by Lynn Hagen
He even liked working for Antonio.
“I’ll go to dinner with you,” Morgan offered. “My treat.”
Morgan had raised Warren after Warren’s parents…well…they hadn’t been the best people to raise a child. His father had walked out after losing his job, unable to provide for his family any longer. His mother was a straight-up drunk who had been more concerned with her next bottle then taking care of her only child.
It was his father’s brother who’d stepped in and taken Warren out of that ugly situation. Warren would be forever grateful, although Morgan was far from a saint. But he’d done the best he could, and Warren couldn’t have asked for more.
Even so, Morgan had a tendency to get himself into trouble. Since Warren had lived with his uncle, Morgan had been arrested twice for driving under the influence, had gotten into three bar fights, and had a slight gambling problem.
Yes, he was a drinker, but nowhere as bad as Warren’s mom, and Morgan always managed to have food on the table, made sure Warren’s schoolwork was done, and actually cared about him.
“Okay.” As far as Warren knew, the diner didn’t serve alcohol.
And Morgan knew nothing of Warren’s inheritance. He hadn’t told a soul about it for fear everyone would have their hand out.
Including Morgan, who already lived comfortably. Except when he gambled. Then he tended to blow a large wad of cash that would’ve been better staying in his savings account.
“I’ll drive.” Morgan waved a hand toward the driveway. “You should tell your landlord to trim your grass. It’s getting pretty long.”
Warren was the landlord and would’ve done that already, except he’d been feeling queasy the past few days.
After climbing into Morgan’s truck and pulling away, Warren noticed a black Charger pulling into his driveway. Crap, he’d just missed Ryan.
Warren wasn’t sure if he was relieved or not, but his best bet was to stay away for as long as possible until Ryan gave up and went away. That was the best thing considering Ryan’s behavior, so why on earth did Warren’s stomach pitch as Morgan turned the corner?
Chapter Two
Ryan walked into the semi-crowded club, needing to feed. Since Warren wouldn’t even talk to him lately, Ryan had no choice but to find a stranger. It wasn’t as if he was at Christian’s club in the city where there were willing humans who didn’t mind feeding a vampire.
Or in Ryan’s case, a half-breed. He could go out in sunlight and could eat regular food, but he still lived off blood.
And right now he was thirsty as fuck. He wouldn’t have been starving if he’d properly fed from Warren, but Ryan was still trying to figure out how to tell the human they were mates.
So he took very little when they’d had sex. But now his appetite was so strong that Ryan feared he might drain someone to quench his thirst. He could barely focus, and his gut was twisted in knots.
Someone had to throw Ryan a lifeline tonight because fuck if he would let bloodlust consume him. He’d never recover from that. Ryan had seen vampires who had given into bloodlust, and he shivered at the thought of turning into one of those mindless creatures whose only goal in life was to drain people dry.
Ryan was scanning the partygoers when his gaze fell on one of the bartenders. The guy was tall, blond, and perfect for a midnight snack. The stranger’s hips moved with a feminine sway as he walked down the aisle behind the counter. He wasn’t even Ryan’s type, but the guy had a long swan neck, which would make getting to his jugular a lot easier.
The thirst itching at Ryan’s throat grew. He made his way to the bar, passing guys who looked his way with interest. Ryan wasn’t there to fuck. He had a mate, and even though Warren wanted nothing to do with him at the moment, Ryan wasn’t going to cheat.
Drinking from a vein was usually a very intimate act, but vampires could detach themselves from what they were doing if need be. This would’ve been a lot better if he could’ve taken what he’d needed from Warren instead of tiny sips, but…well…Ryan might have been a bit overzealous when it came to finding his mate.
He may or may not have come on a bit strong, but he was working on that. Or he would have been working on that if Warren would give him the time of day.
Until then…
Ryan moved to the end of the bar and tried to gain the bartender’s attention. If he could talk with the guy for just a second, he could enthrall him, lure him outside, and get what he needed, then wipe the guy’s memory of anything ever happening.
But it wasn’t the diva who came toward him. It was a tall, muscular guy with dark hair and chocolate-brown eyes. “What can I get you?”
