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Lesser-Bred: STAINED

Adrienne Wilder

Permission to replicated this work in part or as a whole needs to be obtained in writing

from the author.

Cover art: Adrienne Wilder

Lesser-Bred: Stained is a work of fiction and is a product of the author’s imagination.

Any resemblance to persons alive or dead, places or events, is purely coincidental.

Warning: This book contains graphic sex and violence and is meant to be read by a

mature audience.

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To the reader,

I apologize ahead of time for any grammatical, spelling, formatting errors found herein.

Works I publish independently are often not professionally edited due to financial

constraints.

Maybe one day I can change that. Who knows?

Also, thank you very much for your time as a reader.

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Chapter 1

Alex Jackson brushed his teeth and watched his best friend Mike Zimmer in the

reflection of the bathroom mirror as he moved around the disaster area they called a

dorm room.

“Yo, Jackson, hurry up. The girls will be waiting on us.” Mike appeared in the

door way and laughed. “Look, you’re beautiful all right, and you smell even better.”

Yeah, well, it wasn’t going to hurt to make sure his breath didn’t reek like day-old

pizza and over-nuked hot wings. Alex spit and rinsed. When he looked up, Mike was

gone. Alex tossed his toothbrush and toothpaste into his overnight bag, and checked

his reflection one more time in the mirror. He ran a thumb over a red spot near his

jaw.

Damn. That better not be a zit coming up on my chin.

It probably was. Between cramming for finals and getting ready for spring break,

he’d eaten a lot of junk food. Come to think of it, Mike had put away his weight in

Ho-Hos over the past three days alone.

How come he didn’t have any zits?

Well, Mike was also two inches taller with a natural tan. Alex tried to get a tan

once, when he was about thirteen. First and last time he ever fell asleep in the sun.

Boy, had Mike enjoyed torturing him. Especially for the first two days when all Alex

could do was lay on his stomach with his back slathered in Noxzema.

Alex walked back into their room and found Mike plucking a yellow flyer off the

floor near the space under the door. “Looks like the Earth for Humans are looking for

new recruits.” This far away, Alex couldn’t see the print. Not that he wanted to read

it. He heard his fill of the anti-Kin rhetoric every time he went home and his parents

gave him the obligatory speech about how he needed to stay out of the Dens.

Yeah, right, like he was about to go anywhere near the place. While some people

thought the free alcohol, sex, and drugs were worth the risk of getting eaten, Alex had

no such illusions. He liked all his limbs attached, thank you. This was exactly why he

was doing something safe for spring break and staying as far away as possible from

the Wall.

The barrier around the Dens was there for a reason.

Mike held the flyer up like he was reading it.

Alex rolled his eyes. “Please tell me you’re not actually considering going to one

of those rallies?”

One of Mike’s eyebrows went up. “Hey, you never know, might be a good place

to pick up chicks.” Mike wadded up the flyer and shot it across the room. It bounced

off Alex’s head.

Alex frowned. Sometimes Mike’s one-track mind seriously needed to derail.

Mike stepped up behind Alex and frogged him in the arm. “Damn, Alex, you

-5 -

smell like a flower garden.”

“It’s called soap and deodorant. You might want to try it some time.”

Mike grinned. “So, does this mean you’re actually gonna do it?”

Great, not this convo again.

Alex busied himself triple-checking his bag. Sun block, mosquito repellant, tooth-

paste, tooth brush, deodorant, shampoo, soap. Like he was actually going to get to use

that. Then again, he could always bathe in the river.

Yeah, taking a bath in forty-degree water was a sure fire way to impress a girl.

He looked at the bottle of shampoo, took it out, but left the soap. Never know.

Might come in handy.

“Well?”

Alex said, “Well, what?” Even though he exactly what Mike was talking about.

“You gonna do Kelly or what?” Mike--friend that he was--even gave some gyro

action for demonstration.

Why did it not surprise Alex that Mike could make it sound so easy? But then

again, for Mike, it probably was.

Taller, with more bone and more muscle than Alex, Mike not only had the looks

but he had the brazenness. The fact that he’d given himself his “Z” nickname was a

testament to that fact. Somehow even the smattering of freckles across his nose and

shoulders managed to give the guy more character, which, in turn, stroked his ego.

Something Mike did not need. Asshole could barely fit that fat head of his through a

door as it was.

Alex said, “Do her, Mike? Oh, and her name is Katie, not Kelly.” Yeah, what

Mike needed was more vocabulary, not more character.

“Whatever. Look, seriously. You need to get laid. What the hell are you saving it

for?”

“You have enough sex for both of us. Besides, one of us has to study.” Alex

looked around to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything. Socks. He needed socks.

“You’re making straight As. Don’t you think you can spare just a little bit of time

for some T-n-A?”

“Yeah, well, you could stand to study more. I swear, Mike, you’d screw any-

thing.”

“I wouldn’t do your mother.”

Alex made a face.

Mike held up hand as if toward him off. “Okay, okay, that was totally out of line.”

“Damn right.”

“I’d totally do your mom, bro’. She’s hot.”

“Jesus.”

“Seriously, Jackson, your mom is hot.”

“Damn, Mike! Please, just, shut up.” Sometimes Alex seriously wondered how

-6 -

they’d ever become best friends.

Leave it to six-year-olds to bond over stuffing crayons up their nose. A competi-

tion Mike won, by the way. Of course it was by default. Mike wound up at the hospi-

tal getting sky blue removed from his right nostril after it broke off.

“Christ, Jackson! Getting a B average is not going to kill you. You can let loose a

little. Relax. You can spare the GPA, trust me.”

No, he couldn’t. Besides, Alex didn’t want to. Not really. He pushed passed Mike

with his duffle bag and hit the milk crate sidelining as a dresser. Mike followed.

“I make time for...” Alex waved a hand in the air and Mike cut him off.

“One blow job is not making time. Especially when you’re drunk. Or when she’s

drunk. What was her name?”

Alex crammed a couple of pairs of socks into his bag. Would two pair be enough?

He had the ones on his feet, tomorrow was Saturday, and they were coming home

on Sunday. Yeah, it was probably enough. He stuck in one more pair just in case.

When Alex looked at Mike, the guy had his arms crossed and was hitting him with an

expectant stare.

“Natalie,” Alex replied.

Mike barked a laugh and shook his finger at him. “Yeah, ok, yeah. I remember her

now! She had the really big...”

“Shut up, Mike.”

“Eyes! I was gonna say eyes.”

Yeah, well she was also a triple D. Alex had gone far enough to actually see the

tag on the inside of her bra to confirm it, but it didn’t go any further. She’d passed out

and he wasn’t going to take advantage of her. By morning, his beer buzz was gone

along with his nerve. It was Alex’s lack of sexual prowess which made him want to

do this trip all that much more--and less.

Mike landed another punch to Alex’s shoulder. “I’m just messin’ with you, bro’.”

Yeah he was, but Mike was always just messing around. And sometimes Alex wished

Mike would take life a little more seriously. Sure would make for fewer headaches.

Which reminded him. Alex said, “We need to stop at the drug store.”

“No, I got those already.” Mike gave the backpack on his shoulder a tug.

Alex arched an eyebrow. “You already got the aspirin?”

The look that Mike shot him said, “Grow a set.” “Dude, I am getting you laid this

weekend, even if I have to buy it for you.”

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Chapter 2

Alex pulled the Jeep around to the front of the library. “Do you see them?” He

glanced at Mike, who was smiling and making eyes at some chick sitting on the

bench under a cherry tree. Pink petals were caught in the waves of her red, red hair.

Man, she was pretty. Lots of curves, nice round face, big eyes.

Definitely Alex’s type. Mike’s type too, but then Mike liked anything that had two

X chromosomes.

Alex knocked Mike in the shoulder. “If Chrissy catches you staring at another girl

she’s apt to make you sleep by yourself.”

“Huh?” Asshole didn’t even look at him. Nope. Mike was stuck in fantasy land.

In his mind’s eye, he probably had the redhead all the way to home base. Alex shook

his head and searched the front steps. If nothing else, maybe he could at least spot the

girls before the girls spotted them. Or, more importantly, before Chrissy spotted Mike

looking at the redhead. Yeah, that was so not a weekend Alex wanted to find himself

caught up in. Cute as she was, Chrissy could throw tantrums that put three-year-olds

to shame.

Mike turned in his seat, popped the top on the cooler and dug through it.

Alex glared. “What the hell?”

“I’m hungry.”

“You just ate two Big Macs.” Alex pointed at the wrappers on the floorboard,

which, along with the empty soda cans, crunched under Mike’s feet. “By the way, do

you think you can clean that shit up?”

“Sure...” Mike snagged a sandwich before turning back around.

“How on earth can you possibly be hungry?”

Mike shrugged. “Too much sex.”

Alex rolled his eyes. Then he caught sight of Katie and forgot to breathe. Tall,

blonde, beautiful, with legs all the way to her neck, Katie Locks not only stopped

traffic, but caused pile-ups. Walking arm and arm, she and Chrissy could have passed

for twins. But Chrissy’s blonde was from the bottle. Her dark brown roots were start-

ing to show.

Mike gave a grunt when Alex jabbed him with an elbow, and he crammed the rest

of his sandwich down his throat. He said, “You think we can stop at the Chick-fil-A

on the way out of here?” Mike’s dark eyes tracked both girls like they were prey. “Or

maybe the Piggly Wiggly. I don’t think you brought enough to eat.”

“You just ate a sandwich, and there are two loaves of bread and at least six pack-

ages of meat. And, need I remind you, we brought fishing gear for a reason.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a growing boy.” Mike reached down and adjusted himself. He

even managed to make a wolfish grin look cool.

An excited sound came out of Mike’s chest as he popped the door open and swept

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Chrissy into his arms with a deep, “Hey, baby,” and immediately lip locked her.

Katie came around to Alex’s side, clearly expecting a similar greeting. He opened

the door, tried to get out and almost choked himself on the seat belt.

Way to go, dumbass.

Alex unlatched it, but his exit wasn’t nearly as smooth and Casanova as Mike’s.

At least he managed not to trip over his own feet. The heat on his cheeks was warmer

than sunshine in July.

Alex couldn’t deny he’d been surprised Katie said yes when he asked her out.

And the only reason Alex asked was because Mike said he knew for a fact Katie liked

him.

Not to mention she was on Mike’s “safe” list. Which was his way of saying Katie

was on the pill. A guy never knows when the Trojan man might be slacking off on

quality control. The last thing either of them needed was a complication.

Complication. That was Mike’s code word for screaming-crying-diaper-wearing-

infants.

Normally those kinds of worries weren’t even a blip in Alex’s mental radar,

mostly because it wasn’t him the girls were climbing all over. But last month a new

action movie called Speed came out and now girls were interested in him. So much

so, Alex had started carrying a deuce in his wallet. The onslaught of potential dates

had grown kind of intimidating. Mike ran interference for him almost nonstop, not

that he was complaining. But the other day, while they were in town at the Block

Buster, some chick actually asked Alex for his autograph. On her tits.

Alex had to show her his ID to prove he wasn’t who she thought he was. She still

wanted him to sign her size D’s. When Alex declined Mike flicked him on the ear for

being a prude.

And here he was still being a prude. Katie was expecting Alex to kiss her but he

wound up wimping out and just getting the door. She didn’t seem upset though, she

even slid her fingers over Alex’s hand as she got in the back. And the way she looked

up at him under all those dark lashes.

Man oh man.

Mike was right. He seriously needed to get laid. Maybe if he’d just scratch that

itch it would go away.

Alex climbed back into the Jeep and the girls giggled in the back. He did a quick

downward glance just to make sure he hadn’t sprung something he wasn’t aware of.

Mike caught him looking and laughed.

“Shut up.” Alex adjusted the rearview mirror. Put on his seat belt. Checked both

side mirrors.

Mike did some ass in the seat shuffling. “Jesus Christ, let’s go already.”

Alex turned the key and the Jeep came to life with a soft rumble. He checked the

mirrors again and pulled out of the parking lot.

-9 -

As he merged into traffic Mike rubbed his hands together hard enough to make

fire. “Hey, I’ve got an idea -- let’s skip Chick-fil-A and head over to Hog Heaven.”

“What?” Alex did some seat shuffling of his own.

“What do you say, ladies?” Mike turned around. “You up for some of the best

barbeque pork this side of the Mississippi?”

Alex glanced at them in the mirror. The girls rolled their eyes.

Mike said, “What, you don’t like barbeque?”

Chrissy jabbed a thumb at Katie. “Hello? Vegetarian? And I’d like to be able to

wear my swimsuit this summer. Do you have any idea how much fat is in that crap?”

Mike moaned. “God, yeah. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.”

Chrissy said, “Gross.”

Alex caught Katie’s gaze in the rearview. The look she hit him with suggested

that while she might be a vegetarian, he, however, was not on the list of forbidden

meat.

Eyes on the road before you wind up in a ditch. Alex leaned forward then back.

Glanced up. She was still looking at him.

Mike bumped him in the shoulder and jerked his head towards the backseat. “Did

you know she was a vegetarian?”

“Yeah.” Don’t look in the mirror. Don’t look in the mirror. Alex did. Okay. There

was definitely something to be said about a woman who could lick her lips like that.

Mike said, “You okay?”

Alex put his eyes back on the road. If he looked at Mike, the guy would be able to

read his mind, one of the downfalls of spending so much time together. And right now

Alex was sure every sexual fantasy he could have about Katie was a regular home

movie playing across his retinas. “I’m good. Fine. Yeah, great.”

“So we can hit the piggy then?”

“I’d rather go somewhere else. That place is really close to the Dens.”

“So?”

“So? My dad will kill me if I get anywhere near that place.” Mike’s dad would

kill him too. That is, if they didn’t wind up dead by default.

“That’s because your old man’s a bigot.”

Alex laughed. “Fine thing to say considering your old man happens to be sitting

on the board of the local Earth for Humans chapter. And if memory serves me cor-

rectly, I seem to remember a certain Senator Zimmer sponsoring the reinstatement of

the shoot on sight bill?”

From the back, both girls gasped.

“Yeah, well, I never said my dad wasn’t a bigot. I was just pointing out your old

man and mine are two peas in a pod.”

Chrissy leaned forward. “Your dad was really for that horrible piece of legisla-

tion?”

-10 -

It was Mike’s turn to shoot some angry in Alex’s direction. “Unfortunately, yeah.”

“I think that’s terrible.” Chrissy looked back and forth between them. At least the

change in subject made Katie stop making suggestions by sucking on her bottom lip.

Mike shrugged. “Yeah, well, my dad has his reasons. Not that I agree with them.

Look, do you mind? I’m starving. Can we go or not?”

Alex fidgeted while Mike stared at him. “But it’s close to the Dens.” As if Mike

needed to be reminded. And Kin lived in the Dens. Big scary monsters who walked

around looking like people. The very ones all those Earth for Humans flyers warned

people about.

“Christ, you act like they’re going to actually come out and jump you or some-

thing.”

Alex said, “They eat people.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “You’re too skinny for them to bother with you. Jesus, Alex,

just go.”

Alex didn’t want to go. Getting that close to the Dens was never a good idea.

There was a reason the city mandated the Gray Zone around the Wall. Even though

dragons weren’t supposed to travel outside the barrier, it didn’t mean they always fol-

lowed the laws. And if a person got in trouble in the Gray Zone, no one was coming

to help.

It didn’t stop people from going there. Most of the family-owned businesses were

located inside the Zone. Cheap rent, low crime rate, and the fact that the city made a

habit of forgetting to enforce any kind of inspection rules or building codes, attracted

a lot of people trying to scrape out a living.

It also attracted those looking to take advantage of the unregulated booze and sex.

Chrissy said, “I hear they don’t make them stay behind the Wall in Atlanta.”

“You know what I heard?” Katie grinned. “I heard that Professor Lewis was actu-

ally, you know, with one of them.”

Chrissy nodded. “That’s why they fired him. At least, that’s what Samantha

Emerson in my Economics class told me.”

Mike made a face. “Lewis, huh? I think I took his English Lit class. He was pretty

cool.”

Alex shot Mike a look. Yeah, only he could put the word “cool” right after a com-

ment about an ex-professor doin’ the monsters. Or perhaps the more P.C. term was in

order: feeding the monsters.

“Oh, my God, could you imagine actually living somewhere where they walk

around? I mean out, you know where everyone can see them?” When Alex glanced at

Katie in the rearview, she looked pale.

Mike stuffed his face with another ham sandwich from the cooler, then proceeded

to talk with his mouth full. “Wait a minute, you were just dissin’ my dad for being

anti-Kin. And now you’re gonna sit there and act all scared?”

-11 -

Chrissy said, “No, I’m just against shooting them on sight. I think that’s mean.”

“Like Jackson there so astutely pointed out--they do eat people.”

Alex flicked on the left turn signal and waited for the light to change.

Chrissy huffed and crossed her arms. “People eat animals. What’s the differ-

ence?”

When Mike looked at Alex, he gave his buddy an “it’s your war, not mine” look.

Frowning, Mike shook his head and crammed the last of the second sandwich in his

mouth. “Have either of you actually seen a Kin?”

“I have,” Katie said. “He was the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.” Then she

squealed. Alex winced. Okay, that was a surefire way to do in a guy’s ego. But then

Alex had never seen Kin in person. Who knows? Maybe he’d squeal too if he saw

one.

Not.

From what he’d heard, Kin were supposedly perfect. As in, too good-looking to

be real. Alex saw pictures of a few in those Earth for Humans newsletters his dad got

every month. They didn’t look very gorgeous to him. They just looked scary as hell.

Claws, teeth, weird-looking eyes, scales, sometimes big sharp things coming out of

their backs.

Yeah, nothing remotely pretty about that.

He had a hard time imagining them hiding those kinds of physical details, but

according to the EFH newsletters, they could because Kin were metaphysical, not

physical.

Alex often wondered why they never printed photos of the species looking “nor-

mal.”

He took a left and the street abruptly went from maintained to gone-to-hell. Both

girls winced as the drive became rough.

“Sorry.” Alex slowed down but it wasn’t easy. All he wanted to do was hurry up

and get out. At least the Cherokee didn’t have plastic doors and fabric ceiling to make

them easy pickings. Although, if he put much stock in what he’d heard over the years

about wyrms, thin metal like a car body wasn’t going to stop one. No, those claws-

-chelae--Kin could spring would eat through just about anything but carbon steel.

Needless to say, Alex felt like one of those dumbasses in a horror flick. All he needed

now was for the Jeep to go dead and not want to start back up.

Mike slapped the dash with one of his big hands and almost gave Alex a heart

attack. “Hey, turn here.” He pointed to a narrow street running between two lines of

dilapidated buildings.

Alex said, “Why?”

“Shortcut.”

In Alex’s opinion it looked more like an alley where people were never seen or

heard from again. “Are you serious?”

-12 -

“Yes, yes, shortcut. Turn.”

Alex did, although he was pretty sure he was going to regret it.

Half a block down, Chrissy screeched from the back. Alex almost slammed on the

gas, but instead he hit the brakes, giving everyone whiplash. At least the street was

empty except for a few people on the sidewalk.

“Oh, my God...oh, my God!”

“What?” Both he and Mike turned. Alex fully expected to see something hang-

ing off the back. Maybe even a Kin in full form, which, Alex had to admit, would be

pretty cool. Might even be worth pissing himself.

“That guy back there! Did you see it?”

Mike looked in the direction she pointed. Alex wanted to look, but he was sup-

posed to be driving.

Chrissy said, “He had this thing on his face.”

“I saw it.” Katie’s big blue eyes went round and serious.

“Thing on his face?” Mike shook his head. “Like what? A growth?”

“A tattoo,” Katie said.

Chrissy shook her head. “No, it was too bright. And it glittered.”

“A stain.” The girls stared at Alex from the review. Now Alex wished he’d just

kept his mouth shut. He tried to ignore them. “Which way?” He stopped at the stop

sign.

Mike said, “Right.”

Alex turned. Up ahead, the neon lettering of the Hog Heaven sign flickered in and

out against the pale blue sky. A grateful sigh eased out of his chest. They‘d made it.

And honestly, Alex expected to get lost. After all, it would have gone along with the

whole B-movie plot.

Now all he had to do was get Mike his barbeque and they could get the hell out of

here.

The silence made Alex look up. “What?”

Mike said, “And how on earth did you know that thing on his face is called a

stain?”

Alex shrugged. “I saw it in one of those brochure things that they give out at the

EFH meetings. That’s what they call it. They’re born with it. I think. Or something

like that.” He waved a hand.

“I thought they were all, you know, perfect.” Chrissy sounded disappointed.

Alex said, “That wasn’t one of ‘em. It was a Lesser-Bred. A Mix. You know, like

a mutt.” Or something like that.

Mike dug for his wallet as Alex pulled into the drive through. Mike said, “I want

three pounds, six buns.” Wow, he was actually being a little conservative. Maybe the

sandwiches filled him up. Then he added, “What do you want? I’m buying so what-

ever.”

-13 -

Alex looked at him. “Three pounds? You want three pounds? As in, you’re going

to eat three pounds?”

Mike made a face. “Yeah, better get four. I might want a snack.”

“Seriously, Mike, you keep eating like this and you’re going to wind up on one of

those TV shows where they have to cut a hole in the side of the building and lift you

out with a crane.”

Mike frowned. “Man, I’m hungry, okay?”

“Yeah, well it’s not normal.”

“What, being hungry isn’t normal?”

Alex glared. “No, eating your weight in junk food twice a week isn’t normal.”

And not getting zits, or gaining weight, or plain-out puking his guts up.

Mike shoved the wad of bills into Alex’s face. “Just shut up and get my food,

okay. I’m perfectly fine. If I was sick I wouldn’t be eating.”

Katie leaned forward in her seat. “Maybe you have a tape worm?” Beside her,

Chrissy gagged.

-14 -

Chapter 3

By the time they got to the campsite, Mike had put away about half of the bar-

beque and was talking about Chick-fil-A again.

Alex got out and began unloading their gear while the girls occupied themselves

by wandering around the large open area under the canopy of trees oohing and ahhing

over the sounds of wildlife.

Blytheville was mostly soybean fields and flat lands, so the trees, at least this

many of them, were a treat. Hard to imagine just a hop skip over the state line into

Tennessee would make all that big of a difference, but it did.

Alex watched Katie from his peripheral while he arranged the campsite. There

was already a well-established fire pit, stacked with rocks and surrounded by log

benches from previous occupants. Tiptonville Park was pretty popular. The majority

of the people stayed in the RV area where there were outlets and indoor plumbing-

-that’s the kind of camping Alex preferred. There was at least one benefit to being out

here in the middle of nowhere. It was a lot less crowded. Meaning there wouldn’t be

anyone around to hear them.

Or more precisely hear Mike. There was a reason why Alex spent late nights in

the library studying. Not only did he not want to hear the rutting sounds of Mike’s

physical escapades, he didn’t want to be around when the other students complained.

Katie turned and Alex got a nice view from behind. Her jeans were tight. Way

tight. And every time she lifted her arms to point to something, he got a nice view of

her lower back.

Was that a butterfly tattoo?

Yes, it was.

Damn. He wondered if she had artwork anywhere else on her body.

Alex peeled his eyes off Katie’s backside and made himself concentrate on what

he was doing. After he got the cooler out, he went back for the cooking supplies. He

found the tank for the stove, the pots, the little frying pan.

“Hey, did you bring the Coleman?” Mike didn’t answer.

Alex heard the girls say something about skinny-dipping. Whoa.

“Mike?” When Alex looked, he saw Mike standing at the edge of the clearing,

staring off into the woods. “Hey?” He still didn’t move. Alex shook his head and

walked over. “Did you remember to pack the stove?”

If Mike heard him, he sure as hell didn’t act like it. He continued to stand there

with his eyes half lidded, his mouth partly open, his nose flaring like he couldn’t get

enough air.

“Mike?”

“You smell that?” Damn, Mike even sounded strange.

“What’s your problem?” Alex put a hand on Mike’s arm. He felt hot to the touch.

-15 -

“Are you running a fever?”

“God, that smell...”

Alex sniffed the air. He just smelled dirt, fresh air, pine trees, and the barbeque

odor left over from Mike stuffing himself.

“Mike?” Alex gave him a little shake.

Mike blinked, then cracked a grin. “You ready to go fishing yet?” He turned on

his toe and went to the Jeep. Mike pulled out his rod and reel. “I’ll catch ‘em, you

cook ‘em.”

Alex met him at the bumper. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, why?” Mike dug out his tackle box. The Coleman was under it. Alex

picked it up.

“You were acting funny.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“You were talking about a smell and breathing funny.”

Mike cut him a look from under his wavy bangs. “Just enjoying the outdoors.”

He turned and Alex stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Seriously, are you sure

you’re all right?” Whatever Alex had seen in Mike’s expression was gone. He even

frogged Alex a good one in the shoulder.

“I’m cool. Look, you finish here. I’m gonna hit the river.” Mike looked over his

shoulder at Chrissy. “Hey, good lookin’! You wanna come check out the beach front

with me?”

Yeah, and the smile Chrissy gave her friend Katie said loud and clear what kind

of beach front she expected to be checking out. Or more precisely, for Mike to be

checking out.

Mike leaned in and said, “Rest of the condoms are in my back pack.”

Alex blinked. “What the hell?”

“Hey, this will give you two some alone time.”

“I’ve got to set up the campsite.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Just get the tent up. Tell her to help you adjust the ground

stakes from the inside.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Mike, it’s a two man tent. Two people can’t fit in the thing to set it up.”

“Exactly! They make those fucking things small for a reason, bro’. Use it to your

advantage.” He slapped Alex on the back and bounded off towards the edge of the

woods with Chrissy in tow. About ten seconds later she squealed a high, happy sound

from somewhere in the brush.

Alex frowned and slapped a mosquito trying to latch onto his neck. At least it

was still reasonably cool. This close to the lake and river, the insect population was

a nightmare in the summer. He considered getting out the mosquito repellent but it

didn’t seem like it would be very conductive to his true purpose. Eau d’Off would

probably be a great way to repel girls as well as blood-sucking insects.

-16 -

A shadow fell over Alex and he startled.

“Hey.” Katie leaned against the back of the Jeep twirling her finger in her hair.

Her eyes did a quick scan of the disaster crammed in the back. Alex fumbled with the

sleeping bags, picked them up, then Katie was right there beside him, her face in his.

She licked her lips.

Son-of-a-bitch.

She said, “I’m kind of cold.”

Look at her...look at her. Yeah, because standing here with his eyes closed was

retarded. Alex felt the heat rush into his cheeks.

“I could build a fire.” He winced as soon as the suggestion came out of his mouth.

Katie’s hand moved and Alex tracked it. Her fingers hit his shoulders, crawled

down his arm and cut across his chest in a slow drag, then paused, going lower,

straight for his...then cut over to grab the strap on the sleeping bag.

“I’ll get this one.” She grinned and plucked it out of his hand and carried it over

to where one tent was already set up and the other one waited to be tethered.

Alex wondered if Katie would notice how the ground spikes went on the outside

and not the inside. Which of course would be the deciding factor as to whether or not

Mike’s little ploy would work. Blonde or not, Alex didn’t think Katie was dumb. But

then again maybe it wasn’t about being dumb.

The breath Alex had been holding leaked out and he grabbed the extra blanket

with his now-free-hand and carried it over to where Katie was busy with the sleeping

bag. Maybe with any luck Mike wouldn’t be out there all night.

It didn’t take long to get everything in place. Thirty minutes later Alex even had a

good-sized fire going. Knowing Mike, he’d want to cook his fish over an open flame.

Alex preferred the Coleman. It was hard to butter fish when it was on a stick.

Katie said, “Mike says you’re really good at metaphysics.”

“Uh, yeah. I’m okay.” Alex made himself look her way.Katie lay on her side on

the blanket, near their tent. One hand propped up her head, while the other one toyed

with the frayed edge of the quilt. From this angle, her tight jeans rode down while her

shirt rode up, and Alex got a nice view of her navel and her flat, flat stomach.

She said, “I suck at it. I mean, it doesn’t make any sense. What the hell is an

S-factor anyhow?”

They’d been going out for a whole three weeks and this was the first time Alex

had heard of any Metaphysics 101 issues. He knew about her being a vegetarian

because he’d taken her out to eat several times.

“Do you think you could help me study sometime?”

Was it his imagination or did ‘study’ sound like a stand-in for sex? Yeah, had to

be his imagination. No, make that hormones. Definitely hormones.

Alex opened his mouth to say “sure” but, “You hungry?” fell out instead. And

Katie, bless her little heart, batted her Maybelline eyes at him and smiled in a devilish

-17 -

way that made Alex’s balls go tight.

Alex tried to make the log he was sitting on more comfortable. It was impossible.

For multiple reasons.

This was definitely a mistake. The “this” being coming here and expecting that

losing his cherry in the woods was going to be any easier than trying to lose it at a

party or at his dorm.

Face it, Alex, you’re destined to die a virgin. Unless a blowjob actually counted

as sex. He didn’t think so. And a blow job from a drunk chick even less so. Alex was

pretty sure an alcohol level that high pretty well nixed the whole experience.

God, he just wasn’t cut out for this. Alex knew he wasn’t hideous, but he was

plain. And girls just didn’t like plain. Unless of course you’re a Hollywood star on the

big screen.

Maybe he could get a tattoo. That might stir things up a little. One on his arm or

his chest? But then he’d have to go shirtless so people could see it. Not cool. ‘Cause

muscle mass was another one of his problems. He just didn’t bulk up. No doubt,

genetics could be a real bitch sometimes.

“Alex?”

He felt a warm breath on the back of his neck. Something equally warm and oh-

so-soft touched him. Her lips. Holy shit, Katie was kissing him on the back of the

neck.

No matter how hard Alex tried he just couldn’t get enough air. Katie sat down

on the log beside him. Her beautiful blonde hair fell over her shoulders in waves.

Definitely supermodel pretty.

She said, “You know, it’s okay.” In spite of the left over winter chill, this close to

the fire the flush was high in her cheeks.

Alex swallowed and worked on peeling his tongue off the roof of his mouth.

“What’s...” For whatever reason, blinking seemed to dislodge it. “What’s okay?”

“You know.” Katie shrugged and her blue eyes glittered.

Oh, hell, no. Mike didn’t.

But going by the look on Katie’s face, he most certainly had.

Alex he stood up and walked back to the Jeep. Katie made some sound effects,

like maybe she was surprised he could stand up and walk away in his current condi-

tion. Didn’t take long for that to fix itself either. The idea of Mike blabbering to Katie

about him being a virgin had the same effect as skinny-dipping in a lake--in the dead

of winter.

“Asshole.”

“Alex.” Kate followed him. “It’s all right.”

“What’s all right?” Alex grabbed an empty grocery bag from his stash in the door.

While Katie hovered nearby, he worked on picking up the trash in the passenger side

floorboard. The trash that Mike had failed to pick up.

-18 -

“That, you know.”

“No, I don’t.” Christ, even she couldn’t say it. The fact that he was nineteen, a

week from twenty, and had never been laid was practically a scarlet letter burned into

his forehead. One that stuck him smack dab into the class of loser and stapled his ass

there.

-19 -

Chapter 4

Mike hoisted Chrissy up with his free arm and carried her down the rocky slope,

all He-Man and shit.

She squealed again and tossed her head back laughing. God, she sounded won-

derful when she did that.

“You been working out?” She squeezed his bicep.

“Nope.” He put her on the ground when they got to the bottom. Chrissy flicked

him a coy look as she sauntered to the edge of the river. Mike watched her, feeling his

insides go tight. His stomach growled, and he did his best to ignore it.

Alex was right. If he kept eating like this, he was going to wind up on Oprah.

Thing was, Mike hadn’t gained a pound. Not to mention he wasn’t sleeping as

much, and on top of that he actually felt stronger, more focused. Still, the whole eat-

ing-his-weight-in-food every week was getting old.

Mike’s dad was going to shit a brick when he got the credit card bill this month.

His old man would be able to see it was for food, but he was going to wonder what

the hell kind of parties Mike was throwing.

The constant hunger wasn’t Mike’s only problem. No, for the past two weeks

Mike was pretty sure he’d spent more time in the shower with Rosy Palm and her

five sisters than he had his entire life. And it wasn’t like he wasn’t getting any. He had

more sex than any one person could stand.

It seriously made Mike wonder if he should change his degree from Criminal

Justice to Porn Star. At least there was money in porn. Better health benefits too. Hell,

the only reason Mike had chosen Criminal Justice as his major was because Alex had.

To be honest, Mike had no real interest in college at all, but dear old dad didn’t give

him much of a choice.

Nope, pops seemed to think Mike was destined to walk in his footsteps and

become a politician. Mike couldn’t care less. All the ass-kissing, shoulder rubbing,

stuffy party shit was for the birds.

Mike figured he could do the whole cop thing. At least there would be variety.

Although he’d have to go to some big city because God knows nothing interesting

ever happened in Blech-ville. Goddamned town looked the same now as it did twenty

years ago. And twenty years from now it would still look the same.

Mike forgot all about that when Chrissy stripped her pretty pink shirt off and

tossed it onto a large flat rock. Her bra was also pink. And thin. Which meant it was

practically transparent.

“Hey, you think the water’s still too cold to swim in?” Chrissy dipped her toe in

the edge.

“I don’t know, baby. Maybe you should check it out?” Mike inhaled deep.

Chrissy smelled wonderful. Whatever new shampoo or body wash she was using

-20 -

made his mouth water.

She cut him a look. “What?”

“Nothing.”

Chrissy fluttered her eyelashes at him as she reached back to unsnap her bra. She

grinned when his eyes locked on her chest. Mike thought she had great boobs. Round

and Pamela Anderson-perfect, but in a C cup. Oh, and Chrissy’s weren’t fake. Mike

was sure because he’d checked for scars. The up-close kind of checking. Even used

his tongue to feel for imperfections.

Chrissy said, “Really? Then why are you looking at me like that?”

Mike knew he’d dropped the fishing tackle but didn’t care. His legs moved on

their own accord and his brain went somewhere else.

No, scratch that. His brain was locked on those twins she’d just set free and that’s

exactly where he was going to put his mouth.

With a flick of her wrist, Chrissy’s bra joined her shirt on the rock.

“You should never wear a bra.” Mike slid his hands around her waist and over the

swell of her ass and lifted her up. She felt weightless. He meant to suck a nipple into

his mouth and make her moan but wound up pressing his face between her breasts

and inhaling the scent on her skin.

Fuck. She smelled so good. Like chocolate and something sweet. Maybe peaches.

Yeah, peaches. Mike flicked out his tongue. Tasting her just seemed like the thing to

do. That was some damn strong body wash. Not only did it smell good, it actually left

flavor on her skin. He licked her again.

Chrissy kicked in his arms, laughing. “What are you doing?”

“Tasting you.”

“I can see that, but that mouth of yours would be far more useful somewhere

else.”

Mike didn’t want his mouth anywhere else, he wanted it right here. Breathing her

in, tasting....

Chrissy cuffed him on the ear.

“Z--seriously.” She only called him Z when she was getting pissed. Specifically

getting pissed because he wasn’t doing what she wanted. Chrissy pushed on his

shoulders and push hard, but resisting was easy. When she made angry sounds and

kicked him in the knee, Mike put his mouth where she wanted it.

At least it shut her up.

Mike worked one nipple then the other, and Chrissy made a lot of noise but to

him this was boring. He moved his face to her neck. Yeah, now here, here her scent

was stronger. He ran a tongue over her throat, sucked at her pulse.

Chrissy moaned and tangled her hands up into his hair. Mike traced the line of her

neck to her jaw then caught her mouth.

Holy shit. He thought her skin tasted good. Mike felt Chrissy try to push him

-21 -

away, but it wasn’t until she nailed him on the lip that he paid attention. Mike jerked

his head back.

Chrissy’ s green eyes were wide and her breathing fast. “What the hell is wrong

with you?”

Mike noticed her scent tasted spicy now.

You taste good.

Well, there was one good thing, Mike didn’t say it out loud. Because now the

thought had actually formed in his head, it kind of scared him. Chrissy struggled but

Mike didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to get her on the ground, tear her clothes

off and run his tongue from one end of her body to the other. Something told him the

juncture between her legs was going to taste even better than her mouth.

Mike forced himself to put her down. He blinked and saw she had blood on her

lip.

“Aw, shit. Did I hurt you?”

Chrissy batted his hand away. “No, it’s your blood.” She swiped her hand over

her lips. “Ew! I think I actually got it in my mouth.”

Mike touched his lip. His fingers came away crimson. “You bit me?”

“Yeah, well, you were stuffing your tongue down my throat and sucking the air

out of my lungs. I couldn’t breathe.” Chrissy stomped over to the flat rock, arranged

her shirt, then laid back in the mottled sunlight. Mike was pretty sure it was more to

show off her assets than to actually work on her tan.

“Are you going to do something about your lip, or stand there and bleed?”

Chrissy huffed and shut her eyes.

Mike wiped his lip again. More blood. More red. He had the sudden urge to suck

it off his fingertips. Mike scrubbed his hands on his pants and walked back to the fish-

ing gear. Inside the tack box, he found a paper towel and pressed it to his lip. The cut

was small and quit bleeding after a few minutes.

While Katie enjoyed the sunlight, Mike fished. It didn’t take long for him to

snag a couple channel cats. The trout surprised him. Mike didn’t think they would go

for dough, but maybe they were just really hungry. He slapped each of them on the

stringer and tossed his line back into the river.

Mike scrubbed a hand over his head, willing the ache between his legs to calm,

but like the pain in his stomach, it wasn’t going away. He concentrated on breathing.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. The air out here smelled incredible. Tasted even

better. The flavor was so thick and rich he could practically chew it. His gaze slid to

Chrissy. At some point she’d shed her jeans and rolled over onto her stomach. Just

like a girl. Even her panties were pink. And practically see-through.

God, he was hungry.

Mike dug out the sandwich he’d pilfered from the cooler. He really should have

brought more than one. He ate it. Well, sort of. More like he shoved it into his esoph-

-22 -

agus, then swallowed the damn thing whole.

The tip of Mike’s pole dipped hard and he snatched it up just in time to set the

hook. He made short work of another catfish and put it on the stringer with the others.

Usually fishing relaxed Mike. But not this time. He felt antsy. Impatient.

Mike looked at Chrissy again. He watched her while he washed his hands off in

the water and dried them on his jeans. Judging by the slack expression on her face

and her breathing, she was asleep. The scent of peaches and chocolate wafted under

his nose, carried by the wind. Okay. That wasn’t right. And yet?

Mike walked over to where Chrissy was laying and let his eyes travel up and

down the length of her body. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her naked a dozen times

over. They’d been off and on again for about two years. Neither one of them wanted

commitment. Chrissy just like to use him in between her steadies and Mike was okay

with that. Actually, he was more than okay because Chrissy didn’t care if he got inti-

mate with other girls during their off time.

Mike stroked the back of her calf, feeling the texture of her skin. He’d never

noticed how soft she felt before. Of course, as a girl, she was supposed to have soft

skin, but this? It was different somehow.

When she moved her leg, he stopped. The scent became stronger and he put

his fingers to his nose. It was like he’d dipped them in whatever she was wearing.

Something deep down inside Mike said he wasn’t smelling any kind of perfume. He

smelled her.

Which was stupid. Right?

