Moonlight's Haven, Waves of Blood

Deadly Mates 5 

Moonlight’s Haven, Waves of Blood Taken prisoner by the vampires, Brian finds himself falling for the adopted son of the vampire prince, Izador. But Izador has a secret, and even knowing that Brian is his mate, he is reluctant to pursue their bond. As Brian attempts to crack through Izador’s armor, an assassination attempt on the vampire prince shakes them all. The guilty party, Vlad Petrovic, brings with him problems all of them thought long ago buried and forgotten. Vlad has always lived in the shadow of his brother, Viktor. Trained to do their father’s bidding at all costs, he is shocked to find both his mates during the course of his mission. But as the power of the past returns to haunt them, can their connection hold? Will Brian manage to be their haven in front of the shadows crowding around them, or will they be consumed by the power of their enemy? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal Length: 39,594 words 

 

MOONLIGHT’S HAVEN, WAVES OF BLOOD Deadly Mates 5

Scarlet Hyacinth

MENAGE AMOUR MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove

MOONLIGHT’S HAVEN, WAVES OF BLOOD Copyright © 2011 by Scarlet Hyacinth E-book ISBN: 1-61034-981-4 First E-book Publication: November 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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DEDICATION For everyone who asked for Brian’s story. Here it is. Let me know what you think.

 

MOONLIGHT’S HAVEN, WAVES OF BLOOD Deadly Mates 5 SCARLET HYACINTH Copyright © 2011

Prologue Izador felt them before they even entered the house. Intruders. Enemies intending to hurt his family. He growled low in his throat, feeling anger and bloodlust flow through his veins. How dare they invade their home like this? What had he and his parents ever done to them? He left his room and slipped out in the small hallway, scanning the area for his parents. His little bed was in the back of the house, so he couldn’t be seen from the windows, but still, he stuck in the shadows, just in case someone lurked about. He found his mother, Diana, coming toward him, her expression grim. “We’ve been found, darling,” she said. “We need to go.” Izador nodded wordlessly. He’d gotten used to this by now. He and his parents had been on the run for many years now. The supernatural world was a cruel, harsh one to those that didn’t conform to the model, and they’d broken the most important rule of all. Shifters and vampires didn’t mix. Izador’s mother and father had ignored it, and Izador’s existence proved it. For that, they’d been hunted by vampires and shifters alike.

 

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His mother ushered him downstairs and toward the basement. There, they’d built a passage, a way out, just in case something like this happened. Izador’s father, Holokai, waited for them in front of it. “Go.” He ushered them. “Hurry.” “Aren’t you coming, too, Papa?” Izador asked. The sound of wood splintering answered his question. “I have to stall them. Be on your guard, Diana,” he said. “A lot of them have come this time.” Diana nodded and they shared a brief kiss. “You too, my love.” Holokai turned his attention toward Izador. He wrapped his son in a strong embrace. “You take care of your mother,” he whispered in Izador’s ear. “But, Papa,” Izador protested, “what about you?” They’d always fled together. What would happen now? “Don’t worry about me,” his father answered. “I’ll find you later. Now go.” His father broke away from him and retrieved a familiar-looking necklace. It had been fashioned from a shark tooth, back before Holokai left his native Hawaii and followed Diana onto the old continent. “This was from when I battled my first shark in shifted form,” Holokai said. “Keep it with you always.” Izador may have not been an adult, but he knew what his father meant. This was it, the moment he’d feared all his life, the time when they could no longer run fast enough. What could Izador say in such a moment? Words could never express what he felt in this moment. He just nodded, took his father’s hand, and squeezed it hard. The sound from outside increased, alerting him that their attackers were almost inside. The door of their home, while solid, wouldn’t hold them back for much longer. Izador would have liked to stay longer, but they were running out of time. His father hastened to open the hatch that covered the passageway. Diana jumped in first then reached with her hands out to

 

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help Izador down. “Go,” his father said as he stood above them. “I love you both.” The hatch closed, and Izador knew that would be the last he’d see of his father. His heart heavy with loss, he followed his mother as they rushed through the underground passage. It was cramped and dark, the wood pillars supporting the weight of the ground beginning to age and decompose. Even so, Izador had been here many times, and he knew the way out. They found the exit with reasonable ease, and left the passage through an opening disguised with grass. The coast seemed to be clear, so Izador helped his mother out. Perhaps not all was lost. Perhaps his father could still reach them. That brief hope was squashed mere seconds later. An impending sense of doom encroached on his senses, and then, a shout sounded, “There! The woman and the spawn got away!” There were more of the men around them, Izador realized. “Run,” his mother said, her eyes wild with terror. “Run and don’t look back.” In different circumstances, Izador might have stood his ground and fought. But his father taught him to always, always choose his battles. There may come a day, my son, when you’ll need to run to save your life. Do not be ashamed to do so. Death is still death, honorable or not. This time, he could do nothing but flee. He and his mother took off, running in the opposite direction of the voices. Shots sounded behind them and bullets hit the trees, sending splinters of wood flying. Gods, how many people had come to hunt them? How could hate escalate so much? They ran in zigzags, trying to dodge and avoid their pursuers. It was pointless. His mother cried out, and Izador realized she’d been hit. He turned back and knelt next to her, hastily trying to stem the bleeding. It was from a bullet designed to hurt vampires, and he could do very little to help her. She needed medical assistance.

 

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He grabbed her in his arms and continued their flight. In the distance, he heard a loud explosion, and knew his home was no more. His father was dead, and all their memories were scattered in the wind like they were nothing. At this point, he knew that if a miracle didn’t happen, he and his mother would die as well. All his senses burned with the knowledge that he was being followed. He smelled them all around him, closer and closer. He hated being the prey, and he hated the helplessness, the realization that he could not fulfill his father’s last wish. In the end, as much as he tried to avoid capture, the trap closed in on them. Men emerged from the front, holding lethal-looking weapons pointed at them. Others came from the back and the right or left. They were shifters, former friends of Holokai’s from his days spent following the shifter ways. Even now, Izador could scent the slight hint of seawater lingering on their skin. “Here we are at last,” one of them said. He smelled the air and licked his lips. “You’re trapped, little spawn.” Izador didn’t deign them with a reply. He could tell this man was a predator by the way he seemed attracted to Diana’s blood. There were far too many of them for Izador to take on, but if he could just kill a couple, he’d at least have done some damage. Poor compensation but better than nothing. “Whatever you’re thinking,” the man said, “you’re an idiot. You cannot possibly go against us. How old are you, ten, twelve?” Everyone laughed. “I’ll enjoy tasting your flesh, spawn. I bet it tastes better than the one of your father.” “You fucking bastard,” Diana snarled at him. “Why can’t you just leave us alone? Why do you want to hurt us?” She was crying, Izador realized, and he wanted to soothe her. But he couldn’t, not with the shifters there, waiting and prepared to shoot them. “Poor little vampire,” the shifter mocked. “Did we bother you while you were playing house? Shame on us! I think I’ll have a little fun with you before I kill you.”

 

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Izador couldn’t take it anymore. He gently set his mother down, and glared at the shifter. “If you want to take someone on, do it with me.” Yes, he was small and young, but he’d inherited agility, strength, and speed from both of his parents. He still had trouble controlling these abilities. This time, it was his only hope, a long shot in and of itself, given the size of the shifters. “You’re on, spawn!” “What is this insanity?” a smooth, noble voice boomed. “What quarrel do you have with a woman and a child?” A blond young man stepped out of the shadows, his silhouette beautifully illuminated by the moon. Izador instantly recognized him as a vampire, and one of terrible power. For whatever reason, he’d missed the handsome man’s approach, but so had the sharks. His enemy turned to the new arrival. “And who are you to demand such things from us?” he asked with a chuckle. “What we do with the spawn and his whore of a vampire mother is our business.” The young man’s expression twisted ever so slightly. “I am Sheridan Amaranth,” he answered. “And you are dead.” He moved so fast Izador had trouble seeing him. In mere seconds, the grove filled with shouts of terror and pain. Blood splattered in every direction, the sharks unable to defeat the much more powerful opponent. Before Izador could even figure out what was going on, Sheridan had wiped out all of his attackers. Once he finished his task, Sheridan licked his lips of the blood, grimacing slightly as if he tasted something unpleasant. He made his way toward Izador and his mother. Even in her weakened state, Diana struggled to kneel in front of Sheridan, bowing her head. “Your Majesty, thank you.” Your Majesty? This was the vampire prince? He looked younger than Izador’s father. Then again, appearances could be very deceiving in their world.

 

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Izador followed his mother’s example and knelt. The prince tsked at them and bid them to rise. “There’s no reason for such things. Come, you are injured and tired. You need rest.” Izador took a deep breath. They couldn’t just leave his father behind. “Please,” he begged. “My father is back at the house. Could we go save him?” He was pushing his luck. The vampire prince had no reason to save a shifter. In fact, he might even want to kill Holokai. “You are a half-breed,” Sheridan said matter-of-factly. His gaze went from Diana to Izador as if judging them. Izador nodded, knowing what this man decided could very well mean the difference between life and death for him and his mother. “Please, Your Majesty,” Diana sobbed. “Don’t hurt my baby.” Sheridan’s expression softened. “I have no intention to. Come. Let’s help your father. Can you hang on without blood until then?” Diana nodded frantically. The prince took her in his arms. Izador rushed back the way they’d come, with Sheridan and Diana behind him. At last, after what seemed like forever, they reached what remained of their house. The fire still burned, and beams of wood collapsed onto what had once been a beautiful porch. Izador gasped and signaled for Sheridan to stay back. It wasn’t the sight of the burning house that horrified him, but that of Holokai’s head separated from his body, impaled on a pole. So cruel and horrific. He couldn’t allow his mother to see. Unfortunately, Diana must’ve sensed his distress. She broke free of Sheridan’s hold and joined Izador. The moment her eyes fell on her husband’s remains, she screamed, the sound so heartbreaking it made Izador’s own pain more acute. He didn’t know how long they just stood there, weeping, mourning their lost future. Eventually, Izador stirred up the courage to step forward, intending retrieve his father’s head from the pole. He could not allow Holokai to be disrespected like this, not even in death.

 

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Sheridan stopped him from touching the head. “Stay with your mother, child. I’ll take care of this.” And so, the prince did. He took the head, then somehow managed to find Holokai’s body as well. At last, with Sheridan carrying Holokai and Izador his mother, they left the burnt house. The prince led them to safety, his beautiful home a retreat from the treacherous vampire clans. Holokai became the first shifter to be buried on vampire lands, and Sheridan arranged for a beautiful farewell ceremony. Unfortunately, despite all of Sheridan’s efforts, Diana didn’t outlive her husband for long. Two weeks after the disastrous attack, Izador found her dead in her room. She’d taken her own life, unable to withstand the pain. In her note of farewell, she apologized for her selfishness and asked the prince to take care of him. That day, Sheridan held him as he wept for his lost life. And then, when Izador ran out of tears, Sheridan said, “It’s all right, child. You’ll always have me. You are Izador of the House of Amaranth now.”

 

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Chapter One Sheridan hummed as he listened to Izador’s report. “So, Jared Grayson has escaped with the help of his friends, and his two mates. And they seem to be channeling the power of the bloodline heirs.” Izador nodded. He’d met Jared Grayson while he’d been infiltrated in the clan of Agusto Alvarez y Soto. He’d liked the werewolf, and he now realized Jared meant a lot to his friend, Tomas. Izador had met Tomas during the clan wars. Izador fought for Sheridan to regain control of the situation, and Tomas had been one of his allies. Tomas struck him as more independent and interesting than most of their kin. But as much as he’d have liked to help Tomas, Sheridan would always be the priority. Sheridan had given him the gift of a second chance and a second family. His duty and his heart would always lie here. “Well, then,” Sheridan said almost absently, “we have to find them. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble with that.” “I was just waiting for your order, Majesty.” Sheridan tsked at him and got off the settee he’d been lounging on. “I told you to call me by my name when we’re in private. Always so formal, my child.” A smile fleeted on Izador’s lips as they fell in the familiar dispute. It comforted him, the one thing that remained steady no matter what. “Have you looked into what I mentioned the other day?” he asked. Izador’s face heated. Sheridan had expressed his concern over the fact that Izador showed no interest in taking a lover. Sure, he occasionally shared his bed with random, faceless individuals he used as blood donors. But that didn’t mean anything, and Sheridan had

 

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recently begun to insist for him to meet the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes of the clans. Izador couldn’t believe his lord would ask about this now of all times. “There simply hasn’t been time,” he replied. “I’ve been busy at Agusto’s coven.” For all his good intentions, Sheridan would never understand what it was like to be a half-breed. Yes, he had advantages, since both his senses and his physical strength went beyond vampires and shifters alike. But at the same time, his inner self was perpetually in conflict. He could never have peace. When the vampire inside him desired to feed, the shifter recoiled. When the shifter wanted to swim and hunt, the vampire sneered in disdain. When he found some other person to warm his bed, those two conflicting persons could never agree. And Izador had seen too much pain growing up. He didn’t want to bind anyone to him. He’d known from a young age that he’d always be alone, with his father figure his only comfort. Sheridan wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him into a warm embrace. It was odd, since Izador had grown taller than his lord, and yet, the parental relationship remained the same. “Your heart should always be the most important.” Izador smiled to himself, knowing Sheridan never said such things to anyone else but him. They broke apart, and Sheridan cleared his throat. “Well then, think about it. That’s an order, young man. Now, lead the way.” Izador nodded and obeyed. Sheridan left the room and Izador followed behind him. They gathered a reasonably sized force and headed toward the roof of the building, where helicopters would already be waiting for them. Sheridan had many homes, with the favorite one within the Amazonian forests. The climate wasn’t the best one, but the heavy foliage protected them from the sun, and the bugs were rarely drawn to vampire blood. Izador enjoyed the privacy of the area. He’d never much cared for busy cities, and the forest reminded him of a time

 

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when he’d been a child, living with his parents. Those memories still hurt, but with the passing years, he’d begun to accept them and remember the fond moments, the beautiful times he and his parents spent together. However, due to the distance, Sheridan had chosen to temporarily move in a more lived-in area. New York had been the logical choice, although Sheridan and Izador shared a personal dislike for the metropolis. Thankfully, Sheridan’s money could buy privacy even in the Big Apple. As they reached the roof, the staff rushed to prepare Sheridan’s helicopter. Other than Izador, three more men joined him in the chopper, with another aircraft following behind them. The pilot already knew their destination. Boston. The helicopters took off and headed out of the American metropolis. A sort of peculiar anxiety filled Izador. It was strange, as he’d never once experienced such a thing before fulfilling a task given to him by Sheridan. Sheridan arched a brow at him, obviously sensing his disquiet, but didn’t comment. In public, it wasn’t proper, or safe, for the vampire prince to show affection toward anyone, not even to his own adopted son. At last, the helicopters landed at Agusto’s headquarters in Boston. When Izador had left, the vampires here were recovering from the attack of Tomas and his companions. Other than Kaiden Hearne and Viktor Petrovic, there had also been Zongxian Long, the man Izador now knew to be Jared Grayson’s dragon mate. Izador hadn’t actually witnessed the entire scene, as he’d been delegated to guard the main entrance. He’d seen Tomas come with the other three men, but what actually happened after that remained a mystery. By the time he and his fellow guards rushed inside the meeting room, Victor Petrovic and Kaiden Hearne had already shifted into their monstrous forms and were killing off vampires. Izador himself had been a step away from being burned alive by a dragon’s breath, Zongxian Long’s fire magic. It had been both amazing and terrifying to see.

 

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Izador was fairly confident he could track the fugitives, even if they’d used magic to make their escape. He’d used his position as Jared’s guard to steal a drop of the werewolf’s blood. His combined abilities of shark-shifter and vampire made him an excellent hunter. There would be no place where Jared could hide. They left the helicopters and went inside the building. Sheridan briefly checked in on the damage done to the structure and its occupants. Everyone rushed to give some sort of explanation as to how they’d managed to lose the owner of a piece of the Spirit of Gaia. The Spirit of Gaia was a powerful amulet that could summon the strength of the old gods. Seven jewels were needed for it to achieve its maximum potential—The Eye of Typhon, The Breast of Echidna, The Tear of Thaumas, The Tail of Skorpios, The Breath of Drakon, The Mouth of Kharybdis, and The Heart of Kronos—corresponding to seven of Gaia’s offspring. And while the jewels were ultimately meant for the amulet, they had power of their own, power over many of the shape-shifter races, among other things. Given the seriousness of the issue, Sheridan didn’t delay in going in search of the Graysons. The vampire prince nodded toward Izador. “Let’s go. There’s nothing for us here.” Izador led them outside and into the Boston streets. They took a small force with them and climbed into three cars. Izador inhaled, following the faint trace of Jared’s scent. He drove the first vehicle, using his senses like a human would a GPS. Soon, they left Boston behind and headed deeper into the country. After a while, it wasn’t hard to figure out where the trail led them. Izador smiled. He’d never have thought the blood-kin heirs would return to their native Rook Valley out of all places. But indeed, they’d gone there, and the trail ended at what looked like some sort of warehouse. Sheridan chuckled. “The former Assassins’ Guild Headquarters. Nice. The snake must have led them here.”

 

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Izador’s amusement and admiration faded, leaving only the anxiety behind. His heart began to beat faster, and he struggled to contain the perplexing nervousness. If Sheridan realized it, he didn’t show it. Instead, he headed toward the gate of the warehouse and tore it apart with the strength uniquely his. Izador followed after Sheridan. He had a feeling that what he’d find inside might be more than just bloodline heirs. **** Brian tensely watched as an invisible force tore the gate of their refuge. He’d thought they’d be safe here, at least until the others could go through with their plan and explain the situation to the vampire prince. As it turned out, the person who stepped inside the building made their entire plan useless. A blond young man scrutinized them with an amused look. Brian instantly identified him as the vampire prince, Sheridan Amaranth. He’d once caught sight of the other man, many years ago, when he’d been just a child and Sheridan had briefly visited Brian’s family. But someone like that could never be forgotten. His awe at Sheridan’s presence dissipated when another man appeared behind the prince. Tall and dark haired, he almost looked like a shadow, cloaked in the darkness, melting into the unknown. But his entire being called out to Brian. Their gazes met briefly, and sparks flew between them. Brian thought his heart would surely stop. What was this weird feeling? He’d never experienced such a thing in his life. The moment broke when Sheridan spoke. “Well, well. What have we here? Our little runaway vampire and his shifter friends. Well done, Izador.” The dark-haired man bowed. “As always, I am yours to command, Your Highness.”

 

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So his name was Izador. Izador. It suited him, beautiful, dark, and mysterious. Hypnotized, Brian stared at the man, distantly aware of a conversation taking place in the background. He broke out of his trance when Tomas, Jared’s mate, stepped forward toward Sheridan and knelt. The prince pressed his hand over Tomas’s head, and the pressure soon drew blood. By Brian’s side, Zongxian fumed impotently. “Get away from him,” the dragon snarled. Fire swirled around him, his magic threatening to break loose. Brian wanted to tell his friend’s lover that trying to fight Sheridan would be useless. The man was probably older than all of them combined. Even if his shifter friends used their bloodline heirs abilities, they would still be defeated. Sheridan had not come alone, and Viktor and Kaiden had already turned into their mythological counterparts once today. Brian could sense the weakness in them and knew that their minds and bodies could not withstand such a strain so soon. Thankfully, the prince didn’t push Tomas further. He released Tomas and brought a bloody finger to his lips, tasting the other vampire’s blood, reading his memories. A judgment, Brian guessed. Brian knew he should be frightened, but he felt oddly distanced from the whole thing. His gaze went to Izador once again, and the man’s gaze pierced him. Brian almost fell over at the intensity in those black eyes. He somehow managed to regain focus, and he heard Sheridan speak once more. “This Spirit issue has become a great embarrassment to the paranormal community as a whole. As such, I will summon a meeting of all the races to discuss the future of the amulet. Until then, I will allow you to keep them and continue guarding them as you have done so far.” Brian gaped, realizing he must have missed a lot while lost in his contemplation of Izador. “But I will require some insurance that you will not try to unite and use the pieces of the amulet,” the vampire prince finished.

 

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“We’ve not done it so far,” Kaiden shot back. “Why would we do it now?” Sheridan ignored the argument. “Irrelevant. I cannot rely simply on circumstantial issues. One of you has to come with me, as my guest.” Guest. Ha. A prisoner more like it. Brian couldn’t believe his ears. “Choose now,” Sheridan said. “I don’t have the time to linger here further.” It was Viktor who offered to go first, then Maya, Jared’s sister. But then, Sheridan’s green gaze briefly met Brian’s eyes. It broke Brian out of his trance and he finally understood the situation for what it was. A chance. A chance to find out who Izador was and what the other man meant for him. “No, Maya, I will go,” he said, his heart beating so fast he thought it would burst. “It will be me. I’m the best choice. Isn’t that right, Prince Sheridan?” Sheridan’s eyes twinkled, and Brian knew that, for whatever reason, the man had wanted him to go. “Ah, yes, Bréanainn of the O’Siodhachain. You will do quite well.” Brian winced when Sheridan spoke his true name. He didn’t like pretentious titles, and he’d left his fae identity behind when he’d come to study with the humans. Would Jared be angry at being lied to? Jared, however, didn’t seem upset with him. If anything, he sounded worried. “Wait,” he said. “You can’t do this. You can’t sacrifice yourself for us.” Sheridan glanced at Jared in obvious amusement. “Stop being so dramatic. It’s not like I’m going to bleed him dry or anything like that. He will be perfectly safe and comfortable.” Jared didn’t look convinced, and Brian felt guilty for his selfishness. But he couldn’t tell Jared the truth about his sudden, inexplicable desire for a stranger. It made no sense, and until he figured out what was going on, he’d keep it to himself.

 

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Making his way to his friend’s side, he whispered, “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. The prince wouldn’t risk hurting me. It would make all the fae very angry.” He hated seeing Jared struggle with his tears. “So you’re important to him, huh?” Jared asked. “My family is,” Brian answered. “Me, not so much. But I’m still one of them, so they’ll protect me.” After a short pause, he dared to say what had been on his mind since earlier. “I’m sorry for lying about my name. I’d promised my father I wouldn’t say anything.” His friend’s voice was almost inaudible when he answered, “It’s okay. I understand.” Brian would have liked to say something else, to comfort his friend, but the prince called out to him. “Come along, Bréanainn. We’re done here.” Brian hastily hugged Jared one more time, then headed toward the prince. He caught Izador’s eye as he reached the other man’s side. Izador didn’t say anything, not that Brian expected him to. They were strangers after all. And yet, Brian couldn’t help but want to be closer to the other man. He wanted to reach out and grasp Izador’s palm, to see if it was as strong as it seemed. How would it be like, to have someone to hold him, to kiss him? Brian wanted to find out, and all because of Izador. The prince led him out. Lost within feelings of discovery and regret, Brian allowed the other man to gesture him into a black vehicle parked at the other edge of the street. “Go on, Bréanainn. Get in. We have a long way to go.”

 

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Chapter Two A long way turned out to be quite an understatement. Brian didn’t know where they were headed, and he didn’t ask any questions, but the moment they reached Sheridan’s private jet, he decided he’d make an attempt to at least talk to Izador. Strikingly enough, Sheridan seated him in front of Izador. All throughout the trip, Brian felt the weight of Izador’s gaze on him. Finally, Brian decided Izador would not make the first move. “Greetings. How are you?” The vampire gave him a blank look, but didn’t answer. Not very talkative, apparently. But Brian felt something hiding deep under that mask. Izador’s eyes spoke to him, even if the vampire’s voice did not. Brian wanted to figure out the puzzle of Izador’s soul. Not one to be deterred so quickly, he said, “I am told you were the one to find us.” Izador nodded. “Yes.” A reply. Excellent. “How did you do that? It can’t have been easy.” Izador shrugged. “It is, for me.” Three syllables more. They were making progress. “Oh? That’s so interesting. Tell me more.” Truth be told, Brian did want to know more. He couldn’t understand how this silent, brooding man had found them all the way in the Assassins’ Headquarters. Did he have some sort of magic? No, that couldn’t be. Brian would have sensed it.

