Travis Rhodes [Beyond the Marius Brothers 4]

Travis Rhodes

Travis Rhodes is proud to be a vam pire warrior, but he realizes there’s som ething m issing from his life… Nam ely, love. Travis is overj oy ed when his m ate turns up on his doorstep, falling right into his arm s. He j um ps hurdles to explain his

world to the m ate who found him , but Travis’s j oy fades when he realizes there’s som ething wrong.

Em m ett Loughlan has lived a pain-filled life, suffering abuse from his parents and then his pim p. He doesn’t believe som eone could truly love him , but all that changes when he m eets Travis, who brings out the fun and loving person he

really is. When issues arise, his new happiness and hope for the future fade away .

Travis’s suspicions are soon confirm ed, and they learn Em m ett needs help that he can’t give. Will Travis be able to find som eone to help Em m ett, or will they be torn apart by circum stances bey ond their control?

G enre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranorm al, Vam pires/Werewolves

Length: 35,693 words

TRAVIS RHODES
Beyond the Marius Brothers 4
Joyee Flynn

EROTIC ROMANCE MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

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TRAVIS RHODES

Copyright © 2012 by Joyee Flynn E-book ISBN: 1-61926-777-2
First E-book Publication: April 2012
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TRAVIS RHODES

Beyond the Marius Brothers 4
JOYEE FLYNN

Chapter 1

Travis

I was heading to my room after a long, frustrating workout when I heard the oddest noise. I

glanced toward the front entrance of the warrior compound, and it dawned on me. The doorbell. What
the fuck? No one ever rang the doorbell. The compound wasn’t like a real home but more like swanky
barracks. Who rings the doorbell?
“I got it,” I called out, chuckling as I jogged over.

Of all my years living here I don’t think I’d ever answered the door. Hell, I couldn’t ever

remember hearing the doorbell ring. I opened the door and just about let my tongue fall out of my
mouth. My workout had sucked because I was so sexually frustrated, in desperate need of some
release. And then fate brought some hot little number right to our door? I eyed him over like dinner as
his eyes went wide when he stared at my naked chest.

He was about five eight, bone thin under the very, very tightfitting jeans and too light a jacket for

February in Virginia. The sexy man in front of me had longish blond locks that fell into his face, going
down to about his nose. He nervously tried to tuck the hair behind his ears. But it was the huge, olive-
green eyes that made him so doe-eyed, sexy, and completely mouthwatering.

“Well hello there, little darlin’,” I seductively drawled, leaning in a bit to inhale his scent. I froze

as my own eyes parroted his. Fate just dropped my mate off at my doorstep. I had to be the luckiest
son of a bitch in the world. “What can I do for you, sweet thang?”

“I–I’m looking for D–Damian M–Marius,” he stuttered nervously. “He said if I–I ever needed

help to call him or come here and find him.” He pointed over his shoulder. “I used all my money to
take a cab here and I’m ten bucks short. Can you cover me, and I’m sure Damian will pay you back?”

“Of course I can,” I answered immediately, wondering what his connection was to Damian. Just

then, my buddy Vega walked through the front hall. “Dude, loan me a few twenties for cab fare for
Damian’s friend here. My wallet’s upstairs.”

“Umm, sure.” He stared at our guest like he had a second head. Yeah, I felt the same way about a

human just showing up here. But mostly I was just thrilled since he was my mate. Vega pulled out his
wallet and handed me the money. I gave him a nod and turned to run outside to the cab.

“No, I’ll do it,” the little guy said immediately. “You’re not wearing a shirt and are all sweaty.

You could catch a cold going outside like that.” I felt my jaw drop as he took the money and jogged
back outside and to the cab.

“Why is there a human showing up here?” Vega hissed under his breath.

“I don’t know. Damian must have met him somewhere. He said that Damian gave him this address if
the guy ever needed help,” I rambled quickly, wanting to get it out before he came back. “And he’s my
mate.”

“Oh boy.” My friend shot me a glance I couldn’t interpret, and I didn’t have time to ask since the little
guy came bounding back up the stairs to us. He tripped over the doorstep, and I moved just in time to
catch him in my arms. I bit back a moan. God, he fit perfectly!
“Sorry, my ankle’s hurt,” he mumbled as he tried to move away. In a flash I had him up in my arms. I
kicked the door closed as Vega chuckled and walked off. “What are you doing?”
“If  your  ankle’s  hurt,  then  you  shouldn’t  be  walking  on  it,  little  darlin’.”  I  gave  him  my  best  smile,
trying to set him at ease though I was a stranger. “Damian Marius doesn’t live here, but I can take you
to his house if you give me a few minutes to clean up.”
“Oh,  I  don’t  want  to  trouble  you  or  anything,”  he  said  quietly,  staring  up  at  me  through  those  long
eyelashes. “Can I borrow your phone and call him? My pi—I mean mine’s broken.” Riiight because I
couldn’t tell he had almost let something slip out.
“It’s no trouble at all.” I carried him off to my room before he could argue again. “Just let me hop in
the  shower  and  change  and  we  can  take  a  ride  over  to  Damian.  He  lives  less  than  an  hour  away.
What’s your name, little darlin’?”
“You  can  call  me  anything  you  want,”  he  purred  as  he  rubbed  his  finger  over  my  nipple.  I  almost
tripped  at  the  contact  and  wave  of  lust  I  felt  shooting  through  my  body.  Was  my  mate  always  this
forward?
“I’d like to call you by your real name,” I whispered gently, wondering why he was acting like some
hooker out of a chick flick. “I’m Travis Rhodes.”
“Emmett  Loughlan.”  He  stopped  touching  me  intimately  and  lowered  his  eyes  as  I  got  to  my  room.
Hmm, odd. Now he seemed as if he felt I was rejecting his advances.
“Very nice to meet you, Emmett Loughlan.” I opened the door, walked over to the bed, and set him on
it. I tucked a stray curl behind his ear. “Is there anything you need while I take a quick shower?” His
stomach  chose  that  moment  to  growl,  and  Emmett  looked  simply  mortified.  “Well,  the  kitchen’s
closed, but I’ve got some snacks in my fridge that you’re more than welcome to.”
I knelt by the little fridge on the side of my desk and opened it for him to see. Emmett licked his lips,
and I had to bite back another groan. My mate was so fucking sexy.
“Can I have the apple, please?”
“Darlin’,  you  can  have  anything  you  want,”  I  answered  in  a  husky  voice  I  barely  recognized.  I
grabbed the apple and a soda for him before closing the fridge, bringing it to him.
“I like your Southern accent and that you call me darlin’.” He snagged the apple and took a bite as he
smiled at me. “It’s really fucking good.”
My eyes went wide again. It seemed so odd to hear a curse word out of such an angelic face. I shook
my head before I got too many images of what else that sinful mouth could do. I got to my feet and
grabbed a towel, telling him I’d be right back and to stay there.
I  took  the  world’s  fastest  shower,  not  wanting  my  mate  out  of  my  sight  for  any  longer  than  needed.
Why did he need Damian? What was going on that he needed help? How did I get him to stay with me
forever?
That last one was probably going to be the toughest to answer. When I got back to my room, I closed
the door and gasped. In a flash I dropped my dirty clothes and darted over to my mate.
“Who hurt you?” I growled, taking in the huge, ugly bruises on his body that he was looking at in the
mirror. Emmett’s eyes snapped to mine in the mirror, and he realized he was busted.
“Someone  I’m  running  from,”  he  whispered  as  he  reached  for  his  clothes  again.  He  had  stripped
down  to  his  boxers  to  check  out  the  damage.  I  grabbed  his  wrist  gently  and  brought  his  hand  to  my
lips.

“He won’t ever hurt you again, darlin’. I swear it to you.” He nodded and his face flushed as he eyed
over my body.
“My, you’re a big boy,” he purred. I glanced down and realized I’d dropped my towel in my haste to
get to him.
“You  like  what  you  see?”  I  couldn’t  help  but  ask.  I  mean,  what  man  doesn’t  want  to  know  he’s
attractive to his mate?
“Very much so.” He reached with his free hand and traced the tribal tat I had on my right shoulder and
upper arm. “I think this is sexy.”
“I have more that you can touch anytime you want.” I was panting with desire.
“Like this one?” he asked quietly as his finger brushed the small symbol around my belly button.
“Yes, but if you keep doing that, darlin’, I’m going to take you to my bed and never let you back out of
it.”
“Now that I ditched my pimp I wouldn’t even have to charge you.” Emmett’s eyes went wide at the
admission, and he pulled his hand away. “You won’t want me now that you know I’m a whore.”
“Hey, none of that, darlin’,” I said gently as I pulled him into my arms, moaning as his naked chest
pressed against mine. “I think it’s amazing you were strong enough to get away from him.”
“I couldn’t take the beatings,” he whispered as he buried his face in my neck. “I like sex, but he kept
making  me  go  with  sick  people,  and  I  knew  if  I  didn’t  leave  that  one  of  them  would  kill  me  soon.
Damian said he would help and I had no one else to turn to.”
“Well then let’s go see Damian and get everything straightened out.” I wanted desperately to be the
one to help my mate, but I thought he’d feel better if he saw a familiar face. He seemed to trust me, but
after what he’d been through, I didn’t think he’d have much trust for a stranger.
“Right, of course you want me out of your hair.” Emmett started to pull away from me, but I held on to
him, moving one of my hands to cup his cheek.
“Darlin’, I would keep you here forever, but I thought seeing someone you know might be comforting
after  the  shit  you’ve  been  through.  Plus,  Damian’s  brother-in-law  is  a  doctor  who  lives  with  them,
and I think your injuries should be looked at.”
“You really still like me after you know what I am?”
“What are you?” I asked with a raised brow, intentionally missing his meaning. “I think you’re sweet,
brave, and probably the sexiest little thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’d like nothing more than to get to
know you better, Emmett. We’ll go talk to Damian, but that doesn’t mean I want you to go.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t sure if he even realized it but he was tracing the tat on my stomach again, playing
havoc with my body. “I think you’re hot, too.”
I gave him a wink and kissed his cheek before letting him go and standing. I quickly threw on some
clothes as Emmett got dressed. His ankle didn’t look good, definitely sprained if not broken. When
we were ready and I’d grabbed my car keys, I lifted him back up into my arms. He was about to say
something about it but snapped his mouth shut as I glanced at him with a look daring him to. Then he
just smiled and snuggled into them.
I  wanted  to  drive  over  to  the  Mariuses  with  him  in  my  arms,  but  that  wasn’t  exactly  safe.  Humans
were so fragile, and I didn’t want to risk anything happening to him.
“So what’s with that place you live at?” he asked after about twenty minutes into the drive. “Are you
guys like militia or something?”
“More  like  special  ops,”  I  answered  hesitantly.  I  definitely  didn’t  want  to  get  into  the  whole  thing
about being a vampire right then.
“Cool. It explains why you have so much muscle then.” He giggled as he twisted his hands nervously.

“Honestly,  I’ve  added  about  twenty  pounds  of  muscle  the  past  several  months,”  I  found  myself
admitting,  feeling  at  ease  talking  to  Emmett.  “I  haven’t  had  sex  in  a  long  time,  tired  of  random
hookups and one-night stands. It just wasn’t fun anymore, and I found myself wanting something more
stable. I just started lifting more because I’m frustrated and need some type of physical contact. I’m
lonely.”
“Physical  contact  or  sex  doesn’t  make  you  any  less  lonely.  Believe  me,  I  know,”  he  said  quietly,
shaking his head. “I’m just a hole to the men who pay for my ass. They don’t care about who I am, just
how flexible I am and getting their rocks off.”
I  wasn’t  sure  if  I  was  about  to  push  him  too  far,  but  I  took  a  chance.  “I  like  who  you  are,  darlin’.
Yeah, you’re hot and the idea of you being in my bed makes me hard as stone, but I don’t think I could
ever let you go once I’ve had you.”
“That’s  the  sweetest  thing  anyone’s  ever  said  to  me.”  He  seemed  really  happy  about  that,  but  I
couldn’t help but feel sad on his behalf. My mate would need a lot of TLC if that was one of the best
compliments in his life.
I took another chance and held open my hand on the center console as an invitation. I saw him stare at
it  funny  for  a  moment  out  of  the  corner  of  my  eye.  Then  I  think  he  shocked  both  of  us  by  actually
slipping his much-smaller hand into mine. His hand was warm, and I gave it a light squeeze and we
rode the rest of the way in silence.
When  we  pulled  up  to  the  Marius  estate,  I  finally  snapped  out  of  my  whirlwind  thoughts.  Emmett
showing up had thrown me for quite a loop after all. I pushed the button and identified myself and that
we were there to see Damian. Seconds later there was a beep and the gate slid open.
“Damian  acted  like  he  came  from  money,  but  I  had  no  idea  he  was  so  fucking  loaded,”  Emmett
whispered as we pulled up to the house.
“The Mariuses are old money.” I chuckled. “I had the same reaction the first time I was here. I grew
up without a lot of money, so when I moved here and saw all the estates, I thought my eyes were going
to pop out of my head. But everyone’s really nice, not stuck-up or pompous.”
“Yeah, Damian seemed like good people.” We got out of my SUV, and I met him on his side by the
front door. It seemed natural to take his hand again, and he let out a nervous breath. Yeah, I couldn’t
think  it  was  easy  for  him  to  ask  for  help  from  someone  he  barely  knew.  At  least  that  was  the
impression he was giving about his friendship with Damian.
The butler led us to the sitting room, and Emmett took one of the chairs as I sat on the couch across
from  him.  He  seemed  to  fidget  more  by  the  minute.  Coming  here  was  supposed  to  relax  him,  but  it
seemed to have the opposite effect.
“Hopefully he knows someone who could be a good sugar daddy and wants a boy toy. Otherwise I’m
not really sure how Damian can help me. I just need to get away and find a place to stay while I figure
out what comes next.” Emmett chuckled nervously, staring down at his hands. I had an idea though it
would probably end up backfiring, but it was the best I could come up with right then.
“I’ll  be  your  sugar  daddy,”  I  blurted  out.  Emmett  looked  up  at  me  slowly,  his  eyebrows  drawn
together. “I have money as long as you don’t have to live in a fancy mansion. I train during the day so
you could have some alone time to think, but I’m lonely. We’re obviously attracted to each other, and
I’d like someone focused solely on pleasing me.”
“You live in a dorm room,” he said hesitantly, and I could practically see the wheels spinning in his
mind.
“By choice because I don’t need much. I get paid well and could more than afford a place of my own.
I could look into renting somewhere if you agree so we’re not staying in my room the whole time. I

have a lot in my savings.”
“I don’t care where we live,” he admitted with a shrug. “I just want to feel safe and know I’m with
someone who will treat me decently.” He paused as he eyed me over cautiously. “How long would
you be talking about keeping me?”
“A  few  months  to  start  with,”  I  answered,  feeling  like  I  was  in  an  alternate  universe,  sitting  here,
propositioning  my  mate.  “We  can  see  if  the  arrangement  works  out  between  us  and  then  talk  about
more long-term arrangements. I’d get you a cell phone with Damian’s number programmed in, and if
you don’t like me or anything I do, then you can call him to come get you. I just ask if I do something
you  don’t  like,  you  talk  to  me  before  deciding  to  leave.  I’d  never  hit  you  or  hurt  you  in  any  way
intentionally.”
“Would you like a sample of what I can do for you first?” And suddenly I was looking at Emmett in
work mode. The sweet, honest man I liked was gone and down came a mask of his trade. He moved
off his chair and knelt between my legs as he ran his hands up my thighs.
“Only if you want to later when we’re in private,” I said gently, placing my hands over his. “I want
you to always be real with me, darlin’, not like I’m just some job you hate and muddle through. I don’t
want you to have sex if you’re not in the mood or do anything you don’t want to or don’t like.”
“Okay,” he whispered as he looked at me curiously. “I’m not into real pain, whippings, handcuffs I
can’t get out of, gang bangs, or anything gross. I don’t do bodily stuff besides cum.” That last one took
me a moment to understand, and he giggled when I grimaced at the idea. “And I don’t kiss.”
“I agree to all of that besides the kissing.” I had to bite back a growl. How could I be intimate with
my mate and not kiss him? I knew this plan would backfire! “If I want to kiss you, then I will, but if
you’re  not  into  it,  I  won’t  force  you.  I’m  not  some  one-night  customer.  I  want  us  to  have  something
more than that and I like kissing.”
He bit his lip as he thought, looking very unsure.
“Maybe we could have one quick one to see if you’ll like kissing me before you decide.”
“And  if  I  don’t?”  he  asked  as  he  slowly  climbed  into  my  lap.  I  didn’t  think  that  would  really  be  a
problem from the obvious chemistry between us.
“Then I guess we’ll need to discuss it and figure out a way to make it so we’re both happy.” It was
the best answer I had. He nodded as he straddled my lap. Man, talk about way too much pressure. I
mean, I knew a first kiss was always important, but this kiss could deem if I could ever kiss my mate
again.
Then I had better make it really fucking good, I thought to myself. I moved my hand behind his neck as
my  other  one  traveled  down  his  back.  I  pulled  him  to  me,  slanting  my  lips  over  his  and  simply
brushing them together a few times. Then I kept them there for a bit, taking my time and trying to show
he mattered to me in that kiss.
Emmett let out a happy sigh, opening his mouth a bit, and I wanted more. I pulled him tightly against
my body and ravaged his mouth. Our tongues dueled, and I knew he was into it just as much as I was.
When air became necessary, I sucked on his lower lip and slowly pulled off of it.
“Please  don’t  say  no  because  that  was  the  best  kiss  of  my  life,”  I  panted,  staring  into  his  gorgeous
green eyes. He nodded, looking a little shell-shocked. “So kissing is okay then?”
“Kissing you is very much more than okay,” he admitted as his cheeks heated up. “So we’re agreed on
everything else and let’s say three months to start with?”
“How much?” God, I hated this. I didn’t want to buy my fucking mate.
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I’ll be staying with you, so that’s like getting rent, and you’ll feed me,
right? I might need more clothes since I’m wearing all I own, but I don’t want a paycheck. A sugar

daddy just provides for their boy toy. He doesn’t slip them cash when it’s over like a hooker.”
“I accept then,” I purred, massaging his ass. “All I ask in return is that you’re always honest with me.
I don’t want to hear I was the best lay ever unless you really mean it. No fake Emmett I saw a minute
ago. I want the real man.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” he whispered against my lips. “No one wants the real me.”
“I do and I’m sealing this deal with another kiss.”
“Yes please.” Guess he got over his issues with kissing! We were making out when I heard the door
open and Damian clear his throat.
“Hey,  Damian!”  Emmett  said  excitedly  as  he  got  off  my  lap.  “I  went  to  the  address  you  gave  me
because I needed help, but I don’t really anymore because Travis agreed to keep me as his boy toy for
three months. I found a sugar daddy because of you!” He hobbled over to Damian and his mate, Cyrus,
who were standing there with their mouths hanging open in shock. My mate hugged Damian, and I had
to fight not to growl, but my fangs did come out. “Thank you.”
“Um, you’re welcome,” Damian replied, hugging him back as his eyes turned to me. His expression
clearly said what the fuck? Then he pointed to his mouth, and I got the idea. “So why are you limping,
Emmett?” He was still looking at me so I quickly mouthed he’s my mate . I saw the understanding on
both Damian’s and Cyrus’s faces, but I knew we’d be talking later still. Yeah, this was messed up.
“I ditched a creepy client when he broke my rules, brought friends with him, and they started slapping
me  around.  But  he  pays  good  money  so  my  pimp  was  pissed  and  beat  the  shit  out  of  me.  Then  he
trashed my place, ruined all my stuff, stole the money I had saved hidden in my apartment, and got my
landlord to throw me out. He’s pulled this before, trying to keep me in line and do what he wants.”
Emmett glanced at me nervously, and I gave him a supportive nod that he could talk about it freely.
“I just couldn’t take it anymore. I never wanted this life or him as a pimp. But he said I was on his turf
and then wouldn’t let me go when he found me. I just want something more. He’s pissed I won’t do
drugs so then I’d do whatever he wants. He’s pissed I have rules I won’t break. And when he gets
pissed, he gets violent. I’m sorry to just show up here, but I hoped when you said you wanted to help,
you really meant it.”
“I did, little buddy,” Damian said with a bright smile. “I told Cyrus that night that I wanted to drag
you out of the club and help you. No one should have to do anything they don’t want to or be forced
into  a  certain  life.”  He  leaned  in,  knowing  full  well  I  could  hear.  “Are  you  okay  with  staying  with
Travis? Is this what you want?”
“He  makes  me  feel  safe,”  Emmett  whispered,  not  knowing  I  could  hear  him,  of  course.  “He’s  been
really  nice  to  me  and  he’s  gorgeous.  I  think  he  really  likes  me  and  won’t  treat  me  like  some  cheap
hooker. Do you know him well?”
“Yeah,  you  made  a  good  choice  with  Travis,  Emmett.  He’ll  treat  you  like  a  prince.  And  he  is
gorgeous.  I  used  to  have  the  biggest  crush  on  him  when  I  was  younger,  but  I  think  he  was  too
intimidated by my older brothers to ever take my flirting seriously.” He yelped when Cyrus smacked
him on the ass. “Oh, do it again, mi alma.”
“Watch yourself,  amante. You know I have no problem claiming you in front of others to remind you
who you belong to.” I stood and moved closer to them, acting as if I had been there and would have
overheard what they were saying without having vampire hearing.
“I  never  had  a  clue  you  were  ever  interested,”  I  said  honestly,  giving  Damian  a  shrug.  “But  yeah,
Victor would have skinned me alive if I ever looked at you twice.” I moved my hand to my mate’s
shoulder.  “And  as  you  can  see,  my  tastes  run  to  hot  little  darlin’s  who  have  blond  hair  and  fit
perfectly in my arms.”

“Sweet-talker.” Emmett giggled, shaking his head. “I already agreed to our deal.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t compliment you,” I purred, leaning down to nuzzle his neck.
“Oh god, tell me you’re into biting,” he moaned pushing his ass back against my body. “I love being
bitten.” I glanced up at Damian and Cyrus, who were shooting me worried looks. He laughed and
reached up to hold my head to his neck. “I know what you guys are. I’ve had customers who were
vampires.”
“What?” The three of us gasped. Well holy shit, my mate was full of surprises!