Mike closed his eyes and breathed.

But maybe it wasn’t so stupid, because Mike was pretty sure he could smell

Alex and Katie too. Just up that embankment a hundred feet through those bushes.

There were other scents. Animals. Specifically deer. Mike hunted enough to know the

musky odor that a buck could give off.

Mike’s stomach cramped hard enough to make him wince and he felt hot and cold

at the same time. He wondered if he was going to regret eating so much barbeque.

The last thing Mike needed was an upset stomach. Hopefully Boy Scout Jackson

packed some Imodium. The trots were not a condition Mike wanted to go unchecked

out in the woods. Especially when there were girls around. Even with his ego, Mike

was pretty sure he’d die from embarrassment.

Only something like that usually hit lower in the bowels, and this was his stom-

ach. The cramping was accompanied by the hard pulse between his legs.

Mike opened his eyes and began a slow walk around the stone slab. He gave into

the compulsion to gaze at Chrissy. After a few laps, he leaned in, planting his hands

on the rock and inhaled deep. Mike even swung his head from side to side.

Only, he wasn’t sure why.

The sweet flavor he smelled coated the back of his throat. Closer. Without really

-23 -

thinking about it Mike reached out to stroke the swell of her butt and he had the

unshakable urge to tear off her panties so he could touch her flesh. Man, she felt

warm.

But not warm enough.

Mike shivered and the ache between his legs kicked.

The desire to taste Chrissy returned and Mike couldn’t resist. What the hell would

Alex think about this? Mike had gone from wanting to look at naked chicks all the

time to wanting to drag his tongue over parts of them. It was official: the Z-man had

lost his mind.

And yet, it felt completely natural.

Mike pressed his tongue to the small of Chrissy’s back and began a slow drag up

her spine. Chrissy moaned and breathed his name. Again. He had to do it again. This

time he heard her suck in her breath. The chocolate and peaches scent got stronger. So

strong, it ate into his brain shoving out any kind of reasonable thought.

Mike slid a hand over her ass, down her thigh, inward, up. He brushed her

through her panties. There was no need to look at her to know she was waiting for

him to do more. Mike could smell it. Feel it. Fucking taste it in the air.

He climbed up on the rock and planted a hand on her lower back and the other

one on her thigh.

“What are you doing?” Chrissy’s words were thick with arousal. Mike ignored

her. Nothing she had to say interested him right now. He only wanted more of that

flavor. That taste.

He leaned in and nipped the hem of her panties then dragged his tongue across

the surface. It wasn’t as nice as her skin but the sensation and taste were unique. Kind

of like a change of scenery.

“Mike?”

“Shhh...” She surprised him by not getting pissed. Mike moved closer, pushed her

leg up and out more. Then he cupped his hand against her mound. Only the thin layer

of pink fabric kept the contact separate. Mike was keenly aware of her heat. When he

stroked her, the peach flavor bloomed in the air with a vengeance.

His jeans were becoming seriously uncomfortable.

“God, Mike.” Chrissy moaned loud and low as he stroked her. Mike opened his

mouth, sucked the air into his mouth, and swallowed it down. More. He needed more.

Mike slid his arms under her thighs and popped her butt into the air.

He stroked Chrissy through her panties with his tongue, tasting her through the

fabric. Her flavor blew his mind. How come he never noticed this before? Caught up

in the moment Mike couldn’t understand whatever it was she tried say. Her words

became small cries and blended in with the rest of the forest noises. And there were

so many. Birds, wind, the river, the sound of animals moving in the woods, it was a

symphony of music. The rapid heartbeat of nature that he set his rhythm by.

-24 -

The only reason Mike knew Chrissy came is because he tasted it. And it still

wasn’t enough. He wanted to be saturated in her scent. Bleeding it. Vaguely aware he

was growling, Mike flipped Chrissy over onto her back. She looked surprised, but he

could tell by the way she tasted she wanted him.

“What’s gotten into you?” She stroked his shoulder and he flicked her hand

away. No petting. Not right now. He was too hungry. Fucking starving. Mike yanked

Chrissy’s panties off and tossed them away and buried his tongue between her folds

to taste her here the same way he’d tasted her mouth.

Mike drove his tongue as deep as he could, thrusting, drawing in the flavor of

her orgasm, savoring the taste of it. He moved up and caught the soft bud of flesh

between at the top of her juncture and sucked. Chrissy barked quick desperate sounds.

Mike didn’t care when she begged him to fuck her. He was too busy. Too busy tast-

ing. He used his fingers because he didn’t want to move his mouth. One, then two, he

pushed inside her, making her come almost instantly.

When Mike was finally sated enough to quit, Chrissy was panting so hard she

sounded like she’d been running. Mike’s mouth ached, his lips felt swollen, but he

had her glorious flavor stuck in his palate and with every swallow he could taste it.

“Mike?”

He still didn’t acknowledge Chrissy even though he could feel her move closer.

Her hand slid into the hem of his jeans and she tugged on the button of his Levi’s,

pulled on his zipper. Chrissy kissed him across his chest while yanking at his pants.

Mike hurt so much it felt good.

The moment she freed him from the constraints of his jeans and boxers, he eased

out a sigh. Being naked felt so much more normal.

“God, Mike, you feel like you have a fever.” Chrissy bit his navel while her soft

fingers played along his cock, exploring, like she’d never touched him before. Like

they hadn’t done this dozens of times.

Thing is, they hadn’t. This body was different. It was changing. Mike had no idea

how he knew, and when he thought about it, he knew what he felt was something

which couldn’t be learned. Not like book smarts. Not like factoids about his favorite

ball player.

Instinct.

Yeah. That’s what it was. Like a wolf’s drive to follow a trail, a stag to drag its

face over the bark of a tree or a hawk that’s drawn to the movements of a rabbit.

Instinct. It was some deep-seated part of him he’d never noticed before. Or maybe

never listened to.

No, it just hadn’t been awake. But now, it throbbed inside him. A sleepy engine

of biological need roused from its coma. It felt wonderful, a living fire under his skin,

moving like something alive. Predatorial.

Mike caught Chrissy’s face in his hands and looked down at her. Her cheeks were

-25 -

flushed, her mouth partly open. She smelled of sex and... food? Bowing over her, he

caught her mouth with his, stroking the inside with his tongue. He was careful not to

choke her this time. A deep groan eased out of Mike’s chest. His teeth were killing

him, but the pain wasn’t enough to make him stop.

When Mike pulled away, he pressed his cheek against hers and said, “I need

you.”

“Okay, okay, Mike. God, something’s different. What’s different?”

Mike could feel the heat his body put out. It was as if he had a fire inside his

chest. And his muscles felt harder, like he’d been pumping iron every day for a year,

only he hadn’t gotten bigger. Okay, part of him was bigger but he was pretty sure

what was because of how aroused he was. And while Mike was familiar with that

horn dog sensation, this wasn’t the same.

No.

This was something other.

Since Mike had lost his virginity three years ago, he’d had had plenty of lovers.

Sex for him was a recreation. Something fun to do. It passed the time, plus it got his

rocks off.

While Mike never thought of himself as the most graceful of lovers he knew how

to make a girl happy. Hell, enough of them came back again that he had to be doing

something right.

But arching over Chrissy in this moment, his mouth on hers, his hands stroking

her skin, the taste of sex on his tongue, he felt like a virgin. Like he’d just realized

what he was missing. Before he’d just been going through the act of copulation, some

hip thrusting, some noise making, coming. This, this was like none of that.

The realization terrified Mike and at the same time exhilarated him. Something

had changed all right. Mike just didn’t know what.

“I need you.” Jesus Christ, was that his voice? Mike buried his face in Chrissy’s

neck and pushed her back. Her arms went around his shoulders, her knees squeezed

his hips. His pants were around his ankles, his boxers low on his thighs. Mike wanted

them off, but at the same time he could not stand to pull away from her. Waiting any

longer would make him dangerous.

Why? Why would I be dangerous?

Against Mike’s shoulder Chrissy called to him, begged him. She arched under his

body and her core stroked the tip of his cock. The sensation made him hiss. Mike had

no idea what he was waiting for, but he felt incomplete. Like there was something

missing.

Condom, he’d forgotten to put on a goddamned condom.

Thank God she was on the pill because stopping wasn’t going to happen. He

needed her heat.

Mike gripped himself and pushed in. Jesus Christ, she was tight. No, he was just

-26 -

that engorged. Under him Chrissy moaned and he pushed more, moving slow, way

too slow. For himself and, by the sounds Chrissy made, for her too. But Mike didn’t

want to hurt her.

Then Chrissy sank her nails into his back and he buried himself deep. The sound

Mike made reminded him of the big cats at the zoo. If Chrissy heard it she didn’t

care, because with every thrust she called to him.

Pressing his body against her, Mike tried to find warmth. Heat. He wanted to

climb inside Chrissy. Curl up in her skin. And while she was warm, especially warm

around those lower parts, it wasn’t enough. Somehow Mike knew it would never be

enough. He kept going, because fucking her was as close to what he needed as he was

going to find. At least the movement made his aching muscles burn, but it did nothing

for the deep internal fire inside his chest demanding to be fed.

Chrissy came for him, once, twice, and he still didn’t want to stop. Mike was

pretty sure he’d come too. At least twice, maybe three times. Whatever his body was

working towards now wasn’t a normal orgasm. It was fuel.

Desperate needy sounds erupted from Mike’s throat. He hurt. Everywhere he

hurt. His teeth, his joints, his arms and legs. He felt like his bones were being broken

apart and put back together. His skin felt too tight. His skull, too small for his brain.

And goddamn it, someone seriously needed to cut his cock off because that was the

worst of it.

Then it hit him. Whatever “it” was. It wasn’t an orgasm. Mike came, no doubt,

but the orgasm wasn’t normal because it didn’t want to stop. The sensation started in

his toes, ate up the back of his legs, rode up his spine and completely melted his brain

matter. Roaring, Mike kept burying himself over and over until the need for heat

banked and settled.

Shoulders heaving, Mike struggled to find enough air to fill his lungs. He felt like

he’s just run a hundred miles, uphill. And all he could think about was doing it again.

“Oh, my God.” Chrissy giggled. Mike usually found the sound endearing, but

right now it was just annoying. “That was, like, the most amazing sex. Ever.”

Yeah, good thing she thought so. Mike didn’t. That wasn’t sex. It was something-

-no doubt. And it felt good--no doubt. But sex? No...no...no.

Still inside her, still hard--Jesus Christ, he really could go again.

Mike scrambled off the rock, pulled his boxers up, stuffed himself in his pants,

and straightened up his shirt. He didn’t look at Chrissy. Looking at her was bad news,

because he’d be on her again, fucking her.

A sharp pain hit Mike in the stomach, then in the head. He almost tripped and fell.

“What time is it?” Mike asked, because the light quality was different and he felt

colder.

“I don’t know. What do I look like? A sundial?” Chrissy went around searching

for her clothing. “You threw my panties in the river.” She held them up to display the

-27 -

wet edges.

Mike rubbed his jaw and said, “We better get back.” The desire to search out what

he needed was insatiable.

“They might be busy.”

They? Who was they? Alex, damn. Mike had almost forgotten. Getting Alex some

alone time with Katie so he could lose his cherry was the reason for this entire trip.

Well, one of them had lost something, that was or sure. Mike was scared that

“something lost” happened to be his mind. This had to be what insanity felt like. Or

maybe a brain tumor.

Mike grabbed his gear, reeled in his line, snatched the stringer out of the ground

and took off up the embankment consumed by the overwhelming urgency to go find

Alex.

-28 -

Chapter 5

“Kiss me.”

Alex glanced at Katie who was leaning against the door of the Jeep with a

hand on her hip, her chest pushed forward, looking like a sex goddess waiting to be

claimed.

And what the hell was he doing? Cleaning out the floorboard.

The fact that she even had to ask for him to kiss her was wrong on so many lev-

els.

“Why?” Okay, that is not what you say to one of the hottest chicks on campus

when she tells you to kiss her.

Thing was, Mike had told her. The V word. He was a virgin. Because, as Mike

already pointed out, blowjobs from drunk chicks did not count.

And Katie, there, was in no way drunk. Nope, she was completely lucid and look-

ing at Alex like he was something yummy to eat. Worse than that, his dick agreed

with her. Traitor.

“Because I asked nicely.” She moved closer.

Alex tied off the bag and pulled out a couple of towelettes from between the seats

to wipe off his hands. They were actually baby wipes, but he always removed them

from the box and put them in a Ziploc. Anything labeled “baby” in a car was a sure

fire way to scare off potential dates. Or get his ass kicked by any of the guys.

Sad to say, the reason he had them in the Jeep wasn’t because Alex was fastidious

about his personal hygiene, but because Mike wasn’t.

Just like a damn two-year-old, he was always spilling stuff in his car. Mike didn’t

have a car. Not because his dad wouldn’t get him one. Quite the contrary. Mike used

to have one of the sweetest rides on the planet. A 1969 midnight blue Camaro with

silver racing stripes. He called her “The BITCH”--capital letters only, of course--and

currently, she sat in his dad’s garage under three inches of dust.

At sixteen, Mike got his license. Eight weeks later he lost it by doing a hundred

and twenty five in a school zone. It was the kind of behavior that put a crimp in a

community. Instead of jail time and a record, Mike lost his keys for five years. So

about the time he was going to be legal to drink, he’d also be legal to drive.

Until then, Alex kept wipes under his seat. Not a bad thing. On occasion they

came in handy. Like right now.

“Aww--don’t be mad.” Katie put a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m not mad.” Okay, maybe he was, a little. “Mike and I have been friends for

a long time. He does this shit to me all the time. I should be used to it.” Alex lost his

train of thought because Katie pressed her entire body against his side.

“Kiss me.” She fluttered her blue eyes at him and a burn lit up in his cheeks.

Katie smiled. Obviously blushing did not turn her off.

-29 -

Okay. Alex decided kissing her sounded like a great plan. Maybe then she’d back

off. Probably not. Although, come to think of it, that might not be so bad either.

There was just one very huge problem. With Katie this close, her fingers doing a

dance across his stomach, Alex couldn’t seem to recall how the whole kissing thing

went.

He knew he was supposed to do something with his lips, what it was he had no

clue.

Maybe his sudden brain freeze was written on his face or maybe Katie--in all her

worldly knowledge--just knew. Yeah, that had to be it, because the next thing Alex

knew, her mouth was on his.

The gravel under his shoes slipped and he ass-planted it on the edge of the door.

There was just enough of the frame to keep him from hitting the ground. Thank you,

God!

Katie still wasn’t put off. Nope, she worked her mouth, leading the way. Alex got

with the program and kissed her back. After a few bumbling seconds, he even found a

rhythm to the way she moved her lips, stroked her tongue, and he followed.

Katie made a pleased sound. When Alex put a hand on her hip she moved it under

her shirt. And when he tried to stand up, she straddled his lap.

Alex needed to breathe because he was seeing spots. Although it might have had

nothing to do with the lack of oxygen and everything to do with the lack of blood to

the brain since all his hemoglobin was heading south.

Katie broke the mouth-to-mouth and stripped off her shirt.

Oh, damn...

Pale tanned swells peeked over her black lace bra. Now that should be illegal.

And shit, look at where Alex’s hand was. Or more precisely where she‘d put it. Right

there, just under the left one. All he’d have to do is move a thumb or his fingers…

Alex did and felt the perk of her nipple under the fabric. Felt it? Hell, he could

see it. Bra was like tissue paper.

“I like that.” Katie kissed him again and rolled her hips forward, rubbing her

groin against his erection.

Okay, there was no keeping it a secret now. Long shirt or not, his cover was defi-

nitely blown. And if Katie kept sucking in his bottom lip like that something else was

going to blow.

Groaning, Alex tried to stand up but she wouldn’t move. No, she seemed to enjoy

the whole bump and grind thing.

Katie said something and Alex missed it. Between the sounds he made, his

breathing and his pulse, he was pretty sure the goddamned Cherokee could have

exploded underneath him and he would have never heard it. But he did catch the

“please.”

“Please what? What!” Right now Alex would do just about anything short of set-

-30 -

ting himself on fire. And he might even consider that.

“Unsnap my bra.”

Alex nodded. What the hell was he going to tell her? No? His hands shook as he

fumbled with the clasp. On the third try he got it to release. Katie shrugged off the

scrap of black lace and tossed it off to the side. Alex tried not to stare. Really he did.

Of course that worked about as well as everything else so far. Did it with about the

same amount of grace too.

“Go ahead.” She picked up one of his hands and used it to stroke the swell of her

breast. Alex was pretty sure he was hyperventilating. Damn, she was soft, really soft.

She let go and he kept stroking, sometimes using his thumb, sometimes his fingers. If

he applied a little pressure or rolled her nipple between his fingers, she would make a

wonderful sound and rock against him.

And all that rocking was starting to wear on him in a really big way.

Jesus Christ! Alex clenched his eyes shut. Swallowed. He moved his hands to

her back, ran them down her ribs. He could feel the bones under her skin along with

muscle. Further down to her hips, he slid his fingertips under the hem of her jeans but

they were just too tight to go further than that.

Come to think of it, the front of his jeans was getting tight.

Next to his ear Katie said, “Tell me what you want.” Maybe Alex would have,

only he couldn’t get his voice to work. “Don’t be nervous.” She pulled away and her

thumb stroked his mouth, then his chin. “You don’t have any reason at all to be ner-

vous.”

Sure he did. Alex had plenty of reasons. A damn laundry list of them.

“I’ll take good care of you, Alex.”

Yup. Without a doubt. He was sure she would.

“Tell me what you’re familiar with. We’ll start there. How’s that?”

Familiar with? His brain did some start and stop, then his eyes popped.

Oh dear God, Mike better not have...

Katie leaned back and popped the button on his jeans.

“Wait.” Alex put his hand over Katie’s and she shushed him. Okay, a really hot

chick just shushed him because he started to tell her not to undo his pants for him.

What the fuck was wrong with this picture? Alex jumped when she slid his fly

down. If that wasn’t bad enough, she put her hand in his pants.

The groan Alex let out sounded like something in pain. He lurched forward and

his forehead hit her chest. With a little bit of guidance, as in one hand on the back of

his neck and Katie leaning forward, Alex found his mouth on a nipple. Figuring out

what to do next wasn’t hard. Alex dug his hands into her jean-covered ass, making

noises. What kind he had no idea. They sounded as pathetic as he was desperate.

Once again, Katie the ever-patient didn’t seem to mind. Oh no. Like a good

teacher, she was definitely showing him what to do.

-31 -

Alex stopped when she tipped his chin up.

Katie said, “I want to take your pants down, okay?”

Yeah, sure. Pants down.

She moved off his lap and Alex watched, somewhat detached, as she inched his

jeans down and pulled his cock out of his boxers.

Start with what he was familiar with, huh? That motherfucker Mike just could

not keep his mouth shut, could he? Alex tried to stand up and move back, but Katie

moved fast and had his pants down around his ankles with his boxers. Then she put

her knees down on his clothes, tethering him to the ground.

Alex let out a yelp and planted his ass back down when Katie’s hands closed

around his cock. Whatever it was he wanted to tell her--stop, wait, don’t, hang on-

-detonated in the back of his head when her mouth closed around the head of his dick.

Then the neurons going from Alex’s brain to his mouth effectively burned to nothing

right then and there.

Mike was so dead. Dead. Alex was going to kill that son-of-a-bitch. Absolutely

going to...

Holy shit! What was she doing with her tongue?

Alex’s hands went tight in Katie’s hair. He didn’t mean to, but she didn’t seem to

mind. No, those pleased noises she was making as she worked her mouth against the

length of him tickled Alex all the way into the pit of his stomach. Katie was definitely

good at this. Real good. Made him wonder just how many hours Mike had put in on

her.

God, not a thought to be having right now...not...now.

Helpless, Alex could only sit there, with Katie between his knees, her mouth

working him in and out, his body betraying him on every level. The way his hips

thrust, his hands clenched, not to mention the sounds he made.

Alex dropped his head back as every muscle in his lower back went tight and an

earthquake set up in his legs. He was pretty sure the end of his cock was hitting Katie

in the back of the throat. He knew losing it was approaching fast, way fast. After

all, he’d spent enough quality time with himself since puberty. What guy didn’t?

Especially a guy not getting any.

But he was getting some now.

A cold line of pleasure pulled at Alex through the soles of his feet, then his balls

got tight like they were somehow connected. His breathing went next, more rapid,

desperate, but the closer he got, less and less air fit.

Pretty soon those lines turned hot and were followed by a blissful ache, one

which made his hands go even tighter, and the head of his dick go hypersensitive.

Alex didn’t really want to do this in Katie’s mouth. No, for whatever reason it seemed

wrong. And yet he was powerless to stop her.

Pleasure became a rush of euphoria. Alex prayed she wouldn’t stop. The word

-32 -

“more” came out of his mouth on a desperate plea. He’d be embarrassed about it later.

Right now, more was exactly what he needed and bad. So bad.

Alex threw out a hand and dug his fingers into the door frame. The other one

pulled Katie down, forcing her to deep throat him. His hips shot forward as the

orgasm took him by total surprise, its intensity way more than Alex had ever experi-

enced. Then he could feel her swallowing.

Fuck, how erotic was that? Alex opened his eyes and looked at her as she took

him, keeping her mouth there until he was finished, easing the blissful ache with her

tongue.

When it was over, she sucked the end as he went soft. Then she sat back, smiling.

Okay...now what? What the hell do you say when a girl does something like that?

“Thanks.” Oh, God, that was so lame. So fucking lame. Katie stood up grabbed

her bra, slid it into place, and snapped it with a bend and flex of her arms that

shouldn’t have been possible. Alex watched her, feeling a tad bit disappointed she’d

put it back on. But then again, what the hell was he going to do? Especially now.

Spent.

How about getting your shorts up, asshole, instead of sitting there with your male

parts hanging out and drawing up in the cold?

Yep, probably one of his better ideas. By the time Alex got his boxers up and his

jeans zipped, Katie was digging through the cooler looking for something to eat. For

some damn reason that struck him as funny.

He wandered over in her direction, running his hand back and forth over his head.

“Uh...” Now what? “Aren’t...uh...” He blew his breath out, looked back at the

Jeep. The door was still open. He should probably close that. Instead, Alex sat down.

Katie made short work of the orange peel and tossed the rinds into the fire. She

pulled the slivers apart and popped them in her mouth.

Christ, he was never going to be able to look at her mouth again and just see lips,

something for talking, or kissing. Katie said, “What?”

Alex scrubbed his face then moved up beside her on the log. She kept eating her

orange.

“Aren’t I, you know...”

Katie smiled at him. Alex was pretty sure she knew exactly what he was trying

to say. Only she wanted him to actually say it. Maybe she liked humiliating him?

Which, he had to admit, was probably well-deserved.

Alex cleared his throat twice then just sort of blurted it out, “What about you?”

There, he said it. So why was she still looking at him? “I mean, aren’t I supposed to

do something for you?” And the last part came out so slow he was pretty sure she

now thought he was retarded. Sure felt retarded.

“Oh!” Katie rolled her eyes all dramatic then moved closer. “And what is it you’d

like to do to me, Alex Jackson?” Katie was so close now that her breasts brushed his

-33 -

forearm. Alex could smell the oranges on her breath. Yeah, and then he thought about

what she’d just done to him.

“I...”

“Hmmm?” Closer still and her hip touched his. “Tell me. And I’ll let you.”

She’d let him. Yeah, that, that shouldn’t have sounded so hot.

Alex stared at the fire, wondering when he was going to be able to get over all

these first time shivers. Two blow jobs in two years. Not exactly a résumé to be proud

of.

Her breath hit his ear. “I’m still waiting.”

Wow, then they had something in common. Alex was still waiting to grow a set.

Wracking his brain, Alex struggled to get a grip on his thoughts. Tried to think of

what to say. What to do. He thought about Mike. Mike would be all smooth talking.

Total Casanova. And Alex, well--racking his brain just left him racking his brain.

“Just tell me, Alex. I won’t laugh. I promise.”

No, no, she wouldn’t. Katie had been totally professional about this whole thing.

Professional.

Alex narrowed his eyes and something cold set up in the middle of his stomach.

All his nervousness dried up. Alex turned and looked at her. Really looked at her. He

even thought about how she knew so much about him. Mike had told her so much

about him. Now why would he do that? Especially when he’d acted like he couldn’t

even remember her name?

Alex was just about to open his mouth and say something when Mike came stum-

bling out of the woods. Alex jumped to his feet. It was a combination of surprise and

the demands he wanted to throw out, but as soon as he saw Mike all his pissed-off

evaporated.

“Mike?” Mike’s usual tan was pale. Practically gray. Especially around his mouth

and eyes. “Damn, what happened?”

If Mike heard him, he didn’t show it. He dropped the string of fish by the cooler,

followed up with his rod and reel, then practically collapsed by the fire. Chrissy came

out of the bushes whining about Mike running off without her.

“What happened?” Alex looked at Chrissy because she looked okay. Better than

okay. She was flushed, her hair messed up. Yeah, definitely rode hard and put away

wet.

“I don’t know. He just took off.” Her complaint dried up when she looked at

Mike. Her eyes went big. “Oh. My. God. Mike! What happened?”

“Nothing.” Mike reached over to the cooler and pulled it up beside him, threw off

the top and dug through it. “I just need something to eat.”

Alex didn’t think eating was a very good idea. Mike looked more like a guy who

was about to hurl.

“Maybe the barbeque was bad?” said Katie.

-34 -

Alex shook his head. “I ate some and I’m fine.”

Chrissy moved to sit beside Mike. She petted his head, pushed his curls over his

ears. He wasn’t paying attention; he was too busy stuffing his face. Eating like some-

one who was starving. Watching Mike put away the sandwich meat right out of the

bag kicked something awake inside Alex’s chest, and he had the strangest urge to run

for his life.

Alex said, “Mike, are you sure you’re not sick?”

“I’m fine.” With his mouth full, it came out more like “mife inee.” Mike waved a

hand at the fire and said, “Cold.”

Alex put more wood on it, even though it wasn’t cold out. Not really. And nor-

mally Mike was pretty hot natured. Alex really wanted to insist that they go home and

he almost did, but the more Mike ate, the better he looked.

After Mike polished off the third pack of meat, he popped one of the tops on a

Budweiser and tossed it back. How he got the beer, Alex had no idea. Mike was still a

year under the legal age. Leave it to Mike to get around the rules. It was something he

was good at.

Mike belched and both girls let out a collective, “Ew.”

Alex stared. Something wasn’t right. When Mike looked up at him, Alex was

pretty sure Mike also knew something was wrong. “You okay there, Z-man?”

Mike watched him over the edge of the can while he sucked it back. It was only

after he put it down he nodded.

Then he grinned in a familiar smart-ass way. “Yeah, I think maybe my sugar

dropped or something.”

“You’ve been eating enough for four people, and that was just breakfast.”

“Yeah, but you have no idea the workout I just had.” He laughed, sounding nor-

mal.

“Mike Zimmer!” Chrissy cut him a warning with her eyes.

“What? I didn’t hear you complaining. No, if I remember right you said it was the

best sex you’d ever had.” Mike even had the cajones to add sound effects while he

adjusted himself.

With a huff, Chrissy threw a stick at him and Mike barked out an “ow” when it

hit home. Then she stormed off to their tent and zipped herself inside.

Now Alex had the urge to kick the asshole.

“What?” Mike threw a look and forth while drinking his beer.

“You’re such a prick.” Katie went next. And she didn’t go in Alex’s tent, she went

where Chrissy was.

Great.

Alex was pretty sure sex was off the menu tonight, even if he did want it. Alex

cranked his head around and glared at Mike. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Mike shook his head while he broke into his leftovers. “Nothing.” It was like he

-35 -

couldn’t eat enough or fast enough. Watching him was nauseating. “Just hungry.”

Alex picked up the stringer of fish out of the dirt and put it into the empty cooler

with ice and water. The trout didn’t look so good from all the abuse but the catfish

began flopping almost immediately. But of course, they were catfish. Short of hitting

them over the head with a mallet or nailing them to a tree, they were pretty hard to

kill.

After Alex put the top on the cooler, he took up the space on the log beside Mike,

who was stuffing his mouth with Hog Heaven’s award winning best.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Alex had to admit, Mike looked okay now. Ten min-

utes ago he didn’t. He’d looked like he was going to spew and pass out.

In no particular order.

Mike nodded. “Yeah, bro’. I’m good.” Then he shivered.

“I think you have a fever. I’ll get you some aspirin.”

Mike shook his head. “No, no, I’m good, really. I just needed something to eat.”

“You’re shivering.”

“It’s cold.”

“Not really.”

The look Mike shot him said “whatever.” But there was something else in that

look too. Something that might have been fear.

Alex opened his mouth to ask him again, but Mike cut him off. “Look, I just

spent the last hour fucking her brains out, okay? I’ve got the shakes. Like I’ve run ten

miles on an empty stomach.”

But there was no way Mike had an empty stomach. Alex didn’t bother to point it

out because the look in his eyes said, “Don’t argue.”

Both of them sat there a while, saying nothing, staring at the fire. Well, Alex

stared, Mike finished off the barbeque. If he wasn’t sick before, Alex was pretty sure

he was going to be sick now. He just had to be. Part of Alex wished Mike would get

sick because then he would have an excuse to pack them all up and go back to the

dorm.

The sound of a zipper being pulled made Alex turn his head. It also gave him the

sudden urge to check his fly.

“Did either of you bring any soap?” asked Katie as she came out of the tent with

Chrissy. Chrissy’s eyes were puffy like she’d been crying. Alex really didn’t under-

stand why she was upset about what Mike said. It wasn’t like everyone in the world-

-or at least a one-mile radius--didn’t know she and Mike had been doing the horizon-

tal mambo. Had to be a girl thing.

Alex reminded himself how he’d gotten pissed off at the thought of Mike actually

fulfilling his threat and buying it for him. Then he told himself that was different.

“In my bag.” Alex went over to his duffle bag and got it for them. Chrissy

thanked him and tossed doe eyes. It was a look which could melt lead. But Alex knew

-36 -

damn well the innocent act was a front. Katie’s expression was more genuine. A cross

of boredom and concern. Both girls grabbed some towels from their packs.

Alex said, “You’re going to bathe this late? And in that water? It has to be freez-

ing.”

Katie shrugged. “It won’t be so bad. If it’s too cold, we’ll just sponge bath.”

“Wait...” Alex snatched up one of the lanterns, checked the batteries, then handed

it over. “In case it’s dark when you get ready to come back.” Katie smiled, took the

lantern and headed off down the path.

A few feet into the woods, Alex heard Chrissy giggle. Yeah, she was okay.

Part of Alex wondered just how upset she was at Mike. As in, maybe mad enough

she’d let Alex join them?

Alex shook his head. “Okay, that’s so not right...”

“What’s not right?”

Shit. Alex didn’t mean to say that out loud. He readied some lame brained

response in his head, turned to say it, then forgot what it was. Mike was slumped for-

ward with his chin on his chest, his arms slack in his lap. His eyes moved under his

lids like he was asleep.

“Mike?”

“Mmm?” His head bobbed but he didn’t open his eyes. Now Alex knew for sure

something had to be wrong. Mike did not fall asleep when there was the potential to

see naked tail bathing with more naked tail.

Alex put more wood on the fire then came around to where Mike was and

wrapped his sleeping bag around him.

“C’mon, buddy, let’s get you in the tent.”

Mike made another sound. Alex shook him and his eyes came open a little, then

promptly closed.

“Mike, c’mon, get up and I’ll get you in your tent. You sleep out here and the

mosquitoes will suck you dry.” As if to make a point, Mother Nature set one of the

little winged bloodsuckers down on Alex’s arm. He slapped it, leaving a red smear in

its place.

With some tugging and cussing, Alex got Mike to his feet and to his tent, then

rolled him inside. Alex threw the sleeping bag over Mike. If he got cold enough, he’d

find it.

Alex stole one last look at his roommate before zipping the flap on the Cabela

Outfitter. At least it would keep the bugs out. Only Alex had the distinct feeling mos-

quitoes were the least of Mike’s problems.

Something was wrong with Mike. Bad wrong. And whatever it was had already

set up house inside him.

-37 -

Chapter 6

Mike dreamed. It didn’t make sense. Just a collage of bright and fluid colors.

There were scents in the dream and sounds he’d never heard before. Deep, resonat-

ing echoes which reverberated all the way to his bones. It reminded him of whales.

Movement drew his eye. A flash, a flicker, then gone. Mike also had the distinct sen-

sation of being held, and he was warm. So warm. And he wanted to be warm.

There were teeth in the dream. Lots of teeth. Long sharp things as big as Mike’s

fingers. And then there were talons - slightly curved with a razor’s edge - one at the

end of each of four toes. He wasn’t afraid of them even when they cut him and he

bled.

Mike wanted to bleed. He found the concept as arousing as sex.

Even though Mike was pretty sure he’d done everything there was when it came

to making out with a girl, he wasn’t ready for what he did in the dream. Or better yet

what he allowed to be done to him.

Those sharp teeth bit him. They not only bit him, but they tore thick wads of flesh

from his shoulder, and while it should have hurt, it didn’t. And when it should have

been revolting, it wasn’t. Like the blood, being eaten was the best fuck of his life and

he had no idea why.

There were voices in the dream. They spoke in a language he’d never heard

before, carried on a range of pitch and tone that wasn’t Human. Whatever they said, it

was beautiful.

As the dream progressed, the mass of color and shapes became clearer. Long

before Mike could actually see them, he knew what they were. It was the instinct

thing again, he was sure of it. They were Kin.

Dragons.

Mike Zimmer should have been scared shitless, because the Kin surrounding

him bit him--ate pieces off of him--then swallowed him down. But he wasn’t afraid

because he wanted them to do it--because he needed them to do it. And they would

keep him warm.

Under the dream there was a drone of voices, and the candy sweet smell of choc-

olate and peaches wafted under Mike’s nose. He smelled Chrissy. The second scent

was more generic--buttered chicken and maybe something richer like wine sauce. He

wasn’t sure. But the third scent, it was better than all the rest. Alex Jackson put off a

flavor that made Mike’s jaw ache and his cock kick.

And that really should have freaked him out because gay was so not his thing.

Only what he felt wasn’t about sex. Alex smelled like food.

Among all the twists and turns in the dream, Mike found himself tangled up in

flesh. Tangled up in arms. His mouth sinking into the meat of another.

One of his own.

-38 -

Except he recognized the sun-deprived skin, crop of black hair, and green eyes.

Mike always was jealous of Alex’s eyes, because he saw how the girls swooned

over them.

Now didn’t this beat all? Here he was having this sexual fantasy about his best

friend and not only was he not screaming in a blind panic, but he was actually

aroused.

And that was totally messed up.

Brain tumor. Had to be.

Mike kicked himself awake and sat bolt upright. Red. Surrounded by red. It

wasn’t a dream it was...

Fuck.

Mike scrubbed his face with both his hands. Tent. I’m in the tent.

Firelight and shadows danced on the side of the tent. Mike could hear Alex talk-

ing, Chrissy answering and Katie laughing. They were having a conversation about

something normal. It was impossible to hear what they were talking about over his

heartbeat roaring in his ears. The sound of his pulse was like the crash of the ocean.

Mike fumbled with the zipper and clambered out of the tent. Outside the air was

even sweeter but way too cold. The silence made him turn around.

Alex sat beside Katie, hip to hip. That was good. Chrissy, however, was looking

elsewhere. That--that was not so good.

All three of them stared at him.

Yeah, this was awkward.

“I’m just…” Mike pointed over his shoulder to the shadowed bushes. It was black

as soot out. Damn, how long had he been asleep? “Be right back.” He headed over

into the darkness to answer the call of nature. At least he felt better after the nap. Lots

better. He aligned himself with a tree, undid his pants and pissed When he was done

he shook himself off and put everything back into place.

Mike didn’t want to go back to where his friends were. They kept looking at

him like there was something wrong. And there was. Damn, if he knew what it was.

Standing out in the woods all night wasn’t an option, so Mike forced himself to walk

back. Mike did not miss the little nudge Katie gave Alex. Poor boy turned beat red

when she inclined her head towards their tent.

“You okay?” Alex asked as he got to his feet.

Mike nodded while rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry about ear-

lier. I don’t know what was wrong with me. Bad case of shithead, I guess.”

Alex smiled, but his eyes still looked worried. He let Katie drag him off to their

tent.

Mike looked at Chrissy. “I’m sorry.” Why was he apologizing again? Mike had

no idea. Probably wouldn’t understand if he did know. Girls were like that. Weird shit

pissed them off. Guys? They got pissed if you broke something, stole something, or

-39 -

forgot to return anything borrowed. Girls? All you had to do was just say the wrong

thing. Or in lots of cases not say anything at all.

Chrissy let loose with one of those long deep sighs which promised a night’s

worth of soul sharing.

Mike didn’t want to talk right now. He didn’t even want to eat. For once.

Mike moved over beside Chrissy and sat down. He ran his hands through his hair

some more while waiting for her to say something. Anything.

“You’re such a shithead.”

Mike started to pop off but then shut his mouth. He watched Chrissy from his

peripheral. Her pretty mouth made a thin angry line across her face, and her gaze was

hotter than the campfire on the side of his head.

He shrugged, shook his head then heaved a sigh. “I don’t know what else to tell

you.” He’d already apologized. What else was there?

“I can’t believe you said that to them.”

Like what they did together was some big secret? God, he was cold. Mike moved

a little closer to the fire.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

When Mike looked, her eyes were worried. Green eyes. Almost the same shade

as Alex’s. The dream Mike had flashed across his frontal lobe like an amateur porn

movie. He clenched his eyes shut but it only made things worse. Forcing them back

open at least gave him something else to look at which was Chrissy and while she

smelled wonderful, her scent coating the air, sliding down the back of his throat, the

hard on he was getting was so not for her.

Look out, Oprah. Here I come. Or maybe he should just go all out Jerry Springer.

‘Cause this? This was totally a Jerry Springer moment.

Chrissy’s hand touched his shoulder and the sensation made his chest ache.

“I don’t know.” Now that Mike answered her, he realized how tired he sounded.

“I think I am. Other than my mouth shooting off with stupid shit and my brain run-

ning about five minutes behind.” For whatever reason, Chrissy laughed. Mike thought

maybe she was just trying to be nice. “Seriously, I feel like Superman.” Which was

true. With the hunger gone Mike honestly felt like he could run a hundred miles with-

out breaking a sweat. Except for the whole cold thing.

She laughed again. Okay, now he knew she was just trying to be nice.

Mike said, “Hey, look. If you want me to sleep out here tonight, I totally under-

stand. Really.”

Chrissy shook her head. “I guess I’m just being overly sensitive.”

Whoa, that did not just come out of her mouth. Mike blinked and she stared at the

fire.

“It’s just that, I mean, back there. That felt different. Real. I thought…” Chrissy’s

small hands clenched tight enough to make her knuckles white.

-40 -

“What?”

Chrissy sighed. “I thought maybe what I felt was what you’re supposed to feel.

You know?”

Um. No. Mike didn’t. At least his ignorance showed on his face. It saved him

from having to explain his stupidity.

“I thought maybe I was falling in love with you. And you with me.”

Oh.

No matter how hard Mike tried, his brain just wouldn’t go past the L word.

