairless. Now, sparse black hair dusted the area around his
nipples and across his collarbones. Aidan shuddered when
he ran a palm along his leg to feel the new growth.
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Why hadn't he seen it before? He'd been so fucking
worried about Aidan and so damn hot to touch him, he
hadn't even noticed. "Any other changes?"
"I crave meat. I have a stronger sense of smell and
my hearing is keener."
"There may be more as time goes on. I just don't
know yet," Abbi said.
He felt a short-lived sense of relief. At least Aidan
hadn't deceived him. "There must be some way to change
us back. I don't understand any of this. It was only
supposed to be about infertility. How did this happen?"
"A stroke of luck," Abbi said.
"Don't be ridiculous." Nothing positive could come
from this horror.
"I'm perfectly serious. I believe you and my brother
have somehow reignited a bond between our species that
was lost through the years."
Hunter frowned, trying to make sense of her words.
"What kind of bond?"
"Symbiosis."
"Explain."
"To put it simply, it's a close and often long term
relationship between different biological species. In this
case it's obligate, meaning that both symbionts depend on
each other for survival."
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This is a bad dream. I'm going to wake up any
minute now and I'll be back in Arcadia. "Now I understand
why our leaders condemn science. It's garbage. I don't need
anyone else to survive and especially not a vampire."
"It's a shock, I know. Aidan had the same reaction
when I first brought it up. He was afraid you'd hate him and
he refused to contact you."
He looked at Aidan but the vampire refused to meet
his eyes. "Is this true?"
"I'd rather die than see that look of disgust in your
eyes, knowing I put it there."
Hunter grabbed his hand. "Don't talk like that. Of
course I'm shocked but we'll work this out."
"Think about it, Hunter." Abbi's voice took on a
note of excitement. "Ultimately, this will help all of us. It's
taken many, many years but the separation of our species
has been slowly killing us. Thanks to you and Aidan, we
can make things right again."
Both men looked at her as if she were crazy.
"There's no way in hell my people will go for this."
"They will when we get more proof."
"And what am I supposed to do until then? Walk
among my pack with fucking vampire fangs?"
"You don't have much choice, Hunter." Abbi put a
hand over his. "This is meant to be. You can't go back. The
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fangs are not decorative. They have a purpose. You'll need
them to feed."
"Oh, no. It's impossible. I'm getting married in a
few months, maybe sooner."
Aidan let out a long, audible breath. "Married?"
"It's all been arranged by our Alpha." He couldn't
look at Aidan's stricken face and he turned to Abbi. "It's for
the good of the pack. He believes I'm a proven breeder.
You've got to get me back to normal."
"This is your normal, now," Abbi said. "You don't
want to breed with a Lycan woman, Hunter. Not until we
know what characteristics your progeny will inherit."
Hellfire! He hadn't even thought about that. He
couldn't take the risk of fathering a vampire.
"…you'll die without it. You both will."
He ran a hand through his hair. "What?"
"Blood. You need blood to survive now."
"If I need blood, I'll feed off of animals." He looked
to Aidan for confirmation. "You said it's been done before."
"It's not that simple. You need Aidan's blood." She
looked at her brother. "And if you deny him yours, he'll
die."
"You can have my blood. A transfusion. In a bag.
Abbi can take more when you need it." He looked at Aidan.
"You'll be okay. I swear I'll take care of you."
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Aidan stared back. "And what about us?"
"There is no us. We made a big mistake, and it can't
continue."
"We've gone beyond that, Hunter," Aidan said
softly. "In my world, sex is part of the package. We're
bonded by more than blood."
"No, we're not. You and your damn aphrodisiacs
and vampire seduction got me into this. If I don't see you
again, I can handle it."
"You don't mean that," Aidan cut in.
"Yes, I do. This was supposed to be a little research,
nothing more. We can still make it right."
"We did make it right. It's been wrong for hundreds
of years. Now we have a chance to change everything."
"I don't want to change anything. I want it back the
way it was."
Aidan stared at his resolute expression. "You're
lying through your fangs, Hunter. There's something
between us. Deny it all you want but I can smell arousal all
over you."