Ryan gnashed his teeth. This was proving more difficult than Ryan had anticipated. But what the hell? A donor was a donor.
That godawful squeeze of Ryan’s throat wasn’t going away, so he couldn’t afford to be picky because the guy approaching him wasn’t the one he wanted.
They were about the same size, their musculature nearly identical, though the bartender was an inch or two taller than Ryan. They were both muscled, built solidly, and if Ryan hadn’t already been mated, he just might have been interested in the cocky son of a bitch.
“I need you to come outside for a moment.” He leaned his arms on the edge off the counter and stared right into the guy’s eyes. That was when the scent hit Ryan.
He was dealing with a wolf shifter. Did that matter? Right now Ryan couldn’t afford to be picky. He just needed to feed to get rid of the fog that was threatening to overtake him. His stomach still ached, and his throat was growing drier by the minute.
Soon he would be consumed with hunger and he’d attack, regardless to who was around him, and Ryan wanted to avoid that scenario at all costs.
And god, Ryan felt exhausted from everything—needing to feed, trying to stay one step ahead of Macaw, and trying to figure out how to get back into Warren’s good graces.
Something had to give.
The wolf shifter gave Ryan a cocky grin that spoke of dirty sex and a good time. “I don’t think so. Do I look that gullible to you?”
What? Had the guy just refused him? That had never happened before. Not in the two hundred years Ryan had been alive. There had been times when he’d had to mentally push the suggestion onto someone, but no one had flat-out refused him.
“I really need you to come outside.” Ryan had used a lot more power behind his words, yet the bartender didn’t budge.
“If you don’t want anything to drink, I have other customers to serve.”
Fuck me. Ryan scrubbed a hand down his mouth, wondering why in the hell it hadn’t worked. The bartender should’ve been walking his willing ass out the exit already.
“Hey,” Ryan called out when the guy walked away from him. He was still thirsty as fuck, but now he was also curious.
“Look, I don’t have time for this,” Mr. Grouchy snapped. “Go play your games with someone else. In fact, don’t play them at all. If I catch you trying to lure someone outside, I’m beating your ass.”
Ryan snarled. Not only was his hunger getting to him but so was this jackass’s attitude. Just because he wasn’t able to enthrall the prick didn’t mean he had to be rude and hand out threats.
“I’d like to see you try.” Air huffed out of Ryan’s nostrils. He was starving and raring for a fight if this guy wanted one.
The asshole got up close and personal, right in Ryan’s face. His dark eyes were fuming, his lips set in a tight line. “I’m not someone you want to fuck with, buddy. I’m gonna alert the bouncers that—” He leaned in closely and sniffed, and then his eyebrows shot to his hairline. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
Ryan opened his mouth to say something sarcastic when he felt as if he’d been slugged in the chest. The reaction felt explosive. He lost the ability to breathe as his eyebrows marched right up his forehead.
“You’re a vampire,” the guy whispered. “You’re trying to lure me outside to feed on me.”
Busted. Ryan was
n’t going to deny the fact. This guy was a shifter and knew the score, but that wasn’t what floored Ryan. “This can’t be right.”
“What?”
“You don’t feel it?” Ryan sure as hell did. He rubbed his chest and had an overwhelming urge to kiss the bastard on his full and tempting lips.
The bartender leaned in close and inhaled deeply. Once again he appeared shocked, but this time, he took a step back, looking as if he’d bolt at any second.
It seemed Ryan had zero luck when it came to mates. Why did they always want to run from him? Goddamn. He wasn’t that fucking ugly.
“But…” The guy shook his head, his brows knitted together. “I already found my mate earlier today.”
That sentence nearly knocked Ryan on his ass. “What? Who?”
This was getting stranger by the second. Ryan had already found his. Warren. Although the human was flighty as fuck. That was in part because of Ryan’s behavior, but he wasn’t going to dwell on that right now.
It seemed he had bigger problems.
“His name is Warren.”
Mind blown. Like, to another dimension of reality. They couldn’t be talking about the same person. No fucking way. What were the odds?
“Warren Prickett?”
The guy shrugged. “I didn’t catch his last name. Short human, jade-green eyes, blond hair, some extra lovin’ around his belly.”