“I guess that’s pretty stupid huh?” Chrissy actually sounded sad.

“I…” Mike took about five seconds to think about what it would be like trying to

keep himself just to Chrissy. And maybe, maybe if she’d made this declaration yes-

terday he could have seen it happen. But now? No. He had this ache inside him which

he knew for a fact Chrissy would never be able to fill.

But Alex could.

Aw, shit, not that that messed up BS again. With an angry sound Mike shot to his

feet and paced. Pacing seemed to help. It warmed him and it soothed that thing in his

chest.

Chrissy watched him with wide eyes.

Okay, now what? What the fuck do I do now? Surely to God this is some kind of

screwed up nightmare because I just don’t swing that way. Absofucking not!

But what Mike felt when he thought about Alex wasn’t sexual attraction. Not like

what he felt for Chrissy. Or hell, any other girl he’d been with. This was something

Mike could feel inside his best friend, like a compass compelled to point north or a

tide being pulled to the shore by the moon.

And he wanted it.

Needed it.

Thing is, Mike was pretty sure the it had been there all along. The it was the

reason why they became friends. Two polar opposites and yet they did pretty much

everything together. Practically joined at the hip.

Mike looked at Chrissy and thought about her pink panties and what he’d done to

her on that rock. It made him want her. Sexually. Which he took as a pretty good indi-

cation of his sexual direction. However, it still didn’t get Alex out of his head and he

seriously needed to get that boy out of his head.

Who’d have ever thought a camping trip could turn out this messed up? Seriously.

“Mike?” Chrissy stood up looking like she was about to run. And God, the

thought of her doing that was a total turn on.

Mike bent his knees and his muscles tightened. The grin that spread on his face

had to look as insane as it felt, but goddamn it, he wasn’t thinking about fucking his

best friend anymore and that was a plus.

“Run, Chrissy.” Her name came out on a growl. A real growl. She blinked at him

-41 -

and he crouched lower. “Run. Run now!” She took off, like a deer in the woods. Her

long legs took her over the cooler and she hit the shadows of the woods. Mike lis-

tened to the sound of her moving through the brush.

It wouldn’t matter where she went. He’d find her.

He took off.

Mike could feel the change in his body. He felt lighter, quicker. He didn’t so

much run as he did glide, muscles flexing and rolling like liquid. Around a bush, then

through a group of trees, Mike found Chrissy. When he wrapped his arms around her

waist she squealed. A high pitched desperate sound, which made Mike want to bite

her.

Eat her.

His breath came out on a growl against the back of Chrissy’s neck as he took her

to the ground. Mike’s shoulder absorbed the impact and Chrissy was safe against his

chest. The need to pet her like she was something exotic consumed him. Mike moved

his big hands over her body from head to hip, but her clothes were in the way. He

needed them gone.

“Mike? Mike, your scaring me.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” God, his voice sounded funny. “I’m just going to

keep you. You want me to keep you, don’t you?”

“You’re serious?” Chrissy turned in his arms, her hands touched his cheeks. “Oh

my God, you’re serious, aren’t you!” She laughed.

He wasn’t sure about anything except for needing Chrissy out of those clothes.

With some tugging and pulling he got her going, which was a good thing. If he’d

been left to taking them off, he would have shredded them.

Chrissy kissed Mike on the jaw and he flinched.

“What’s wrong?”

“Tooth ache.” It was true. Only it was every goddamned tooth in his mouth.

“Don’t kiss me.” He didn’t need to kiss her anyhow.

Rolling in the soft earth, Mike got his shirt off and his jeans down. With the half

moon shining through the treetops he could see Chrissy, but she didn’t seem to be

able to see him. At least not very well.

Growling, Mike shoved Chrissy to the ground, held her there, ran his tongue

along her neck, shoulders. The thought of biting her and tearing her flesh was vivid.

He forced himself lower, away from her throat. Mike flicked his tongue across one

perked nipple and Chrissy moaned. The sound stirred the ache between his legs and

not his stomach. That he could sate. The hunger he was powerless against.

Lower.

Mike nipped at Chrissy’s belly button. She hissed and said something about his

teeth being sharp, so he licked her. When Mike buried his mouth between the junc-

ture of Chrissy’s legs, her complaining turned into cries of pleasure. Mike worked her

-42 -

with his tongue and mouth, and with his free hand he worked himself. He needed the

release now, or when he took her, he would hurt her.

Mike had spent enough personal time with himself to know every ridge, wrinkle,

and blood vessel running up the length of his cock. The thing in his hand right now

was unfamiliar and felt like it belonged to someone else. He realized the same thing

went for the rest of his body. Mike’s entire epidermal layer felt alive and he could feel

the movement of things in his environment by the way the space they occupied was

affected by their presence. Even his mouth felt funny. All his teeth hurt like hell, and

when he got careless with his tongue, he cut himself.

He made sure to be extra careful with Chrissy.

As Mike got close, a deep burn set up under his skin. Especially on his back and

chest. It should have hurt and he was pretty sure if not for the change in his nerve

endings, it would have.

When Chrissy came, it brought him too, and he bucked against his own hand

while she thrashed against his mouth. God, she tasted wonderful. He dragged his

tongue up her stomach, between her breasts to her neck. It took everything not to sink

his teeth into her.

“I love you,” Chrissy said.

He turned his head when she tried to kiss him. Chrissy nipped him on the ear. The

feel of her teeth, the sharp sting of pain, made Mike’s cock jump. Yeah, that’s what he

needed. What he wanted to feel.

“Bite me.”

She giggled and did it again.

“Shoulder, on the shoulder.” Mike angled himself between her knees, his cock

resting against her thigh. He wasn’t just hard--he ached.

“Why?”

“If you want this…” He rose up and stroked her. Slow. Let her feel every inch had

to give. She gasped and he made a pleased sound. “Bite me.”

Chrissy put her mouth on his shoulder. He felt teeth, pressure, then nothing. He

growled and dug his hands into the earth.

“No. Bite me. Hard!”

“I’ll hurt you!”

Yeah, but Mike wanted her to. Needed her to. “Do it! Please...”

Her teeth touched his skin again and she added enough pressure to make him

groan. He rewarded her by stroking himself against her core. Goddamn it, then she

went and stopped.

“Chrissy!” Mike’s breath came out on a gasp next to her throat. The urge to give

her a demonstration was instant, but he knew it was something she’d never come

back from. “Please, please, bite me hard.”

“But, Mike...”

-43 -

He thrust forward, shoving just enough of himself inside her to make her writhe

and gasp. “Do it, or I’ll stop.” It was a threat he doubted he could uphold, but she

seemed to believe it.

This time she bit him and hard.

God, yeah, that’s exactly what Mike needed. With one smooth push, he gave her

the rest of himself. As Mike thrust, he moved a hand under her thigh and brought her

hip up. The angle let him go deep, which made her bite him harder.

“More! Bite me more!” She did. And when Chrissy came her teeth broke the skin.

The fact that fucking her didn’t make Mike come, and being bitten did, made him

stop.

Underneath him, his girlfriend blabbered on about how much she loved him. And

yes, yes he could keep her. And while Mike wanted to keep her, he was pretty sure it

wasn’t in the same way Chrissy was thinking.

Her arms went around his neck, and she showered his cheeks in kisses.

“You’re the best, Mike, the best. So perfect...”

“I need...” A shiver ran down his back and made the muscles in his legs jump.

Chrissy went quiet, her hands petted his shoulders, his jaw. “I thought you fin-

ished.”

He knew she asked because he was still hard. Mike stood up and took Chrissy

with him, keeping himself inside her at the same time. It was an impossible feat of

strength and dexterity --but he did it as effortlessly as he stood.

The new angle made her gasp.

“I want to keep doing this with you.” He cradled her back with one arm while the

other held her under the ass. With a thrust of his hips and lift of his arms, Mike used

her to stroke himself.

“God, Mike, how can you? I’m too heavy, you’ll hurt...” He made her shut up by

moving. Chrissy’s heels slammed against the back of his thighs with every thrust and

he watched her in the moonlight as she arched against him. Her body glistened with

sweat and smelled of that sweet peach scent. And it would get stronger. Every time he

brought her, the flavor bloomed and Mike would suck it down his throat like it was

food.

-44 -

Chapter 7

Alex lay on his back with his arm thrown over his eyes. By the sound of things

outside the tent, Mike and Chrissy had made up.

“I don’t think he’s sick anymore,” Katie laughed. “What do you think was wrong

with him?”

“No clue.” Other than being an asshole probably nothing. It’s what Alex wanted

to believe, only he didn’t.

More noises from the woods.

Jesus Christ, how long were they going to go at it?

“What about you?” Katie shifted around in her sleeping bag.

“What about me?”

“Are you still mad?” The rustle and slide of the sleeping bag told him Katie had

turned in his direction. Alex took a minute to think about her question. Was he mad?

No, not really. Hell, to be honest he wasn’t even sure he should be mad. It occurred to

him he could always just ask Katie if Mike had paid her, but if she said yes, then he

would be mad.

Yeah, what a conversation that would turn out to be. Especially if Mike didn’t.

Especially if she really just liked me. No doubt, they would not be making up by

doin’ it like bunnies in the woods.

And having to listen to Mike’s communing with nature didn’t exactly put Alex in

his happy place. Sharing his tent with Katie made finding some relief impossible.

Alex realized she was still waiting on him to answer as to whether or not he was

mad. “I don’t think so. No.”

Katie sighed and he felt it against his ear, then Alex felt her hand on his chest.

The ache in his groin got worse.

Sounds from the woods went high-pitched and desperate, then ended suddenly on

barks of pleasure. Alex laughed too, if only a little.

“Jesus, is he always that loud?”

Alex took his arm off his face and stared at the ceiling of the tent. “Yeah, pretty

much. Although he’s added to his sound effects.” Usually it was just a lot of “oh god-

-oh god, oh baby--oh baby.” Now he sounded like some sort of...

Monster.

“You’re frowning again.” Katie tilted her head like she was studying his face.

Alex looked at her. Katie really was pretty. No, not just pretty - gorgeous. “Why

did you go out with me?”

Katie smiled and batted her eyelashes at him. “Because you asked me.” Leaning

in, her elbow rested on his sternum, which meant her chest was pressed against his

ribs. All the while her fingers made trails across his t-shirt. Alex couldn’t help but

wonder how that would feel skin to skin.

-45 -

“What about now? This trip?”

The heat in Katie’s eyes dampened. Yeah, Alex was pretty sure she knew what

he was getting at. With an angry sigh, Katie flopped over on her back and her cheeks

popped as she blew her frustrations out on a hard sigh.

“I told him you would figure it out.”

Alex was quiet for a few minutes. Hard to believe Katie had more faith in his

cognitive abilities than his best friend. But then again, Mike’s ego was the size of

Texas. “How much did he pay you?” It was a risky question. There was still the

chance he hadn’t.

“Do I...” She made an angry sound and smacked her hand against the sleeping

bag. “Shit. Four hundred dollars.”

Alex did laugh then. “Holy shit! Are you serious?”

Katie shot him an angry look. “I don’t know what’s so funny.” The fact that she

actually sounded angry didn’t bother Alex one bit.

He sat up and ran a hand over his head grinning like an idiot. “I’m not laughing at

you.”

Katie cut him a look. “Oh yeah, sure, you’re just laughing with me.”

“No, no, I’m just surprised I guess.” He felt the smile wilt from his face and get

replaced by something more painful.

“Yeah? And what is it you’re surprised about?”

“I‘m surprised it would cost so much.” When her expression darkened even more

Alex held up a hand. “That didn’t come out right. I mean, I guess...”

His throat went tight and a pain pinged him under each ear like he was coming

down with the flu. Only this wasn’t that simple. No, Alex was pretty sure this sensa-

tion was the precursor to some all out crying. Real-life baby bawling. As if his ego

hadn’t been stomped to death as it was.

Alex shrugged. “I didn’t think I was that bad.” And that didn’t sound right either,

but it was the best he could come up with. Alex squeezed out a curse and resisted the

urge to go tearing out of the tent and storming up to Mike and punching him in the

mouth.

“Bad?” It must have dawned on Katie what he meant because her eyes went wide

and her mouth fell open. She sat up shaking her head. “No, no, it wasn’t...”

Alex held up a hand and stopped her. “Don’t. Please, don’t explain.”

Katie went quiet and her hands fell slack in her lap. It was her turn to look

ashamed. As far as Alex was concerned she should look ashamed.

“God, Mike is going to be so pissed.” Katie put her face in her hands, then pushed

back all her beautiful golden locks. “He’s going to think I told you.”

“No, he won’t.”

“No, no, he will, because I told him this was a bad idea.”

“Did he pay you to let me take you out too?” Alex forced himself look at her

-46 -

even though it made tears prick in the corners of his eyes. The face she gave him was

shocked.

“No...no, of course not.”

Alex was pretty sure she was telling the truth. Which was good. He didn’t know

how much more damage his self-esteem could take. Correction. He did know. It was

less than a hair’s width.

“Alex?” When Katie reached for him, he moved away--all the way to the edge of

tent. It wasn’t far, but it was everything available.

“Look, it’s okay. I’ll just tell him we did it. You don’t have to say a thing, all

right?” His voice cracked and he had to turn away when a tear slid down the side of

his face. Fuck. Now he was crying. How precious was that?

“I’ll give it back.”

“No!” Alex yelled and Katie jumped. She withdrew and her long slender arms

went around her body as she hugged herself. “No, just...just keep it. He doesn’t

deserve to get it back.” Too bad losing the money wouldn’t hurt Mike. He was by no

means poor.

Katie took up staring at her hands, her big blue eyes blinking. Alex was pretty

sure she was trying not to cry. And just like him she lost a few tears before she could

push back her emotions.

“Don’t cry, Katie.” And that’s when the dam burst. “Jeez, don’t. Seriously. He’s

the asshole, okay?”

“Yeah, b-but I took it. I shouldn’t have. God, I needed the money. I wasn’t going

to be able to make my tuition. I’ve been working non-stop and my grades suck

because I never have time to study. And with the shop closed over spring break...”

Katie’s shoulders jerked up and down and she curled forward, her entire body shak-

ing.

“Stop. Please. Katie, don’t.”

She batted Alex’s hands away when he tried to touch her shoulder. “No, I’m

sorry. I should have told him no. It wasn’t right. Even if I did need the money. You

didn’t deserve this.” With an angry sound she sat back up and ground her palms

against her red swollen eyes. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’m so sorry.” She used the sleeve

of her t-shirt to wipe her eyes, then sniffled. “The reason I told Mike four hundred

dollars was because I was hoping he’d say no way.” It was Katie’s turn to hold up a

hand. “And that doesn’t sound like how I meant for it to.” A deep sigh eased out of

her chest and her full lips trembled. Alex watched as her beautiful face went through

a change of emotion as she searched for the words. “You’re nice.” Her eyes clenched.

“I mean you’re really nice. You’re a nice guy, Alex. You’re not like a lot of guys.

You’re actually sweet.”

While he knew she was trying give him a compliment, it still didn’t feel like one.

“I went out with you because you asked me, and because I like you. I knew you

-47 -

wouldn’t be like other guys. I knew because you never looked at me that way. You

treat me like I’m a person, not some...” Alex was pretty sure she was going to say,

“piece of ass.” Katie pushed her hair back. “I really fucked up. The one time in my

life, I get to date a nice guy and I fuck it up.” She shook her head. “You deserve better

anyhow. Trust me.”

Alex laughed.

Katie shot him a glare. “I’m serious.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Damn it, Alex. Have you ever looked in a mirror?”

On occasion, yeah.

“You’re cute. Really cute. You just haven’t filled out yet.”

Okay, now, that didn’t make him feel better either. More like a piece of livestock.

Katie put a hand on his arm. “Listen. Lots of girls like you. They like you because

they know you won’t treat them like...” Like Mike. That’s what her eyes said. She

blinked and took a breath. “The fact that you’re almost twenty and still a virgin says a

lot about you.”

Yeah, right. Says “loser” maybe. Only, with the way Katie looked at him Alex

didn’t get that vibe at all. Thing is, Alex didn’t want to be a nice guy. He just wanted

to be a normal guy. Somewhere in that mix of normal there was supposed to be a

good helping of sex. He was sure of it.

“What’s wrong?” Katie asked.

Alex sighed. He tried to decide whether or not he should just leave. Maybe sleep-

ing outside under the stars was exactly what he needed.

“Alex?”

“I’m thinking...”

“About what.”

“Whether I should be insulted because girls see me as something in the same

class of a puppy or flattered. Somehow, I’m having a hard time feeling flattered.”

“That’s not what...”

“Yeah, it is. Whether you mean for it to or not is beside the point.”

The noises started up in the woods again. Alex screwed up his face and made an

angry sound. Katie blushed. While Mike’s stamina was pretty well known, this was

ridiculous even for him.

“They’ve got to be faking,” Alex said, even though he didn’t believe they were.

But, if they were--and that was a big if--they both deserved an Oscar.

Someone was feeling bitter.

Alex decided he’d earned the right. He really didn’t give a rat’s ass what anyone

thought about it either. He reached to the right, grabbed his pillow and lay down on

his side. Katie continued to stare at him, so he rolled over and faced the tent wall.

Behind him the sleeping bag shuffled, then fell quiet.

-48 -

“Good night, Alex”

Good night? More like the worst night of his life. Alex didn’t reply, he just

clenched his eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

-49 -

Chapter 8

Mike couldn’t remember when he carried Chrissy into their tent, but here they

were. The last round of bump and grind had been the worst. He’d almost bitten her.

By some miracle, Mike managed to drive his teeth into his own arm. The sensation

brought him so hard that he was sure his heart was going to explode.

Both of them were soaked, with his ejaculate and mutual sweat. Poor Chrissy was

out as soon as she got off her knees. Mike was pretty sure he’d had her in every posi-

tion possible. He still wasn’t sated.

Mike looked down at his arm. Five minutes ago it had been bleeding. Huge, deep,

ugly holes had been punched into the muscle. It had looked like an animal bite, not

something made by human teeth.

To keep from bleeding all over, he’d licked the blood off his skin, and probed the

wound with his tongue. Thank God, Chrissy was out like a light, because once Mike

started he was powerless to stop himself. It felt like a hand job, only better. Now the

bite mark was almost gone. Healed.

The hunger was back, though. With a vengeance.

Mike wanted more than anything to be sated, but he still felt incomplete. Starved.

His gaze slid to Chrissy. The terrible thoughts streaming through Mike’s head made

him rip open the zipper of the tent and throw himself outside. Every inch of his body

hurt. His muscles twitched and his joints ached. When Mike looked down at himself,

he froze.

Mike blinked, scrubbed a hand against each eye and looked again. Granted, the

fire had gone down and the moon was set low, but there was more than enough light

for him to see the discoloration on his skin.

Like a bruise.

Only this shit glowed. But that wasn’t the right word either. It didn’t produce light

on its own, it reflected what was available. The iridescence reminded Mike of fish

scales. He stroked a hand across his thigh. It still felt like normal skin even though it

didn’t look normal. The color was so dark it made his skin look black.

Mike fumbled for a flashlight. Fear like he’d never known ripened in his gut.

He found a Maglite near the cooler, hit the switch, and ran the beam across him-

self. He shivered.

It was a combination of a chill and realization. He’d seen pictures of these things

before on brochures that came in the mail, or news blips flashed on TV. What had

Alex called it?

A Stain.

Holy fuck! How the hell?

Mike ran the light over his chest, which was colored in places like the pattern had

done a start and stop. Craning his neck around, he tried to see his back but couldn’t.

-50 -

The direction the color flowed in on his ribs suggested the marks went all the way

around. Hell, it even covered his cock, and his nuts. At least one of them. The one on

the left was still normal.

Normal.

Yeah, that was something he most certainly wasn’t any more.

The pain in Mike’s stomach hit him so hard that he dropped the light and doubled

over. It took everything for him not to scream. In the tent, Chrissy moved and made

small sounds. Mike’s jaw jacked wide and a hiss eased out of his mouth. His nostrils

flared and his brain screamed food.

Oh, Mother of God, no. Somehow Mike got to his feet. He had to get out of there.

The thoughts going through his mind weren’t just sick--they were dangerous. He

wanted to eat Chrissy. Not just eat her, but tear her open stem to stern, pull out her

heart, her liver, feed pieces of her to Alex, because he wanted to impress him.

Mike ran into the woods. At some point his shoulder slammed into a tree and he

went flailing back, landing his head-to-toe naked self smack in the middle of a briar

patch. Mike got up. He had to keep moving. He had to get away.

Away from his friends. Mike didn’t want to hurt them, which was the inevitable

end if he stayed here at the camp.

Mike had no idea how this had happened. Becoming wasn’t something a person

caught like a disease. At least he was pretty sure it wasn’t. Damn. He seriously should

have paid more attention in Preternatural Biology. Mike regretted all those skip days.

Hell, the only reason he even passed the class was because of Alex.

Thinking about his best friend scared Mike, and it wasn’t just because of the

illicit thoughts that took form, it was because he could no longer see Alex’s face. He

only identified him with a scent. A flavor.

As he headed deeper into the woods, other scents and sounds caught Mike’s atten-

tion. He concentrated on those. Giving himself up to his desire to hunt for the source

was a pleasure, and better than the alternative. Hunting Alex.

Mike knew he was losing his mind and yet he was powerless to fight it. At least

as long as he was out here, the others would be safe. Maybe with any luck he’d slip,

fall and crack his skull. Only now that he’d quit fighting this--whatever this was--his

steps were sure, his speed incredible, and he could see. Even in the darkest parts of

the night his eyes told him distance, shape, and heat.

The only thing he needed now were wings so he could fly. And Mike wanted to

fly.

-51 -

Chapter 9

Sometime during the night, the temperatures outside dropped as winter made a

quick comeback.

Without a sleeping bag or a blanket, Alex got cold. Fatigue could be a wonderful

thing. With all the sleep deprivation--courtesy of the Mike and his sex drive--Alex

was pretty out of it when he went fumbling around in the dark for something warm.

Which is exactly why he woke up spooning Katie inside the sleeping bag. Even

more pathetic, Alex was pretty sure he would have stayed there if Chrissy hadn’t

woken them up.

Alex opened his eyes and he tried to figure out where he was, and why there was

something warm, soft and smelling like his Irish Spring soap under his nose. Then the

soft thing moved and rubbed against his erection, a total “need to pee” thing, but no

less of a complication.

He jacked his hips back and sat up. Chrissy stood crouched in the unzipped door-

way of the tent wrapped in a sleeping bag and looking worn out. Mike must have kept

her up later than she wanted as well.

Alex said, “What did you say?”

She sighed, rolled her eyes, then slung a hand out in the direction of the woods.

“Mike’s gone. He got up last night. I thought maybe he had to piss. He never came

back. He’s gone.”

Alex shook his head, knuckled an eye and blinked. His brain felt like a diesel

engine trying to start in the cold. “Mike’s gone?”

“Yes!” She shivered under the sleeping bag and shuffled foot to foot. Katie sat up

and yawned.

“Hang on, let me get my shoes.” Alex climbed out of the sleeping bag and

stopped. As soon as he stood up, his problem was going to be oh-so-obvious. He

pulled the ends of his fleece together, zipped it up and tugged it down over his thighs.

If Chrissy noticed why, she didn’t seem to care. When he glanced at Katie, yeah, she

knew.

Too bad the rest of him couldn’t heat up as quickly as his cheeks. Alex stomped

his feet into his sneakers.

Chrissy huffed. “What about us?”

“Just stay here. I’ll go look for him. He’s probably down at the river or some-

thing.” Alex lied, hoping it would calm her down. “Mike said something about want-

ing to go fishing early. I’m sure that’s where he’s at.” Alex headed into the woods.

First stop was the nearest tree. Once that was taken care of, Alex’s initial issue

solved itself. Now that he could walk around without being an embarrassment, he

went to look for Mike.

Alex fell down twice while tromping through the thick undergrowth. The second

-52 -

time he slid down an embankment, landed in a creek, and soaked his jeans in mud.

Thank God by the time that happened, spring had made a comeback. With the sun up,

it had gone from thirty-five to eighty with high humidity. Mother Nature apparently

had an image to uphold and being a wishy-washy bitch was it.

Three hours later Alex was sweating, which did not make all the bug bites on his

arms and neck any easier to deal with. After hours of searching and seeing no sign of

Mike, Alex gave up and went back to the campsite. Halfway there he convinced him-

self this was one of Mike’s stupid jokes. And God help the S.O.B. if he was sitting

by the campfire, yakking it up with the girls. Alex was going to do his best to kick

Mike’s ass.

Didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out how that was going to turn out.

Alex broke through the brush, and both girls stood up. They’d dressed in cute

shorts and matching halter tops.

Tired and sweating like a pig, Alex dragged himself over to the weathered logs

they’d been using as a bench and sat down. He slapped a few mosquitoes as they tried

sucking off a late lunch on the back of his neck.

“Where is he?” That, from Chrissy.

Obviously not here, is what Alex wanted to tell her. He shook his head. “I don’t

know.” She didn’t seem very worried. “Did you two argue or something?” Chrissy

shook her head and sniffled. He didn’t think so, not with all the noise they’d been

making, but then again.

Katie hugged her friend close. The look she gave Alex was one that said, “oh,

well, what can you do?”

“I want to go home.” Chrissy sounded like she was gearing up for an all-out tan-

trum. Katie petted her hair and shushed her, but going by the expression on her face,

Katie also wanted to go home.

Alex sighed. “Let me change. I’ll drive you two back to the dorm, then come

back here and look for Mike.”

Katie’s eyes widened. “That’s over an hour away. What if he comes back to camp

and you’re not here?”

Alex shrugged and rifled through his duffle until he found a pair of shorts, clean

shirt, and his new best friend, Old Spice. “Yeah, well if he does, then he can think

about how stupid he’s been while he waits for me to get back.” If Mike thought how

he’d been acting yesterday was stupid, today he’d struck an all-new high. Alex disap-

peared into the tent, shucked his nasty, sweaty clothes and slapped on some deodor-

ant. It was the best he was going to be able to do. When he came out, both girls were

climbing into the Jeep.

Nope, neither one of them wanted to try and talk him out of taking them home

and staying to look for Mike. They probably thought he’d done this on purpose too.

Something Alex was sure of.

-53 -

No one said a thing the whole way back. Alex didn’t even turn on the radio. He

wasn’t in the mood for happiness in any way, shape, or form. Thing was, he wasn’t

even pissed. No, he surpassed pissed about three miles from the campsite. What he

felt now was completely out of the ozone.

Mike had done a lot of idiotic things in the life of their friendship, but this week-

end had to be the worst. He’d taken advantage of Katie’s need for money, paid her

to have sex with him, made an ass of himself with Chrissy, acted all weird yesterday

and then taken off today. If Alex didn’t know the guy better, he would have suspected

drugs, but he knew Mike didn’t bother with shit like that.

The trip back to campus was shorter than Alex expected. Chrissy got out without

a word and headed in the direction of the parking lot on the other side of the library.

Katie was slower making her exit. Alex had the strangest feeling she didn’t want to

leave, that maybe she was even considering asking him to take her back with him to

look for Mike.

If she was thinking it, she never said anything.

“Why don’t you call the cops?” Katie asked as she hefted her knapsack over her

shoulder.

Alex shook his head. “He’s fine. He’s just being an asshole. He’ll probably be sit-

ting by the fire wondering where we’re at by the time I get back up there.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Other than kick his ass when I find him, nothing.” Only half his statement was

true. Alex knew he couldn’t kick Mike’s ass if his life depended on it.

Katie smiled. For once it wasn’t all dazzle and glow. Alex smiled back. Her hand

touched his and she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

“Don’t change,” she said pulling away. But she didn’t go far. No, her blue eyes

went up and down over his face like she was trying to find something.

Alex had no idea why he did it, but he leaned forward and kissed her. Really

kissed her. Too bad he didn’t think to get out of the Cherokee before doing it. Then he

could have actually put his arms around Katie and pulled her close.

“Wow,” Katie said as he broke it off. “Does that mean you don’t hate me?” She

blushed, and while her reaction should have been the last thing to make Alex feel all

macho, it did.

“I’ve never hated you, Katie.” But he’d come close to hating Mike.

She dropped her eyes, suddenly looking very shy and even more beautiful. “Do

you think...” She bit her lip and looked away in the direction Chrissy had traveled.

It was the hope in her expression that made Alex ask, “How about a movie next

Friday?”

Katie blinked a couple of times as if she didn’t quite believe what he’d said. She

nodded. “Sure.” Then her face crumpled. “But I have to study. I have a Metaphysics

test Tuesday.” She said it with all the enthusiasm of getting a root canal.

-54 -

“Okay. Bring your book over this Monday and we’ll hit the library.”

“You’re serious?”

He nodded and Katie returned a smile that threatened to split her face in half.

“You’re the best, Alex. You know that, right?”

She kissed him one more time on the cheek and he watched as she jog-skipped

up the sidewalk to the parking area. After Katie was gone, Alex pulled away from the

curb and headed back to the campsite.

-55 -

Chapter 10

Alex took his time getting back. He really hoped Mike would be freaked. As if

the guy could actually be reduced to a state of mind-blowing panic. About ten miles

from his destination, Alex’s adult synapses fired up. Sometimes they did that. The

older he got, the more often they inundated him with mature concerns.

Maybe the reason why Mike didn’t come back to camp was because he’d fallen

and gotten hurt, or passed out.

The woods were dense. If Mike had rolled under some brush Alex could have

missed him. What if he really was hurt, or worse, sick--as in delirious--and wandered

down to the river. He could have fallen and… No, Alex was not even going to go near

those thoughts. They’d been friends too long.

Alex reminded himself he’d made a pass by the banks but then he realized he

hadn’t really looked. No, he’d been pissed off. Not to mention, he’d been searching

for an upright Mike, not one lying on the ground with his head split open.

Alex was lucky as hell that a state trooper didn’t pull his ass over for speeding as

he blew through the final ten miles. The trail to the campsite was the worst because it

took forever.

He prayed Mike would be sitting by the fire on those old logs, drunk on the Bud

or maybe stuffing his face. As Alex pulled up to the clearing, he knew right away

Mike hadn’t been back there. The fire was out, the Bud was in the cooler, sleeping

bags and tents right where they’d left them. Alex glanced at the clock. It was four.

There were at least three more hours of light. Enough time for another quick search.

He climbed out of the Cherokee and was immediately attacked by mosquitoes. It

felt hotter now than it did earlier. He grabbed a flashlight from the back of the Jeep,

so when it got dark he wouldn’t have to come back for it. It dawned on him he might

need a jacket later, but right now he would sweat to death in it.

God, please--please let me find him.

What if he didn’t? What the hell would he tell Mike’s parents?

Alex headed into the woods in the direction of the river. About thirty minutes into

his trek, he remembered why wearing shorts in the woods was a bad idea. Between

the bugs, the thorns, and more bugs, his arms and legs itched and burned like he had a

severe case of poison ivy.

Along the way Alex found himself consumed with the “what ifs.” What if Mike

had gotten snake bit? What if he’d fallen down a hole somewhere and broken his leg?

What if he’d been swept away by the river?

Right then and there, Alex was pretty sure not finding Mike at all would be worse

than finding him dead. At least if he found Mike’s body, he would know he wasn’t

trapped somewhere slowly starving to death or dying of dehydration.

In pain. Alone.

-56 -

Alex’s vision blurred and he made some angry swipes with his hands. He never

should have taken the girls home. He should have made them help look for Mike. But

no, he’d been pissed thinking this was some joke. Now Alex was pretty sure this was

something beyond even Mike’s stupidity.

Alex pressed his palms into his eyes and spit a stream of curses, calling himself

ever name in the book and a few he just made up off the top of his head.

At least being pissed off dried up the tears. For whatever reason, he happened to

look up and to the right. Here the riverbank took a sharp dip. Another five feet for-

ward or back and Alex would have never seen the man crouched on the river bank.

Maybe he’d seen Mike.

Alex jogged down the rocky slope. “Hey!” He raised a hand. All he could see

over the ridge of earth was the man’s back and his blue shirt. Only as Alex got closer,

something didn’t look right. Had to be a hunter, because he was gutting an animal.

Alex could see the man’s hands working and there was a wide puddle of red on the

ground. But the stranger didn’t have a gun or any gear, and his hands, his hands

were…

Alex walked slower now. As he got closer his brain struggled to put together the

picture he saw. The man wasn’t wearing a blue shirt. In fact, he wasn’t wearing any

pants either.

He was buck-ass-naked.

And the blue color all over his back? It was some sort of massive tattoo. But if

that was a tattoo, Alex was really the Prince of Persia.

No. No way. Tattoos did not look like that. They couldn’t.

This thing, it didn’t sit on top of the skin, it swam under it. And the colors, jeez,

it wasn’t just one shade of blue but thousands. There were other colors as well, silver,

black, even a splash of bronze.

Alex knew what he was looking at. He’d seen them in pictures. The girls saw one

on that guy in the street.

It was a stain.

Holy fuck! There was a Lesser-Bred right here in the park.

Mike was never going to believe this.

What the hell was this guy doing with a wild boar? All the animal’s insides

were ripped out, its chest cracked open. The Lesser-Bred was covered in blood, his

arms, his hands, and what Alex could see of the thing’s face not hidden by his mop

of brown hair. Alex watched in horror as the Lesser-Bred stuffed intestines into his

mouth. When the thing chewed, he caught a glimpse of teeth. They were sharp, like

something belonging to a dog.

The longer Alex stared, the more the Lesser-Bred looked familiar to him, as if he

should know him from some other place or time. He took a step closer and caught

sight of an ugly scar slashed near the thing’s shoulder blade. Eyes on the jagged mark,

-57 -

Alex couldn’t help but think how Mike had a scar just like it. Come to think of it,

he was about Mike’s height, build. Alex bent down to get a better look at the thing’s

face. Reality barreled in and Alex took a step back. “Mike?”

Mike didn’t respond he just kept eating, and when he wasn’t eating, he rubbed

bits and pieces of the dead animal on his face, his neck, his chest, like he was putting

on something which smelled good.

“Mike?” Still no response. “MIKE!” Alex’s scream snapped off the rocky bank,

and somewhere in the woods an animal went crashing away. Mike’s looked up. Alex

had gotten his wish. He’d found Mike. Now he was wishing real hard he’d just disap-

pear again. Finding him dead or hurt was one thing, but this?

Mike tipped his head as if he was trying to figure out what Alex was. The look in

his eyes wasn’t normal. Wasn’t human. Then his jaw jacked wide as his throat worked

and his nostrils flared.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, look at those fucking choppers. Alex fought the urge to

run.

“Jesus..!” Alex stumbled back and Mike lurched forward, flicking his tongue out

over his teeth like something that should have been longer and forked. Thank God, it

wasn’t. No, Mike’s tongue was human, but his teeth weren’t. Alex took another step

back. Where the fuck was he going to go? “Christ,...”

The strange animal look in Mike’s gaze disappeared and was replaced by fear and

confusion. Shivers wracked Mike’s body.

“Alex?” Mike curled forward holding his stomach, rocking, moaning. “It hurts!

God, it hurts! Make it stop, please, make it stop...”

Tears cut pale tracks through the blood on his face. Never in Alex’s life had he

seen Mike cry. Not even when he fell out of a tree, or when he got bit by a dog, or hit

by a car while riding his bike. Mike laughed, cussed, and brooded, but he did not cry.

Alex made his way across the pebble beach to where his friend was balled up on

the ground, wailing like an infant. Every muscle in Mike’s body rolled becoming so

violent he appeared to be having some sort of epileptic fit. And the mark on his skin?

Alex swore it was getting brighter.

Moving.

Like there was something alive inside, climbing to the surface and trying to break

free.

Mike’s back bowed and his hands curled into claws as the bones in his fingers

threatened to tear through his skin. The cords on his neck stood out on and his chest

heaved like he couldn’t breathe. He kicked and thrashed as if something horrible was

tearing him apart. Then with the same kind of brutality, it stopped, leaving him crum-

pled on the ground and barely breathing.

Alex had no idea how long he stood there. It was the sound of Mike’s pitiful

voice which finally brought him back to reality.

-58 -

“Alex?” Mike’s head moved and his eyes opened. Alex found himself thinking

how the color was all wrong. Inhuman. “I’m cold.”

Mike was gray around the mouth, the eyes, and where ever there were patches of

human-colored flesh. There wasn’t much, though. Most of Mike’s body was wrapped

in the strange colored mark.

Scared to death and unwilling to leave his best friend, Alex forced himself to

walk forward. He grabbed one of Mike’s arms, pulled it over his shoulders and tried

to pick him up.

Jesus, he was heavy, but then Mike probably had forty or fifty pounds on him, all

of it muscle.

“I need your help here, Mike.” Alex gave a grunt and tried to get him higher.

“C’mon, man, you’ve got some serious lead in your ass.”

“Not lead...” Hearing Mike talk was a comfort. It meant despite the changes, he

was still in there. “Ho-Hos. Just sign me up for Oprah.”

Like a lot of shit which came out of Mike’s mouth, it really wasn’t funny. It was

the normality of the statement that made Alex laugh.

Mike‘s muscles kept spasming and his teeth sounded off with a chatter. It wasn’t

long before the sound became nonstop.

“What’s happening to me?”

Alex cut a look at Mike. “I was hoping you could tell me.” A stitch pulled at his

side as Mike’s legs went out. Alex lost his hold and Mike slid out of his grasp and hit

the ground. Alex tried to pull him up.

Mike said, “I can’t, it’s too cold.”

God, Alex wished he could be colder. As it was, he was sweating to death. Alex

raked the back of his arm across his forehead then realized he probably just trans-

ferred the blood on his arm to his face.

“C’mon, Mike.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“It hurts too much.”

“Get up.” Alex grabbed Mike’s arm again. His skin was on fire. “Jesus...You’re

burning up.”

“No. Cold.”

“It’s called a fever.” He heaved Mike to his knees. “Get your legs under you.

That’s it. Now walk.”

“I can’t do this.”

“Look, we’ve got fifty feet,” It was actually double that. “Then we’ll be at the

campsite. I need you to help me. I can’t carry you.” Alex groaned when Mike slipped

again. “Fuck, I can’t do this on my own. Goddamn it, stand up!” The weight eased off

as Mike struggled to push himself to his feet. This time he actually made it to his feet.

-59 -

Mike groaned. “You’re such a liar.”

“What?”

“You said fifty. It’s a hundred if it’s a foot.”

“Shut up and walk.”

“I fucking hate you right now.”

“Feeling’s mutual.”

It took a while, but eventually Alex got them to the clearing. Mike collapsed by

the fire pit.

“Build this up. Alex?” Mike slapped his hand against the ground, then pointed to

the cooled remains.

Alex went over to the cooler and took off his shirt. He popped the top and dunked

his tee into the ice filled water. When it was thoroughly soaked he folded it over to

form a sling and filled it with as much ice as he scoop into the folds. Alex carried the

makeshift icepack over to Mike and tried to press it against his back.

Mike didn’t just scream, he shrieked. His eyes peeled wide and he threw up a

hand shaking his head.

“I need to bring down the fever. Mike, please.” Alex tried again and Mike slapped

his hands away. “Goddamn it, the fever is going to fry your brain.” Judging by the

amount of heat coming off Mike’s skin, he had to be in the danger zone if not already

past it.