 

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Before Brian could prod more into Izador’s psyche, the vampire prince appeared by their side. “Isn’t this nice?” Sheridan said. “You’ve already made a friend.” Brian felt himself flush, while Izador spluttered, obviously trying to find an explanation and not coming up with anything. “I couldn’t be more pleased,” Sheridan continued. “Bréanainn needs someone to show him around. Izador, you can help him, can’t you?” Brian could have kissed Sheridan, if he didn’t want to kiss Izador so much. “Yes, Your Majesty,” Izador answered. “Excellent,” Sheridan said. With a final grin, he returned to his own seat and retrieved an iPod from his coat. Tearing himself away from the sight of the fierce and manipulative vampire prince, Brian offered Izador a smile. “It seems you’re stuck with me. I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Bréanainn, but my friends call me Brian. And you are Izador, correct?” The vampire nodded, his stance so tense and miserable it drove all the wind out of Brian’s sails. “Would you at least say something?” he whispered. Izador ignored him. Feeling defeated, Brian leaned against the window and closed his eyes. Some things couldn’t be rushed. He had to be patient if he wanted to learn more about Izador. And if the vampire found it so tedious to be by Brian’s side? Well, Brian could very well do without him. **** The airplane trip back to the Amazon seemed to take forever. With Brian there, just within his reach, Izador felt like he would lose it any moment now. He couldn’t believe his prince had put him in this situation. Sheridan must have realized Izador’s attraction to Brian. He was playing matchmaker again.

 

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He couldn’t refuse an outright request from his prince, however. And to top it off, Brian seemed to want to befriend him. Izador felt torn between terror and glee at Brian’s approach. He didn’t know if he could do this, but God, he wanted to. A few hours into the trip, the young fae fell into slumber. To a certain extent, it was a relief, as Izador could allow himself to study Brian closely, to drink in the beautiful features of the younger man. Shining blond hair framed his face, and his high cheekbones and the curve of his nose spoke of his noble blood. His eyelashes rivaled that of any woman and his lush lips seemed to beg for kissing. And his skin… God, all that flawless skin. Izador wanted to lick it, to pierce it with his fangs and drink Brian’s sweet blood. He smelled like summer and the sea, sweet and addicting. In his sleep, he murmured something that sounded like Izador’s name, and Izador forced his gaze away. If he didn’t find some sort of occupation, he’d do something stupid. As if guessing his predicament, Sheridan gestured him close. The other soldiers were in a different section of the plane, so Sheridan and he could have a moment of privacy now. “You look pissed,” Sheridan whispered, mindful of the sleeping fae. When Izador didn’t reply immediately, he prodded forward, “Come, tell me what’s on your mind.” “I don’t want to be a babysitter,” Izador muttered on impulse. He promptly closed his mouth, realizing he might accidentally disrespect his lord if he spoke too much. Sheridan just chuckled. “Don’t tell me you don’t like him. I saw how you were looking at him, like you wanted to eat him up. I’d never seen you look at anyone like that.” Izador cursed to himself. Sheridan knew him too well for his comfort. It was true. Izador had never looked at anyone like that, because he’d never experienced such a phenomenon in his life. For the first time, both the vampire and the shifter side of him ached for

 

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the same thing, albeit in different ways. And that thing, or rather that person, was a certain beautiful fae. “Just stop fighting it,” Sheridan said. “It’s about time you had someone in your life. And he’s quite a catch, even if he is a man. The O’Siodhachain are a very important family.” Izador just stared. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand Sheridan. It was unlike him to mix the politics of the vampire nation with his personal life. The reason behind why he’d chosen Brian to come with them instead of simply taking the amulet pieces as he must’ve planned remained beyond Izador’s power of comprehension. But he couldn’t say all that. He didn’t think he had it in him to express all of his doubts. “Brian is…different,” he said. Sheridan smiled warmly. “There you have it. Just be more confident. It will be fine, I promise you.” This time, Izador didn’t answer, and Sheridan ruffled his hair. “You know, Izador, if I hadn’t personally taught you how to speak Portuguese, I’d have thought something’s wrong with your voice.” Izador thought his prince would begin to badger him on the benefits of communication, but the pilot’s voice came through the communicator, notifying them of their imminent arrival at home base. Delight swept over Sheridan’s features. “Home, sweet home. I really do hate traveling. It’s so tedious. Go on and sit. And don’t forget your seat belt.” Izador couldn’t help a small smile at Sheridan’s words. He returned to his seat and realized at some point, Brian had woken up as well. Had Sheridan known about it? Why hadn’t Izador realized it? And how much had Brian heard from their conversation? Uncomfortable, he sat down and snapped the belt in place. “We’re here,” he told Brian. The fae nodded wordlessly, and Izador found himself itching to hear Brian’s voice once again. Was this what they called fighting fire with fire?

 

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At last, the plane began to descend. Through the clouds, the green of the rainforest became visible. Izador loved it here, especially since the coast was one hour away by jet and he could go swimming in the ocean any time he wanted. He watched the fae take in the appearing scenery with wide eyes. “This is… This is the Amazon.” Brian’s fascination with the beauty of the forest rendered Izador unable to remain silent. “Have you been here before?” Brian nodded. “Once when I was little, a long time ago. I don’t really remember much of it. We fae have a deep bond with the forest and there are some of my kin I who live in the area. I’m sure Prince Sheridan knows about it.” Lower and lower the plane went, until finally the compound came into view. A beautiful mansion took up a quarter of it, the prince’s residence and also where Izador and the occasional visitor lived. The rest of the space was occupied by barracks for the soldiers, garages for the vehicles, an airfield, a training grounds, a research center, a hospital. Further back, the structures that provided everyone here with the luxuries of civilization lay hidden beneath the foliage. Sheridan even had Internet installed, a more recent addition, but which they found extremely important in communicating with the clans. The airplane hit the runway and, after a little while, screeched to a halt. The voice of the pilot came through the speakers, with the slight accent of the inhabitants here. “We have now reached our destination. It is safe to descend.” Izador and Brian both took off their seat belts and got up at the same time. Through some sadistic twist of fate, their bodies collided in the space between their seats. The moment was electric, and even through their clothing, Izador could sense Brian’s warmth. He felt the younger man shudder, the distinctive scent of arousal and desire filling the air between them. Had it not been for the presence of all the people around them— including Sheridan—Izador might have even pressed forward and

 

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pulled Brian close. He didn’t. He shouldn’t. People like him could not have honest, fulfilling relationships. It simply wasn’t possible. This weird phenomenon that drew him to Brian was nothing more than a temporary fluke. Brian moved away from him and stumbled out after Sheridan. As he watched the fae go, Izador briefly met his prince’s gaze. He could see a slight reprimand in them, as well as a knowing light. Sheridan then turned away from him and headed out. Frustrated with himself and Sheridan, Izador followed his prince. Together with the other soldiers, he descended out of the plane and into the Amazonian heat. The sun seemed to scorch more today than it had in the past. It was early morning now, the plane trip having taken up most of the night, and yet beams of light already filtered through the leaves, making the air heat. Then again, the year before had been particularly bad, with a drought affecting a large part of the rainforest. It affected the entire paranormal community that chose to live here, in seclusion from civilization. They were met by a very doting and eager staff who rushed to greet the prince and his guests. Sheridan gathered everyone around and gestured Brian forward. “This is Bréanainn of the O’Siodhachain. He will be our guest for an indefinite period. He is to be treated with the utmost respect and care.” Brian winced slightly at the “indefinite period” portion of Sheridan’s speech, but ended up offering the vampires a friendly smile. “Hello.” Izador noted several of the men and women gave Brian interested looks, and suppressed a growl of fury that emerged in his throat. He needed to control his impulses. It wouldn’t do for him to act like this. Brian was a stranger, Sheridan’s fae prisoner to ensure all went well with the bloodline heirs, and nothing more. Seemingly oblivious to Izador’s thoughts, Sheridan gestured them toward the house. As they walked, the prince addressed Brian.

 

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“You’re probably exhausted,” he said. “This heat doesn’t agree with everyone.” “It is indeed quite uncomfortable,” Brian answered. “Can I ask why you live here?” Sheridan chuckled. “Simply put, it’s beautiful and secluded. The vegetation mostly shields us from the sun. Usually, the heavy precipitation helps keep a balance. Not so much lately.” Brian’s expression turned sad. “The droughts. Yes, I know. It’s so sad. I hope something can be done to save this beautiful place.” Brian sounded genuinely interested and Izador wondered what those beautiful blue eyes hid. Sheridan looked pleased by Brian’s answer and he threw a glance Izador’s way. “I think you’ll like it here very much, Bréanainn. Izador, perhaps you’ll show our guest around later?” “Yes, Your Majesty,” Izador answered. He kept his voice neutral, but secretly, he felt excited at the prospect. At last, they reached the mansion. A blast of cool air hit them, the air-conditioning inside the luxurious residence creating a comfortable atmosphere. More staff met them at the entrance and fussed around the prince. Sheridan accepted the attention almost absently. “We will convene in a few hours for a more official meal,” he said. He disappeared toward his private wing of the mansion, leaving Brian and Izador virtually alone. Silence fell between them, and Izador struggled to find something to say. He didn’t succeed to do so in time, and more maids showed up to direct them to their respective quarters. With regret in his heart, Izador allowed himself to be steered away. He’d have to figure this out soon.

 

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Chapter Three A few hours later, a knock sounded at the door of Brian’s chamber. Brian lifted his eyes from the book he’d been studying and arranged his clothing. He’d been up for quite a while now, waiting and hoping Izador would show up as promised. The room he’d been assigned to held so much unnecessary space and luxury it surpassed even the room Brian had at his parents’ home. A four-poster bed lay in the center of it, the sheets on it the finest silk and the quilts embroidered with woven silver thread. The bed canopy held beautiful engravings, markings of the vampire nation if Brian remembered his foreign civilizations lessons right. Matching the bed, a heavy antique desk and a similar dresser gave the room a feel of aristocratic decadence. A personal entertainment center sat in front of a leather couch, and a state-of-the-art laptop waited obediently on the desk, complementing the antiques with a modern touch. Unfortunately, the laptop was blocked from the compound’s Internet connection so Brian couldn’t contact Jared. So Brian had chosen to ignore it and direct his attention toward the provided bookcase that held several interesting tomes. Still, he’d been unable to focus, his mind on Izador and the obvious chemistry between them. At last, the man had arrived. Brian knew it even before he heard the knock. That knowledge didn’t help prepare him for the actual moment when he faced Izador again. When he opened the door, he was met with a wicked sight. Izador wore light, loose garments, and they complemented his muscled torso perfectly. Shapeless emotions gathered inside Brian, Izador’s dark gaze touching him deep inside,

 

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just like it had done earlier. “Would you like the tour now?” Izador asked. Was it Brian’s impression, or did Izador’s voice sound just a touch husky? He couldn’t tell. He wished he had Jared’s ability to scent arousal. As it were, he could only guess. It frustrated him tremendously. “Yes,” he answered. “I’d like that a lot.” He bit his lip and after a slight hesitation, added, “But before, would it be possible if we contacted Jared and my family?” “It’s already been dealt with,” Izador replied. “The prince called them earlier to notify them we’ve arrived safely.” Brian felt a brief pang of disappointment upon realizing he would not be able to speak with his friend. Obviously guessing Brian’s concern, Izador said, “Don’t worry. You’ll have a chance to speak to them later. Now, are you hungry?” he inquired. Brian shook his head. He’d been provided with a more-thannourishing private meal in his room and he could wait for a few more hours. “Did Prince Sheridan want to meet us for lunch?” “Not yet,” Izador said. “For now, I am to show you around.” Excitement flowed through Brian. “Where to?” he said, far too bouncily for his own comfort. A ghost of a smile fleeted on Izador’s lips, and it was lovely to see. “Come,” he said simply. Izador didn’t mean the word in its erotic sense, but Brian still imagined the other man whispering it in his ear while they were skin to skin. He could almost sense Izador’s cock pounding inside him. He was no virgin, but he’d never found sex all that enjoyable with his own kind, or with the humans. Why did he suddenly feel different about Izador? Izador spoke again, breaking Brian from his trance. “But you might want to change before you do. You’re not dressed for this kind of weather.”

 

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So that was the explanation for Izador’s outfit. It made sense. Inside, the temperature was pleasant, but out in the humid rainforest, it wouldn’t be so. Since someone had filled his beautiful wardrobe with plenty of clothing suitable for the tropical climate, Brian wouldn’t have trouble in heeding Izador’s advice. He considered asking Izador to come in, but that would’ve been too blatant an invitation, and embarrassing, especially if the vampire said no. Then again, they were both male, and Brian didn’t have anything Izador hadn’t already seen. And for all he knew, Izador might not even be sexually inclined toward his own gender. Brian didn’t think so, but he’d been wrong before. “Good idea,” he told the vampire, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. “Would you like to come in? Just so that you won’t have to wait here, in the hall.” Izador blinked at him, and for a few seconds, they stared at each other in silence. “Uh… I’d rather not. Thank you,” the vampire eventually said. Brian didn’t know if he should be disappointed or relieved at Izador’s reply. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll be just a minute.” He rushed inside and closed the door, uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the vampire there, standing. Moving as quickly as possible, he retrieved an outfit from the wardrobe and changed. In a few minutes, he joined Izador on the hallway once more. “Ready?” the vampire asked. Brian nodded. “Ready.” Izador led him out of the mansion and into the huge courtyard. A stream of activity immediately drew Brian’s attention. Vampires ran to and fro, some wearing uniforms, others service garb. “What is this place?” he asked in awe. “Where exactly are we?” “The prince’s home. As for where we are, the compound is built on Peruvian lands, though Brazil is just around the proverbial corner.” Brian was surprised at Izador’s long reply. “Should you be telling me this? I mean, I may try to escape.”

 

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Izador shook his head. “Escape? Where? I hate to tell you this, but the rainforest isn’t a place for a fae to wander off alone. Some of the animals there aren’t as friendly as you might make them out to be, even to your kind.” A thread of curiosity niggled through Brian. “Oh?” “They are the kind of animals that can sometimes turn biped.” Shifters, then. It didn’t surprise Brian, of course. Some species disliked cohabitation with humans and chose the wild, focusing on their inner beast, instead of the rational part of them. They were even more dangerous than the vampires. At least Sheridan and his people could be reasoned with. Not that Brian had any intention of running away. Still, something inside him prodded him to tease. “But you have planes. I could just steal one.” Izador chuckled. “Even if, by some miracle, you manage to get past all the guards and orient yourself correctly, I’d still find you.” His dark gaze seemed to turn even blacker. “I never forget a scent, especially not yours.” It should have sounded threatening, but it didn’t. Brian’s nipples peaked, the material of his light clothing suddenly rough against the pebbled nubs. He bit his lip, struggling to at least mask his shamelessness. They were in the middle of the courtyard, damn it. He thought Izador wanted him back…maybe. But how could he be sure? Shaking himself, Brian offered Izador a tremulous smile. “I’m flattered…I think. Now, lead the way.” The tour next took him out of the compound and into the rainforest. Izador pointed out once more Brian should not venture into the Amazonian unknown alone. “If you want to go exploring, come find me. Never go out on your own. Turn to others only if there’s an emergency.” Brian nodded. He didn’t know anyone else, and besides, he had a feeling it would take a while for the rest of the vampires to get used to his presence. The first impression he’d gotten of them wasn’t very

 

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pleasant. They’d watched him as if he were a piece of meat, not a person. Oddly, Brian thought he could appreciate Izador’s more reserved nature. As they went deeper into the forest, the conversation dwindled. Around them, the insects buzzed, monkeys screeched, and macaws crowed. The cacophony of sounds soon swallowed their voices, and they walked together, with Brian just admiring the amazing sights and enjoying Izador’s presence by his side. All too soon, Izador signaled for them to return. When the compound was in sight, Izador spoke at last. “So what do you think?” “It’s beautiful,” Brian answered, still in awe. “Amazing.” “It is.” Izador’s smile was wide and honest this time. “There are few things like it in this world.” He met Brian’s eyes, and Brian’s heart began to beat even faster. Being here, in the raw, wild rainforest, having this man in front of him, a vampire as dangerous as the Amazon, all of it seemed surreal. He would have never thought a few days ago that he’d end up here, not so soon at least. The moment broke when Izador looked away. “Prince Sheridan is struggling greatly to keep it safe and clear of deforestation.” “I’m glad he is,” Brian said with a sigh. “I wanted to do the same…but I’m so young and so inexperienced.” The frustrated words slipped out of his lips before he could stop them. He’d only ever spoken about his aspirations with Jared. In Jared, Brian had found a friend who understood his ideals and shared his hopes for the future. But Brian’s people never wanted him to leave Ireland. They still thought they could hide from the fires of industry, when anyone with a brain could see the worsening of the situation. “You’ll learn it time,” Izador said, somehow managing to sound comforting without patronizing Brian. “Now, let’s go. It’s almost noon and we should meet His Majesty for lunch.” They headed back, and the buzz of the compound soon replaced the erratic sounds of the rainforest. After all the noise, the silent

 

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mansion almost shocked Brian. A maid greeted them as they came in. “The prince said he is busy with other issues, so you can go ahead and have lunch without him. His Majesty will meet you at dinner.” Izador’s eyebrow twitched, a barely visible motion, but which Brian caught regardless. He was beginning to think Izador’s façade of coolness just waited to be cracked. When the servant took her leave, Izador turned toward him. “I guess it’s just us.” The statement struck Brian as odd. With so many people in the compound, it had never even occurred to him that the prince could possibly live alone. “Aren’t there other people here?” Izador arched a brow. “Of course, but it’s only your first day here. Get a feel of the place before you throw yourself to the wolves—well, the vampires.” Brian stared at Izador in disbelief. Had the other man just made a joke? Unable to hold himself in check, he burst into laughter. After a few seconds during which Izador just stared at him, the other man joined him. As Izador’s expression sobered, he said, “If you’d like, we can have lunch with the others. They shouldn’t be too much trouble, even if His Majesty isn’t there.” Brian considered Izador’s words and nodded. He’d have preferred to have privacy with Izador, but he didn’t want to look like he was hiding either. After all, as Sheridan put it, this would be his home for an indeterminate amount of time. “I’m not very excited about the prospect, but it would be best if I just got it out of the way. I’ll just worry over it if I don’t.” “Very well, Brian,” Izador answered. “But you don’t need to worry. As long as I’m here, I’ll protect you.” **** An hour or so later, after cleaning up and getting a change of clothes, Izador sat with Brian at the lunch table. The rest of the

 

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occupants of the mansion had begun to show up earlier, giving them curious looks as they sat down. Sheridan didn’t trust many, but he did have his own circle of lieutenants living here. Mostly, they dealt with administrating the area when neither Sheridan nor Izador were around, or if they had other things to worry about. The most important ones were Jenna, a female vampire who dealt with foreign relationships in the area, and Roger, who supervised the military staff and general organization of the base. Their families automatically followed, but on the whole, including Sheridan and Brian, there were maybe fifteen people inhabiting the mansion—excluding the service staff who provided blood and other commodities. The soldiers and the lower management lived in the barracks. There wasn’t much chatter at the lunch table. Vampires generally didn’t communicate much with each other, and now, they were all too busy analyzing the new arrival. Jenna took the plunge first. “So Bréanainn, how do you like it here so far?” she asked, her voice smooth and warm. Izador scowled at her. Her little tricks might work on ocelots or humans, but she better not try them with Brian. Brian didn’t seem fazed. “It’s a beautiful place,” he answered. “Everyone’s been very welcoming.” “But it must extremely different from what you’re used to.” “I suppose,” Brian answered without missing a beat. “But I’ve lived in many different places. Diversity is exciting. I think I’ll learn my way here as well.” “That’s a very brave outlook on life,” Jenna commented. She beamed at Brian, the beautiful smile she’d many times used on clueless diplomats to get them to do what she wanted. Izador himself had been a target, before she figured out she didn’t have a chance of becoming a member of a royal family through him. Brian just smiled back to her, and it was ten times more amazing than Jenna’s best effort. “Thank you,” he said, his voice calm and collected.

 

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With Jenna failing in her self-appointed task, Roger took over. “So tell me about your friends and family. How come they allowed you to be here on your own?” Brian’s expression darkened. “They didn’t exactly allow it,” he muttered under his breath. After a short, awkward break, he finished, “But I’m not really alone. I’m safe in the mansion and I’ve always wanted to explore the Amazon more, so it all turned out for the best.” Roger must have noticed Brian had effectively dodged an actual answer and he opened his mouth to say something else. Izador piped in before the man could badger the fae further. “So, Roger. I hear there’s been some trouble with supplying the generator with energy?” Roger turned his attention toward him. They began a boring chat filled with technicalities. While Roger explained the effects of the drought on the generator, Izador kept an eye on the rest of the people present. At one point, Brian began a harmless talk on plant life in the wild with Roger’s daughter, Melina. The rest of the meal went by without anything noteworthy happening, a fact for which Izador felt very thankful. Roger’s words went in one ear and came out the other. Izador somehow managed to be coherent, but the information didn’t really register, not when he could smell Brian there, so close and so delicious. He couldn’t believe he’d laughed and chatted with the fae before lunch. Brian seemed to be unreasonably talented at getting under Izador’s skin. How could Izador keep Brian safe both from himself and others? He was stuck between Scylla and Kharybdis, like his father used to say. Izador’s luck held, and lunch ended soon and painlessly. The vampires scattered to their respective tasks. Since Izador worked only as Sheridan ordered him, he now needed to focus on the visiting fae. He turned toward Brian and said, “Would you like me to show you around the house some more?” Brian nodded. “Yes, please. That would be great.”

 

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Brian’s almost childlike enthusiasm and the light in those blue eyes made a surge of protectiveness swell inside Izador and cemented his decision. He needed to keep Brian safe, no matter what. And he would start with fulfilling his promise and making Brian feel a bit more at home. Izador had always felt somewhat isolated and out of place among the vampires, but his adoptive-father’s presence and affection helped him get used to it. He’d found he liked living here, and he wanted to share it with Brian. Decidedly ignoring the whys of it, Izador led Brian through the house perimeter and around it, showing him everything the fae hadn’t seen so far. Brian didn’t look scared at the sight of other vampires, just intrigued. They spent hours together, hours that were like sweet torture for Izador. They talked—well, Brian talked and Izador listened, occasionally contributing with his own comments. Still, it was a companionship Izador had not expected from someone he’d just met. It was with both regret and relief that he finally left Brian at his quarters after they finished their work. Brian’s presence felt addictive, and Izador didn’t know how much longer he could have stayed close to the fae without doing something stupid. He returned to his own chambers and immediately headed into the bathroom. The temperature outside combined with the smoldering volcano of arousal within him had his body so hot it almost hurt. He got rid of his clothes and started the shower. The water felt pleasantly cool against his overheated flesh when he stepped under the stream, but the burn in his blood didn’t cease. His cock throbbed and his entire being ached to return to Brian’s quarters and claim the young fae. Instead, Izador cleaned himself up and reached down to cup his throbbing prick. In his mind, it was Brian’s fist enclosing his cock, not his own. An image of Brian’s beautiful blue eyes flashed through Izador’s mind’s eye. From that point on, the fantasy began grow more and more, until Izador could almost see Brian kneeling in front of him

 

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in the shower. His gorgeous hair was wet with the water, clinging to his pale skin, but he smiled up at Izador, eager to please him. Those gorgeous orbs shone with arousal and he licked his lips in silent invitation. With no hesitation, Izador took Brian up on his offer and pushed his prick in Brian’s wet mouth. Brian greedily sucked him in, as if he couldn’t get enough. The fae released a quiet moan, and the vibrations sent a wave of pleasure through Izador. The sweet suction, the pressure, the wet heat—it all felt so amazing that Izador couldn’t help himself. He began fucking Brian’s mouth in earnest, loving the sight of his mate’s lips around the head of his prick. A distant part of him remained aware that this was all just a fantasy. Perhaps for that reason, he allowed himself to ride it out fully, to go with the flow, to ruthlessly fuck Brian’s throat. In real life, he might not have allowed himself to use Brian so roughly, but in his imagination, Brian didn’t need to breathe. And imagination was all Izador had, so he made the best of it. Even this knowledge couldn’t stop the soaring pleasure, and Izador let it sweep over him like the water. The memory of Brian’s smile and light laughter flashed through his mind, and just like that, Izador came. Had his fantasy been real, Brian would have drunk down his spunk. As it were, it splashed against the shower wall and disappeared down the drain moments later. Somehow, it made Izador feel even lonelier and more desolate. A half-breed like him could not in any way try to approach someone like Brian romantically. No matter what Sheridan thought, nothing good could come out of such an association. But a stubborn part of Izador still wanted it, and he feared what would happen if he ever lost control.