Chapter 2

Emmett

“You guys are funny.” I laughed, shaking my head. “I knew you were a vampire the moment you

told me about the issues you were having, Damian.” I was being vague, not feeling right mentioning
when he told me in confidence. “Did you work everything out?”

“Yes, my mate is amazing,” Damian answered, a goofy grin spreading over his lips. “He knows

exactly what I need.”
“I wish humans have mates like you guys do. It would be so awesome to have someone perfect just
for me.” I sighed, thinking it was a great fantasy.
“Some humans do.” Damian gave Travis a strange look, but I couldn’t see what my new lover did in
return. He cleared his throat and stood up straight behind me.
“I  was  thinking  as  we  were  talking  about  coming  over  here  to  ask  Riley  to  look  over  Emmett’s
injuries, but do you mind, Cyrus?” Travis asked him, always thinking about me. It warmed my heart in
a way I’d never felt before.
“Riley’s  not  here.  He  gets  back  Monday.  He  and  Micah  decided  to  take  a  long  weekend  away  to
spend  time  alone.  I’ll  tell  him  when  I  see  him  that  you’d  like  him  to  give  Emmett  a  complete
physical.” Cyrus gave Travis a nod, and I knew they shared something in what he was saying, but I
wasn’t sure what. “But I can take a look at his ankle and whatever else is bothering him.”
“Just  the  ankle  really,”  I  admitted  with  a  shrug.  “The  bruises  hurt  but  not  like  anything’s  broken  or
really wrong. I had a few days to heal already. It was bad when it happened Tuesday. My pimp was
careful  not  to  keep  me  injured  on  the  weekends.”  I  realized  it  was  Friday  night  and  had  ditched
appointments.  “Man,  is  he  going  to  be  pissed  when  he  finds  out  I’m  gone.  I  don’t  think  he’ll  know
how to find me.”
“I hope he does,” Travis growled as he lifted me into his arms. “I’d like to express my feelings on the
way he’s been treating you.”
“Doesn’t matter anymore.” I rubbed my hands over his chest to calm him down. “I have a protector
now who’s going to take care of me. Well, at least for three months.”
“Only  if  you  want  out  after  three  months,  darlin’,”  Travis  drawled  as  lust  filled  his  eyes.  “I  don’t
think I’m ever going to let you go.”
“Are you thirsty? You can drink from me.” I shivered as I saw his fangs come out at the idea. “I’m
into biting if you couldn’t tell.”
“Yes, I can see that, but I prefer to take my time with such a wonderful offer, so let’s wait until after
Cyrus looks at that ankle.” I nodded, hard and wanting. Cyrus moved by my feet and slipped off my
sock and shoe. I hissed when he touched my ankle, and he gave me a sympathetic smile. He rotated it
gently, checking it out.
“It’s just a sprain, but we’ll take an X-ray when Riley gets back to make sure. Keep off of it as much

as  you  can  and  elevate  it.  I  can  give  you  something  for  the  pain  if  you’d  like?”  Cyrus’s  eyes  were
kind, and I was glad my newer friend, Damian, was with such a nice guy.
“It doesn’t hurt too much, but it has been hard to sleep with the pain.” I wasn’t into drugs, but what I
told them was the truth. “Maybe just something over the counter for at night if you have it.”
“Yeah, Riley started stocking some in his lab since the werewolves can’t take the same stuff we do as
vampires.  They  respond  better  to  human  medicines.”  He  put  back  on  my  sock,  handing  my  shoe  to
Travis. “Keep him off his feet, and if you’re going to have sex…” I snorted, knowing we were going
to have lots of sex. Cyrus rolled his eyes. “Don’t let him be on top because that would fold his foot
under him and hurt his ankle.”
“Did you hear that, darlin’?” Travis cooed in my ear. “Medical advice that I can keep you on your
back with your legs in the air.”
“Normally people just want me bent over something so they don’t have to look at me.” I slapped my
hand  over  my  mouth.  Why  couldn’t  I  control  my  brain  sometimes?  I  swear  the  shit  that  I  said
sometimes was humiliating.
“Well,  they  were  assholes,”  Travis  said  without  missing  a  beat.  “I  can’t  think  of  anything  better  to
look at than your beautiful face.” If I hadn’t already been in his arms, I swear I would have swooned.
Cyrus chuckled and left the room, going to get the medicine, I assumed. Travis sat down, still holding
on to me as Damian sat in the chair I had been in earlier.
“If you need anything else, you’ll call me, right?” Damian asked nervously. I got why he was doing it,
making sure I knew I had a friend. I appreciated it more than I could put into words.
“Yeah, Travis said he would get me a phone with your number programmed into it so I didn’t feel as
if I didn’t have any options if I stayed with him.” I thought it was a very sweet, totally unnecessary
gesture that showed me just how good a guy Travis was.
“Cool,” Damian sighed with a smile. “I’ll come by the clinic on Tuesday when you get your physical
and we can all have lunch. I don’t know if you know this, but Cyrus is a medic there.”
“I’d like that.” I’d never really had friends before, and I really liked the idea of having some.
Cyrus came back with a bottle of pills and explained to us how to take them. We said thank you and
Travis  carried  me  out  to  the  SUV.  He  said  he  thought  of  something  and  jogged  back  into  the  house
while I waited there. Five minutes later he came back out with a duffel bag.
“What’s in the bag?” I asked as he got in the driver’s seat.
“One of Damian’s brothers-in-law is about your size. I asked if we could borrow some of his clothes
until we get a chance to order you some. There’s not really any shopping around here, and since it’s
the weekend, it will take a few days to get here.”
“You really will treat me like a prince, won’t you?” I heard the tone of awe in my voice and hoped
Travis didn’t think I was sappy.
“I’d like to if you’d let me,” he answered as he started up the vehicle. Once we were driving again
and out of the estate, he reached for my hand. I slid it in his, smiling. I was so drawn to Travis. It was
like  nothing  I’d  ever  felt  before.  Being  with  him  felt  like  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world.  Even
something as simple as holding his hand felt so right.
The ride back went fast, mostly because I was lost in my thoughts. What were the odds that I finally
got  up  the  courage  to  leave  my  shitty  life  and  landed  someone  like  Travis  to  be  my  sugar  daddy?
Maybe the powers that be were finally taking pity on me after so many years of a shitty life.
“How old are you, darlin’?” Travis asked as he lifted me out of his SUV once we were parked back
at his barracks.
“Twenty-three.” I chuckled. “How old are you?”

“You know vampires are immortal, right?” I nodded, having a feeling he was going to give me some
ridiculously high number. “I’m just over three hundred years old.”
“You look good for an old fart.”
It was the truth. Travis was about six eight compared to my five eight, and he was all muscle. Then
there  was  his  gorgeous  ear-length  light-brown  hair  and  alluring  amber  eyes.  He  was  a  man  anyone
would dream of being with.
I gave him a smile and leaned up to kiss his chin. “Age is just a number. It doesn’t bother me as long
as you’re okay with me being so young. Not that I think it matters to you because I’m just your boy
toy.”
“You know that you’re more than that to me, darlin’,” he whispered and kissed my forehead. I wanted
to believe that but thought I should tread cautiously until I got to know him better. I nodded though,
understanding that’s what he believed.
I felt silly as he carried me into the big mansion and up to his room. But who was I to complain if he
wanted to take care of me like this? I wasn’t stupid.
“Let’s get you cleaned up so you’ll feel a bit better and get some rest.”
I  nodded,  wondering  what  I’d  done  right  in  life  to  receive  such  gentle  treatment  from  this  god  of  a
man.  Travis  grabbed  a  couple  of  towels  and  carried  me  to  the  communal  bathroom.  It  was  nice,
almost like a small locker room that the guys living in the same corridor shared. He set me down on
the counter, and I was glad the place was empty bedsides us. I liked having some alone time with him.
“But  you  already  showered,”  I  teased  as  he  went  to  turn  on  the  shower  in  one  of  the  curtained-off
stalls.
“I’ve had enough dirty thoughts about you where I could use a good cleaning.” He gave me a wink as
he strutted toward me. I didn’t think he even realized he did it. Travis was just so hot that he had to
have his own strut.
“Me, too,” I whispered as he pulled off his shirt. “We might need to spend a lot of time showering if
dirty thoughts can get my body dirty as well.”
“Sounds like a plan.” The second he was naked, he moved between my legs and kissed me within an
inch of my life. Damn, he was good. I was really glad he’d talked me into kissing because I would
have kicked my own ass for missing out on his talented lips. “Time to get you naked and wet.”
“Uh-huh,” I mumbled, feeling a little like a wet noodle after kissing him. He got me naked in a flash
and lifted me into his arms.
“God, you are gorgeous, darlin’,” he growled as he carried me into the shower.
“How are we supposed to get clean if you’re holding me?” I ignored the compliment. Sure, I had men
compliment  me  all  the  time,  but  it  wasn’t  a  big  thing.  Something  about  Travis  made  everything
different and what he said to me was a very big thing.
“I’m going to set you down and wash you, but I don’t want you to put any weight on that ankle. Hold
on to me for support.”
“Okay,” I squeaked as he set me on my foot. I immediately reached out and grabbed his hard, huge
cock. “I’m holding on.”
“Fuck, you’re going to be the death of me, darlin’.” He gasped as he thrust into my hand a few times.
“Are you sure you want this? I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”
“I’m supposed to take care of my sugar daddy.” I froze when he looked down at me with such pain in
his eyes. Then his hard-on started to wilt. It hit me like a ton of bricks. He didn’t want to be my sugar
daddy! Did he just agree to it so he could be with me?
“In all my years of doing what I do, I’ve never initiated touching someone without being told to,” I

said  gently  as  I  kept  stroking  his  cock.  “I  want  you,  Travis.  Touching  you  is  like  breathing  and
something I need.”
“You swear to me that you’re not just doing this because you think you have to?” He looked worried
at what I was going to say, but his dick was taking renewed interest.
“I swear. You made me promise no being fake with you or doing anything that I wasn’t into.” How
could he doubt himself like this? Who wouldn’t want to touch him? But then again, I did appreciate
him checking with me that I wanted this. No one had ever done that before.
“Thank you, darlin’,” he purred, brushing his lips over mine. I stroked him faster, and he moved my
other hand to his hip so I had support. Then he started thrusting so my hand moved faster against him.
The man was so well hung that my hand couldn’t fit all the way around. He urged me on, calling me
his hot little darlin’ over and over again. I knew he was doing it because I said I liked the name. It
made me fall just a little bit in love with him.
“Drink from me,” I whispered, tilting my neck so he had all the access he wanted. His eyes lit up as
his nostrils flared.
“As  soon  as  I  come,”  he  moaned,  looking  away  from  my  neck.  That  was  odd. All  the  vampires  I’d
been with liked to drink while they were coming. Maybe Travis just liked to drag things out instead of
increasing the intensity all at one time. “Coming, darlin’. Gonna paint you with my seed so you know
who you belong to.”
The statement was so kinky and possessive it made my knees go weak. God, did I wish I really did
belong to him. He gasped several times and then roared out my name. I made sure that his cum landed
on my chest, stomach, and groin, getting as much of it on me as I could. When he was spent, Travis
moved his hands on either side of my head, leaning down so our foreheads could touch, and blocking
the water stream.
“Jesus, darlin’. You have no idea how much I needed that,” he panted, still shaking from the force of
his orgasm.
“It looked good but it felt good on my end, too,” I purred. I waited until his eyes snapped open before
rubbing my fingers in his cum, touching my cock as I used it for slick. “You marked me.”
“And I ain’t done doin’ it yet!” In a flash he lifted me into his arms, pressing me against the tiles and
fisting his hand in my hair. He pulled my neck to the side and sank his fangs into my neck. I cried out,
wrapping my body around him as he drank from me. I screamed to the heavens as I came, his need and
desire rocking my world as his bite gave me intense pleasure.
Lights flashed behind my eyes as I rode the most earth-shattering climax of my life. When it was over,
I realized we were on the floor of the shower and I was on Travis’s lap. He hugged me tightly to him
as he shook.
“Your accent becomes more pronounced when you get turned on,” I said gently, not sure what to do.
Something was up and I didn’t know what.
“Did you mean what you said at Damian’s?” he asked instead. “Would you really be thrilled if you
had a mate?”
“Yes, I believe in fate.” I rubbed his back gently, not sure what brought this up. “I’d love to be the
only person in the world to someone.”
“I don’t want to be your sugar daddy anymore, darlin’,” he whispered in my neck. I froze, a surprising
pain forming in my chest as I pulled away from him.
“I  understand.”  No,  really  I  didn’t.  I  didn’t  have  a  motherfucking  clue  what  just  happened.  He
wouldn’t let me go, so I started to push away from him as hard as I could. “Let me go if you don’t
want me.”

“Oh, I want you, Emmett,” he growled as he moved so I could see his face. “I’m screwing this all up,
I didn’t meant to tell you like this—”
“Then  just  spit  it  out  and  tell  me  what’s  going  on!”  I  demanded,  confused,  hurt,  and  getting  pissed
now.
“I don’t want to be your sugar daddy because I’m your mate,” he blurted out. I stopped trying to get
away, my eyes going so wide I thought they might pop out of my head. “I didn’t know if I should tell
you right away and I couldn’t until you knew about vampires. But then you did, but I’d already agreed
to be your sugar daddy so I could get to know you and ease you into this. It killed me not to claim you
and I can’t lie to you now that I know you know about mates—”
“Slow  the  fuck  down,”  I  growled  as  I  moved  my  hand  over  his  mouth.  He  nodded,  his  eyebrows
shooting up in surprise. “I want short answers for the questions I’m going to ask or I’m walking out
that  door  and  going  to  Damian’s. You  understand?”  He  nodded  again,  looking  as  if  he  might  cry.  I
knew it was an empty threat, but I needed to get some things straight. “When did you know I was your
mate?”
He  waited  until  I  removed  my  hand.  “When  I  answered  the  door  and  smelled  your  scent.”  So  right
away then. Okay, that followed with what other vampires had told me about mates. Plus, Travis had
to know I could verify all of this with Damian.
“Why not tell me when you realized I knew about vampires and mates? I understand offering to be my
sugar  daddy  since  I  said  that’s  what  I  was  looking  for,  but  why  wait  to  tell  me  after  we  were
intimate?”
“I  didn’t  think  it  was  right  to  tell  you  with  Damian  and  Cyrus  there.  It’s  something  too  private  and
important  to  announce  with  others  around.  And  I  didn’t  tell  you  when  we  were  alone  because,
whether you knew about us or not, you’ve still had too much dumped on you lately, and I was scared
you’d think I was bullshitting you.”
All good reasons. “Is that why you lost your erection when I referred to you as my sugar daddy?”
“Yes,” he whispered, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “This is so much more to me.  You’re
so much more to me than that, and I want to be more to you than that.” Then I had a lightbulb go off
over my head.
“That’s why you didn’t drink from me while I was touching you. You guys claim your mates during
sex.”
“Yes. I didn’t know if just sexual contact would bind us together, and I didn’t want to risk that without
talking to you first.”
I  nodded,  smiling  widely.  I  lifted  his  chin  so  he  had  to  look  at  me  when  he  opened  his  eyes.  He
gasped in shock at seeing my expression. “Let’s get cleaned up so you can take me to bed and claim
me.”
“You’re sure?”
“Oh  yeah.”  I  giggled,  giving  him  a  quick  kiss.  “Ever  since  I  heard  about  mates,  I’ve  dreamed  of
having my own, and you’re so much more than I could ever have wished for, Travis. I’d love to be
your mate if you’re okay with having a whore—”
“You’re  not  a  whore,”  he  snarled,  his  grip  on  my  hips  tightening  almost  to  the  point  of  pain.  “You
were a hooker because you were forced into it, and that’s a profession, not who you are.”
“I chose it before I met my pimp, Travis,” I admitted, my cheeks heating up with embarrassment. “I
was alone in the city, underage, and scared. Some guy offered me a hundred bucks to fuck me and I
accepted. I was cold, hungry, no place to go, but I made the choice to do it.”
I could tell he was dying to ask more about my past but let it go for now. “Did you grow up wanting to

sell your body and be a prostitute when you were old enough?”
“No, of course not!”
“Then you did it because you were put in that position. You did it to survive, Emmett, and there’s no
shame in that. We all do things we’re not proud of at times to survive. I don’t think you’re any less of
a person for the choices you made, and I’d be honored if you would be my mate.”
“I’m going to fall so deeply in love with you,” I whispered as I cupped his cheek. “I accept. Take me
to bed, Travis.”
“Gladly.”  He  gave  me  a  killer  smile  that  reached  all  the  way  up  to  his  twinkling  amber  eyes  as  he
stood  and  leaned  me  against  the  tile.  I  laughed  as  he  gave  me  the  world’s  fastest  shower,  his
excitement  infectious.  When  we  were  done,  he  dried  me  off  and  covered  me  with  a  towel.  He
grabbed our clothes and sprinted, still naked, back to his room. I guess he really, really wanted me.
I was good with that.

Chapter 3

Travis

Emmett made the prettiest little noises as I stretched out his hole. He mewled and thrashed on the

bed, making me feel ten feet tall that I could bring him such pleasure. My mate was amazing and I
didn’t just mean in bed. The way I had handled everything could have completely backfired on me,
but instead he was understanding and accepting. I was the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.

“I’m ready,” he gasped, staring at me with those big olive-green eyes. “Take me, Travis. Fuck me

into next week.”
“I love your dirty mouth, darlin’,” I moaned as I pulled my finger out of him. I used the extra slick on
my leaking cock and then lifted his legs. “I promise to love you, cherish you, protect you with my life,
and do everything possible to make you happy.”
“I know, and I promise you the same.” He looked like he was going to sing with joy as he said it. I
smiled  and  pushed  inside  of  him.  My  mate  gasped,  his  back  arching  gorgeously  as  I  entered  him.  I
worked my dick inside of him, moaning when I was all the way in and my sac touched his ass. “Now
fuck your mate until I pass out. I want to feel that huge cock inside of me for days.”
“Oh god,” I groaned, burying my face in his neck as I snapped my hips. “Tell me if I get too rough.”
“Never. Never hold back how much you want me.” I nodded that I understood, but that didn’t mean
I’d ever be willing to hurt him. I was huge compared to him and a vampire. If I wasn’t careful, I could
break my small mate. “Harder, give it to me harder, Travis.”
I did, wrapping my larger frame around him, even my arms under his back so he was as close to me
as  possible.  My  mate  felt  so  wonderful  against  my  body.  It  felt  just  as  amazing  to  be  inside  his.  I
wanted to never let him go or be apart from him. The emotions were overwhelming me. I’d found my
mate. He was really here, in my arms, in my bed, accepting me.
The  only  thing  that  hindered  it  being  my  perfect  moment  was  the  way  Emmett  tasted.  When  I’d
sampled him in the shower, it wasn’t the sweet, life-altering-tasting blood I’d heard mates describe to
each other. Emmett tasted off, like overripe fruit, and that worried me. I knew whether his ankle was
better or not, he’d be seeing Riley the minute he got back from his trip with Micah. And that scared
the shit out of me.
“Where are you?” Emmett asked as he went limp under me. “Are you changing your mind?”
“No, my mate, never. I was just thinking about how long I’d waited for this moment and to find you.
I’m amazed you’re so willing to accept me.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but since I didn’t really know

what else to tell him without worrying him, possibly over nothing, I kept the rest to myself.
I lifted my head and kissed him, throwing all my desire for him into it. Emmett moaned and got right
back  into  our  coupling.  I  was  careful  to  keep  my  weight  off  of  him,  not  willing  to  make  him
uncomfortable for the slightest moment. He pulled off my lips and smiled at me.
“Make me yours forever, Travis,” he whimpered as he tilted his neck. I wanted this, wanted him, but
his  blood  bothered  me.  I  sank  my  fangs  into  his  neck,  taking  just  the  barest  amount  but  enough  so  I
knew I’d claimed him. He cried out my name, coming so hard he shook with the force of it. I followed
him right over, roaring out my release inside his small body. It was done. He was mine!
I gasped for air as I licked the bite closed, pumping the rest of my seed into my mate’s hot little body.
My mate! He was truly my mate now.
“Thank  you,  darlin’,”  I  whispered,  chuckling  when  I  saw  he  was  already  asleep.  I  slowly  left  his
body, bemoaning the loss of being inside of him and wrapped around him. I quickly wrapped a towel
around  my  waist  and  grabbed  a  washcloth.  I  quietly  slipped  out  of  my  room  and  headed  to  the
bathroom.
“Things going well?” Vega teased me as he washed his hands.
“He knows about us and let me claim him,” I answered with a nod.
“But  something’s  wrong.”  He  made  it  a  statement,  not  a  question,  but  I  still  told  him  as  if  he  had
asked.
“He tastes funny, like overripe fruit.”
“That normally means the human is sick,” Vega hedged, his eyes filling with concern. “Are you taking
him to see Riley?”
“Yeah, but not until Tuesday because he’s out of town.”
“I think it would be worth the call to see if he could come back early. This is your mate, Travis. He’ll
understand.”
“Yeah,  you’re  right.”  I  patted  him  on  the  shoulder,  glad  I  had  someone  I  could  talk  with.  I  wet  a
washcloth and headed back to my room. Once I had my mate cleaned up and tucked into bed, I found
my cell phone and stepped back into the hall. I called the number I had for Riley, feeling horrible that
I was interrupting his time with his mate and at midnight no less.
“Hello?” Riley answered, obviously having been asleep.
“Dr. Johnson, it’s Travis Rhodes. Damian said you were out of town and I apologize for bothering
you.”
“No, that’s okay, Travis,” he said gently. “What’s going on?”
“No, it’s not okay,” Micah growled in the background. “You’re off duty and out of town.”
“Shut it, Micah.” Riley chuckled. “What’s wrong, Travis?” he repeated.
“I met my mate. He’s human and he let me claim him, but his blood tastes funny. That means he’s sick,
right?”
“Normally, yes, but what you mean by funny? Be specific.”
“Like overripe bananas or something. Not bad, just not fresh if that makes any sense.”
“Yes, yes it does,” he said quietly. “We’ll be home in the morning. I’ll meet you at the clinic at ten if
that’s okay with you.”
“You’re worried enough to cut your trip short,” I whispered, my heart breaking.
“It may be nothing, Travis, but I know how worried you’ll be since it concerns your mate.” Riley’s
tone was reserved but gentle. That freaked me out most. “It could just be he’s got the flu, but I think
it’s important enough that we don’t waste a second to find out.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I replied, letting my relief and gratitude show in my voice.