"A hard on can be taken care of easily enough."
"It's more than that. I love you, and I believe you
feel the same even if you won't admit it. You belong with
me now. Your pack will never accept you the way you are."
"And the Kindred will? Don't make me laugh.
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We're freaks, Aidan." He smiled ruefully. "All I can do is
bring my Alpha the information you promised me and
throw myself on his mercy."
"You're making a mistake. You don't want to do
that."
"Don't look at me like that. You promised me the
name of Tena's killer. You made the decision to betray one
of your own for the sake of research. Are you going to go
back on your word now?"
"No. I'll give you your killer. But I'm afraid your
Alpha won't believe you."
"We'll let him decide what to believe."
Aidan looked to Abbi, who shrugged. He turned
back, his face bleak. "It was the gray wolf. The one who
broke my arm that night in your club.
Whatever Hunter expected to hear, it wasn't this.
The lie immobilized him. What made him think he could
trust a vampire? Their kind bred deceit, they couldn't help
themselves. After the first shock, his emotions came in
waves like an angry ocean—disbelief, humiliation, rage.
"You're a fucking liar."
"It's the truth. I swear it. I saw him with the body,
but I was too late to save your woman."
Hunter wanted to hurt Aidan the way he'd been
hurt. His body went tight as a coiled spring. His muscles
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tensed across his shoulders and back. His control crumbled
and he lashed out like a deranged animal. His hand caught
Aidan's face. The vampire's head snapped back. He put a
palm to his cheek.
"No," Hunter cried out and sank to his knees.
"Please. No." Terrified, he held out his right extremity; four
talons, not claws, dripped blood as he looked desperately to
Abbi for help.
She appeared as stunned as he. Then she came and
knelt beside him. "Hunter, I promise you I will do
everything in my power to help you. And Aidan." She
looked to her twin.
Hunter followed her gaze, just now realizing he'd
hurt the vampire. By the time he stood, his hand was back
to normal. "I'm sorry," he whispered to Aidan, all the anger
gone.
"My face is already mending. Your hurt won't heal
so easily."
"It's hard for me to believe a Lycan could do
something like this." He and Doyle were far from friends.
But to kill one of their women? It was unthinkable.
Aidan glanced over at Abbi and nodded. She
retrieved a small box from the closet and handed it to
Hunter. Inside was a plastic bag with the necklace he'd
given Tena when they first got married. He brushed aside
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the sadness it engendered. "This only proves that one of
your people took it. The vampire who murdered my mate."
"I took it from the body myself," Aidan said. "Look
at it closely. A few bloody threads were snagged on the
broken lock. They're from the shirt of the killer."
Hunter put the pendent to his nose and smelled
Lycan blood, Doyle's blood. His heart slammed against his
chest. Dark bitterness and a need to retaliate swept over
him. He would have his revenge.
"Will you take it to your Alpha?"
"No. This is personal. I'll take care of it myself."
"Don't do this," Abbi implored. "You can't control
what's happening to you. And if you're killed, my brother
will die, too."
"I don't intend to die."
Aidan put a hand on his arm. "Don't worry about
me. Do what you have to. But tread carefully. If you accuse
one wolf, you'll take on the entire pack."
"There's no need for me to involve the pack. I can
handle this myself. I need to know the truth. Take some of
my blood for Aidan. When I finish this, I'll come back.
Then we'll figure out what to do."
"Be careful, Hunter," Aidan whispered.
"I will." He reached over to stroke the hair on
Aidan's chest. "Maybe I'll grow feathers next." He grinned
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ruefully.
Who would have thought one night at the Wolf Den
would change my life forever?
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Chapter Ten
Music, drunken men swearing and swaying on the
dance floor, the clack of billiard balls… In the Wolf Den,
life went on as if nothing had changed, when in reality the
world had turned inside out.
Hunter watched the tableau and wished he could go
back to a time when he was blissfully ignorant of the deceit
around him. Or did he? A little voice in his head whispered,
Would you give up your time with Aidan to have your old
life back? Were you really happy?