 

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Chapter Four The weeks flew by in the Amazonian rainforest. Brian had gotten used to the prince’s court here. It wasn’t much different than his home, at the most basic level, at least. Sheridan had succeeded in keeping intrigue at the minimum, since the number of ambitious aristocrats here was kept low. More often than not, Brian ended up in Izador’s company. He didn’t mind. He enjoyed it a lot, in fact. The only thing that frustrated him was the fact that he simply couldn’t get past the barriers Izador set between them. He’d managed to stay in contact with Jared and his parents through the occasional call. However, he hadn’t quite dared to tell his friend about his feelings for Sheridan. Over and over, he’d delayed it, and before he knew it, two months passed, without him asking Jared what to do. He always ensured Jared all was well, keeping their actual location a secret as he’d been asked by Sheridan. Of course, the fact that he didn’t trust the privacy of his brief calls didn’t help. At this point, however, Brian knew he needed help. Jared had a vampire mate, so perhaps he could assist him. Thankfully, he’d at last been deemed trustworthy enough to have an Internet connection. He couldn’t wait to see what advice Jared gave him. After quickly composing an e-mail to his friend, Brian sent it off before he could change his mind. In it, he assured his friend he was fine and he explained the Izador situation, more or less. He wanted to find out how he could be certain if Izador liked him or not, and what he could to about it. Jared didn’t take long in replying. The

 

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notification of incoming e-mail had Brian rushing to check what his friend told him. Hey there, Bri. I’m glad to hear things are going well for you, although you really shocked me with the Izador thing. I’ve met him and he’s quite a hard nut to crack. Regarding what you asked me, Tomas says a vampire who’s attracted to you would be staring at you a lot, maybe licking his lips. Zongxian thinks he’d be protective of you and want to be by your side and touch you a lot. But if he thinks you don’t like him, he might hold back. So, try discreet flirting first, and if that doesn’t work, cut your finger or something along that line. It should cause a reaction in Izador. Keep us posted. Waiting for more details. Your friend, Jared The e-mail didn’t say anything else, and Brian imagined his friend might have gotten carried away with other activities. But it was very helpful, regardless. So Brian had to take the initiative. Well, Izador clearly hadn’t done it, and if he’d refrained from it for months, he’d continue on the same route for Brian’s entire stay, for whatever misguided reason. Brian decided to heed his friend’s advice. He was supposed to meet Izador in fifteen minutes or so to go out of the compound. Izador had been away for a couple of days, on a mission for Sheridan, and Brian had been stuck inside, reluctant to leave the safety of the mansion with anyone else. Now, he wanted to spend more time at Izador’s side, and preferably, use it to make their relationship deeper. He chose a light outfit that showed off just enough of his body, then decided on how exactly to proceed with his plan of seduction. Nervousness coursed through him. He’d never done anything like this before. Usually, men and women came to him, and he had a choice. It

 

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even happened here, in the mansion, with the rest of the vampires. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the one man Brian desired refused him? Once he got dressed, he left the room and headed toward the foyer. The mansion was generally well guarded, and Sheridan didn’t prohibit him from moving around as he pleased. He was not allowed in the prince’s private wing, but then again, few people were admitted there, with the exception of Izador. Truth be told, Brian had begun to be jealous of the prince and all the affection and respect Izador clearly had for the man. Forcing back those thoughts, Brian hastened the pace. He was in such a hurry that as he went down the stairs, he tripped and fell. With the staircase as abrupt as it was, he ended up rolling to the very bottom. His carefully chosen outfit ripped and he scratched his arm on the wood. In spite of their delicate looks, fae were resilient, so he didn’t actually break anything, but it still hurt like a bitch. A muttered curse drew his attention, and before he knew it, Izador was by his side. “Are you okay, Brian?” he asked. His hands cupped Brian’s cheeks with exquisite gentleness. “I’m fine,” Brian replied. “Just slipped.” He struggled to his feet, cursing his own clumsiness. All the while, Izador analyzed him, concern painted on his usually stoic features. “Are you sure? I could get a medic.” Laughing, Brian allowed his power to flow over him. The light scratches healed, leaving the only trace of the accident the torn clothing and the slight spots of blood on them. It was in that moment that Brian realized Izador stared at him with an expression akin to hunger on his face. Izador licked his lips, just like Jared said in his e-mail. His eyes burned with a dark fire, and Brian’s insides melted. Unable to hold back, he stepped closer to Izador and pressed his lips to the other man’s. Every nerve in Brian’s body came alive. At first, Izador seemed shocked, but then he growled and pulled Brian into a strong embrace. Rubbing his body against Brian’s, Izador demanded entrance to

 

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Brian’s mouth. Brian gladly gave it, moaning as Izador’s tongue danced with his own. If he had any remaining doubts on whether Izador wanted him or not, he felt Izador’s hard-on against his hip. God, he should have done this earlier. Why had he hesitated? With another groan, Izador pulled him in his arms and ushered Brian to a nearby empty room. Before Brian even knew what was going on, his mate had pushed him on the couch and shed his clothing. Watching Izador unveil his body only fueled his arousal, and the first sight of Izador’s thick prick made his blood turn to liquid heat. Then, Izador lowered himself over him with a predatory expression, and Brian’s mind melted, going into fuck-now mode. He’d never in his life wanted someone so badly. If he didn’t have Izador now, he’d die. **** Izador had tried to hold back. He really had. He’d intended to protect Brian from his lust. But the fae was simply too beautiful, and everything inside Izador ached to take him. Pushing away his misgivings, he allowed himself to fall into the moment. He helped his mate out of his clothing and marveled at the sight Brian made. Beautiful. All the creamy skin just within his reach made Izador’s mouth water. Brian’s nipples pebbled, demanding his attention, and Izador couldn’t resist. He enclosed his mouth over the tight nubs, all the while caressing his mate’s sweet body, exploring it, retracing every line with his fingers. He went from Brian’s abs to his mate’s prick and took the hard cock in his hand. Brian gasped, a sound of pleasure that echoed through Izador’s body and made his own dick throb. Or it could have been simply the ecstasy he experienced through their bond. Whatever the case, Izador rode the sensation, following it like a beacon, touching Brian like he knew his mate wanted to be touched.

 

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They couldn’t get any lube here, but they didn’t have time to go all the way anyhow, since the circumstances were far from ideal. Distantly, Izador wished he could have done this in his own quarters, where they wouldn’t be disturbed, but he couldn’t stop himself now. Besides, the mere presence of his mate, the scent of his arousal and his own desire made the moment special and unique. Izador bit down on Brian’s nipple, jacking his mate’s cock, rubbing his thumb over the leaking tip. Soon, Brian was writhing against him, gasping and pleading. “Izador. Please…Oh, God, please.” Izador couldn’t have refused his mate to save his life. He sucked one more time on Brian’s left teat, then abandoned it for a more delicious prize. Releasing his hold on his mate’s prick, he began to kiss down Brian’s taut stomach. For a few moments, he allowed himself to thrust his tongue in and out of Brian’s belly button, drawing out the torture for both of them. He didn’t linger for too long, though, and as he moved on, he went directly for the gold. With greed stemming from his own need and Brian’s, Izador took Brian’s cock in his mouth. He bobbed his head up and down the thick shaft, loving the taste of his mate’s pre-cum on his tongue. Brian cried out his name, and his fingers threaded through Izador’s hair. “Izador,” he gasped out. “Wait.” An image invaded Izador’s mind, telling him what his mate wanted. He gave his mate space to maneuver. Brian crawled on top of him, shifted positions, and worked Izador’s pants open. Seconds later, his hot, wet mouth took Izador’s prick in. The combination made Izador groan in pleasure. For a few moments, he lost his rhythm on Brian’s cock, but he regained composure and focused on giving his mate pleasure. Through their bond, Izador could sense his own ecstasy echoed within Brian. It was amazing to realize that even if Izador hadn’t claimed his mate, they could still feel each other like this.

 

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He worshipped Brian’s prick, loving the taste of Brian’s pre-cum in his mouth. It was unique, sweet and spicy, just like his mate. Izador wanted more, so much more. He reached between Brian’s ass cheeks, teasing at his mate’s opening. Brian moaned, and the sound sent delicious vibrations through Izador’s prick. Through some miracle, Izador managed not to come on the spot, and he breathed through the wave of pleasure, something that was somewhat difficult with a cock in his mouth. Still, he was nothing if not persistent, and the beast inside him craved Brian with an intensity that rivaled even his instinct of self-preservation. His senses screamed at him that just beyond the doors, dozens of vampires went about conducting their day-to-day business. Some of them might even feel Izador and Brian’s arousal if they got close to this room. In an odd way, the idea both aroused and angered Izador. He wanted everyone to know Brian was his, but at the same time, he refused to share his mate with anyone. In the end, it didn’t matter. His body knew what it needed, as did his heart, and Izador allowed himself to revel in Brian’s scent and flavor. His prick throbbed in the heat of Brian’s mouth. He was close, so very close, and he could sense Brian’s incoming climax as well. All of a sudden, a sense of decision coursed through Brian, making Izador shudder. His mate started sucking Izador’s cock in earnest, his tongue and lips torturing Izador in the most delicious of ways. As much as Izador would have wanted to come at the same time with Brian, he couldn’t hold back. He cried out around Brian’s prick and exploded, his climax sweeping over him with a strength that left him as weak as a newborn pup. At the last moment, he noticed Brian pulling back and not swallowing his cum like Izador expected. Brian’s cock left his mouth and the fae’s limber body shifted on top of him. Panting, Izador tried to figure out what his mate intended. He realized it when Brian gathered the cum on his face and chest and

 

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reached for Izador’s prick, grinning. “What do you say, lover? Up for another round? The part of his brain that told Izador this was foolhardy shut down, and the only thing he could remember was how much he wanted to be inside Brian. He instantly went rock hard once again, and his mate snickered in satisfaction. Izador would have pulled Brian down, perhaps taught the fae a lesson, but his muscles froze as he watched his mate reach behind himself and insert two fingers inside his own body. Izador couldn’t actually see Brian do it, but he sensed it. He stared up at Brian’s beautiful face, entranced with the sight of his mate biting his full lower lip, with the pleasure he felt coming from Brian, calling out to his own desire. It distracted him so much that he actually managed to keep his instincts of claiming Brian in check. At last, his mate pulled his finger out of his anus and positioned himself over Izador’s cock. “Ready?” he gasped out. Izador might have laughed, especially with the ever-increasing need inside him, but Brian didn’t give him the chance. In one single motion, he impaled himself on Izador’s prick. Through their bond, Izador felt his mate’s slight pain, and he saw Brian wince at the sudden intrusion. Izador held on to Brian’s hips, keeping his mate from moving. “Easy now,” he whispered. “Don’t rush yourself.” Brian nodded and took a few moments while he got used to Izador’s girth. For Izador’s part, he was quite grateful for the previous orgasm. Brian’s ass squeezed him in an ironlike vise, and had Izador not come before, he’d have never been able to be patient with his mate. At last, Brian relaxed and nodded down at Izador. Izador loosened his hold on Brian’s hips, allowing his mate to move. Smiling, Brian lifted himself up and dropped down again. They both gasped at the same time, bursts of pleasure exploding over them at the delicious friction. The last of Izador’s hold over his

 

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control shattered and he let loose. He thrust up inside Brian, moving with his lover as the sweet fae fucked himself on Izador’s prick. They fell into a perfect rhythm, one more familiar than Izador would have expected. Every nerve in Izador’s body felt connected to Brian. In Brian’s deep eyes, Izador saw the same emotions he himself felt. The beast inside Izador demanded the completion of their connection. His fangs dropped, greedy for Brian’s blood. He pulled Brian close and was seconds away from embedding them in his mate’s flesh, when he realized what he was doing. Fearful at his own actions, Izador pushed Brian away with more roughness than he’d have liked. He winced when his cock left Brian’s body. Brian gave him a hurt, confused expression. “Izador?” he asked softly. It was almost too much to bear, and Izador knew he needed to get out of there before his control snapped totally. As horrible as leaving Brian would feel, it would be worse if he one day hurt Brian. **** Brian stared at Izador as the other man backed away from him, his expression horrified. Did Izador not like males? No, that couldn’t be it. The mutual attraction between them couldn’t be denied. For crying out loud, Izador’s prick had been in Brian’s ass just moments ago. Did the vampire despise fae? Brian doubted it. He would’ve seen a sign all these months. Then what? Was there something wrong with Brian himself, something Izador couldn’t accept, in spite of the obvious chemistry between them? “Izador?” he asked, hating the trembling in his voice. “What’s wrong?” Izador shook his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” Before Brian’s astonished eyes, Izador rushed off, leaving him standing there, bereft and crushed, and still smelling of sex. He fell on

 

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the couch, barely remembering to pull his pants on. He didn’t know how long he sat there, in shock, but it couldn’t have been long. Out of the blue, he heard a “tsk” behind him. He turned, only to find himself facing Prince Sheridan. “That boy clearly needs to have his head set on straight,” the prince said. Clearly, Sheridan had seen at least part of what happened between Brian and Izador. Brian felt his face flame in embarrassment, both at his display of wantonness and at Izador’s rejection. Sheridan arched a brow at him. “Don’t look so down, child. It’s really not your fault.” Sheridan’s words sparked a flame of hope inside Brian. “Whose fault is it then?” he asked. Sheridan sighed. “Walk with me, would you?” Brian nodded, considered his options, then sheepishly said, “Could I just clean up for a bit before?” He felt mortified at his own question, but thankfully, Sheridan didn’t comment. Brian rushed to the adjoining bathroom and washed himself as well as he could. When he was reasonably sure he no longer reeked of semen from a mile away, he returned to the room, where Sheridan still waited. They headed out of the main mansion and into the luscious interior garden. It was the only place where Brian could come when Izador didn’t have time to keep him company. In this compound, Izador had somehow managed to blend comfort with ecology, a fact that Brian admired a lot. Even the generators that fueled the mansion with electricity and provided every other convenience were based on alternative fuels. The interior garden itself occupied a wide expanse of terrain, but didn’t cut into the rainforest in any way. Brian always found privacy here, even if some of the other occupants of the mansion used it regularly. Today, everyone seemed to be otherwise occupied, or perhaps they’d been instructed to avoid the garden whenever Sheridan visited. The prince led Brian on the walkways in silence, and with each moment that passed, Brian got more and more restless.

 

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At last, Sheridan stopped. They sat on a marble bench, and Brian waited for the prince to speak. “First of all, Bréanainn, I’d like to thank you for your affection toward Izador. I know you’ve done your best to take it slow with him, and I appreciate that as well.” “He doesn’t seem to appreciate it as much,” Brian muttered under his breath. He wondered if he’d pushed too hard in getting Izador to have sex with him. The prince offered him a sad smile. “Don’t be disheartened,” he said. “He just needs time to accept he can make you happy. It’s not my place to tell you why he feels like this. But if you’re serious about Izador, you can make it happen. I’ve never seen him show genuine interest in someone, not like he does with you.” Anxiety coursed through Brian once more. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. Sheridan knew Izador so well. How could Brian compete with that? He was just being stupid, of course. Sheridan was the prince. It followed as normal that Izador would be loyal and obey him. But a nasty voice in his head pointed out that the rest of the vampires didn’t have such a close relationship with Sheridan. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “He shows interest in you.” Realizing what he’d said and to whom, he hastily opened his mouth to apologize. Sheridan’s chuckle stopped the words in his throat. “Oh, jealousy,” the vampire said. “You’re showing promise. You don’t have to worry about me, Bréanainn. He and I have never shared a bed, not once in a hundred years.” Brian didn’t detect any deceit in Sheridan’s voice. He didn’t doubt the vampire could have lied to him, but in the end, what reason did Sheridan have to do so? Clearly, he wanted Brian and Izador together. “You do know he is my adopted son, right?” Brian gaped at the prince. No, he hadn’t known that. He felt shamed at the realization that it had never occurred to him to ask Izador his last name. “N–No… I didn’t know.” Sheridan just looked amused. “Absentminded child. Well, now you do, and all possible misunderstandings are clear.”

 

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Brian hastily took this opportunity to acknowledge Sheridan’s assistance. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I meant no offense. It’s just that this is a very complicated situation.” Sheridan nodded and got up. “True. We should go back now. You and Izador are due a conversation, and I should return to my boring job.” Brian followed the prince’s example, still shocked at the revelations, but his mood a bit brighter than before. All of a sudden, a strange sensation filled him. It was much like the time when he’d first sensed Izador, only different, tainted with a peculiar trace of discontent and evil. He didn’t know what made him lunge forward toward the prince, but as he did so and they went down on the grass, a bullet whizzed past them. Sheridan cursed and scampered away from Brian. “Stay down,” he said as he scanned the trees beyond the compound borders. An alert began to ring, and Brian surmised the intruder had been detected. “Hurry inside,” Sheridan told him. “Go.” Brian obeyed, although he couldn’t help but feel he was going the wrong way. Something, or someone, waited for him beyond the borders of this compound. The question was—what? **** Izador hastened through the house, desperately heading toward the interior garden. He’d left Brian on his own, having panicked after the passionate moments they’d shared. He felt out of his depth with the new emotions Brian awoke inside him. Only because of his own fears, he’d abandoned Brian with no protection. His advanced senses told Izador Brian at some point met up with Sheridan. This gave him a measure of comfort, although he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw Brian by his side. Fortunately, Brian and Sheridan met him just as he reached the house back exit. The relief Izador felt upon seeing them alive and well

 

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was staggering. Oddly, he’d been more concerned about Brian than about Sheridan. This had never happened before, as the prince had always been the most important person for him, ever since Izador had taken on the name of Amaranth. But that didn’t matter now. He pulled Brian close, needing the tactile evidence the fae was unharmed. “What happened?” he asked. Even as he did so, he knew the answer. He smelled a slight tinge of gunpowder on them, barely traceable since Brian and Izador clearly hadn’t used such weaponry. It was nevertheless there, and a more potent scent than a normal bullet. The person who’d triggered the alarms used ammunition intended to kill a vampire. “We were shot at,” the prince answered. “Bréanainn pushed me out of the line of fire.” Izador didn’t even know what to say to that. He just hugged Brian tighter, hoping to convey both gratitude and relief. The urgency of the situation struck him after a few seconds and he released Brian from his embrace. “We have to find this intruder,” he said. Sheridan frowned fiercely. “I can’t understand how he managed to bypass all our defenses in the first place.” They headed back, rushing toward the security center. Izador hoped to find some sort of information on their attacker. Halfway there, they ran into Roger. “Your Majesty, you’re all right. Thank goodness.” “Brian pushed us out of the bullet’s way,” Sheridan replied. “We owe him our life.” It was an open praise from vampire royalty, and in spite of the seriousness of the situation, Izador experienced a sense of pride at Brian’s accomplishment. Roger, however, didn’t look so pleased. “How did he know to do that?” he asked. “How could he feel the intruder when no one else did?”

 

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All gazes went to Brian. “I don’t know,” the fae said. “I’m not sure how I sensed him.” “Him?” Jenna appeared from farther back, arching a brow at Brian. “How can you be so sure this person is a ‘him’ and not a ‘her’? Or perhaps, there could be more than one.” Any other time, Izador would have added his own opinion to the pool of disbelief. Not now, however. “He is fae. He must have abilities we do not.” Even as he spoke, he knew the argument would not work. “That they do,” Jenna answered, “but their power lies in healing and working with nature. Their senses aren’t as advanced as ours. Isn’t that so, Bréanainn?” Izador refused to allow this to continue. “What is this interrogation anyway?” he growled. “Brian has done nothing wrong.” “Perhaps,” Roger answered. “But his friends may have. Come take a look at a capture image.” Roger showed him a couple of printed pictures, obviously from the outside cameras. It wasn’t very clear, since the main module of the electronics that supervised the area was mostly in infrared. The first image showed a capture in this filter, and as far as Izador could tell from it, their attacker was male, and with a blood temperature higher than a human’s. The second confirmed the first impression. The fuzzy picture caught a man with white-blond hair, his build muscular and strong. He held what looked like a modified sniper rifle, and he bore a striking resemblance to Viktor Petrovic. “I do believe we have been betrayed,” Roger said, glaring at Brian. “Let’s not be hasty,” Sheridan thankfully piped in. “Izador, investigate. Bréanainn will stay here. If it is true that the bloodline heirs decided to attack us, we will decide what measures to take.” Sheridan threw Izador a gaze. For the first time since that first night when Sheridan had found him and his mother, Izador wanted to

 

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ask the vampire prince something. “Please, keep him safe. Please, don’t let any harm come to him.” Sheridan’s expression told him everything he needed to know. Should push come to shove, Sheridan would arrange for Brian to escape. With a heavy heart, Izador prepared himself for departure. Before he left, he gave Brian one final reluctant look. Knowing he couldn’t do much else, he left the building and arranged for a troupe of soldiers to come with him. As they were readying themselves to leave, Roger joined them. “Wait. I’m coming with you to catch Petrovic.” Izador frowned at Roger, sniffing the air. He knew better than to judge by appearances, and his nose never lied. “It’s not him. It’s not Viktor Petrovic.” “Who else could it be?” “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

 

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Chapter Five Vlad fled through the undergrowth, his instincts screaming at him in the unfamiliar setting. Branches hit him in the face as he ran, parrots screeched, the scenery a mere blur at the speed he was going. He’d missed. Fuck, he’d missed. His father was going to kill him. Terror and anger coursed through him at the thought. His vision seemed clouded with a sort of weird red haze. He’d sensed it ever since he’d reached the Amazon, but he couldn’t identify it for the life of it. No, he was lying. He could indentify it. It was the fae. Brian—the fae who lived at the vampire’s compound, the same one who would pay for the assassination and Vlad’s mate. Fuck. Behind him, he heard people following him. Let them come. Let them catch him. He had nothing to lose, but Brian…Brian could die. Decision made, Vlad stopped at the shadow of a big tree. He leaned against the bark and looked up. Through the dense vegetation, he couldn’t see the sun. He couldn’t see the sky. It choked him, reminding him of the many years he’d spent in enclosure. His knees trembled, the memory of his father’s ice-blue eyes glaring down at him, attacking his decision. “You will come back here and report,” the other man had said. “You will kill the vampire no matter what it takes.” Kill the vampire. Yes. He needed to kill the vampire. But, no, Sheridan Amaranth had been saved, and trying again would just worsen the situation for Vlad’s mate.

 

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Mate? No. He didn’t have a mate. He couldn’t have a mate— especially not a male one. He was not an abomination. He needed to obey. He needed to kill. Pain assaulted his mind as he tried to struggle with the compulsion. His scream turned into a howl as he changed forms right there, in the middle of the jungle. An arctic wolf in the Amazon was a dead giveaway. His fur choked him in the heat, and its color would just give his pursuers more clues to find him. But Vlad didn’t care. He just wanted to get the voice out of his head. He wanted to forget, to stop seeing his father’s face in front of his eyes. He stumbled over a tree stump, his paws futilely trying to claw at the ground in an attempt to gain an anchor in a world that refused to accept him. The parrots seemed to screech louder. Somewhere close to him, a powerful shadow was closing in. It was the strangest thing. At first, Vlad almost thought it would be Brian, there to save him from the awful voice. He’d been so beautiful, so very angelic that Vlad’s hand hesitated on the trigger. And then Brian somehow sensed him. Perhaps the bond worked both ways. Did fae have mates like werewolves? Vlad didn’t know. He knew very little except how to hunt and kill. The shadow was coming closer, and Vlad stopped moving. He knew he could not escape it. Distantly, he remembered his father telling him that once he got the job done, he needed to get out of there, fast. The vampire prince had many underlings capable of finding and getting revenge in the cruelest of ways. But suddenly, it didn’t seem all that important to live. Why would he be afraid of dying? Why would he want to go back when the only thing that made sense was here? Brian was such a distant dream to him that Vlad knew he would never be able to reach it. But if he stayed, he might get the chance to tell his story, to convince the prince of Brian’s innocence—and maybe, in the process, see his mate one last time before he died.