“Think nothing of it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m getting more sex if we’re cutting our trip short,” I heard Micah grumble before Riley hung up. It
meant the world to me that Riley was willing to change his plans to help my mate.
And it scared the shit out of me at the same time.
* * * *

The next morning I woke to the sounds of someone throwing up. In a flash I was out of bed as my

eyes darted around looking for my mate. I found him on the floor, bent over the garbage can next to my
desk.

“What’s wrong, darlin’?” I asked gently, wanting to smack myself in the forehead. He was sick,

duh.
“It  happens  sometimes,”  he  moaned  before  spitting  again.  “I  wake  up  and  I  feel  sick.  It  goes  away
after I throw up and put something in my stomach. I’m sorry I woke you. I was trying to be quiet.”
“Hey, none of that.” I ran my hand down his back and grabbed a soda from the fridge. He smiled at
me and took a sip. “We’re mated now and I’ll always be here for you. How long has this been going
on?”
“About a year,” he answered after a moment, his eyebrows scrunched together in thought. “It comes
and goes.”
“I need to tell you something and I didn’t want to ruin our mating last night.” He looked scared, and
that was the last thing I wanted. I pulled him onto my lap, turning him so I could see his beautiful face.
“Your blood tastes a little strange to me, which normally means the human is sick, but it could just be
a cold.”
“You don’t think it is though,” he whispered, his eyes filling with fear.
“I don’t know, darlin’.” I rubbed his back and gave him a weak smile. “But I called Riley, the doctor,
last night because you’re my mate and I’m crazy overprotective of you. He’s cutting his trip short and
will see you today if that’s okay?”
He nodded, his eyes filling with tears as he buried his face in my chest.
“Emmett, it’s probably nothing.”
“No, it’s not that. I can’t believe you care enough to call him and want to take care of me. No one’s
ever done that for me before.” His voice was thick with emotion. I was dying to ask about his family,
but I didn’t want to bring up any hard topics right then. We had enough on our plates.
“I’d do anything for you, my mate.” He nodded again and I held him to me, glancing at the clock. It
was  half  past  nine,  so  we  needed  to  get  ready  and  down  to  the  clinic.  We  sat  there  together  a  few
more moments before I got him up and helped him get dressed. His ankle looked better even and he
didn’t seem to be in any real pain.
I lifted him into my arms when we were ready and carried him out of the room. I headed to the stairs,
and I could tell something was on my mate’s mind. Well, something else, that is.
“Talk to me, darlin’,” I said gently as I descended the stairs.
“I thought you claiming me would make me immortal like you but not a vampire. How am I sick?”
“Maybe you’re not anymore since I claimed you,” I answered, giving him a shrug.
“But I threw up this morning.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. Nerves maybe? I don’t know any vampires mated to humans so I’m kind of just
winging it here.”
“Right, okay.” He got quiet again, and by that time we were at the clinic. Damian was sitting there and
jumped to his feet when he saw us.
“I  hope  you  don’t  mind,  but  when  Riley  and  Micah  came  home  this  morning,  they  told  us  why.  I

thought maybe you could use a friendly face,” he rambled as he took Emmett’s hand. “Not to say that
Travis isn’t great—”
“But you were worried, too,” I finished for him. He bit his lip and nodded. “Thanks for coming.”
“Yeah, I’ve never really had a friend before,” Emmett admitted with a smile. “I go from no one giving
two shits about me to a friend and a wonderful mate.”
“So you told him.” Damian raised an eyebrow. “Before you claimed him, right?”
“Yes,” I growled, narrowing my eyes at him. “I only kept it a secret until I found out he knew about
us. I told him when we were alone.”
“Travis  handled  everything  like  a  perfect  gentleman,  and  I  appreciate  him  treating  me  like  an  adult
and giving me all the information.” Emmett gave me a bright smile. “Fate gave me the bestest mate
ever.”
“Good,  okay.”  Damian  nodded  and  then  led  us  back  to  Riley.  “Hey,  you  know  Travis,  and  this  is
Emmett Loughlan.”
“A pleasure,” Riley said as he came over to shake our hands. “Cyrus said you have a sprained ankle,
but I’d like to take some films of it just to be sure.”
“You’re the doctor.” Emmett shrugged and was being really brave, taking this all in stride.
Riley smiled and led us into a room with a bunch of machines I didn’t recognize. Then he made me
step outside and wait. I saw Micah approach and speak to Damian, so I walked over to them.
“I’m so sorry for interrupting your trip. I know you probably haven’t had much time alone with your
mate and everything going on—”
“It’s cool, Travis.” Micah chuckled and patted my shoulder. “He’s your mate, enough said. Besides, I
was  freaking  out  having  Riley  away  from  all  the  protection  of  the  estate.  He’s  number  one  on  the
demons’ hit list so it was hard to relax at the hotel. I kept thinking they were going to bust through the
doors and try to get him.”
“Mating isn’t as easy as everyone makes it sound.” I sighed and leaned against the wall, shaking my
head. “Emmett’s had such a hard life already and now I just found him. I’m so scared that he’s going
to be taken away from me.”
“I know the feeling.” I could see the truth in Micah’s words. I guess it was a normal thing to worry
about.
It took about an hour for Cyrus to come find me, and by then I was pacing the hallway, ready to climb
the fucking walls. He led me to an exam room where my mate was sitting, fidgeting nervously.
“Hey, darlin’,” I said gently as I moved closer to him. “How did it go?”
“Fine.  He  took  some  X-rays,  some  blood,  checked  me  out,  and  did  a  normal  physical  like  when  I
went to the doctor or the clinic a few years ago.” He shrugged, not looking any calmer, which made
me more nervous. “He said he was going to run my blood work and Cyrus brought me in here. Riley
promised to go as fast as he could.”
“Right, good. He’s a great guy, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, best doctor I ever had. He’s really nice and smart, too,” Emmett agreed. We were shooting the
shit and stalling as opposed to just sitting there and waiting quietly. It made it easier, or at least it did
for me. “He said he just had a daughter, and when he talks about his mate, he gets this goofy look on
his face.” My mate glanced up at me then. “You think we’ll ever be that way about each other?”
“Darlin’, I’m already there.” I gave him a big smile before kissing his forehead.
He gave me a shy smile in return. “Yeah, me, too. You’re amazing, Travis.” I hugged him, cringing
when I heard a knock on the door.
“Hey,  guys,”  Riley  said  gently  as  he  entered  the  room.  The  look  on  his  face  said  it  all.  Fuck!  “I

wanted  to  go  over  Emmett’s  results  with  you  guys.  Forgive  me  if  I  don’t  handle  this  well.  It’s  not
something I’m used to saying—”
“Doc,  just  rip  off  the  Band-Aid.”  Emmett  chuckled  as  he  interrupted.  “It’s  not  like  I’m  dying  or
something, right?” Riley’s face went pale as he looked at my mate. Suddenly, I needed to sit down. I
pulled  Emmett  off  the  exam  table  and  sat  on  one  of  the  metal  chairs,  placing  him  on  my  lap.  “I’m
dying?”
“Yes,” Riley choked out, clearing his throat. “You have an advanced form of leukemia, Emmett. I’m
so sorry. Your condition has progressed past the point that mating with Travis could help you. The
reason you’re throwing up is because your body has been fighting a losing battle. It’s to the point now
that your organs are going to shut down soon.”
“No,” I whispered, shaking as my eyes filled with tears. “There has to be something we can do.”
“There’s more.” Riley cringed as he got misty eyed as well. “You knew about vampires, right?”
“Yeah, I’ve had some that were customers,” Emmett mumbled. “What does that have to do with me
being sick?”
“Nothing,  well,  maybe  it’s  something,  I  don’t  know.  But  did  you  know  before  then?  Did  you  know
someone in your family who’s a vampire?”
“What?” We both gasped.
“Your grandfather’s a vampire, Emmett. Do you know who he is?” Riley looked as if  he  wanted  to
throw up now.
“Which side of the family?” Emmett’s voice was so quiet that it broke my already-dying heart.
“I can’t tell you that,” Riley answered, shaking his head. “All I know is that the vampire got one of
your grandmothers pregnant. I’m assuming he’s not in your life or you ever knew him.” He cleared his
throat nervously again.
“What  aren’t  you  telling  us,  Riley?”  He  looked  so  conflicted  that  I  gasped.  “You  know  who  the
vampire is, don’t you? You have all of our DNA records on file.”
“Yes,” he whispered, rubbing his hands over his face. “Yes, I know who his grandfather is.”
“Is?” Emmett squeaked. “He’s alive?” Then he gasped. “My mom’s mom had her before she married
my grandfather. It was a onenight stand or something and it caused a lot of controversy having a baby
out of wedlock back then.”
“Is your mother still alive? I know the vampire doesn’t know he had a child.” Now I started to get
pissed off. We were talking about Emmett and his illness, not whoever Riley was trying to protect.
“I  don’t  know  if  she’s  alive  and  I  don’t  fucking  care!  That  bitch  can  rot  in  hell!”  Emmett  shouted,
fighting to get off my lap.
“Baby, it’s okay,” I whispered as I held him tightly. “We don’t have to talk about your mom.” I shot
Riley a look, daring him to say otherwise.
“Look, I’m sorry.” Riley’s eyes started overflowing with tears. “I’m between a rock and a hard place
here. The vampire is part of my family, Travis. I can’t not tell him he has a grandson or daughter.”
“No, you can’t tell him,” Emmett snapped. “You’re my doctor. I know the rules. You can’t tell him
anything  I  don’t  give  you  permission  to  say.  You  tell  me  I’m  dying,  and  now  I  have  a  vampire
grandfather? Fuck him! I just found my mate after the shittiest life imaginable and I get just a glimmer
of  hope  and  happiness  and  now  I’m  dying.  Can  this  vampire  save  me?  No?  Then  fuck  it.  He  didn’t
help me when I needed family. He can’t help me now. I don’t give a shit about him!”
“I don’t know that he can’t save you,” Riley answered. “It’s never been done with someone who’s a
quarter vampire, but I have done it with someone who’s half vampire. I don’t know if it would work,
but it needs to be discussed.”

I  could  have  heard  a  pin  drop  in  the  room  after  what  Riley  said.  Hell,  I  didn’t  even  know  how  to
process this much information.
“So  you’re  saying  we  need  to  go  talk  to  him  and  see  if  he’ll  help  maybe  save  my  life  if  your  idea
doesn’t  kill  me?”  Emmett  finally  asked.  Riley  nodded  and  I  heard  my  mate  sigh  as  he  leaned  back
against me, his body shaking with silent sobs.
“Who is he, Riley?” I asked quietly, finally finding my voice.
Riley wiped his eyes before meeting mine. “Stefan Marius.”

Chapter 4

Emmett

“Oh god,” my mate whispered, holding me tightly. “You’re saying Stefan is his biological

grandfather and he has no clue he fathered a child?”

“No, Stefan would never abandon a child if he knew about them. You know him, Travis.” I felt

my mate nod, totally lost until a thought hit me.

“Marius? As in one of Damian’s brothers?” Now I felt a little sick. Or I guess, sicker than I had

been. Riley nodded, and a second later, I was diving off Travis’s lap for the garbage can. He must
have sensed something was wrong because he let me go. “Oh god, I made a pass at my great-uncle.” I
vomited again, not really having much in my stomach to throw up. Travis was rubbing my back as he
whispered gently to me. “I smacked my great-uncle’s ass while we were dancing.”

“Darlin’, I think that’s the least of our concerns right now,” Travis said gently, getting all choked

up. “You didn’t know, you didn’t make out with him, please don’t worry about Damian.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and slouched against him.

“I think it was just the cherry on top of the fucked-up sundae.” I glanced at Riley, whose hands were
still shaking. “How long do I have?”
“I don’t know, maybe a couple months at most,” he answered, tears overflowing his blue eyes.

“What’s this option of trying to save him?” Travis asked, and I was glad one of us could focus. I

was so all over the place I just wanted a bottle of vodka and to snuggle into bed with my mate. “Are
you talking about converting him like you did with Patrick?”

“Maybe, I don’t know. I need some time to run some more tests. I need a sample from Stefan to

see if they can be compatible, maybe some spinal fluid. I need more information, and I can’t just ask
him to give me samples without explaining this to him.” He looked to me then. “Please don’t make me
keep this from my brother-in-law, who I love. Stefan would have helped you any and every time you
needed it, Emmett. I swear he would.”

“Yeah, Stefan would have,” Travis sighed, running his fingers through my locks.

“On three conditions,” I said after several minutes of thought. I waited until Riley nodded. “I want to
meet him and talk to him a bit, make sure he’s a good guy before we tell him.”
“Agreed, it’s your show.”
“He wants to go find my mom, that’s his deal. I don’t want to see her. I don’t want her to know where
I am or have any fucking thing to do with her.”
“Of course, Emmett. Stefan would respect that.” He flinched at the tone of my voice, but if he knew
half the shit my mom had pulled, he wouldn’t want to see the bitch either.
“Three, this isn’t some big family reunion. I don’t mean to be an ass, but I don’t know these people. If
I only have a few months left, then I want to spend them with my mate and die in peace.” I held up a
hand when Travis gasped. “I’m not giving up and I want to fight, try whatever Riley’s thinking of, but

if it doesn’t work and we run out of options, I just want you for as long as I get you.”
“You can’t leave me, Emmett,” Travis whispered, his bottom lip quivering.
“It’s not up to us. I would never willingly leave you, my mate. I would stay with you forever.” I
moved to straddle his lap and went to kiss him, moving to his cheek at the last second. Yeah, I had
just puked. He looked confused, but Riley reached out and handed me some gum. Not the best solution
but better than nothing.
“I can’t guarantee how the whole family will react, Emmett,” Riley said gently as I chewed the gum.
“But they are good people. They will respect your wishes. We don’t have to tell all of them. Let’s just
go meet Stefan. Micah and I will think up some reason to introduce you guys.”
“Okay, let’s go meet my grandfather.” I swallowed my nerves. This was beyond fucked-up. I kept
asking myself if the situation could get any worse, but then again… Couldn’t it always?
* * * *
Micah

My heart broke for my mate as he stepped out of the exam room, looking as if he’d been crying.

He shook his head when I opened my mouth, and I snapped it shut, shooting Travis a look. The man
was so focused on his mate, looking as if his soul was dying. This couldn’t be good.

“Travis and Emmett are going to come over for a visit. I’ll explain on the ride home,” Riley said

as he pulled out his keys. I nodded, none of us saying a word as we left the clinic and he locked up. It
was like a funeral procession I’d seen in movies or something as we headed out to my car. Travis
opted to take his own, carrying his sad mate.

The moment Cyrus, Riley, Damian, and I were alone in my SUV, my mate burst into tears. I pulled

him against me as sobs racked his body. “Baby, talk to me. What’s going on, Riley?”
“Travis’s mate is dying, Micah,” he sobbed. “I don’t know if I can save him. I don’t think I can.”

“Oh, sweetie,” I whispered, rubbing his back. I glanced at my baby brother, knowing Emmett was

his friend. He leaned against Cyrus, his eyes filling with tears.

“We have to go home. There’s more,” Riley whimpered as he pulled away, wiping his eyes.

“Emmett is a quarter vampire. His genetic markers match someone we know.”
“Who?” I had a sinking feeling.

“Stefan,” he answered, wiping his eyes again. “Emmett is Stefan’s grandson.”

“Oh god. No! Fuck!” I pulled him back into my arms, tearing up as well. My poor brother. “Is a
quarter vampire enough to convert him like you did for Patrick?”
“I don’t know.” My mate was so upset and I didn’t know how to help him. I saw my shock and pain
mirrored on Damian’s face. “He doesn’t want to tell Stefan until he gets a chance to talk to him first,
make sure he’s a good guy. How do we introduce him without raising suspicion with Stefan?”
I thought about that a moment. “We’ll say Emmett wants to meet Patrick because he was part human
before and he’s got questions about being mated to a vampire.”
“Will that work?” Riley asked, trying to calm back down.
“It has to.” I threw the vehicle in drive after letting my mate go and broke every speed limit to get
back home. “Damian, call Stefan.”
“Yeah, I’m on it.”
This was so bad. So, so bad. I wasn’t big on praying but I did on the way home. God help us all.
* * * *
Emmett

“Am I doing the right thing? I feel like I’m handling this badly,” I stated as we pulled up at the

Marius house. “I don’t know what else to do, Travis.”

“Darlin’, there’s no rule book on how to handle something like this. I think you’re going with your

gut and that’s the best you can do right now. You do whatever makes this easiest for you, and I’ll be
right there with you.”

“I don’t want to leave you,” I whispered, voicing my greatest concern. “I just found you and we

were going to be happy.”
“Emmett,” he choked out, undoing my seat belt and pulling me onto his lap. “I’m not giving up yet.
Riley’s a miracle worker. His gift is actually healing.” He cupped my face in his hands as he looked
deeply into my eyes. “I’m not a big man of faith, though I do talk to the man upstairs from time to time,
but I do believe in fate.
“Fate’s good, darlin’. She wouldn’t have brought me to you like she did just to make me lose you. I
know in my heart she brought you on my doorstep, right as I was there to get the door so I could get
you to Riley, who will save you. I’m scared out of my mind, but that’s what my very soul is telling me
is the plan and purpose of all of this.”
I searched his eyes for a moment. “You really believe that?”
“I do.” He nodded. I saw he was afraid but there was hope in his eyes as well. “I wouldn’t lie to you
about something like this. I refuse to feed you any bullshit. This is serious, and I’m scared like I’ve
never been before. But you’ve had a rough life and we’re both good people. I refuse to believe that
the path for us is for me to lose you after I just found you.”
“Okay, then let’s go see if Riley can save me.” I gave him a smile I wasn’t really feeling. “Thank you
for not leaving me, Travis. I can’t even imagine how hard all of this is on you.”
“Darlin’, wild horses couldn’t drag me away from you when you need me most.” He opened the door
and I climbed off of his lap, gasping when I saw Damian standing there crying.
“Are you okay?” I asked in a worried voice as I hobbled over to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Seriously? You just got the worst news ever and you’re worried about me?” he whispered. I didn’t
understand as he pulled me into his arms. “I’m upset because you’re sick, buddy. I’m worried about
my brother and how he’s going to react to all of this. I’m worried about Riley and Travis. This whole
situation sucks balls.”
“I bet you’re kicking yourself for ever offering to help me,” I joked, uncomfortable that he was so
upset.
“Don’t say that,” he growled, shaking me gently. “Don’t you ever say that! I’m furious with myself for
not dragging you out of the club the night we met. If you had been here sooner, maybe things wouldn’t
be so dire now.”
“Damian, this is no one’s fault,” I said gently, patting his massive chest. “I was freaking out because I
grabbed your ass when we were dancing. I mean, eww, you’re my great-uncle.”
His eyes went wide before he threw back his head and laughed. That’s what I’d been going for. It was
a lot to handle, but if everyone around me was freaking out, then I wouldn’t be able to deal with it all.
I know it was selfish, but I needed them to keep it together or I was going to fall apart.
“I swear I’m twenty seconds from calling Jerry Springer,” he said with a snort as he hugged me again.
“This is some fucked-up shit, little buddy.”
“Nah, I’m not a Jerry fan. Maybe Ellen? She’s nice and her audience behaves.”
“Yeah, I do like her, too.”
“You two are trouble together.” Travis chuckled as he lifted me into his arms. “No walking on that
ankle.”
“Yes, my mate,” I purred, snuggling down into his arms. I swear they were made for me. Maybe that
was cheesy or stupid, but I got to feel however the fuck I wanted after all the new revelations to my

life. Or lack of life soon, I guess.
Riley led us into the house and headed for the kitchen. I suddenly started rethinking this plan when a
man who looked a lot like Damian stood, a guy about my size sliding off his lap and coming over to
greet us.
“Travis,  hey,  man,  congrats  on  finding  your  mate,”  the  guy,  who  had  to  be  Stefan,  said  as  he  came
over and patted my mate on the back. “You caught a good-looking one. If I wasn’t already taken—”
“I beg you not to finish that statement,” I blurted out, holding my stomach. Oh god, this was bad.
“Um, I’m sorry.” Stefan nodded and extended his hand to me. “I’m Stefan Marius. I’ve heard a lot of
nice things about you, Emmett.”
“Emmett  Loughlan,”  I  whispered,  shaking  suddenly  as  I  reached  for  his  hand.  “I’ve  heard  the  same
about you.”
“Yeah?”  He  smiled  again,  my  earlier  outburst  forgotten.  “Travis  is  a  great  guy,  an  impressive
warrior. You got a good one here.”
“That I know.” I glanced up at my mate, smiling widely. “He’s perfect.”
“This  is  my  mate,  Patrick  Hawk.”  Stefan  glanced  lovingly  at  the  shorter  man,  moving  his  hand
possessively to the small of his back. “Oh, Damian said your ankle was hurt. You want some ice for
it?” He glanced at Riley. “Or has it been long enough where he needs a heating pad? I could never get
when to use what right.”
I  started  to  hyperventilate  after  I  shook  Patrick’s  hand,  the  man  staring  at  me  funny  as  if  he  knew
something was up. I glanced from him to Stefan, not able to get enough air as I freaked out, holding on
to  this  secret.  Stefan  was  obviously  a  great  guy.  My  mind  overloading  with  everything  is  the  only
excuse I have for what I did next. “How could you be related to my bitch of a mother?”
Stefan slowly turned to face me, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry, who’s related to your mother?”
“Stefan, you need to sit down,” Riley said gently, shooting a worried glance at Patrick.
“I’m sorry, it just came out,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears. Oh god, I so sucked. “It’s just,
Stefan’s so nice and my mom is evil, and I don’t understand how any of this is possible.” I glanced at
Riley. “Are you sure you read the test results right?” I should have asked that before.
“I checked it four times, Emmett,” he said gently.
“Could someone please explain what is going on before I freak out?” Patrick whispered as he glanced
around the room, taking this all in. “What the fuck is going on here?”
“Baby, it’s okay.” Stefan went to his mate, his face showing his concern.
“No,”  Patrick  snarled  as  he  pulled  away  from  his  mate.  “This  man  is  related  to  you?  How?  What
haven’t you told me, Stefan?”
“I don’t think he knows,” I answered, glancing between them. Suddenly I had to vomit again. God, all
this  stress  was  making  me  into  a  puking  machine!  Gross.  I  slapped  Travis’s  chest  as  I  put  my  hand
over my mouth. He got the idea and raced over to the sink. I dry heaved and spit up a bit as the kitchen
broke out into chaos. “I’m so sorry.” I kept crying as I spit up the pop I’d had on the way here. What
was wrong with me?
Oh right, I was dying.
“Enough!”  Travis  roared  as  he  covered  my  ears.  It  didn’t  work.  I  heard  him  fine  and  grabbed  my
head. “Sorry, darlin’.”
“No,  it’s  my  fault.  I  shouldn’t  have  blurted  it  out  like  that.”  I  rinsed  my  mouth  out  and  let  the  cool
water run over my face.
“I’m sorry this news is causing drama, and I know you’re all upset, but Emmett is dying. The rest of
this is just bullshit that can be sorted out later.” Travis was shaking with his emotions, barely holding