Ryan snarled and grabbed the guy by his shirt and yanked him close. “You stay the fuck away from him!”
People at the bar turned their heads to watch the show Ryan was putting on. Ryan quickly closed his mouth, hiding his fangs, which had punched through his gums.
“Ash, is there a problem?” One of the other bartenders came closer. He was short, slim, and human. Ryan couldn’t care less about him.
Ash. So that was Ryan’s other mate’s name.
Other mate. As if Ryan didn’t have enough issues to deal with.
Ash shoved at Ryan, dislodging his hands. “Grab me like that again and you will get your ass kicked.”
They glared at one another. Ryan felt jealousy snake through his body at the thought of Ash going anywhere near Warren, of touching him, kissing him, having sex with him.
Crap. Ryan was about to lose his shit.
“I think we really do need to take this outside,” Ash said. “Follow me.”
Ryan wanted to tell Ash he could shove his command up his ass, but he also wanted answers.
And to feed. Maybe once he got his hunger out of the way, he could think more clearly. Right now his skin felt too tight and his mood was dark.
Now Ryan was also horny. His dick was hard enough to knock the ball out of the park. Hunger and horny was a deadly combination. When they reached the parking lot, Ryan slammed Ash against the brick wall.
Ash snarled, letting his canines show as he once again shoved Ryan away. “Slow the fuck down. We need to talk.”
“Not until I’ve fed. I’m starving, and soon I won’t be able to control myself.” Ryan’s foul mood was because of his hunger, and it wouldn’t improve until his thirst was taken care of.
Ash gave him a long hard look, as though he was debating what to do, and the longer he took, the harder it was for Ryan to control himself. He couldn’t stop staring at the vein in Ash’s neck, concentrating on it so hard he almost missed what Ash said.
“Not here.” Ash led him to his SUV. They slipped inside, and Ash offered his wrist. It wasn’t the most appealing vein to drink from, but desperate times…
Ryan latched on. When the first drop of blood touched his tongue, he felt ravenous. He grabbed Ash’s wrist and sucked so hard he feared he’d break a bone.
“Jeez, go easy.” There was a hint of lust in Ash’s voice, as if the feeding was making him just as hard as Ryan was. Ryan’s hunger began to dwindle, but his cock was getting thicker.
Ryan held on to Ash’s wrist with one hand, using the other to unsnap his mate’s pants. Mate. Ryan shelved that thought as he shoved his hand between Ash’s body and his underwear, fisting the wolf’s erection.
“Oh, fuck,” Ash moaned. He ran his hand over Ryan’s hair, fisting some strands while his hips punched upward.
Finally, Ryan eased his fangs from Ash’s vein, licked the pinprick holes closed, and lowered his head, taking Ash’s cock into his mouth. Now that one hunger had been dealt with, another was growing hotter with every touch Ash gave him, with every moan and encouraging word to suck the guy harder.
“Damn…just damn.” Ash reached for the lever and moved his seat all the way back. He shoved his pants down to his knees. “Suck it, baby.”
Ryan used the flat of his tongue to trace the thick vein alongside Ash’s dick, and then he sank his fangs into it, making Ash shout as he came down Ryan’s throat.
Ryan grinned as he licked the holes closed and lifted his head. He maneuvered around, shoving his pants down his legs and palming his cock. He wanted the blowjob reciprocated. He was so hard his balls ached.
Ash leaned over the console and licked at the slit, drawing out Ryan’s pre-cum like it was honey. The guy was a straight-up tease. “You better do more than just tickle the head.”
Ash chuckled, gripped the base, and took Ryan’s shaft all the way down his throat. Fuuuuck. Ryan was lost in pleasure. Ash knew what the fuck he was doing when it came to sucking dick. He created a suction, making the seal tight as he bobbed his head up and down, using his tongue and teeth to drive Ryan wild.
When Ash palmed Ryan’s balls, game over. Ryan shouted and jerked in the passenger seat. He clamped his hands on Ash’s head and fucked his mate’s mouth as he came.
This was exactly what Ryan had needed. God, he felt wasted, high off the endorphins from feeding and busting a nut. He actually felt dizzy.