 

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It was a good plan, in spite of its implications. Vlad’s every survival instinct screamed for him to get out of there, but he’d lingered there for too long. All of a sudden, he found himself surrounded by a group of soldiers. They pointed weapons at him, obviously intending to shoot him like a dog and not even bothering with a fair fight. Of course, he’d been the one to attack first, so technically speaking, their attitude was more than justified. Vlad’s beast didn’t care about that. It knew nothing about fair and unfair. It saw the world in black and white, and these people definitely belonged to the “black” category. On instinct, Vlad bared his fangs at them, his resolve faltering in the front of the open hostility. And then a tall, handsome man took a few steps forward. “Stop. If you come quietly, you will be allowed your life.” Through his lupine eyes, Vlad couldn’t see the color of the man’s eyes or hair, but he smelled odd, like saltwater mixed with the coppery tinge of blood. Beyond it there was something else, a familiar deep warmth that reached out to Vlad. It struck him with the strength of a sledgehammer and he took a few steps back, snarling. Confusion clouded his mind, and his father’s voice reemerged, screaming at him to attack. Voices clashed in his brain, his instincts and his training warring with each other. Mate. Kill. Mate. Kill. Vlad couldn’t take it anymore. Desperate, he lunged at the waiting man, his claws and fangs ready to sink into flesh. He didn’t know what he was doing, what he wanted anymore. It seemed almost like a movie in which he watched himself move, and couldn’t do anything about it. Somebody please stop me, he begged. But no one could hear him, and Vlad was lost. **** Izador watched the wolf come at him with narrowed eyes. It looked dazed, almost drunk, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d

 

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have thought it had received several tranquilizing shots. But drugs rarely had effects on werewolves, and this man, because his opponent was undoubtedly the same man who’d attacked Sheridan earlier, clearly belonged to this race. It wasn’t very encouraging that the wolf shared Viktor Petrovic’s bulk and characteristics even in this form, but Izador trusted his senses above all else. Given the wolf’s uncoordinated motions, Izador lifted a hand, stopping his men from shooting the beast. He diverted the animal’s attack and caught it in an ironlike vise. As his hand touched the silky white fur, he felt it, the same connection he shared with Brian. How could he have missed it the first time he’d scented the man? Fuck. The wolf was his mate. The animal stopped struggling, whimpering softly under him. Izador smelled confusion and pain, which was strange, because he didn’t seem to have any actual injuries. Frustrated, Izador pet the wolf. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I promise it will be fine. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” Izador didn’t know why this wolf attacked his prince and adoptive father, or why he’d stopped his flight afterwards. Clearly, there was something wrong with him, if not physically, at least mentally. Izador’s instincts told him there must be a good explanation for all this. Gods, he hoped so, because as things were, either Brian or this wolf would die for the assassination attempt on Sheridan. Hell, it could very well be both, but Izador didn’t think Brian had anything to do with it at all. Unfortunately, Roger chose this exact moment to make his appearance. “Are you convinced now?” he asked in a smug voice. “An arctic wolf in the Amazon? Who else could it be?” Izador snorted. If he’d had any doubt over the identity of the would-be assassin, he now knew for sure it couldn’t be Viktor. “I’m sure there are other shape-shifters that turn into arctic wolves, other than Viktor Petrovic. Back off.”

 

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Roger looked disgruntled and angry at his stubbornness, but didn’t say anything. Izador got off the wolf and took the beast in his arms. Its bulk and size made it somewhat difficult to maneuver, but he refused to allow anyone else to touch the animal. The wolf did not move, other than the occasional pained twitch or whimper. “What in the world are you doing?” Roger shouted at him. “The prince told us to investigate,” Izador replied coldly. “I’m just investigating.” He knew it was a lie, and so did the wolf, judging by its lack of reaction. Oh, he intended to investigate. He would find out who or what could have determined his wolf to attack Sheridan. But in the meantime, he would have to make sure no harm came to either of his mates. With the hostility emanating from the vampires around him, he had a feeling it would not be easy. **** Brian paced through Prince Sheridan’s office, his nerves stretched to the limit. All sorts of wild scenarios passed through his mind. What if something happened to Izador? Brian still had so many things to tell him. And the other man—the attacker… Who was he? Why did Brian feel so strange about this whole thing? Sheridan just gave him a bemused look, as if he hadn’t just been attacked and almost killed. “Sit down, Bréanainn. You’ll walk a hole in the floor. I’ll get you a drink.” It was quite unusual for the vampire prince to offer anything like that. But of course, it meant more than an offer. Whenever Sheridan said something, it represented an order, and if Sheridan fetched Brian a drink, it couldn’t bode well. Just like he’d said, Sheridan went to the bar and poured Brian a glass of Pisco. Lately, Brian had taken quite a liking to the grape brandy, but he didn’t drink it much. His resistance to alcohol wasn’t

 

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quite as strong as Jared’s, and he preferred not to make a fool out of himself in this place. “Drink,” Sheridan said as he offered Brian the Pisco. “It will help.” Brian obeyed, and for a few seconds he just focused on the taste of the brandy. He wasted a few more moments on watching Sheridan pour himself a drink, something that looked far too red to be just wine. It didn’t distract him too long, and soon, he was fidgeting again. “Seriously, relax,” Sheridan said with a grin. “Or do you have something to be worried about?” Brian froze, recalling that technically speaking, the assassination attempt put him in a very dangerous position. He let out an unintelligent noise, shocked at even forgetting about it. Sheridan laughed. “You weren’t even thinking about it, were you?” His eyes twinkled with knowledge and understanding. “You were thinking about Izador.” Brian’s face heated, remembering the conversation earlier. Gods, had it just been half an hour ago? It seemed a lifetime away. He didn’t even bother protesting. “I’m just worried,” he answered weakly. “Don’t be,” Sheridan answered. “Izador can take care of himself. He has too many things pending to get hurt on something like this. Besides, he took several men with him. He’ll be just fine.” Brian gave the prince a curious look. “Your Majesty… May I ask you a question?” “Certainly, Bréanainn,” Sheridan answered. The conversation seemed surreally calm, so much so that it almost confused Brian. “Do you believe it was Viktor?” Sheridan looked thoughtful. “It seems so, doesn’t it?” Yes, it did, but Brian had never been one to believe or value appearances. He’d fled his family pretty much for this reason, choosing a life amidst the humans, where he could, perhaps, make a difference.

 

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The office fell into silence, Brian uncertain as to what else he could say, Sheridan seemingly not caring one way or the other. Brian forced himself to stare at the drink and not at the puzzling vampire prince. Nothing helped, and over and over, his mind returned to the same tense questions. What if…? They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, until finally, Brian heard commotion somewhere nearby. Sheridan got up, a clear sign that they would receive news soon. Brian’s heart thundered and he wanted to rush to meet Izador, but Sheridan shook his head. Apparently, they were just going to wait here. Fuck. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the door of the office to burst open. Izador stalked in, carrying a large white wolf. Brian’s eyes met those of the animal, and he froze, pinned by the hypnotic gaze. An angry shout snapped him out of his trance. “Your Majesty, Izador refused to let us kill the wolf. He claims he wants to investigate. Investigate!” It was Roger, the vampire who’d accused Brian of an involvement in the assassination attempt. Sheridan just arched a brow, not looking in the slightest bit surprised. “So you know who the wolf is, I gather?” “It must be Viktor Petrovic,” Roger answered. “There’s no doubt about it.” Sheridan tilted his head as if trying to identify the wolf’s scent. But vampires could only trace by blood, and even the vampire prince would have difficulty making sure this was truly Viktor. “What do you think, Izador?” he asked. “Is this Viktor Petrovic?” “It’s not him,” Izador said, certainty in his voice. Sheridan smiled at Roger. “There. It’s not Viktor.” His expression turned dark. “Now explain to me why you have a problem with the instruction we gave Izador.” Sheridan’s pleasant tone had become dangerous, and Roger immediately looked taken aback. “I…I didn’t mean…I just felt…” Sheridan let out a sigh of exasperation and turned toward Brian. “Go on to your room, Bréanainn. We’ll deal with this.”

 

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As he spoke, the prince came a bit closer to Brian. Brian didn’t feel particularly threatened, even if Sheridan could be intimidating at times. What happened next took everyone by surprise. The white wolf jumped out of Izador’s arms, lunging toward Sheridan. The vampire prince dodged, and the wolf landed on four paws between Sheridan and Brian. He snarled at the vampire, taking a protective stance in front of Brian. Now more than ever, Brian felt very confused. He looked toward Izador who seemed very pale and maybe even scared. Sheridan frowned fiercely at the wolf, his body as tense as a bowstring. He was getting ready to attack, Brian realized. At the same time, he knew the wolf—or anyone else in the room for that matter—would have no chance in a fight against the vampire prince. He felt the accumulation of power grow, and his knees gave out in fear. His eyes wide, he wrapped his arms around the white wolf. He didn’t know why, but the animal was risking his life in a misguided attempt to protect him. There was more to this story than it seemed, but Brian feared they’d never get the chance to find out. Brian closed his eyes, threading his fingers through the soft white fur. Seconds passed, and just when Brian thought Sheridan would attack, a small voice said, “Father, please…” **** The words clogged in Izador’s throat even as he spoke them. He had never once used the affection Sheridan showered him with for his own benefit. He’d never uttered a plea or made a single protest. He’d never even called Sheridan “father,” even if he loved the man as much as he did his own dead sire, Holokai. But he was willing to beg now. He was willing to beg and plead and do whatever it took, as long as Sheridan spared the white wolf and Brian. Brian’s gesture of kneeling next to the wolf seemed to

 

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indicate some sort of knowledge regarding the animal’s identity, and Izador feared what that might mean. He shouldn’t have worried. Sheridan ignored Brian and the wolf altogether and turned toward him. For the first time in his life, he looked shocked, just staring at Izador. Izador experienced a brief pang of guilt at using Sheridan’s love for him like this, but he didn’t have much choice. His prince was merciless with his enemies, and the wolf had crossed the line, not once, but twice today. To his surprise, the first thing Sheridan said was, “Roger, leave us.” Izador had completely forgotten about the other vampire’s presence. He couldn’t even fathom what rumors Roger would spread about him now that he’d heard his plea. It didn’t matter. He could deal with that later. First, he needed to figure out how to solve this morethan-delicate situation. Immediately, Roger exited the office and closed the door behind. For a few moments, Sheridan was silent. Then, he stepped away from Izador and sat down at the desk. The distance between them felt more than physical, and Izador suppressed a wince. “Izador, explain,” Sheridan said. “Why shouldn’t I kill this wolf? What is Brian’s involvement in all of this?” It was the worst possible time and the worst possible way to reveal this, but Izador had no choice. “They are my mates,” he replied softly. He fell to his knees and bowed his head in front of his prince and adoptive father. “I… Please… At least until we figure out what happened here.” He knew he’d approached this in an entirely wrong way, but he could not find words or actions to fix it. To his surprise, he heard the soft padding of paws close in. The white wolf licked his face, its iceblue eyes understanding and thankful. His mate. The wolf felt the same thing he did. He’d only been trying to protect Brian, even if in the wrong way.

 

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Sheridan sighed and, for a few moments, remained silent. “You, wolf, change into your human form, right now,” he ordered. Thankfully, the wolf obeyed. Izador dared to look up and watched as the shape of the beast blurred, leaving behind a tall, muscular man, the same one from Roger’s capture photo. From up close, he looked even more breathtaking. The similarities to Viktor Petrovic were quite obvious, from his hair and eye color, to his general stance and bulk. “Tell me your name, boy,” Sheridan said. “What are you doing here? What is your purpose?” Izador saw the man swallow in nervousness. “My name is…my name is Vlad. Vlad Petrovic. I came to kill you.” Sheridan arched a brow. “Intriguing. What’s your connection to Viktor?” “He... He’s my brother.” Izador shared a look with Brian. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. Brian looked as shocked at him. For his part, Izador had never heard of Viktor Petrovic having a brother. Of course, that explained the similarities in looks, but everything else just didn’t make sense. “Your brother,” Sheridan repeated. “Did he send you here?” Vlad shook his head. “He and I have never met.” His fists clenched and unclenched. “I suppose you could say I’m his copy.” Sheridan got up and made his way to Vlad’s side. A claw traced Vlad’s cheek, making Izador wince. Vlad didn’t move, obviously realizing he was on thin ice. Blood pooled on Vlad’s cheek and Sheridan gathered it on his thumb. Izador gulped as he watched his prince drink Vlad’s blood. He supposed it was a good sign that Sheridan had chosen this method of reading Vlad’s memories, rather than feed directly from him. This meant he at least believed the werewolf might be Izador’s mate and he respected that. Moments passed, ticking away in what seemed like ages. “I see,” Sheridan finally said. He grimaced and rubbed his forehead, as if

 

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experiencing a migraine. “For the moment, I’ll accept Izador’s request and spare your life. But you will remain here in the compound until the problem has been dealt with.” The prince turned his attention to Izador. “Izador, get up, will you, my child?” Izador obeyed, his heart still thundering with the knowledge of how close he’d come to losing his mates. “I’ll entrust Mr. Petrovic’s stay here to you. But make no mistake, at strike three…” Izador nodded, understanding the message. Sheridan could afford to be merciful once, but vampires did not respect a ruler who did not destroy his opponents. “I understand, Your Majesty.” “Good. I want you to watch them at all times. Have Bréanainn and Vlad move in with you in your chamber.” Izador froze and just stared at the prince. Sheridan did tend to get involved in his private life more than Izador would have liked, but Izador couldn’t say anything about it now. “Yes, Majesty,” he mumbled. Sheridan chuckled. “I do hope you’ll call me Father even when you don’t need a favor from me.” The lighthearted tone made Sheridan sound more like the man Izador knew, the man who’d taken him in and tried to hook him up with eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. Izador smiled at Sheridan. “Yes, Father.” “I expect you to solve your mess of a mating. This simply won’t do.” He frowned at Brian and at Vlad. “This goes for you, too.” Vlad just looked gobsmacked, as if he couldn’t quite believe what was going on, while Brian nodded hastily. “Yes, Majesty.” “And put some clothes on, will you?” Vlad actually blushed, and Izador threw Vlad his jacket. It was long enough to cover Vlad’s ass, just barely. With that, Sheridan waved them off. Izador didn’t delay in taking the cue. He left the office, dragging his two mates out with him. He

 

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felt tired, like he’d run a marathon, even if he’d never been physically exhausted quite to such an extent. “Come on,” he told the two men. “We should talk.”

 

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Chapter Six Vlad followed after the mysterious Izador without a word. He would have laughed if he’d been able to muster the energy. Who’d have thought that he would find two mates on this trip? Who’d have thought one of them would be the vampire prince’s son? Half of him, the same part that screeched about this being an abomination, told him to take advantage of the opportunity and flee. He might be able to make it out, if he was careful enough. But he knew he could not leave. Izador had staked his life and honor to save him. The least he could offer was gratitude, even if anything else seemed out of the question at this point. Izador led him and Brian through the huge mansion, passing several vampires that gave them ugly looks. Finally, they reached their destination. “These are my chambers,” Izador said with a sigh. He smiled sheepishly, although Vlad couldn’t have said who the smile was directed to. “I’m afraid I could never convince His Majesty I was better off living in less fancy environments.” Izador’s living space seemed to be the size of a condo, with several bedrooms, baths, a living room, and even a small kitchen. Vlad couldn’t begin to fathom why Izador would possibly need it, but he didn’t socialize much, and neither did he live in condos. So he kept his mouth shut and walked inside. Izador provided him with a change of clothes. They were roughly the same size, and it felt good to wear Izador’s clothes. After Vlad changed, Izador gestured him to a couch, and both Brian and Vlad sat down. “Would you like a drink?” Izador asked.

 

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“Water,” Brian whispered. Vlad dared to nod. “For me, too.” His throat was parched, but he didn’t have the courage to add alcoholic drinks to the mess that swirled inside his head. Izador briefly left the living room and returned with three glasses of water. He kept one for himself and offered the others to Brian and Vlad. After a brief, awkward pause, he said, “So, I suppose we should talk about this.” Vlad didn’t speak. Of course, he’d expected having to explain his behavior, but somehow, it had been easier in front of Sheridan, when the vampire prince forced the words out. But with his mates there, Vlad felt ashamed, unworthy. This was a horrible idea, and the last thing he wanted was to have them hate him. “How about I begin?” Izador said when nobody else dared to. “I’m Izador Amaranth. Prince Sheridan is my adoptive father, and I’ve been with him for the past hundred years, give or take.” Vlad wanted to ask who Izador’s real parents were, but he didn’t know Izador well enough to pry, so he remained silent. “I work for him. You could say I’m his right-hand man.” Izador stopped, looking uncertain if he should say anything else. Finally, he took a deep breath and continued, “I’ve never said this to anyone, but I’ll take a leap of confidence here. My mother was a vampire and my father was a shifter, a shark. I’m a half-breed, a tracker. No one knows that, except for Prince Sheridan.” For a few moments, Vlad just stared. He saw Izador panting hard and realized how hard it must have been for the other man to confess his secret. Even Vlad, who’d lived at the border of the vampire-shifter conflict, knew about the antagonism between the two races. He was beginning to appreciate Prince Sheridan for caring for Izador, when obviously, no one else had. “They died?” Brian asked in a small voice. Izador nodded. “My father was killed by his own people. My mother died shortly after. She couldn’t live without him.”

 

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“I’m sorry,” Vlad choked out. It was meaningless, since Izador’s emotions were beyond him. Izador had obviously loved his parents, something that was beyond Vlad’s power of comprehension. Vlad loved his mother, but he’d never known her, so his experience couldn’t be the same. And yet, even with everything, he found himself speaking. “I don’t remember my mother. She died when I was a baby. I live with my father. He has been training to be his…his weapon, I suppose.” His voice sounded dull to his own ears, and he couldn’t believe he was speaking any of this out loud. “I…I was supposed to kill Prince Sheridan and turn the vampires against Viktor.” He laughed bitterly. “For once, I didn’t have a problem with the mission. Viktor has everything, a mate, a home, friends, and family.” And all these years, while Viktor enjoyed playing house with his mate, snake-shifter Kaiden Hearne, Vlad had been suffering in his stead. “I remember now.” Brian’s eyes widened in realization. “Jared mentioned something in passing when we were living together. Viktor took over the pack from his father, Sasha. Sasha is the man who sent you, right? It was him.” Click. No light, no consciousness. Anger and ferocity, the memory of ice-blue eyes staring down at him. The tiny doe stared at Vlad, her eyes wide with terror. Vlad’s hunting instincts told him he could attack. The prey was there, and it would not move, too afraid to make her escape. But it would be useless. She was a small, skinny thing, with barely any flesh on her. If he killed her, it would be for naught. With a small snarl, he urged the doe to leave. The small creature snapped out of her trance and fled the grove. Vlad knew he’d made a serious mistake when he felt his father behind him. Even in his human form, Sasha Petrovic was an intimidating sight, and Vlad cowered in front of it.

 

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Sasha scented the weakness, and attacked. The first blow took Vlad by surprise and he flew against a rock, pain assaulting his head and his muscles. “You good-for-nothing runt.” Sasha stared at him, a sneer of disgust on his lips. “You’ll never be able to lead the pack at this rate. I might as well hand it to your brother on a silver platter.” Vlad tried to shield his head from the blows, knowing he’d angered his father. He only wanted to get out and run, follow the call of the moon. But Sasha wanted him to hunt and kill. He wanted him to tear apart every animal that fell in their path. Vlad couldn’t do it. The wolf hunted to feed, not to waste, and the instinct of the animal told him to wait. In a few months, that doe would grow, perhaps even give birth. Then, there would be more food for Vlad. But Sasha didn’t care about that. The blows fell and fell, and Vlad realized that, in the end, food or no, it didn’t matter what he thought. If he wanted to survive, he needed to kill. Kill. He needed to kill. The woman shrieked at Sasha, angrily gathering her clothing. Jessica. That was her name. His father’s lover and lately, his antagonist. “I’m sick of this, Sasha,” she yelled. “It was a horrible idea in the first place. I want to go back to the pack.” “And do you really think they’d accept you?” Sasha laughed. “Please. Remember we were exiled under pain of death.” “All because of your stupid plan. What did it matter that your son was a faggot? You could have just waited until Vlad grew up and then made Vlad challenge Viktor in your stead. Now, we’re living in this miserable hovel.” She pointed to their current surroundings. “I don’t want to live here anymore.” Vlad secretly agreed, but his reason was drowned out by the knowledge of his necessity to kill. Jessica. She would be his victim. He watched her continue to scream incoherent ramblings at his father. Or maybe they weren’t incoherent, but he didn’t quite grasp them.

 

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The vein in her neck pulsed with life and Vlad imagined sinking his fangs into it. No. He couldn’t do it. He had to get a grip. Jessica might be a bitch, but she didn’t deserve to die. He didn’t want to kill, damn it. But all that didn’t matter, not when his father walked to his side and released him from the chain tying him down. Vlad was naked, raw, and filthy from the time he’d spent on the floor. Hunger rumbled in his belly and he couldn’t have controlled himself if he wanted to. “Go ahead, Vlad,” Sasha said pleasantly. “Kill her.” Vlad shot forward, and he just distantly registered the sound of her scream, the scrapes of her claws against his chest, and finally, the moment when she drew her last breath. A heavy punch hit his jaw and for a few moments, Vlad thought his father was trying to save Jessica. Instead, he heard a familiar voice say, “Snap out of it.” It was Izador, Vlad realized. The past started to fade into a distant corner of his mind, and Vlad stared up into Izador’s beautiful eyes. “What happened? What did I do?” Brian knelt by his side, his hand warm and comforting. “You suddenly went crazy when I mentioned S…” Brian stopped himself before he uttered the name. “When I mentioned your father,” he finished. “I’m sorry.” Vlad forced himself upright, shame and regret making him look away from Brian’s knowing eyes. He was naked again, and he realized he must have shifted into his wolf form again. Gods, what would have happened if Izador hadn’t been there? Brian wasn’t a fighter. Vlad might have very well killed his mate. “You don’t have to apologize,” he answered. “You couldn’t have known.” “He hurt you,” Izador said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement, and it didn’t hold any of the accusations Vlad expected. For the first time, the scent of blood hit Vlad’s nostrils and he analyzed Izador more carefully. The other man’s shoulder was shredded, and Vlad

 

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wanted to die on the spot at the realization that he himself had done that while lost in the memory. “Come, sit down, both of you,” Brian urged. Vlad obeyed, a strange sense of numbness flowing over him. This was pointless. Even if Sheridan had spared his life, Vlad would never be free of the past. After he made sure his mates would be okay, Vlad would go to Sheridan and ask to be dispatched. It would be better for all. He didn’t think Sheridan would refuse him. After all, the prince must want something better for his adoptive son than a crazed werewolf. Lost in his musings, he almost didn’t understand Brian’s actions. First, Brian pressed his hand over Izador’s bloody wound. Izador grimaced, but didn’t move. Then, Brian gripped Vlad’s palm. His skin felt soft and warm and for a brief instant, Vlad wondered how Brian would taste, how he would move when they made love. A flash of desire coursed to him at the image of Brian riding his cock. Hastily, he shook off the ridiculous idea. He’d never reach that dream. It would be pointless to even hope for it. And then, a rush of warmth coursed through him. It started from his hand and flowed into his body, relaxing his muscles, eliminating a tension he hadn’t even known about. For the first time in his life, his mind began to clear a bit, and the memories retreated under the light of Brian’s power. Vlad didn’t doubt that they were still there, but for now, the storm was over. When the moment ended, Vlad dared a peek toward Izador and realized the ugly wound at his shoulder had vanished. His relief was replaced by concern when he sensed a wave of weakness come from Brian. Immediately, both he and Izador were at the young fae’s side. “I’m okay,” Brian said. “I’m fine. I’m just not used to focusing my attention in two different places.” Guilt weighed on Vlad’s heart, heavier than ever. He wanted to flee, to leave Brian and Izador be, maybe build a life together. But

 

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Izador narrowed his eyes at him. “Don’t you dare go,” he growled. “You are our mate. And we have to face this together.” Vlad tasted bitter fear in his mouth. But facing Izador’s gaze and looking into Brian’s beautiful eyes, he couldn’t find the strength to refuse. “Okay,” he said roughly. “Promise me,” Brian said. “Promise you’ll stay to figure things out with us.” What could Vlad do? He promised. **** Hours later, Izador lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, while his mates slumbered by his side. The events of the day had tired them all, but Izador still couldn’t sleep. Thankfully, no one came to bother them, and Izador mentally thanked Sheridan, knowing his adoptive father was giving him time to deal with it. He was a bit surprised that Vlad’s episode hadn’t drawn any attention. Someone must have heard and reported it to Sheridan. But whatever the case, Sheridan always knew what happened on his compound and Izador wouldn’t doubt that eventually he would have to talk to his father about it. He stole a look at Brian and Vlad and his eyes met Vlad’s ice-blue ones. “How long have you been awake?” he whispered, a bit frustrated that he hadn’t sensed his mate stir. “A while,” Vlad answered. “I don’t sleep that much.” “You should,” Izador replied. There were dark circles under Vlad’s eyes and he looked exhausted. At the same time, though, there was something about him, a slight sense of peace that hadn’t been there earlier. “Brian’s power helped,” Vlad explained, “but I don’t know how long it will take for the flashbacks to return. This is a bad idea, Izador. I should just go.”