“H-heeat!”

“No, cold. You need to cool off.”

Mike slung his head back and forth. When Alex came at him again Mike’s lips

peeled up, flashing fang. Four more, twice as long, slid down from behind his front

teeth like something that belonged to a pit viper.

Whoa...

A deep, nasty growl rolled out of Mike’s throat. His eyes flicked to the fire pit,

then back at Alex. Standing there, staring at his friend, Alex was faced with a cruel

reminder as to why Kin and Lesser-Breds were mandated to remain behind the Wall.

They were dangerous.

They killed people.

And they ate them.

Mike let out a groan, slumped forward, and then jackknifed hard enough to toss

himself to the side. Another round of muscle seizures took him out. There were a

few audible cracks and Alex was pretty sure Mike had just broken a rib. The muscles

along Mike’s sides did some weird wave routine, then the movement shot down his

legs. His knees instantly drew up. Mike gritted his teeth while this next round took

him. His eyes stayed locked on Alex, going back and forth between him and the fire.

The message was clear.

Warmth. Please.

-60 -

Shit. Okay. Okay. “Fine.” Alex tossed his shirt aside, grabbed some of their trash,

dry leaves, twigs, and set to work kindling a flame. Every so often he would glance

over at Mike. His eyes pleaded for Alex to hurry.

There was no way Mike was going to make it, even his skin was gray like he was

suffocating, or maybe the will to live was being sucked out of him.

As the flames ate up the trash pile, Mike dragged himself closer. Alex added some

twigs and followed those up with bigger sticks. He put every last chunk of wood there

was in the fire pit, then he helped Mike up on one of the logs. Mike hugged himself

and shivered.

Alex stuck his head in his tent and grabbed his sleeping bag.

He wrapped it around Mike’s shoulders and said, “I’ve got to go get more wood.”

Mike’s eyes rolled up. There was so much fear in the look he gave Alex.

When he turned, Mike’s hand shot out so fast it was nothing but a blur and locked

on his wrist. Debilitated or not--hurting or not--Mike’s grip could have crushed bone.

“Don’t leave me.”

“If you want me to keep the fire going we need more wood.” Alex stared at the

death lock Mike had on his wrist. God, he hoped Mike didn’t break it. The pain alone

would probably make him black out.

“Promise me you’ll come back.” Mike’s normal dark brown eyes erupted with

bright starbursts of gold.

Alex didn’t want to make any promises about coming back here. What he wanted

to do bolt was bolt over to the Cherokee and take off. As if reading his mind, Mike’s

grip tightened.

“Yeah, yeah, I promise. I’ll come back.”

Mike let him go. Alex took a few steps back, watching as Mike’s gaze followed

him like he was prey. “You promised.”

Alex waved a hand and nodded. He hit the edge of the woods, snatching up any-

thing he thought would burn. Several times he seriously considered making a run for

it, but every time he came back with a load, Mike’s expression was so damn grateful.

He was scared. Maybe even more scared than Alex.

By the time Alex got a decent pile of wood stacked up, Mike had moved so close

to the fire the corner of the sleeping bag had blackened. When Alex tried to get him to

scoot back he refused.

“I’m cold.” Mike’s teeth sounded off with a hard chatter as if to drive home the

point.

“Yeah, well, you’re going to blister your skin.” Damn, the whole left side of

Mike’s face was cherry red. The mark on his body was definitely darker now. It cov-

ered almost all of his chest, his shoulders, upper arms, stopping just below his Adam’s

apple.

Alex had no idea how he was going to get Mike back to the dorm. Jeez, get him

-61 -

back to Arkansas. If they were pulled over, Mike could be shot on sight. Good grief,

what were his parents going to say?

Mike made some noise, and when Alex looked at him he said, “I need food.”

“Now?”

Mike nodded. It looked robotic.

Alex checked the cooler. Loaf of bread, two and a half packs of meat, a jar of

pickles, oranges, apples, Spam, beer. He called each item out to Mike.

Mike said, “All.”

Alex stared. “As in, all of it?”

Mike nodded. It still looked forced. Alex picked up the cooler and carried it over

to him and Mike dug in. Alex watched him decimate every scrap of food like some

sort of wild animal. When the cooler was empty, Mike dug around in the dirt and

picked out any small pieces he’d dropped on the ground.

“Fish.” Mike threw a hand at the other cooler and growled. Really growled.

Sounded like a damn bear.

Or maybe a Dragon.

Alex scrambled over to the other cooler and brought it around. He left it beside

Mike and went to the pile of wood to find some sticks to stake them on. When he

found a couple of suitable ones, he dug out his pocket knife to sharpen the ends.

Alex did some impromptu whittling. “What am I supposed to do when we run out

of food?” He heard a sound--a crunch--then something wet and sticky. Alex shut his

eyes. More crunching. More wet, sloppy noises. No matter how bad he didn’t want

to look, his head turned and Alex saw exactly what he was afraid of. Mike had one of

the wiggling catfish in his hands and was chewing out its stomach. He snapped off the

sharp fins and tossed them the side, then bit it clean in two.

Alex watched, horrified, as Mike ate the entire fish. The bones, the tail, even the

goddamned head! Then he went for another.

Knowing it was going to sound stupid, Alex asked anyway. “Don’t you want me

to cook those?” Of course he did. That’s why he was sitting there eating them raw,

like corn on the cob.

Mike shook his head. “Better...this way...taste better...”

Watching was not a good idea but like a bad car wreck, Alex couldn’t peel his

eyes away. Mike dug into a large one which was too big for him to take out all the

vitals in one bite. Intestines spilled over his bottom lip and his chin. Some landed in

the dirt.

Alex ran for the Jeep. Behind him, Mike called out his name and begged him not

to leave.

“I’m not! I‘ll be right back!” He said it because he didn’t want Mike to follow

him. “I’m just, just getting...” Alex yanked open the door looking for something, any-

thing, while trying not to throw up.

-62 -

He grabbed the bag of baby wipes. At least those might be useful. Then he found

two packages of beef jerky and some peanut butter crackers. Those were definitely

going to come in handy.

His head spun and he leaned against the open Jeep door to keep from falling

down.

“Alex!”

He looked. Big mistake. Mike crawled towards him--fish in one hand, the other

holding him up right. Fresh blood made his lips shiny and intestines dangled from his

mouth. Fuck, this was so messed up. So goddamned messed up.

“I’m coming back. Just hang on.”

Maybe if Alex just puked, he’d feel better. Considering he hadn’t had anything

to eat today, it wasn’t possible. Alex took a couple of breaths, then turned around to

head back.

Mike went back to decimating the fish. God, Alex wanted to hate him. Really hate

him. This had definitely ruined their lives. No more college. No more dates. Going

out in public wasn’t even going to happen. They’d have to leave Arkansas. It wasn’t

safe there.

And what the hell was with this “we” shit? I’m not the one who woke up on the

other side of the tracks.

No, but Mike was his friend and there was no way Alex could just abandon him

like this. Could he? Alex wanted to believe he couldn’t, but the more he looked at

Mike, the less he could convince himself of that.

Looking at Mike meant Alex wasn’t watching where he was going. His foot

caught the handle of his duffle bag and he tripped. With his hands full, he wasn’t able

to brace himself and wound up planting a knee on the Coleman stove. The metal shell

buckled and sliced him open on the inside of his knee. Alex squeezed out a couple of

juicy curses and rolled over. Reason number two not to wear shorts in the woods.

As Alex pulled his knee up he gave it a good once over. The cut was so deep he

was pretty damn sure he could see bone. Great. Tetanus shot coming right up.

“Son of a bitch!” He poked the thick piece of flesh that was flopping loose. Damn

thing didn’t hurt nearly as much as it should have, which could only mean it was bad.

Really bad. No doubt, he was going to need stitches.

With another string of ugly words Alex got himself to his feet, carried all the junk

over to Mike, and threw it on the ground next to him. Except for the hand wipes--

those, he kept. Alex went over to the other end of the log and sat down. He ripped

open the Ziploc, not caring he wouldn’t be able to seal it back up, and pulled out a

few wipes. Alex tried to sponge up the blood running down his leg. It was useless.

Mike crawled closer.

“This is your fault,” Alex said.

“I’m sorry.” He even sounded like he meant it. “I don’t understand. Alex, why?”

-63 -

Alex was pretty sure he knew what Mike was trying to ask. Why did this happen?

Why him? Alex didn’t have a clue. Shit like this happened in third world countries

or at least in the slums or government housing districts. Not to the only son of a state

senator and city council member. Wealthy people did not mingle with the wyrms.

They did not engage in illicit behaviors or have relationships with nonhumans. And

those who did were not allowed in government office.

Alex realized Mike was staring at his knee. It still didn’t hurt but boy howdy, did

it bleed.

With any luck, maybe he wouldn’t bleed to death by morning. Alex didn’t want

to think that was possible but then again, here was Mike, his best friend--normal one

day, a Lesser-Bred the next.

Shit.

Double shit.

“You stink, Mike. Back off.” Alex turned his head away when Mike got too close.

Dead fish was not a smell he needed in his nose right now. His stomach was already

doing laps. “Use some of those wipes, please. Fish, Spam, beer, and sandwich meat.

It smells almost as bad as some of those colognes you pick out.” Alex waved a hand

in front of his face. “I take that back, that last one you...”

Alex lost his train of thought when a hand touched his ankle and something warm

and wet slid up his shin all the way to his knee. There was a pause. Then it did it

again.

Do not look.

Holy shit, do not look. That is not what you think it is.

And yet, he knew damn well it was. A small scared noise squeaked out of Alex’s

throat and he rolled his eyes down. He watched as Mike ran his tongue up the length

of his leg, collecting the blood. Deep thick sounds came out of his throat. Mike’s

other hand went to the back of Alex’s calf. Alex was too scared to move. Besides,

what if he did and Mike decided he was prey and killed him? The guy Alex thought

he knew, kept going until he was licking the blood up faster than flowed down his

shin.

When Mike’s gaze came up, his eyes were gold. Solid pools of liquid gold.

Except for the black iris in the middle, they did not look human. Mike moved closer.

His lips brushed Alex’s knee, then he put his mouth over the nasty cut and probed it

with his tongue.

Alex jumped and Mike made a pleased sound. Mike sucked the wound hard

enough that his shoulders heaved. His throat clicked with each swallow.

It was a good thing the wound was still numb because Alex was pretty sure if

he’d felt anything he would have taken off screaming. Mike’s grip on his leg went

tight--really tight--and he pulled himself even closer. The sleeping bag slipped away.

Every muscle in Mike’s body twitched, making the mass of color on his skin dance.

-64 -

Alex noticed the gray tint to Mike’s skin had faded. He had a weird feeling it was

because Mike was drinking his blood. For the first time since Alex had found him,

Mike didn’t sound like he was in pain.

Okay. I can do this. If this really would help Mike, then it’s worth it, right? And if

it was oh-so-okay, then why was Alex so freaking terrified? The hand on the back of

Alex’s calf glided up and down. The touching disturbed Alex a hell of a lot more than

the blood pulling. There was something way wrong about the way it made Alex feel.

Way, way wrong.

Mike’s expression eased. His eyes fluttered and he moaned deep.

And that right there was not a sound you wanted to hear coming out of your best

friend’s throat. Not when it was just you and him in the woods alone. That kind of

sound only happens when he’s with a girl.

Heat boiled out of Mike’s skin. It wasn’t the normal kind of heat either. If felt

nothing like the fire. It made the air thick, almost palpable. Maybe it was Alex’s

imagination but he was pretty sure the heat was sliding under his skin, pushing into

his muscles and pulling something out.

Mike’s mouth popped free and he flicked a tongue over his crimson lips. The

expression on his face was pure ecstasy.

A tremble shot down Alex’s body.

Mike’s eyes came back open and he said, “I need...” His voice didn’t sound right.

It was too deep and had an odd trill to it.

“What?”

“I need it, Alex...it’s in you...”

“What! What’s in me?” Alex knew he sounded hysterical but he didn’t care.

“I don’t know. But I can smell it. I need it. I need more...”

“Blood? You need blood?”

Mike nodded.

“Okay…” Alex swallowed. “Okay, fine. Just hurry up.”

Mike flicked his tongue over the wound, pushing at the thick chunk of flesh flop-

ping loose. “It might hurt. I need this deeper.”

Oh, fuck...

Alex clenched his eyes shut, set his jaw, and tried his best to stop the fear rat-

tling his bones. But it didn’t work. When Mike’s mouth closed over the cut again he

jumped. Then Mike pushed a shoulder between Alex’s knees. Alex didn’t have time

to think about how close Mike was now because sharp teeth sank into his leg.

And that should have hurt too. All those long teeth in Mike’s mouth, cutting into

his skin, should have hurt like a motherfucker. But they didn’t, because the heat,

whatever it was radiating out of Mike’s body, sank into Alex creating head-to-toe sen-

sation filling up every pore in his skin.

The hand petting the back of Alex’s calf slid to the inside of his leg and under-

-65 -

neath his cotton shorts.

Every muscle in Alex’s body went rigid. His eyes opened and his head turned but

it was a good minute before his brain caught up to what he was seeing.

Mike’s hand was a lump under the leg of his baggy shorts, a lump flexing and

kneading against his skin. Not to mention inching higher and higher. He felt Mike’s

fingers hit the edge of his tighty-whities.

Alex was pretty sure he quit breathing.

Maybe Mike just didn’t realize where he was putting his hand? Yeah, that had to

be it. There was just no other explanation.

Oh, but there was.

And it was written all over Mike’s face and the rest of his body. Alex did not want

to look at that part of Mike’s anatomy, but if there was one thing that could not lie it

was his cock. But a guy just didn’t stare at his best friend’s man parts. Unless he was

gay, right? While everything else in Alex’s life had suddenly taken a trip over into the

Twilight Zone there was one thing he knew for a fact: he was not gay.

Then why the hell was he getting a hard on?

The fact Mike had one serious looking boner himself did not help.

Sweat broke out over Alex’s skin, rolled down the back of his neck, his chest. The

strange heat Mike cranked out threaded through Alex’s chest and he resisted the urge

to start clawing at his skin.

Then Mike moved his hand higher, slipping it into the front of Alex’s underwear.

Fingers wrapped around his cock, stroking him. Mike’s thumb pressed against his slit,

smearing precum.

Oh...no. No. No. No. NO!

Alex jumped up with the intention of beating feet and getting out of there but the

heels of his feet caught the side of the log and he ass-planted it on the ground. He

didn’t even have his hands in the dirt before Mike had a lock on his leg and yanked

him right back. The rocks, the dirt, the log, it all cut into Alex, gouging his stomach,

legs and arms.

Alex screamed and tears burst out of his eyes. Mike’s hands yanked on his

clothes, pulling his shorts part way down. Alex threw punches, kicked, clawed. He

knew he hit Mike. He heard the crack of a jaw, felt his knuckles ache and the skin on

them split.

A hand closed around Alex’s throat and effortlessly held him down.

“Jesus, Mike, don’t. Don’t!” More tears. Alex didn’t want to cry. He didn’t want

to sound like a pussy but he was scared. More scared than he’d ever been in his entire

life. Just when he didn’t think he could sound any more like a girl, Mike dragged his

tongue across his stomach.

Alex wailed, sounding wounded and desperate. Mike’s hand slid down the front

of Alex’s shorts, stroking, pumping. Against his will, Alex’s hips bucked.

-66 -

“Let me ease you. I want to ease you.” Mike’s words came out on a warm breath

against his ear.

Alex’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to breathe all the while Mike stared

at him with a curious expression, as if couldn’t quite figure out what was wrong with

the picture. Alex knew what was wrong. Fuck yeah, he did. He kicked some more,

spit, struggled. Mike had been stronger than him before, now he was goddamned

Superman. And just like the Man of Steel, Mike was unmoving. No matter how hard

Alex struggled. No, if Mike wanted to fuck him, Alex didn’t have a chance at fighting

him off.

“I need. Please, I need…” Mike hissed.

Yeah. Right. Need. Is that what he calls this? It was obvious what kind of need

was on Mike’s mind. Alex had never thought the guy was gay, but maybe he’d been

doing the guys in the dorm along with all the chicks.

Mike dropped his head down and kissed Alex, catching him by surprise.

Only this wasn’t some movie star kiss. Mike smashed their mouths together

with enough force to make Alex’s lips bleed and his front teeth ache. Mike’s tongue

pushed seeking entry, and Alex pressed his lips together even tighter.

Mike pulled away and said, “Open for me. I want to taste you. I need to taste

you.”

Taste him? Oh fuck no....

The hand holding Alex’s cock slid lower, past has balls, to his taint. Fingers

pressed against his opening, penetrated. The scream Alex let out was automatic. His

mouth was quickly invaded by Mike’s tongue.

What made it worse, Alex was still hard. Scared to death, terrified, and locked

and loaded. He was pretty sure if Mike kept going he’d actually come.

Alex yanked his face away, thrashed, and screamed. This time it wasn’t a girly

sound either, but angry, pissed as hell.

“Get the fuck off me!” Spit flecked his lips. “Get off me! Get off me! You fucking

pervert! You sick son-of-a-bitch!” The yelling was even less useful than the hitting

Alex had done, but at least he felt like he was resisting. Even though his body had its

own agenda. Alex didn’t know what was scarier, the fact his friend was about three

seconds from committing rape or the fact that he--himself--might actually enjoy it.

The hand on Alex’s throat opened up. The sudden freedom made everything stop.

The look on Mike’s face was one of wanting, needing, and desperation all wrapped

up in a healthy blanket of confused.

With a primal roar Alex head butted Mike. His nose burst open. Alex got off one

more kick, a good gut-stomp. Mike grunted and rolled to the side. Alex scurried out

from under his former best friend and stumbled to his feet.

Alex ran and Mike screamed for him, begged him, pleaded with him to stay.

Yeah, well, fuck that! Alex fell for the poor-me routine once. No more. That thing

-67 -

back there wasn’t Mike. Mike was dead. Gone to wherever a human goes when they

turn into a monster.

Alex ran so fast he couldn’t stop in time, and wound up smashing into the side of

the Jeep. His lungs exploded when he hit the ground. Black stars burst in front of his

eyes when his skull cracked against the rocky ground.

Don’t black out. Oh, God, don’t black out. Then he’d be defenseless. As if he

wasn’t already.

Beside the fire, Mike screeched. The only reason Alex looked was to see if he was

coming after him, but Mike seemed unable to leave the radius of the heat. Mike held

his hands up, reached out to him, his face contorted in fear and agony.

Good. Maybe he’d fucking die.

Alex got to his knees and dry heaved, but because he’d skipped breakfast, lunch,

and dinner, nothing came up. He shoved himself up and yanked open the car door.

His hands fumbled, looking for the keys. He checked his pockets, the console, the

visor, but he couldn’t find them. They must have fallen out of his pocket during the

struggle. Outside Mike continued to scream, begging Alex not to leave him. Mike

NEEDED him.

The word made Alex want to gag all over again. Or maybe the nausea was

because he still had a hard on. Alex grabbed his dick and balls with both hands and

squeezed. He didn’t stop until the pain made his lungs deflate and his intestines twist,

but it took care of his problem. His body wasn’t looking forward to getting off now.

No, Alex was pretty sure after this kind of self-inflicted abuse, he’d never get it up

again.

The screaming stopped. Mikes desperate cries were now full-fledged sobs. The

shoulder-shaking, earth shattering kind. He sounded broken. Destroyed.

Eventually, those sounds teetered off as well. Alex took one more look. It was

the wrong choice. He knew it before he even committed the act, but part of him deep

down wanted this all to be some terrible mistake.

Mike was back beside the fire. Close enough his skin could only be blistering

from the heat. But his eyes were on Alex, wide, golden orbs, pegging him with abso-

lute lust. He had the sleeping bag back over his shoulders but it was still pretty damn

evident what he was doing with his hands. Mike was jacking himself off while staring

at him.

A sob erupted from Alex’s chest followed by a flow of tears. The crying shook

him so hard, breathing came second. Hell, thinking came second. Every bone in his

body liquefied. While Alex had been able to stop Mike from raping him, he was pow-

erless to stop his emotions from taking what they wanted.

-68 -

Chapter 11

Alex woke with a scream caught in his throat. He’d been dreaming. In the dream,

Mike was biting him. Only it wasn’t his knee Mike’s teeth were in, it was Alex’s

shoulder. The position let Mike pull the blood he needed and tear his flesh, while

offering the perfect opportunity to...

Yeah, Alex refused to go there.

His hand felt for the ignition. The key hadn’t magically appeared while he was

out. Not that Alex thought it would. He’d hoped, though.

With a sigh Alex slumped against the steering wheel. Moving his feet made the

skin on his leg crackle. Alex turned on the overhead light so he could get a better

look at the damage to his leg. Dried blood made ruddy brown streaks down his leg

but there wasn’t as much as there should have been with a wound this size. One made

twice as big thanks to the halo of teeth marks, and a chunk of missing flesh. Alex had

a pretty good idea where the flesh disappeared to. Mike had eaten it.

The edges of the hole in his knee were shiny, giving the skin an odd cauterized

appearance. Alex was sure he’d read somewhere how Kin’s saliva could do that.

Considering how

much meat was gone it was probably a good thing. While there were no arteries

at the base of his thigh, the bite mark was big enough and deep enough that the blood

loss might have become a problem.

Could becoming a Lesser-Bred be caught like a disease? Everything Alex knew

about metaphysics--which could have filled a thimble--told him no. Even the rheto-

ric-filled newsletter his dad got in the mail on a monthly basis stated it was genetic.

Although, now, Alex wasn’t so sure it was rhetoric anymore. Not after what Mike

wanted to do to him, what he almost did to him, and if Alex hadn’t been able to get

away, he was sure would have done it. No, on second thought, when Alex got home

he was going to sign up for a membership to the Earth for Humans group and become

a card carrying member.

He rubbed a hand against his chest because it hurt. Then he rubbed his face and

hissed when he touched his forehead. A check in the rearview confirmed what he’d

felt. There was not only a nice split in the skin near his hairline which was going

to need stitches, there enough blood coating his face that he looked like an extra in

a slasher flick. Alex wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. His stomach

growled and he needed to pee. The urgency did not make his already aching, bruised

body any more comfortable. He clicked off the interior light and waited for his eyes

to adjust. The flames of the campfire had died down to a dim golden glow, but there

was enough wood on it to suggest Mike had kept it built up.

Alex slid his eyes over to the lump under the sleeping bag. He could see an arm,

a shoulder and part of a leg. He squinted, trying to see Mike breathe, but Alex was

-69 -

either too far away to tell, or Mike wasn’t alive.

It took his bladder reaching critical mass to make him open the door. If he hadn’t

cleaned out the Jeep yesterday, he could have used one of the empty drink containers.

Seeing he had to go and do something stupid like pick up, it was either piss himself,

piss in the floorboard, or get out and piss on the ground.

Alex opted to get out and hoped he wouldn’t regret it. When he popped the door,

Mike still didn’t move. Keeping his eyes on the lump near the fire, Alex put his feet

on the ground and unzipped his pants. He pulled down the front, then just about

screamed when he tried to hold himself. His dick felt black and blue with bruises.

Well, what the hell did he expect when he grabbed himself like that?

Alex bit back the pain and pissed out the crack in the door. As soon as the stream

cut off he jumped back inside and slapped the lock back in place. He went back to

watching Mike. Maybe he was dead?

Alex found himself relieved at the thought. If Mike were dead then everything

would be okay. It would just end here. They could have a funeral, bury him and for-

get about everything. No one would ever have to know what Mike tried to do to him.

Better yet, no one would know that part of Alex had wanted him to do it.

More than ever, Alex wanted to get his ass out of here. He glanced out of the

passenger window and could barely see the path leading away from the campsite.

There was a wall of blackness where it turned, heading to the main road. Even if Alex

managed not to trip and break an ankle, he was sixty miles away from home. He’d

never make it before daylight. If someone saw him all bloodied up they could call

the police. And if the cops picked Alex up looking the way he did, there would be

questions. He did not want questions. He wanted to go home, shower, and forget. He

needed to be able to drive the Jeep. The keys had to be out there on the ground.

Alex popped the door for a second time. The cold had driven all the nighttime

insects and tree frogs into hiding, and the squeak of the door hinges was obscene in

the silence.

Pebbles shifted under Alex’s tennis shoes as he slowly got out of the Jeep. His

breath ghosted in front of his lips on a shaky exhale. He watched Mike, and when he

didn’t move, Alex made his way across the clearing.

He stopped long enough to grab a shirt from his duffle bag. When Alex looked

for his jacket he couldn’t find it. At least not without a flashlight and making a lot of

noise. He considered digging through Mike’s bag, but the thought of anything belong-

ing to Mike touching his body made his insides curl.

A noise made Alex freeze. He strained his ears listening. The only sounds were

the distant river, the crackle of the fire, and his heart slamming against his ribs. He

craned his neck to see around the fire. Streaks of amber light cut swatches out of the

shadows. Alex watched Mike but he still couldn’t tell if he was breathing. He noticed

the long elegant line of a hoofed leg sticking out from under the sleeping bag. Alex

-70 -

followed it with his eyes until it disappeared under the bloody edge. The head stuck

out of the top edge. Firelight animated its lifeless eyes.

Alex wasn’t sure if it was bravery, or morbid curiosity, or maybe just a stupid guy

thing which made him snag a corner of the sleeping bag. He gave it a quick tug and

jumped back. Mike still didn’t move and Alex still couldn’t see any signs of life. He

could see the top of Mike’s head now, propped up on the side of the deer. Bits of fur

and fleshy things clung to his mouth. Even in the bad light, Alex could see Mike’s

teeth.

He reached out again and gave the sleeper another tug. This time it came down

all the way to Mike’s hip and Alex got a real good view of the mark on his back. He

stared. The mish mash of color and suggestion of shape was bold, and the picture

undeniable. Wings--giant wings, furled and hovering under the skin. Each one fol-

lowed the line of Mike’s body, from his shoulders, over each ass cheek to the back of

his knees. There were other shapes too, a back ridge and large feathery scales.

When Alex glanced up at Mike again he saw him take a shallow breath. If Mike

wasn’t dead, it meant he could still be dangerous. Alex looked at the Jeep. Keys, he

still needed the keys.

A chill made his teeth chatter and went back over to his bag and found another

pair of jeans and pulled them on over his shorts, not caring how uncomfortable the

overstuffed sensation was. Alex tucked his hands under his armpits and walked

around to the other side of the clearing. Here the ground was scuffed up and dotted

with dried blood. He didn’t see the keys. Alex picked up the cooler, pushed aside

pieces of fire wood. Panic made him forget about being quiet and he dropped to his

knees, hands searching the shadows and clumps of grass. The only thing Alex found

was an unopened beer.

He looked around. They had to be here. Maybe he dropped them when he ran for

the Jeep? Alex stood up and his legs buckled, planting his ass in the dirt. A sharp pain

jabbed him behind the eyes. The hand he pressed against his face shook.

God he was tired, and it wasn’t a normal kind of exhaustion. Alex leaned against

the log and fought the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep. He knew what he felt

wasn’t normal, because people didn’t fall asleep while this scared. No, the exhaustion

beating Alex into submission was unnatural, inhuman. But just like before, his body

wasn’t listening. On some deep level Alex knew this had something to do with what

Mike tried to do to him.

Only when he thought about it, Mike had done something. He’d drunk Alex’s

blood and ate his flesh. Consumed a part of him. Somehow that eclipsed the whole

attempted rape thing. Why, Alex had no idea. Maybe it was because Alex had let him?

Yeah, that had to be it.

At least when Alex lost the fight his dreams didn’t go south again. No, he wound

up dreaming about the redhead sitting under the cherry tree. And it was a pretty nor-

-71 -

mal guy kinda dream, all things considered.

-72 -

Chapter 12

Alex’s brain made a slow swim back to the surface. The sound of birds replaced

the sound of crickets and there was sunlight. Lots and lots of sunlight. Even through

his eyelids it was bright. Alex felt warm. All over. Practically hot.

Alex winced when he opened his eyes. The fire was out and a thin line of smoke

threaded into the sky. That wasn’t what made Alex’s insides ice over. The blood-

soaked sleeping bag was empty except for the deer carcass covered in flies.

One thump, then two. Alex whipped his head around. He sat there not knowing

what to do, because things had just gone from freaky to...normal.

Alex watched Mike load up the last of their gear. There was no way he could be

comfortable. Mike wore jeans and his fleece, zipped all the way up to his neck. He

was even reasonably clean.

After Mike loaded the cooler he shut the hatch and walked back to the campsite.

His eyes flashed in Alex’s direction but the animal look was gone.

Every muscle in Alex’s body trembled. His gaze followed Mike as he walked

around to the other side of the pit and picked something up. When he completed the

lap and his arm came out, Alex’s legs sprung like a trap, shoving him right over the

log and into the dirt.

Alex kicked and scurried back on his elbows. He stopped when he realized Mike

wasn’t coming after him. It took Alex a minute to realize Mike was holding out the

keys to him.

The look in Mike’s eyes was painful. Yeah, well, if Alex could have his way

there would be more than just pain in his eyes. The fact that Mike’s face wasn’t even

bruised from his head-butting job just served to piss him off.

Mike nodded as if answering a question only he could hear, then he set the car

keys down and walked to the Jeep. Alex watched him get in, buckle his seat belt and

wait.

As in waiting for Alex to get in the Jeep and drive them back to the dorm like

nothing had ever happened. Home is where Alex wanted to be. Not just the dorm but

home. He wanted to crawl into his way-too-small bed and bury his face in the pillow

while hiding under the covers like he used to do when he was six and scared shitless

of the dark. Only the monster he was afraid of now didn’t live in the closet or under

the bed. Worst of all, it didn’t just come out at night.

Seemed to be getting pretty comfy sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep, come

to think of it.

Alex picked up the keys and put them in his pocket. Sitting on the ground wasn’t

getting him any closer to getting out of this nightmare. Alex got up, walked to the

Jeep. His hand trembled when he put it on the door release. He stared at Mike through

the glass.

-73 -

Sweat made Mike’s hair cling to his face. His eyes were on his feet or maybe

his hands. Alex opened the door. Mike’s eyes clenched shut for a second like he was

expecting something bad to happen. Alex didn’t say anything when he climbed in. He

reached for his seat belt and faltered. Maybe he should leave it off, just in case he had

to run.

Alex stuck the key in the ignition and cranked up the Jeep. The rumble of the

engine sounded bizarre to him after last night. They rode in silence. The whole way

Alex gripped the steering wheel tight enough to make his knuckles white, and his

body pressed to the door. One hand stayed near the door release while the other

guided the Jeep. The tension was exhausting and made his legs cramp, and caused a

Charlie horse in his ribs. Mike didn’t look at him or speak. Which was fine with Alex.

Christ. What the hell could Mike have said? Thanks for the blood and the little bit

of flesh. Sorry ‘bout the whole trying-to-fuck-you back there. I thought maybe you

swung that way? Yeah. Right. Bastard.

When they got back to the campus, Mike carried in the coolers and his knapsack.

Alex stayed in the Jeep. What the hell now? Was he actually supposed to go up there?

Somehow being trapped in their cramped dorm room made being stuck in the woods

seem like a vacation. But he couldn’t sit here forever. People would see him. One

glance in the rearview told him he looked half dead.

He felt half dead.

Alex got out and grabbed his duffle bag, but left the majority of the gear where it

was. It wasn’t like there was any food to spoil and Mike had gotten the empty cool-

ers, so the fish smell in the one wouldn’t go ripe. Alex made his way back up to their

room. By the time he got there, Mike was walking out of the bathroom, hair wet and

smelling like Irish Spring. He’d dressed in a long sleeve black button-up and jeans.

Mike grabbed another fleece from the closet and zipped it all the way up.

Mike waved a hand towards the door. “I’m going to go out for a while.”

The sound of Mike talking made Alex drop everything and scurry back until his

legs collided with the bedside table. Mike’s mouth made a slash and his eyes hit the

ground again.

He nodded, apparently having one more inside-his-head discussion. Then he went

to the door and left.

-74 -

Chapter 13

This had to be the first time in Mike Zimmer’s entire college career that he went

voluntarily to the library. Alex was his usual go-to man, but Mike was pretty sure,

even with Alex’s ninety-two average in metaphysical sciences, he wouldn’t have the

answers to these questions.

Mike pulled open the glass door and the scent of paper and age filled his nose.

The place even smelled intelligent. If something like that even had a scent, he was

sure this is what it would smell like.

Mike’s nose and taste buds were working over time. Everything had a scent to

him now, and a flavor. Especially people. It’s why he went after Alex, because of how

he tasted. Whatever it was, for whatever reason, he had what Mike needed.

Needed.

Fucking-A, how did such a word even become a part of his vocabulary? Because

now some twisted up, demented part of Mike knew it meant he wanted to fuck some-

one and eat them. Seriously, instead of the library, Mike needed to be heading over to

Wally-world to pick out a rifle and a box of ammo. Then he could suck on the end of

the barrel like he did the gash on Alex’s leg.

After what Mike had tried to do--hell, after what he’d done--no wonder the guy

was terrified of him. Mike had gone after him. Like that. Jesus Christ, he’d actually

wanted to fuck him. Well, a bullet would solve that problem too.

Lavender and cinnamon filled up Mike’s olfactory receptors. He turned to see

one of the librarians heading his way pushing a cart full of books. She was too busy

to notice him, and yet he found himself doing a quick double check making sure

everything was covered up. Even though the stain on Mike’s body stopped above his

elbow, he’d put on a long sleeve shirt. He had to wear a fleece zipped all the way up

because the stain didn’t stop until it reached his Adam’s apple. All the clothing was

uncomfortable. Itchy. Mike had the distinct urge to rip it off. And not just the shirt--all

of his clothes. He wanted to go bare because it would feel better. Natural.

Yeah, and look where acting on instinct has gotten my ass so far.

Mike took a turn and headed over to the vacant bank of computers. Luckily the

library was pretty much empty except for a few employees. Since it was spring break

most of the students had gone home. Or camping. Or somewhere.

He doubted very many of them took this quality time to go through some sort of

mutant change. Too bad he couldn’t have had something cool happen like laser eyes,

or being able to climb walls. Nope, instead he wound up with a craving for blood,

flesh and sex.

Now, how’s that for fucked up? Or maybe just poetic justice.

Mike sat down and moved the chair closer to the terminal. Even though each

cubicle was separated by partitions he felt nervous, like someone would try to spy on

-75 -

him. Worse, they’d know instantly why he was here.

Which was stupid. Students did research on the species all the time. It was a con-

stant subject in Debate 101, not to mention metaphysical biology.

From the college login page, Mike went to the Yahoo search engine and entered

“Lesser-Bred.” There had to be a reason why this happened. Maybe it was tempo-

rary. And all those thoughts were also dumb. Mike didn’t know much about dragons

or Lesser-Breds--not many people did really--but one thing he was sure of was that

people didn’t just change because of the air they breathed. It wasn’t a disease and it

wasn’t something that could be given or caused.

Mike read. It quickly became evident he wasn’t smart enough to understand what

he skimmed. He found some pictures though: postmortem photos of people with

markings--some small, some really big. Other photos were way more disturbing.

Some people who went through the change--“the Shift,” according to one site--would

actually have physical deformities. Teeth were common. Mike had those. His canines

were at least twice as long now and a lot of his molars had fallen out. The new teeth

back there were sharper.

There were four long ones in the roof of his mouth--a pair on the top and

another pair on the bottom--and when he tightened his jaw they would slide down

from behind his other teeth. Mike had checked them out in the mirror right after his

shower. They were huge. He couldn’t close his mouth when he put them down.

The roof of his mouth was different too. Rougher. And there was this gap, like a

slit. When he touched it with his tongue it felt soft and if he stroked it he could taste

things. Like Chrissy, and Alex.

He’d tried to get a better look at everything in the mirror, but there hadn’t been

enough light. There were photos which looked like what he felt: ripples of bony tissue

then a softer fold of flesh in the middle. He scrolled down the page and found a com-

parison: a Human, a Lesser-Bred, and one of the species. The Kin were pretty much

all identical, but the Lesser-Breds varied. Some looked normal, even had Human

teeth. Others, not so normal. Going by the pictures, his mouth was pretty damn close

to a real Kin. The only thing Mike didn’t seem to do was lose the sharps and have

normal teeth. Maybe it meant he wouldn’t get any additional changes? He could only

hope.

Either way, kissing a girl was never going to happen again. One tongue in the

mouth and she’d know. Course, not like he was going to be kissing any girl any time

soon. Nope, Mike was pretty sure life as he knew it was gone.

No dating, no college...Jesus Christ, what was he going to do?

He kept reading. According to the next page, the stain was metaphysical and

it would set when the changes were complete. And what did it mean by “set?”

Darkness? Size? Mike figured out why he wanted the heat so badly. Metaphysical

properties relied on it for fuel. The main source for metaphysical fuel was blood and

-76 -

flesh. Only, according to the article, metaphysics was something only another Lesser-

Bred or a Kin could supply.

Or a Link.

Which was a Human bonded to a Kin.

The sound of voices made him look up. A couple of girls wandered down the

main aisle. All their giggling earned them a hard shush from the librarian on duty. A

headache was beginning to gear up in the back of his skull, but he didn’t know if it

was because he was so wired or because he’d been staring at the Gateway screen for

the past two hours.

Of course it might have been because he needed to eat.

At least the hunger was nothing like it had been. It was still there, a distinct hum

in the back of his gut lingering with the threat of pain. Mike went back to reading, but

there just wasn’t a whole lot to go on.

One more click took him to a site that didn’t look like the others. The title read,

“Refuge.” The website was the product of some sort of shelter organization run by

someone name Loren located in Atlanta, Georgia. A little more reading left Mike

scratching his head.

He read it again.

Loren was Kin.

But that couldn’t be right. Wyrms were nothing more than animals. Everything

he’d ever read on them said they could barely read, let alone function in society. It’s

why there were laws regulating Kin and their mixed-blooded descendents Lesser-

Breds, to the Gray Zone. Mike had a hard time seeing any of them running a website.

Then again, he was going on the scant literature from the local Earth for Humans

chapter that wound up on his father’s doorstep.

There was a number at the bottom. Mike scouted for pen and paper. He found a

short stumpy pencil and a scrap square by the card index and brought it back. After

jotting down the number, he logged out and headed to the back of the library where

the payphones were located.

Mike had a cell phone he could have used, but he didn’t want his dad seeing the

number come up on the bill. He also didn’t want to have to go back up to his dorm

room. Alex was there and he’d already been through enough. Poor guy was terrified

of him. As little contact as possible right now was probably for the best. Hopefully

things would blow over and Mike would get to explain to Alex he didn’t mean to go

after him like that. He just couldn’t stop himself. But reality told Mike, with all the

shit that had gone down in the woods, there was no apology in the world big enough.

Friendship just didn’t recover from something like that.

Mike found the phones and reached for his wallet, which wasn’t there. He

remembered he’d yet to find it. For all he knew it might be lost in the woods. Then

again it could also be wadded up in his dirty clothes. Either way he was screwed,

-77 -

unless this Loren would take a collect call.

The website did say “if you are in need of help, call anytime from anywhere.”

Mike picked up the receiver and followed the instructions to get the operator

prompt. When the voice came on asking him to state his name he faltered. Hell, he

didn’t want anyone to know his name. Before Mike could come up with a pseudo it

clicked over and dialed.