And what of revenge? Tena's killer had to be
punished. An eye for an eye. That was the Lycan way.
The scent of his prey floated on the air. His nostrils
flared and his nails bit into his palms. Doyle sat at the bar,
laughing and thumping his mug in time to the beat, never
suspecting it was his last day on Earth.
Tyler spotted Hunter and motioned him over. Afraid
his rage would get the best of him, he shook his head and
turned away. He got what he came for, confirmation that he
had the right target in his sights. He put a hand in his
pocket. Doyle's stink still lingered on the pendant he
fingered.
Hanging around any longer wasn't a good idea. He
suspected his scent might be changing and he didn't want to
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draw attention to himself. And he had no intention of
fighting Doyle here. He wanted no interference and no
spectators.
He left abruptly and walked toward Doyle's small
cabin, a half mile from the Den. Ignoring the briars that
caught at his sweat pants, he moved quickly, disturbing the
small animals rooting in the underbrush.
Sitting down on Doyle's porch steps, he waited.
There would be no covering of scent, no ambush. He
wanted to hear a confession, needed the words to be
spoken, man to man.
A tinny rattle and a grumbling engine signaled an
approaching pickup. He moved back into the shadows and
watched Toby's old truck come to a sudden stop in front of
the house. The passenger side door opened. Doyle had
barely stumbled out when the vehicle took off again.
Hunter walked down the porch steps and blocked
his path.
The drunk eyed him sourly. "Odd time for a visit,
Hunter." He worked the chaw in his mouth from one cheek
to the other.
"We need to talk and there's no time like the
present."
Doyle seemed to consider this; then he looked down
and aimed a spray of brown tobacco juice at Hunter's boots.
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"Now why did you want to go and mess up my new
boots?"
"Get out of my way, Hunter. I'm tired and I'm going
bed."
"First tell me why."
Doyle let out a snort of dismissive laughter. "I don't
know what you're talking about." He thrust his chin up and
tried to walk around Hunter.
Hunter, his muscles quivering with undisguised
rage, shoved him. "I want to know why you killed my
mate."
"You're crazy." Doyle avoided his eyes and took a
shuffling step back.
"Am I? I smell guilt all over you." He pulled the
pendant from his pocket and swung it in front of Doyle's
eyes. "Just like I smell your scent all over Tena's necklace."
Doyle seemed hypnotized by the swinging chain.
He licked his lips and followed it with his eyes. "I, uh…"
His voice cracked. "I swear, Hunter. It wasn't my idea. I did
it for the pack."
"You lousy motherfucker!" His fist connected with
Doyle's jaw and the man reeled back. He followed up with
a vicious blow to the solar plexus and Doyle went down.
Before he could roll away, Hunter was on him. He wrapped
his hands around the struggling man's throat. "I want to
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know who else is involved in this."
Doyle made wheezing noises and tried to pull the
hands from his neck.
Hunter released his hold. "Talk!"
"Rafe." He gasped out the name.
"Liar!" He got in another blow to the face before
Doyle surged up and knocked him off.
"Ask him," Doyle spat out. Then his head jerked
back as he started his shift.
Hunter kicked off his boots, threw off his sweats
and gave free rein to his wolf. His body went rigid and his
flesh rippled as black hair spread over his body. Muscles
thickened and bones cracked like snapping branches. His
face lengthened into a muzzle and his nails into claws. A
bone burst at his spine and a tail emerged, twitching behind
him.
The gray wolf lunged, twisting in midair, but
Hunter moved in time to avoid getting slammed. His rage
gave him strength and his powerful hind legs propelled his
body. He leaped at the gray wolf, knocked it down, and
closed his jaws on its leg. This is for you, Aidan. The bone
snapped and the flesh tore into crimson ribbons. Blood
streamed in the dirt and the scent woke something in him.
He released Doyle's shattered leg, pounced, and
planted his paws on the injured wolf. A look of primal rage
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passed between them. Each knew that only one would
come out of this alive.