 

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Izador frowned. “Go where? You just promised you’d stay hours ago.” “I know.” Vlad looked uncomfortable. “But wouldn’t it be safer for you and Brian if I took off?” “Maybe safer,” Brian said suddenly, “but not better.” It took Izador by surprise, since he hadn’t realized the young fae had been awake either. His mind seemed all over the place. Was it the memory of seeing Vlad so out of control, so wild? It might also be the fact that for the first time in ages he’d mentioned his parents to anyone except Sheridan. Either way, his instincts were faltering, and he needed to keep them sharp for whatever followed. But truth be told, he agreed with Brian. After meeting Vlad, he couldn’t simply allow the other man to leave. Even if Vlad had been a stranger, Izador would have wanted to help. But as it was, Vlad was his mate, and Izador burned with anger at the knowledge of what the werewolf must have gone through. There was a small chance that if Izador asked, Sheridan might let Vlad go. But what would be the point? Beyond these walls, Vlad would still be hunted, both by his father and by the vampires. Izador couldn’t allow that. Of course, Vlad knew all this. It was impossible not to know. He seemed willing to take the chance, just to keep Izador and Brian safe. Unfortunately, Izador did not have much experience with heart-toheart talks. For crying out loud, he’d spent these past weeks running away from his mate. He’d even pushed Brian away at the worst possible moment, during their first coupling. At least to a certain extent, he understood Vlad’s position. Brian, however, looked frustrated. He got up and glared at both of them, as if guessing their thoughts. “I know it’s hard,” he said, “but it won’t get any easier if you run away. Izador has been rejecting me all this time, and now, you want to leave.” He looked away from them. “Am I that bad of a mate?”

 

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From anyone else, Izador would have considered the question a ploy, but he felt Brian’s genuine self-doubt and uncertainty. He shared a panicked look with Vlad. Whether they wanted to or not, they were in this together. Trying to escape wasn’t an option—it would just hurt their mate further. Izador felt shame and distress flood him as he remembered what he’d done earlier. Gods, he’d been so cruel. How could Brian even want to forgive him? Taking a deep breath, Izador pulled Brian closer and forced their eyes to meet. “Don’t say that, beautiful. I’m so sorry for earlier, for everything. It’s not your fault.” Brian shook his head, interrupting him. “It’s a lack of trust. If we don’t trust each other, who can we rely on?” Brian’s eyes speared Izador, so deep and blue they reached out to Izador in a way he never would have thought possible. Almost against his will, his cock hardened with need. His fangs lowered with the desire to claim his mate and taste his blood. Brian must have seen it. Even so, he didn’t pull away. Instead, he smiled and nodded. “There you go. Isn’t it easy?” They’d only been together once, and Izador had fled like a coward afterward. Not this time. This time, he would take what he’d wanted for so long, and he would stay by his mate’s side. He pressed his lips to Brian’s, groaning when his fae lover wrapped slender arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Brian parted his lips, surrendering to Izador’s exploration. He tasted sweet and refreshing, and his scent reminded Izador of a calm breeze stirring the greenery and caressing his face. Izador delved deeper, the flavor arousing the predator inside him, making him even hungrier for Brian’s body. Brian moaned and rubbed against Izador, his hard cock nudging Izador’s thigh. The scent and feel of his mate’s arousal called out to the beast inside Izador. He wanted to devour Brian whole. He yearned to taste every inch of that delicious flesh, to explore and lick and fuck. He’d have liked for the moment to last forever, but there was something else on Izador’s mind. As he and Brian broke apart to

 

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breathe, Izador stole a look at Vlad. The other man fidgeted, looking awkward and uncomfortable. Brian turned toward Vlad and beamed. “Come on. Don’t be afraid. We’re in this together, remember?” Vlad shook his head. “I’m not like you. I don’t deserve all this.” Izador frowned. It wouldn’t be easy to convince Vlad to trust them. Vlad had suffered so much, and that pain called out to Izador in the same way Brian’s kindness did. Yes, Izador understood Vlad all too well, and he feared that perhaps, his second mate would tend to do exactly what Izador had done for the past weeks. Breaking away from Brian, Izador made his way to Vlad’s side. “You aren’t like us, no,” he whispered. “But that’s why we fit together. You might not realize it now, but it’s fear holding you back, the same fear that kept me from Brian. You can’t let it defeat you.” Something like anger flashed through Vlad’s eyes. The werewolf reached for Izador, and for a moment, Izador thought his mate would attack him again. Perhaps Vlad himself thought it. Instead, he hesitated, and his ice-blue eyes scrutinized Izador’s face, searching for answers to questions Izador couldn’t hear. Whatever he’d seen must have convinced him of Izador’s honesty. He relaxed visibly, and his lips twisted into a barely-there smile. It seemed drawn out, as if Vlad didn’t know how to do it, but it was a beginning. And then, their gazes met and held. Blood roared in Izador’s ears as he was struck by the true extent of Vlad’s need. It echoed through their unfulfilled connection, inside Izador and toward Brian, as if pleading for them to help, to understand. Brian came to them and wrapped his arms around Vlad’s waist. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” he whispered. “We’ll take care of you.” Brian’s words seemed to break the spell that held Vlad bound to them. He tried to fight Brian off him, the panic returning. “You can’t. It’s too late. Far too—”

 

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Before he could finish the phrase, Brian crushed his lips to Vlad’s. Vlad’s eyes widened, and for a few moments, Izador thought the other man might spook again. He didn’t. He couldn’t have, not under Brian’s sweet touch. Slowly, their werewolf mate relaxed, and surrendered to the kiss. Brian pressed closer to him, and Izador’s apprehension over the situation melted into pure lust. God, his mates looked amazing together. And when Vlad truly let go, he pulled Brian closer. Izador watched as Vlad buried his tongue into Brian’s mouth, at first clumsily, but with each passing second, more greedily. He couldn’t take it anymore. This was it, the moment he’d been waiting for all his life, and he would be damned if he’d allow fears or doubts shadow it. **** A myriad of emotions coursed through Vlad as he kissed Brian, awe and confusion mixing with pure lust. He’d never kissed anyone before. He’d never benefitted from any display of affection. At times, he’d seen others have sex. His father never cared enough to hide his lusts from him, and sometimes, when the man slept with Jessica, Vlad would be forced to witness it. Other times, when Vlad acted as his father’s spy or assassin, he’d catch sight of normal people being intimate. But he himself had never touched anyone like that. Affection of any kind was forbidden. And yet, with Brian, all that faded to the back of his mind. Every caress came naturally, and for the first time, Vlad found himself surrendering to the desires of his body and his heart. He followed his instincts, touching every inch of skin he could reach, reaching under Brian’s shirt to gain more access. Brian gasped, his aggression melting in the heat of Vlad’s need. Vlad took Brian’s surrender and reveled in it, fucking his mate’s mouth with his tongue. A part of his mind sensed Izador watching them and reveled in it, in the lust he felt coming from his second

 

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mate. He had no idea how he was supposed to bond with not one, but two men, but he knew it was possible. Some of his brother’s friends made it work. The thought of the man he hated so much almost snapped him out of his lust, but Izador must have sensed the change in his mood. The other man went around him and wrapped his arms around Vlad’s waist. “Don’t think about anything that isn’t us, the here and now.” Izador licked a trail of fire down Vlad’s neck. “This is the only thing that matters,” he whispered. Brian seemed to have registered the situation as well as he broke their kiss and offered Vlad a smile so bright, so beautiful that it practically shone. Without a word, Brian lowered himself to his knees and worked Vlad’s borrowed pants down, exposing Vlad’s hard cock. Vlad gulped as his mate’s fist engulfed his prick. “Brian…” Brian’s eyes twinkled when he looked up at Vlad. “It’s okay. Just relax and enjoy.” It was the only warning Vlad got before wet heat engulfed his prick. He let out a choked cry and he might have actually fallen had Izador not been there to hold him up. The half-breed’s hands took care of Vlad’s clothing, working each button open. Vlad could only lean against Izador, his head against the other man’s shoulder. He managed to muster enough strength to watch his fae mate take his prick. Brian didn’t rush, seemingly finding enjoyment through the simple act of giving Vlad pleasure. He traced the thick vein across Vlad’s shaft with his tongue then sucked on the glans with almost excruciating thoroughness. Vlad felt the beast inside him stir with a need he wasn’t sure he could control. The fear appeared again, but Izador steadied him, his hands caressing Vlad’s naked torso. He tweaked Vlad’s nipples, causing shocks of pleasure to course through him. “Accept it,” Izador murmured. “Don’t be afraid. We can take it.” But could they? Vlad had killed before. What if the monster inside him broke loose and hurt his mates? He couldn’t stand the thought.

 

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The doubt evaporated when Brian took his prick in his mouth and started sucking him in earnest. As the fae bobbed his head up and down Vlad’s cock, Izador forced Vlad to look at him and crushed their lips together. He didn’t give Vlad the chance to protest, or to fear and vacillate. His tongue thrust into Vlad’s mouth, taking no prisoners, exploring, tasting, and sweeping each and every one of Vlad’s barriers. Tremendous, mind-shattering heat rose inside Vlad’s body. He couldn’t have held himself back if he wanted to. He surrendered to the sensation, torn between fucking Brian’s mouth and rubbing his ass against Izador’s hard cock. He’d never in his life felt such pleasure, never allowed himself to even consider he might one day experience it. Sexual energy tingled at the base of his spine, threatening to tear him apart. He was close, so very close. As if of their own accord, his hands threaded through Brian’s hair. It was as soft as silk, and the simple contact made Vlad shiver. Gods, just a little more, and he would come. To his shock and dismay, Izador tore away from him and pulled him from Brian’s grip. Vlad grunted in protest when his cock escaped Brian’s mouth. Brian looked a bit surprised at first, but then, the two men shared a look, and it seemed like a sort of silent communication took place between them. Vlad opened his mouth to ask what was going on. For a few terrible moments, he thought they’d realized that he was trash and changed their minds about their bond. But then, Brian got up and began to shed his clothing. Vlad nearly swallowed his tongue at the first sight of his fae’s naked body. Izador grabbed Vlad in his arms and, in a few strides, made his way to the bed. “Sorry about this,” he said as he tossed Vlad on the bed, “but I need to be inside you.” Brian jumped on the mattress and crawled on top of Vlad. Long, elegant fingers worked Vlad’s clothes off with striking gentleness. “You’ll love it. I promise.”

 

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Vlad swallowed around the sudden the knot in his throat. He suddenly felt so out of his depth, so inadequate. What would he be required to do? He knew next to nothing about having sex. What if he made a mistake? “I’ve—I’ve never been with anyone,” he stammered, shame coursing through him, threatening to overcome his arousal. Brian cupped his cheek, his eyes so warm Vlad could not believe such affection could be directed at him. “Are we going too fast?” Brian whispered. “It’s okay if you don’t want to go through with this. There are many other things we can do.” But Vlad did want to do this. He just didn’t know how. “I… Teach me. Teach me how to love you.” **** Vlad’s words just about broke Brian’s heart. He could tell Vlad had suffered tremendously throughout his life. His entire being wanted to soothe the other man’s hurts. For once, his power would not be enough, but their bond just might. “We’ll teach each other,” he replied softly. Izador joined them on the bed, and together, they finished taking Vlad’s clothes off. As superficial as the thought was, Brian couldn’t help but register the mouthwatering expanse of Vlad’s body. Now that he could take a couple of moments to just admire his mate, he truly realized just how gorgeous Vlad was. Brian could spend years just licking those rock-hard abs and sucking on the cock he already knew tasted delicious. Izador’s voice snapped him out of his trance. “Brian, baby… Come here.” There was need and hot want in Izador’s tone and Brian unwillingly shivered. At one point, Izador had taken his clothes off and the only thing he wore now was a necklace that looked like a fang

 

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of sorts. When they’d first been together, Brian missed its presence in the rush of the moment, but now he thought it looked fitting. Just like he’d been bid, Brian went into Izador’s arms, his mouth going dry with anticipation. Izador brushed a barely there kiss on his lips, then pulled away. “Turn over on all fours.” Brian obeyed. Thankfully, the bed was quite big, and the three of them fit without a problem. He got into position, trembling and waiting to see what was to come. A snap and a squirt alerted him to the fact that Izador had somehow procured lube. “Now, Vlad…Watch what I’m doing. Watch his body.” A slick finger invaded Brian’s anus and Brian pushed back into the touch, gasping. Izador’s touch reminded him of their previous time together, awakening every nerve inside him, and the heat of Vlad’s eyes on him just made it better. Izador thrust his finger in and out of Brian’s passage, slowly, taking his time. A second digit invaded Brian’s body, joining the first, and Izador proceeded to scissor them inside him. One crook of those talented fingers had them rubbing against Brian’s prostate. He cried out when ecstasy exploded over him, the merciless massage of his gland driving him crazy. He heard Vlad groan behind him. “Gods…That’s amazing.” Izador chuckled lowly. “I know.” His other hand caressed Brian’s spine as he continued to torture Brian’s passage. “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” Brian could practically feel Vlad’s anxiety and need sweep over him in a wave. “Can I…?” the wolf asked. Izador’s assent was quiet, but palpable. He pulled his fingers out of Brian’s ass, making him groan in discontent. His anxiety disappeared when he was filled again. The touch felt different this time, the two fingers more hesitant, and to a certain extent, gentler. Brian whimpered in need, now more than ever needing to be fucked. “God, Vlad… Please. Fuck me.”

 

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Izador tsked. “Don’t listen to him, Vlad,” he said. “Touch him. Get to know his body.” Izador’s voice was almost hypnotic, and Brian found himself obeying it as well, even if the orders weren’t exactly directed at him. He rode the pleasure Vlad offered, learning his wolf mate’s touch and granting Vlad the chance to explore and experiment. Gradually, the arousal increased between them, and Brian clenched the sheets in a futile attempt to control his growing desire. Thankfully, his mates decided not to torture him and themselves any longer. “All right,” Izador said. “He’s ready now.” Following Izador’s instructions, Vlad removed his fingers out of Brian’s anus. “Brian, baby, come here,” Izador continued. Somehow, Brian managed to make his limbs work and obeyed Izador. He turned, and following his instincts, he swallowed up Vlad’s cock once again. Izador chuckled, but seemed pleased. “Very good. Relax for me, Vlad. That’s it.” Even with his eyes closed, Brian could see Izador moving behind Vlad and preparing the other man with care. Brian continued to bob his head up and down Vlad’s prick, at the same time reaching down to massage Vlad’s balls and his taint. His role might be to relax Vlad and make him get used to the sensation of being invaded, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy it. Simply the feel of his mate’s cock on his tongue threatened to make him come. Through their shared ecstasy, all tension left Vlad’s body. He rocked between Brian and Izador, all resistance forgotten. Faster than Brian would have thought, he surrendered to his passion, moaning, “Gods, yes… Fuck me.” Vlad’s words were like a trigger for both Brian and Izador. His mind whirling, Brian pulled away from Vlad’s cock and got on all fours once more. He somehow knew what would happen between them, what Izador intended and what Vlad needed. This bond, this

 

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beautiful connection that somehow led the three of them to each other would finally reach its completion. As Brian wiggled his ass, another groan escaped Vlad’s lips. His hands caressed Brian’s buttocks and spread his cheeks. “That’s it,” Izador encouraged Vlad. “Fuck him.” Vlad didn’t wait to be told twice. Mere moments later, Brian felt his wolf mate’s cock nudge at his opening. With a little too much eagerness, Vlad thrust inside him, and Brian couldn’t suppress a cry. His lover was well endowed to say the least and the penetration hurt. Vlad instantly froze, and Brian could almost hear the other man’s mind working. “It’s okay,” he gasped out. “I’m fine.” “Brian…” Vlad’s voice was nothing but a choked whisper. “I don’t think I can do this. I’m hurting you.” He seemed to intend to pull away, but as always, Izador was there, a steadying presence Brian felt tremendously thankful for. “We are mates,” Izador said. “We are meant to be together, in pain and pleasure.” Brian could not speak any longer, so he focused on sending the same message with his body. He relaxed his muscles and slowly pushed back against Vlad’s prick. The words and caresses made Vlad melt against Brian once more. Slowly, still fearfully, the wolf pulled out of Brian and pushed back in. It was an experimental thrust, not meant for more than comfort, but somehow, through some instinct or sheer luck, Vlad hit Brian’s prostate. All thoughts of pain dissipated into a cloud of ecstasy. “Oh, Gods,” he said. “Please… Please, harder. I—” He didn’t get to finish the phrase, as Vlad thrust inside him so hard Brian’s teeth rattled. Every nerve inside Brian awoke, demanding his mates’ possession. There was just one more thing he needed, one more thing to complete their chain of passion. As if thinking the same thing, Vlad stopped moving, and seconds later, an even harder thrust echoed into Brian’s body, through Vlad’s.

 

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Brian’s mind whirled as he felt Izador embed his prick in Vlad’s ass. His mates’ strength pulsed through him as they started a rhythm as old as life itself. They moved together in perfect synch, as if they’d known each other forever. Brian allowed the pleasure and the need to guide his actions, pushing back against Vlad’s cock, loving every moment of their lovemaking. His anus burned, stretched to capacity by his mate’s prick. His sweaty hair fell into his eyes, and electricity sizzled over his spine whenever his slick skin touched Vlad’s. Oddly, a slight coating of hair seemed to appear on Vlad, and the foreign caress made Brian’s oversensitized body even hotter. The music of sex filled his ears, grunts, groans, and the distinctive slap of flesh against flesh as arousing as the actions that caused it. On and on it went, and Brian could already feel his climax approach. It was simply too much, the sensuality and power of his mates too powerful for him to resist. An impulse gripped him, born in his very heart. Following the sudden urge, Brian exposed his throat. Something inside him needed his mates to bite him, to claim him. Pain and ecstasy exploded through him when, taking his offer, Vlad sunk his fangs into his neck. The burn of the piercing fangs melted into a nirvana unlike anything Brian ever felt in his life. His magic burst out of him with his climax, flowing over the three of them in a wave of pure light. Brian’s vision went completely white, and in his mind, he could see a bridge, the bridge between him and his two mates clicking into place. Through his mind’s eye, he watched Izador bury his own fangs into Vlad’s flesh. Warmth flooded him as Vlad found his peak as well, and even through all the pleasure, Brian could almost taste his own blood and Vlad’s in his mouth. It should have felt disgusting, but instead, it prolonged his orgasm, fueling it until Brian thought he would die.

 

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He didn’t know how long it lasted, but at last, Brian collapsed on his stomach on the bed, floating on the clouds of afterglow. He winced when Vlad’s prick left his body, half because of the slight ache, half because of the emptiness Vlad left behind. The physical ache was actually easy to deal with, but Brian decided not to use his power. This way, it was almost as if Vlad was still inside him. There were no words to say, nothing that could possibly explain or describe the mind-shattering experience. Perhaps later, they would be able to speak, get to know each other better. For the moment, when his mates fell by his side, Brian contented himself with cuddling close to them. Things weren’t perfect, but they could deal with it as long as they stuck together.

 

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Chapter Seven Izador was falling. The water around him raged in a whirlpool of anger, reaching out to him with invisible claws. In the depths of the abyss, a gaping mouth roared at him, threatening to swallow him whole. Izador tried to swim away, but the water trapped him. For once, the element that had always been his friend subjugated him, pulling him toward his demise. A voice reached out to him, and the whirlpool began to dissipate. Izador’s eyes snapped open, and he looked around himself in confusion. He was still in the bedroom, with Brian and Vlad next to him. “Izador, are you all right?” Brian sounded concerned. “You were having a nightmare.” Izador rubbed his eyes and met his fae mate’s gaze. “I’m fine.” Strong hands landed on his shoulders. “You sure?” Vlad asked. Izador didn’t remember much beyond the whirlpool, but he couldn’t help a shudder. He’d never been afraid of water and it felt extremely disconcerting and upsetting. Brian wrapped his arms around Izador’s waist, and the scent and warmth of the fae began to comfort Izador, casting aside the nightmare. Just as he started to feel a bit better, a knock sounded at the door of his quarters, making him jump. He’d been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t even felt anyone approach. Crap. Still trembling—half with anger and half with apprehension— Izador left the bed and pulled on a pair of pants. He headed out of his bedroom and toward the main entrance. When he opened the door, he found a young vampire at the other side. “Greetings, My Lord,” the

 

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man said. “His Majesty wishes to see you. Your mates are to come with you.” Izador nodded and ushered the man away. The anxiety returned in full force. It was entirely possible that Sheridan might want to meet with him regarding Vlad, but that didn’t reassure him much. Besides, Sheridan had a knack of knowing when something was amiss. This nightmare could be the harbinger for very evil things. As soon as the messenger left, Brian and Vlad appeared from the bedroom. “Prince Sheridan wants to see us,” Izador said. Vlad’s eyes shone like ice crystals. “He changed his mind, didn’t he? He’s going to kill me.” All the color left Brian’s cheeks. “He wouldn’t do that,” he whispered, although he didn’t look very convinced. “He promised.” “Yes, he promised.” Unlike Brian, he knew his adoptive father well, and he doubted Sheridan would ever change his mind over something so important. If Sheridan had decided to spare Vlad, that wouldn’t change unless something particularly grave appeared. But Izador didn’t even want to consider such a situation. “I don’t know what to believe, really. Let’s just go see him and we’ll find out.” Given that they were going to meet the vampire prince, they all changed into formal wear. The servants provided Vlad with an adequate wardrobe, and although it took them a little time to get organized, they managed to get ready within half an hour or so. Izador would have almost preferred for them to take longer, since he wasn’t looking forward to this meeting. Perhaps it would be better to get it over with, though. This way, he’d know exactly what was going on. Together, they made their way to the prince’s office. Unlike other vampire leaders, Sheridan had never felt the need to boast his richness through an opulent throne room, at least not in his private residences. Today, Izador felt more than a little thankful for that. He didn’t think he could have withstood the scrutiny of a court of vampires watching him. Even the short trip to the office was excruciating, hateful glares

 

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directed at them. At one point, a vampire seemed intent on attacking them, but changed his mind at the last moment. Izador was relieved when they reached their destination. The guards at the door of the office frowned at Vlad, but didn’t comment. One of them knocked at the door, and Sheridan’s familiar voice asked, “Yes?” The guard opened the door. “Your Majesty, Lord Izador and his companions are here,” he said as he bowed lowly. “Let them in then,” Sheridan ordered. Without further ado, Izador and his mates were led inside. Sheridan sat at his desk, looking as unruffled as ever. Izador knelt in front of his father and waited to be addressed. His lovers followed his example, keeping total silence even if Izador could feel their apprehension. Thankfully, Sheridan didn’t prolong the wait. “Come now, Izador, let’s not fall into formality.” He tsked, the sound of disapproval so familiar it reassured Izador. “It’s hardly necessary. On your feet and look at me.” Izador obeyed and met his adoptive-father’s gaze. Sheridan smiled briefly, a barely there twist of lips someone else might have missed. His expression sobered as he looked toward Vlad. “Sit down, all of you. I’m afraid something of great concern has come up, and, taking into consideration your mate’s situation, it needs to be discussed.” Izador, Brian, and Vlad took a seat on the comfortable chairs already in front of the desk. Sheridan didn’t delay to get to the point. “Tell me, Vlad, what do you know of The Spirit of Gaia?” **** Memories assaulted Vlad at the vampire prince’s words. The magical amulet had haunted his life for so long, even if he’d never actually seen it or touched it. For a few moments, his vision began to dim, the nightmares threatening to burst out of him once more. But

 

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then, Brian was there, his hand warm and comforting, and Vlad managed to breathe through the incipient panic attack. “My…My father has always been obsessed with it,” he answered. “He told me once that the power of the gods lies hidden within our bloodline. According to him, it sometimes skipped generations, and even firstborn children. I…I was conceived in hope that I would inherit this power. He wasn’t happy when Viktor got it instead.” He practically spat out the hated name. Viktor. His older brother, and the man who always had everything Vlad wanted. They were so much alike, and yet Vlad had been the one forced to suffer whenever Viktor did something that pissed their father off. And when Viktor was blessed with the power of the Cerberus, it had become even worse. Vlad stopped being of much use to his father, and the torture only increased. Brian’s hold on his hand tightened, and Vlad realized he’d sprouted claws and was threatening to lose control of his beast. His vision had even gone monochrome. “Father, is this truly necessary?” he heard Izador ask. “It’s either this, or I can look into his memories further,” Sheridan replied. It wasn’t a threat, but rather a matter-of-fact statement, but it did snap Vlad out of his anger. Sheridan clearly had a good reason for asking the question, and Vlad needed to focus on that, and not on his past quarrels. “It’s all right,” he answered. “I can deal with it.” He rubbed his eyes, struggling to get a grip. When he looked up, he could once more see in color. “He followed everything that happened after that with great attention, or rather, he sent me to do the following. At that point, I did a good deal of research. It wasn’t hard to find out everything about the amulet and its pieces.” “So you know that it is currently under guard with Viktor and his friends.”