Great. Now if someone picked up, there would just be some in-and-out breathing

over the line.

“Refuge, this is Loren.”

The mechanical voice cut in announcing a collect call from –silence –then it

asked if he would accept the charges.

There was no hesitation before Loren said, “Yes.”

Mike had expected the guy to hang up. Not a guy. No, if the website was telling

the truth Loren was one of them.

Yeah, well, guess what buddy, you’re part one of them.

Part Wyrm. A monster.

“Hello?”

Oh, God, now Mike had to actually talk to him. He opened his mouth but only a

sigh came out. He felt a familiar burn in the corner of his eyes.

Fuck this. He was not going to start crying like some goddamned little girl. He

wiped his face.

“You don’t have to be afraid. What’s your name?”

Mike thought a minute. “Z.”

“Where are you calling me from?” God, Loren’s voice. It was incredible.

Soothing. Deep. To be wrapped up in the sound would make Mike safe, he was sure

of it.

Instead of answering Loren’s question Mike asked, “Are you really, you know,

one of them?” ‘Cause honestly, Mike didn’t want to talk to anyone Human. He didn’t

belong with them anymore. He was different.

“Do you mean, am I Kin?”

“Yes.”

“I am.”

“Good. Good.” A small sob broke over Mike’s lips and he struggled to reel in his

emotions, but he was raw. So goddamned raw. Mike curled over the receiver, grateful

for the cubbyhole where he could keep his shame hidden in the shadows.

“How long has it been?” asked Loren.

It took Mike a minute to figure out what he meant. “A day, I think. Yeah. A day.”

“Did you kill anyone?” Loren asked the question so calmly Mike didn’t know

how to answer. “Z?”

“No, no, of course not.”

-78 -

“Will you tell me what state you’re calling me from now?”

Would he? Mike scrubbed a hand over his face. “Arkansas.”

The sound Loren made wasn’t a happy one. “How far are you from Memphis?”

Memphis? “What? Why?”

“The next few days are going to be difficult for you. It’s important you get with

your own or you could hurt someone. Even people you care about.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You need to feed. The hunger is always bad in the beginning. Each Lesser-Bred

will be different, but usually those first few days the need is unpredictable.”

“Can you...can you at least tell me how this happened? I know they all say that it

can’t be caught, but they have to be wrong. Right?”

“It’s genetic.”

“But both of my parents, they’re normal.”

“Aside from a few rare exceptions, it’s passed down from the mother.”

Mike pressed the palm of his hand against his temple and tried to think. It wasn’t

easy. There were so many questions, too many thoughts.

“Z?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to give you a phone number. Can you write it down?”

“I don’t have any money with me, or a way to get to any.” Another sob. God this

was beginning to become one hell of a habit.

“Will you give me the number you’re calling me from? If you will, I’ll have

someone call you right back. Someone nearby who can help you.”

Help? “Why? Why do I need help?”

“The Shift usually takes three days to a week to finish out.”

“But this marking, this Stain, it’s dark. Set. The website said...”

“Forget what you read on the internet. Most of it is written by Humans who have

very little understanding of the species. You are part human, Z. And because of that,

the Kin genetics you carry are unstable. You must feed on your own. Otherwise you

could die.”

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Mike couldn’t believe he said it, but at the same time it

was the truth. “Maybe I need to die.”

And in that oh-so-calm voice Loren said, “Death is irreversible. It is a choice

which cannot be undone.”

He hated it, but the guy was right. Did you even call a Kin that? A guy? Mike

didn’t know and he was too shaken up to ask.

“Z?”

“Yeah.”

“I need the number.”

Mike read off the phone number located beside the instructions for calling collect

-79 -

at the top of the payphone.

“Will you wait for my friend to call you?’

Mike nodded then remembered Loren couldn’t see it. “Yeah. Wait...”

“Yes?”

He sighed. “Tell him...tell him to hurry. I’m getting hungry again.”

“I will. I promise.”

-80 -

Chapter 14

Alex had no idea how long he stayed in the shower, but it was long enough his

fingers pruned up and all the scabs and skin marks on his body threatened to bleed. At

least the dorm never had hot water problems. Not like it actually got warm enough to

be considered hot, but it didn’t get cold either. He sat curled in the bottom of the tub

with the water hitting the top of his head, running down his shoulders and his ribs,

watching as it circled the drain then slipped away.

What a perfect euphemism for his life.

Every so often he would shiver. He felt cold but it wasn’t the normal kind of cold

he could fix by putting on a fleece. It was something else.

Alex reached up and flipped off the water. It wasn’t until the drain quit gurgling

that he tried to stand. His legs surprised him by actually supporting his weight. Not

that there was a whole lot to support. Katie had said he needed to fill out. Yeah, well,

as far as Alex was concerned he just needed to disappear.

Alex could see the nasty gash on his knee better now that he was clean. The

wound was deep and there were puncture holes where Mike had bitten him. The skin

around the edges was shiny with a weird iridescence. The actual hole in the meat of

his leg looked like it had been healing for weeks. Apparently all the stuff about Kin

and Lesser-Breds cauterizing a bite with their saliva was right.

Lucky him.

Alex climbed out of the tub, grabbed the towel off the back of the toilet and

looked at the pile of clean clothes in his laundry basket. When he‘d decided to take

a shower, he’d just grabbed the whole damn thing and dragged it in here. At the time

he told himself it was because he had no idea what he wanted to wear. The truth was,

he wanted to wear everything. He wanted to pile on the clothes so thick no one would

ever be able to get them off.

He got dressed without looking in the mirror. The aching around his throat told

him the bruises were bad. The ones on his ankle where Mike had grabbed him were

black. Even his bones throbbed. The change Mike had gone through had made him

inhumanly strong. But then, he wasn’t human. At least not anymore. And if the litera-

ture was right about how Lesser-Breds happened, Mike never was.

Alex put on a pair of tighty whities, boxers, long johns, shorts and blue jeans. He

snagged one of his belts hanging from the hook on the back of the bathroom door.

Adding the sweat pants made him look like his ass had gained fifty pounds, but he

wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement. He just didn’t want to get raped in his

sleep.

He put on a tee, then a sweatshirt. There was a hoodie in the bottom. He wore it

too. By the time Alex finished most of his clean clothes were on his body and he was

pretty sure he looked like the Michelin man when he tried to walk.

-81 -

Alex pressed his ear to the door, listening to make sure Mike hadn’t come back

yet. No telling where the guy went. Maybe he wouldn’t come back.

When he was pretty sure the room was clear, he went.

Okay, now what? Alex had on fifty layers of clothing, could hardly walk and was

sweating like a pig. He turned on the AC unit under the window. All the old dorms

had individual hotel style AC units. They were obnoxious sounding, and the heat

didn’t work very well, but the AC was pretty reliable. Alex stood there a minute let-

ting the cold air blow over him, shivering and sweating all in the same moment. God,

he was tired. So incredibly tired. The exhaustion rolled over him like an incoming

tide. Only he didn’t want to go to sleep. Falling asleep left him vulnerable.

Alex wished the door had a lock. He wedged his computer chair under the door-

knob. It wasn’t going to do much, but it was the best he had. If nothing else, the chair

would make a lot of noise hitting the ground. Maybe it would be loud enough to wake

him up.

Body aching, headache swelling behind his eyes, Alex went to lie down. His

stomach growled but he was too tired to think about eating. Right before he climbed

between the sheets, he snagged his Louisville slugger, all-aluminum special, from the

corner. With his hand on the bat, he kept his eyes on the door.

Alex he was pretty sure he would have slept clear through to morning if it weren’t

for the insistent knocking on the door.

“Hey Alex, are you in there? I saw your Jeep in the parking lot. I guess you found

Z then, huh?”

Oh, God, Katie.

Alex should have kept his mouth shut. She might have gone away. But with his

brain still fuzzy from sleep and his common sense out on hiatus, “Go away,” flew out

of his mouth before he could stop it.

“Hey, you all right?” Katie even had the nerve to open the door and stick her head

in. The computer chair held about as well as he figured. It made a lot of noise when it

hit the floor.

Alex jerked the covers over his head and rolled over. Jesus Christ, now he was

hiding under the covers from a goddamned girl.

“Alex?”

“I’m trying to sleep. Just get the fuck out and leave me alone.” He didn’t mean to

say that. His mother had taught him better, and Alex never spoke ugly to girls, even

ones he didn’t like.

Apparently Katie’s mother also taught her a thing or two because she just came

right on in. “What’s going on? I thought you and me were cool.”

Alex could practically hear her tossing back her blonde hair and crossing her

arms. God, now he wished he’d had sex with her. At least then he’d know if he was

gay. Right?

-82 -

“Please, Katie, just go.”

“Did Mike say something about me?” Katie’s voice came closer. “What did that

asshole tell you? I want to know.”

“Nothing.” Alex tightened his grip on the bat. He flinched when she yanked off

the blanket.

“Why are you sleeping with a baseball bat?” The only light in the room came

from the lamp by his bed. He hadn’t turned it off since being in the dark wasn’t an

option right now. He was blind in the dark. Things could sneak up on him. “Jesus

Christ, what the hell happened to your face?” Okay, maybe Alex should have looked

at himself in a mirror. “Did you and Mike get into a fight?” Katie sat down and

reached for him.

Alex shot scurried away and fell right off the end of his bed onto the floor. His

first instinct was to run outside, but then there was no telling who might be coming or

going in the hall. So he ran into the bathroom and wound up under the sink.

In the grand scheme of things running like a scared animal was nothing in com-

parison to the crying. The damn tears wouldn’t stop.

“Get away!” It was the only thing Alex could get out of his mouth before Katie

was on the floor with him. She hugged him. Her hands went up and down on his back

while she made comforting noises in his ear. Alex knew he’d never be able to live this

down, and at the same time he didn’t want to be alone.

Alex gave up and buried his sobs into Katie’s beautiful curls, crying harder than

he ever imagined possible. It took a while, but the worst of it eventually petered out.

Katie sat back and said, “You want to tell me what happened?”

“Fight.” His throat felt like he’s swallowed gravel and washed it down with tur-

pentine. He wasn’t sure Katie heard him so he repeated himself.

She petted the back of his head. “You don’t put on this many clothes because of a

fight.”

Or scream, cry, and run like a fucking coward.

“What happened, Alex? What really happened?” She tilted his head up with a

hand under his chin. Alex didn’t want to tell her. He didn’t want her to know. He

didn’t want anyone to know ever. As long as he didn’t say it out loud it wasn’t real.

But the look Katie gave him said she already knew. How? How did she know? God,

and if Katie had figured it out, how many others would too? Alex felt like a scarlet

letter had been burned into his forehead.

“You need to go to the hospital, Alex.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“Goddamn it, I said no!” He yanked away and wound up slamming his shoulder

into the wall.

“I’m going to turn on a light.”

-83 -

“Why?”

“If you won’t go to the hospital, then you need to at least put some medicine on

those cuts.”

“What cuts?” He was covered up. There was no way she could see his legs and

arms. On impulse Alex touched his face and winced when his fingers brushed over his

mouth. By the feel of things it wasn’t going to be pretty. How the hell had he missed

the cuts when he‘d looked in the rear view? He’d been pretty dirty, but the truth was

maybe he just didn’t want to see them.

The light came on and Alex flinched.

“God.” Katie put a hand over her mouth. She dropped back down on her knees.

“Let me take you to the hospital.”

“No.”

“You could be hurt and hurt bad.”

“It’s just scrapes, cuts, bruises.”

“What if he has something?”

“What the hell do you mean ‘has something?’” He glared at her until his brain

caught up. “Oh, no, no, it didn’t. No.” Alex’s throat closed up and his stomach rolled.

“Please...”

“It didn’t go that far. He stopped.”

Her expression said she didn’t believe him.

“I swear, Katie, he stopped, okay. He didn’t. No, nothing happened. Not like

that.” Alex scrubbed his face. When he tried to get up he winced. Every scratch, cut,

bruise and abrasion sounded off in a chorus of burns and throbs. The only thing which

didn’t seem to hurt was the nasty gash on his knee.

“I want to help you.”

“Why! Why do you want to help me? Because you feel sorry for me? Because

I’m pathetic?” Alex buried his hands under his pits to keep them from shaking.

“This isn’t your fault.”

“Fuck, don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think...” When his voice cracked,

he looked away. Only the sound of the AC unit under the window kicking on and off

kept the dorm room from being silent.

Alex ran a hand through his hair. Even that hurt. He prodded his scalp and found

his hair matted down in one spot, then the ragged lines of another cut in the middle.

The shower must have made it start bleeding again. Hell, he hadn’t realized it was

bleeding to begin with.

He dropped his hands back down and waited for Katie to quit staring at him. She

didn’t. Alex said, “What did you want, anyhow? You came here for a reason. What

was it?”

Katie pushed her hair back over her shoulder. “Some friends and I were going to

go get burgers. I was going to go to my parents’, but when I called no one answered.

-84 -

So I stayed here. Figured I could use the study time anyhow.” She drew her knees up

and put her chin on them. Her long delicate hands wrapped around her ankles.

“I told them I would catch up with them later.”

“Then I guess you better go.”

She shook her head. “They’re probably long gone anyhow. Even if I wanted to

go.”

If she wanted to go? Yeah, like sitting here on the floor with him was a party.

Katie said, “Are you sure you won’t let me take you somewhere to get checked out?”

“No! And don’t ask me again. If I go to the hospital they’ll ask questions, take

pictures, they’ll call my parents.” Oh, fuck. His parents. Alex never heard the phone

ring. Maybe they left a message and he could tell them they ran late.

Alex got to his feet and made a quick dash for the phone. He checked the

machine. The message light blinked on and off. He pushed the play button. “Hey,

honey, it’s just me. Your mom...in case you forgot what I sounded like already. Your

dad and I were wondering, when you got home from your camping trip, if you and

Mike would like to spend the rest of your break with us? Call and let us know.” With

another beep, it ended.

Alex checked the time. The digital clock beside his bed was on the floor, upside

down. It took him a second to figure out what it read. Ten twenty-three? The message

had been left over four hours ago. He picked up the phone and dialed.

His mother answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

Alex expected to freeze up, but a normal sounding, “Hi, it’s me,” came out.

“Hey, I was wondering when you’d call. Too busy to let us know you’re back to

civilization, huh?” A deeper voice in the background told him that his dad was still

awake.

Alex cleared his throat.

“Are you getting a cold?”

“Uh, no. I’m good. Just did a lot of outdoors stuff. I’m tired, is all. You didn’t stay

up and wait for me, did you?”

“No, we were watching a movie. Your dad is on a horror flick kick. He’s kill-

ing me with zombie movies.” She laughed. “So, are you and Mike coming to visit

Monday?” Alex cut a look over to Katie. She stood close enough to hear everything

being said. “Alex?”

“Uh, no. I’ve got to help a friend study.” At least it wasn’t a complete lie.

“A friend, huh?” His dad said something in the background. “Your dad wants to

know if your friend happens to be a girl. And one Mike’s not dating.”

“Uh, yeah, her name is Katie.”

There was a shuffling sound. Alex was pretty sure his mother just put her hand

over the phone so he wouldn’t hear what she was saying to his dad. She did the same

thing when she talked to her sisters in Connecticut.

-85 -

His mother returned. “Maybe you should bring her to visit.”

“Maybe. Hey, look. I really need to go. I’m beat and I have to get up in the morn-

ing.”

“For what? You don’t have class all next week.”

“Library. I need to get there early so I can grab one of the computers for

research.”

“Oh.” Damn, his mom sounded really put out. “Okay, honey. You sleep well then.

Call me in a couple of days if you’re not too covered up. I worry about you.”

“Sure thing.”

“I love you. Dad says he loves you too.”

“Yeah, I love you both. Bye.”

When the line went dead Alex stared at the cordless. Katie took it out of his hand

and put it back in place.

Alex looked at her and blinked a couple of times.

“You okay?” Her hand came up again but stopped.

He nodded, then shook his head. “I don’t feel so good.” Alex swayed on his feet

and Katie saved him from taking a digger in the floor by slipping an arm around him.

She helped him over to the bed.

God, his head hurt. The pain sounded off behind his eyes like a drum.

This time when she reached up she touched his forehead. “I think you’ve got a

fever.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then you’ve got too many clothes on.”

“I’m fine.” Alex tried to stand back up and wound up falling to the floor. Katie

helped him back in the bed.

“Let me get some of this off you.” She grabbed the sweat pants, Alex’s hands

locked on her wrist.

“No.”

“You’re safe.”

“I said no.”

“Alex, you’re hot. It’s either too many clothes and you’ve got heat exhaustion, or

there’s something else wrong. You’re pale. You’re hot to the touch.”

The thought hit Alex so fast that he forgot about fighting her and she stripped off

the sweatpants.

Mike had been hot. Feverish.

Oh, dear God, what if he was going to do the same thing?

“Damn it, Alex, no wonder you’re about to pass out. You have this belt...too...

tight.” Katie made a sound while she tried to undo it. When it came loose she undid

his jeans. Alex was too busy thinking about his symptoms to notice.

When she pulled off his hoodie he said, “You need to leave.”

-86 -

“Why?” Katie pushed at his shoulders and he lay down.

How did he tell her? “I’m scared.”

“So you want me to leave?”

Alex shook his head and tried to find the words. In the meantime Katie picked up

his bat and moved it out of the way by leaning it against the headboard.

“I’ll leave it right here.” She looked at him when she said it. He could only imag-

ine what kind of expression he had on his face to make her feel the need to reassure

him. “Scoot over.”

“Why?”

“’Cause I’m going to stay here with you in case he comes back. I played softball.

Used to hit plenty of homers.” Which apparently was Katie’s way of saying she’d

bash Mike’s head in.

Alex moved over and Katie stretched out next to him. Shoulder to shoulder, they

both stared at the ceiling for a while.

He turned his head and looked at her. Alex whispered, “You really should go.”

“Give me a reason and maybe I will.”

“What if the same thing is happening to me?”

She looked at him. “What do you mean by the same thing happening to you?”

“This. What made Mike… What made him want to hurt me.” Alex clenched his

eyes shut. Katie was right; he had a fever, just like Mike. But he wasn’t eating like

Mike. Maybe all Lesser-Breds didn’t get hungry.

“Talk to me, please. I want to help.”

“First you have to swear to me. Swear to me you’ll never say anything. To any-

one. Ever.” Katie’s lovely mouth turned down and thinned out. She didn’t want to

make any promises--Alex could see it in her eyes. “Katie, please. Please. If you tell

anyone, I’ll never be able to live with myself.”

Her eyes closed then and she bit her bottom lip. After a minute or so, she nodded.

Alex opened his mouth and she stopped him. “Wait. I want to tell you something first.

Then, then if you still want to tell me you can.” A tear slid down her cheek onto the

pillow. “I lied to you, Alex. That wasn’t…” Katie made a small sound in the back of

her throat. “Mike paid me because he knew I would take the money. He knew I would

do it for money.”

It all came out so fast that Alex had to stop and think about what she’d just said.

“Lots of guys know my reputation. You don’t. Or didn’t.” She turned her eyes

back to the ceiling. “I’m a whore. I take money because my job sucks and my mom

can barely afford to pay the rent on our double wide and my dad’s a mental patient.

He was never right after he came home from the Gulf War. He’ll never be right.

It’s the only reason I came to college. It’s why I stay. It’s why I don’t go home dur-

ing spring break or the holidays. It’s why I’ll never go home to Little Rock. I’ll

stay right here in this shithole town if I have to live in a ditch to do it.” Katie took a

-87 -

breath. “I’ve never told anyone. All my friends think my parents live in Texas. I tell

them they own a ranch. That my dad’s an accountant and that my mom does interior

design.” She laughed and it sounded sad. Her hands balled up in the hem of her shirt

and her knuckles popped. “I learned really young that men will pay for it. I did it

because it got me out of the house. It got me here. No one helps me pay for school.”

She wiped her eyes with one quick sweep of her fingers. “And sometimes when

guys don’t want to pay for it, I’m not strong enough to stop them. And I never go to

the hospital either.” Silence. She sighed. “I told you were too good for me and you

deserved better.”

Alex didn’t believe that. He thought about what she’d said. Then he thought about

how much courage it took her to admit she’d lied. He said, “Something happened to

Mike.”

Katie laughed. “What, other than he’s gone psycho?”

Alex shook his head and closed his eyes. “Katie, I think Mike’s...” He could feel

her watching him, waiting. And just like always she was patient. So patient. Alex

stared at the ceiling. He took a breath and said, “Mike is a Lesser-Bred.” And when

he got that out, he told her everything.

-88 -

Chapter 15

Mike had envisioned a lot of things about the man who called him on the pay

phone. He’d imagined a dark-tinted SUV coming around the corner, and being jerked

inside like the victim of some crazy government scheme, or the front parking lot of

the library filling up with cops who’d come to kill him for being inhuman.

The worst fantasy was the one where his dad appeared out front, seated behind

his maroon colored Lexus, wearing one of his fancy suits. He was just in the area so

thought he’d drop by and see what was up.

Yeah, that one almost made Mike wish for the firing squad.

The man on the phone said his name was Joseph. Mike wasn’t sure if it was his

real name or not. Then a plain looking Ford Taurus pulled up.

Joseph was the guy’s real name. His last name was Stuart. The nondescript, olive

skinned, dark haired man taught Earth Sciences. Mike knew that because he took

Joseph’s class as a freshman. It could be a coincidence. There had to be more than

one Joseph, even in good ole’ Blech-ville.

Mike pretended not to recognize Joseph, but when he walked by, Mike was pow-

erless to stop his head from turning as his nose followed a rich sweet scent. Hunger

kicked him in the ribs hard enough to make him wince.

Professor Stuart stopped too. “Shut your mouth. You’re flashing sharps.”

Mike snapped his jaw shut. Lucky for him the place was a ghost town.

“Can you meet me at Gram’s Cafe over on Brooks?” Mike told him yeah.

“Around the back. I don’t want anyone seeing you get into my car.” After that he

went back to his Taurus, got in and drove off.

Twenty minutes later Mike sat in Joseph’s car as he pulled out of one of the back

alleys. The only witnesses were stray cats and rodents. Another five minutes and they

were on the highway.

Mike realized he was staring at Joseph again. His scent made it impossible to

look away. If the staring wasn’t bad enough, he had an erection.

Joseph said, “I’m like you. That’s what you smell.” The man flicked him a look.

Mike turned away and tugged his fleece lower. Then he adjusted the air conditioner

vent to blow in his face. Beads of sweat dried, making his cheeks itch. “Sorry.”

“You can’t help it. You’re heading into the Rise.”

Joseph flipped a switch on the dash, and the cold air went

from cool to arctic. Mike sighed.

“What’s the Rise?”

“Your need.” God, Mike hated that word. He frowned and hunched down in the

seat. The damn car was too small, or maybe the seat was just too far up. Joseph was a

lot shorter than him and narrower in the shoulders. Mike tried to stretch his legs and

banged his knee into the dash.

-89 -

“So, you’re like me. You’re…” Mike had to make himself say it. “Lesser-Bred.”

Joseph nodded. “I’ll explain everything when I have you somewhere safe.”

“Somewhere safe” was almost two hours away. Along the way it occurred to

Mike he should probably ask where he was being driven, but after last night he was

kind of hoping to never be found.

When the car ride was over, Mike found himself down some lonely beaten up

stretch of street, sitting in a small house, sitting on an equally small sofa, with a Dr.

Pepper in his left hand. His entire life before the impromptu trip with Joseph now

seemed like a dream. The only thing Mike knew at this point was the man sitting

across from him on beaten up La-Z-Boy and talking on his cell phone was like him

and they were somewhere in Memphis. And the only reason Mike knew his location

is because he’d seen the road sign about an hour before they got here.

Joseph hung up the phone.

“I had you for Earth sciences.” Mike had no idea why he said it, but the guy

smiled a little. It made him look to young to be a professor.

“Yeah, I remember.”

Mike was surprised. “You must have hundreds of students a year.”

Joseph laughed, nodded. “I do. You’re right. But you did kill all the carp.”

Mike made a face. “That was an accident.” And it was. He hadn’t meant to knock

the UV lamp off the edge of the tank. It landed in the water, shorted out, but not

before frying all the fingerlings. With the entire class’s final exam floating topside,

Professor Stuart had no choice but to give them all a passing score. It was the first and

last time Mike ever made an A on a final. Alex ragged him about it for months.

Joseph said, “When did you start your Shift?”

Mike blinked. Back to business then? Yeah. Thinking about stupid college antics

and best friends was for normal people with normal lives. Neither of which Mike was

going to have any more. He picked at a spot on the sofa with his thumb. “Yesterday, I

think.”

Joseph pointed at his neck. “When did your Stain start?”

“Yesterday evening? Or maybe morning? I’m not sure.” Mike tugged on the col-

lar of his fleece.

“You can take that off if you’re hot.”

Mike nodded. Hell, why not. Joseph wasn’t human. He unzipped the jacket and

undid a couple of buttons at the top of his shirt. Good God, it felt good to breathe.

Mike rolled up his sleeves. Professor Stuart stared at him. Or more precisely, his

neck.

Mike put a hand to his throat. “Something wrong?” Maybe he’d actually sprung

scales or some shit? The bright color was bad enough.

“You weren’t kidding when you told Loren the Stain was set. Can I see it?”

What would it hurt? Mike worked on the buttons. “Are you marked up like this?”

-90 -

“No. I don’t have sharps either.” He grinned, flashing very normal human teeth.

“Why am I marked up and you’re not?”

“The pattern of a Stain is random. The mix of human and Kin genetic makes the

outcome unpredictable. And besides, if my Stain could be easily seen, I’d never get

away with being a teacher.”

“How long have you been, you know, one?”

“About eighty years.”

At least Mike managed not to gawk too much. “How?”

“I don’t age. And neither will you.”

“Doesn’t anyone notice?”

Joseph shrugged. “I move around about every fifteen years. I get a new name,

a new identity. Although I’m not sure how I’m going to keep doing it if they start

requiring fingerprints for every little thing. I’m already limited as to what school sys-

tem I can work in...wow.”

The man’s eyes went wide as Mike peeled his shirt off and put it aside.

“Is it bad?” Mike looked down at himself. The color was dark, and the irides-

cence made it dramatic. The texture of the scales was so three dimensional that when

Mike put a hand to his skin he actually expected to feel them.

“That’s only one day?”

“Oh, God, it is bad.”

Joseph waved a hand and came forward in his seat a little. “It’s dark. Most of the

time they aren’t this detailed this quickly. Who fed you?”

Mike blinked. And he kept blinking when Joseph brought his eyes up. “Fed me?”

“Yeah, with a Stain that dark, someone had to start bringing you over.”

“No one.”

The man’s brow creased. “Mike, a Stain doesn’t get that way until you’ve been

through your first phase, which means you’ve been fed. You’d be dead otherwise.”

Before Mike could ask Joseph to explain that, the screen door squeaked. “That’s

Saba.” The front door swung open.

Mike stood up although he had no idea why. He didn’t know who Saba was, only

that Joseph had mentioned this was his house. If Mike had to guess, it would have

been that Saba was another Lesser-Bred, but he would have been wrong.

Even dressed in blue jeans and a windbreaker, what walked in wasn’t Human.

Humans just weren’t this perfect. Greek statues, works of art, gods were this per-

fect, but Humans weren’t. All over tan, flawless skin, and sandy blond hair in perfect

waves. Beauty so impossible he was hideous. Saba’s eyes were even an impossible

shade of lavender. Really lavender. Alien.

And the way he moved? Like he was made of something liquid. It broke the rules

of physics.

“You must be Mike.” When Saba came forward, Mike instinctively took a step

-91 -

back. He looked down to where the Kin had his hand extended. Mike didn’t offer his.

Saba dropped his hand back down to his side. “I take it you’ve never seen Kin up

close?”

Up close? More like never. When Mike opened his mouth to answer, Saba’s burnt

chocolate and coffee scent slid down his throat. The reaction was instant. His teeth

extended and hunger clawed the inside of his ribs.

“Shit.” Mike slapped a hand over his mouth.

“He’s close--you’re right.” Saba took off his windbreaker and left it sitting on the

back of the beat-to-hell La-Z-Boy. “C’mon, let’s get you in the back.”

Joseph tossed a thumb at Mike. “He doesn’t know.”

Saba said, “Someone’s fed him...”

“No one...” Mike tried to get his teeth to retract but couldn’t. He gave up. “No

one fed me. I don’t even know what that means.”

Saba said, “Who did you take blood and flesh from?”

Blood? Flesh? “Uh, my friend Alex. He hurt his leg and,” God, I’m going to have

to explain that? Shit. Mike ran his hand over his head, then his chest. He had the sud-

den urge to pace. “I sort of put my mouth over the cut. Maybe I swallowed some of

the skin.” Mike balled his fists up to keep his hands from shaking.

“Mike, it’s all right. Calm down.” Joseph took a step forward and Mike’s lips

peeled back and he growled.

At least Professor Stuart had the sense to stop.

Mike stumbled back, terrified by the sudden urge to bite and shred. He tripped

and landed on the sofa. Wetness pricked the corners of his eyes.

“Shit...shit...I’m sorry...” Mike turned his face away. His stomach cramped, but

it wasn’t normal hunger pains. This was different. Deeper. God, he just wanted to

die--to quit breathing right now. But no matter how hard he willed his heart to stop, it

wouldn’t listen. Sure did hurt like a son-of-a-bitch though.

A hand touched the back of Mike’s neck and he flinched.

“Easy,” said Saba.

The skin-to-skin contact burned. Mike moaned as heat ate into his skin, traveled

down his spine. Immediately the pain in his stomach eased. He blinked and looked.

Saba’s lavender eyes were just inches away.

“Getting emotional just makes it all that much more difficult to control the hun-

ger. Your anger, your fear, it can trigger your need.” Saba’s hand moved up and down

Mike’s back. Petting him. It felt wonderful and it shouldn’t have. Men just didn’t

touch men like this.

But I’m not a man. I’m not even human. Lesser-Bred

Even saying it to himself hurt.

“What...what’s a feeding?” Although Mike was pretty sure he already knew. At

least his body did. He remembered how he’d gone after Alex, and sitting here, right

-92 -

now, he was aware of those same urges. Mike was partially erect, his pulse thrum-

ming, his skin hot. He wanted to be touched and touch others. Skin to skin. Mouth to

mouth. Taste...

Saba smiled a little. “Feeding is when you take blood and flesh for the metaphysi-

cal exchange. We need to do it to survive. I know you can feel it demanding to be fed.

I can smell it on you. It’s your need.”

Yeah, that’s what Mike was afraid of. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be

this. I want to go home, I don’t want to be here.” Tears slid down his cheeks.

“Mike.” Joseph stepped up to him and knelt down. “Finishing your Shift here

with us is the safest thing. If you go to the Dens like this...”

“The Dens!” Mike shook his head. When he tried to stand up, Saba held him in

place. The strength coming down the Kin’s arm was incredible. Saba slid closer and

Mike no longer wanted to get up. He wanted to stay right there bathing in his glow.

Mike’s eyes slid closed and his body slumped.

Joseph said, “Mike, you’ll have to stay in here Memphis, in the Gray Zone. You

can’t go back to Blytheville. They’ll kill you. You know that. Your own father is sup-

porting legislation to require mandatory genetic marker testing. What do you think

will happen if you showed up back home as the very thing he’s trying to have eradi-

cated?”

Mike wanted to tell Joseph his father would take him back with open arms, but he

knew better. His father loved his political life too much. Mike had no idea about his

mother, but he was pretty sure she’d follow his dad’s lead.

Which probably meant she’d kick his ass to the curb too.

“What’s going to happen to me?”

Saba and Joseph looked at each other. It was Joseph who answered. “You’ll stay

in Memphis, here in the Zone. Tennessee allows Kin and Lesser-Breds some liberties.

You’ll be allowed to have your own place, even get a job.”

“If I can find one.” Mike made it a statement.

Joseph nodded. “Yeah, if you can find one.”

Saba said, “And you’ll need a Male to keep you.”

Mike frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Most Kin aren’t like me.” Saba’s hand quit moving and came to rest on Mike’s

shoulder. “I’m what they call a domestic. I don’t live in the Dens. I live among

Humans. I’m allowed outside the Zone because I’m willing to play by their social

rules and their laws.”

“And that makes you different?”

“Very.”

“Why?”

“Those who refuse to play human are called ferals. They have no desire to

mingle with humans and no respect for human society. A feral would have killed

-93 -

you already. Being Lesser-Bred makes you food. And that’s why you’ll need a Male

to keep you safe.”

Why did it all sound so simple? Before Mike could ask any more questions, the

muscles in his ribs pulled tight. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth. His body shud-

dered.

“C’mon. Let’s get you in the back.” Mike didn’t have time to protest. Saba picked

him up like he weighed nothing and carried him across the room.

Joseph led the way to the end of the farm house, opening the doors which needed

to be opened. The room they wound up in looked like a bathroom, only there was no

sink or toilet. There was a drain in the floor, though. The wall-to-wall tile was olive

green, and even though the place had been scrubbed down with bleach and soap,

Mike could smell the scents of blood and sex lingering in the grout, drifting out of the

drain.

It reminded Mike of wash down rooms found in slaughter houses.

“Oh, Jesus Christ...” He kicked and Saba put him down. When Mike tried to

stand up his legs wouldn’t hold him. All he could do was crawl across the floor and

press himself in the corner and stare. “Please don’t do this.” He looked at Joseph.

“Please, please don’t do this.”

Joseph said, “Saba isn’t going to do anything to you.”

Yeah, well, then why did he take off his shirt and shoes. Saba’s hands dropped

and he undid his jeans. Maybe this was punishment for what he tried to do to Alex.

Maybe this is what he deserved.

Tit for tat as they say.

“Mike?”

“Get away from me!” He snarled at Joseph when he tried to get closer. Joseph

held his hands up and backed up.

Naked, Saba even looked less Human. A bright red swirl of color ran down his

left leg. The mark made Mike think of fire. It was nothing like the stain covering his

body. This thing on Saba looked alive.

Joseph said, “Mike.”

“Yeah.” Mike didn’t want to stare at Saba, but he was powerless to stop himself.

Just like he was powerless to stop his body’s reaction. He was hard, he was starving,

and his teeth ached.

“Saba is going to help you.”

“If he wants to help me, tell him to put his clothes back on.”

Saba tossed his clothes out the door and sat down across the room, closing his

eyes.

Mike watched. “What’s he doing?”

“Waiting.” Joseph said.

“For what?”

-94 -

“You. Eventually you’re going to have to feed. You won’t be able to stop yourself.

He’ll let you feed on him. Most Kin won’t allow a Lesser-Bred to take from them.

They’d kill you first.”

Mike shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t. And I’m sorry there isn’t time for me to explain everything.

It will take years for you to fully grasp it all. The only think you need to know right

now is that you’re safe with us. I promise you, Mike, Saba won’t hurt you.”

“Why?” Mike’s throat tightened. “If most Kin would kill me why won’t he?” Part

of him kind of wished Saba would.

“You can’t help what you are. There are Kin like Saba who feel responsible. We

may be mostly Human, but we have part of them inside us. You’re very lucky to be

here.”

Lucky? Joseph had to be joking. What Mike was thinking must have shown on

his face because Joseph chuckled. “You are lucky. The Kin genetics in you are very

strong. That’s going to be a burden and an advantage. But right now it’s a burden.

I’d feed you but my blood isn’t strong enough. You’d probably kill me when you lost

control.”

“How do you know I’m going to lose control?”

“We all do, in the beginning.” Joseph walked to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be in and out of here for a few days. Don’t worry. I need to run to the store

and get us some groceries. You’ll need to eat and you’ll need clothes. I’ll be back

later.”

Joseph pulled the door closed behind him. Mike’s gaze went over to Saba. Saba

said, “Don’t fight the need. Fighting it will only make it worse when it takes you, and

it can make people around you die.”

“I’m not a homo.” Mike winced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…” He shut up, because he

did mean it, no matter what his body was doing.

Saba said, “The concept of sexuality doesn’t exist for us. In time, it will not exist

for you. I know that’s the hardest thing for Humans to understand. If you want, take

comfort in the knowledge that what you feel right now isn’t about sex, it’s about feed-

ing. Sex will simply be a side effect. Eventually you’ll understand. Right now, you

just have to trust me.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t do men.”

“I’m not a man, Mike. I’m a Male.”

“Like there’s a difference?”

Saba nodded. “For Kin. Yes. This body, this shape, it’s a vessel. Male marks

me as one side of the whole. Female being the complementary side. It’s a title. Our

Queens impress us with our basic shapes. We are not born as male or female, we are

made as Male or Female. If our Queens chose to model hatchlings after amoeba with-

-95 -

out any type of sex organs, I’d still be Male.”

“Why didn’t she?”

“Why didn’t she what?”

“Why Human shapes? Why Human anything?”

Saba shrugged. “No one really knows, to tell you the truth. There are a lot of dif-

ferent beliefs. Some think it’s because Humans were the choice of prey, and it’s easier

to hunt you if we look like you. Some say it’s because we were once Human. Others

think it’s our attempt to become Human. In the end, the outcome is the same. Smaller

forms allow us to conserve metaphysical energy. In our true forms we take massive

amounts of food to survive. With our numbers today, we’d eat the world barren and

then we’d eat each other.” It was the fact Saba said it so casually which made Mike

look at him.

He realized Saba was right. It wasn’t how the Male physically appeared that made

him have a hard on, it was his scent. His scent told Mike’s body Saba had what he

wanted.

Needed.

Mike winced when his muscles went tight again and the pain rolled through his

gut.

“Why can’t a wo--I mean female do this? Why does it have to be a Male?”

“There are very few females. It takes massive amounts of metaphysical energy

to create them. Most Queens are never strong enough. And when a Female is made,

they stay in the Hive and are carefully guarded. Most become Queens, and a few of

those remain as their Mother’s Chosen. Most of us never even see a Female after our

impression. Those of us who do, rarely survive the encounter. They’re dangerous.

Vicious.”

“Does the same go for Lesser-Breds?”

“Lesser-Bred women, females, are few, but way more common than Females.

They are often the closest we’ll ever get to a real Female, so they are extremely valu-

able. Not really owned, but coveted and protected.”

Mike had no idea what Saba meant by owned but it sounded possessive. It made

him want to do it for Alex. Mike was willing to bet Alex wouldn’t push him away

then. No, he’d let Mike fuck him. Want Mike to fuck him.

Mike twisted his hands up in his hair, half tempted to just yank it out. Maybe if he

made some bald spots the insanity would escape and leave him alone. The anger he

felt turned into a growl with very little effort. Christ, he even sounded like some sort

of monster. “I hate these thoughts.”

“Someone close to you.” Mike didn’t trust himself to speak, so he nodded.

“Family?”

Mike shook his head.

“Friend?”

-96 -

Mike nodded.

“Was he the one you took blood and flesh from?”

Nod.

“It’s short of amazing that you didn’t kill him. Humans can’t help you become.

Most Lesser-Breds who are around humans when they shift, kill and eat them.” Saba

shrugged. “But then the mix between Human and Kin is always unpredictable. I guess

there can be a first.” But the look in his eyes said he didn’t believe that for a minute.