on to his control. I reached for his hand as I finished up.
“Start  from  the  beginning  then,”  Stefan  said  quietly  as  he  plopped  down  at  one  of  the  kitchen  table
chairs.
Travis  did.  He  explained  what  was  going  on,  getting  choked  up  several  times.  He  sat  me  on  the
counter,  running  a  few  wet  paper  towels  over  the  back  of  my  neck.  When  my  mate  couldn’t  talk
anymore, Riley took over. I hugged my massive man, trying to comfort him, but I was just as upset.
“I  have  a  daughter  and  a  grandson,”  Stefan  whispered,  his  face  filling  with  confusion  and  angst.  “I
don’t understand. What was your grandmother’s name?”
“Tabitha Green was her maiden name.” I winced as recognition filled his eyes. It was true.
“Yes.”  He  nodded  numbly.  “I  met  her  and  we  slept  together.  She  was  gone  when  I  woke  up.  She
didn’t leave me a note or a number. It was just a one-time thing.” He turned to look at his mate. “I
didn’t know, I swear, Patrick.”
“I believe you. You’d never abandon a child.” He didn’t go to his mate though. “Just give me a few
minutes, okay? This is, well, he’s my age and your grandson, and, I just need a minute.” Patrick shook
his head and walked out the glass kitchen doors that led to the backyard.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated again. I never meant to hurt anyone. “It just came out.”
“Hey,  none  of  that,”  Stefan  said,  giving  me  a  soft  smile.  “I  can’t  even  imagine  what  you’ve  been
through  today.”  He  looked  over  to  Riley,  who  was  sitting  down  the  table  from  him  with  Micah.
“Okay, so what do we do now? There’s a reason you guys came straight here to talk to me. You have
a plan, Riley. You always have a plan.”
“I have a few ideas, but I have no real plan,” Riley admitted, looking pained to say the words. “I need
to run some more tests. I need to see how compatible your DNA is.”
“You need my blood like you used Dillon’s for Patrick.”
“I don’t know, Stefan. For now I just want to run some tests.”
“Yes, fine, whatever you need,” Stefan immediately agreed.
“Can I ask something?” Riley bit his lower lip and nodded, giving me the go-ahead. “Travis said your
gift is healing. I hate to sound rude, but can’t you just heal me?” I felt like a rat bastard as his face
paled even more, not that I’d thought that was possible.
“I can’t,” he whispered, swallowing loudly. “I tried on one of your blood samples. I can decrease the
cancer cells, but I can’t make it all go away. I can’t cure you.”
“Right, sorry, of course you would have thought of it. I didn’t mean to be a jerk or imply you wouldn’t
—”
“I’m  still  going  to  try,”  Riley  blurted  out,  interrupting  me.  I  snapped  my  mouth  shut,  my  eyes  going
wide. “My idea is to get rid of as much of the leukemia as I can and then convert you to a vampire.”
“Right, of course that’s your idea,” I mumbled as my world went black. I guess I found my limit of
what I could handle in one day.

Chapter 5

Travis

“Fuck,” Riley groaned as he let his head fall with a thunk on the kitchen table. “Nicely done,

dumbass.”
“Can you really do that?” I asked, holding my passed-out mate against me. “Can you save him?”
“I don’t know, Travis,” he whispered, raising his head to meet my eyes. “I just don’t know. I need to
test his bone marrow, figure out if it’s affected his heart yet, if it’s spread past his blood. I have to test

if Stefan’s marrow is a match, if his blood would help, if Emmett has enough vampire markers in his
DNA where the conversion would even work. I don’t know.”
“It’s okay, Riley.” I nodded, understanding he needed more information. “I know you’ll do everything
you can to save him. None of this is your fault, and I appreciate everything you’re doing.”
“Thank you. I’d cure him if I could, Travis. You have to believe that.” Riley looked broken up about
it.
“Oh,  I  didn’t  realize  we  had—”  Elena  Marius  said  as  she  walked  into  the  room  with  her  mate,
Desmond. “What’s going on? You all look like someone died.” I gasped and tried not to start crying
again,  holding  on  to  Emmett.  God,  I  couldn’t  remember  ever  crying  and  now  I  couldn’t  stop  the
waterworks. “What is going on?”
“Mother, come with me,” Damian said gently as he led his mother and father out of the kitchen.
“Should everyone in the family be tested as well or just me?” Stefan asked Riley.
“Everyone  would  be  best,”  Riley  answered,  rubbing  his  hands  over  his  face.  “I  would  have  just
called  you  guys  to  the  clinic,  but  Emmett  wanted  to  meet  you  before  we  spilled  the  beans. And  he
made  me  swear  that  he  wouldn’t  have  to  talk  to  his  mother  no  matter  what  happened.  I  don’t  know
what that woman did to him, Stefan, but it’s bad from the way he hates her.”
“My mother is evil,” Emmett mumbled as his eyes fluttered open.
“What?” Elena shouted from the hallway and came rushing in. She looked from my mate, to Riley, to
Stefan. “Is this true?”
“Yes,  Elena.  I  checked  several  times.”  Riley  nodded.  This  was  such  a  clusterfuck  if  I’d  ever  seen
one.
“You didn’t know?” she asked Stefan, who shook his head no. “Patrick?”
“Outside getting some air and letting things sink in,” Micah explained when Stefan swallowed loudly.
“What’s the plan?” She was focused on Riley now. “You always have a plan.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.” Riley chuckled, looking despondent. “Elena, this might be beyond my
abilities and—”
“Nonsense.” Elena waved off his concerns, her jaw set in determination. “You’re a genius and have
proved time and time again that you can fix any challenge that comes your way. Separate the emotion
and  that  it’s  affecting  our  family.  Take  a  deep  breath,  Dr.  Johnson.”  He  nodded,  doing  as  she  said.
“Now what’s the plan?”
“I  need  to  run  more  tests.  I  need  blood  and  probably  bone  marrow  samples  from  the  family  to  see
who matches Emmett if it comes to that.” Riley looked a little more confident now.
“Damian,  Desmond,  round  everyone  up  and  get  them  to  the  clinic.  Virgil  and  Gabriel  are  over  at
Darcy and Ayden’s house. Tell them to get there now,” Elena ordered, her eyes focused on Emmett. “I
want very much to get to know my great-grandson, but we can talk in between the work that needs to
be done.”
“Just  like  that?”  Emmett  asked  hesitantly,  eyeing  her  over  before  looking  at  me.  “Just  like  that  you
guys drop everything and jump on the wagon to try and save me?”
“That’s what family does.” She looked confused.
“Not  my  family,”  Emmett  snorted,  shaking  his  head.  “My  family  hates,  manipulates,  and  uses  each
other for their own self-gain.”
“Welcome to a real family then,” Elena said gently, reaching out to cup his cheek. “We do everything
and anything to help each other.” She waited until Emmett nodded his understanding. “Let’s head out.
Riley, you ride alone with Micah so no one badgers you with questions. Especially me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled. I held on to Emmett as everyone started moving around, more of their

family coming in as others headed out to the garage. I could see the questions in everyone’s eyes as
they looked at Emmett and me, but they didn’t ask. Most everyone was already out the door when
Emmett patted my hand. I looked over to where he pointed. Stefan was staring out the window with
grief written all over his face.
“Let me go talk to Patrick,” Emmett said quietly. I nodded and helped him off the counter. He hobbled
out the back door, closing it behind him.
“How are you holding up?” Stefan asked me softly as I sat down at the table across from him.
“My heart is breaking, I’m scared out of my fucking mind, my emotions are all over the place, so just
dandy.” I sighed as I leaned my head back against the chair. “I just can’t think fate would be so mean
to bring him into my life just to take him away.” We were quiet a few moments, watching our mates
talk out the window. “I need you to promise me something, Stefan.”
“I won’t bring up his mother again.” He nodded, understanding without me even having to say it. “I
won’t deny that I’m curious, but the focus right now is on Emmett, and stressing him out won’t help
his condition. I just can’t get over all of this.”
“Welcome to my world.” He finally looked at me, giving me a sympathetic nod. Yeah, he and I
completely understood what it was like to have one conversation turn our whole lives upside down. It
sucked balls.
* * * *
Emmett

I didn’t know what to say to Patrick after I limped outside. It had seemed like a good plan to go

talk to him. But I didn’t think it out. I was barely holding on to my sanity by a thread, the emotional
upheaval having caused me to pass out once already. How on earth did I think I could come comfort
someone else right then?

“I can’t believe you’re out here,” Patrick whispered, shaking his head. “Of all the people I figured

would come out here and try to talk to me, you weren’t one of them.”

“Should I go?” He glanced over at me.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here, or I’m not grateful you came to check on me. But what’s going on
with you is so much worse than my meltdown. I know I’m handling this badly. I understand that Stefan
needs me.” He swallowed and shook his head, staring back out into the backyard again. “I just can’t
seem  to  make  my  feet  move.  This  is  just  too  crazy.  A  little  over  a  year  ago  I  didn’t  even  know
vampires existed. Now I am one, mated to one, and he’s got a grandson my age who’s dying. It’s just
too much.”
“Yeah,  I  know.”  I  snickered,  taking  a  step  closer.  “Believe  me,  I  know.  But  I  did  know  about
vampires before meeting Travis. I’ve known about them for a few years.” I thought about what to say
next  and  went  with  my  gut,  though  it  hadn’t  been  leading  me  to  the  best  decisions  today.  “Damian
wanted to call Jerry Springer, but I voted for Ellen.”
“What  about  Kelly  Ripa?”  Patrick  asked  without  missing  a  beat.  “I  know  she  only  talks  with
celebrities, but she cracks me up. She’s just too adorable.”
“Yeah,  I  hated  the  way  Regis  always  laughed  at  her  instead  of  with  her.  She’s  nice  and  he’s  a
pompous ass.” Patrick nodded and another long pause followed.
“I’m sorry you’re sick. I really am, and I’m sorry I’m not handling this better. I should be comforting
you, not the other way around.”
“I’m not sure I am comforting you. I think we’re just taking a breather from the news before we deal
with what’s next.” I shrugged, not really sure what we were doing, but I was relaxing a bit at least.
“I  heard  Riley’s  plan  from  out  here,”  he  admitted,  glancing  at  me  again.  “Do  you  want  to  be  a

vampire?”
“I don’t really care as long as I can live and be with Travis.” Again, I shrugged.
“The transition was scary, very painful, but totally worth it. I love being a vampire way more than I
ever did being a human. It’s like everything is so much cooler in life now. I feel more than I did as
human, emotions are stronger, sex is better, chocolate is yummier, and I swear I got smarter, too.”
“I do like chocolate,” I replied evenly. We shared a look and burst out laughing.
“I know this is all really scary for you, Emmett,” he said gently as we calmed down. “I’m freaking out
for you, too, but trust Riley. He’s actually more brilliant than everyone gives him credit for. I think
he’s panicking because with me he didn’t have to turn me. Now the stakes are much higher and he’s
got a lot on his plate already. But just because he’s wiggin’ out doesn’t mean he can’t help you.”
“You want to talk about wiggin’ out? I hit on Damian and grabbed his ass the night we met at a club.”
“It’s  a  nice  ass  at  least.”  He  snickered,  shaking  his  head.  “Yeah,  we’re  totally  calling  Ellen  and
Kelly. Maybe they can have a joint show just for us.”
“Sounds  like  a  plan.”  I  linked  my  arm  with  his,  and  he  helped  me  limp  back  to  the  house.  “I  want
some food before the testing begins.” I took a deep, shaky breath. “And I have to tell Stefan about my
mom.”
“Hey, you’ve got enough going on right now,” Patrick said gently, patting my arm. “That can wait.”
“No, it’s got to be killing him not to ask me. Maybe if I get it out, at least you guys will know and you
can tell the hordes of people in this family so they don’t ever bring it up again.” I glanced at him as he
opened the door for me. “Just how many people are in this family?”
“In  order  of  age,  Victor,  Stefan,  Gabriel,  Micah,  Virgil,  Remus,  and  Damian.  Elena  and  Desmond
make nine, plus Riley’s grandma, so that’s ten. Five of them are mated, Gabriel met his mate, but he’s
not of claiming age, so really there’s sixteen. No, seventeen, Micah and Riley had a baby. Duh! How
could I forget the little cutie!”
“Hey,” Stefan said quietly as we walked into the kitchen, staring at his mate. “I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Patrick replied as he helped me sit next to Travis before going to his mate. “I should
have handled this better. I am sorry. I do love you still and forever. I’m just having trouble wrapping
my mind around all of this.”
“Yeah, me, too, baby.” Stefan pulled  his  mate  on  his  lap,  burying  his  face  in  Patrick’s  neck.  “Love
you forever. You know that, right?”
“Never doubted it.”
I  reached  over  and  took  my  mate’s  hand,  needing  strength  for  this  next  part.  “Can  we  throw  some
sandwiches together or something? I’m starving, and I thought we could eat while I tell you about my
mother before we go let Riley poke and prod us.” I held up a hand when Stefan went to argue. “You
and  your  whole  family  are  dropping  everything  to  help  me.  The  least  I  can  do  is  tell  you  about  my
mother.”
“You guys talk. I’ll make sandwiches.” Patrick gave me a wink as he got off Stefan’s lap. “Marian
made a few hams last night, and the leftovers make awesome sandwiches.”
“Thanks.” Travis moved a Sprite in front of me, letting me know he got it for me. I gave him a smile.
My mate really was the best. He rubbed my back as I took a sip and looked to Stefan. “My mom was
never  a  very  maternal  type.  If  I  stayed  out  of  her  way,  she  was  decent  to  me  while  my  dad  was  a
drunk and rarely home.”
“What’s her name?” Stefan whispered, fidgeting with his hands.
“Ann,” I answered, waiting until he nodded and I had some more of my soda. “When I was thirteen, I
came home from school early and walked in on her with another man. I didn’t blame her. My dad was

a douche. She threatened to kill me if I told my dad. I swore I’d never tell. A few months later, a boy I
liked walked me home from school and she caught him giving me a kiss.
“She  laughed  and  said  she  wouldn’t  have  to  kill  me  anymore  if  I  snitched.  She’d  just  tell  my  dad  I
was a fag and he’d kill me. I was fourteen then and I panicked. I hid from them as often as I could,
making any excuse to stay late at school and be home as little as possible. Right after I turned fifteen, I
came  home  and  my  parents  were  fighting.  She  had  cleaned  out  my  parents’  bank  account  and  was
going to run with her boyfriend, but my dad caught her when the bank called to tell him.
“She told him I was gay when I walked through the door and I froze. My dad grabbed me and threw
me into the glass coffee table. She stood there and laughed as he tried to kill me. Then while he was
distracted,  she  grabbed  her  bag  and  car  keys  and  tried  to  sneak  out  the  door.  My  dad  saw  her  and
chased after her. That was the last time I saw them.
“I  called  a  friend  and  he  came  and  got  me,  took  me  to  a  hospital  in  Richmond  about  an  hour  away
from our small town. After I got better enough to leave, I snuck out on the bill and lived on the streets
for two weeks before someone offered me a hundred bucks to fuck me. I lost my virginity in a smelly
alley with some sick fuck so I could eat.
“A couple of months later my pimp found out I was working in his territory and forced me to work for
him after threatening to kill me if I ever tried to cut him out. Years later, I met Damian at a club and he
offered to help me. So when my pimp beat the shit out of me again and destroyed everything I had, I
took the last of the money I had in my pocket and caught a cab to the address he gave me. That’s how I
met Travis yesterday and the rest you know.”
I glanced at Stefan and then my mate before looking over at Patrick. All three of them wore matching
looks of horror.
“You were a prostitute,” Stefan finally whispered.
“Don’t you dare judge me,” I shouted, getting to my feet. “Forget it. I don’t want your help.” I moved
as fast as I could on a bum ankle toward the way we’d come in.
“Emmett, wait!” Travis called out as he ran after me. I think he was so shocked at my story he hadn’t
been able to move right away. He grabbed me from behind and kept me from leaving the kitchen.
“Let me go.”
“No,”  he  whispered  as  he  hugged  me.  I  heard  a  chair  scrape  the  floor  and  suddenly  Stefan  was
kneeling in front of me.
“I wasn’t judging you, Emmett. I’m so sorry that’s how it came out, but I wasn’t. I was upset that you
went through all of that. I would have done anything to save you from that pain and life. My Patrick
had a life like yours, and I understand you did what you had to.”
“I didn’t want to,” I whispered. Stefan nodded and pulled me into his arms. I hugged him, still feeling
really strange about the fact that he was my grandpa but feeling better about having family that cared
about me. If that made any sense? Hell if I knew what to think about anything anymore. My head hurt
and I just wanted to live a happy life with my mate, who I was falling for.
I was scared I wouldn’t get what I wanted.

Chapter 6

Travis

After we ate, we headed to the clinic. I listened as Patrick told Emmett about his sordid past and

how he met Stefan. I’d heard Patrick had had a rough life, but I never guessed it was anything like
what he told us. What a fucked-up world we lived in.

Then they moved on to happier topics, giving Emmett the rundown on the Marius family. My mate

held my hand as I drove, taking it all in. It was a lot, but I knew Patrick and Stefan were trying to
distract him. I needed to thank them later because I didn’t have the energy to do it. I know it made me
selfish, not to give my mate what he needed right then, but while Emmett was the one sick, it wasn’t
just happening to him.

It was hard on me, too, in ways I couldn’t put into words. Then I sat with my mate for hours as

Riley ran so many tests on Emmett it made my head spin. There was an MRI, EKG, CAT scan, some
other  acronyms  in  there,  bone  marrow  biopsy,  spinal  tap,  and  he  took  so  much  blood  I  worried
Emmett  wouldn’t  have  any  left.  I  knew  some  of  the  tests  were  painful,  but  my  mate  never  once
complained.
I asked Damian to sit with Emmett when he fell asleep and stepped outside to get some air. I just kept
thinking over and over again that this couldn’t be happening to us. I couldn’t lose my mate.
“How are you holding up, son?” Desmond asked after he joined me. I glanced over at him, and my
expression  said  enough.  “I  can’t  even  imagine  what  you’re  going  through.  Emmett  seems  like  a
wonderful man.”
“He  is,”  I  agreed,  rubbing  my  arms,  feeling  cold  in  a  way  that  I  knew  had  nothing  to  do  with  the
weather. “I feel like I’ve known him forever, but in reality, he’s a stranger, but I’ve learned so much
about him in such a short time.”
“That’s how I felt about Elena when I met her. I’d just found her and she was almost taken away from
me.  Her  parents  didn’t  approve  of  me  and  they  tried  to  prohibit  our  mating.  It  was  a  different  time
then and women back then didn’t have the same rights, even among vampires.”
“How  could  they  not  approve  their  daughter  mating  a  Marius?  You  guys  are  like  royalty  in  our
world.” I couldn’t get over what he was telling me.
“I had two older brothers. One killed my parents for their estate. Then the other killed the first for it
and  he  was  sentenced  to  death,”  Desmond  said  quietly.  “It  was  a  huge  scandal  when  it  happened.
Everyone knew about it. That left me as sole heir, and Elena’s parents thought I had to be crazy and
evil as well. I had to plead my case to the Council. I was a young warrior, not even a century old, and
here I was going up against her family for the right to mate her.”
“Jesus,” I hissed, rubbing my chest. Did no one I know have an easy time being with their mate?
“She was worth the fight and every minute of agony I went through. I almost lost her again when she
was in labor with Gabriel. I didn’t want her to get pregnant again after that, but she refused, saying
she had more love to give and she was older and stronger. She knew she could handle having more
children.”
“And I was right.” She chuckled as she joined us, bumping her hip against her mate. “The point my
mate is trying to make is every relationship has its hurdles to overcome. That’s just life. The hurdles
suck  and  are  traumatic,  but  it  helps  you  appreciate  what’s  important  in  life.  Look  at  Stefan  and
Patrick. They went through so much and now something else has come up. But they’ll work through it
and become a stronger couple because of it. You and Emmett will, too. This will bring you closer in
ways years of being together can’t.”
“If he lives,” I whispered, blinking back tears. Just when I thought I had dried out, more burned in my
eyes.
“He’ll live,” she said firmly. “He’s got too much to live for now not to fight and overcome this. Your
mate is an amazing man full of life and an inner strength that is commendable.”
“I don’t believe fate would let me find him just to rip him away from me. But that doesn’t mean I’m
not still scared and freaking out.”