 

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Vlad nodded wordlessly, unsure as to where the vampire prince was going with this. Sheridan got up and headed toward the window. He looked outside, and for a few seconds, remained silent. When he turned again, he seemed suddenly very old. “What I’m going to say now doesn’t leave this room.” This time, the threat was very palpable, but quite unnecessary. Vlad would never do anything to break Izador’s, and therefore Sheridan’s, trust. “Of course.” “As you know, for the Spirit of Gaia to reach its maximum power, it needs the Seven Jewels—The Eye of Typhon, The Breast of Echidna, The Tear of Thaumas, The Tail of Skorpios, The Breath of Drakon, The Mouth of Kharybdis, and The Heart of Kronos. You also probably know the vampires were for a good period of time the keepers of the amulet. However, what isn’t common knowledge is that, like shape-shifters, we are also affected by it, since we are, in truth, the heirs of Kronos.” Vlad supposed that made sense, but he still was surprised. To his knowledge, the heirs of Kronos were the centaurs. But if that were true, it meant… Vampires were distantly related to shifters. His eyes widened as realization struck. No wonder Sheridan had been so adamant to keep this secret. Vampires and shifters held an age-old enmity. No one even knew where it stemmed from anymore, but it remained there, yet another reason why the existence of a hybrid like Izador was even more surprising. Obviously realizing the same thing Vlad did, Izador let out a choked sound. “But then… My parents died for nothing?” Sheridan looked pained, and ignored the complete breach of protocol that was Izador’s interruption. “I’m truly sorry, Izador. Had I known about your existence before that tragedy happened, I would have tried to do something about it. Unfortunately, sea shape-shifters have always been reclusive and beyond the reach of the most powerful of men, including myself.” He turned toward Vlad, adding, “And yes, Vlad, it is true we are related to the centaurs. The heirs of

 

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Kronos went to two strains. According to the more ancient legends, the ones even us vampires keep secret now, our blood strain appeared from the gods themselves. I suppose some would call us demigods.” He let out a bitter laugh. “In many ways, that arrogance has always been our downfall. At any rate, the second strain came from the centaur Kheiron. During the vampire clan wars, the jewel went to them.” Sheridan sighed. “But that is an old tale, and not of specific importance now. Izador, this concerns you directly, I’m afraid. As you know, the only jewel that was never found was The Mouth of Kharybdis, kept by the sea-creatures. I have reason to believe that it has emerged now, and the person who owns it means to control all the other jewels and gather them together once more.” An odd sense of calm fell over Vlad. “And you think it’s my father,” he blurted out. Sheridan gave him a pointed look. “I don’t believe in coincidences, young Vlad. I’m far too old for that.” He went around the desk and opened the same file he’d been reading when they’d walked in. “Do you know what this is?” It was a rhetorical question, so Vlad simply waited for the vampire prince to continue. “It’s the report regarding the operation to contain your father.” Vlad gaped at Sheridan. “What? How?” Sheridan shrugged. “I took the liberty to peek into your memories and see where your father is hiding. From what I saw in your mind, I believed it would be quite easy for us to capture him.” He paused, once more looking troubled. Simply judging by the agitation Vlad felt through his bond with Izador, he had the feeling this was quite unusual for Sheridan. “I was wrong.” The simple statement spoke volumes of the seriousness of the situation. Royalty never admitted their mistakes. It was something every king or leader had in common, indifferently of race or species. “Father, what’s the matter?” Izador asked softly. “What happened?”

 

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“I sent Roger with a battalion of our best men after our problematic Mr. Sasha Petrovic.” The mere mentioning of his father’s name threatened to send Vlad into another flashback, but he was so focused on the present and on his mates that he managed to control it this time. “Only Roger returned,” Sheridan continued. “Apparently, a mysterious whirlpool attacked them. They couldn’t even manage to run. It’s only by miracle that Roger escaped with just a hand missing.” Brian let out a small sound of dismay. “Gods…” For a few moments, no one said anything else. Finally, Izador broke the oppressive silence. “I had a dream just now,” he said. “I was swimming through a whirlpool, and beneath me was a wide, gaping mouth threatening to consume me.” Impossibly, Sheridan’s expression darkened even more. “Izador, I don’t know who or what is controlling this jewel and what connection this person has to Vlad’s father. Summoning that kind of power, one capable to tear apart fifteen vampires, should be impossible for a shifter.” Brian cleared his throat. “There are ways around that,” he said in a small voice. “If a magic-user is helping him, he might be able to tap the power of the jewel. But… it would be very risky, since he is not a bloodline heir, and his accomplice would have to be very strong.” “He wouldn’t care,” Vlad found himself saying. “He’s obsessed with that power. He would do whatever it took.” “I see.” Sheridan looked thoughtful. He crossed his arms over his chest, and sighed. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Forcing the jewel into such magic couldn’t have been an easy task, more so since they’re particularly used for the purpose of controlling shape-shifters.” He gave Vlad and his mates a penetrating look. “Well, I’ve already contacted Viktor and let him know of the threat. This has to be dealt with, as soon as possible. You three will meet up with them in Boston.”

 

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Vlad couldn’t believe his ears. “You can’t expect me to cooperate with that man. He—” Vlad didn’t get to finish the phrase. Sheridan shot forward so fast that before Vlad could even process the extent of the mistake he’d made, he was being pinned to the wall by the vampire prince. A strong hand squeezed his windpipe, lifting him into the air and threatening to make his lungs burst. Vlad tried to claw at the clutching hand, but it didn’t help. If anything, his limbs began to grow heavier, and his muscles froze. “I believe you don’t understand the situation, young Vlad,” Sheridan snarled. “Your father killed fifteen of my men. The only reason why you are not dead now is Izador.” All of a sudden, the vampire prince released Vlad. Vlad leaned against the wall, taking in huge gulps of air and fighting against the spots dancing in his vision. Brian was instantly by his side, his warm hands making the pain go away. Vlad struggled to his feet and bowed lowly. “I apologize, Your Majesty. I was out of line.” “Yes, you were.” Sheridan didn’t look at him. “But don’t apologize. Go find this man and whoever is helping him. I want him taken care of.” Thankfully, Vlad was spared from having to reply. Izador drew Sheridan’s attention toward him. “I understand, Father. We will leave at once.” “Excellent.” Sheridan sat down at the desk again, as if nothing had happened. Vlad decided that was a good thing and they needed to get out of there before he pissed off Sheridan again. “With your permission, we take our leave,” Izador said, as if guessing his thoughts. Sheridan waved them off, but at the last moment, he added, “Izador, don’t fail me.” “I won’t,” Izador replied.

 

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And with that, they left the vampire prince’s office. The guards gave them ugly looks once again, and Vlad couldn’t blame them, especially now that he knew what had happened to the soldiers sent after his father. They rushed away from the vampires as quickly as they could. When they were out of earshot, they at last stopped and looked at each other. It was Brian who spoke in the end. “Come on. Let’s go pack. We have to get out of here.” As much as Vlad hated the thought of meeting with his hated brother, he agreed. He would much rather brave the hostility of the sibling he loathed to the danger of the angry vampires.

 

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Chapter Eight The last time Brian had been in Boston, he’d abandoned his carefree life as a student to become a prisoner of the vampires. He couldn’t say he regretted it, since it led him to Izador and Vlad. However, he hadn’t expected coming back like this. He had no idea what to expect, how much Viktor and the others knew and how willing they would be to help out. On a more positive note, he’d at least see Jared and Maya again. They met up in the same place Brian and his friends had once hidden from the vampires, his family home here in Boston. It was never really used, but kept in good shape by a hired service. When Brian and his mates reached the house, the others were already there. It didn’t surprise him that they’d managed to bypass the security, but it did add to his anxiety. He squeezed Vlad’s hand, half to comfort his mate and half to anchor himself. He knew Vlad hated his brother, and this meeting might very well be the recipe for disaster. They opened the main door and walked inside, heading toward the living room where Brian’s magic told him the others would be. At once, Brian’s gaze zeroed in on the waiting men. For a few moments, both groups stared at each other in awkwardness. Jared was the one who broke the awful silence. He lunged forward and grabbed Brian in a strong embrace. “Oh, Brian, it’s so nice to see you.” Jared’s words seemed to break the spell settled over the room. Jared’s mates, Zongxian and Tomas, joined them. Izador and Tomas shared a silent hug, while Zongxian offered them a small, neutral smile. “I hope you don’t mind we let ourselves in.”

 

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“Not at all,” Brian answered when he broke out of Jared’s embrace. Taking a deep breath, he turned toward Vlad. “This is my mate, Vlad Petrovic.” Zongxian didn’t seem surprised and didn’t even miss a beat. “It’s a pleasure. Zongxian Long.” Vlad looked a little gobsmacked. Perhaps because of his surprise, he suddenly blurted out, “I know who you are.” Awkwardness fell again, before Jared intervened again. “Well, that’s great then. We don’t have to bother with all the introductions.” Brian debated the situation, and decided to be honest. “Actually, I don’t think I know everyone.” There were a lot of people in the room, and for the first time, he realized he hadn’t met them all. He was pretty sure Izador must be in the same situation. Jared laughed, and Brian mentally thanked his friend for the effort he was putting into this. “Well, then, let’s go over everyone.” He looked back toward the still silent and waiting group. Predictably, Jared’s brothers stepped forward first, followed by their respective mates. Brian knew Flame and Loren and had met their respective mates throughout the years he’d spent as Jared’s friend. Some of them he didn’t know that well. Loren’s mates, Yoshi and Tavon, were quite reclusive, and Brian only remembered them in the first place because of their remarkable presence. Flame’s mate, Lysander, was a bit friendlier, or tried to be, at least. Still, for his benefit, everyone went through the painful process of introductions. Brian noticed another man there he didn’t know from his contact with the Grayson family. As if guessing his puzzlement, Zongxian gestured the youth forward. “This is my nephew, Xiao Shen. We sent him a summons as well, since this situation concerns him as well.” “Xiao Shen Long,” the young dragon said, in confirmation of Zongxian’s words. “It’s a pleasure.” Brian would have been relieved, except the hardest part was yet to happen. Viktor Petrovic and his snake mate, Kaiden, were still standing away from them, staring in silence. Viktor’s resemblance

 

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with Vlad was truly eerie, and Brian marveled at the fact that, in spite of the similarities, Brian had never felt drawn to Viktor. Well, he’d accepted the man’s attractiveness, but beyond that, never considered even flirting. Even if the wolf hadn’t been happily mated, Brian still wouldn’t have touched Viktor. At the same time, he knew Kaiden was fiercely protective of Viktor. Both men had the power of bloodline heirs, and the situation could get nasty. At last, Viktor took a step forward, with Kaiden following behind him. The little crowd parted, allowing the Alpha wolf to pass. Brian’s breath stuttered as he watched the two siblings finally stand in front of each other. “Hello, Vlad,” Viktor said. “I’m Viktor.” Vlad seemed as tense as a bowstring. “Hello,” he said between gritted teeth. “I… I didn’t know you existed,” Viktor added. “I’d like us to be friends…brother.” Brian knew Viktor had made a serious mistake before the man even managed to finish the phrase. In a flash, Vlad shot forward and attacked his brother. His connection with Brian overflowed with anger and pain. Brian rushed to try and stop his mate, but he simply couldn’t move fast enough. The two men shifted into two arctic wolves and fell to the floor. Viktor was larger, but other than that, they were very similar. Even so, Brian knew his mate couldn’t hope to defeat Viktor. Even taking into account the fact that both Vlad and Viktor had battle experience behind them, Viktor still bore the power of the Cerberus, whereas Vlad did not. In the end, it didn’t even get to that. An angry hissing sound filled Brian’s ears, seconds before the tail of a huge snake swept over the floor in a whip-like motion. It could have easily sent Vlad flying against the wall, except Izador was there and pulled Vlad away at the last moment.

 

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Brian took position between the two fighting parties. “Please, be calm,” he said. “We didn’t come here to fight.” Kaiden shifted back into human form and glowered at them. “It doesn’t seem like that to me,” he hissed. “Let me just talk to Vlad for a moment, okay?” Brian suggested. Viktor nodded silently, and Brian pulled his mate away from the group and into one of the other rooms. Izador followed behind them and shut the door, giving them the illusion of privacy. With the heightened senses of the other men present, walls didn’t matter much. It would have to do, though. If they were to have any hope of working together, Brian would have to talk to Vlad, now. He should have done it before and addressed Vlad’s problem with his brother, but their mating was still so new, and Brian still felt like he walked on thin ice. But no longer. Vlad had defeated his fears in allowing Brian and Izador inside. Brian would have to do the same. **** Together, Vlad and Brian sat on the couch in the middle of the room. Vlad was more than a little apprehensive, given what he’d just done. He knew he’d disappointed his mates. He felt naked, and not only because the shift had torn his clothing. Rather, he realized his lovers could see straight into his soul, and feared that when they looked there, they would be disgusted. “I… I’m sorry,” he said. Izador knelt next to the couch and took his hand. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said. “We’re just worried.” “Vlad, you have to understand it’s not Viktor’s fault for everything that happened.” Brian squeezed Vlad tightly in his arms. “It’s not your fault either.” Vlad took a deep breath and tried to focus on Brian’s gentle voice. From anyone else, it might have sounded reprimanding or even mocking, but somehow, Brian succeeded in calming Vlad. A small

 

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part of him knew his mates were right. Viktor wasn’t to blame for the actions of their insane father. But if Viktor hadn’t spent the better part of life antagonizing the man, Vlad wouldn’t have suffered as much. If Viktor hadn’t received the gift of the Cerberus, it might have come to Vlad. “Listen, Vlad. I know you think this power is something good, something to be desired,” Izador said. “But I’ve seen what that power can do, and it’s not pretty. It is a burden, a curse, and it is not easy to carry. I am actually happy it never came to you.” Vlad gaped at his lover. “How can you say such a thing?” he choked out. “With that kind of magic—” “That kind of magic can destroy you,” Brian piped up. “I know it hurt Loren a lot. I never knew him or the others too much, I can feel it.” A knock sounded at the door, and Vlad tensed, feeling his brother at the other side. “Can I have a word, Vlad?” Vlad shared a look with his mates. He needed to get over this, if only because he could not find and defeat his father without Viktor’s help. He got up and opened the door to let Viktor in. The other man gave him a guarded look, but didn’t seem particularly angry for the previous episode. “How about we start over?” Viktor suggested. “I made a wrong assumption and I apologize.” For the second time in twenty-four hours, Vlad was shocked at seeing a leader do something so out of character. He gave Viktor a suspicious look. The other man might be making an honest attempt to reconciliation, but in Vlad’s experience, nothing ever came so easily. He just trusted two men in his life, his mates. For those very same mates, he decided to at least be civil. “I was out of line, as well,” he offered. “I promise I will keep my temper in check from now on.” Viktor glanced at him then, those eyes so much like Vlad’s own meeting his. As their gazes locked, Vlad saw something inside them

 

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shift, like a foreign presence. Then, Viktor shook his head, and the moment broke. The shadow vanished, but it was enough for Vlad to truly understand what Brian and Izador had meant. The power of the bloodline heirs came at a price. Something lived inside Viktor, inhabiting his body, and it wasn’t friendly. Vlad suppressed a shiver, for the first time in his life grateful the Cerberus hadn’t come to him. With all his flashbacks and panic attacks, he couldn’t even know if he’d have been able to control it. “Very good,” Viktor said. “Now come on. Zongxian and Xiao Shen wanted to talk to us all.” A surprising pang of regret gripped him as Viktor left the room, but Vlad squashed it viciously. He was going to focus on doing this task, be polite with his damn brother, defeat his insane father, and then be able to live freely with his mates. The rest didn’t matter. He made for the door, intending to follow his brother, but Izador’s voice stopped him. “I hate to tell you this, Vlad, but you probably want to put some clothes on for the following meeting.” Vlad couldn’t help it. The teasing, suggestive tone of Izador’s voice cast away the glum thoughts, an odd mix of amusement and arousal replacing them. Brian snickered as well, and said, “Let me get you a pair of pants before Izador jumps you.” **** A few minutes later, after Brian provided Vlad with a far-too-tight outfit, they all gathered in the living room once more. In spite of the still palpable tension, Izador did his best to focus on the matter at hand. None of the men lingered on what had happened, and Viktor went straight to the subject. “I won’t bother with elaborate introductions. We all know why we’re here. Someone wants to find the amulet, and started with using The Mouth on Prince Sheridan’s men. Coincidentally, this happened just as Sheridan meant to arrest my father.”

 

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Vlad seemed intent on cooperating this time. “I’m not sure how much the prince told you, but… Father is obsessed with the amulet.” He repeated much of what he’d told Sheridan, earning himself the silent dismay of those present. Thankfully, the men refrained from making any comment on what Vlad must have been through. Izador also recounted his nightmare, although he felt uncomfortable with the knowledge that this way, he would draw suspicion as to his mixed heritage. All the while, Brian stayed by their side, a calming, soothing presence. By some miracle, no one asked any questions. Zongxian just gave him a scrutinizing look and said, “If Vlad, Izador, and Prince Sheridan are to be believed, someone is trying to use The Mouth to gain access to the amulet once again. It could be Sasha Petrovic, aided by someone else who might be able to control the jewel.” Vlad’s body went tense once more at the mentioning of the werewolf’s name, but mercifully, he didn’t break down. Izador couldn’t have felt more proud of his mate. He was taking this far better than Izador had expected. In spite of the episode earlier, Izador could tell how much worse they could really be. “There’s only one person who has that sort of power,” Zongxian continued, “and that is my older sibling, Kailì. As a water dragon, he would be able to force his way through the power of The Mouth. However, I am convinced he would never do anything to further his own interests. Something else must be amiss.” “Aren’t there any other water dragons with a similar power?” Izador asked. He’d never actually met the dragon, but he’d heard of him from his adoptive father and tended to agree with Zongxian’s assessment. “There are plenty of water dragons, but none who could command such magic,” Zongxian answered. “Let me put it this way. I could, in theory, walk through fire and come unharmed. I can control it and tame it to my will. But the most powerful of the dragons could go to

 

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the very sun and live there and return without a scratch. Kailì’s power is like that.” “And this person who is using The Mouth has a similar power, then,” Vlad drawled. “Great. That’s very encouraging.” Zongxian didn’t seem fazed. “Encouraging or not, it’s something to keep in mind. We should meet up with Kailì. He might be able to help.” “That’s a good idea, but first we need to investigate the place the vampires were killed.” Lysander spoke for the first time. “You mean you haven’t done it yet?” “Not yet, no,” Izador replied bitingly. He disliked giving explanations to anyone who wasn’t his adoptive father or his mates, but he made a compromise since he was supposed to be working together with these men. “When we left, Prince Sheridan’s men were still securing the scene. He told us we could go look around after we met up with you.” “By then, any piece of evidence that might have been of use would have disappeared.” Kaiden sounded frustrated. “Surely your prince knows that.” For the first time, Izador allowed himself to grin. “Don’t worry, Kaiden. If something is there, I’ll find it. I found you, didn’t I?” No one had anything to say to that. It was true. A small smile slipped from Kaiden’s lips. “Touché,” he said. “Now, we shouldn’t waste any more time. We have a lot to do.” Izador found himself relaxing. He and Kaiden understood each other. In the end, they were all on the same side. They could do this. **** Vlad didn’t know what he’d been expecting when Izador mentioned investigating the scene. Sure, he’d known he would have

 

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to return to his former prison, but he hadn’t realized how much it would affect him. His father owned a little cabin in the Alaska Range. Perhaps the other man felt more at home here. Either way, these cold lands had been everything Vlad had known while growing up, the wilderness as hostile as the man who kept him trapped here. Vlad would have known his way back here in his sleep. Perhaps it was that exact knowledge that made him so surprised in front of the changes the landscape suffered. In fact, when they reached their destination, Vlad almost thought he was someplace else entirely. The only sign of the cabin was the lingering pieces of splintered wood. A thin layer of snow covered them, though, erasing the traces of the disaster. Even with that, Vlad could still scent the smell of blood in the air. He saw Izador grimace and wondered how powerful it was for his mate. “Stay here,” he told Brian. From this point on, it could only get worse, and he didn’t want his fae lover exposed to it. Brian shook his head. “I go where you go.” It was pointless to argue, Vlad could tell, and with all the other men present, he didn’t feel comfortable entering a debate either. Mentally sighing, he decided to wait for the moment and respect Brian’s decision. Everything inside him screamed to protect the fae, but even with the little he knew of Brian, Vlad knew he wouldn’t be able to convince his mate to back down. He took Brian’s hand and, together with the other men, started to explore the area. Izador was going first, followed by Zongxian and Loren’s mate, Yoshi. As two of the most powerful magic users, they intended to detect the magic signature of whoever had been present. “A dragon passed through here,” Zongxian said suddenly. “Someone from the Long family. I… I know this person.” He sounded shocked, but Vlad barely registered it. His gaze fixed on the barren landscape. It felt wrong. Something was missing,

 

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something very important. A gravestone bearing the name of Aliona Petrovic. He rushed to get to the spot that had once been his only solace here. He spotted the pieces of rock that had once been part of the grave marking scattered around. Much to his dismay, the snow and earth were messed up, and the place where his mother’s grave should have been was no longer. It seemed as if some outside force had come here specifically to desecrate it. A howl of anger and pain escaped him, echoing in the distance. He sensed his mates’ approach, with the others standing a few feet away. “Vlad?” Brian asked. “This was my mother’s grave,” he explained brokenly. “I never knew her, but—but I loved her anyway.” She was the only person he’d ever loved. She’d been a shadow, a hope, and a dream in his mind, and the one thing keeping him sane. And now, he’d failed her. Looking inside the grave, he couldn’t even see her bones. Were they scattered around in the snow? Gods, he needed to find them. Viktor joined him and stared at the remnants of the gravestone in shock. “I… Our mother. How did she die? What happened here?” Any other time, Vlad might have pushed his brother away, but he wasn’t stupid. They were too much alike to only share a father, and clearly, Viktor had cared for their dead mother as well. “I don’t know,” he answered. “Father never spoke of her.” “Hey, there’s another grave here,” Yoshi shouted from the distance. Vlad tensed. This was the moment when he needed to give the explanation he’d been dreading, and he was an emotional wreck. “It’s Jessica’s,” he said before he could change his mind. “I killed her.” It had been at his father’s urge, but that didn’t make him any less guilty. Silence fell, the sound of the wind sweeping past them strangely loud. At last, Izador spoke, shattering the quiet. “We should go,” he said. “There’s still much to do.”