Mike winced. Damn, his teeth hurt. Everything hurt. When he wasn’t hurting he

was shaking. And he still had a goddamned erection. Why did it have to be like this?

The “this” being the sex? It made him feel repulsive. Dirty.

New tears squeezed from the corners of Mike’s eyes and ran down his cheeks. He

knew he was staring at Saba with his mouth hanging open, sucking down the Male’s

scent as if it were air. No matter how bad he wanted to stop, he couldn’t. With every

breath, the pain between Mike’s legs got worse. The temptation to just jack off was

strong, but he didn’t think it would relieve him. Instinct told Mike only one thing

would make this end. Feeding.

“You need to relax.”

Mike screwed his face up. “I don’t want to relax.”

“Fine. Don’t. Chew your arm off.”

He’d almost done that once already, hadn’t he?

Would it be so bad to give in? What did it matter, he was never going to home.

This thing he was turning into wasn’t temporary. Why did he even bother to fight?

And Mike was so hungry, so goddamned hungry.

When Mike opened his eyes, Saba was closer, but it wasn’t Saba who’d moved, it

was him. Jesus, he was on his knees, and he’d crawled half way across the room and

didn’t even remember it.

Bursts of gold erupted in Saba’s lavender eyes. God, he smelled good. So good.

Mike said, “I’m scared.”

“I know.” The Male held his hand up. Mike had the urge to press his face to his

palm, to lick it, to suck on his skin. It would please Saba, and Mike wanted to please

him. “You’re very Kin, Mike. You’re like a hatchling right now. Hunger drives you,

controls you. Fighting it is impossible. Even the strongest of us is powerless against

it.”

Mike moved forward. Even before he touched Saba he could feel the heat com-

ing off the Male and crashing into him. If felt so good. So very good. Mike wanted

to crawl up inside that ethereal fire and stay there. To close to resist anymore, Mike

pressed his face to Saba’s palm and inhaled. His scent, his taste, it coated the back of

his throat and brought him peace.

Mike said, “I feel you.” Although feel wasn’t the right word, it was the best he

could come up with.

-97 -

“What you feel are my metaphysics.” A deep thrum kicked up in Saba’s chest,

vibrating the air.

“I want it. Why do I want it?”

“You’re preternatural self wants to be fed.” Now Saba moved. He stopped when

their shoulders touched. “Your hunger calls to me, and my preternatural self responds.

The need makes me want to tend to you. It makes all of us want to tend to each other.

Don’t fight it. Listen to it. What does it tell you?”

Mike let Saba’s hand go and tilted his head up. “Feed.” Mike cut his tongue on

the sharp edges of his teeth. The taste of blood made his erection kick. He put a hand

on Saba’s shoulder. The Male’s eyes were completely gold now. Mike didn’t have to

look to know he was aroused; he could smell it. It reminded him of Alex. “I want to

bite you.” He said it aloud because he really didn’t know if it was normal or not. It

felt normal.

“Then start there.”

Start. There.

Mike didn’t want to think about starting and he sure as hell didn’t want to think

about how it was going to end, but it wasn’t like he had a lot of say in the matter.

After today, Mike didn’t think he was going to have much say in most of his life.

This thing, this hunger, was in the driver’s seat now, and he had no choice but to hang

on for the ride.

-98 -

Chapter 16

The phone woke Alex up. Even over the rattle and kick of the AC unit he could

hear the shrill ring. He wanted to get up and answer it but the room was so god-

damned cold, and he hurt. Head to toe hurt. Like he’d been run over.

Twice.

Alex moved and felt a warm body against his.

Oh, God! He’d forgotten about Katie. They’d talked until well into the morning

and then fallen asleep. He could feel her at his back on top of his covers. They each

had their own way of making things as platonic as possible when one half naked guy

and a chick were in the same bed.

Man, to think that just a few days ago he would have given anything for this

moment, and now here he was wearing long johns and two pairs of underpants.

Letting Katie take those jeans off had been a good decision. She was right, the belt

had been too tight. Alex could still feel the creases in his skin.

The phone quit ringing when the answering machine picked up.

It was Mike’s mom. She apologized for not calling yesterday but they were out

late at a political rally. She wanted Mike to call her when he got a chance. Then she

hung up.

Mike’s parents never invited them to their house over spring break, or Easter,

or Christmas. Those things were done at Alex’s. It had been that way since he could

remember. Same for birthdays.

Alex was pretty sure Mike’s parents only had him to complete the whole family

unit picture. They still used old photos, from when Mike was really young, in their

campaign ads.

A groan eased out of Alex’s chest. He tried to sit up but never made it. Maybe he

should have gone to the hospital.

“Katie?”

She picked up her head. “Yeah?”

“Could you please get me some wat...” His voice cracked. Alex swallowed but his

throat was like a desert, offering nothing to wet his tongue.

“I’ll be right back.” She got up and went into the bathroom. He heard the toilet

flush while she was in there. When Katie returned she had the cup that normally held

his toothbrush. “It was all I could find. I washed it out.” She sat down next to him.

“Can you sit up?”

“I...no...” A hand eased under his shoulders and she helped him upright. The cup

hit Alex’s lips and he drank. It was the best water he’d ever had. Nectar of the gods.

When Alex drained it he asked for more. The second cup was even better. When it

was empty Katie helped him lay back down. Her hand touched his face.

“You don’t feel hot any more. But your skin’s clammy. Are you cold?”

-99 -

Was he? Alex had no idea. “I hurt.”

“Do you want some aspirin?”

“Yeah. It’s in my bag, on the floor.”

Katie went looking for it and after a moment said, “I need to turn on a light.”

She flicked on the overhead and Alex watched her as she dug through his duffle. She

found the bottle stuck in a pair of his socks. When Katie’s head came up she frowned.

“I’m going to turn off the air, okay?”

Alex nodded.

Katie picked up the cup and brought him some more water. Alex swallowed two

aspirin with her help.

“Alex...” He was pretty sure he knew what she was going to say. It was the way

she looked at him. “I think...I think you really need to re-think a trip to the hospital.”

This time, Alex didn’t argue. Katie’s hand touched his, and Alex couldn’t help but

think how nice it felt.

Alex said, “I’ll need you to help me get dressed.” There was no way he’d be able

do it on his own. “And when we get there, I fell. That’s all. While hiking I fell, maybe

in the river. Hit my head. Don’t

say anything about the rest.”

She nodded. “I promise.”

Katie stood up, grabbed his jeans. When she asked about underwear, he told her

there were clean boxers in the basket in the bathroom. She came out with a shirt too.

Katie frowned when she pulled his long johns down and saw his knee. Today it

was red, bright red, and there were streaks running up and down his leg.

Katie looked up. “I think it’s infected.”

By the look of things, Alex could only agree.

She pulled the rest of his clothes off. Normally, Alex would have been embar-

rassed, but after everything else, he was pretty sure he’d run smack out of modesty.

Her eyes hit his groin.

“What did he do to you?”

Alex looked. He was sporting big blue-green bruises all over. “Nothing. I did

that.”

“What?”

He shook his head. “Just help me get my boxers on.” She did as he asked.

By the time Alex was dressed, he was exhausted. He no longer wanted to go to

the hospital, he just wanted to sleep some more. Katie put a shoulder under his arm

and helped him stand.

The stairs going from the dorm to the parking lot were a bitch. It took forever to

get to her little Toyota.

Katie helped Alex into the passenger seat and went around to the other side. Well

past morning and into the afternoon, the inside of the car was Easy-Bake-Oven hot.

-100 -

Alex melted into the bucket seat. It felt perfect.

“Can we get something to eat?” He wasn’t hungry. Alex was just hoping if he ate

he’d feel better.

“Sure, Alex. Whatever you want.” Katie stopped at Micky-Ds and got them both

Big Macs and fries. Alex was right, eating did make him feel better.

They sat two hours in the emergency room, an hour of which Alex spent filling

out paper work. He really wanted to put a fake name and address down, but Katie

talked him out of it. Because of his age, they were supposed to keep everything confi-

dential. And just in case something was really wrong, the false info could prove to be

a problem.

Alex wasn’t sure what other kinds of “wrong” there could be, but at this point he

didn’t want to risk it.

By the time he was assigned a wafer board bed and was dressed in a hospital

standard, rear-view courtesy gown, the sun was setting. The nurse only asked Katie to

leave once. Alex told her if Katie left, so did he.

Another hour passed before the floral printed privacy curtain surrounding the bed

parted, and a thin, balding man stepped inside. He looked almost as tired as Alex felt.

“My name is Dr. Fields.” He looked at the file in his hand, then at Alex. “Can you

tell me what happened?”

“I fell while camping.”

It didn’t take a mind reader to know the guy wasn’t buying it, especially when his

eyes kept wandering down to Alex’s leg. Dr. Fields went over all Alex’s scrapes and

bruises, sometimes pulling out a little light to shine in his eyes or down his throat.

The doctor did some extra prodding around his scalp.

“You should have come in earlier. This cut on your head really needed some

stitches.” He talked while giving the wound on the back of Alex’s head a good poke.

Alex winced. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”

The doctor glanced up from the paper he was writing on. “Your joints are swol-

len, and so are your salivary glands. Your body temp is actually below normal. If you

don’t mind, I’d like for you to tell me what really happened to you.” He closed the

file, tucked it against his chest, and stood there waiting.

Alex frowned.

“I’ve got all night, Mr. Jackson.”

“I told you.”

“No, you’ve lied to me.”

“I fell.”

“You have a hand print around your throat. You want to tell me how you got that?

As well as a bite mark on your knee?”

Alex put a hand to his neck while at the same time pulling the edge of his hospital

gown back over his leg. “Can’t you just give me some antibiotics?”

-101 -

The doctor stepped up to him and lowered his voice. “I’m not a first year med

student. The wound on your knee is not from a fall. Something bit you.” And “some-

thing” sounded like a stand in for “Kin.”

“Maybe it was a dog.” Alex couldn’t even look him in the eye when he said it.

“Canine saliva doesn’t metaphysically cauterize flesh.” Fields waited, and Alex

stayed quiet. “Did this happen in the Zone?”

“No.”

“I know a lot of you college kids think that hanging around that place is some

kind of joy ride.”

“I’m telling you the truth. This happened when I went camping.”

The ER doc took a step back. “Okay. Let’s say I believe you. Then tell me, who

did this to you?”

Alex fists curled and his knuckles cracked. He didn’t need this. He wasn’t in the

mood for it.

Something must have shown in his eyes because the doctor took a second step

back. They stood there staring at each other for a few minutes.

Fields said, “I’m going to give you antibiotics, and I’ll give you a few days worth

of Tylenol with codeine. Don’t take them on an empty stomach or with alcohol.”

He made some notes in the file, then flicked his less-than-happy gaze back and forth

between Alex and Katie. “Just so you know, by law, I’m supposed to report that.” He

made a little jabbing motion with his pen in the direction of Alex’s knee.

Alex glanced at Katie. She was pale. He knew this would be a mistake. They

should have never come here. If this got out, his life would be over. Completely over.

The stigma alone would drive Alex out of town, maybe even the state of Arkansas.

Alex clenched his eyes shut for a moment, swallowing down his anger, effectively

choking on his shame.

Fields sighed. “But considering you’re not going to do something so dumb a sec-

ond time, I’m going to overlook it. For now.” There was a lot concern in Fields’ tired

expression, as well as impatience for stupidity.

Alex gave him a quiet thank you and put his clothes back on.

-102 -

Chapter 17

Heat. Mike needed heat.

It wasn’t a normal kind of warmth his body craved. It was a deep, bone-penetrat-

ing warmth which could only be gleaned from metaphysical contact. And the Male

with him was cranking it out so thick it made the air shimmer. Mike gave up trying to

block the fantasies of Alex.

“Can you realign your jaw?” Hearing Saba speak reminded Mike of what he was

supposed to be doing, which was taking care of the terrible pain. The one in his gut

and the other one between his legs. Mike leaned into the Male’s shoulder and pressed

his face against it, as they sat in opposite directions.

When he didn’t answer the question, Saba asked him again.

Mike didn’t know if he could realign his jaw or not. He opened his mouth, felt it

pop.

It was so hard to think. All Mike wanted to do was feed, but every Human part of

him left fought it. Saba was right. It only made it hurt more, and it was fruitless.

When Mike hesitated, a hand went to the back of his neck. Gentle fingers made

soft strokes on his skin. Saba’s purr kicked up a notch and the sound effectively white

noised every conscious thought occupying Mike’s head.

He bit.

The sound of parting flesh, the sensation of his teeth sliding through thick muscle

and hitting bone brought a desperate cry out of Mike’s throat. The burn of metaphysi-

cal energy healed the bite as quickly as he made it. Mike worked his mouth. Blood

coursed over his tongue. The taste alone made him come.

More, he needed more.

Mike kicked himself off the floor, threw an arm around Saba’s other shoulder

while he clamored over the Male’s legs. He needed to get closer, drive his bite deeper.

Working his teeth, he jacked the Male against him, crushing Saba against his chest.

His shoulders heaved with every pull of blood from the wound.

It was a lot of work. The flesh kept knitting and Mike had to work his jaw to keep

the bite open. Every swallow was like lava burning him up from the inside with glori-

ous warmth. Mike’s hips jacked forward, and he used the tightness of their bodies to

get off. He had no idea if Saba cared, but Mike couldn’t have stopped himself even if

he wanted to.

And right now he did not want to.

When the urge to tear flesh struck him, Mike didn’t resist. He slung his head like

a dog, slapping lines of green blood all over the tile walls. The thick wet sound of

tearing flesh accompanied Saba’s climax.

The taste, the scent, set off a forest fire under Mike’s skin. He didn’t waste any

time locking his mouth down on the gash. The blood came freely now and Mike swal-

-103 -

lowed, gorging until he felt like he’d downed a twelve pack on an empty stomach.

Sweat beaded along Mike’s skin, ran rivulets down his back, and he still felt like

he couldn’t get enough. As hot as his insides burned, Mike was sure he was going to

burst into flames.

At some point Mike finally gave in, wrapped a hand around his cock, and jacked

himself off, but the sensation of the orgasms came second to the sensation of feeding.

Mike was surprised when his mouth popped open on its own accord and the insatiable

hunger flicked like a switch. He barked cries into Saba’s neck and came again.

Jesus Christ, how much more degrading could it get?

It didn’t surprise Mike at all when he burst into tears. He felt stoned, drunk, and

on the verge of a complete mental break down. While he couldn’t be too sure about

the first two, that third one was a sure thing.

Saba petted him, up and down his back. The Male’s hand trembled with every

stroke. They were both soaked in ichor. Mike became aware of a new scent. One

which made his skin go tight and the heat inside his chest crank up to an unbearable

level. He said, “What’s happening?”

“You smell my need.”

Saba’s mouth hit Mike’s shoulder and he jumped. “What are you doing?” Christ,

he even sounded like a scared little girl. When he tried to pull away, the Male pinned

Mike to his chest in some sort of demented bear hug.

“I need to feed now, Mike. You did a lot of damage. I need to take so I can heal.”

Mike wanted to tell him “hell no,” but it didn’t seem right. He dropped his face

against Saba’s shoulder.

“Okay.” Mike shut his eyes and tried to pretend he was somewhere else.

It didn’t work. The moment Saba’s mouth brushed his skin Mike opened his

mouth to pant. A purr kicked up in his chest. Teeth sank into his flesh, going slow.

Easy.

“More!” Mike wanted to feel Saba’s teeth in his bones. When Saba wasn’t fast

enough Mike grabbed him by the back of the head and shoved his bite deeper. Bones

cracked and Mike screamed. He kept screaming as Saba chewed.

Mike could feel Saba trying to hold back. He could even taste a small lick of fear

in the Male scent, but now that Mike had the Male’s teeth in him he didn’t want them

out.

No, he wanted Saba to shred him. Tear him apart. Mike clawed at his own stom-

ach. He didn’t know why, but the need to feel teeth and claws on his insides was as

strong as the need to feed. The feeding had been wonderful, but this, this was way

better. A thousand times better.

When Saba stopped, Mike begged him to keep going. Saba pinned him down.

Mike rolled his head to the side offering his throat. “Please, more!”

“No. You’re done. I’ve taken enough.”

-104 -

It would never be enough!

Saba petted him, his face, his neck, his chest. “Breathe, Mike. Just breathe. It will

pass.”

Mike kicked a few times, but it wasn’t long before he tired out. The worst of the

urgency faded and Mike pooled against the floor. God, he felt so good and best of all,

warm. The pain, the panic, had vanished. Mike felt complete.

-105 -

Chapter 18

After he showered, Mike felt, well, Human again. The parts inside him had been

appeased by the feeding and were no longer trying to claw out.

Too bad the big ass marking on his body didn’t fade out like the hunger. Looking

in the mirror, Mike was pretty sure the damn thing was even darker than before. Or

maybe there was simply more color to it? Either way there was no hiding it without a

button up that went all the way to his chin, and long sleeves.

As for his teeth? No hiding those, unless he planned on never opening his mouth

again.

It occurred to Mike he should probably call his Dad. Should call, because the

person he wanted to call was Alex. At least his brain wasn’t full of those fucked up

thoughts any more. Jesus Christ, Alex probably hated his guts for what he tried to do.

Hell, Mike hated himself.

Mike picked up the travel kit Joseph bought him while he was out, and put it on

the back of the sink. It had all the amenities: deodorant, hair brush, little travel sized

shampoos and a toothbrush.

Mike didn’t really want to brush his teeth. He liked the taste in his mouth and

the toothpaste might ruin it. But maybe feeding could give him bad breath? He

didn’t know. Exhaling into his hand told him nothing. Just in case he went ahead and

brushed using as little Colgate as possible.

Shaving was a different matter.

While Mike wasn’t one to grow much facial hair, he’d been shaving since he was

seventeen, usually every three or four days. Not anymore. The only hair left on his

body was on the top of his head, his eyebrows and eyelashes. Even his balls were

bare.

Mike’s hand trembled when he touched his shoulder where Saba had bitten him.

The flesh was smooth now, flawless. There wasn’t even a bruise. Another testament

to just how inhuman he’d become. The really scary part? Mike couldn’t wait to do it

again.

Fuck. He really was losing his mind.

Mike picked up the ratty blue jeans Joseph gave him to wear, leaving the boxers

and the shirt on the shelf. He put them on.

When Mike came out of the bathroom he could hear Saba, Joseph and a female

voice he didn’t recognize. He breathed deep, sucking in the scents hanging in the air.

The woman was strangely familiar and at the same time completely unknown.

He walked into the kitchen and the conversation went quiet.

Saba sat at the head of the kitchen table, Joseph in the middle next to an empty

chair and then the woman was at the other end. When Mike looked at her he couldn’t

turn away. He had no idea why. She wasn’t even pretty. Not really. Just plain, with

-106 -

brown hair and eyes. The woman watched him from over the edge of the cup she was

drinking from. Whatever it was, it didn’t smell like coffee.

“Mike?”

Mike didn’t have any interest in looking at Joseph. His throat worked, tasting her

on the air. So much for feeling Human again.

The really weird thing? She didn’t even seem put off by his behavior.

“Hi,” she gave a little wave.

Mike picked his hand up and waved back, but what he wanted to do was get on

his hands and knees and rub himself against her legs.

“My name is Wendy. You must be Mike.”

At least he managed to nod. “Are you, you know…” Mike shut his mouth

because he was pretty sure he was drooling.

“Am I Lesser-Bred?”

“Yeah...”

“No...I belong to Saba.”

Mike blinked and looked at the Male. Saba watched him, his lavender gaze

flecked with gold.

“Belong?”

Wendy said, “He’s To Whom I Belong. I carry his Mark.”

Joseph stood up and pulled out a chair. It was one near him and not Wendy, and

Mike wanted to sit near Wendy. Joseph tugged on his arm and guided him to the

chair. Mike sat and a cup of something white landed in front of him.

“What is it?”

“Cream.” Joseph sat back down beside him. “Drink it.”

“I don’t like milk.”

“You do now. Trust me.”

Mike took a small taste, rolling it on his tongue. Everyone watched him. At first it

had the typical slightly sweet, bland flavor of rich milk, but then it hit his palate and

the taste exploded across his tongue, sliding down his throat, soothing him from the

inside. His eyes widened and he sucked it back as fast as he could swallow.

Wendy put her hand over her mouth and laughed.

“More!” Before Mike’s cup could hit the table Joseph was already up and putting

another cup full in the microwave. “God, what was in that?”

“Just cream,” said Joseph.

“Tastes different, huh?” That from Wendy. Hearing her talk brought Mike’s eyes

back over to her.

“I want to fuck you.” Mike clenched his eyes shut while his cheeks burned. He

waited for someone to yell at him. When no one did he said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean

to.”

“I told you, you’re like a hatchling.” Saba moved closer.

-107 -

Mike sighed. “I can’t believe I just said, that.”

“I know.”

“What the hell is wrong with me?”

The microwave beeped and Joseph came back and put the cup of cream down on

the table. Joseph said, “Your Kin side is strong. You have a lot of their instincts. What

a wyrm is, is genetic. Then there are things Impressed on them by their Queen. You

have a lot of those genetic instincts, but no Impressions to moderate them.”

Mike shook his head. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t explain my brain-to-mouth prob-

lem.”

“Yes, it does.” Joseph gave his shoulder a pat. “Genetically Kin are designed to

worship Females. You’re part Human. Your instinct is going to be to worship Human

or Lesser-Bred females just as strongly. And Kin don’t mince words. They say what

they want, when they want it.” He pushed Mike’s cup closer. “Those like Wendy

understand how it’s not a wyrm’s nature to be diplomatic.” When Mike glanced at

Saba, Joseph’s grip tightened. “Saba isn’t like other Kin. Trust me. He knows how to

play Human very well. He’s so good at it he works for the Memphis PD.”

“The cops?”

Joseph laughed. “Yeah, the cops.”

“I thought the police, you know, hated dragons.”

“You’re not in Arkansas anymore, Mike. Here in Tennessee things are different.”

Wasn’t that the truth? Mike drank his cream. He looked at Saba. “What do you

do?”

Saba grinned and his teeth were sharp. “As a Dominant it’s my job to keep the

cops safe when they have to deal with my people. And if a Kin is accused of a crime

and won’t cooperate, I make him.” It sounded simple enough, although Mike had a

feeling it wasn’t.

Joseph said, “And Kin, by default, are going to be far worse about saying what

they mean than you. Even now. To top it off, they aren’t going to make excuses for

their behavior because they aren’t ashamed of what they are.”

Must be nice, because right now, Mike was sporting a truckload of shame. Too

bad his cock didn’t have a conscience. Damn thing seriously needed to cut him a

break. When Joseph leaned back, Mike tried to rearrange himself without reaching

down and grabbing his crotch. Didn’t work. Worse, he was pretty sure everyone in the

room knew why he was wiggling in his seat like he had a spontaneous case of hemor-

rhoids.

Saba said, “Unfortunately, I think your manners are going to be the least of your

problems.”

Mike said, “What do you mean?” They all passed looks around. The expressions

on their faces made Mike’s stomach flutter. He picked up the cream and drank it.

“Mike, I think you might be Food. Or some strange version thereof.” It was

-108 -

the way Saba said the word “food” which let Mike know he didn’t mean pizza, hot

wings, or cream.

He drained the cup. “And that means?”

The Male ran a hand over his face then rubbed the back of his head like he was

trying to jump start his brain. “When Kin are born, we’re born starving. There are

those born to be Food. The hatching grounds is about survival. The weak die. Any

clutch may start with hundreds, sometimes thousands of hatchlings, but we kill each

other and feed on our own till there are only one or two survivors. Sometimes Food

survives because they are cunning, but most of the time they live because one of their

clutch mates keeps them. Either way, Food usually doesn’t live very long. Eventually

a Kin will eat them, because Food has an unusually attractive scent. Most Lesser-

Bred are food. The ones that have blood strong enough to sate Kin are highly desir-

able.”

Mike frowned. “I thought you just said food doesn’t survive.”

“Food not food.” And now that Mike listened, he could hear the emphasis along

with the inflection. Saba said, “A Kin can provide food and not be Food. Does that

make sense?”

“Not really. But then neither does Metaphysical Biology and I still managed a C.”

Mike smiled and Saba smiled back.

Saba said, “You know how you reacted back there? To feeding me?”

For whatever reason, Mike looked at Wendy. She’d said she belonged to Saba,

which to Mike sounded a lot like being married. He thought about the things he’d

done with Saba. His face went hot.

Wendy smiled and Mike resisted the urge to crawl under the table and stay there.

“Don’t be ashamed.” Her dark brown eyes were so kind. She brought the yellow

cup she was holding up to her mouth and took another drink.

“But you’re married or whatever.”

She shook her head. “No. I belong. It’s different. Besides, Kin aren’t monoga-

mous. They have to have their own.”

“But I’m not Kin.”

“No, you’re not.” Saba said it in a way that made Mike feel thinking otherwise

was dangerous. “You’re Lesser-Bred. Unfortunately you’re displaying a lot of Kin

traits we don’t normally see, your desire to feed me, your Stain, your reaction to

Wendy, and most of all, how you taste. You’re very likely a First Generation. Which

is rare.”

“First generation?”

Joseph said, “That’s what they call Lesser-Breds born from two Lesser-Breds.”

The man shrugged like it was no big deal.

“Wait a minute. Are you suggesting that both my parents are Lesser-Bred?”

“No. Your mother probably carries the genes as a recessive. That’s normally

-109 -

the way it works. The catalyst genes are located on the X chromosome. Those are

the genes which activate any others which are present elsewhere in the genome. It’s

not always like that, mind you. Like I said, Human genetics mixed with Kin can be

unpredictable. A pairing of like autosomal chromosomes, one from each Lesser-Bred

parent, at the same loci, can have these sorts of affects, in other words, making you

more Kin than Human. Of course there’s always...”

“Joseph.” Wendy put her hand across the table and touched the man’s wrist. Mike

wanted her to touch him like that. “Keep it simple. Mike’s got way too much on his

plate as it is.”

“Sorry.” Joseph rolled his cup between his hands, then said, “Do you know if

your mom and dad ever had any marriage problems?”

Mike shook his head then added a shrug, “Not that I know of.” But the truth was,

how would he know? They were always out of town: political rallies, fundraisers,

supporting fellow candidates. The list went on. Hell, Mike couldn’t even remember

the last time they spent Christmas together. He usually stayed at Alex’s house for

holiday events. “Why do you ask?”

Joseph said, “Human females who carry the genes will sometimes seek out

Lesser-Bred males. It’s very, very difficult for one to get pregnant by another Lesser-

Bred. Virtually impossible. It’s why there aren’t more females and why there are

so many males. After so many Generations of crossing with humans, the offspring

become too unstable to survive. First generations, which is what I think you are, are

always sterile. And a First Gen can only be sired by a male Lesser-Bred and a female

or at least a woman carrying the genes. Human women often have no idea that they

are carriers, but they will often engage in promiscuous behavior in their drive to find

one of their own.”

“So you think my mom cheated on my dad?”

Joseph shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s just a theory.”

“So why does being a…” Mike waved a hand. “Whatever, make me Food?” He

made sure to say it with the inflection.

Saba put his hand back on Mike’s neck. It was something which should have felt

intimate, but it didn’t. Like the cream, it soothed him. “You have a need almost as

strong as Kin, but you don’t have the Impressions from a Queen so you know how to

control it. Your blood and flesh taste very Human. Kin by nature crave Human flesh.

The meat is very sweet, the blood sweeter. Survival in the Dens is all about domi-

nance. As a Lesser-Bred you will never be strong enough to stay safe. All Males, even

the weakest submissive, will be your Dominant. And Food by nature is weaker, and

enjoys feeding others more than being fed.”

Enjoyed it? Mike’s cheeks had been hot before, now they were on fire. Not

because he was angry with Saba. On the contrary, he was afraid the Male was right.

Saba’s mouth made an unhappy line across his face. “I felt you, Mike. Feeding

-110 -

me jacked you up. I’m worried you might let one of us kill you. And because of your

human genetics, in the blitz of the feed you might actually ask for it.”

“Shit...” Mike stared at the bottom of his cup. He laughed but it sounded closer to

a sob. “So, I’m just...fucked...” Mike pinched the bridge of his nose.

“No. You won’t have to do this alone. That’s why Loren contacted me.” Joseph

took Mike’s cup and carried it to the fridge. He pulled out the metal pitcher, poured

a fresh cup, and popped it into the microwave. “I keep a list of names, Kin who have

certain needs. There are a few out there who are hopeless addicts. Eventually they

kill someone. Especially the ferals--those who want nothing to do with the rules of

Human society. There is no coming back for these Males, they have no choice but to

keep a Lesser-Bred and feed from him to sate their craving. As strong as you are, any

one of them would be more than happy to own you and keep you safe.”

Joseph returned to the table and handed Mike his cup. He took a sip. “And own-

ing means what exactly?”

He shrugged. “It means you will be theirs, wear their scent. As your Dominant it

will be their job to take care of you and tend to your needs. As their submissive, you

will be their food.”

Mike winced. “And what happens if I don’t want to be owned?”

Saba flicked Mike a look, one that said, “as if you have a choice.”

-111 -

Chapter 19

It was day four. At least Mike was pretty sure it was day four.

A new fever hit him sometime after lunch. Wendy, Joseph, and Saba had all been

sitting around the kitchen table laughing and joking. They’d eaten enough for an

army. Wendy and Joseph, not so much, but Saba and him? They’d put away at least

ten pounds of chuck roast a piece. Mike had no idea raw meat could taste so good.

He’d stuffed himself so full he was pretty sure his sides were going to split.

Then he stood up and promptly hit the ground as his entire body seized up.

The new fever was bad. Really bad. They’d put him in a tub with water hot

enough to boil his skin off. Saba stayed with him and fed him, but Mike couldn’t get

warm. Outside, his body was hot; inside it felt like Antarctica had set up in his chest.

Mike wasn’t cold anymore. He was warm. So warm. And safe. God, he’d never

felt so complete in his entire life. As long as he didn’t think about it too hard, being

where he was didn’t feel all that wrong. Immoral. Sinful. Or...whatever.

Someone moved.

“Are you awake?” A hand petted him, the side of his head, his neck, shoulder, and

arm.

Mike nodded and tried to remember the other Male’s name. Come to think of it,

he couldn’t remember the names of any of them. And there were several. Saba had

called them to help. The room was fairly small and filled with bodies, Mike, and two

mattresses side-by-side on the floor. Metaphysical heat churned back and forth across

the space moving like the ocean.

The hand kept petting Mike, and he burrowed against the body making a line of

warmth down his front.

He needed to feed. His hunger was rising again.

“Mike?” It was Saba. The Male’s hand touched his neck, then moved to his

cheek. It made Mike open his eyes. The light in here sucked, but he could still see.

Silver shadows cast outlines and odd halos around everything. Everyone.

“Yeah?”

He heard the Male scent him. Taste his flavor on the air. “The worst is going to hit

soon.”

“I’m going to die, aren’t I?”

“No, you’ll be fine. There are enough of us here to help you become.”

“We’ll keep you safe.” It was the Male at his back who spoke. Mike still couldn’t

remember his name. Another hand joined in the petting. Head to thigh. Head to thigh.

It felt wonderful.

“I’m so tired.”

“We know.” A different voice, the Male who had his cheek near Mike’s knee and

his arm over his calf. Someone else moved near Mike’s head.

-112 -

He said, “I don’t want to die, but at the same time, I don’t want to live.”

“That’s because you’re part Human. Humans are weak when it comes to living.

They’d rather give up than fight to survive. Death is easy. Living is the hard part.”

Mike was pretty sure the Male was right. The Human part of him was ready to give

up, because life had just taken a turn down a road he did not want to visit. The Kin

part refused. No matter what, life was worth any price.

Bodies moved and someone traded places with the Male at the back of Mike’s

legs. They’d been doing that for hours. The shift in positions changed the direction of

the metaphysical flow. For some messed up reason, it made Mike think of TV dinners

and microwave ovens.

A hand petted his chest. Back and forth. Back and forth. Lying there, Mike real-

ized each Male had an individual flavor. It took a while for him to figure out which

one was his. As his need rose, it changed. Just like the Males, Mike had that sweet

musky scent labeling him as Kin. It reminded him of exotic coffees and nag-champa

incense. The other flavor was similar to buttered chicken.

Kin didn’t have the buttered chicken scent, but under their sweet musky odor

each of them had a distinct taste. Mike didn’t have anything to compare the flavors to.

He’d never tasted anything like it, but it stirred his need and kicked his hunger.

A dull ache sounded off in Mike’s jaw.

“Petrie,” said Saba. He moved, changing places with another Male.

When Petrie was in front of Mike, he rolled, giving him his back.

Petrie was smaller than Mike, and Saba had said he was Food. He was the new-

est of the Males, and owned by No-name at his back. Why Mike could recall all that

but not their names, he wasn’t too sure. He could also remember how worried Saba

sounded when he called the other Males on his cell phone pleading with them to help.

As each of them arrived they’d come into the room where Mike was, stripping down

and drawing him close.

“I’m ready when you are.” Petrie’s casual, no-nonsense tone made everything

seem so...normal. And for them, it was.

Them.

And now Mike was one of Them. One of the monsters the EFH members warned

people about, one of the damned, Children of Cain. Hated and feared by so many

people.

Mike had never really given the things the EFH news letter said much thought.

It wasn’t like he’d ever been around any Kin. In Arkansas, the species lived behind

the Wall. They didn’t come out on the open streets, or more precisely, they didn’t get

caught. Lesser-Breds could get away with walking in the Gray Zone as long as they

didn’t look too inhuman. Mike was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to walk around

and not be noticed. But then he didn’t really have to worry about that kind of thing

anymore. He was never going home. Home wasn’t safe.

-113 -

God, he really needed to call his dad.

“Bite him.” No-name thrummed and Mike could feel the sound in his muscles.

The Male pressed his body closer. Mike didn’t even flinch when the Male’s erec-

tion pressed against his lower back. His human inhibitions just didn’t stand a chance

against the need. No, his body knew what it wanted, and Saba was right. It wasn’t

about sex. This was something different. Deeper. Mike couldn’t explain it but at the

same time he understood it.

Saba growled a little. “Klere, back off.”

“I like the way he smells.”

“I know you do, but Mike is still getting used to this. You promised you would

behave.”

Mike remembered all the Males were ferals. Older ferals. Not domestic by

choice, but ferals all the same. As a Dominant, Saba could control them. Apparently it

only took a little cash to convince them to help out. Part of Mike wondered what they

would be like without Saba here. Some darker part wanted to find out.

Which reminded him of Petrie, who was stroking his own stomach. The action

made the Male’s scent spike. Mike’s teeth came down.

Another thrum joined the first, then a third, a fourth. Mike kicked up his own

purr. He didn’t sound quite like the Males. Their thrum was deeper and it pumped

against the air with a physical force.

A wet warmth stroked Mike’s shoulder, a caress of lips followed, then the quick

nick of teeth. Mike moaned, reveling in the feel of it. If this felt good to him, he knew

Petrie had to feel the same way. Mike dipped his head down and licked the back of

the Male’s neck with his tongue, sucked his skin. He tasted incredible.

Mike did it again and Petrie kicked, gasping.

Petrie said, “Please, feed.”

“Mike, don’t wait any longer. You’ll hurt him if you do.” Saba again. Mike didn’t

have to look to know it was his hand touching his face. He could scent the flavor on

his skin. The Male was right, waiting wasn’t the wise thing to do, but Mike’s hesita-

tion was the last of his Human inhibitions fighting a war it lost days ago.

Mike bit.

The sound of parting flesh and cracking bone rivaled the high-pitched barks from

the Male at his chest. The scent of Petrie’s orgasm made Mike drive his bite even

deeper. A familiar warm glow slid down Mike’s throat and into his stomach and the

burn under his skin. He growled.

Mouths touched Mike’s legs, his arms, his side. Now he couldn’t get enough.

Mike wanted all of them biting him. Head to toe, shredding him, consuming him.

Mike dug his hands into his stomach. If only he could split himself open, spill

everything out. Then they’d pull out his softest parts and consume him.

Saba said, “Hold him.”

-114 -

The Dominant was right. This was the worst. Mike’s control was at its weakest

and he had no idea why. Hands held Mike to keep him from hurting himself, hands

petted him to bring him comfort, and they stroked his cock to give him relief.

Mike slung his head like a dog, shredding Petrie’s shoulder, tearing out mouth-

fuls of flesh. Ichor covered his face, chest and body and all Mike could think about

was how he wanted more. A hand tightened on his throat, and pressure under his jaw

made his mouth pop free. Petrie either rolled away, or someone pulled him. Another

Male Mike didn’t know moved in front of him. A group effort rolled him over and

they pinned Mike against Klere’s chest. He fought.

The new Male put a hand on Mike’s throat, and the anger, the urgency, faded.

“Take from me.” A shoulder pressed against Mike’s chin and the grip on his limbs

tightened.

Years ago Mike let a girl tie him down and found out the hard way he didn’t like

it. After he got loose, Mike had been able to pull off his typical no-big-deal attitude,

even though he’d been sure he was going to have a heart attack.

So being restrained should have scared the hell out of Mike--especially being

restrained like this, because these grips were unbreakable. Instead it brought him

peace and made him feel safe.

But then, a lot of things had changed for Mike the past four days. He’d gone from

Human to something not. He was sucking blood and eating flesh. Even getting off in

the same room with a bunch of other people with male parts. Males...but not male.

Again...things which should have made absolutely no sense, but did.

Mike didn’t remember biting the Male, only he was suddenly on fire, burning up

with blood as it ran down his throat and lit like napalm in his stomach. No matter how

much he took, it was never enough. Even when his gray matter liquefied and he was

completely blitzed from the burn.

A mouth hit Mike’s inner thigh. Mike released his bite so he could scream. He

needed to scream and he needed to breath. The screaming won out.

“God! Oh God!” Another wail ripped out of his chest when Klere tore into his

shoulder. Tears burst out of Mike’s eyes, covered his cheeks, blurred his vision. It

wasn’t sorrow driving it out of him, but ecstasy. So much it was painful. So much he

wanted more. Another mouth on his inner arm, then his wrist.

Mike had no idea what the hell was building inside him. It reminded him of the

sensation he’d felt at the campsite, only it was bigger, stronger. He felt like he was

on fire, every piece of him burning, every cell a small sun. This climax would make

his insides burst, crush every bone in his body, and melt his brain. And that was fine,

because it would be worth it. It would be so good, dying for it wasn’t even a speed

bump in Mike’s line of thought.

Saba said his name. Mike could feel the Male’s breath against cheek. Smell his

arousal. His need. Saba had orgasmed too. The pleasure from it soaked his skin.

-115 -

“Listen to me, Mike. You’re almost there. It’s going to hurt. Your final phase of the

Shift is going to be violent. There’s nothing that can be done about that, but it will be

over quickly. Just don’t fight it. Let it happen. ”

“More...” How Mike managed to speak he had no idea.

“No. There are enough of us taking that it will be as easy as possible for you to

cross. We won’t let you get cold and we won’t let you burn up.”

But Mike wanted to burn. He wanted to be soaked in the glow.

Every muscle in Mike’s body quivered and pulled so tight they threatened to tear

like bow strings. The Males no longer needed to touch him to make him come. Not

this far gone. The metaphysical energy rolling inside Mike stroked his very essence,

like one big pleasure point.