Hunter's maw dripped saliva. His jaws stretched
open and he went for the throat. Doyle's eyes widened in
horror as needle-sharp fangs lengthened, finally sinking
deep. He yanked his head back, tearing Doyle's throat open.
The body twitched, then stilled. And that was for you, Tena.
Hunter headed back to the Wolf Den, avoiding the
security details. As an enforcer, he carried a set of keys to
the club. He used them to let himself in. The downstairs
was dark but he saw a light in the upstairs window of
Rafe's office. He headed there.
The Alpha looked up from his desk as he entered.
He sat back, folding his arms on his chest. "You didn't
show up for your shift tonight."
"I had something important to take care of."
"What's more important than security?
"Taking care of the son of a bitch who killed Tena."
He kept tight control on his anger.
"Really?" There was a moment of surprised silence.
"So the vampire came back after all?"
"I didn't say it was a vampire."
"Don't play games with me, Hunter." A warning
tone edged Rafe's words.
The tension in the room was so thick it suffocated
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him. "I'm not the one playing games here. Don't tell me you
don't smell Doyle's blood all over me. I have proof he
murdered Tena. Why didn't you kill him?"
A vein throbbed in Rafe's forehead. "I was hoping
we could avoid conflict in the pack."
"By letting a killer go free?" He leaned over Rafe
and pounded a fist on the desk.
The Alpha flinched slightly but his gaze didn't
waver. "I didn't want to have our people take sides against
each other. Better they unite against a common enemy. It's
my duty to make these kinds of decisions for the pack."
"Is it also your duty to decide who lives or dies?"
"If it comes to that."
Face flushed, Hunter grabbed the collar of Rafe's
shirt and lifted him off the chair.
Rafe snarled and knocked his hands away. "Don't be
stupid, Hunter. We go back a long way and I'm willing to
talk this out for old time's sake. But you can only push me
so far."
Hunter kept his hands at his sides. As much as he
wanted to beat Rafe to a bloody pulp, he wanted answers
more. "Did you order Doyle to kill my mate? Yes or no?"
"Yes."
Hunter recoiled as if he'd been hit by a truck. He'd
loved Rafe like a brother, would have died for him. The
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man's betrayal cut deep. The scale of his deception went
way beyond anything Hunter had ever experienced before.
Hate-filled curses flowed from his mouth and, snarling, he
spat in Rafe's face.
Rafe calmly wiped away the saliva with the swipe
of an arm. "You can take the blame for my decision. I
asked you, for the good of the pack, to mate with our other
females. You chose to honor antiquated laws rather than
help our people."
"You bastard. You don't get to make those kinds of
decisions for me. You honor the old ways when it suits
you, refusing to do research when it might solve our
problems." He hauled back a fist and slammed it into Rafe's
face. The Alpha's head snapped back but he didn't make a
sound. Hunter was about to strike again, but Rafe snatched
his hand in mid-air.
Eyes locked, neither moved for several seconds.
Rafe ignored the blood running from his nose. "You're
wrong, Hunter. I believe science will save us."
His mind churned. Another lie? He shoved Rafe
back in the chair. "Explain. I want answers."
"A few of our people have been working on fertility
drugs, utilizing what they know about human drugs and
trying to adapt them to our physiology."
"You've been keeping things from me," he said
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accusingly. "From all of us. Things that affect our lives."
"I told you, I dispense information on a need to
know basis. I didn't think it necessary to get everyone's
hopes up until we had positive results."
"Tena?"
"All the mated females were given the drugs—
without their knowledge. They didn't work on Tena." His
face softened. "I'm sorry."
Numb with shock and remorse, Hunter stood
speechless. Rafe had done all this right in front of his nose
and he'd never suspected a thing. "You should have told
me. I would have cooperated."
"Would you? You have a habit of disagreeing with
me. I couldn't take the chance." Rafe touched his face; the
bleeding had already stopped. "Marrok came to me. We
talked about Grace. I told him you wouldn't agree to take
her as long as you already had a mate. A short time later,
Tena was found murdered."
Hunter shook his head in denial. "You sadistic
bastard."