 

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That snapped Vlad out of his trance. “Not before I find out what happened to my mother’s body,” he answered. No one protested. In fact, they all proceeded to scan through the snow and the remnants of the scene to find any trace of the missing bones. Oddly, Jessica’s grave had also been savaged. Vlad had trouble thinking of a person who would do such a thing, but there it was. Even with all the shifters present, they didn’t find a thing, not one single trace. Disheartened, Vlad gave up. “There’s nothing here,” he said. Taking a deep breath, he added, “Let’s go. I want to find whoever did this. They have to pay.” Wordlessly, Zongxian opened a portal for them. It would take them straight to the home of the Long dynasty of dragons. Vlad might have felt apprehensive, but his mind and heart were still in turmoil. Brian and Izador took his hands, and almost immediately, the connection with his mates soothed him. A sense of guilt assaulted him for accepting the comfort, but he couldn’t have given it up if he wanted to. He didn’t think his mother would want him to, anyway. “Come on,” Zongxian urged them. “Into the portal, everyone.” Vlad rushed through the whirlpool of magic with far more speed than he should have. Foreign sensations assaulted him, and his body screamed at the feel of being transported beyond the boundaries of space. Vlad landed on a solid surface and promptly emptied the contents of his stomach. He’d never used dimensional traveling before, and his previous state of mind didn’t help. As always, his mates were by his side, their hands in his hair, on his body. When his head stopped spinning, Vlad looked up, trying to figure out where he was. A handsome man who bore a slight resemblance to Zongxian stood there, obviously waiting for them. He wore a black changshan embroidered with a blue dragon motif. “Welcome home, brother,” he said. “I would love to say it’s a pleasure, Kailì,” Zongxian said, “but unfortunately, the circumstances prevent it.”

 

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The man, Kailì Long, was the leader of the Long dynasty and of the entire dragon nation. Vlad struggled to his feet, acknowledging the fact that he’d puked his guts out in front of one of the most powerful men in the world. He was really making friends these days. Izador took a step forward and bowed. “Greetings, My Lord. I am Izador of the House of Amaranth.” He nodded toward Brian and Vlad. “This is Bréanainn of the O’Siodhachain, and Vlad Petrovic.” There were more introductions all around, formal, just like Izador’s. It was actually very strange to hear Brian’s fae name, and it distracted Vlad enough for him to manage to achieve composure. Just as formally, Kailì said, “The Long Dynasty of the China Dragons is honored to have you here. Any friend of Zongxian’s is a friend of ours.” Servants emerged and started to fuss all around them. In the organized chaos, they were directed to their quarters, and Vlad idly noted he and his mates had been given a shared suite. The other couples received a similar treatment. Zongxian must have contacted his brother ahead of time. All of them took a few moments to wash up and change. They hadn’t brought anything with them—traveling through dimensional gateways made that sort of thing very difficult—but the dragon household provided them with everything they needed. Finally, after they finished preparations, the servants appeared again and led Vlad and his mates to a large dining room. Vlad wanted to scream at all the formality, to tell the dragon to get on with it and give them the explanations they needed, but he held his tongue. It helped that the dishes the servants brought in smelled mouthwatering and tasted even better. Vlad remembered he hadn’t eaten in a while, and decided to enjoy the meal and Kailì’s hospitality. Thankfully, there were both Western and Asian dishes and dinnerware, so Vlad didn’t have to bother with using the chopsticks. But even as he started to dig in, a memory of his mother’s grave

 

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flashed through his mind. His appetite died, the delicious food now like ash in his mouth. None of his companions seemed in the mood for dinner, either. At last, Kailì waved the servants away. “Tell me,” he said simply. “How bad is it?” “There was a dragon at the place of the attack, a water dragon,” Zongxian said. “He smelled familiar. And two graves at the site were desecrated.” For a few moments, the two brothers just stared at each other, until Kailì sighed and looked away. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t get to this,” he murmured in a barely audible voice. “Kailì, what’s going on? Who is doing this? How is Sasha Petrovic even involved?” Kailì laughed bitterly. “That stupid wolf is nothing but a tool. The Mouth will consume him. It always consumes its wielders. I expect he will not last a week, especially with the magic being fed into it.” “Who is doing this then?” Vlad couldn’t help but ask. “My father.” Izador just stared. He felt like he’d been skimming through a book and just now realized he’d missed a vital chapter. He’d half expected Kailì to confess he’d made a horrible mistake and accidentally fueled the amulet with magic. Anything would have been more plausible than Kailì’s answer. “But, that can’t be,” Zongxian said weakly. “He… He’s gone.” “You know better than to believe that, Zongxian,” Kailì answered. “Dragons are never truly gone.” At last, Izador found his voice. “What do you mean?” he inquired. He didn’t remember ever knowing of a dragon leader other than Kailì. “Dragons can only die if they are killed,” Kailì answered. “At the certain age, the norm is that they take their own lives to prevent them from going rogue. “I became ruler of the dragons after our father, Sheng-Li, decided to step down. After this decision, the rest of the leaders joined him,

 

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and were replaced by the current elders. You were only a child then, Zongxian, so you would not remember this, but the truth is, he and the others never went through with the ceremony of finding eternal rest. This is not common knowledge, but all of them are out there, hidden where their particular element summoned them. I never truly knew where he went, at least not until he reemerged, but I was assured that one day, when need arose, he and the others would return to aid our nation. Unfortunately, it seems that he did, indeed, awaken, and he didn’t like the current state of affairs too much.” “He wants the jewel back, doesn’t he?” Zongxian said. Kailì nodded. “Unfortunately, he is no longer the father I once knew. He will kill and destroy to do what he thinks is right. You, my friends, have to be extra careful. I refused to tell him who were the keepers of the amulet, but if he ran into Sasha Petrovic, he must know.” “But that still doesn’t explain how they met up,” Vlad protested. “Why would a dragon have anything to do with a werewolf?” “Let me put it this way. According to what he told me, his chosen resting place was Antarctica. My best guess is that he literally ran into the fighting vampires, and somehow, realized he could use Petrovic for his own benefit.” “So it really was just a coincidence.” Izador frowned, not knowing what to believe anymore. Could Kailì really be trusted? This was all too far-fetched to be believed, and like Sheridan, he didn’t believe in happenstance. Kailì looked troubled. “I really do not know. It’s hard to believe anything that’s in any way related to Father is a coincidence. But right now, there’s something else you need to know. Regarding the grave.” Vlad and Viktor went as still as statues. “What about them?” Viktor asked. “Be prepared for the worst,” Kailì answered. “There is no easy way to say this. Father may have used the bodies there to clone your dead.”

 

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Izador felt a little light-headed. “You’re not serious. How is that even possible?” “Through the manipulation of water, he might have been able to re-create their flesh and blood. They wouldn’t be stable organisms, though, since he wouldn’t have all the prerequisites at his disposal. And the most important thing you need to remember is that, if this did happen, these…clones are not the same people they used to be.” Vlad wordlessly got up, his face as white as the tablecloth. Without a word, he turned his back on the gathered group and rushed out of the room. Instantly, both Brian and Izador shot to their feet. “Apologies, Lord Kailì,” Izador said hastily. “I believe our mate needs us.” “It’s quite all right,” the other man answered. “Go. We can discuss this more later on.” Brian and Izador rushed after Vlad. The werewolf had been on an emotional roller coaster in the past forty-eight hours, and Izador couldn’t even imagine how he must feel now. The mere thought of something like that happening to his own dead parents made Izador sick to his stomach. He realized he’d been clutching the fang necklace from his father and released it from his hold. Gods, he wouldn’t think about that. It summoned memories best left buried and forgotten. He and Brian caught up with Vlad in their room. Vlad sat on the bed, his face buried his hands, frozen as if he were a sculpture immortalized in pure stone. When Brian joined him and pressed a hand to his shoulder, he didn’t move. There were no words either of them could say to make things better, no words to soothe the wounds stirred deep within them all. Izador plopped down on the mattress next to his mates and hugged Vlad. It was so very strange that these days, when they should have been celebrating the fact that they’d found each other, would have to be plagued by worries and pain. To an extent, Izador considered it fitting. Love and genuine caring could be proven more in times of

 

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woe than in times of happiness. Now, if only they would find their way through all the sorrow and reach the glee. **** As a fae, Brian had always been able to sense the pain of others. His nature and his magic demanded that he heal those in need. But now, this very same nature, as well as his connection with his mates, put him in a position he’d never thought he would be in. His heart hurt at the knowledge of what little he could do to help Vlad and Izador. Both men had been through so much, and this thing, this monstrous nightmare was stirring every old wound. Brian could feel it echo in his own soul. Vlad might show it more, but Izador hid it deep within, perhaps even without acknowledging it. He crawled into Vlad’s lap and cupped his mate’s cheeks in his palms. Vlad tried to look away, but Brian forced their eyes to meet. “Look at me. We’re in this together, the three of us. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” The glitter in Vlad’s ice-blue eyes should have seemed brittle, but instead, in the depth of that cold, Brian saw heat and yearning. It was the only warning he got before Vlad crushed their lips together. Brian’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth, intending to protest. He thought that maybe they should talk this through. Maybe they should take their time to work through their issues. But all ideas of conversation dissipated from his mind when Vlad took advantage of his parted lips and thrust his tongue inside his mouth. The kiss was sloppy, greedy, desperate, and everything Brian needed. As if of their own accord, his eyes drifted shut and he surrendered to his lover’s assault. And then, Izador was there, his lips on Brian’s neck, nibbling and sucking. Brian couldn’t suppress a gasp, a deep ache awakening inside of him. With everything that had happened, they’d never quite

 

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gotten to have Izador feed from him. Brian supposed he should feel a bit apprehensive about it, but he didn’t. He wanted it, Gods, how he wanted it. Izador’s clever hands worked under his shirt, caressing, offering a promise for more. Vlad released his hold on Brian’s lips to improve his access to the rest of Brian. He shifted positions on the bed, and Brian found himself lowered down on the mattress, with his two mates looming above him. Vlad and Izador took position at each side of him, and together, began undressing Brian, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. For all he knew, they actually did, because right then and there, Brian couldn’t remember anything else they needed to do except be there for each other. With almost excruciating care, Izador unbuttoned Brian’s shirt and pressed kisses to every inch of exposed skin. When he exposed the pebbled nubs of Brian’s nipples, Brian began to tremble in anticipation. But Izador didn’t rush. His lips landed on Brian’s and they shared a kiss, almost lazy in comparison to Vlad’s, and that melted Brian’s very bones. He couldn’t have moved if he wanted to. He was completely at his mates’ mercy, and he loved it. Vlad didn’t delay in proceeding with his own exploration. Brian could feel his wolf’s hands tremble as he worked to get rid of the clothing provided by their host. The shoes and socks flew off first, and then Vlad returned to work on Brian’s slacks. Admittedly, Brian would have liked to help his mate a bit, but his muscles were like putty. His mind, however, worked a thousand miles an hour. He understood. He could, indeed, heal them, and he could heal himself in the process. He might not be able to use his powers to do so, not directly at least, but he could be a haven for them, a sanctuary protecting them against the rest of the world so intent on hurting them.

 

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At last, Vlad pulled Brian’s pants and underwear off and dropped them on the bed. His hands traveled over Brian’s legs, mapping every part of Brian within his reach. For a few moments, Brian wasn’t very sure of what Vlad intended, but then, his mate lowered his mouth over him. His hot tongue swept over Brian’s left ankle and down to his toes. He took his Brian’s foot in his mouth, practically fellating it, licking over the sole. It tickled a bit, but not enough to distract him from the pleasure. The other foot received the same treatment, stimulating areas Brian had never considered exploring. Vlad then went back up and zeroed in on the spot in the hollow of Brian’s knee. Brian gasped at the touch, shocked upon discovering yet another sensitive zone. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. His mates seemed intent on taking their time with him, seeking every spot that could make him crazy. Izador busied himself with nibbling on Brian’s ear, while his tireless hands caressed Brian’s chest. Brian had never thought he could feel so aroused and so frustrated at the same time. He couldn’t take much more of this torture. As if guessing his thoughts, his mates suddenly abandoned their positions. In a flash, Vlad took Brian’s cock in his mouth, while Izador started sucking on his nipples. The twin sensations, combined with the pent-up arousal they’d created through their maddening touches, were too much to bear. Brian let out a cry and, unable to hold himself, exploded in the most unexpected climax of his life. For once, it seemed his mates hadn’t expected it either. Vlad choked and spluttered, unused to the feel of cum sent down his throat. He recovered quickly, though, and worked Brian’s cock until he was completely spent. As Vlad licked him clean, Brian managed to make his vocal cords work. “Sorry,” he whispered to his mate. Vlad arched a brow. “Why? I love giving you pleasure.” “But you didn’t…”

 

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Brian trailed off, unsure as to why he suddenly felt shy. He’d had the werewolf’s cock in his ass for crying out loud. They’d mated less than a day before. And yet, this moment felt different. This gentleness born out of their bond and their need seemed even more intense. Izador’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Oh, don’t worry,” the other man said. “We’re not done with you by a long shot.” Brian could do nothing but watch as his mates got rid of their own clothes. They got naked with swift efficiency, moving with a speed only paranormals could have. Before Brian knew it, his lovers were nude and on him once again. This time, their mouths and hands were almost ruthless. Vlad’s fist cupped Brian’s cock, and, as the werewolf moved his hand up and down, Izador brought his mouth to Brian’s in a possessive, devastating kiss. It was savage and raw, and exactly what Brian expected of Izador. At one point, Izador bit on Brian’s lower lip and drew blood. Tasting his own blood in the lip-lock was different than what he’d experienced when he’d been claimed by Vlad, and it only aroused him further. The necklace still dangling from Izador’s neck dug into Brian’s skin, adding an additional twinge of pain to the cocktail of sensation. Izador tore his lips away, and briefly abandoned the bed. Brian barely managed to get air into his lungs before Vlad took Izador’s place, and the taste of his two lovers mingled together, making Brian almost sick with want. Thankfully, Izador returned, and Brian found himself flipped on all fours. The new position brought him up close and personal with Vlad’s prick, and his mouth watered at the sight. He looked up at Vlad, his body hot and his cock throbbing with renewed pleasure. “Please. I need you.” The words weren’t just directed at Vlad, and Izador seemed to know it. His short trip must have been meant to provide lubrication of sorts, because the sound of a bottle being uncapped filled Brian’s ears.

 

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Cold liquid trickled over his crack, Izador’s fingers massaging it into Brian’s hole. Brian moaned, his anus already clenching in eagerness. He wanted to reach for Vlad’s cock, to suck his mate’s prick in his mouth, make him feel as good as he did. Vlad obeyed his silent request and rubbed the head of his dick over Brian’s lips, the slight trace of pre-cum teasing Brian’s taste buds. At the same time, two slick fingers invaded Brian’s ass. Just like their other time together, Izador thoroughly prepared Brian, thrusting the digits in and out of Brian’s passage. By the time his mate deemed him ready, Brian was practically incoherent with lust. At last, Izador retracted his fingers and positioned himself at Brian’s opening. For one single heartbeat, Brian held his breath, almost afraid of what would follow. And then, at the same time, his two mates thrust into him, Vlad pushing into his mouth and Izador into his ass. From there on, the world turned to pure sensation, and Brian into a creature of lust and passion. He took what his mates offered and did his best to pleasure them in turn. His lovers thrust in and out of him, again and again, the rhythm faster, more and more violent. The gentleness from before was still there, beneath the surface, though. Brian could feel it. Even when Izador pounded him, the man was careful not to hurt him. Even when Vlad pulled his hair, he held back enough so that Brian would still be comfortable. Despite the ache of his scalp and his jaw, despite the burn in his ass—or maybe, because of them—Brian loved every minute of it. Filled to the brink by his men’s cocks, it didn’t take long for him to reach the edge once more. It was shocking, even for a fae, to have such a short recovery time. Then again, how long had this lasted? With his mates fucking him, it could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. Time simply had no meaning when they were together.

 

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His balls ached with the need to come, and his senses were overwhelmed by the scent of sweat, sex, and man. The taste of Vlad’s pre-cum, Izador’s voice grunting, everything reached out to a place inside Brian that anyone else would have found it impossible to touch. Just as he thought it couldn’t get any better, Izador leaned over him and his fangs pierced Brian’s neck. Pain and pleasure exploded over Brian, and he fell into an orgasm even more powerful than his first. The connection he’d felt growing between them seemed to glow even brighter, impossibly so. Brian couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The only thing left was the sensation, and his mates guiding him through it, joining him in their own respective climaxes. Heat filled his mouth and his ass as they came, and it almost seemed to Brian that it delved him into an inferno of passion of his mates’ making, one he could never hope or want to escape from. Lost in the onslaught of pleasure, Brian allowed himself to simply enjoy the knowledge that he loved and was loved. Because for him, there could be no doubt. They were mates, and even if they knew so little of each other, Brian already sensed the bonds of fellowship and genuine caring form between them. Something about Vlad and Izador called out to Brian. They fit together, in every way, and it was this thought that carried Brian through the lingering tremors of his orgasm, until he could at last open his eyes. At one point, he’d fallen on the bed, and Vlad was by his side, panting. A distant part of Brian’s mind registered Izador’s presence in the adjoining bathroom moments before the man returned, carrying a wet washcloth. Vlad helped clean Brian up, and then, the three of them cuddled together on the big bed. Through the window, Brian caught a glimpse of the unfamiliar land. It reminded Brian where they were, but he was too exhausted to worry about it now. For the moment, he contented himself with the knowledge that he had his mates by his side. The rest of the world could wait until tomorrow.

 

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Chapter Nine When Izador woke up, the first thing he noticed was that his mates were no longer in bed with him. He should have been alarmed, but he immediately sensed their presence just a few feet away. He abandoned the bed and padded naked outside. The night air was crisp and cool, and Izador wondered just how long they’d slept. The idle, random question vanished when he focused on Vlad and Brian. Vlad seemed troubled, and Izador couldn’t really blame him. He pressed the length of his body against Vlad’s and kissed the nape of the other man’s neck. He was very tempted to lick the delicious skin within his reach, but he held back. Something was bothering his mate, he could feel it. Even Brian looked thoughtful. Vlad didn’t delay in explaining. “I shouldn’t be happy,” he murmured, “not with everything that’s happening. It’s not right.” Izador’s heart did a funny leap. He could understand why Vlad questioned his actions. The battle ahead of them might very well lead to them or some of their friends being injured or killed. They would face their worst fears and nightmares. And yet, when he looked at his mates, Izador felt at peace. He could not explain it. So far, Brian had been quiet, but as always, he chose the right moment to speak. “If you’d been happy,” he said, “you wouldn’t be questioning yourself. None of us can be truly happy until we find a solution for what’s going on.” Oddly, Vlad seemed relieved. “Perhaps.” He turned in Izador’s embrace and sighed. “We should go. I’m pretty sure I pissed our host off by leaving the table like that.”

 

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Izador opened his mouth to say that wasn’t the case, but he didn’t get the chance to speak. A loud explosion shook the dragons’ palace, so intense the shock waves threatened the balcony’s solidity. On instinct, Izador pulled both his mates inside just as it crumbled. Brian clutched his chest and gasped. “Magic,” he whispered. Izador felt it, too, a power that called out to that part of him he’d kept hidden for so long. Somehow, he doubted it had truly been just the shock wave that attacked the balcony. He shot to his feet and pulled his clothes on. In a few moments, he was ready, and by that time, his mates had recovered from the confusion. “We’re under attack,” Vlad said unnecessarily. Izador nodded. “Come on. Let’s find the others.” They rushed out of the room and ran straight into Viktor and Kaiden. Another burst of magic shot into the room behind them, and this time, it was better aimed. A whirlpool of energy formed behind them, threatening to tear them apart. Izador pulled his mates and his companions away from the room, struggling to find refuge from the magic he couldn’t fight against. “Where are the rest of us?” he asked over the roar of the protesting building. “We’re not sure,” Viktor answered. “Loren and his mates were right behind us, but then, they were suddenly gone.” “What about Jared?” Brian asked, his voice trembling. “We haven’t seen him,” Kaiden answered. “But they have to be around here someplace.” That honestly didn’t sound very reassuring, but Izador needed to worry about himself and his mates first. It wasn’t hard to figure out that this man, the former dragon elder if Kailì was to believed, had been drawn here by the presence of the bloodline heirs. Truly, they’d made it far too easy for the man. Sheng-Li just needed to kill them and from there on, he’d be able to take possession of the amulet, since all its pieces were within its guardians.