“Of course you are.” Elena moved so she stood in front of me, wiping away an errant tear that was
sliding down my cheek. “Of course this is killing you, Travis. You have a good heart. Only a soulless
son  of  a  bitch  wouldn’t  be  torn  up  about  this.  Hell,  I’m  impressed  you’re  still  standing  after  what
you’ve been through today.”
“I won’t be if Riley can’t save him.” I chuckled darkly. “I won’t want to live without him. Losing him
would kill me, whether we just met or not. He’s my other half.”
“And that’s what will help him pull through.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and led me back
inside.  Emmett  was  sitting  up  talking  with  Damian,  laughing  at  something  he’d  said.  God,  he  was
beautiful. Just sitting there smiling, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.
“You okay?” he asked quietly when he saw me.
“Just clearing my head.” I leaned down and kissed him, not caring who was around.
“And to think you had to talk me into letting you kiss me.” He sounded a little breathy when we pulled
apart, and I couldn’t help but smirk at a job well done.
“I’m so glad you agreed.” I gave him another quick one before sitting down next to him on the exam
bed.
“I  have  good  news  and  bad  news,”  Riley  said  as  he  walked  into  the  room,  looking  very  tired.  I
wrapped my arms around my mate and held him to me. “The bad news is the cancer is in your bone
marrow.  The  good  news  is  that  it  hasn’t  spread  to  your  organs  or  lymphatic  system  and  we  have  a
perfect match to your marrow.”
“Who?” I asked as Emmett rubbed my leg.
“Stefan  is  a  match.  I  was  worried  because  he’s  not  your  father,  and  there  should  be  fewer  genetic
markers matching, but he is a match. You actually have as many vampire genetic markers as Patrick
did  even  though  he  was  half  vampire.  It’s  astounding  really.  I  mean,  you’re  one  more  generation
removed and you have just—”
“Do you know what he’s talking about?” Emmett whispered as the doc kept going.
“No. I don’t understand most of this,” I answered honestly.
“Riley,  speak  English  for  those  of  us  who  don’t  speak  doctor,”  Stefan  said  with  a  chuckle,  having
overheard us.
“Right, sorry,” Riley mumbled before leaving the room. I really didn’t know what that meant. Then he
came back with a dry-erase board that was on wheels. He picked up a marker and drew out twenty-
three  lines.  “Humans  have  twenty-three  specific  chromosomes  that  make  up  their  DNA.  Vampires
have twenty-four. Patrick had twenty-four being half vampire, but where these”—he circled the first
three lines—“are different than humans’ for vampires, his were the human ones.”
“So  he  had  an  extra  chromosome  like  you  guys,  but  the  ones  that  also  make  you  vampire,  he  didn’t
have?” Emmett asked, though I guess it was a statement, too? Fuck if I knew.
“Yes, exactly,” Riley agreed, smiling at my mate. “Since he  had the twenty-four chromosomes in his
DNA,  we  were  able  to  flood  him  with  vampire  blood  from  his  best  match,  Dillon.  The  result  was
Dillon’s  blood  and  chromosomes,  being  stronger  than  the  human  ones,  reworked  his  DNA  to
transform into ours. It’s the same process as when we go through puberty and have our transitions. Or
when shifters go through theirs and are able to shift.”
“Okay, but if we have a genetic match and bone marrow match, wouldn’t that be enough to cure him
of his leukemia? Why are we still talking about risking him and making him a vampire?” I asked, still
trying to piece this conversation together. Look, I wasn’t stupid, but I was a warrior for god sakes.
We were born big to fight and protect, not join Mensa.
“Because  his  body  is  about  two  weeks  from  the  cancer  spreading  worse  and  shutting  down  his

organs,” Riley explained gently. “The blood and bone marrow are like putting duct tape on a leaking
dam.  It  might  hold  a  little  bit  and  buy  us  some  time,  but  it  won’t  cure  him  even  with  my  healing
abilities. I tried with the samples I got from both Stefan and Emmett. The cancer is a part of Emmett’s
body now. Even if I could get rid of it all, it would come back. Mating with you won’t change that.”
“This is all really confusing.” Emmett sighed and I was with him. “Okay, we do nothing I’m dead in a
few months, right?” Riley winced at the way my mate phrased it but nodded. “You give me blood and
marrow and that would buy me a few more years?”
“Yes,  maybe  five  to  ten  but  I’m  guessing  here.  It  could  be  two  to  three  or  ten  to  fifteen.”  Riley
pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s science, but not an exact science when dealing with diseases. I’m
not sure I know how to explain it.”
“That’s fine. I wouldn’t understand the explanation anyways.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Okay,
so door number two gives me a decade with Travis, roughly as we’re guessing here.”
“Yes,” Riley agreed.
“Option three is to do option number two and then change me into a vampire like you did with Patrick
because I have that extra chromosome though you’re not sure why I have it?”
“Yes. That’s a good way to put it.”
“What are my chances of surviving option number three?” Emmett asked, swallowing loudly.
“You’re not going to like my answer, but I won’t know until after we finish option number two and
see how your body handles it. If we can clear you of as much of the leukemia as possible, then I’d
say, given your bloodline is from the Mariuses, which is one of the strongest bloodlines of our race,
you’d have an eighty-five percent chance of making the conversion. More if your heart doesn’t take
any damage acclimating to the new bone marrow.”
“What were Patrick’s chances when you  did  it  to  him?”  Emmett  seemed  to  be  keeping  up  with  this
better than I was.
Riley  thought  about  that  a  moment.  “Ninety,  ninety-five  percent?  I  knew  I  could  do  it,  but  there’s
always a chance something could go wrong so I’d never say anything risky is for sure.”
“So you’d say your estimates are on the conservative side?” I asked and glanced at my mate.
“I tend to be conservative, yes, but this isn’t like the percentages in Vegas, guys. I’m interpreting data
and making judgment calls,” Riley admitted with a sigh.
“If it was Micah, what would you do?” Elena asked, putting what I was thinking into words perfectly.
Riley glanced at his mate, so much love in that gaze I knew the whole room could feel it. “I’d convert
him. There are risks, but they outweigh the other options, and I know he’d be strong enough to fight to
stay with me.”
“Okay,  then  let’s  kick  the  cancer’s  ass,  preserve  my  heart,  and  convert  me,”  Emmett  said  after  a
moment.  His  head  snapped  over  to  Stefan.  “Fuck,  I’m  so  sorry.  That’s  if  you’re  willing  to  donate
blood and marrow. I shouldn’t have assumed that it’s just—”
“I’m  in.”  Stefan  chuckled,  interrupting  my  mate.  “I  was  always  in  no  matter  what  you  needed,
Emmett.”
“Thank  you,”  I  whispered  as  Emmett  nodded  his  agreement.  I  hugged  my  mate  to  me,  scared  of  his
chances, scared to hope, and scared of the outcome. That was a lot of fear.
“Desmond, I’d also like to take your blood as well. You have the same markers as Stefan, and while
you’re not as good of a match for the bone marrow, you’re older and your blood is stronger. That will
help when we need it for the conversion.”
“Of course,” Desmond agreed with a nod. “Whatever you need.”
“Okay, then let’s do this,” Riley said with a smile. “I know it’s been a long day, but I don’t want to

wait.  Micah,  start  drinking  as  much  blood  as  you  can,  my  mate.  I’m  going  to  need  your  help  to
replenish. Has anyone talked to my grandmother and checked on Carolyn?”
“Only about every hour,” Elena snorted, shooting her son a glance.
“We  were  gone  yesterday  and  most  of  today.  It’s  our  first  time  being  away  from  her,”  Micah
defended, crossing his arms over his chest. I smiled as his family ribbed and teased him, lightening
the mood before the next wave of drama started. I really hoped Emmett and I made it to that point one
day. I really did.
Everything  moved  really  fast  after  that.  Emmett  and  I  went  with  Riley  into  his  trauma  room.  He
explained to us that this wasn’t going to be done like normal bone marrow transplants where he gave
Emmett chemotherapy, allowed the marrow to  grow  some  on  its  own,  and  blah,  blah,  blah  of  shit  I
didn’t understand. All it boiled down to was that we trusted Riley and he knew what was going on.
Cyrus came in with two pints of blood, one he’d taken from Stefan and one from Desmond. Then he
hooked them up to Emmett. He told us that Desmond and Stefan were downing more blood so Riley
could  take  more  from  them  later. Yeah,  the  whole  thing  was  confusing,  but  Riley  said  having  their
blood,  which  was  stronger  and  could  heal  in  ways  humans  couldn’t,  would  destroy  some  of  the
cancer before he did his thing.
“So I think we should look for a house when this is all over,” I said to Emmett as he lay there and I
held his hand. “Now that you know we’re mates and not my boy toy, I want to give you a real home.”
“I’d like that. Us having a home sounds nice. Stefan said something about us living with them, and I
like their family. I just think it might be too much. I’m not used to real family and there’s  so many of
them.”
“I have a friend who just got a vineyard,” I hedged, an idea forming. “I might call him and see about
him letting us build on his land. Most of the places around here are estates or huge mansions. I don’t
really think that’s for us. Plus, I’d feel better knowing his mates, the people who live with them, and
the workers were close to you in case I have to go on a mission or something.”
“Tell me about what you do again?” Emmett gave me a wink. “And not some bullshit line now that
you know I know about vampires.”
“Right,  I  forgot  how  little  I’ve  gotten  to  tell  you.”  I  chuckled,  trying  to  downplay  it,  but  it  hurt  my
heart.
“Yeah, this can’t be the mating honeymoon you’ve dreamed of.” I saw the pain in Emmett’s eyes at
what he said.
“Hey, none of that,” I said gently, kissing him softly. “People have delayed honeymoons all the time
after mating or getting married. We’re just one of those couples. We’ll have a great honeymoon after
this  is  all  over.  We’ll  go  somewhere  we’ve  always  dreamed  about  and  do  all  the  most  romantic
things two people on a honeymoon can do.”
“You really are the bestest mate,” he whispered, kissing me this time.
“I think you are.” I was being honest, but Emmett just rolled his eyes.
I decided to switch the topic and tell him about being a warrior. I explained about the compound and
demons and the war going on and how things had changed recently and the demons were coming after
us  now.  I  filled  him  in  on  how  Riley  had  made  great  weapons  that  made  us  fighting  the  demons  so
much safer when I could tell Emmett was getting worried.
Emmett shocked me when he asked me if I could teach him how to shoot so if something happened
and we were attacked, he could help protect our home and not just be a liability. I fell just a little bit
more  in  love  with  him.  My  mate  was  a  warrior  at  heart  and  so  brave.  I’d  never  known  anyone  so
resilient in my life.

I promised as soon as he was better, I’d teach him how to shoot, and when he was ready, I’d even get
him his own gun. He seemed to like the idea, smiling as he said it meant the world to him that I had
faith in him like that. He really was amazing, my mate.
“I’d actually like to try and help around the vineyard if that’s okay? I don’t have an education or
anything so I can’t be much help besides manual labor.” He held up a hand when I went to argue. “I
want to get my GED. Patrick was telling me how he got his and I want that. But school never was a
big deal to me and I’ve always liked working with my hands. I really like the idea of helping in the
greenhouses or making wine. That would be so cool.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged.” I stared at him for a while until I saw he was starting to squirm under
my gaze. “You really are full of surprises.”
“Because I’m willing to get dirty and pick grapes?” he asked, giving me a confused look.
“No.” I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re so adaptable. I mention the vineyard and already you are
coming up with plans, getting excited about helping out. I just think you’re amazing.”
“I think you are, too,” Emmett whispered, his cheeks heating up. “It never crossed your mind to walk
away from me or our mating even when we were talking about me dying in a couple of months.”
“Of course not!” I gasped, my eyes getting wide. “I couldn’t leave you alone to deal with all of this.”
“And that’s why you’re so amazing, Travis.” He gave me a smile and raised our joined hands to his
lips. “Not everyone would be willing to go through all of this pain and turmoil for someone they just
met. But it never entered your mind to bail.”
“You’re my other half, darlin’,” I said, and that explained it all to me, even if it didn’t to him.
“I’m glad—” he started and then gasped. Emmett let go of my hand and grabbed his stomach.
“Something’s wrong, Travis. It hurts.”
“Okay, let me go get Riley.” I stood and turned toward the door just as I heard a thunk on the metal
table. I whipped around back to my mate, my eyes going wide as he thrashed on the table, his eyes
rolling up into his head. I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed my head off. “Riley! Help!
We need help in here!” I cupped my mate’s face and kissed his lips. “Dear god, please don’t take him
from me.”
I knew I wouldn’t survive it.

Chapter 7

Travis

“What happened?” Riley asked as he came racing into the room with Cyrus right behind him.

“He grabbed his stomach and said it hurt. I turned to go get you and he started convulsing. What the
fuck is going on, Riley?”
“I don’t know.” He gently grabbed on my mate’s shoulders and closed his eyes. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! His
body is trying to convert on its own. This shouldn’t be happening.”
“What do we do? Save him!”
Riley ignored me and started barking out orders, pushing me out of the way. He hollered for Stefan
and Desmond, who burst through the doors seconds later. I slid down against the wall, no longer able
to hold myself up as I watched my mate thrash on the table. I was going to watch my mate die.
Eventually they stopped, and distantly I heard Riley tell me that they were pulling out as much of
Emmett’s blood before they were going to flood him with Stefan’s and Desmond’s. I think he realized
what he said wasn’t getting through to me because then he called out for Elena. Sometime later I
realized she was sitting next to me, holding my hand. When had she gotten there? Everything was like

a haze that I just couldn’t pull out of.
I  heard  a  machine  beeping  slowly,  the  frequency  decreasing  until  there  was  just  one  long  beep.  I
buried my head in my knees, knowing what that meant. Emmett was dead. My mate was gone.
“Just kill me now,” I sobbed. “I can’t live without my mate.”
“Travis, snap out of it,” Elena growled, smacking me upside the head really hard and then again on
my shoulder. “This is part of forcing the conversion. Riley did this with Patrick.”
“What? How? He’s dead.”
“You really didn’t hear a word they’ve been saying, have you?” She grabbed my head and made me
look over to Emmett just in time to watch Riley stab him with the biggest needle I’ve ever seen.
“Okay,  let’s  shock  him,”  Riley  said  as  he  took  paddles  from  Cyrus.  He  did  it  once,  but  nothing.
“Come  on,  Emmett.  You  were  strong  enough  to  skip  the  first  part  of  my  plan.  Fight  now  with  all
you’ve got, buddy.” He shocked my mate again, his body jerking violently. Then I cried in relief as I
heard the heart monitor go again. “Alright, start pumping the blood into him.”
Cyrus  nodded  and  flicked  some  switches  on  yet  another  machine.  Riley  put  the  paddles  away  and
moved over to us, eyeing me over.
“Is he out of shock yet? Can I fill him in?”
“What’s going on?” I asked him, thinking he was asking Elena about me. “What were you trying to tell
me?”
“Everything,” Riley said gently as he knelt in front of me. “But I’ll just tell you where we’re at. We
drained Emmett of his blood, injected Desmond’s into his heart, and got it beating again. That’s good.
That’s the main big hurdle. Now we’re going to flood his body with Desmond’s and Stefan’s. He’s
not out of the woods yet, Travis, and I still don’t know how he skipped steps in my plan, but it’s a
good sign of how strong he is.”
“Okay, what happens next?”
“His  body  goes  through  a  modified  version  of  our  transition  basically.  It’s  going  to  be  rough.  He’s
going to convulse, be in pain once he’s conscious again, probably pass out from the pain again, and
then have seizures. I know I didn’t have a chance to explain this part to you, but it’s going to be bad,
Travis. It’s going to kill you to watch, but it has to happen. There’s no going back now.”
“Just save him. I don’t care if it’s hard on me. You bring my mate back to me!” My voice sounded
horrible and strangled, and Riley gave me a sympathetic look.
“I’ll  do  everything  I  can,”  Riley  said  gently,  patting  my  knee  before  standing  and  going  back  to  my
mate.
I sighed when I took in Emmett’s body. His coloring looked good and the beeps from the heart-rate
monitor  were  loud  and  consistent.  Just  as  I  started  to  relax,  Emmett’s  eyes  snapped  open  and  he
screamed before turning his head and vomiting blood.
“Victor!”  Elena  shouted  as  I  lunged  to  get  up.  She  tackled  me,  stronger  than  I  would  ever  have
imagined for a woman her size. “Don’t, Travis. Stay out of the way.”
“He’s throwing up blood, Elena,” I growled, trying to get her off me without hurting her.
“He’s  expelling  the  sick  blood  that  was  left  in  his  body.  I  heard  what  Riley  was  saying.  This  is
good,” she argued as Victor came in and practically sat on my chest. “It means it’s working, Travis.”
“Okay, just let me up so I can see him.” Victor nodded and moved me back against the wall, both of
them  holding  on  to  me  tightly  from  either  side.  Emmett  stopped  vomiting  and  the  heart-rate  monitor
picked up, beating so fast I felt my eyes go wide. Fuck! Was his heart going to leap out of his chest?
“Patrick  went  through  this  part.  I  was  here  for  it,”  Victor  said  calmly.  I  nodded  that  I  heard  him,
whimpering when Emmett started seizing.

It felt like the cycle went on for days. I knew it was hours, but damn, watching my mate in that much
pain, it seemed like so much longer. He only threw up blood a few more times and then it was just the
rapid heartbeat and seizing. I use the term only loosely. I was in hell and I could only imagine how
bad it was for my mate. I mean, it looked like the shit he was going through hurt to say the least.
After about a half an hour of Emmett’s heart not racing, no seizures, or throwing up, Riley plopped
onto  the  floor  in  front  of  us,  looking  as  if  he’d  just  run  several  marathons.  Micah  was  immediately
there offering his wrist to his mate so Riley could still focus on us. He nodded his understanding and
drank from his mate. When Riley was done, he licked the bite closed and looked at me.
“He made it through the transition. I’ll be honest and tell you that I don’t have a clue what’s going to
come next. I know for Patrick, he was a horny, thirsty little bugger, so you might want to start drinking
up so Emmett won’t hurt you if he keeps biting you. But since his body not only just went through his
transition but is fighting off the cancer and expelling it from his body, he may be out for a few days. I
just don’t know.”
“But he will wake up again, right?” That was my greatest concern. I didn’t care if Emmett drank from
me  for  three  days  straight  and  wanted  blow  jobs  until  I  had  lockjaw  and  couldn’t  speak.  I’d  do
anything for him. I just wanted to see his eyes open.
“I don’t like to guarantee things when I’m winging it.” Riley held up a hand when I opened my mouth
to protest. “I see no reason why he won’t wake up, Travis. It worked. But it’s not like connecting the
dots. And I don’t know if there’s any cancer left in him or how his body might handle what he’s been
through. So for now, just start drinking so we’re prepared.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I said, taking his hand in mine and letting him see the relief and gratitude on my
face.
“He’s family, even if his last name isn’t Marius.” The doc gave me a wink and patted my hand with
his free one. “We stick together as a race and that’s how we survive.”
“Call us if you need anything or Emmett wakes up,” Micah said as he stood and lifted Riley into his
arms. “My mate will be resting in the next room.” Riley opened his mouth to argue but snapped it shut
when he saw Micah’s expression. “He needs to take a break.”
“Of course,” I agreed as I got to my feet and moved over by my mate. Victor brought me a few bags of
blood to get started as I ran my fingers over Emmett’s soft curls. By the third one I swear I could feel
it gurgling around in my stomach. Normally when I had to chug blood, it was because I was injured,
or needed replenishing. But that wasn’t the case right now. Instead I was preplenishing… If that was
even a word.
“Mine,”  a  voice  croaked  softly,  and  I  felt  a  hand  on  my  groin.  My  gaze  snapped  down  to  Emmett,
whose  eyes  were  open,  but  barely  in  that  sleepy,  exhausted  look.  I  saw  his  fangs  pop  out  over  his
bottom lip and wanted to sob with relief.
“Always yours,” I said gently as I bit into my wrist and moved it over his mouth. “You need to drink.”
I wasn’t sure if he was strong enough yet to bite me and take what he needed. Man, and I thought Riley
looked wiped. Emmett couldn’t even lift his head and didn’t look like he had the energy to swat a fly.
He gave a slight nod and started drinking from me as his hand fondled my cock through my jeans. I
moaned as he drank, smiling when I felt his fangs enter my flesh. Guess it was working. When he was
done, he sighed and pulled away from my wrist, smiling as if he’d quenched his thirst.
“Why am I so tired?” he whispered, staring up at me with those big eyes. “Patrick said he was hyper
and fucked Stefan for a day straight.”
“He didn’t have cancer to fight as well,” I answered, cupping his cheek. “Riley said your body’s been
through a lot and it might take you a few days to recover.”

“Then  keep  this  ready  for  me.”  Emmett  gave  me  a  wink  and  patted  my  groin.  “I’m  really  tired,
Travis.”
“Can you stay awake long enough for Riley to check you out?”
“Sure,”  he  mumbled,  his  eyes  already  closed.  I  called  for  Riley,  and  the  doc  came  racing  into  the
room a few moments later. He checked Emmett’s machines and reading, listening to his heart and a
few other quick things.
“He’s  fine,”  Riley  announced,  looking  as  relieved  as  I  felt.  “Give  him  a  few  days  of  rest,  and
Wednesday I’ll run a full battery of tests to make sure everything went as we wanted and the cancer is
really gone. His body needs time to adjust to being one of us before I check him out completely.”
“Okay,” Emmett slurred. “I go sleepy now. Love you, Travis.” His breathing evened out and he was
sleeping before I could even reply. My heart soared at his declaration. I refused to get caught up in the
idea that it was too early for us to be in love after less than two days of knowing each other. Hell,
we’d been through years of drama in that time… Why couldn’t we know how we felt already?
“You  can  take  him  up  to  your  room,”  Riley  said  quietly  as  he  unhooked  my  mate  from  the  medical
machines.  “I’ll  have  someone  bring  up  a  large  cooler  of  blood. You  guys  are  going  to  need  it.  Just
make sure he drinks and eats a lot because his body must have it.”
“Thank you again. I owe you my life, Riley.”
“No  you  don’t.”  He  chuckled,  shaking  his  head  a  moment  before  meeting  my  gaze.  “Micah  told  me
how you saved his ass on a mission once. If you hadn’t been there and selflessly thrown yourself in
front of that demon, my mate might not have made it. I wouldn’t ever have met him and we wouldn’t
have our lives together or our daughter. You of all people owe me nothing for helping, Travis.”
“So does that mean you don’t even want a thank-you present?” I raised an eyebrow and gave him a
smirk. “Because I’m known for giving great gifts.”
“Sure. A fruit basket sounds great.” Riley laughed and started to leave the room so I could collect my
mate. “But I have a feeling that’s not what you meant.”
“Nope.” I smiled, feeling exhausted from everything that happened but elated it all worked out.
I lifted my mate into my arms, wrapped in the blanket Riley had covered Emmett up with when this all
started, and met Victor in the lobby. He was holding a huge cooler full of blood and followed us up to
my room. Once Emmett was tucked into bed, I thanked Victor as he left, pulled off all my clothes, and
crawled in between the sheets next to my mate. I pulled him into my arms and thanked the powers that
be that he survived and was mine.
* * * *
Emmett

I woke up dying of thirst, starving, and so hard that I was afraid my dick might break off. I

honestly couldn’t say which was the worst, but as I lay there a moment, realizing Travis was wrapped
around me as if I was the most precious thing in the world… Thirst won. I didn’t even understand
what was going on until I turned in his arms and sank my fangs into his neck.