The Males held Mike, while they bit him, petted him, stroked him, fucked him.

And he wanted all of it.

At the height of it all a metaphysical tsunami rolled through Mike, crushing him

and then rebuilding him. The sheer power of it told him everything which made him

Human would disappear. He’d never be Kin. His cellular biology would always be

a hybrid mix, but inside him, the thing that made him, him--it was going to be con-

sumed.

And Saba was right. It did hurt. Mike screamed until his voice box shredded.

They couldn’t do enough. He needed them to take more flesh, more blood, more sex

because the sensation of it kept his molecules from tearing apart. Without them he

would shatter. Every atom in his body would disintegrate.

As the Shift barreled over Mike, he expected some great rapture of sound which

would deafen him or a light that would blind him. In the least, there should have been

a hole torn in the universe.

Instead Mike felt the rush of life, an invasion of instinct, and biological con-

nection. He could feel them. Kin. Wyrms. Their presence connected him, threaded

through him. He could sense their life force coursing through his body, but it wasn’t

just those in the room. It was all of them. Here in Memphis, across the border in his

home state, across the county, across the ocean. Like a continuous thread of life mak-

ing them one and separate.

And beneath it all, beating like the heart in his chest, the Queens.

Females, their power, their presence, a force to be reckoned with.

Mike wanted them, but they all did. They all wanted to touch their kind of heat

and have the chance to bathe in their preternatural flame. Even if it killed him.

For what seemed like years, Mike did not breathe. He couldn’t, because he was

too full of metaphysical power. And when that energy had thoroughly filled him up,

split him at the seams, destroyed him beyond recognition, it trickled out, and his first

breath leaked in.

The first breath of his birth. His Becoming. The last of what made Mike human

-116 -

was swallowed whole.

For the first time in his life, Mike lived. Truly lived.

And it was beautiful.

-117 -

Chapter 20

“Are they all like that?” Mike shoveled some more raw shrimp into his mouth.

“No.” Saba shook his head while tracking Wendy with his eyes as she moved

around the kitchen. “I think your Becoming takes the cake.”

For some reason that made Mike grin.

Saba said, “I want to take you into the Dens tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“To show you around.”

Mike wasn’t sure what to say. He glanced at Wendy.

Saba said, “What’s wrong?”

“Are you taking me there because you don’t want me here anymore?” Mike

watched Wendy as she came to the table. He coveted her while she filled his glass.

The urge to touch her was painful.

One of Saba’s eyebrows went up. “Of course not. All Lesser-Breds we help are

welcome to stay here as long as they need to, but one day you’ll want to leave, have a

place of your own.”

Wendy met Mike’s gaze. He couldn’t help but think how wrong Saba was. He’d

never want to leave as long as she was here. As if reading his mind, Wendy smiled.

Mike dropped his eyes back down to his bowl of shrimp. “Then why are we going

there?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Mike. There aren’t a whole lot of options for Lesser-

Breds, and there are Kin out there who will be cruel to you. The fact you don’t smell

very Human will help. They’ll be more likely to accept you. You’re strong and you

can feed them, so you have value.”

“You mean one of them would want to keep me?” Mike made sure to say ‘keep’

with the inflection.

“Yes.”

And being kept meant Mike would be property. At least, that’s the way he under-

stood it. He wasn’t sure what to think about that either. Mike sighed. “Will they be

like you, or like Klere?”

“You mean will they be a domestic or a feral?”

Mike nodded and Saba shrugged. “It will depend on you. There are plenty of Kin

who chose to live on the outside and by Human rules. They need Lesser-Breds like

you to feed them when being with our own isn’t possible.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s dangerous for Kin who choose to play Human to try and step back inside the

Dens and expect to be fed. Lots of dominance can get thrown around. Some domes-

tics are low enough on the food chain that no Male will feed them without being

fed first, and it can get them killed. Then, as you know, there are the blood and flesh

-118 -

addicts.” Saba’s eyes flicked up and his mouth twisted. “But if you go with a domes-

tic, they will not be able to take you outside of the Zone.”

“And what happens if I go with a feral?”

“With any of them, there will most likely be a Human element. They will use you

to make money.” Wendy came around the table and sat down next to Saba.

Mike said, “How?”

“There are plenty of Humans who will pay for your company, Mike. A feral will

expect you to earn your keep.”

“You mean I’d be a prostitute?”

Saba nodded. “A Human term, but yeah.”

“But won’t something like that stir my need?”

Another shrug. “Any Male you are with will keep you fed. You shouldn’t have a

problem controlling it.”

It sure as shit didn’t feel that way right now. No, the hunger was always there,

right under Mike’s skin, a sleeping giant lying in wait.

The thought must have shown on his face, because Saba laughed. “I told you

you’re like a hatchling. We’re always hungry in the beginning. As bad as everything

felt yesterday, it’s nothing compared to the brutality in the hatching grounds. I killed

dozens of my Brothers my first day out of the egg.”

And he’d eaten them. But that was a given. Saba popped one last shrimp into his

mouth, leaving his plate bare. While he chewed, he rolled a hand like he was stirring

his thoughts. “There isn’t a lot understood about Lesser-Breds. The Human genetics

make everything unpredictable. You went through more stages than most I’ve seen,

but then, from what I understand, those who go through physical mutations can take

years before they finish out.”

Jesus Christ...years? And Mike thought four days was rough. He looked down at

himself. The Stain had spread. Now it came down below his elbows. The new color

was red, a blinding contrast against the blue. Even the ferals had been impressed.

It still didn’t look anything like the glowing swatches of color burned into various

places on Kin. Like the one on Saba’s leg, each of the ferals had their own. On their

chests, back, arms, neck.

Saba called it a Nevus. All Kin were made with it.

The stain was something different.

It almost seemed the Kin parts of Mike had tried to burst out of his body, only to

be freeze-framed just below his skin. If he looked at the stain at just the right angle,

he could see the body of a Dragon curling in on itself. A back ridge painted his spine

all the way down his ass crack. His chest was patterned with something that looked

like plates. Scales covered him everywhere, more on his right side going down below

knee in a streak of crimson. But none of it actually textured his skin.

Mike couldn’t help but be a little impressed. The stain was pretty cool looking, in

-119 -

spite of the fact he’d never be able to walk around in the general public without wear-

ing long sleeves and a turtleneck. At least in places where Kin were illegal. Being

Lesser-Bred meant he had fewer rights than even they did.

Mike thought about home. “I really need to call my dad.” When he looked at

Saba, the Male frowned. “What?”

“I’m not sure that would be very wise.”

“I’m not going to tell him where I’m at, but I need to let them know I’m all

right.” Besides, calling Alex wasn’t an option, and Mike really needed to know if he

was okay. He rubbed his chest. Every time he thought of Alex, he ached. Yeah, there

was no doubt Mike still wanted him. Saba had seemed pretty sure the urge would

fade. But the Male still couldn’t explain how Mike had been able to survive the start

of his shift by feeding off of him. Alex wasn’t even Lesser-Bred, and something like

that should have been impossible.

Then again, this was metaphysics.

“Use one of the disposable cells.” Saba tipped his head at the cabinet drawer near

the sink. “Then throw it away so if he captures the number, he can’t call back.”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about my dad calling back.” Mike stood up

and made sure to keep a hand on the cut-off sweat pants he was wearing. They were

two sizes too big. Left on their own, they’d be down around his ankles. Not that any-

one here would really care, but Mike felt a need to act somewhat decent, especially

with a woman in the house. A task which would be easier when Wendy had his jeans

clean again. As it was, the sweats did nothing to hide the almost perpetual erection he

had around her. At least a pair of Levis would sort of hide it. Although something like

that--Mike glanced down--yeah, it was a little more than difficult to hide.

“Does it matter which one?” Mike moved the various cell phones back and forth

across the box.

“Nope.” Saba snagged Mike’s bowl and ate the remaining shrimp.

“Hey, I was gonna eat those!”

The Male flashed him a mouth full of sharps. “You walked off and I claimed it.”

“Yeah, yeah...”

“I’ll get you some more, don’t worry. There’s plenty in the freezer.” Wendy took

Mike’s empty bowl from Saba.

Mike nodded. He still didn’t trust himself to talk to her, because every time he

opened his mouth the wrong damn thing came out.

Mike walked out of the kitchen. There really wasn’t anywhere in the house he

could go where Saba couldn’t hear him. At least here in the front of the house he had

the illusion of being alone.

Mike stared at the phone in his hand, wondering how bad of a decision this was.

There was no telling what Alex had told either set of parents. He knew his mom

would have called to check on him. Hell, for all he knew the police could have an

-120 -

Alchemist warrant out on his head. In Arkansas an assault on a Human by a Kin or

Lesser-Bred was a death sentence, and he’d not only attacked Alex--he’d almost

raped him.

He dialed his home number and hit send. It rang three times before the line picked

up. It was his mother.

“Hello?”

His father talked in the background. It sounded like he was on his cell.

On the back of a sigh Mike said, “Hi.”

“Mike! Oh, my God, Mike. Where have you been? We’ve been calling your dorm

and your cell. You’re dad was getting ready to take a drive over there.”

“I’m okay, mom.”

“Oh, thank God! They found Alex, and we thought...God, we didn’t know.”

Found Alex? “Wait! Back up. What do you mean, they found Alex?”

He heard his mother take a breath and then make a small protest. There was some

rustling over the line and his father’s commanding voice followed. “Where are you,

Mike?”

It was a physical effort for Mike to not blurt out a reply. “I’m safe.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Where. Are. You?”

“What’s going on with Alex?”

“Tell me where you are!”

“Not until you tell me what’s going on with Alex.”

An angry sigh echoed hard and heavy over the line. Experience told Mike his old

man would have his free hand cranked up in a fist. It would be his left hand. It was

always his left hand, and his thumb would work his wedding ring, spinning it round

and round on his finger. A visual timer to his aggression. Mike knew he had a prob-

lem when it stopped and his dad’s fist was still balled up.

“Mike, Alex is dead.”

His dad said something else but Mike didn’t hear all of it. He could only sit there

blinking. Then “....found him yesterday morning...” broke through the static of shock.

“I--I’m sorry--the signal.” Mike barely had the strength to speak. Tears leaked out

of his eyes and the pain in his chest became as fierce as the pain of his need.

“Some girl named Katie found his body this morning in his dorm. They’re saying

he was bitten....that one of those things fed off of him.” And by things his dad clearly

meant wyrm. “Mike, have you been bitten? If you have, we need to get you to a spe-

cialist.”

“I’m fine, dad.” God, Mike felt like the entire house was sitting on his shoulders.

Alex was dead, and if they were blaming the bite for his death, then Mike had killed

him.

Only, Alex didn’t feel very dead to Mike.

His dad launched into long line of rhetoric and Mike cut in. “Where did they take

-121 -

him?” The man kept going. Either he didn’t hear Mike, or he chose to ignore him.

Knowing his dad, it was the latter.

“Dad, I want to talk to mom.” Maybe she would know.

“I want you to tell me where you are--”

“I will...I promise.” Mike lied. “I just need to talk to mom first.”

“No, you need to tell me--”

Jesus Christ! Mike leaned forward, cradling his head in his arms, smashing the

cell phone against his ear. His dad kept talking and Mr. Zimmer knew all about the

monsters. He knew the master plan of those devil spawn. The only solution was to get

rid of all of them. Those vile, immoral creatures were not worth the air they breathed.

“Dad...it was me.” Mike had hoped the confession would ease him, but his dad

wasn’t even listening. Like that was anything new. He never listened, he just told.

Told Mike what to do, what to believe. “For fuck’s sake, will you just listen to me?”

Never in Mike’s life had he talked to his old man like this. No, he ould have rather

taken a bullet in the knee. But that was then and this was now.

Silence. Mike knew his dad was still there. He could hear the slow in-and-out of

air as the man breathed, and his mother crying in the background.

Mike took a breath. “Dad, it was me.” There. It was out and there was no way his

dad could have not heard him.

“What was you?”

“I. Bit. Alex.”

“You bit Alex?”

Was the man going to repeat everything he said? “Dad, I’m not Human. I’m

Lesser-Bred. I went through a Shift and...”

There was a click, then nothing.

“Shit...” Mike buried his face in his hands and anger boiled out of his throat on

an inhuman roar. A deep growl followed, vibrating the air. He had the sudden urge to

shred, tear, and consume. Mike clenched his eyes shut and fought to get control.

The closest hospital was Blytheville General, so that’s where Mike started. He got

the number from 4-1-1. When the receptionist at the hospital answered, she put him

on hold. Ten minutes later he was switched to a nurse’s station, then back to the front,

at which point they put him on hold again. When someone tried to pick up, the con-

nection got cut off.

Mike shot off a curse and tried again. This time it was harder for him to see the

numbers because his eyes kept leaking. The girl at the front desk answered, then

attempted to transfer Mike to the nurse’s station.

“This is Dr. Lomen.”

Mike cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m calling about a patient that was brought in

yesterday morning. His name is Alex Jackson.”

“How did you get this number? You should be calling the front for that kind of

-122 -

information.”

“Probably by accident. They’ve been transferring me around for the past thirty

minutes.”

A sliding sound came over the phone, a crinkle of paper then...chewing? “Yeah,

they’re pretty messed up right now. There was an overturned bus out on the highway.

What do you need? Maybe I can find it for you.” And Dr. Lomen obviously had no

problems talking with his mouth full.

“I’m trying to find out if my...” It occurred to Mike that they might not tell him

unless he was family. “...brother...if my brother was admitted there this morning.”

Mike heard the clicking. “Name?” He told him. “Yeah, okay, yeah. I have an

admittance at seven forty-five yesterday morning, transferred to ICU at around ten

today. That’s where he is now.”

“Then he’s not dead?”

“Uh, there was a code on him this morning but they’ve got him on a respirator.”

Mike hung up. He was right, Alex wasn’t dead, but if he was on a respirator he

was close to it. Fuck.

Mike had to go see him. The only reason Alex was messed up was because of

him. The least Mike could do was look Alex’s parents in the eye and apologize.

Maybe his clothes were dry by now.

Mike laid the cell phone on the coffee table and stood up. Saba leaned against the

doorway leading into the kitchen.

“Going somewhere?” The Male crossed his arms.

“Alex, my friend--he’s in the hospital.” Mike started to push past.

Saba wouldn’t move. “I told you, Mike. They can’t know where you are, and you

can’t go back there.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Alex is in the hospital!” Mike tried to push Saba out of the

way, but the only thing he got was a growl.

“I said, no.” So calm. So sure.

“Fuck you! You don’t...”

Mike didn’t even get a chance to blink. Saba had him around the neck, flipped,

and on the floor with his face kissing the hard wood. Teeth punched into Mike’s

shoulder, making him bark in surprise. At some point Saba opened the front of his

jeans and yanked down the back of Mike’s sweats, and Mike could feel every inch of

the Male, hard and thick, pressed against his ass crack.

Mike quit moving. He quit kicking and cussing. The threat being made was

louder than any verbal promise. The Male would fuck him. Right here and now. Not

feed from him, but use him. Mike clenched his eyes shut, and his entire body shook

with a combination of anger and fear.

After a moment or so, Saba popped his bite free but stayed right where he was.

Maybe waiting to see if Mike was going to start up again. Mike didn’t know if that

-123 -

was the case, but he sure as hell didn’t try to find out.

Saba’s breath was warm against Mike’s ear. “You are not among Humans any

more. You live with dragons. Do not question my authority. I won’t let you get the

people I care about killed. I will eat you first. Do you understand?”

Yeah. Loud and clear. Mike nodded.

“Good. Next time I won’t stop. And other Males won’t be so kind. Some will rip

out your insides for such an indiscretion. The more patient ones will fuck you. Any

place, any time. This is the law of the Dens. Consider this your only warning.”

The weight against Mike’s back moved away, leaving his ass bare to the room.

He heard a fly zip up, and hands move against fabric.

“You can get up.”

The first thing Mike did was reach around to pull up his shorts. The seat was

shredded. Yeah, now they were definitely useless. Mike held onto them anyhow and

stood. In that moment, Mike felt worse than he’d ever felt at any time in his life. No

belt lashing or ass whipping in the world could be as humiliating as the Male’s threat.

When Mike tried to look at Saba, he found that he couldn’t pick his gaze up. Staring

at the floor was just easier. Maybe even safer.

Saba said, “Now, get rid of the phone. Wendy said your clothes are dry. Go get

dressed. I have somewhere we need to be.”

Mike kept his head down as he walked out and did as he was told.

-124 -

Chapter 21

After Alex got back from the hospital, he told Katie he’d be fine and she could go.

She left and Alex went to take a shower. At some point he collapsed in the bottom

of the tub, too weak to stand, unable to breathe, unable to see, unable to hear a god-

damned thing except the insistent wail coming out of his lungs.

The low-grade fever turned into a deep chill, then an aching heat which radiated

from the ugly marred flesh on his knee, burning Alex from the inside out.

It wasn’t the pain or the fever which convinced Alex he was going to die. It was a

sense of loss so deep he kept expecting some great tragedy to have occurred. Like the

end of the world. Not the loss of one asshole friend. And Mike wasn’t even dead, for

Christ’s sake, but just changed. Turned into a monster. A friend who tried to do things

to him no friend should.

Something was wrong with Alex--bad wrong--and he had no idea what it was.

It was somewhere between the crawl from the bathroom to his bed that Alex

decided to lie down and just let death take him. It was too much trouble to keep fight-

ing. Alex used a pile of dirty laundry to prop his head up and curled his naked body

on the floor to wait it out.

Only just like Mike, Death abandoned him. His nightmares consisted of Katie

telling everyone, being arrested, and then being strapped down while someone cut

him open from stem to stern and pulled his insides out.

No matter how hard Alex tried, he couldn’t escape the dreams. And he needed to

escape.

The sound of his mother’s voice woke him up. For a terrifying second he was

sure she’d found him there, naked and soaked in sweat. Then the answering machine

beeped and turned off.

Alex blinked and the phone rang again. This time it was Mike’s father. Mike still

hadn’t called his mother and she was worried. Mr. Zimmer demanded Mike call home

as soon as possible.

Alex blinked and the sun set. Blinked and it was daylight.

Passing out in one place and waking up in another made Alex feel like some sec-

tion of his life had been cut out and lost. His dorm room, with all its junk and dark

gray paint, had been replaced by sterile walls painted ivory white. There were a few

additions to his body, an IV in his arm, and a tube pumping oxygen up his nose. There

was another one in the end of his dick, and a lot of wires coming off his chest.

Alex touched each of these things because none of it could possibly be real. Then

he saw his mom tucked under his dad’s arm, asleep upright, in the small love seat

near the window. It looked about as comfortable as a plastic-covered brick. Katie was

right next to the bed, her head on her folded-up arms.

Alex stared at them for a while. Then he stared at the TV. Unless CNN had gone

-125 -

and made a typo, he’d been out for fourteen days.

Straight.

Jesus Christ. Two weeks of his life gone just like that. No wonder he was hungry.

Alex flicked a look around the room trying to spot something he could snack on.

There was a hospital tray on the roll-away table near the door. He looked down at all

the wires and tubes sticking out of his body. Picked up the sheet and eyed the tube

between his legs. Yeah, that one seriously needed to go.

Pulling it out seemed like a good idea. Didn’t feel too great, though. The tape on

the IV was some serious stuff and yanked his arm hair out by the roots. The pulse-

ox monitor was next. It and the oxygen tube in his nose were easy. As in, they didn’t

hurt.

A test pull on the little round stickies on his chest warned far greater pain than the

tape. Lucky for Alex, they came with snaps. He spent the next few seconds yanking

those off. Now he just had to figure out how get out of this cage he was in. The bed

rails were up and too high to climb over, but the last couple of feet at the end were

clear. Alex inched down to the foot of the bed. His eyes stayed on that tray of food.

He hoped to God there was something left on it to eat. Sure would suck to go through

all this and wind up with nothing.

A bell tolled off somewhere and a voice came over the intercom, paging doctors

for a code blue. Alex felt sorry for the S.O.B. A look around the place--new paint,

pictures on the walls, shiny tile floors--it definitely wasn’t Blytheville General. If the

quality of the doctors was as high quality as the building, then whoever was coding

was in good hands.

Alex made it across the room. As he sat down in the chair and pulled the roll-

away table up to his chest, a fleet of doctors and nurses burst through the door, bark-

ing orders. Alex took the top off the plate and shoveled in a mouthful of--whatever

the hell the brown, slightly salty, with bits of something green was--mush. Might

have been stuffing with turkey, or some sort of casserole. Tasted like cardboard. God,

it was the best fucking cardboard Alex had ever eaten.

The doctors stopped, his parents got to their feet, a lot of confused voices and

demands were thrown out. Alex watched them for a minute or so, wondering when

anyone was actually going to notice he was sitting there in the corner and stuffing his

face. He rapped on the table to get their attention.

They all turned, looking at him like he’d just appeared out of nowhere.

“Oh, my God, Alex, honey.” His mother headed right for him.

Alex ate faster because he was pretty damn sure someone was going to take the

plate away. One of the doctors held his hand up making his mom stop. While the

crash cart crew and the other white coats vacated the room, the doctor got out his pen

light and kneeled down in front of Alex.

“How are you doin’, son?”

-126 -

Alex swallowed. “Fine.” He looked around for something to drink. “Can I have

some water?” His mom burst into tears. Okay, that sure as hell wasn’t normal.

The doctor shined the light into Alex’s eyes, a quick flash on one side then the

other. “Do you remember me?”

Should he? Alex shook his head. He picked up the cookie that came with the

mystery meal and bit into it. Damn thing tasted just like the mish mash. Except it had

little red sprinkles on top to give it some decoration.

“My name is Dr. Price. I’m a Metaphysical Biologist.”

Alex chewed the cookie. “Can I have a couple more of these?” At least it had a

slightly sweetened taste. For some fucked up reason that made Katie cry, and then his

dad.

Okay. This is definitely not normal.

Alex put the half eaten cookie down, trying to figure out why they looked so

scared. Dr. Price hit him in the eyes again with the light. Then he poked around on his

knee.

There was a line of stitches in place of the bite mark. Alex watched while the doc-

tor did more prodding.

“You’re really lucky, son.”

“Will someone tell me what happened?” While Alex waited for one of them to

answer, the cookie was just too much for him to resist. He picked it back up and

shoved it into his mouth. He was still thirsty so he stood up.

Dr. Price grabbed his elbow. “Whoa, there, easy.”

Both his mom and dad descended on Alex, crushing him between them. “I’m

okay.” His mother sobbed into his shoulder. “Mom, seriously, damn...”

When he looked at his dad his face was drawn and pale. “Jesus Christ, will some-

body tell me what’s going on?”

Mike’s dad appeared in the doorway. Everyone went quiet and Katie’s eyes hit the

floor.

“Excuse me. I have to take a leak.” Alex pushed out from between his parents. Dr.

Price said something, and whatever it was, Alex didn’t want to hear it. He limped into

the bathroom and shut the door. The first thing he did was turn on the spigot and lean

down to suck a few mouthfuls of water. Man, that felt good going down.

When Alex had slaked his thirst, he stood in front of the toilet with the hospital

gown hitched up around his waist, holding himself and waiting for his plumbing to

work.

He looked around. There was a shower and a tub, vanity lighting, pictures on the

walls, but only one door. So, the bathroom was private? The only thing breaking up

the illusion of it belonging in a fancy hotel room was the sharps box on the wall and

the handrails on the tub.

How the hell were his parents paying for a place like this?

-127 -

Alex leaked some urine and he stepped closer to the toilet. Just when he started to

worry something was broken, the stream increased and he felt that familiar relief one

got from performing such simple body functions. After he was done, Alex mopped up

the floor and toilet seat with a handful of tissue paper, and tossed it in the bowl.

He washed his hands and gave himself a once over in the mirror. Most of the cuts

on his face were healed, and the bruises around his mouth and throat were gone. He

looked at his knee again. They’d taken out all the shiny flesh and pulled the skin back

together. It was still going to scar, but it was better on the eyes than the other mess

had been.

Alex looked at the door. He couldn’t stay in here forever, no matter how tempt-

ing it was. The problem was, Mike’s dad was out there and that could only mean one

thing. Katie had squealed. He put his hand on knob and tried to think of what he was

going to say, and came up with nothing. No telling what she’d told them. Common

sense told Alex something bad must have happened in order for Katie to break her

promise. Hell, the last thing he could remember was climbing out of the bathtub.

Everything else was blank. It didn’t change the inevitable, him walking out there and

having to face everyone knowing they knew what Mike did.

Alex opened the door. Mike’s dad stood beside the doctor, next to the wall. Katie

was back in her chair, and his parents were by the bed. Someone had dropped the bed

rails, so that’s the direction he hobbled. When Alex’s mom tried to help him up, he

waved her off. New tears formed in her eyes. Jesus Christ, now he really felt like an

ass.

“Mom, I’m okay.” Alex hitched himself up on the bed. They stared. He ran a hand

over his head. “Okay, will everyone please quit looking at me like that?”

“We thought we’d lost you.” Alex’s mom squeezed his hand. He didn’t have the

heart to pull away.

“I’m fine.” But with the way everyone was looking at Alex he was really starting

to wonder.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” asked Dr. Price.

“Uh, I took a shower...”

Price took a step closer. Alex could feel the guy looking him over even at a dis-

tance. “Katie found you on the floor of your dorm room.” Okay, but that didn’t seem

to warrant all the crying and weird looks. “You were dead.”

Silence. Alex said, “You’re serious?”

“You died two more times when we were removing the mark and the ties.”

“Ties?”

“Honey.” Alex’s mom petted him on the head and he had the urge to slap her

hand away. At least he managed not to make things worse by doing it. “It’s why we

brought you here.”

“Where is ‘here?’” ‘Cause they sure weren’t in Razorback country any more.

-128 -

Price said, “You’re at the Tampa Bay Metaphysical Sciences and Research

Hospital.”

“Florida?” Alex looked at Katie. “What about your classes? What about...” She

smiled and looked sad. “I don’t understand. Why did you bring me here?” He gave

his attention back to Dr. Price.

“This facility specializes in the study of Metaphysical ties. Specifically, break-

ing them. We’ve got some of the brightest and most ingenious new Metaphysical

Biologists and Physicists who work with us.”

Alex waved a hand. “I don’t understand. You keep saying ties. What do you mean

by ties?”

They looked at him in that weird way again. Alex moved further up on the bed

and pulled the covers over his lap. Sad to say, the urge to hide under them was real.

Price said, “The non-human who bit you delivered it close to a Key Point. Those

are what we call binding locations. Some more religious individuals might call them

the doorways of the human soul. But we call them Key Points because they are areas

within a person’s electromagnetic field susceptible to Metaphysical ties. You know

what an electromagnetic field is, right?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I took Metaphysical Sciences as an elective.”

“Good. Then you know the basics.”

Did he? Alex wasn’t too sure of that. In fact, he wasn’t too sure if even the people

with their fancy degrees really understood metaphysics. It was one of those things

that, just when you thought it was following the rules, it broke them.

“We still don’t know the type of bond made between you and the non-human, but

I’m speculating it was the tightest. The Link. Did you know the Male?”

Alex blinked. His skin felt frost covered and too small for his body.

Mr. Zimmer said, “We’re looking into all that, Frank.”

So Mr. Zimmer knew the Metaphysical Biologist by his first name. Price glanced

at the Senator and an odd look passed over his face, followed by a tight professional

smile.

“Ah...yes, well. Anyhow, the binding was incomplete. We know dragons use

these Links to sustain themselves. It’s a way that they recycle their metaphysical

energy. Think of it like donating blood. When you donate, you can only give so much

before it begins to affect you or...” Kills you. Alex was sure that’s what Price wanted

to say. The doctor cleared his throat. “As with hemoglobin, our bodies can only pro-

duce a limited amount of Electromagnetic energy each day. It’s why the binding must

replace that E-signature with an M-signature, when a Male takes a Link.”

A metaphysical imprint. In other words, if Mike had completed what he started

Alex wouldn’t have had the normal energy that makes a Human a Human. It was

knowledge that should have scared Alex, but for some strange reason it didn’t.

“Why do you think it was incomplete?” asked Alex.

-129 -

“Honestly, I think the spot was too weak. It was right at the edge of the Key

Point. Usually the bites are on the shoulder, inside of the thigh...”

“The important thing is you’re okay. And you’re going to be okay!” Alex’s mom

gripped his one hand in both of hers and kissed his knuckles. Alex ignored her.

“You said I died?”

Price nodded. “You did. The last time I pronounced you myself. We were get-

ting ready to take you downstairs when you started breathing again. The marks were

new, incomplete, and in a weak area being on the edge. The surgery should have been

easy, but I think you were the most difficult case I’ve ever experienced. Our Electro-

Metaphysical Pulse machine kept resetting.” Another pause. Alex had a feeling Price

was hoping that he would have an answer as to why. Price said, “We’ve never had

that happen before.”

“Gremlins?” Alex was trying to be funny, but no one laughed.

Dr. Price shrugged. “Perhaps. Either way, you’re fine now. Your natural EM field

is back to normal. Your cellular biology is functioning, and there are no traces of

the M-signature left on you. You were my most difficult case, but you came through

cleaner than anyone before you.”

Cleaner. What an appropriate word, because Alex was soiled, permanently soiled.

“But you’re okay now.” Alex’s mom kissed his cheek. He looked at her, then his

dad. Yeah, this was a lot for any parent to swallow. Probably why he didn’t complain

when both of them planted it on the edge of his bed. His mom kept hold of his hand

and his dad’s grip so tight on his shin if it didn’t leave bruises it would be a miracle.

Price glanced at his watch. “I really need to run. I have other patients to visit. I’ll

be back this evening to check on you.” He gave them each eye contact and a nod, his

gaze lingering on Mr. Zimmer the longest, before he turned and walked out.

The sudden silence turned into a lingering awkwardness.

It was Alex’s mom that broke it. “We’re here for you, Alex. Anything you need.

Anything at all.” She clenched her eyes shut this time when she kissed his hand. Tears

spilled over her cheeks.

God, this was so weird--seeing his mother cry like that. She just wasn’t the type.

“I’m fine, really. I promise, I’m okay.”

“God, if Katie hadn’t found you...”

“Annie...” His dad put a hand on his mom’s knee.

“Will you tell us?” His mom opened her eyes. There was so much pain and fear in

them. “Will you tell us what happened, Alex? How it happened?”

Alex’s gaze slid to Katie. If she’d told, then they’d know. The fact that they had

to ask meant she didn’t.

“The boy’s been through enough.” His dad’s voice went from comforting to firm.

“Let’s give him some time.”

Alex’s mom was still staring at him like he was something new, fragile, and

-130 -

meant to be protected, when Mr. Zimmer cleared his throat.

Mike’s dad always reminded Alex of the kind of people who should be in the

mob. Tall, wide, with dark blue eyes and dark brown hair, Mr. Zimmer’s hard square

face matched his hard square shape. Alex couldn’t remember ever seeing the man

dress in anything but a suit. It totally completed the all-over god father look. No

doubt, Mike’s dad could have been a line backer, bodyguard, or pro wrestler. As a

senator, he was literally a giant among men.

Alex said, “Can I have some water?”

His mom moved to get up. “Stay there, Mrs. Jackson.” Katie grabbed the pitcher.

“I’ll be right back with some ice water.”

Water out of the tap would have been just fine with Alex.

When Katie left, Mr. Zimmer stepped forward. He said, “My lawyers tell me I

shouldn’t talk to any of you, but I’ve never had a lot faith in lawyers.” He smiled, and

it was as hard as the rest of him.

Alex’s dad shook his head. “We’re not going to sue you. I let you pay for the hos-

pital. We don’t want anything more than that.” The tone of his voice suggested they’d

had this argument several times already. Alex had the oddest feeling they’d been

arguing about a lot of different things over the past two weeks.

Mr. Zimmer held up a hand. “I know. But--” His dark sharp gaze hit Alex. “I

feel responsible. My family feels responsible. It’s important, as you know, for this to

remain confidential.”

How Mr. Zimmer managed to make the word ‘confidential’ sound like a threat,

Alex had no idea. He thought at first maybe his dead-three-times brain was all addled

up and he’d just imagined it, but then his dad made an angry sound and stood up.

Average height, average build, Mr. Jackson looked exactly like what he was standing

in front of Mr. Zimmer, and yet he didn’t seem to notice just how outmatched he was.

“Get out!”

“Phillip.” Mr. Zimmer’s shovel-sized hands begged for patience. “You misunder-

stand.”

“No, Maxwell, I don’t think so. Your son...”

“My son is dead.” Well, if Alex thought what the man said before sounded like a

threat, that time, it sounded like a fucking promise. “He died of a rare cancer. That’s

what the obituary reads. It came on suddenly and he died in his sleep. At home.”

Was Mike dead? Alex didn’t think so.

Mr. Zimmer reached into his pocket and handed Alex a card. There were two

sets of numbers on it and nothing else. “Those are bank account numbers at the

Blytheville Trust. The money is yours, Alex. All I ask is that you tell no one about

what happened. Ever. I’m sure if you think about it, you will agree it’s for the best.

Something like this could follow a person around forever. Ruin a lot of career oppor-

tunities. Ruin a young man’s life.”

-131 -

Alex got the message loud and clear.

-132 -

Chapter 22

“Think of it like a vacation.” His dad put the suitcase down on the floor next to

the door, and Alex went back to staring out the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows fac-

ing the beach front. He’d never seen the beach before now. Clear blue skies, white

sand, the rhythmic in-and-out of the surf. White birds danced on hidden eddies of

wind, their bodies gleaming in crystal clear sunlight.

Dear God, no wonder people risked life, limb, and everything they owned to live

here.

Alex heard his dad moving around doing something, but his eyes were stuck on

all that beautiful beach. “Katie’s room is right next door.” His dad stepped up next to

him. “It’s private.”

“What’s private?”

“The beach. The hospital owns this hotel. The beach front here is secluded.”

Okay. Was there a reason why the man was telling him this? Alex looked at his

dad. He’d aged a lot since he saw him two months ago. Something told Alex a lot of

that age had come on over the past sixteen days.

“I’m okay, dad, really.”

The man nodded, turned abruptly and walked into the large bedroom. Alex leaned

to the right, then took a few steps forward. His dad talked about the hotel some more.

All its amenities, room service, spa tub, big screen TV. Blah, blah this. Blah, blah

that.

Alex put his gaze back on the beach and said, “Is this really necessary?”

“Is what necessary?” His dad came back into the living area and picked up the

suitcase.

“I can take care of that myself.” The man didn’t listen, he just carried it into the

bedroom. Alex followed. “Seriously, dad, I can handle my own luggage.”

“I’ll leave it right here, by the bathroom door. I just didn’t want you to pull a

muscle. You were in a bed for two weeks. Your muscles need some time to catch up.”

They all kept telling Alex that, but he sure as hell didn’t feel like he needed any

catching up. In fact, he felt pretty good.

“You never did answer me.” And by the look on his dad’s face, Alex knew damn

well he’d heard the question.

“It’s just a few weeks.”

“Yeah, a few weeks in some private hospital we can’t afford, and for what?”

“They just want to run a few extra blood tests, Alex. That’s all. You know, to

make sure you‘re all right. Senator Zimmer insisted. He’s paying for it, so don’t

worry.”

Of course he was, just like he’d paid for the hospital bill.

Alex made a face. “Dr. Price said I was fine.”

-133 -

“Yeah, you are.” His father smiled. It was so forced, it looked painful. No, neither

of his parents thought he was fine, no matter what the doctors said, and most cer-

tainly, no matter what Alex said.

His dad walked out of the bedroom and back into the living area. “Your mom and

I are on the other side of the hotel. We’re in room 189. If you need us, just pick up the

phone and dial. ”

“Why is your room so far away?”

His dad shrugged. The new smile on his face was more genuine. Not by much

though. “You know, to give you and your girlfriend some privacy.”

“She’s a friend.”

The look he gave Alex was a clear “she needs to be more than a friend.” Because

if she’s not, something has to be wrong.

Before Alex could argue, said friend appeared in the doorway.

“Katie!” Mr. Jackson clapped his hands together. “Have you seen your room

yet?”

“No, I was calling my mom. Are you sure you want me to stay? I can always get

a bus back.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re practically family!” He put a hand on her shoulder. Alex

caught the look in her eye; it was worried, but not the same kind of paranoia which

seemed to have befallen his parents. She was probably the only one who believed he

was okay.

His dad motioned to the hallway. “Let’s go take a look around.”

“Okay.”

While his dad took Katie to the next room to give her the grand tour, Alex went

back to staring at the ocean. God, it was beautiful. Bluer than blue! And the sky. He

was pretty sure he’d never seen so much sun. It wasn’t like Arkansas was cloudy all

the time--it was the quality of light. It was so clear, bright, and clean. It made his

hometown seem dingy.

Alex watched the surf as it pulsed in and out. The foamy white edge made desper-

ate grabs for the sand, but it could never hang on for very long before being yanked

back. Alex rubbed his chest. Even though he didn’t want to, he thought about Mike.

Life was going to be different now. Mike was gone and some sort of creature had

taken his place. He wasn’t sure how he was going ever going to come to terms with

that. In fact, he was pretty sure he never would come to terms with anything that had

happened.

Alex decided it was best to believe Mike was dead. Dead was way easier than all

this other shit. Less complicated, and it didn’t bring on terrifying thoughts of waking

up in the middle of the night with Mike standing over his bed, begging Alex to feed

him.

“You want to go for a walk?”

-134 -

The sound of Katie’s voice brought his head around. She stood in the doorway.

Her long blond hair was braided up high on her head and she wore a rainbow striped

halter top, cut off shorts, and flip flops.

God, she was pretty.

“Uh, no, I’m fine. Besides, I burn too easily.”

Katie stuck her hands in her pockets and came across the room to join him by the

window. “We can always wait till it’s dark.”

“Dark?”

She grinned and bumped his arm with her elbow. “Yeah, you can walk on the

beach at night. It’s just as pretty, if not prettier.”

“Yeah, okay.” Silence, then Alex said, “You didn’t tell them, did you?” The smile

on her face fell. “Katie?”

“No.” She clenched her eyes shut. “I promised you. I let you down so many

times. I just couldn’t.”

“Thanks.”

She gave him a painful look. “You almost died. You did die. Three times. If I’d

told them, they would have known immediately and--”

Alex shushed her and put an arm over her shoulder. “I would have rather died.”

She sniffled. “I know.”

“How much do they know?”

“Nothing really. The only reason they knew it was Mike is because he called his

dad and told him. Mr. Zimmer got a lawyer and it all went downhill from there.”

“Mike called?”

“Yeah.” She looked at him like she expected him to ask for details, but he didn’t

want the details. After all, dead people don’t make phone calls.

He sighed. “I’ve never seen the beach before. Not in real life.”

It was clearly not the direction Katie expected the conversation to go. She sighed

and said, “I’ve been to the beaches in Alabama, but they aren’t anything like this.

This is really...”

“Pretty?”

She laughed. “Yeah.”

Alex looked at her. “Are you hungry?”

Katie shrugged, then gave a nod. “I guess so. Why?”

Alex could feel the shit-eating grin crack over his face. “How about room service

and pay-per-view? How big a tab do you think we can run up?”

Katie rolled her eyes. “Have you seen the prices of the food here? It wouldn’t

take much, trust me.”