 

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But Izador would not allow such a thing to happen. That amulet would not get into the dragon elder’s hands. Just the knowledge of what Sheng-Li had done to the vampires proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that the man was insane. Izador would protect his mates and friends from the dragon, if it meant his death. The renewed decision helped clear his senses, and all of a sudden, he knew which way to find everyone. “All right, Jared, Loren, and the others are down that way.” He pointed to the right branch of the corridor which led further into the house, then turned to the left. “Kailì is this way, and so are Sasha Petrovic and his dragon friend.” He could detect the familiar scents, the same ones he’d identified at the scene of the massacre. Thinking back, he realized he’d also caught two other distinctive smells. They were strange back then, not quite right, but now, he figured out it must have belonged to the two women. They were here as well. “He has your mother with him,” he told Vlad. Vlad’s expression closed off completely. “He will pay.” Izador nodded. He threw a look Viktor’s way. “Find the others. We’ll head out to catch up with Kailì.” Even if Kailì had admitted his father was much more powerful, the fact remained that the water dragon was the only one who could give them a clue as to what they could do. “Whatever you do, don’t engage this man,” Kaiden said. “Wait for us. We still have the power of the bloodlines on our side.” Izador accepted that was good advice. In fact, going after Kailì couldn’t be safe, but he was the only one with the senses developed enough to find anyone in this chaos. He knew better than to think Vlad would agree to leave him alone, but at least he could steer Brian away from the danger. “Brian, go with Kaiden.” Brian shook his head stubbornly. “We’re in this together, remember?” Yes, they were, but Brian was a healer, not a fighter. Feeling helpless and frustrated, Izador took a deep breath and prepared

 

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himself to explain this. Another explosion cut him off, and over the awful racket, Brian shouted, “We don’t have time. Come on. Let’s just go.” Izador couldn’t question that. Trusting Kaiden and Viktor to go find the rest of their allies, he took off running, his mates trailing behind him. The dragons’ palace was huge, but it turned out quite easy to navigate through it. The same senses that had always made him such a good tracker now took him to the place he should have avoided at all costs. Izador dodged falling beams and crumbling walls, until at last they reached the ground level of the palace. Izador found a hiding spot behind the remnant of a dragon statue and stole a peek toward the gathering. There was already a battle in progress, several elements clashing together in a battle that threatened to tear apart the very fabric of existence. Kailì was there, along with three other dragons, two women and one man. Izador hadn’t actually met them, but he figured out with ease they were the other elders, each wielding power over earth, fire, and metal, complementing Kailì’s water. Then, in front of them, was a stern-looking man, wearing a changshan very similar to Kailì’s. Still, where the traditional Chinese garb didn’t make Kailì any less approachable, for this man, it seemed to create a barrier of formality and coldness. Of course, Izador couldn’t be unbiased about the situation, for two reasons. The man—obviously the famous Sheng-Li—looked at ease with the fact that he was destroying his former home, and seemed to be irradiating a magic beyond Izador’s power of comprehension. The second reason lay in Sheng-Li’s companions. He’d been prepared for it, but seeing a crazed Sasha Petrovic hold The Mouth of Kharybdis and wave it around as if it were nothing more than a water gun both shocked and appalled him. And lastly, his eyes fell on the two women hanging from Sasha’s shoulders, looking scared, confused, but so very trusting. If Kailì was right, they would know next to nothing about the world that surrounded them. They might even lack the

 

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ability to speak. Izador couldn’t for the life of him understand what determined Sheng-Li to bring them back from the dead. “Look at him,” Brian whispered, as if guessing his thoughts. “He thinks he’s a god. He’s playing with them.” Brian’s words were confirmed moments later. The man with Kailì shot a firebolt at Sheng-Li, but the powerful dragon just looked bored. He caught the ball of flame in his fist and extinguished it as if it were nothing but a dim spark. Then, with the same uninterested look, he created a huge wave out of thin air and allowed it to fall over his opponents. At the last moment, the four dragons managed to put up shields that held some of it back, but their magic was no match to the one the other dragon threw at them. Their shields cracked and splintered. Thankfully, the delay gave Izador and his mates enough time to retreat inside. Seconds later, the water crashed against what had been their frail refuge. Izador stole a look outside. As far as he could tell, Sheng-Li wasn’t paying them any heed. It didn’t surprise Izador, since in the end, he and his mates weren’t anything special, just a vampire, a werewolf, and a fae trapped in a conflict too big for them to handle. Sasha Petrovic, however, didn’t seem to care. “Vlad… Come on out, son,” he called out. “Come give your father a hug. Don’t you want to meet your mommy?” By Izador’s side, Vlad grew even tenser, and Izador gritted his teeth. Fuck, they needed a plan, and quick. As he struggled to think, he sensed their friends approaching. Relief assaulted him. He was no fool, and even if he’d faced many foes in his lifetime, he couldn’t defeat this one on his own. As soon as the group reached them, they all stepped back into the courtyard. The water had retreated, and the dragon elders seemed to have recovered their composure. “Stop this madness,” Viktor said. His eyes fell on the women standing behind Sasha Petrovic. If he felt

 

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anything at all upon seeing his mother, he didn’t show it. “You can’t win.” Sheng-Li didn’t seem intimidated. “On the contrary, little wolf. I already have.” Those words were the only warning Izador had before the world turned to chaos. Before his very eyes, Sheng-Li took his shifted form, turning into a humongous water dragon. The elders didn’t delay in following his example, as did Zongxian. As if that weren’t enough, the bloodline heirs—Viktor, Kaiden, Loren, Yoshi, Lysander, and Tavon—summoned their power. Suddenly, creatures of old myths came to life in front of them, the Cerberus emerging from Viktor, the Hydra from Kaiden, Orthrus from Loren, and the Nemean Lion from Tavon. Yoshi turned into a huge fox, while Lysander shifted into a Harpy—the half-human, half-eagle version. Flame, Jared, and Tomas, together with Izador and his mates, were the only ones still in human form. Well, Tomas was a vampire, and he couldn’t have shifted into anything if he wanted to. As for the rest of them, their animal forms couldn’t contribute to this battle of giants. For his part, Izador couldn’t shift simply because his animal counterpart wouldn’t even be able to move around here. In a strange development, the weight of the gathered mammoths seemed to be too large for the courtyard. The ground started to shake and crumbled under their feet. Before Izador could react, he found himself falling into the darkness. Izador didn’t know what fate would have befallen him if Kailì hadn’t shown up to catch him and his mates. Similarly, the other dragons stopped his companions from falling, although his friends were forced to change back into their human forms because of it. Sasha Petrovic used the jewel to hold himself and his female companions aloft. However insane the man was, he’d certainly learned to put the powers of The Mouth to good use. It was only a second, one little second in which they were all distracted, and then, another wave hit them all, showering them with a

 

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thick curtain of water. It crushed them and they fell into the depths revealed by the blast. When at last they stopped falling, Izador saw they’d ended up in something that seemed be a cave of sorts, quite tall, but otherwise narrow. It smelled musty like…well, like a tomb. Izador remembered dragons had a place where they hibernated and surmised this must be it. Unfortunately, the narrow passageway made the battle difficult. Even as his friends shifted into their monstrous forms, they could not attack him from all sides. Sheng-Li had the advantage here, and he didn’t delay in using it. A spell from Sheng-Li sent Viktor flying, an impressive feat in and by itself given the size of the Cerberus. The ground trembled a bit, but Sheng-Li didn’t seem to care that he risked a cave-in. Izador thought he looked amused. As if the dragon’s magic wasn’t enough of a threat, Sasha Petrovic pointed the jewel in Viktor’s general direction. “Bye-bye, son,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do this for so long.” Izador had never felt so helpless in his entire life. He wasn’t one to stand by and watch how others fought his battles for him. Oddly, he trusted the bloodline heirs, but circumstances seemed against them. He thought that for sure, The Mouth would send one of those deadly whirlpools at Viktor. He remembered the stench of death, the sight of Sheridan’s eyes as he spoke of the killed vampires. He shot forward toward Sasha, hoping against all hope that he’d manage to get to the man before Sasha killed Viktor, or anyone else for that matter. A whirlpool like that could hardly be controlled, and would easily extend to consuming them all. He didn’t even see the spell coming. One moment he was moving toward Sasha, the next, he crashed against the wall of the cave. Izador spluttered, wishing for the millionth time he could change into his second form. Not that it would matter now. Shark or no, he couldn’t help his friends.

 

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But to his surprise, Viktor was never attacked. As he got up, Izador realized one of the women was fighting Sasha for the jewel, snarling angrily. She must be Viktor and Vlad’s mother. Apparently, Kailì had been wrong, and whoever these women were, they weren’t just clones. The second woman, Jessica, seemed to have some recollection of her past as well. She pulled her companion off Sasha, tearing into her hair angrily. Vlad’s mother was stronger, but the distraction sufficed for Sasha to recover and attack her. Brian and Vlad appeared by Izador’s side, having apparently slipped past Sheng-Li’s defenses. “We have to do something,” Brian whispered. Izador agreed completely, and in that moment, his vision seemed clearer than ever. Sasha focused on the women and Sheng-Li on the immediate threat of the bloodline heirs. No one paid attention to Izador. His nightmare came back to him, the one when he’d seen The Mouth of Kharybdis, but this time, Izador realized its true meaning was not threatening. The fang he’d been given by his father suddenly weighed a ton. Without allowing himself to hesitate, Izador lunged forward and decked Sasha. They fell together on the ground, with Izador on top of the werewolf. The only thing Sasha would have to do was to point the jewel at him and Izador would be dead. He had one second, one single moment at his disposal. In that instant, Izador tore the fang from his neck and buried it deep inside the jewel. The fang should have shattered against the jewel. It didn’t. Instead, it went in, melting as if it were one with The Mouth. Sasha screamed and dropped the jewel on the ground. Everyone froze as blue light emerged from the jewel. Izador stared in shock as he watched a familiar male figure materialize from inside. It was so very strange. So much time had passed that Izador had almost forgotten the way his father looked. Perhaps he’d done it subconsciously, to block out the image of the man’s dead eyes the last

 

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time he’d seen them. But now, Izador’s father seemed exactly the same, as strong and proud as the day he’d died protecting his family. Holokai didn’t speak, but a hidden knowledge invaded Izador’s mind. It felt like his father communicated to him at a different level. Izador could sense the man in his head, telling him what he needed to know. His father had been the bloodline heir for Kharybdis, but he’d chosen Izador’s mother over the power of the jewel. He’d never actually thought it would be used in his lifetime. Sea shape-shifters feared it too much. But that day, when he’d been killed, something had told him that Izador would one day need his help. His spirit had clung to the fang, and now, it had unlocked the power hidden inside The Mouth of Kharybdis. All those things were communicated to Izador in a mere instant. While the others still seemed dazzled with the jewel’s power, Izador shot to his feet and pulled his two mates away, taking cover. His friends snapped out of their shock and took their cue to back down. Izador could no longer see his father but felt the moment the other man’s spirit morphed into something different. He saw it grow into the monstrous sea creature that was Kharybdis. With a speed that should have been impossible for a creature its size, it attacked ShengLi. The dragon retaliated with a spell, but in a strange development, it didn’t affect the sea monster at all. To Izador’s shock, he realized that it was not bound by the laws of physics like Viktor and the others were. In spite of their power, the other bloodline heirs were not immune to the blows that came their way. Not so with Kharybdis. The spells went straight through the beast, as if it weren’t really there, but its power was quite palpable. Its huge mouth opened and sucked in air. All the tides and winds of the earth seemed combined in that one motion, and yet Izador wasn’t affected at all and neither were his mates and companions. In awe and horror, Izador held on to Brian and Vlad’s hands as he

 

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watched the beast engulf Sheng-Li and Sasha Petrovic, sucking them in with a disgusting squelch. Flesh twisted and agonized roars and screams filled the cave. Brian buried his face in Izador’s shoulder, trembling, and Izador squeezed his mate tight, finding comfort in his presence. He pulled Vlad closer, knowing how hard this must be for the werewolf. Whatever had happened in the past, Sasha Petrovic was—or rather, had been—Vlad’s father. It all ended as suddenly as it had begun. The power of the old dragon, the same one that fought against so many bloodline heirs, had been contained within the beast he’d tried to use. It was somehow fitting, and Izador acknowledged the fact that any other outcome would have been terrible. Sheng-Li had been insane, and that power, the power Zongxian had told them of, could have destroyed them all. At last, Kharybdis turned into Izador’s father once again. After a brief hesitation, Izador left his hiding place and pulled his mates toward the ghostly figure. He was proud when neither of the men hesitated. “Father, these are my mates, Vlad and Brian.” “I know.” Holokai smiled. “I’m glad you’re happy. I can go and be at peace now. Your mother is waiting. Thank you, boys, for taking care of my son.” Izador hesitated and stole a look toward the still-cowering women. They hadn’t disappeared yet, and even if Kailì said their bodies would be unstable, it was a chance. As if guessing his thoughts, his father shook his head. “That sort of thing needs to be left to the gods, son.” He lowered his voice and looked at Brian. “Those two ladies, they will need your help.” Izador’s father didn’t offer any further explanation. He just smiled and added, “Never forget your mother and I will always be with you. Be happy, Izador. You deserve it.” With that, his figure began to dissipate, until it vanished completely. Izador stared, unable to move or to speak. He’d wanted to

 

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say so many things, and now he’d lost his chance. In the place where his father had been standing, only The Mouth of Kharybdis remained. Izador picked the jewel up, and a suddenly certainty filled him. It was true. His parents were watching over him. And as he looked at his mates, he realized they’d, at last, completed their mission. It was time to go home.

 

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Epilogue Brian collapsed face-first on the bed, exhausted. One month had passed since their confrontation with Sasha Petrovic and the insane dragon, but it felt much longer. In spite of the fact that they’d defeated their enemy, a significant problem still remained—that of the two women resurrected by Sheng-Li’s magic. No one really knew what to do with them, since Vlad and Viktor wanted to be with their mother. Jessica’s behavior troubled them all. At the same time, they needed to make sure Kailì’s previous predictions didn’t come true. Kailì had wanted to take responsibility over the situation and keep the women in China, but the palace was being reconstructed. Brian had considered resorting to help from his own kind for about half a second, before deciding he didn’t have a chance of getting assistance from there. At last, Prince Sheridan had agreed to do take them in. To a certain extent, it was convenient for their previous arrangement and because it meant Izador would be with his people. But that didn’t change the hostility both Vlad and his mother needed to face. It didn’t help that Viktor also came to visit, most often with his mate, and no matter what had happened in China, vampires still despised shape-shifters. Of course, Viktor’s occasional presence helped for his relationship with Vlad. Slowly, through their mother, Vlad warmed up to Viktor and Brian finally found out the truth about Vlad’s past. She seemed to be remembering more and more every day, and her affection toward her sons strengthened her. In a moment of distress, she’d told Brian Sasha Petrovic isolated Viktor from Aliona, intending to fashion his

 

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son after himself. When Viktor proved to be too headstrong, Sasha fathered another child to Aliona—Vlad—and killed her. From that point on, Aliona had lingered around her son, too fearful to leave him, and her soul managed to enter the clone created by Sheng-Li. The knowledge of how she’d suffered made Brian want to aid her even more. It was hard, strenuous work, and it took everything Brian had. Every day, he repeated the treatment, until he felt completely drained. But he knew how much this meant for Viktor, Aliona, and especially for Vlad, and it made all the effort worthwhile. The bed dipped as his mates joined him. “Are you okay?” Vlad asked in a concerned voice, his hand gentle in Brian’s hair. “You’ve been trying so hard to help my mother.” Brian turned and smiled at Vlad. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired.” Izador pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You’re an angel, you know that?” Brian let out a laugh. “I’m not.” Secretly, the mere touch of Vlad’s lips of his skin awakened a deep urge inside him. In spite of the fatigue, Brian’s cock hardened, as always answering to his mates’ proximity. Vlad chuckled lightly, and Brian’s face heated up when he realized his men had sensed his unreasonable arousal. “See,” he said, “not an angel.” “Oh, you are one, but you have a little kinky streak.” Izador smirked. “That just makes you sweeter because you’re ours.” Brian had already gotten used to Izador’s possessiveness, but no matter how much time passed, he couldn’t ever get over how good his mate’s touches felt on his skin. Without saying anything else, Izador crushed his lips to Brian’s in a hungry kiss, one intending to celebrate life itself. They’d been through hell and had returned sane and healthy. Their love had come out stronger, and from that very same love, Brian would give back tenfold. Izador thrust his tongue into his mouth, and Brian opened eagerly, giving and taking in the dance of passion that always brought them

 

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together. Izador’s kisses always tasted like darkness, blood, and a lust so deep Brian thought he would drown in it. He pulled his mate closer, needing more contact, wordlessly demanding skin to skin. As always, Izador understood. He made room for Vlad on the bed, and together, they began to take Brian’s clothes off. They didn’t rush, but neither did they go slow. It was somewhat of a compromise, the thoroughness and regard with which they always touched Brian competing with the pent-up need. Far too often, their duties kept them away from each other, and at the end of the day, in spite of living in the same building, they found that they hadn’t seen each other in over twelve hours. It might not have seemed much for others, but to Brian, it felt like an eternity. He knew the next day would be just as tiresome, and perhaps, for that reason, Brian needed this even more. He desperately rubbed against his mates, somewhat sabotaging their efforts to unclothe him, but unable to help himself. His men didn’t protest. If anything, Brian’s arousal seemed to get them even hotter. Vlad’s hands on him grew even more demanding. He held Brian down, stopping him from bucking and grinding any further. Brian glared at the man, but the effect was spoiled when his wolf mate reached for his crotch. Brian gasped as Vlad rubbed his stillclothed erection, and he went limp, suddenly seeing the great advantages of nakedness. The friction against the material felt amazing, but Brian wanted more. His mind was filled with visions of Izador sucking his cock while Vlad fucked his ass. Or perhaps they could suck each other off. There were so many options, and Brian couldn’t wait to try them all. Some of his ideas must have leaked into Vlad and Izador, or perhaps his arousal had just spiked, because the two men groaned. All of a sudden, they couldn’t seem to get enough of Brian. His clothing flew off in a flurry, followed by their own.

 

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In a daze, Brian trembled as his mates crawled over him. Vlad pulled him in his lap, and Brian landed with his ass against Vlad’s hard cock. He arched his back, loving the tight circle of his mate’s arms around him, his heat and scent reaching out to him at a visceral level. Vlad held him tightly, and as Brian lowered his head on the werewolf’s shoulder, Izador descended upon him. Without one word of warning, he took Brian’s prick into his mouth. Wet heat engulfed Brian’s cock, and Brian cried out, the pleasure assaulting his nerve endings too much to contain. He’d have wanted to move, to bury his dick in Izador’s throat, but Izador held his hip, keeping him from moving. It wasn’t even that Izador couldn’t take him. The man gave a killer blow job, as Brian knew from experience. Unfortunately—or fortunately—he also enjoyed using his talented mouth to drive Brian insane with lust. And indeed, Izador proceeded to do just that. He swirled his tongue over the head of Brian’s cock, probing the tiny slit in a stabbing motion. Brian whimpered, his entire being begging for more of the sinful stimulation. Izador took the glans in his mouth, sucking lightly, while his hands cupped Brian’s balls and squeezed just so. It wasn’t painful, but tears filled Brian’s eyes, regardless. The sexual frustration made his every sense heighten, and it seemed he could feel every swipe of Izador’s tongue with more intensity than usual. It didn’t help that Vlad decided it was a good idea to rub his nipples and nibble on his neck. The werewolf’s erection still prodded against Brian’s backside, and Brian had the urge to simply impale himself on it. Gods, he needed. He ached and yearned for his mates, every atom within him sizzling with desire. Izador bobbed his head up and down Brian’s cock, and Vlad urged Brian to spread his legs wide. It was somewhat difficult because of their position, but Brian prided himself on being limber. He leaned against Vlad’s chest and exposed his genitals to Izador’s exploration.

 

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Izador didn’t delay in taking advantage of the change in position. His fingers traveled from the base of Brian’s prick to his taint, rubbing against the sensitive patch of skin. Brian reached down, intending to grab hold of Izador’s hair. He loved the feel of the soft strands in his hands, and enjoyed the leverage it gave him over Izador. Vlad, however, had other ideas. He caught Brian’s hands before he could finish his plan, holding them immobilized. In the past month, Vlad had gotten over his original misgivings. He still showed some difficulties with public manifestation of affection, but when the three of them were alone, he even took the initiative. Alas, this often manifested itself in Vlad and Izador teaming up to make a delicious mess out of Brian. To be true, Brian couldn’t bring himself to complain. Even now, the tight hold of his mate’s fist on his wrists called out to the part of him that desired their protection. He didn’t even try to fight, even if he knew Vlad would release him should Brian truly want it. He relaxed in his mate’s embrace, closing his eyes and allowing the pleasure to flow over him. Izador’s mouth on his prick, Vlad’s hands holding him, their warmth and their palpable affection, everything created a combination of sex and pure emotion that humbled Brian. When his climax came, it took him by surprise. It seemed to build up slowly, lazily, like a song with ever-climbing notes. And then, the melody exploded into bright, brilliant tones, and Brian’s world reduced itself to the pleasure his mates offered and the one he wanted to give back. Vlad held him through the tremors of his orgasm, while Izador cleaned every bit of spunk from his cock, swallowing it all down. Brian melted in Vlad’s arms, riding the afterglow. He was so lost in it, that he almost fell over when Vlad released him. Izador caught him, and Brian couldn’t muster enough strength to be embarrassed. In fact, embarrassment couldn’t be further away from his mind, especially when a slick finger invaded his body. Brian didn’t know

 

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when his mates had procured the lube, probably when he’d still been distracted by his orgasm. Either way, he didn’t care. His body, although sated, still ached to be taken. His orgasm had drained out all resistance from his flesh. Brian took the first finger and the second with ease. Even the third went in without problem, although it did burn a little. Still, Brian wanted more. His cock had already started to grow hard again, an unsurprising fact given that any touch from Izador or Vlad boosted Brian’s stamina to an almost unnatural extent. When his mate’s fingers hit his prostate, Brian couldn’t help a moan. “Please. Fuck me.” He’d expected Vlad and Izador to torture him longer, to continue their maddening touches that brought him to the edge without pushing him over. They didn’t. Instead, Vlad pulled Brian into his lap once more, and in one swift motion, impaled him with his cock. The sudden sensation of being filled drove a dagger of pure, intense ecstasy through Brian. His plea turned into a choked cry, and he clung to Vlad’s shoulders as his mate thrust into him over and over. He pushed back with all his remaining strength, and the position made Vlad go deeper and deeper, until Brian could feel the vibrations of the man’s pounding way up into his abdomen. He clutched at Vlad’s skin, riding his lover, enjoying the knowledge that he’d made his mate lose control like this. With every thrust, Vlad pegged Brian’s gland. His prostate was in heaven, and the stimulation soon had Brian on the brink of orgasm. But just as he was about to come, Izador snatched him from Vlad’s arms. Vlad grinned at him even as his cock left Brian’s body with a wet squelch. Confused and dazed, Brian could do nothing but go with the flow. It didn’t help prepare him for the moment when Izador embedded his prick inside his passage. Izador pushed him on all fours and pounded into him with a strength that seemed born out of Brian’s own desire. Brian clenched his hands into the sheets and fixed his eyes on Vlad. The werewolf

 

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was jacking his cock off furiously, his blue gaze a hot ice Brian could easily become addicted to. At this point, Brian needed to come so desperately he thought he would die. He moved with Izador, chasing his orgasm and that of his mate. He was so very close he could practically taste it. Distantly, he heard himself begging and pleading, incoherent cries he didn’t even understand. It was too much, too much, and Brian’s need escalated to unbearable levels. And then, Izador buried his cock one last time inside his anus and his fangs in his neck. Brian screamed at the sensation, the bond between the three of them reinforced by Izador’s feeding on him. With their emotions and pleasure bonding together, it didn’t surprise Brian to feel Izador pump him full of cum. It felt so very good and so overwhelming that Brian’s mind threatened to short-circuit. By some miracle, he managed to keep his eyes on Vlad, a good thing since moments later, the werewolf shot his wad, sending white ropes of cum over Brian’s face and hair, and into his mouth. Another burst of pleasure coursed through Brian at the knowledge that he’d been marked by his mate’s seed in the most primal of ways. His orgasm, as well as those of his mates, claimed his consciousness, and he drifted into a welcome darkness that felt like pure ecstasy. When he came to, he found himself on the bed, with his mates above him, cleaning him up. They grinned down at him as he opened his eyes, and Brian smirked back. “Still think I’m an angel?” Vlad chuckled. “Oh yes. A very debauched angel.” Izador’s smile was gentle and mysterious. “Our angel and our haven.” Brian didn’t have anything to say to that. The words clogged in his throat, but he knew his mates understood him anyway. He saw in their gazes the same knowledge and certainty that filled his soul. They were mates, and they were bonded by a connection stronger than

 

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anything on this earth. Whatever came next, Brian would be there for them, and they would protect him in turn. Still smiling, Izador and Vlad lay down by his side and cuddled him close. Happy and relaxed, Brian drifted into sleep, safe in the knowledge of the love he’d found.

THE END WWW.SCARLETHYACINTH.WEBS.COM

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A native Romanian, Scarlet was born in 1986 and grew up an avid fan of Karl May and Jules Verne, reading fantasy stories and adventure. Later, when she was out of fantasy stories to read, she delved into her mother’s collection of books and, of course, stumbled onto romance. As a writer though, Scarlet Hyacinth was born one sunny summer day when a dear friend of hers—the same friend who introduced her to GLBT fiction—proposed they start writing a story of their own. As it turns out, the two friends never did finish that particular story, but Scarlet discovered she had a knack for writing and ended up starting to write individually. And so, between working on her dissertation, studying for exams, and reading yaoi manga, she started writing the Kaldor Saga. Along the way, Scarlet met a lot of wonderful people who supported her, and in the end, she found her story a home and, in the process, fulfilled a beautiful dream.

Also by Scarlet Hyacinth Siren Classic ManLove: Deadly Mates 1: Moon’s Sweet Poison Siren Classic ManLove: Deadly Mates 2: Wings of Moonlight Ménage Amour ManLove: Deadly Mates 3: Spell of the Predator’s Moon Ménage Amour ManLove: Deadly Mates 4: Dragon’s Bloodmoon

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/scarlet-hyacinth

 

 

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