"I made a decision. I stand by it. Grace will make a
good match for you. We'll start her on the drugs
immediately."
"Don't bother. I won't be responsible for the murder
of another she-wolf who can't conceive. Find somebody
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else for her."
"I know what you've been up to, Hunter. I smell the
vampire all over you and Grace saw his mark on your
throat."
His body tensed and he glared at Rafe. That fucking
little bitch. She couldn't wait to run to Rafe and tell him
everything. This is her idea of loyalty to a mate?
"Calm down. She's a loyal pack member who does
as she's told. In exchange for my blessing on your union,
she's become a trusted confidant." Rafe hesitated. "So will
you. Tomorrow everyone will know Doyle met his demise
at the hands of your vampire. If he shows his face, he'll be
killed. We'll start Grace on the drugs and move up the date
of your ceremony. All will be forgiven."
"I don't forgive that easily, Rafe."
"Grace will help you forget Tena. She's quite
infatuated with you. You're lucky to have her."
"I can't believe I trusted you."
"Go home, Hunter. Get some sleep. In the morning
you'll see things differently. Meet me back here early. I'm
putting you in charge of the investigation into Doyle's
murder. If anyone can catch the bloodsucker that killed
him, it's you."
Kill him! Kill him now! He ached to sink his fangs
into Rafe's throat, but when push came to shove, he
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couldn't do it. How would the pack survive without an
Alpha? Rafe was a lying murderer but he was all they had.
If he took Rafe's life, he'd become pack Alpha. It was not a
position he coveted. And the Lycans would never follow a
hybrid freak.
And despite what Rafe had done, he couldn't bring
himself to kill a man he'd once loved as a brother. But I'll
never call him Alpha again.
"I know this is all a shock," Rafe said at length. "It'll
make more sense in the morning. Go home."
Hunter turned and walked out. He knew the way
home.
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Chapter Eleven
Hunter disposed of his clothes along the way,
shifted, and took the back road Abbi had shown him.
When he reached the lab, he shifted back to human
form and pounded on the door, hoping she might be
working late. It swung open. A huge smile lit her face and
she pulled him inside.
"We were so worried—"
"Where's Aidan?"
"Upstairs. He's been driving me crazy, wanting to
go out and look for you."
Aidan sat at the kitchen table picking at a steak.
Their eyes met and Hunter broke into a delighted laugh. "I
never thought I'd see the day you'd be eating a steak."
Aidan grinned back at him. "Don't expect me to
share."
"Actually I had something else in mind."
"Oh, yeah? What might that be?"
"You."
"You think you can just walk in here and I'll jump
into your arms and fuck you?"
That's exactly what he wanted, but he didn't have
time to give free rein to his feelings. His smile faded. "We
should feed. I don't have much time."
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Aidan stood, the steak forgotten. "You're not going
anywhere."
"Listen to me. Doyle is dead. Before I killed him, he
implicated my Alpha. When I confronted Rafe, he admitted
his part in the murder."
"I'm so sorry." Aidan embraced him and he allowed
himself a moment of comfort.
"I'm pretty sure Rafe called security after I left his
office. It's what I would have done. I may have led them
here." He turned to Abbi. "Take my blood and I'll get out of
here."
"And then what?" she snapped. "If you leave, Aidan
dies. If you stay, at least he has a chance. You both do."
"You're not going anywhere." Aidan's voice
dominated the room. "I'll fucking chain you down if I have
to."
Abbi sighed in exasperation. "Go feed. I'll think of
something."
* * * *
Hunter lay on his side, his head propped on a hand.
He reached over with his other hand and cupped Aidan's
jaw, spreading warmth across his skin. "I never wanted to
put you and Abbi in danger, but I had to come back."
Aidan kissed his palm. "Without your blood, I'm in
real danger. So are you. Your home is with me, now." He
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pulled Hunter close, running his hands over his muscular
back and down over his firm ass.
Hunter moaned against his lips. "Sure you don't
want me to shower first?"
"No, lover. Later. Much later," he cooed. "How do
you expect me to wait when you keep grinding that
beautiful hard prick against mine?"