Ash moved back to his side and yanked his pants and underwear back up before fastening his pants. Ryan did the same.
“I’m Kane Ashton,” his mate said. “But everyone calls me Ash.”
Ryan gave a soft laugh. “I guess introductions should’ve come before we did.” He shook Ash’s hand. “I’m Ryan.”
“Just Ryan?”
That was a touchy subject that Ryan didn’t want to talk about. “Yeah, just Ryan.” He rubbed his chin. “And we need to talk about what we’re going to do about Warren.”
“Have you already had contact with him?” Ash rolled his window down and rested his arm on the open frame. The breeze felt good because the SUV had been too damn hot after what they’d done. The windows had slightly fogged, and the air felt blessedly cooling.
“Yeah, and things aren’t going so well.” Ryan rolled his down and positioned his arm the same way. “I might’ve come on too strong, and now Warren thinks I’m some crazy guy. He even broke up with me yesterday.”
Ash made a sound like he was choking. “Are you fucking serious? You scared our mate, and now what, he doesn’t want anything to do with you?”
“That about sums it up.” Ryan felt like an ass for the way he’d acted with Warren. “I went to his house earlier to try and make it up to him, but he was either hiding from me or not home. He didn’t answer the door.”
Ash grunted. “Thanks, now I know why he blew me off earlier today. I met him at the festival, and he told me he had things he was dealing with. I’m guessing you’re what he’s dealing with.”
Ryan grinned. “He shot you down?”
That shouldn’t make him feel better, but it did. That meant Warren felt the pull, and although he didn’t know what that feeling was, he hadn’t been interested in another guy.
Maybe he had a chance with his mate, after all.
“Don’t look so smug,” Ash said with a snarl. “He flat-out refused to talk to me. I had to keep pace with him just to have a conversation.”
Ryan laughed. He couldn’t help it. Ash slapped Ryan’s chest with the back of his hand. “Because of you I’m gonna have to work twice as hard to get to Warren. What exactly did you do?”
The laughter die
d, and Ryan gave a weary sigh. “I might have acted a bit obsessive.” Warren had also seen Ryan with one of the demon warriors from the demon realm. After that, Warren had become distant, looking at Ryan as if he would murder Warren in his sleep.
No, Ryan hadn’t exactly acted like a sane person. He wanted to kick his own ass for that.
He told Ash about his meeting with Phoenyx. Ryan just didn’t tell Ash why they’d met. “And now Warren thinks I’m hanging out with thugs.”
“Fuck.” Ash slapped his palm against the steering wheel. “I’m not gonna kick your ass just yet. Why didn’t you tell Warren that you were mates? Why is he still in the dark about all this?”
“Have you ever tried to tell a human about our world? How the hell do you even approach that subject without fear that he’ll have a mental breakdown? I was working up the courage, but before I could tell him, he kicked me to the curb.”
That made Ash laugh. Ryan wanted to slug him. His life was in the gutter right now, and what he didn’t need was his other mate poking fun at him.
His other mate. Ryan groaned. Someone shoot him and put him out of his misery already.
“Sorry.” Ash sobered. “I just find it humorous since there’s no such thing as breaking up with a mate.” He sighed, and it sounded as if Ash was just as tired as Ryan felt. “I’ll find a way to talk to him. For now, keep your ass away from him until I can smooth things over.”
“Like hell,” Ryan snarled. “So you can slide up in there and claim him without me being involved? I’m not being sidelined, Ash. No damn way.”
Ryan had never had an orgy, but could the three of them sleeping together be considered one? They were mates, so Ryan didn’t think so.
Ash’s brows were raised, and his eyes were wide. “Tell me you two haven’t already fucked.”
“I—” Ryan closed his mouth.
“Like I thought,” Ash huffed. “You two have already slept together and you want to pull the jealous card on me? Sitting on the sidelines is exactly what you’re going to do. No wonder Warren thinks you’re crazy.”
“I’m not crazy,” Ryan argued. “I got a little too fucking happy that I found my mate and didn’t handle it like I should have. You’ve never gone overboard with something that meant everything to you?”