Boy, Katie was right. It didn’t take much, but then Mr. Zimmer was paying the

bill. Katie ordered a house salad and Alex ordered king crab, crab cakes, and lob-

ster, only because it was the most expensive thing on the menu and he’d never had it

-135 -

before.

Together they sat on the floor in front of the windows and watched the sky go

from bright blue to a more subtle shade as night made an appearance. By eight it was

almost dark, but instead of a walk on the beach, Alex ordered movies.

Mission Impossible was good, but Independence Day was better. He never got a

chance to see either of them in the theater, but the big screen TV in the living room

was just as good, if not better. Here he could lie on the floor with his head propped up

on a pillow instead of having to sit in some soda-stained, popcorn-covered seat.

It was a fight to keep his eyes open for the last fifteen minutes of Independence

Day. It didn’t seem fair for him to feel so tired.

When his head dipped the third time, Katie bumped his shoulder with hers. They

were both on their stomachs on the floor, heads propped up on cushions from the

couch, an almost empty bowl of extra butter popcorn between them.

Katie said, “Why don’t we call it a night?”

Alex yawned. “There’s supposed to be another good one on.”

“We’re here for another three weeks. There’ll be plenty of time to see it.” She

bumped him again. “C’mon. Go to bed. Besides, you’re drooling on the pillow.”

Alex wiped his mouth and frowned. Katie laughed.

“Fine.” He sat up and suddenly just wanted to lie back down on the floor and

sleep. Damn.

Katie tossed her pillow back onto the sofa, grabbed the bowl of popcorn and

added it to the stack of dirty dishes sitting by the door. They’d eaten enough for four

people. But it sure was good. Alex staggered to his feet as Katie opened the door.

She waved. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Alex nodded and headed towards the bedroom. Once there he decided he really

wanted a shower. Needed it. So he went to the bathroom even though his body was

begging to be laid down and left to rest for a while.

It didn’t take long, but then Alex was good at taking a quickie. Between studying,

partying, and writing papers, there was often only a two to three minute window to

wash all the skank off. Although going back to classes this term wasn’t going to hap-

pen. Hopefully they wouldn’t ruin his GPA over this. But knowing Mike’s dad? Yeah,

he’d take care of that too.

Thing was, Alex didn’t want things taken care of. And even though all the beach

out there was pretty, he really just wanted to go home.

The suitcase his dad left by the bathroom was full of new clothes, tags still dan-

gling from strings held by tiny safety pins. It wasn’t like Alex didn’t have plenty to

cover his ass with back in Arkansas. He realized his parents probably didn’t have time

to pack him an overnight bag when they left.

Because, you don’t normally pack a wardrobe for a corpse.

Dead-three-times corpse, that is.

-136 -

That had to be some sort of record.

Now Dr. Price wanted to run a few more tests because of the way the machinery

had acted up. Apparently there was nothing wrong with their equipment, so it had to

be him. Like that made any sense. Whatever.

Alex dug around until he found a pair of boxers and put them on. Then he wan-

dered over to the bed and sat down. He probably should have pulled the comforter

back first, because now that his ass was planted he just didn’t have the strength to get

back up. He lay down. He’d worry about the blankets later.

Alex didn’t have his eyes closed thirty seconds before he was sound asleep.

-137 -

Chapter 23

In a strip of moonlight cutting through the curtains, Alex reached for the covers.

The cool breeze coming off the ocean made him shiver.

His eyes popped open. The curtains in front of the sliding glass door swayed in

time with the come-and-go of the ocean waves.

Alex pressed himself into the mattress, stared at open door and the world beyond

it. Someone was in the room with him. He could hear them breathing, sense their

presence.

A line of heat filled the space at his back.

Then the mattress shifted as a weight came down on the edge. There should

have been sound from the friction of a body against the comforter, but the person

moved too smoothly. Too lightly. It was the kind of thing born of metaphysics and not

Humans.

A shiver ran down Alex’s body, a head-to-toe earthquake, but it wasn’t driven by

fear. It was anticipation. Like the sweat beading along the hem of his boxers, under

each ear, along his upper lip, and the ache between his legs, the shiver was his body’s

way of voicing what it wanted.

Needed.

Alex slammed his eyes shut when the mouth touched his shoulder. A wet warm

tongue ran a line over his flesh and paused at his neck. An exhale kissed his skin, then

a deep inhale took in his scent.

Lips brushed Alex’s cheek, his jaw, his chin. A hand gripped his throat and pulled

his face around. Mike’s mouth covered his lips. No, not kissing...tasting.

The contact fed Alex, soothed him. Made the all-over-want he felt, bank.

At first, Alex thought the crash and ebb he heard was the sounds of the ocean,

but it was too loud. He realized it was his pulse beating in time with Mike’s. Mike’s

tongue stroked the inside of Alex’s mouth and played along his teeth, then a gentle

inhale took the air right from his lungs. Alex moaned and rolled towards Mike,

touched him, petted him. The feel of rolling muscles under Alex’s fingertips came

second to the heat. A palpable force stroked him from the inside, moving under his

skin, doing things no Human contact could.

When Mike pulled away, Alex whimpered. Teeth scraped his jaw, then his neck.

Carried on a whisper, the words “Feed me,” reached his ear.

Alex nodded. He wanted to feed Mike, needed to feed him.

A hand pressed against the place over his heart, and Alex could feel the meta-

physical glow pouring from Mike. It burned so hot it should have blistered his skin.

When Mike’s hand moved down, Alex wanted to say stop, but instead, he spread his

legs wider. He wanted to be touched. A hand wrapped around his cock, giving him the

friction he craved. Flush against Mike’s chest, his erection rubbed against Alex’s. He

-138 -

tried to touch Mike back only to find he couldn’t move.

More lines of heat joined the first. More bodies pressed against Alex. How many

where here now? He had no idea, but they surrounded him. Hands petted him, up

and down, the length of his back, his chest, his cock. Hands held him so he couldn’t

move.

Between the licking, the tasting, the petting, the stroking, Alex was already close.

His entire body ached as his body worked toward release. And while Alex was

familiar with the pleasure building in his groin, he knew this wasn’t going to be any

kind of normal climax.

Alex said, “What’s wrong with me?”

Their foreheads touched. Mike said, “You have something inside you.”

A tongue raked across Alex’s thigh, another across his ribs, and a chorus of purrs

kicked up.

Alex said, “Like you?” Was he going to turn into a monster?

Mike frowned. “No. This is nothing like us, but we like it, taste it. It lives inside

you.”

It didn’t seem possible, but the spike of fear drove Alex even closer to the edge.

He whimpered, and the hand working him tightened.

Mike said, “You need to get rid of it, Alex.”

“How?”

“Feed me.”

And Alex realized he wanted to feed Mike. A warm breath exhaled across Alex’s

pulse and he tilted his head, offering up the softest parts. Sharp teeth pressed against

Alex’s skin and white hot points of pain punched into the muscle of his shoulder. As

bad as it hurt, it felt even better.

More mouths sank into Alex’s legs and arms, punching through his flesh and

cracking bones.

When the first bit of flesh was torn Alex came, screaming, body bucking, only

they didn’t stop. They just kept tearing. Shredding. Eating him alive. Alex knew they

were killing him.

“Why!” His eyes came open. Mike’s face tilted up. His lips and chin were crim-

son and there were bits of flesh clinging to his skin, parts of Alex, little bits of his

body.

“We have to get it out of you. It will wake up soon. And then you’ll die.”

“What! What is it?”

Mike smiled. “It won’t hurt. I promise.”

A bark of surprise came out of Alex’s mouth and his ass slid right off the side of

the bed and hit the floor. It was when his cheek smashed against the leg of the end

table he came fully awake.

Alex shot to his feet, breathing so fast his chest burned. He moved back until his

-139 -

shoulders hit the wall. The room was empty except for him, the bed, the nice TV, his

luggage. Just him. No one else, no one...

Phantom hands brushed against his skin and Alex slapped at his arms, his chest.

They were still petting him, stroking him, a breath brushed across his lips.

Shit...

The mere act of blinking made him see them. Men, but not. Only because they

were monsters. Alex ran from his room and into the hall. He went to Katie’s room and

knocked on the door. God, he hoped she would answer. This was not something he

wanted to go to his parents with. As if his mom and dad weren’t freaked out enough

now. If he tried to explain this, they were apt to commit him to a psych ward. That is,

if Alex didn’t commit himself first.

The incision on his leg burned and he rubbed it. The act tugged the stitches, mak-

ing it ache. When Katie didn’t answer, Alex knocked again. If he had to, he’d just

sleep here on the floor by her door. He was not going back into his room.

Just thinking about what he’d seen--felt--made Alex’s eyes drag over to the

closed door. It was just like all the others. Almond paint and gold beveled designs on

the front. The number 124 were also gold, but shiny where the paint was flat. Katie’s

room was 126. But he was sure there weren’t monsters in Katie’s room. There were

monsters in his, though. Monsters who wanted to eat him, fuck him. What made it

worse was that Alex wanted them to do it.

Katie said Alex’s name twice, but he couldn’t look at her. He was sure if he took

his eyes off his room the door would come open and bad things would crawl out.

“Oh, my God, what’s wrong? Alex? You’re shaking. Your face. Did you fall?” She

pulled on his arms, which were wrapped around his chest, trying to keep his heart

from bursting out. Alex went forward. Only when he was out of the hall was he able

to turn his head.

“What happened?” Katie touched his face, stroked his cheek. Her fingers came

away glistening in the lamp light, but not with blood.

Shit, he was crying. Alex slapped at his face in an attempt to scrub his fear off his

skin. He only succeeded in making his cheek hurt more.

“Alex, talk to me. What happened?”

How did he tell her? Could he tell her? About how he felt? Ruined.

Alex wanted to blame the feeling on the things Mike did, but it would have been

a lie. He felt ruined because of the scar cut from his body. He’d lost something pro-

found, only he had no idea what it was.

The short fleecy robe Katie wore kept sliding off her shoulders, flashing spaghetti

straps and bare skin. Especially when she lifted up her arms to wipe his tears away.

Alex thought about what she’d done to him. How she’d wanted him to do things to

her. And while he’d been mad she’d been paid, he no longer cared. No, in fact he was

pretty pissed off he hadn’t just been grateful for it.

-140 -

Without really thinking about it, Alex kissed her. It was uncoordinated, clumsy,

and brutal. But kissing her felt right. Katie tried to say something, but Alex pushed

his tongue into her mouth.

The more he did that, the less he tasted the dream. The less he felt it.

Alex wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her against his body. Face in

her neck, he inhaled deep. God, she smelled good. Like vanilla body wash and sweat.

Human scents. Nothing like the monsters.

“Hey…” Katie touched his cheeks, the side of his head.

He said, “I want you.” When she didn’t answer him he opened his eyes and pulled

back a little.

“You’re too good for me.”

He wanted to tell her she was wrong, he wanted to tell her about the monsters.

“Please” came out instead.

Katie’s blue eyes ran over his face looking for something. Alex had no idea what.

Didn’t even care.

She said, “Are you sure?”

Was he sure? No. Yes. But being right here, feeling her against him, drove away

all the rest. It made the dream unable to touch him. Alex had no idea why. And if this

was an illusion, fuck it. He’d take the lie and run.

Alex kissed Katie again and this time she responded, her mouth guiding his. He

tried walking toward the bedroom and almost tripped over the end table near the sofa.

Katie caught him, held him up, and kept him from losing his dignity.

In more ways than one.

Like everything else, Katie led the way, somehow able to navigate them with

their mouths together, their hands groping, pulling away clothes, kicking off boxers

and panties. One of her hands curled around Alex’s cock, stroking, teasing. It didn’t

take long before Alex’s nuts drew up aching like the rest of him.

If Katie kept this up, he’d have nothing left to give her.

To make her stop, Alex picked her up. He wasn’t sure how he managed.

Adrenaline? He carried Katie over to the bed and put her down. Alex climbed over

her and pinned her there, arms over her head.

There was so much Alex wanted to do to her. He wanted to touch her, feel her,

explore parts that would make her writhe and cry out, but there wasn’t time. He

needed this right now, right this minute, because it would kill all the terrible things,

all the horrible, dark thoughts which belonged in the head of someone else.

Pushing the head of his cock against that warm wetness between her legs made

him shudder. Alex hoped to God he wouldn’t go quickly. Although if something as

humiliating as that was going to happen he’d rather it be Katie. She wouldn’t laugh,

she wouldn’t judge. But then, friends rarely did.

Katie spread her legs wider, hitched herself up. When she reached down to guide

-141 -

Alex in, he shook his head. If she touched him now, he’d come. Alex squeezed the

base of his cock, tight enough to hurt, to drive himself back from the edge. Then he

brought his hips forward, groaning as warmth tightened around him.

When Alex looked at Katie, she smiled. Her fingers danced up and down his

back, and her legs went tight around his hips.

Alex took her mouth at the same time he gave one quick thrust. Her fingertips dug

into his back, then let up. He did it again, and this time she rewarded him with a small

moan. It didn’t take long for what began as a whole lot of start-and-stop to become a

desperate frenzy.

Alex had been sure he’d lose it before he could bring Katie, but it was just the

opposite. It seemed to take forever. The lull of pleasure pulled from the bottom of

his feet, making his toes curl and his muscles jump. It was almost like the sex wasn’t

enough and he needed something else.

It was the sound of Katie’s high-pitched gasps, the feel of her fingers digging into

his back, and watching her head arch back over the pillow which pushed Alex to the

edge. He watched Katie stare at him through all of it, as her body shattered, helpless

against the pleasure. The look of surprise on her face made him feel strong and those

last few thrusts finally threw Alex off the edge.

Grunting, groaning, his body lost momentum as the last of the orgasm evapo-

rated, leaving Alex head-to-toe flushed. He buried his face in Katie’s neck and col-

lapsed on top of her. She didn’t tell him to get off her, so he stayed.

Now that it was over, Alex realized he’d done everything wrong. No foreplay.

He’d just fucked her, like she was no better than a hand job. On top of that he’d for-

gotten a condom. Not smart. Not smart at all.

At least those were the only thoughts that troubled his mind. No more ghostly

sensations of being touched. No more scents of people who were not Human. No

more want of it either.

And no matter what happened because of this, it was something Alex could live

with, would live with.

Or so he thought.

-142 -

Chapter 24

There was a knock on the front door. Joseph got up from the table. Mike finished

the last bite of raw horsemeat then carried his bowl to his sink. Joseph didn’t eat his

food raw, but then he didn’t have sharp teeth either.

“Saba isn’t here.”

Mike stuck his head through the doorway because Joseph sounded distressed.

Petrie and Klere stood on the front porch dressed in typical feral fashion--jeans and

nothing else.

Come to think of it--Mike looked down--he was one to talk. All he had on were

some rag-tag blue jean shorts. He’d gotten them from the supply house in the Dens.

Saba had been taking Mike there just about every day for the past month, showing

him places that were safe, places to avoid. He’d introduced him to a few Males as

well. Other Dominants. Mike knew Saba was hoping one of them would want to keep

him.

“What are you two doing here?” Mike asked.

Klere shoved Joseph aside and flashed a mouth full of sharps. “Z! We brought

beer!”

The Male motioned to Petrie, and he followed Klere through the door with a big

blue and white cooler in his hands.

Beer. God. Real fucking beer. Mike grinned. “Oh, Jesus, you are so my new best

friends!”

More steps on the porch sounded off and two more Males came inside. Mike

didn’t know them, but one was big. Really big. His lion’s mane of black hair brushed

the top of the door jamb when he ducked his head to get in the door. But then a lot

of Males carved themselves big to bluff wingspan and strength. None of them had

anything to bluff with Z. He was Lesser-Bred, they were Kin. Even Petrie, who was

Food, outranked him.

Joseph followed them across the living room. “Klere, you know Saba doesn’t

want parties when he isn’t here.”

The feral tossed him a bored look. “Don’t you have some chetrah to teach or

something?” He made a brushing motion like Joseph was an insect to be shooed

away.

“Klere.” Joseph took a step forward and the Male growled.

“I said fuck off, Lesser-Bred, before I put you on the floor and teach you a les-

son!”

Mike met Joseph’s round, scared gaze. Klere and Petrie headed into the kitchen.

The two unknown Kin followed.

Joseph tossed a worried look in their direction. “They shouldn’t be here. Ferals

aren’t allowed when Saba isn’t here. Klere knows that.” There was the rattle of a

-143 -

fridge door from the kitchen then the sound of cabinets opening and closing. “Damn

it...I just bought groceries.”

“What do you want to do?” Mike sure as hell didn’t know what to do, although

his mouth sure was watering for a beer.

“I’ll go see if I can find Saba. He’s at work tonight. He’ll have to deal with

them--they won’t listen to me.”

“What about Wendy?” Mike wasn’t too sure what would happen if she came back

with them here and her alone.

Joseph shook his head. “They won’t hurt her.”

Mike made a face. “They sure as hell didn’t bat an eye at shoving you around.”

“I’m Lesser-Bred, she belongs. On top of that she’s female. They won’t hurt her.

Trust me. Besides, Wendy knows how to handle them. In fact, if she comes back and

finds them here, they’ll wish Saba had been here to stop them.”

Mike almost asked about himself. He was Lesser-Bred and they hadn’t treated

him like Joseph. He was pretty sure he knew why. He smelled more Kin. Saba had

said there would be benefits.

Joseph grabbed his windbreaker, but didn’t put it on. “Just stay here in the house,

okay? Don’t go anywhere with them. No matter what.”

“What if they don’t give me a choice?”

The man’s gaze flicked up. Yeah, if they didn’t give Mike a choice there wasn’t

much he could do. Saba had shown him up close and personal where getting rolled

would lead. Mike hadn’t disobeyed the Male since.

Joseph said, “I’ll go find Saba.”

“Mike!” It was Petrie. “Klere says get in here.”

Mike left Joseph at the door and walked into the kitchen. Klere sat in Saba’s usual

seat at the head of the table. He had a bag of shrimp in his lap, stuffing his face. Petrie

kneeled on the floor at his feet.

Klere waved a hand at the two strange Males. One of them had Joseph’s half-

empty plate and the other had a whole chicken he’d apparently gotten out of the

fridge.

He said, “This is Ruka and Dego-Ta. I have a bet with them.” Then Klere laughed

and slapped the cooler sitting beside his chair.

Ruka –the tall one with all the hair--stood up. Shoulders bowed, teeth down, Mike

realized almost too late the social mistake he’d made. These Kin were his dominant,

yet they were sitting, and he had remained standing. As a Lesser-Bred among Males,

he should have gone to the floor like Petrie if not outright begged for the privilege to

breathe. In the Dens, submissive behavior was expected. Mike hadn’t thought it was

necessary here because no one inside Saba’s safe house had ever demanded it.

Maybe Ruka was insecure in his status. Saba had warned Mike how lower ranked

Males were often far more dangerous than those higher on the food chain. Their sta-

-144 -

tus made them feel the need to flash their strength and prove their position whenever

they could. Anyone smaller or weaker was a chance to do just that.

Ruka’s lips peeled back as he flashed way too many teeth for a human mouth.

Dark red scales fluttered over his arms and chest in a display of metaphysical prow-

ess. Mike went to his knees. When Ruka leaned over him, Mike went lower, putting

his shoulders to the floor and his hands on the Male’s ankles. He couldn’t make the

submissive sounds Kin could, so he made up for it by petting the tops of Ruka’s feet.

A deep rumbled rolled through Ruka’s chest. “Saba should teach him better man-

ners.”

“He’s from the outside. It takes time to learn.” Klere made a bored sound.

“Get up,” said Ruka. Mike did, but kept his shoulders down. There was no danger

of him being taller than the Male, but shorter was always better in situations like this.

Ruka leaned in, scenting him. His throat clicked as he took in Mike’s flavor. “At least

he doesn’t stink like Joseph.”

“Tastes better too!” Klere laughed and opened the cooler. The clink-clink of beer

bottles filled the kitchen.

Ruka stepped closer. His washboard abs shuddered and his dark copper nevus

glittered in the center of his stomach, dancing as if it were alive.

A hand closed around Mike’s throat and forced his head up. The Male leaned in

and covered his mouth. At least Mike knew what to expect. He’d been tasted many

times by Males in the Dens.

Ruka’s tongue scraped against Mike’s palate, going deep, almost gagging him.

Then the Male followed up by sucking the air right out of his lungs. Very few Males

had ever taken from him with this kind of force. Bullies did things like that. Males

who thought they had something to prove.

When Ruka broke off the mouth-to-mouth, he made a show of working the flavor

across his tongue.

“Nice.” He looked at Klere. “I think he tastes better than Petrie!” When Klere

dropped his hand to Petrie’s head and petted him, Ruka laughed. Mike watched the

Male as we went back to his chair, but he didn’t sit down. Ruka’s hard silver eyes

stared at Mike.

Klere kicked the chair next to him. “Sit down, Z. Ruka is scared your dick is big-

ger than his.”

Mike took the seat and Ruka finally planted his ass. Klere and Ruka glared at

each other over the table top.

“And that’ll be another bet for you to lose!” Ruka snagged several beers and

pulled them his way. Dego-Ta stayed silent as he did the same. The other Male was

tall like Klere, but narrow in the shoulders. Blond braids hung from each side of his

head just in front of his ears. They went all the way down to his navel. From what

Mike had learned, not many Kin had navels or body hair. They were never children-

-145 -

-made, not born--so they could choose what they wanted to look like. While the spe-

cies received its initial shape through impression from a Queen, the details that made

them distinct were chosen based on preference. Apparently Dego-Ta wanted one, so

he made one.

Dego-Ta’s pale blue eyes flicked over the room, then he went back to watching

Mike with a cold, hard-as-steel gaze.

Mike looked at the table. Meeting Dego-Ta’s gaze could be interpreted as a chal-

lenge, and that was so not a conflict he needed right now.

Klere shoved four beers in front of Mike while Dego-Ta got his own. The feral

said something to Petrie in their language. He nodded and got up to sit in a chair

beside Mike.

“Let me see the money.” Klere spoke while he put a bottle of tequila in the center

of the table along with a stack of Dixie cups.

Ruka dug around in his pocket and pulled out a roll of green. “One thousand.” He

thrust his chin in the air. “Now you.”

It was Petrie who dug the money out of his pocket. A second roll joined the first.

In the Dens, a grand was a lot of money. Serious green. Not many ferals saw

those amounts in their lifetimes. They most certainly didn’t carry it around. No, like

Human society, those who went around flashing wads of cash were usually into

something illegal.

Mike tossed a look back and forth between the Males. “What are you two betting

on?”

Klere flashed fang and said, “You!” He gave Mike a punch to the shoulder.

Okay, this was starting to sound bad, really bad. Petrie touched his arm. “Ruka

doesn’t believe you’re as much Kin as Klere says. He says if you’re as Kin as Klere

claims you are, you will burn like us. Ruka doesn’t think you will burn and Klere

says you will. So they made a bet.”

“Burn? You mean like on a feed?” ‘Cause Mike did burn. Not as hot as Saba, but

he sure as hell felt it.

Petrie shook his head. “No.” He picked up the bottle of tequila and filled one of

the Dixie cups. “Worm juice makes us burn. It doesn’t make Lesser-Breds burn.” He

smiled and added, “Normally.”

Worm juice? Burn? Mike still had no idea what they were talking about. “And

what happens--” Mike swallowed and stared at the cup. Did he really want to ask?

Yeah, he did. “What happens if you’re wrong?”

Klere’s glittering green eyes darkened to a shade close to black. “Then you’ll be

giving me my money back. One way or another.”

Yeah, somehow the Klere’s reply did not surprise Mike at all.

The Males popped tops off their beers and Mike followed suit.

Ruka said, “You go first.”

-146 -

Mike wasn’t sure he wanted the beer any more, not with the way they stared at

him, like they were waiting for something to happen. Something bad to happen. Mike

told himself it was just a beer. One freaking beer. He’d been known to put away a

twelve pack on his own and still walk a straight line. What the hell. He tossed it back

and sucked it down, putting away half the bottle before setting it back down on the

table.

He burped. They still watched.

A grin split Ruka’s face and Klere looked unhappy. The big Male made a grab for

the money, but Dego-Ta put a hand on his arm and said, “Wait.”

Mike shifted in his seat. Had someone turned the heat up? He glanced around.

The others didn’t act like they felt it. Maybe because it wasn’t the air that felt differ-

ent? No, now that Mike thought about it, the heat making his skin bead with sweat

was coming from inside his chest.

He drank some more beer and felt it increase.

The last time he’d checked, Bud didn’t make jalapeño flavor. Mike read the

label on the bottle. It was just plain old beer. Another drink and the burn flared. Mike

opened his mouth so he could pant.

Mike looked at Klere. “Holy shit...”

“Drink it,” Petrie nudged him. “Don’t let it bank or you’ll lose it.”

Lose it? Ruka glared at him now and Klere grinned.

Ruka growled. “Still doesn’t mean he’ll go over.”

“Yeah, right, we’ll see,” Klere waved a hand at Mike.

Mike sucked back the rest of the long neck. Petrie twisted off a cap and pushed

another into his hand. The other Males drank their beers. It became obvious to Mike

he wasn’t the only one feeling the effects when Ruka barked a happy sound and

slammed his empty bottle back on the table. The others weren’t quite as fast but it

didn’t take them long to empty the long necks.

They all shifted in their seats. Mike was pretty sure he knew why. His cut offs

were becoming seriously uncomfortable. Not only was the beer making heat under

his skin--it was making him hard.

Mike finished the second beer and put it down. Now the burn was a real live for-

est fire. He rubbed his arms, then his legs. It felt, well, good. Real good.

Petrie pushed the paper cup of tequila in front of him. “Drink this next, then

you’ll want to chase it with a beer. If you don’t, you’ll burn too hot.”

And burning hot didn’t sound like a good thing.

Mike stared at the cup. Man, he was going to be so shitfaced from this. Of all the

hard drinks to have to throw back, tequila was definitely not Mike’s choice. No, the

last time he drank the shit he wound up duct taped to the top of a care nude.

In January.

He sure hoped to God that wasn’t going to happen this time. Something told him

-147 -

his past experience would be tame in comparison to what a couple of ferals could

think up.

Although one cup was a hell of a lot less than he’d had then. Mike tossed it back

and the heat in his chest exploded.

Holy fucking God! Mike groaned.

The beer had been a forest fire but the tequila was fucking Chernobyl.

Mike was no longer just hard, now it looked like someone had shoved a brick

down the front of his pants. Something cold was pushed into his hand.

“Drink...”

Mike blinked, trying to get his brain to work. Petrie, yeah, he knew that Male.

Knew him well. His green nevus started on his lower back, ran down his right ass

cheek to the back of his knee. Licking him there made him giggle.

“Drink it, Mike!” Klere waved a hand at him. Mike blinked and stared at the beer.

“It’ll bank the heat.”

Mike drank the beer and groaned again. The cooling effect was like the chill of

air against saliva-wet skin. His erection kicked. Mike tried to breathe, only the room

seemed to have run out of air. Everyone else worked on their second beer. Petrie

handed him another. And looky there, little guy had even taken the cap off for him

again. Wasn’t that nice? Mike drained the bottle and grinned at Petrie, flashing tiger-

sized fangs. The Male grinned back, then pushed another paper cup full of worm

juice in front of him. Mike blinked. When the hell had he poured that one?

“Drink it, Mike. Let’s see if you tip the edge or not.” Klere raised his longneck in

a toast.

Tip the edge. Mike had no idea what that meant, but fuck it. If it felt anything like

this, he was all for it. All night kinda for it.

Mike tossed back the little cup. He dropped it on the table and tipped to the right,

falling out of the chair and into the floor. He didn’t try to get up. Oh, hell no. Mike

curled over himself grunting, groaning, panting. It felt like a blowjob, only from the

inside. Holy shit, he was getting sucked off by the invisible woman.

The laugh bubbling out of Mike’s throat was swallowed up by the barking he did

when he came. Only this wasn’t a single explosion of pleasure; this son-of-a-bitch

didn’t stop. Mike had read once in a magazine how women could orgasm for up to an

hour straight. At the time he was pretty jealous. Not anymore. Nope, cause coming

like this was downright exhausting. It ate up his resources until he was left pooling

against the floor.

When it was over Mike couldn’t even stand up. He did manage to blink. At least

his eyeballs wouldn’t dry out.

Ruka’s angry voice bit off harsh words in Olde Tongue, the Kin mother language.

Mike only understood the word chetrah, which meant “sweet meat.” It’s what dragons

called Humans. A couple of the others were familiar only because he’d heard Saba

-148 -

shout them when he was trying to fix the plumbing under the sink and wound up

knocking himself in the head with the wrench.

Then the Male did a whole lot of pointing in Mike’s direction, which didn’t look

good. Petrie dove out of the way as Ruka came around the table. Mike tried to push

himself off the floor and make a run for it, but he couldn’t stand up.

Klere stepped in front of him and his hand touched Mike’s shoulder. Ruka

unsheathed gleaming black chelae from the tops of his fingers and jacked his jaw

wide, extending his teeth. Klere did the same. The scales were next, followed by

thorny pieces of horn around half-elongated jaws, and porcupine spines running down

their backs.

Ah, man, and Mike had just mopped the floor. They were all screwed if blood got

on the walls. Ichor was impossible to get out. Worse, what if they actually shifted?

They’d destroy the entire house. Wendy was gonna be pissed.

Speaking of which.

Mike heard her yell, and not the scared kind of yell either, but the pissed-off, I’m-

gonna-kick-your-ass kind of yell. He wanted to warn her stay out. She was Human,

which meant she could break. Mike could break, but he also healed almost Kin fast.

Klere backed up and put his teeth and claws away. It was Ruka Wendy needed to

worry about. Mike felt the pit of his stomach draw up as the Male turned towards the

woman, claws out, teeth down. She stood in the doorway, fire in her eyes, yelling at

them in their language. Since she was Human it sounded different when she spoke it,

but then it wasn’t meant to be carried on non-Kin vocal cords.

Ruka growled, his body tensed, his legs bent. And that was so not cool. Somehow

Mike got a message to his arms and they responded by sending out his hands, which

amazingly got with the program and closed around Ruka’s ankles. He yanked and

the Male toppled over. Ruka’s face bounced off the edge of the kitchen table, smash-

ing his nose in a burst of green. The impact flipped the table over on its side. Beer,

tequila, and lots of greenbacks went everywhere.

It was a really, really dumb thing to do. Mike knew that, but the Male was flash-

ing fangs and chelae at Wendy and that just couldn’t be allowed.

Ruka turned on Mike and lunged. He screamed when the Male’s chelae sank into

his ribs and punched clean through his lungs. Blood sprayed out of his mouth and

nose, powdering the yellow tiles with dark red dots.

Ruka snarled something, but Mike couldn’t understand it. He kicked as the

Male’s nasty claws raked down his body. Ruka was going to open him up, spill out

his insides. His place had been challenged and now he was going to set the record

straight.

A crash of thunder pinged off the walls in the small kitchen, making Mike’s sen-

sitive ears ring. Ruka flew backwards and into the fridge. The rest of the Males took

cover, diving out of the way, cowering in corners.

-149 -

When Mike turned his head, he saw Wendy with both hands on a Heckler and

Koch. The only reason Mike knew that was because his dad had a gun just like it.

“Get out of my house! All of you!”

Petrie helped Klere snatch up his liquor-soaked money. Ruka stayed on his back

staring at the hole in his chest. Mike was willing to bet the one in his back was a hell

of a lot more impressive. When the Male looked his way, his eyes were pinched by

pain.

Yeah, well, now we’re even.

Ruka spit blood. Mike spit blood. Still, Mike was pretty sure he was a hell of a lot

worse off than the Male because--yep--he could see things on his insides he shouldn’t

have been able to see. Not good. Not good at all.

A chill shot off in Mike’s arms and legs.

Klere and Petrie went skittering toward the door. Ruka failed to get up and Wendy

put another round in his knee. He howled like something alien.

“Out! Now!”

The new bullet hole got him moving. Glaring, growling, but bested, the Male

hauled his ass towards the front door.

Wendy turned the gun on Dego-Ta. He sat unmoving on the floor near the cabi-

nets.

“You want a window in your ass too?”

“No.” When he looked at her there was no fear in his eyes, just calm.

“Then get out.”

Dego-Ta tipped his head at Mike. “What about him?”

“He’s ours. He stays.”

“No, I mean his injuries. He’s burned up. You won’t feed him.” Mike wasn’t sure

if the pleased tone in Dego-Ta’s voice was imagined or real.

Wendy’s gaze went back and forth between them. The expression on her face said

she knew he was right.

Mike put a hand over his stomach. Man, he was bleeding and bad. Yeah, this was

not something he was going to be able fix himself. Some healing had taken place, but

Dego-Ta was right. He’d burned up his resources on the beer and tequila. He didn’t

have anything left in him to heal. The only comfort Mike had was he wasn’t bleeding

Human fast.

The Male moved in his direction and Wendy jabbed her gun at him.

Dego-Ta held his hands up and ducked his head. “I’m just going to feed him. Just

enough so he won’t bleed out.” Wendy’s brown eyes narrowed like she was trying to

see right through his skin and into his thoughts. Mike wanted to reassure her but he

couldn’t find the strength to talk.

Dego-Ta slid up next to him.

“Here.” He opened his wrist with a flick of his chelae. “Take this.”

-150 -

Mike didn’t need to be asked twice. His mouth locked down, his teeth punched

through and he pulled blood. A deep thumping noise sounded off in Dego-Ta’s chest.

His eyes bled to gold and his respirations hitched.

The burn of healing fired up across Mike’s chest and stomach. Things on the

inside of him moved, healed, and then the gaping wounds sealed and turned all

shiny. Mike’s Stain hid the bruises left behind, but he could feel them when he took a

breath.

Dego-Ta flicked a look up and down his body. He knew the Male was aroused,

but then he was Kin. Sex and food were the same and everything was sex or food.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Wendy waved her gun.

“But he wants more.” Dego-Ta cut his golden gaze over to her.

Hell, yeah, Mike wanted more. He grabbed the Male’s arm and bit harder.

“Mike!” Wendy had to say his name a few times before he would look at her.

“You need to let him go.”

But he tastes so fucking good.

“Mike!” There was a lot of desperation in her tone. Wendy was scared of Dego-Ta

or maybe scared of him for Mike?

Dego-Ta smiled. His free hand petted Mike across the ribs. “You don’t have to let

go, Mike. I can finish this for you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” So calm. So sure.

Dego-Ta even purred a little there at the end.

Yeah, Mike would. He bit harder, pulled blood faster.

Wendy pushed the muzzle of the gun against the Male’s head. “Make him let go.”

“But he doesn’t--”

“I’m not asking, I’m telling you. Make him let go, or I will shoot you and then he

can eat your remains.”

Dego-Ta’s hand slid around Mike’s throat and a pressure point grew near his

windpipe. Mike fought against opening his mouth, but the Male was too strong. His

bite popped free and Dego-Ta scooted back out of reach.

“Fuck!” Mike made a grab for the Male but he was already up and heading

towards the door. Dego-Ta’s hard gaze hit him one last time, then he was gone.

“Jesus...Mike...” Wendy went to her knees beside him. She tucked the gun into

the waistband of her jeans after she flicked on the safety. “I’m sorry, I would have

been here sooner but I keep my phone turned off at the Clinic. Thank God of Man, I

remembered to put the gun in the car. Are you okay?” When she reached out to Mike

he jerked away.

“Get back!” Jacked up on the unfinished feed, his body hummed like a live wire.

Mike had no idea if he was still Human enough to rape someone. Kin wouldn’t force

a person to have sex against their will, they sure as hell would eat them. Either way,

the outcome wouldn’t be good.

“Easy, Mike. Let me help you.”

-151 -

He slapped her hands away and tried to stand up. Mike’s feet slid in the blood and

he wound up on his ass. Wendy grabbed his arm.

“God, Wendy, please. Please don’t.” The ‘please’ came out like ‘heese’ with his

teeth down. “You should have let me finish. I’m not safe.”

“Let me help you into the bathroom. The hot water will ease the hunger.”

It would, but her helping him meant he had to touch her. Worse, she’d be close

with her scent up his nose. Mike shook his head. This time when he forced himself

up, he grabbed hold of the handle on the fridge to keep from sliding. God, the kitchen

was a mess. Along with the blood, there were bits and pieces of Ruka clinging to the

walls. Mike lurched in the direction of the bathroom. He teetered to the right and

Wendy was beside him to keep him from falling over. He tried to push her away.

“Let me help you, Mike.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ve been with Saba for fifty years, and I can handle myself around a full bloo-

ded Male. I can handle myself around you. I know you think you’re scary, but ferals

are far worse than you could ever be.”

But Mike was scary. He wanted to fuck her and eat her and in no particular order.

Wendy pulled him in the direction of the bathroom and helped him into the Jacuzzi-

sized tub. Mike had wondered why anyone needed a tub this big, then Saba had fed

him in it.

Wendy turned on the water and flipped the knob on the top of the spigot. The

pipes rattled and a blast of hot water struck against Mike’s back. Wendy’s hands tou-

ched his shorts and he stopped her. “No.”

Wendy frowned, “They’re getting wet.”

“No, please.” He was hard and he didn’t want her to know how much he wanted

her.

Wendy said, “I’m not ashamed.”

Mike shook his head. She might not be ashamed, but he was. So very ashamed.

Wendy worked on the button of his jeans, then the zipper. She didn’t even seem to

see his cock when it fell against his stomach as she pealed back his jeans.

“Why didn’t you let me finish?”

“What?” She looked up.

“Finish. You should have let me finish.”

Mike’s jeans made a wet sound when they hit the floor. Wendy petted his cheek,

his neck. He wanted her to touch him lower. He wanted to taste her flesh, her blood.

But Wendy was Saba’s.

She said, “I couldn’t, Mike. Ruka and Dego-Ta are flesh traders. They’ve been

trying to get an audience with Saba for weeks to meet you.”

Mike blinked. Flesh traders? No wonder Ruka had been stupid enough to go

after Wendy. More dangerous than drug dealing, flesh trading was big business in the

-152 -

Dens, and people always died. Klere had brought them here, which meant the Male

had broken Saba’s one absolute by bringing them into the safe house.

Mike said, “Why would they want to meet me?”

“You’re strong. Your blood is potent enough to sate the worst flesh addict. It

makes you valuable. There are Males who want you, but none of them have passed

Saba’s requirements.”

Passed his requirements? And here Mike thought he hadn’t been suitable. “That

still doesn’t tell me why you stopped him.” His muscles danced with a new wave of

tremors. Mike needed Saba to hurry.

“Yes, it does. If Dego-Ta had finished the feed you would have been marked by

his scent. You would have been his. He could have sold you to the highest bidder. In

order to get you back, Saba would have had to challenge Dego-Ta for dominance.”

And a fight between Kin was never pretty. Mike closed his eyes. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. You’re still learning.”

Learning to be Lesser-Bred.

God Mike felt so alone, so lost and alone. More than ever he missed Alex, missed

having someone he could talk to, missed having a friend, missed college, his parents,

missed being normal.

The tears falling down Mike’s face were hotter than the water cascading down his

skin.

To be continued.

Document Outline

Lesser-Bred: STAINED
Adrienne Wilder
To the reader,
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24

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