“Fuck, darlin’!” Travis exclaimed, wrapping his arms back around us and rolling so that I was

straddling him. “Warn a guy, would ya?”
I  grunted  an  answer  as  I  started  humping  him  like  a  dog  in  heat.  Travis  helped  me  out  by  reaching
down  and  taking  both  of  our  dicks  into  his  big  hand.  The  friction  was  fantastic  and  it  only  took
seconds to set me off. But I was far from done.
Travis  hollered  out  my  name  and  came,  shooting  all  over  his  stomach.  The  smell  hit  me  with  the
subtlety of a two-by-four, and I needed it. I pulled my fangs out of his neck and shimmied down his
firm body. When I got to his groin I grabbed his hand, which he had moved out of my way when I had,

and licked his semen off his fingers.
“Oh god, even cum tastes better,” I moaned and licked him. I wasn’t even registering what Travis was
doing, too caught up in my fun. As soon as his hand was clean, I did the same with his stomach and
groin. And then I needed more blood. I was so damn thirsty I felt manic almost. Without a thought in
my head as to whether it would hurt or not, I found myself biting Travis where his right leg met his
body.
“Yes!” I guess he did like it. “Darlin’, you are taking me places I’ve never been before.” I smiled,
getting ideas of my own then.
“Lube,” I growled around his flesh. Next thing I knew a tube of slick was being pushed into my hand.
Quickly, I poured some on my fingers and pushed two in Travis’s ass. Then I pulled out my fangs and
bit him on the other side of his body, mirror image, at the same time I rubbed his prostate.
My mate went wild, humping the air even though I had my fangs in him. “Oh god, Emmett. Shit, you
are one kinky little vampire.” I froze at the last word and pulled my fangs out of him, staring down at
where I’d bitten. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m a vampire,” I whispered, my eyes darting between the bite marks I’d given him.
“Yeah,” Travis hedged, rubbing his hands up my legs. “You drinking blood from me not give that one
away?”
“No, yes, maybe?” I sighed as I rubbed my hands through my hair. “I wasn’t thinking. It was instinct. I
just  needed  to  drink  as  much  as  I’m  starving  and  horny,  but  I  wasn’t  thinking  of why  I  needed  so
badly.”
“Are you okay with being one? I know I’ve got a lot to fill you in on—”
“I don’t remember anything after telling you my stomach hurt.” I hadn’t meant to cut him off, more like
that news just popped right into my mind. “I’m fine with being one, especially if I get to live. Am I
going to live?”
“Riley says yes. He just wants to check you over on Wednesday to make sure the cancer’s all gone
and you’re going to be fine. But you went through the transition so you’re one of us now.”
“Okay, cool.” I nodded, still staring at the bites. A little blood welled up on his leg and I felt my fangs
with my tongue. “Then the rest can wait until I’m thinking straight because I can’t seem to focus too
well right now.”
“Blood and boners, right?”
“Huh?” I looked up at his face and saw his handsome smirk.
“That’s what my family used to call it when someone was going through their transition. My daddy
would say, ‘Heads up, it’s blood and boners time!’”
“That’s funny.” I giggled. I stared into his eyes, loving how the amber color caught the light. “So I get
to live and we get to be together forever. You good with that?”
“Oh yeah,” he growled as he rolled us over. My fingers slipped out of his ass. I had forgotten they
were in there while lost in my thoughts. “Let me show you how much while you drink from me some
more.”
“I’m not going to drain you or anything, right?” He shook his head and chuckled at my comment as he
slicked  up  his  fingers  before  spreading  my  legs.  “How  will  I  know  when  I’ve  taken  enough  or  too
much? I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Travis got a cold look in his eyes as he pushed a finger into me roughly. “Do you need to drink from
anyone but me? Am I not enough for you?”
“I–I  don’t  know,”  I  stuttered,  getting  frightened.  “Are  you?  I–I  don’t  know  how  m–much  blood  v–
vampires need.”

He gave me a sharp nod and pushed in another finger, scissoring them around. “You don’t ever drink
from anyone but me, ever. It’s sensual in nature and basically considered cheating in our world unless
an  emergency  and  then  you  drink  from  someone’s  wrists.  But  we  drink  from  each  other  and  bags.
Hunting or drinking from humans isn’t allowed, unless, again, it’s an emergency.”
“I don’t want to hurt you or take too much from you, Travis.” He seemed to calm down then, giving
me a wink.
“I’ll show you the ropes and how to do it. For now, take what you need, and if it gets to be too much,
I’ll stop you. I was drinking before you woke up and I love that I’m giving you what you need.”
“You  always  do,”  I  whispered  as  I  pulled  him  down  to  me.  I  didn’t  think  Travis  handled  that  very
well,  but  I  got  that  I  didn’t  understand  everything  about  their  ways  yet.  Plus,  my  mate  had  been  put
through the wringer since meeting me as well, so I was willing to let his reaction slide. I had a feeling
my mate was a very jealous man though.
“Where are you?” he asked gently against my lips.
“Reeling  about  everything  we’ve  been  through  since  I  showed  up  on  your  doorstep.”  It  wasn’t  the
complete truth, but it wasn’t a lie either.
“Best day of my life though. I’d been so sad and lonely and then fate brought this hot little bombshell
to  my  door.  I  wanted  to  do  cartwheels  and  thank  my  lucky  stars.”  He  kissed  me  softly,  and  I  knew
what he was saying was the truth. Travis stretched me quickly but thoroughly, and moments later, he
was inside of me.
“I love you, Travis.”
“And I love you, little darlin’,” he replied with a wide smile. He tilted his neck as he kept thrusting
into  me.  “Always  will  love  you  most,  Emmett.”  I  leaned  up  and  licked  his  neck  with  a  grin  on  my
face.  I’d  never  heard  anyone  phrase  their  love  for  someone  like  that,  and  it  was  as  special  and
wonderful as Travis.
And he was all mine.

Chapter 8

Travis

“You are insatiable,” I grunted as I pounded into my mate Wednesday morning. We’d been having

a nonstop sex-a-palooza in between eating and drinking down bags of blood.

“Yeah, I’ve heard more sex in these showers the past couple of days than I have the past year,”

my friend Clove called out. “Keep it up and you’re going to come out here with a line of us lined up,
whacking off.”

“Go ahead.” Emmett giggled as he gave me a smile. “You can watch if Travis wants. I’m not

shy.”
“Really?” I gasped, so turned on I thought I was going to melt into the floor. He nodded and I threw
back the shower curtain, never slowing down. Emmett’s back was against the tile, his legs wrapped
around my hips as I slammed my cock into him. It was hot, kinky sex, and I loved it as much as him.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” Clove groaned. I knew there was more than just him but I was focused on my mate.
“You guys have been fucking for days straight.”
“My mate has the best cock ever.” Emmett cried out as I changed the angle, nailing his prostate as I
mashed my mouth down to his. After a few moments, he pulled his mouth away and sank his fangs into
my shoulder. I screamed in pleasure and came. My body was covered with bites. I’d asked him to
close them but not keep licking them so they didn’t heal. I wore them like a badge of honor at the

pleasure I gave my mate.
As I was filling him with my seed, I slipped a finger into his ass alongside my cock. Emmett lifted his
head and roared as he climaxed. I couldn’t help but smile at a job well done as I finished my own
peak.
“Just as I think I’ve had the best orgasm of my life, you give me one that’s even better.”
“I feel the same way, darlin’,” I whispered against his neck as we both came down from our bliss.
When we were calm, I pulled out of him and lowered him to his feet, his bad ankle long since healed.
I glanced over at Clove and saw Vega was there as well plus a few I couldn’t see but I could smell in
the bathroom. I made a show of turning so my back was to the water and Emmett was leaning his face
and shoulders on my chest.
Then I reached down with the soap and started to slowly wash his firm ass, making sure they saw his
well-used hole.
“I brought the plug in here to keep your seed in me today,” Emmett said lazily as he snuggled against
me. I glanced around the shower stall until I found it. I grabbed it before all my cum leaked out of him
and slipped it inside of him.
“I want one,” Vega moaned right before he came. Clove wasn’t far behind, and it got me hot knowing
how badly they wanted my mate. Sure, it was something I’d never played around with before, having
my friends watch me with someone, but if I was here it didn’t bother me. If they had been watching
Emmett shower when he was alone or something I would have been pissed enough to spit out nails.
I was a possessive and jealous bastard… So what? With a mate as hot as mine, I had every right to
be.
“Do I get to nap while you go to your secret meeting?” Emmett asked, focusing my attention back on
him and not just his ass, which I was still playing with. I realized he was still wiped out and quickly
started to clean him up. We had been having a lot of sex, and I didn’t think that had been Riley’s idea
of rest.
“Yup.” I chuckled. My mate thought he was being subtle when bringing up my meeting over and over
again. “You want breakfast before naptime?”
“No, I just need something to drink and not blood. I can’t get over that I keep being thirsty for both. I
would have thought blood would hydrate me.”
“Normally blood can sometimes when I have it, but after everything you had, I’m not surprised you
need both,” I explained tenderly. He nodded and stepped out of the shower when I was done washing
him. He dried off as I took the world’s fastest shower and we met by the sink to brush our teeth. Then
I lifted him into my arms as he held all of our stuff and carried him back to our room.
“I’m never going to build up my strength if you keep carrying me everywhere, Travis.” He gave me
the evil eye but it was ruined by the smirk he had on his lips.
“You’ll survive.” I shook my head at his antics. My mate was awesome. It wasn’t just that he had a
big heart or the sex that was off the charts. No, he was fun. I could have a blast just hanging out with
Emmett or talking about anything under the sun. We fit, plain and simple.
By the time I had him tucked into bed with some sports drink and I was dressed, I was running a few
minutes behind for my meeting. I put my vampire speed into my run, and seconds later, I was out the
back door of the warrior compound racing over to Zane’s house.
Zane and I had been buddies for a long time. We weren’t very tight, definitely not best friends or as
close as he was to Darcy or Isaac. But we hung out. If we saw each other at the gym or sometimes
after training we were both in, we’d go catch dinner together or have some drinks. It just wasn’t like
when something happened he was the first person I called. That was Vega. He was my person.

Well, now Emmett was my person, but Vega was my oldest and dearest friend.
Zane had recently mated a set of Irish twins, brogues and all. Sometimes it was hard to understand the
guys but they were fine. Hell, I’d flirted with them before I knew they were Zane’s mates. Isaac and
his  mate,  Rory,  had  bought  them  an  abandoned  vineyard  that  abutted  the  warrior  compound’s
property. Their gift, like all vampires had one special gift, was plant life.
They hadn’t gotten all that far on the vineyard, focusing mostly on the fruits and vegetables they were
growing in the greenhouses, but what they had done was flourishing as if it had been months. It was a
really cool gift in my opinion. It was a rare gift, too. I’d met a few people who could throw energy
blasts like I could. It wasn’t standard, but it was somewhat common for warriors to have that gift.
It was handy in battle.
“Ya be late,” one of the twins accused me as I slowed down as I got to the front porch. They had to
have heard me coming because all three of them were waiting in the open doorway.
“Sorry, Emmett and I got distracted in the shower and then he needed to rest. He’s either horny as hell
or ready to sleep on his feet.” I shrugged. The horny was normal after going through a transition, but I
figured the tiredness was from everything else surrounding it. Including his body being forced into it.
“No worries if you can tell which one I am,” he replied with an evil grin.
“You guys suck,” I whined, trying for pitiful but failing since I couldn’t help but smile. They did this
to me every time I saw them. “You’re both hot and wonderful. It’s not my fault you’re  identical and I
can’t tell you apart!”
“Leave  the  man  be.”  The  other  snickered  as  Zane  bit  his  lip  to  keep  from  laughing.  “I’ve  got  those
apples for ya that you said Emmett liked.”
“Oh! Then you’re Banning,” I said to him as I stuck my tongue out at Brian. “I talked to him about the
apples.”
“Aye,  but  Banning  told  me  and  I  have  the  better  memory,”  the  one  I  thought  was  Banning,  but  was
actually Brian, threw back at me.
“Ever thought of name tags?” I grumbled as I stepped inside and they led me over to the living room.
They all busted out laughing at that idea. “Seriously! I can’t be the first to bring it up.”
“No, ya not be. We be laughing at how  often people suggest it,” Brian answered as we all sat down.
“The wolves can always tell us apart because we smell different to them.”
“How? You guys have the same genetic makeup, being identical.” Yeah, I wasn’t sure how I got they
smelled differently.
“Brian  uses  a  different  brand  of  deodorant  than  I  do,”  Banning  answered  with  a  shrug.  “We  asked
Ayden the same thing. Go figure, right?”
“Yeah, I’d have to get way too close to check that for myself, unlike the wolves, and I’m a mated man
now.”
“Congrats again, by the way,” Zane said with a smile. “So Emmett’s doing okay? I can’t even imagine
how you’re holding up with all of this.”
“He’s alive. The rest I could give two shits about. So he’s tired and needs lots of nourishment. Hell,
I’d be worried if he didn’t after what he went through. He’s getting stronger every day, and every day
I fall just a little bit more in love with him. We’re good. Happy.” I smiled, thinking of this morning’s
shower  and  coming  back  to  why  I  was  there.  “Needing  to  get  out  of  the  warrior  dorms.  We  gave
everyone a show this morning and people are bitching how often we fuck in the showers.”
“Poor babies.” Brian snickered. I looked at them a moment, taking in the way one twin sat on either
side of Zane on their couch, looking so comfortable together that it just seemed natural. I wanted that
with Emmett. “So what be ya proposal?”

“I  don’t  have  one.  I  don’t  want  to  buy  a  big  ass  estate,  and  with  the  demon  threat  getting  worse,  it
wouldn’t be safe. We shouldn’t be expanding our perimeter until we need to. I know we’ve got some
vamps here now that were living among humans, and more coming, but that doesn’t mean Emmett and
I  could  do  what  Darcy  and  Ayden  are.  I  just  don’t  think  it’s  us.  Sure,  we’ll  help  but  we  want
something simpler and just ours. Neither of us have ever really had that.”
“So you want to build a place here?” Zane asked, glancing at his mates in turn. “How big?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, feeling underprepared, and sighing. “I can’t imagine more than
just a three-bedroom ranch. Emmett and I would need to talk about it first, but I wanted to see if you’d
even be open to it before I took him the possibility. We wouldn’t need more than half an acre or so. I
mentioned the vineyard to him and maybe building a place here, and he lit up at the idea. He said he’d
love to help you guys work here and there’s so many warriors and wolves around all the time, he’d
be safe.”
“We’ve got that rocky area by the apple grove,” Brian hedged, rubbing his chin. “We want to expand
it  toward  the  greenhouses,  but  the  part  back  by  the  property  line  would  be  more  trouble  than  it  be
worth to dig up. We’d have to dig down too far for the trees to have room to grow big one day. It’s by
the service road, so you could build ya own driveway.”
“That sounds great! Emmett loves apples. I’m sure he’d help you anytime he could. He wants to earn
his keep and didn’t like school enough to get a degree.”
“Aye, it would be safer for him if he was working with us when ya be off at work,” Banning agreed
with a nod. “I be all for having more friends close to us.”
“Could we meet ya mate first and make sure we all would be liking each other first?” Brian asked
hesitantly.
“I  think  that’s  a  great  idea,”  I  answered  with  a  nod.  If  they  were  going  to  be  living  on  the  same
property  and  working  day  in  and  day  out  together,  it  only  made  sense  to  make  sure  the  chemistry
would be right. “We could bring by pizzas tonight and then you can show us around before we go any
further with this discussion.”
Zane  glanced  at  both  his  mates,  who  were  nodding,  before  turning  to  me.  “Sounds  like  a  plan.  We
look forward to meeting the man that has you smiling so much.”
I stood and shook each of their hands. “I’m not worried. It’s just a formality in my mind. Emmett’s so
easygoing  that  everyone  who’s  met  him  has  adored  him.  Hell,  Damian  seems  bummed  that  he’s
Stefan’s grandson and not Damian’s nephew or something. They are getting to be really tight.”
“Good deal.” Zane looked happy for me, which I appreciated since mating Emmett certainly hadn’t
been easy.
We  agreed  that  I’d  be  over  with  Emmett  and  dinner  after  our  afternoon  warrior  meeting.  All  the
warriors were a little on edge but excited because we were going to meet some of the fae that were
coming over to our plane. The head of the Council, Barnabas Leopold, was half fae and had met his
grandmother, the Queen of the fae, and it turned out they needed to leave their home.
The Council had voted unanimously that they were welcome to start integrating themselves into our
coven while talking to other covens around the world. I guess there weren’t many of the fae left, but
there were still a lot of them. Too many to have all in one coven.
I smiled as I walked back to the warrior compound. It was an exciting time we lived in. Granted, all
of it wasn’t good with the demons getting organized and bringing the fight to us. But at the same time,
we had the weapons now where the war was turning so we had the advantage.
I  did  like  the  way  my  people  were  opening  their  arms  to  others  though.  There  wasn’t  any  of  that
interspecies bullshit or fighting that I’d seen in other parts of the world when I traveled on missions.

No one here cared if the wolves moved in and now the fae. We were all on the same side, and I was
proud of my people who welcomed them.
I’d just walked through the back door, heading towards the mess hall, when Vega came running up to
me.
“There you are,” he panted as he caught his breath. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“Is Emmett okay?” I asked, the question instinctual almost when something was up. He was my first
priority.
“God, Travis. I don’t know how to tell you this, and I’m not sure if it’s even what I think it might be
but  I  had  to  find  you.”  Now  I  was  starting  to  panic.  “Did  you  explain  to  Emmett  what  being  mated
meant? I mean, does he know it’s like being married?”
“Yes, why?” I felt my blood go cold. “Please tell me what’s going on, Vega.”
“I saw Emmett coming into the mess hall to get food but he saw Ferris and practically tackled him.
They looked like they knew each other really well and then I heard Ferris say they should go to his
room.”
“No,” I whispered, clutching my chest. I didn’t even wait for Vega to finish, turning and racing off to
Ferris’s room. What I saw when I got there broke my soul. Emmett was in Ferris’s arms, hugging the
man, and I’m not talking about a hug I’d give friends or my brothers. This was the hug of two people
who knew each other intimately. Plus, Ferris’s hands were on my mate’s ass, squeezing it firmly.
I  couldn’t  find  my  voice.  I  was  way  down  the  hall,  hiding  in  the  shadows  as  they  touched  while
standing in the doorway of Ferris’s room. My mate laughed at something Ferris said and gave him a
loud,  smacking  kiss  on  the  lips.  I  turned  away,  unable  to  witness  any  more  as  my  heart  shattered.
Emmett was cheating on me… Already! I mean, I never condoned cheating, but I was pretty sure if it
happened, it wouldn’t normally be within the first week of mating.
I didn’t even realize where I was going until I reached the mess hall. I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet and
my  head  was  always  clearer  after  I  had  some  coffee.  Vega  came  toward  me,  and  I  shook  my  head,
holding up a hand for him to back off. He nodded and took his tray over to an empty table. I wasn’t
ready  to  talk  about  it  yet.  Hell,  I  wasn’t  ready  to  know  what  I thought  yet.  I’d  just  caught  my  mate
standing in the doorway of another man’s room, in his arms, and then kissing him.
Life as I knew it was over.
* * * *
Emmett

“Ferris?” I screeched when I saw him in the mess hall. I’d told Travis I wasn’t hungry and wanted

to sleep, but after an hour nap I woke with my stomach growling. I never thought I’d go for food and
find one of my old clients here where Travis worked and lived.

He turned to face me fully and smiled. “What are you doing here?”