"Can't help it." Hunter crawled over him like a wolf
ready to devour its prey. "My fangs aren't the only things I
want inside of you."
Blood pounded in Aidan's ears. That look in
Hunter's eyes made him too fucking hot. "What are you
waiting for, lover?"
The Lycan bent to bite at his lower lip, licking at the
drops of blood and rocking his hips. When he lifted his
head, wolf eyes locked on Aidan's and almost drove him
over the edge. Their breathing came in unison.
"You're mine." Hunter growled. "Say it."
"Yours," he whispered. The need to be filled
overwhelmed him and he reached between them for
Hunter's cock, stiff and wet with pre-cum. "I need to feel
you inside me. Now."
"Soon," Hunter said hoarsely. He slid back to suck
at Aidan's hard nipples.
Pleasure shot up his spine as the wolf's rough
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108
tongue licked a path over his belly. He spread his legs, and
warm breath fanned his exposed hole before the long
tongue lapped at it and wormed its way inside. His cock
responded by getting harder and his moans filled the room.
Suddenly Hunter got to his knees and pushed
Aidan's legs back. "Gotta fuck you now."
He gasped when the slick head of his lover's cock
pressed against his hole and pushed inside. Grunting, he
pushed back, desperate for more.
Hunter pulled partway out, then thrust back inside,
filling him like no one else ever had. A slow, steady rhythm
built between them. Every thrust grazed his gland and made
him plead for more.
The sounds and scents of their lovemaking drove
him wild. Using his elbows for leverage, he forced himself
up and wrapped his arms around his partner. He straddled
Hunter's hips and their sweat-slicked bodies surged
together, seeking release.
Hunter growled, wrapped his hand around Aidan's
cock, and jerked him with firm strokes.
Aidan tilted his head, baring his neck. "Claim me,"
he said hoarsely before licking a spot on the Lycan's neck
and sinking his own fangs deep.
When Hunter pierced his flesh, the thrill of feeding
and being fed set off shock waves and his climax exploded
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between them. Hunter's followed, and their orgasms
seemed to go on and on. Their bond grew stronger and any
walls remaining between them fell.
* * * *
When they stopped trembling, Aidan pulled Hunter
down on top of him. They shared a kiss before Hunter
rolled them to their sides. "A wolf knows his mate, his true
mate, as soon as they meet. My life has been so out of
whack for so long I'd forgotten how to recognize love.
Everything is so much clearer now. I love you, Aidan. I
can't believe I once thought there was no common ground
between us. I have a lot to learn."
"I love you, too, baby, and we have all the time in
the world to figure this out."
Abbi coughed and both heads swiveled toward the
door. "The lessons will have to wait, boys." She walked in
and planted herself on the bed. "Sorry to interrupt, but this
is important. I spoke to the Sire. He wants to meet Hunter."
Aidan bolted upright, a worried look on his face.
"Fuck, we're not ready for this."
"I had to go to him, Aidan," she said. "He secured
the perimeter. Hunter is safe here."
"And how do you know he won't just hand Hunter
over to the Lycans?"
"Because he's smart enough to realize we need
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Hunter."
"Do you trust him, Abbi?"
"I don't have much choice, but yes, I do. I got the
impression he knows more about my research than he's let
on. I gave him the short version and he didn't seem
surprised. Of course, I had to make it sound like both of
you will be my lab rats."
Hunter winced. "Are you fucking kidding me? We'll
be prisoners here."
"At first, yes."
Aidan put an arm around the Lycan. "Come on,
lover. You have to admit being stuck here has its benefits."
Yes, he still had Aidan, but would it be enough?
Panic welled up and a suffocating sensation tightened his
throat. Already he longed for the forest, the moon over his
head, and the dirt under his paws. How long could he bury
his lupine instincts before going crazy? "Can you do this,
Aidan? Force your hawk to remain Earth-bound here with a
Lycan?
There was no hesitation in Aidan's answer. "Yes."
His mate looked him full in the eyes. "We can do this—
together. You belong here with me."
Hunter managed a ghost of a smile and a nod of
assent. "You're getting pretty territorial for a vampire."
"Must be my wolfish side coming out."
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111
Hunter's smile broadened. "Never in a million years
did I ever think I'd fall in love with a vampire."
"Bet you thought you'd never have fangs, either."
"I'm not sorry."
"Me either."
Aidan leaned in for a kiss. They might come from
different species but they were still men, and their
connection felt natural and primal—and right.
The End
About the Author:
Born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love, Gale cut her
teeth on True Story magazines and Mickey Spillane
paperbacks. These were swiped from her mother and read
undercover by flashlight. Her weird choices in reading
material—whatever she could get her hands on—inspired a
love of romance and the desire to write her own stories.
Life took a detour and she raised a family while working as
a surveyor and a CAD manager. Now she has the best job
in the world, one she can do in her pj's. Her books may be
smokin' hot, but at the heart of each story is a romance and
each one is written with love.
Gale loves to hear from her readers.
Email:
gale@galestanley.net
Webpage:
http://galestanley.net/
Blog:
http://galestanley.blogspot.com/
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/gale.stanley.author
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/galestanley
Also by Gale Stanley:
Available from Silver Publishing:
Silent Knights
Love Bytes
Sleepless Knights
One Night in Bangkok (June 25)
SYMBIOTIC MATES
Hunter and the Hawk
Peter and the Wolf (May 28)
Talon and the Falconer (July 23)
THE GENTLEMEN'S CLUB
Point of Beginning
Some Like it Rough
Available at Siren-BookStrand:
BLACK WOLF GORGE
Call of the Wilds
Mating Call
Captive
Reviews for SILENT KNIGHTS say:
"Previous experiences have taught both Andy and Paul that
being in a relationship makes a person feel like less, not
more. But together, the two men create a healthy
partnership where they are not dominated, lied to or
cheated on. While it is sweet to see the men laugh and play
together, their heat burns up the sheets in several m/m sex
scenes."
—RT Book Reviews
*
"Overall, I enjoyed Silent Knights as a nice quick read,
with which I spent a few hot hours on a cold night, while
cuddled up in the corner of the couch with a warm
blanket."
—E-Romance Reviews
*
"…the fast paced romance between Paul and Andy was
sweet, and I found myself really rooting for them to have a
happy ending."
—The Romance Reviews
*
"Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to
reading more by this talented author."
—Happily Ever After Reviews
Reviews for POINT OF BEGINNING say:
"Point of Beginning is a fun romp that hit all my romance
buttons. …sparks fly as these two dance around their
attraction finally succumbing to their passions in a fantasy
induced night arranged by the owner of The Gentlemen’s
Club."
—Dark Diva Reviews
*
"Looking for the perfect combo to spice up an ordinary
day? Well Alex and Jack are here to fulfill all of your
cravings. I love their chemistry, and their affection as much
as their desire is what really makes this story come alive,
and I cannot wait to read more!"
—Coffee Time Romance
*
"Ms. Stanley delivers a wonderful tale to enjoy on a sunny
afternoon and I, for one, am anxious to see what else
happens in the Gentlemen's Club. I look forward to
exploring more from this author's backlist and can't wait to
see what other gems she has in store for us in the future."
—Love Romances and More
*
"I'm a fan of Gale Stanley's work. Her characters are
always very believable. You become invested in their lives
and want to see them get their happy ending. She also
leaves the conflict unresolved until the end, which has you
constantly guessing what will happen next. If you're
looking for a good hearted romance with hard-headed
characters, this is the story for you."
—Whipped Cream Reviews
*
"Gale Stanley wrote a beautiful story of a man on the throes
of discovering his sexuality and gathering the courage to
know himself and his wants. Ms Stanley sure knows how to
write great tension between the characters, making me read
on with bated breath and anticipation. We know that Jack
and Alex would get together somehow, but we don't know
how, and each scene built on each man's longing and
yearning until I was ready to burst. And when they come
together—ooh la la—be ready to combust."
—The Romance Reviews