I shouted in excitement and launched myself at the man. Oh, it was good to see a friendly face after all
I’d been through. It wasn’t anything against Travis or any of the Marius family, but I’d known Ferris
for years.
“Did you finally break away from that asshole pimp?” he asked me under his breath so no one else
would hear. “Tell me you did.”
“I did.” I giggled.
“Good, then let’s go up to my room for some privacy.” Ferris wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I
couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
“To talk only, Ferris. I’m off the market but I’ll fill you in.”
“Color me intrigued,” he purred jokingly. He set me on my feet and wrapped his beefy arm around my

shoulders. “I have a feeling I know some of the story since you no longer smell human. You’re the one
who Riley just forced into their transition. How did I not know you were part vampire?”
“I didn’t even know.” I shrugged as we left the mess hall and he led me to his room. “Stefan Marius is
my grandpa I guess.”
“Wait—what? Start at the beginning.” Ferris looked down at me with wide eyes. I almost laughed. I
really liked Ferris. He was one of the good ones.
I started to fill him in about how I met Damian Marius and his offer and then leaving my pimp and
catching a cab to the warrior compound.
“I  offered  you  help,  too,  Emmett,”  he  said  quietly  as  he  opened  the  door  to  his  room  when  we  got
there. “Why did you go to Damian?”
“Do you know how many guys I’ve had offer to sweep me off my feet and keep me as their private
whore over the years? Damian was different. He didn’t know what I was when we met, and I knew he
was mated so it wasn’t like he wanted me in that way. He just wanted to help me.”
“And you thought I did? I’ve always treated you with respect.” It was true.
“It’s  not  like  that,”  I  sighed  and  leaned  against  the  doorframe.  He  raised  an  eyebrow  at  me  and
gestured for me to enter his room. I shook my head. “I’m mated to Travis now and I don’t think he’d
like me going into another man’s room until I fill him in on how I know you.”
“He  might  not  like  it  even  then.”  Ferris  winced  and  propped  his  shoulder  up  on  the  other  side.
“Newly mated vampires are incredibly possessive. So tell me why you went to Damian.”
“I can’t explain it really. Maybe it was fate’s way of getting me to find the family I didn’t know I had
and Travis. It was just like when my pimp blew again, I knew I had to go to Damian. Before I’d even
realized that’s where I was going, I was giving the cab driver the address when I ran.”
“Okay, then my feelings aren’t hurt anymore.” Ferris gave me a wink and I knew we were all good. I
filled  him  in  on  everything  that  had  happened  since,  meeting  Travis,  finding  out  I  was  dying,  then
meeting the Mariuses, and Riley turning me into a vampire. “Well, you’ve had a busy week to say the
least.”
“Right?” I laughed because that was like the understatement of the year. “But I’m happy, Ferris, really
happy.”
“Travis treat you right? You can tell me the truth.”
“He treats me like a prince and the best thing that ever happened to him. I love him.”
“Good deal. Alright, give me a hug and go find your mate. He needs to know that we’re friends or it
might cause problems later.” I nodded my agreement and stepped into his open arms. Ferris held me
tightly and moved his hands down to my ass. “I’m having a quick grope though because now I know
it’s the closest I’ll ever get to having this perfect ass. I wish you had ended up my mate.”
I took it as a compliment, but I filed away his pain in the back of my mind. I hoped Ferris found his
mate soon because he deserved to be as happy as I was with Travis. Everyone did.

Chapter 9

Emmett

I threw back my head and laughed as he squeezed my ass. Then I gave him a loud, smacking kiss

on the lips with no passion behind it. “You’ll find your perfect person, Ferris. You’re too good of a
guy not to have some wonderful waiting for you.”

“I hope so,” he mumbled as he let me go. “Promise me if Travis ever fucks up you’ll give me the

chance to sweep you off your feet.”

“You had more than enough chances to fuck me. Why are you saying this now?” That part I didn’t get.
“I didn’t care what you did and I never judged you for being a hooker. But I didn’t want you to ever
think that’s why I was trying for you, Emmett. I didn’t want you just for the sex. You’re a great guy
and I loved just hanging out with you. I just didn’t think we could start something real if it began with
money.”
“That’s fair.” He looked so sad that I couldn’t help but lean back into a hug. “You going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I just want a mate of my own. I’m much older than Travis, and sometimes it hurts to see some
of these young pups find their mates when I’ve been waiting so long.”
“You’ll find him. Fate’s too nice to leave someone as special as you without true love.”
“Thanks.”  He  chuckled,  moving  away  from  me  again.  “Go  find  your  mate  before  he  freaks  out  that
you’re not where you’re supposed to be.”
“I’ll see you around, right?” I asked after backing away a few steps.
“You betcha.” He gave me a quick wave and stepped into his room, closing the door behind him. I
felt bad as I walked back to the mess hall. I hadn’t wanted to make Ferris feel icky that I’d gone to
Damian.  Hell,  I  hadn’t  even  known  this  was  where  Ferris  lived.  All  I’d  had  for  him  was  a  cell
number that I’d lost when my pimp destroyed my phone. Maybe I should have told him that I couldn’t
have called him anyways? But then again, I knew I still would have gone to Damian.
My worried thoughts left me and I smiled when I saw my mate sitting in the mess hall. I walked over
to him and threw my arms around his neck from behind. “How did the meeting go?”
“Fine,” he ground out as he pulled me off of him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I sat down next to him, shocked at the upset vibes I was feeling. His face
was full of rage and what I thought to be hurt. What the fuck happened at that meeting? Before I could
get an answer we were interrupted.
“Hey, how are you feeling, little hottie?” Clove called out from a few tables away, giving me a wink.
I’d found out Clove was a huge flirt, but if I’d ever called his bluff, he would have blushed and turned
tail.  He  was  actually  really  shy,  which  I  found  endearing.  “You  need  some  extra  TLC  for  your
recovery?”
“He is mine!” Travis exclaimed, and in a flash I was bent over the table and I saw Travis’s hands had
shifted into claws right before he yanked down my jeans, tearing them in the process. Okaaay then.
“We’re doing this here?” I squeaked as he pulled out my butt plug and I heard the zipper of his jeans
go down.
“Now  you’re  suddenly  shy?”  He  snarled  as  he  fingered  my  hole,  nicking  me  a  little  with  his  claw.
Something was really going on here and I hadn’t a clue what it was. Travis mumbled something under
his breath and I knew I couldn’t have heard him right, but I swear it sounded like, “You still have his
seed inside of you.”
He who? I had Travis’s cum from this morning in me. I was so lost. I was still stretched out from this
morning and wearing the plug so Travis didn’t take time to prepare me. He slammed into me, not even
slicked up, and I was glad that I did have his cum in me because that lubed him up. Though there was
still some friction, but I didn’t mind that.
“Give them a show, my mate,” Travis growled as he started to pound into me. “Give them a sample.”
“What?” I gasped, holding on to the table so I didn’t go flying over it with how hard he was fucking
me. “What are you talking about?”
“You smell like him,” he accused.
“Have you lost your mind?” I moaned, trying to focus on what he was saying but couldn’t because of
the intense pleasure he was giving me.

“Travis,  do  you  really  want  to  do  this  here?”  his  friend  Vega  asked  gently  as  he  slowly  walked
towards us with his hands held out in surrender. “This isn’t you, buddy.” Vega gave Travis a look of
pity, but when his gaze turned to me, it was filled with hate.
“Don’t  tell  me  what  to  do  with  my  mate,”  Travis  snapped  as  he  yanked  my  head  to  the  side  so  my
neck  was  exposed.  “I’m  claiming  what’s  mine  for  all  to  see!”  He  sank  his  fangs  into  my  neck,  and
while there was always a bit of pain before blissful pleasure, this time it actually hurt. It wasn’t like
punch-to-the-face  hurt,  more  like  stubbing  my  toe,  but  Travis  was  always  so  gentle  with  me  that  it
was shocking.
I screamed as I came, shooting my load all over the floor. I heard Travis grunt around my flesh as he
drank,  filling  me  to  the  brink  and  then  some  with  his  seed.  He  kept  thrusting  through  our  orgasms,
drawing them out.
“Don’t forget who you belong to,” Travis said darkly as he pulled out of me. I felt more than saw him
right his clothes before he pulled back up my ripped jeans. Then I was up in his arms, still panting as
he carried me from the mess hall. My mate wouldn’t look at me, and I shivered from the pain and rage
on his face.
When  we  got  to  our  room,  he  opened  the  door  and  tossed  me  onto  the  bed  after  kicking  the  door
closed. He tore off my clothes savagely, and I felt tears burn in my eyes because I didn’t think it was
because he wanted me so badly. Something else was going on here and I didn’t like it.
“Oh yeah, we can get at least two hundred a pop for a body like this,” he said with an evil smile as he
ran his hands over my hips. I gasped as my eyes went wide with shock. “There are lots of hard-up
warriors here that would love a piece of ass like yours.”
“Stop  it,”  I  whispered,  pushing  away  his  hands  and  crawling  across  the  bed  from  him.  “What  has
gotten into you?”
He ignored me and kept going. “What’s my cut from your fun this morning? He did pay you, right?”
“What  are  you talking  about?”  I  shouted  as  I  leapt  off  the  bed.  I  reached  for  the  paper  towels  and
cleaned myself up. I really couldn’t handle this while still having Travis’s seed inside of me.
“Why are you cleaning up? I thought you liked having other men’s cum in you?”
“What?  What  other  men?  I  like  having  my  mate’s   because  it  turns  him  on.”  I  needed  to  know  what
was going on fast because Travis looked as if he was going to explode as his eyes darted around the
room crazily. “There’s no one else, Travis.”
“Don’t  lie  to  me!”  he  hollered  as  he  picked  up  the  lamp  on  the  nightstand  and  threw  it  across  the
room. “I saw you with Ferris. Now you’re going to lie to me on top of it. He had his fucking hands all
over you, Emmett!”
I  froze,  his  words  sinking  in.  “You  think  I  had  sex  with  Ferris?  Is  that  what’s  going  on?”  I  quickly
pulled open the dresser and grabbed some clothes. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have while
naked.
“Was he as good as me?” Travis asked instead, shaking with his emotions. “Of course you told him
he was, right? That’s what whores say to the people who fuck them.”
I turned my cheek as if he’d hit me as tears burned in my eyes. “I didn’t have sex with Ferris, Travis.
Calm down and let me explain, okay? I know Ferris. He used to be a client—”
Travis gave a tortured laugh, cutting me off. “Of course he was. That’s just fucking gravy. Now you
don’t  have  to  even  try  hard  to  set  up  shop  here.  We  can  just  hand  out  flyers  that  my  whore  mate  is
open for business.”
“Stop,” I cried as I pulled on my boxers and then jeans. “Stop and listen to me before you ruin what
we have and you can’t take back what you’re saying.”

“Fuck you, Emmett,” he sneered, his eyes narrowing at me. “I did everything for you. Was there for
you, loved you, but I wasn’t enough. The first time I leave you alone you run to another man. And the
kicker? I was talking to Zane and his mates about building a house for us on their land.” I had kind of
figured that’s where he’d been, and I’m sure that just added to his pain at what he thought I’d been
doing.
“I didn’t sleep with Ferris or even go in his room. You don’t believe your whore mate, then go ask
him.” I was done trying to reason with him when he was being like this and so mean to me.
“Why? So I can hear all the details? If you didn’t sleep with him, what did you do? Just blow him in
the hallway? I know how you love an audience.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I whispered, shaking my head before yanking on a shirt and slipping on
my shoes. “First issue we have or disagreement and I’m a whore. I knew you weren’t okay with my
past. You saw me hug a friend and you jump into me being unfaithful. That’s not love, Travis. Then
you freak out and treat me like a whore in front of all your friends. Fuck you. I’ve got to get to my
appointment with Riley. Don’t follow.”
“Oh no, this isn’t over,” he snarled and grabbed my arm.
“You were willing to whore me out. Are you going to beat me like my pimp did, too?” Travis let me
go in a flash as if I’d burned him. I opened the door, pausing but not facing him. “I would have loved
you forever, Travis. I wouldn’t ever have been disloyal to you. I’m sorry you couldn’t see that and
think  so  little  of  me  that  you  not  only  thought  I  would  cheat  but  didn’t  even  give  me  a  chance  to
explain. Guess I was just your boy toy and never your mate.”
I walked out the door, closing it behind me as my heart shattered. I got about five steps away when I
heard Travis roar out in pain, loud enough that some glass or windows broke as well. I didn’t go back
though.  I  hated  that  he  was  in  pain,  but  it  was  of  his  own  doing.  He  didn’t  even  ask  me  what
happened. He just assumed. That wasn’t love. Travis didn’t really love me, and that knowledge killed
me inside.
I ran toward the clinic, tears blurring my vision so I wasn’t really looking where I was going. I turned
the corner and crashed into someone, strong arms grabbing me before I fell.
“Emmett, what’s wrong?” Ferris asked me. I shook my head, unable to find the words.
“I  can  answer  that,”  Vega  said  from  behind  him.  I  glanced  at  the  man  and  even  through  my  tears  I
could see the look he was giving me. If looks could kill I’d be six feet under, or maybe he wouldn’t
even  give  me  that  deep  of  a  grave.  “I  told  Travis  that  I  saw  you  guys  hug  and  then  go  up  to  your
room.”
“So? I know Emmett. So what?” Ferris glanced between the two of us.
“Travis ran up to your room and whatever he saw killed my friend.” Vega was still staring daggers at
me. “What did he see? Were you already whoring yourself out? You don’t deserve Travis.”
“Emmett and I didn’t have sex. We talked,” Ferris said, defending me as he pushed me behind him.
“Yeah right,” Vega scoffed.
“When  have  you ever  known  me  to  lie,  Vega?”  Ferris  threw  back.  I  glanced  around  him  and  saw
Vega’s  face  fall  as  he  shook  his  head.  “That’s  right,  never.  Emmett  wouldn’t  even  go  in  my  room
because  he’s  mated  and  didn’t  want  Travis  to  get  the  wrong  idea  until  he  explained  we  knew  each
other. We hugged and Emmett gave me a playful kiss as he assured me I’d find a mate of my own one
day. That’s all that happened.”
“And you groped me,” I added, realizing that’s what Travis had probably seen.
“I grabbed your ass as a joke while we hugged. Travis is a fuck head if he saw us and jumped to the
idea that we had sex,” Ferris countered as he turned to look at me. “Did he ask you what happened?”

“No, he fucked me in the mess hall in front of everyone, and I didn’t understand what was going on
until  we  got  back  to  the  room.”  I  couldn’t  hold  back  the  tears  anymore  as  more  and  more  came,
running down my cheeks. “He said he was going to start charging warriors two hundred a pop for me.
He called me a whore and asked where his cut was from being with you, said we should post flyers
for my services. I told him we didn’t have sex. He said I was a liar.”
Ferris  covered  my  mouth  with  his  hand  as  I  rambled  and  started  to  hyperventilate.  “You  have  an
appointment with Riley now, right?” I nodded. “Vega will take you there while I handle your mate,
okay? I’ll fix this.” He pulled his hand away as I shook my head.
“Don’t bother. He made it crystal clear what he thinks of me. That’s not love. He scared me, Ferris. I
shouldn’t ever be scared of my  mate  or  be  treated  that  way.  I  didn’t  leave  one  abusive,  controlling
pimp to find another one. I’m going to call Damian and go live with them after I see Riley.”
“Okay, I’ll check on you later.” Ferris kissed the top of my head and turned towards my mate’s room.
I took a deep breath and walked past Vega toward the clinic.
“Emmett, I’m—”
“Don’t,” I growled, still walking. “You’re Travis’s friend. I get that. Of course you would side with
him and think it was all my fault. Who would ever believe a whore, right?”
“I don’t give a shit what you did before Travis. Being a prostitute is a profession, not who you are,”
Vega said gently as he walked with me. “I went to him because I didn’t know if you understood what
being mated was all about. Some humans have trouble with the idea of insta-marriage when we mate.
I’ve seen it happen. I just wanted to make sure he explained it all to you when I saw you leaving with
Ferris.”
“You know, I get that to a point,” I snarled as I turned around to face him. “But if I saw Travis excited
to see someone and walk away with them I would never jump to the conclusion he was cheating. You
forget,  he’s been  to  your  room  since  we’ve  mated  to  hang  out  when  I’ve  been  napping.  Did  I  ever
accuse him of you guys fucking or flip out? No. You’re friends.
“Being mated doesn’t mean you can’t have friends, just like being married. You guys basically live in
dorms  like  in  college,  people  go  to  each  other’s  rooms  all  the  time  and  that  doesn’t  mean  sex.  But
because  I’m  a  whore,  that’s  what  you  guys  jumped  to.  So  fine,  I  get  you  were  concerned  for  your
friend but you both shot to conclusions, and now you both can go jump off a cliff for all I care.”
I spun on my heel and stormed off, ignoring his shocked expression. I didn’t even get two feet into the
clinic when I saw Riley, Stefan, and Damian all standing there waiting for me with their mates. This
was love. They loved me and embraced me as a part of their family. The instant they realized I had
been crying, they encircled me and asked what had happened.
I  broke  down  sobbing,  telling  them  everything.  It’s  not  like  I  meant  to  broadcast  my  business,  but  I
figured Travis had already done a good job doing that after the scene he caused in the mess hall. Now
I just needed someone to talk to. I was broken inside, and I didn’t want to feel so alone for once when
I handled my drama. When I was done telling them, they had mixed reactions.
“I’ll kill him,” Stefan snarled.
“I’m calling Mother,” Damian said. “She’ll get a room set up for you.”
“And we’re going to get you checked out so I can give you a clean bill of health and get one thing off
your  plate,”  Riley  added  gently.  I  nodded  and  let  him  lead  me  to  an  exam  room.  He  was  right.  I
couldn’t fix my broken heart, but we could know for sure if I was cured. And the kicker? I’d prayed
that Riley could save me so I could live a happy life with Travis.
So much for that!

Chapter 10

Travis

I was still on my knees in my room, trying to deal with my broken heart when the door to my room

swung open with such force it flew off the hinges. I glanced up in shock, but that changed to anger
when I saw it was Ferris.

“Get out before I do something I might regret like killing you,” I said as I got to my feet, trying to

control my rage.
“Fuck  you,”  he  spat  as  he  closed  the  distance.  He  punched  me  in  the  face,  catching  me  off-guard.
“Emmett  didn’t  cheat  on  you.  He  wouldn’t  do  that.  We  didn’t  have  sex.  We  didn’t  get  naked.  He
didn’t even come in my room out of respect for you. We’ve never been intimate, you fuck head.”
“Bullshit! He said you were his client—”
“Blood client. I used to pay Emmett to drink from him!” Ferris shouted as he threw his hands up in the
air. “I met Emmett years ago at a club when he asked me if I wanted him for the night and told me how
much  he  charged.  He  was  so  scared,  and  I  knew  he  didn’t  want  sex  but  he  looked  underfed  so  I
agreed. When we got back to his place, I told him I wouldn’t pay for sex but I’d pay him if he let me
drink from him. It was the only thing I could think of and still slip him some money!”
“What?” I was shocked and felt my knees turn to jelly. I quickly sat on the bed before I fell down.
“You drank from my mate?”
“He wasn’t your mate then, Travis! He was an abused hooker that was in a tough place who didn’t
want  to  be  there.  I  tried  to  help  but  after  so  many  people  dumping  on  him,  he  wouldn’t  believe
someone  would  really  want  to  help  him  without  wanting  something  in  return.  So  instead  I  started
coming to him once or twice a month to drink from him and giving him more money than he would
make having sex.
“It was the only way he’d let me help. I’d pay for the night so his pimp would leave him alone and he
hid the extra cash. He’s never kissed me, never given me a hand job, or anything. I’d drink from him
and  then  we’d  talk  all  night.  I’d  try  to  convince  him  to  go  to  a  shelter  or  let  me  hide  him  from  his
pimp, but it made him uncomfortable so I just was there for him. We’re friends.”
“That’s how he knew about vampires,” I mumbled, feeling so distraught my world was turning upside
down. Again.
“Yes, I told him the night we met about three years ago. I’ve been going to him ever since. I got warm
blood, he got money, and we both had someone to talk to who wouldn’t judge us and for one night we
didn’t feel so alone. That’s it. I saw him in the mess hall and he was excited he had a friend here. Can
you even imagine how trying it must be for him to be thrown into our world? Everyone strangers to
him?”
“You didn’t sleep with him?” I was still reeling from that fact, trying to process all of this.
“No, you asshole! He told me he was mated to you, in love with you, and didn’t even think it right to
come into my room so we could talk until he told you how we knew each other. But you didn’t ask
him what happened, did you? You just called him names and threw accusations around.”
“I saw him in your arms,” I snarled, not willing to take all the blame for this. “You were groping my
mate and then he kissed you. What was I supposed to think?”
“That there was a reason behind that other than Emmett cheating on you!” Ferris wiped his hands over
his face and growled in frustration. “I hugged him, happy that he was happy, but then I made a joke
that I was going to finally grab his hot ass because I’d never get a chance to be with him now. I would
have loved to have been the man who rode to his rescue, Travis. But he didn’t turn to me. It hurt my

feelings, and I was trying to tease him so he didn’t feel guilty.”
“And the kiss?” I whispered as my heart sank into my stomach. I was in some serious shit.
“He  was  trying  to  make  me  feel  better  and  maybe  even  laugh  after  I  told  him  I  wish  he’d  been  my
mate. Emmett’s awesome. I’d love to have a mate like him. And it’s hard for someone my age to once
again watch someone younger than me find their mate, especially when I know how great they are.”
“Oh  my  god,”  I  whimpered.  The  severity  of  the  situation  sank  in.  I’d  fucked  up  so  bad  I  should  be
taken out back and shot. “He’s never going to forgive me.”
“Do you deserve to be forgiven?” Ferris crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow at me.
“No, no I don’t,” I admitted as I buried my face in my hands. “That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.
He’s  at  his  appointment  with  Riley  all  alone  right  now.  It  was  killing  me  to  let  him  go  alone  even
though I was still so upset with him. I want to be there.”
“Then get your ass in gear and prepare your lips for some major ass kissing,” Ferris grumbled as he
yanked me onto my feet.
“Right, yeah, I can do that.” I nodded as I walked toward the door, pointing to it. “Fix that and I’ll
ignore that you punched me since I deserved it.”
“Deal.”
I took off without another word, racing to the clinic. When I got there, I had a welcoming party, though
they weren’t welcoming in the least.
“I fucked up, but the only one who gets to send me away is Emmett,” I said when Stefan and Damian
snarled, flashing their fangs at me in a sign of aggression. “I’m sure neither of you ever fucked up with
your mates and all, but I need to know he’s at least cured before he kicks me to the curb.” I thought
that might take the wind out of their sails because who didn’t screw up once or twice or several times
in any relationship.
“Fine  but  we’ll  be  outside  listening,  and  if  Emmett  wants  you  to  go,  we’ll  make  you,”  Stefan
grumbled.  I  gave  a  nod  in  agreement  and  Damian  pointed  out  which  door  my  mate  was  behind.  I
knocked and went right in.
“Go away,” Emmett whispered when he looked up and saw me. He was curled on his side facing the
door  on  the  exam  table.  His  eyes  were  all  red  and  puffy  as  he  held  some  cotton  over  where  Riley
must have already taken blood.
“Please,” I choked out, closing the door behind me. “Please just let me wait until we know if you’re
okay or not first. Then I’ll leave.”
“Why do you care? I’m just some whore, right?”
“I’m  sorry. You’re  right,  I  was  a  huge  bastard  and  flipped,  but  I  wasn’t  exactly  baseless  or  didn’t
have  a  reason  to  get  jealous,  Emmett.  I  handled  it  all  wrong,  I  know  that.  I  did  see  you  in  another
man’s arms while he touched you intimately and then you kissed him.”
“As a joke. You didn’t even give me a chance to tell you or, hell, ask what was going on.”
“Let me explain—”
“Why?” He laughed, shaking his head. “Because you gave me that chance?”
“No, no I didn’t and I regret that,” I answered, shaking my head as I took a chance and stepped closer
to him. “But I just need you to know one thing. Please, darlin’?” I watched as emotions played across
his face as he bit his lip. Finally after what felt like forever he nodded. “I need you to know that I do
love you.”
“Yeah, right.” Emmett went to roll over and give me his back, but I was quicker, moving in a flash
and cupping his face in my hands.
“I love you, Emmett. I might not have shown it in the way I handled things, but I flipped out because I

love  you  and  felt  my  world  shattering  that  you  had  been  with  another.  I  know  that’s  not  what
happened, but that’s what I thought. If I didn’t love you, why would I have gotten so upset?”
“I  didn’t  think  about  it  like  that,”  he  whispered  as  he  blinked  back  tears.  “You  scared  me  though,
Travis. I shouldn’t ever be scared of you. And that shit you pulled in the mess hall. How can I ever
see those people again? I can’t even imagine what they must think of me.”
“What happened won’t reflect poorly on you, darlin’,” I said firmly as I kissed his forehead. “It will
on me. We all know vampires get crazy jealous and possessive right after we mate so most probably
won’t  bat  an  eyelash  at  what  happened.  But  I  was  the  one  who  was  crazed. You  were  just  being  a
good mate and giving me what I needed even though you didn’t understand what was going on.”
“How do I know that you’re not just giving me some line that vampires are jealous idiots after you
mate to get out of trouble?” he asked hesitantly as I ran my fingers through his curls.
“He’s an asshole for the way he handled things, namely threatening to sell your body and calling you
names, but he’s not lying,” Riley said from the doorway.
“I wouldn’t ever have done it,” I admitted sheepishly. “I was really thinking of getting restraints and
tying him to my bed for the rest of our lives because he’s so hot people just can’t resist wanting him.”
“Be  quiet,”  Emmett  ordered  as  he  moved  his  hand  over  his  mouth.  I  saw  he  heard  the  compliment
though because some of the hurt and anger had left his eyes. “Can you explain that, doc?”
“I met Micah when he was badly injured on a mission,” the doc explained as he sat on his wheeled
stool  across  the  room.  “All  he  saw  was  my  face  with  a  scrub  cap  on  and  in  his  drugged  state.  He
thought I was a woman. He’d never been with a man before. And after we mated, all his insecurities
about  not  being  able  to  please  a  male  mate  ran  rampant.  He  was constantly  making  me  swear  I’d
never leave him and making me admit I was his.”
“You  thought  it  was  hot.”  Micah  chuckled.  “But  Riley’s  right.  I  was  insane  with  the  idea  that  I
wouldn’t be enough and he’d leave me even though we were mates. Travis was a douche in what he
did, but he’s not lying.”
“Why don’t I feel that way?” Emmett asked, his eyebrows drawn together in thought.
“Because we’re smarter.” Riley gave me a wink and then smirked at his mate. “My guess is that the
warriors are extra testosterone-filled Alpha males. But how about we move on to some good news
and then you can figure out your mate’s penance?”
“Am I cured?” Emmett sat up and I plopped down next to him, wrapping an arm around him.
“You are.” Riley’s eyes shined with the news. “I still don’t know how your body went straight into
the transition like that but you are leukemia-free, my friend. You’re a full vampire, immortal now, and
will never get sick again.”
“Sweet!” My mate squealed, bouncing on the exam table. “So what now?”
“Now you let your mate show you how to handle your thirst and control your drinking and live your
lives. Unless you can’t forgive his transgression, then you come home with us and we’ll show you.”
Riley glanced at Micah, who nodded that my mate was welcome with them.
“I need some time to think,” Emmett whispered, pulling away from me. I let him go though I felt like a
knife was cutting through me.
“We  have  a  meeting  in  a  little  bit  so  I’ll  be  busy  all  afternoon,”  I  said  slowly,  giving  him  time  to
process. “But I spoke with Zane and his mates this morning. They asked us to stop by for dinner and
meet so you guys can even see if you’ll all like each other before we agree to build on their land and
you help them around the vineyard. They’re going to give us a tour and show us the spot they think we
should build if you’re okay with that?”
“Yeah, we could do that, but that doesn’t mean I might not still stay with the Mariuses a few days.”

Emmett looked so tired that I wanted to suggest a nap, but I was pretty sure I’d lost any right to tell
him what to do.
“Of course, little darlin’,” I agreed immediately. “I’m willing to do whatever you want to make this
up to you. So if you think of a way, please just tell me how I can fix this.”
“I will. I just want to rest and think. I don’t want to do it in our room though. I’m going to take a nap in
Ferris’s room and you can come get me there when it’s time to go to the vineyard.” I nodded, hating
the idea that’s where he was going, but I heard the underlying message loud and clear. Time to prove
that I trusted him and would allow him to have friends without flipping out.
“I’ll see you after the meeting then.” We both hopped off the table and I pulled him into my arms. “I’m
so glad you’re healthy now, Emmett. I love you and I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this.”
“I hope so.” He stood on his toes and gave me a quick kiss before pulling away and leaving the room.
I  watched  him  go,  my  heart  getting  heavier  with  every  step  he  took  until  he  was  gone.  I  left  a  few
moments later, my head hung in shame. It was Cyrus who stopped me in the lobby of the clinic.
“Damian met Emmett when he ran from me because I screwed up and didn’t realize it until it was too
late.  I  almost  lost  him,  and  while  I  regret  hurting  him,  fucking  up  like  that  ended  up  making  our
relationship stronger than I ever thought possible. It forced me to pull my head out of my ass and see
what I’d been doing wrong.”
“I don’t think this situation is similar,” I whispered, shaking my head. It sounded good in theory, but
not realizing that I was doing something wrong was much different.
“No,  but  you  now  understand  that  you  could  lose  your  mate  because  of  your  actions  and  you  won’t
ever make that mistake again.” When he put it like that, I did get it. I nodded as we headed to the large
gym that all warrior meetings were held in. Patrick, Stefan’s mate, said his good-byes and then left. I
guess he’d brought his own car so he could be there for my mate. It warmed my heart the way Emmett
now had so many people who truly cared about him.
I just hoped he still cared about me after the shit I’d pulled.
We  were  all  sitting  in  the  retractable  bleachers,  waiting  for  the  warrior  coordinator,  Errol,  and
Barnabas Leopold, the head of the Council. The gym looked like a large high school one like I’d seen
in movies. Since I’d never been to a human high school, I couldn’t be sure it was accurate, but to me,
a gym was just a gym and I didn’t think there would be too many variations to them.
“Thank you for gathering here today,” Barnabas said loudly as everyone settled down. There were a
few  chuckles  because  it  wasn’t  like  we’d  had  a  choice  in  whether  we  would  attend  or  not.  I  eyed
over the people flanking him. I recognized his mates Digger and Miles, and of course, Errol, but the
other five men I’d never seen before. They were huge though, and I’d never seen warriors that tall.
“Those  are  fae  warriors,”  Stefan  leaned  in  and  whispered  to  me  as  if  reading  my  mind.  That  got  a
shocked expression from me. My understanding was that fae were always smaller than most vamps.
These guys were over seven feet.
“The Council has agreed to integrate some members of the fae community into our rather large coven.
Some will be moving on to other covens and other countries once other Councils have ruled as we
did. But for now, they are all going to be here because if some of them left the plane then the magic
left  wouldn’t  sustain  it.”  He  turned  and  looked  at  two  of  the  fae  warriors.  “Am  I  explaining  this
correctly, your highness?”
The  men  moved  aside  to  reveal  a  small,  breathtaking  woman.  Wow.  If  I’d  ever  been  inclined  to
switch teams and start going for women, she’d definitely tempt me over. She was almost ethereal.
“Yes, my grandson,” she said affectionately. “A few here and there coming over but then going back
to our plane does not affect the magic. But if we have some come over at a time then the plane will

start to crumble. Next week, we will all be coming over after most of our items are moved this week.
There are over six hundred fae coming and being displaced, not familiar with this world. Some have
never even been here before.”
“I know that Caleb, who most of you know, has welcomed half to come live with him at his palace
until they can decide where they want to go,” Barnabas continued, giving us time to mull all this over.
“Most  of  the  founding  families  will  be  taking  in  as  many  as  they  can  until  other  arrangements  are
made.  You  are  the  warriors  of  our  race,  people  look  to  you  as  to  how  to  act.  You  must  lead  by
example as we welcome them into our folds.”
“We thought it best to have one large meeting where anyone can ask any questions they wanted in a
friendly environment,” Errol explained as he glanced around us. The look said it all. Behave or we’d
have to deal with him. “There are always a lot of rumors and myths regarding other species and the
sooner we clear the air, the stronger the alliance we will have with the fae. So let’s begin.”
Everyone was quiet, no one wanting to go first, so I bit the bullet and stood. “I mean no disrespect but
I thought fae were normally smaller than vampires? I don’t know what kind of Wheaties you’ve been
feeding those guys but they ain’t short.”
There  were  several  chuckles  throughout  the  group,  and  the  Queen  gave  me  a  polite  nod,
acknowledging my attempt to break the ice. “You are right, Travis Rhodes.” My eyes went wide. We
weren’t wearing name tags. “In general we are smaller than humans or vampires but as you are larger
as the protectors of your race, so are the warriors standing with me.”
“Why  do  I  think  you  weren’t  given  files  on  all  of  us  with  our  pictures  that  you  just  happened  to
memorize?” I had used my question, and I had heard what she said, but I just had to know.
“Darlin’,  I  am  the  Queen  of  the  fae.  The  role  doesn’t  come  without  some  perks  and  the  strongest
magic  of  my  race.  I  can  pick  out  anything  out  of  your  head,  especially  what  you’re  thinking  right
now,” she countered, imitating a perfect Southern drawl. Then her face fell. “I’m sorry for the pain
you endured when finding your mate and I thank fate that he is cured.”
“Thank you, your highness,” I said, getting choked up. It was all still too new and my nerves were all
raw. “Dr. Johnson preformed a miracle and saved my mate.”
“That he did,” she agreed, eyeing over Riley. “You never cease to amaze me, young healer. I already
have told my people about you and I have several of my healers chomping at the bit to train with you.”
“I would be honored,” Riley replied with a smile. “I’m always willing to teach and learn new aspects
of medicine as well. It’s what will help us survive the war if we collaborate instead of being stuck in
the old ways.”
“Agreed.”  She  smiled  and  then  glanced  around  the  room.  “What  else? Ask  now  because  this  is  the
purpose of the meeting.”
“Do  all  fae  have  wings?”  Clove  asked  hesitantly,  his  cheeks  bright  red.  My  buddy  was  shy  most
times, so it shocked me that he spoke up.
“Yes,  would  you  like  to  see  them?”  one  of  the  fae  warriors  asked,  giving  my  friend  a  heated  look.
Clove nodded and the warrior motioned him forward has he stepped closer to the bleachers. Then he
turned  so  we  could  all  see  them.  It  looked  like  he  had  a  small,  seethrough  backpack  on.  Then  they
unfolded  in  several  places,  and  when  he  was  done,  they  went  from  just  above  his  shoulders  to  his
knees.
“Are they all this color?” Clove asked, already down the bleachers standing behind the warrior. “Can
I touch them?”
“Yes, they are all iridescent and only can be seen in the light so they don’t draw attention until it’s
time to use them,” the guy answered. Damn, he had a whole new level of deep voice. “And you may

touch  them  but  you  need  to  know  that  someone  touching  our  wings  is  like  someone  running  their
fingers through your hair.”
“So my touching them will turn you on?” Clove’s voice was getting husky. Huh. I wonder what was
going on there because the fae warrior seemed just as interested. He gasped as he ran his hand over
the wings. “They’re so soft.”
“Uh-huh,”  the  guy  groaned,  nodding  his  head  absently.  “You  might  want  to  stop  until  we’re  not  in
public, young one.”
“Young one?” Clove chuckled as he stepped away, whatever spell or trance they’d been under now
broken. “I’m over four hundred years old.”
“I’m over three millennia,” he countered, turning to smirk at my friend.
“Oh, well, yeah, that would make me young in your eyes,” Clove mumbled before turning around and
racing  to  his  seat  again.  The  fae  warrior  looked  taken  aback  and  a  little  sad  until  he  schooled  his
features and went back to stand next to his Queen.
The rest of the meeting went on, and I learned more than I could ever have thought possible in one
sitting. By the time we were done, I was bouncing with excitement. Having the fae join us in the battle
and in our coven was going to be awesome. They were an even bigger asset than the wolves. Well,
maybe just for the war, but I liked the wolves, too, and they were good people. So all around, both
were equally good additions.
Sweet!

Chapter 11

Emmett

I woke from my nap in one of the best ways possible… A blow job. Warm, wet heat had engulfed

my cock and I was in heaven. When I remembered whose room I was in I opened my eyes to make
sure it was my mate. It was. Travis gave me a guilty look and a shrug before sucking on me harder,
his head bobbing faster.

Well, at least he realized this wasn’t what I meant when I needed some space. But then again, I

was a man and not stupid enough to ever complain about getting head. I moved the pillow so I could
prop myself up better and see the show. Then I just enjoyed it. When I got close I thrust up a few
times without even meaning to and didn’t even have time to warn him. My mate swallowed it all
down as if I was the best treat he ever had.

“Care to explain that?” I panted when I was done as he licked me clean slowly, probably trying to

get me hard again.
“I figured since I’m the one who caused you so much stress, I should help relieve it.” He gave that
cute shrug again as he kept licking me. “Besides, you are just so goddamn hot when you’re sleeping. I
couldn’t resist.”
“And now it’s your turn?”
“No,” he whispered, almost looking insulted. “That was just for you. I’d spend all day every day just
giving you head and focusing on you if it would make up for what I did.”
“How about a week then?” I countered, thinking it was a great way to give penance. He raised an
eyebrow at me in question. “Two blow jobs a day and two times having sex where you don’t come at
the end. You easily threw the word whore around. Let’s see if you can be mine for a week so you
understand better what I went through. I’m more than willing to forgive you freaking out, but throwing
that back in my face is what hurt so much.”

“Deal,”  Travis  immediately  agreed.  “Whatever  you  want  me  to  do  I  will.  I’ve  got  a  cock  ring  I’ve
never used and I’ll wear it so I don’t come.”
“Okay then.” It hurt me to reduce our mating to playing games like this but he needed to understand the
damage he’d done. “I’ve got to shower first and then we can go.”
“I–I  could  wash  you  and  maybe  give  you  some  more  stress  relief  in  the  shower  if  you’d  like.”  I
nodded as I righted my clothes.
And oh boy, did my mate ever deliver. He gave me a hand job as he fingered my hole while I drank
from  him.  Then  he  washed  me,  taking  great  care  to  be  gentle. After  we  were  done  we  quickly  got
dressed and headed into town since Travis had said we’d bring pizza to Zane’s for dinner.
I really liked the little town. They didn’t have much but at least there were the basics. We were quick
in getting food and then headed right back in the direction we came.
“Will you teach me how to drive?” I asked as we pulled into the vineyard’s driveway. “I’ve always
wanted to learn.”
“Sure, and after you get your license we can go car shopping.”
“You don’t have to bribe me,” I grumbled, shaking my head.
“I didn’t mean it like that, darlin’,” he said gently. I glanced over at him then, and I saw the truth in his
words on his face. “I want to provide for my mate and you’ve not had much of your own so I think
having your own car would be good for you and give you some freedom.”
“That would be nice.” I gave him a real smile and watched his face relax. “I’m sorry I snapped. I just
feel really raw right now and I’m nervous meeting your friends. It would be one thing if everything
was okay between us, but I feel as if we’re about to put on a show for them. It’s not their business that
we had a fight but I don’t want to be fake with them when I’m still upset with you.”
“Oh,  I’m  sure  they  know.”  He  gave  a  snort  as  he  parked  the  car.  “One  thing  you’ll  learn  about
vampires who live in a coven is we all gossip like teenagers. Not much else to do in rural areas.”
“I’m not sure if that makes me less nervous or more.” I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. He met
me around front and just as we walked onto the porch the front door flew open.
“We ought to kick ya arse, Travis Rhodes,” a redheaded man snarled. Without even thinking about it I
instinctively moved in front of my mate.
“I will kick yours if you try,” I growled, my fangs popping out. I didn’t have the best control of them
yet, and it still threw me for a loop when they came out. “And then you won’t get any pizza.”
“Banning be wanting to kick his arse for what he did ta ya, Emmett,” the first man’s twin said. He had
to be Brian.
“Fine, but it’s not like I’m the only man here who’s ever fucked up where their mate is concerned,”
Travis threw back calmly as he moved me back to his side, wrapping his free arm around me. He had
the pizzas in his other hand. “Ferris already punched me for being an idiot and Emmett has figured out
a way for me to make it up to him.”
“He  makes  a  good  point,  me  twin,”  Brian  said  with  a  sigh.  “Fine,  but  if  ya  fuck  up  like  that  again,
Emmett can stay here and ya can leave. I like him. He’s got spirit and ready to defend his mate when
ya not even deserve it.”
“I  like  you  guys,  too.”  I  chuckled,  realizing  there  was  no  real  danger.  “I’m  all  for  friends  being
willing to kick each other’s asses when they screw up.”
“We had someone knock our heads together when we screwed up.” Banning shrugged and gave me a
wink. “It’s like paying it forward.”
“Nice,” Travis groaned. They welcomed us into their home then, and I got to meet Zane. We had a
blast, and I was in awe at how much they all loved each other. I wanted that for Travis and me, and

about halfway through dinner I realized I didn’t want Travis to pay penance. I just wanted him to love
me and us to be happy together.
After dinner they showed us the grounds, starting with the greenhouses and what they were working
on so I could start helping if I wanted. Then a very excited Brian outlined what needed to be fixed in
the vineyard and where they were going to start planting in the next month or so. His exuberance was
infectious, and I started to look forward to seeing the vineyard flourish.
When  they  showed  us  where  they  were  thinking  we  might  want  to  build  our  house  I  gasped.  It  was
gorgeous. It was on the edge of their property that ran along the warrior compounds so we wouldn’t
have to worry about the neighbors. And if there was ever trouble help would be there right away. The
lot was surrounded by groves of different apple trees on either side, giving us shade and privacy.
I  listened  to  Banning  explain  that  there  was  too  much  rock  in  the  area,  probably  from  an  old
foundation, to plant trees there. And they were used to a big family, so while they didn’t want people
under  their  roof,  it  would  be  nice  to  have  more  neighbors.  I  heard  them,  but  I  can’t  say  I  was
completely paying attention.
“You’re awfully quiet, darlin’,” Travis said nervously after Zane, Brian, and Banning left to give us
some time to discuss everything.
“I love you,” I blurted out as I turned to him. “I don’t want you to give penance and make any part of
our  mating  feel  cheap.  I  want  you  to  make  love  to  me  on  the  spot  where  we’re  going  to  build  our
dream house as proof that we’re consummating our marriage and pledging to do better by each other. I
want our love to christen the ground before we lay down roots of our own and most of all I just want
us to be happy.”
“Oh,  Emmett,”  he  whispered  as  he  pulled  me  into  his  arms.  I  didn’t  even  realize  that  I’d  started
tearing up while rambling to him. He kissed each of my eyes before my lips. It was gentle, as if we
had  all  the  time  in  the  world.  “I  love  you,  too,  little  darlin’.  I’ve  been  yours  since  the  moment  I
opened the door and you were standing there. I’m sorry I was such an ass but there will never, ever
be anyone else for me. I love your idea and I want nothing more than to make love to you.”
“Then do it.” He nodded, slowly lowering me to the ground, and undressed me. Before we’d left his
room I’d had a last-minute thought that I should slick myself up and put in the butt plug. I’d had no
idea at the time but it seemed fate was once again working on our side. I think Travis understood that
as well.
And that’s how we spent the first hour together where we were going to build a home… Making love
and pledging ourselves to each other. It was magical and wonderful and everything I’d ever dreamed
one day I’d share with someone. I couldn’t have been happier with the man fate gave me, even though
he fucked up. Life would be boring without some ups and downs, and no one was perfect.
But Travis was perfect for me and I knew we belonged together forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joyee Flynn grew up in Chicago living in the same house all her life until she left for college.

Though she has a great life, she loves to get lost in fantasy that only books could bring. Her wide
interest in reading was reflected in her writings. Currently Joyee lives with her dog, Marius, named
after a vampire from Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire series. She dreams of one day living
out in Montana, enough land to have a few horses, and find a couple of cowboys of her own.

A lover of men, Joyee’s all about them in any form in her books. Vampire, werewolf, military,

doesn’t matter at all as long as they are hot, hard, and sex fiends!

Also by Joyee Flynn

Siren Classic ManLove: Marius Brothers 1: Micah Siren Classic ManLove: Marius Brothers 2:

Remus Siren Classic ManLove: Marius Brothers 3: Stefan Siren Classic ManLove: Marius Brothers
4: Victor

Siren Classic ManLove: Marius Brothers 5: Damian Ménage Amour ManLove: The O’Hagan

Way 1: A Dillon Sandwich Ménage Amour ManLove: The O’Hagan Way 2: A Caleb Footlong

Ménage Amour ManLove: The O’Hagan Way 3: A Zane Po’ Boy Siren Classic ManLove: Beyond

the Marius Brothers 1: Isaac Dragos Siren Classic ManLove: Beyond the Marius Brothers 2: Darcy
Burke
Ménage Amour ManLove: Beyond the Marius Brothers 3: Barnabas Leopold
For all other titles, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/joyee-flynn

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com