by Lynn Hagen
Chapter Five
Ryan wanted to go after Ash. He hadn’t liked the hardened expression in Ash’s eyes when he’d walked out of the room. Ryan had turned leave when Warren stirred and opened his eyes.
“Hey there.” Dr. Bjord smiled at Warren. “Welcome back.”
Ryan felt as though he was being pulled in two different directions. He needed to see what was going through Ash’s mind, but he also needed to be there for Warren.
In another life, Ryan would be celebrating becoming a father. The three of them would have been the perfect triad. Shit just didn’t seem to be working out that way. Warren wanted nothing to do with him, and Ash was on the run.
A perfect home life, any kind of home life, didn’t seem to be in the cards for Ryan. He stood by the door, leaning against the wall and wondered if Warren even wanted to see him after the news the doctor had just given them.
Fuck. He’d gotten the human pregnant. Now he knew how a lot of human males felt when their girl told them she was pregnant. Only the humans could’ve used protection.
Not vampires. Not any nonhuman. Condoms didn’t prevent pregnancy. At least that was what Ryan had heard.
“He’s back among us,” the assistant said.
Ryan hadn’t appreciated the assistant’s snarky reply earlier. His lineage to Christian had been a shock to Ryan considering he had no idea who his parents even were.
He’d grown up on the streets, fighting for everything he’d needed just to survive. In doing so, he might have done some questionable things to get by, but Ryan didn’t consider himself a bad person.
“Tell me you mixed the tests up and this is all some weird dream,” Warren said. “I can’t be…god, I can’t even say the word.”
“I’m sorry, but the test is right,” Dr. Bjord said.
The longer Warren talked, the more Ryan’s heart sank. There wasn’t going to be a flowery ending where all three lived happily ever after. There was no such thing in Ryan’s life. Happy was as unfamiliar and foreign as the comfort of a loving parent.
He looked away, trying not to take what Warren was saying to heart. This was all new to him, too. His mate had no idea vampires and shifters even existed an hour ago, and now the doctor was telling him that he had a baby growing inside of him.
Warren was taking all of this better than Ryan would have if he’d been the one sitting on that exam table.
“I’ll let you two have a moment,” the doctor said. “This is a lot to digest.”
Wait, the guy was leaving Ryan alone with Warren? Ryan felt like he was going to lose it at any second. The stress. The chasing after Warren for the past few days, of being dumped, of meeting Ash, and now…
A baby. Ryan was not ready for that shit. What did he know about taking care of someone so helpless and tiny?
“Tell me what planet I’m on.”
Warren’s soft, meek voice pulled Ryan’s head out of his ass and drew his attention to his mate. Ryan was sweating bullets, and maybe he was the one who would pass out next.
“Not earth.” Ryan moved closer to the bed, shoving his hands into his pockets, and hoped Warren didn’t start screaming at him. Ryan was never any good with emotional men. This one he couldn’t run from, not like Ash had done. Someone needed to stick around for Warren, and lucky him.
Warren took a deep, cleansing breath. He nodded and looked as though he was steeling his backbone. His raised his chin and looked Ryan right in the eyes. Ryan wasn’t sure what that look was about and was too afraid to ask.
“Okay, I believe you. You’re a vampire, and Ash is a wolf shifter, and you knocked me up. Now what do we do?”
Ryan didn’t trust Warren’s sudden acceptance. The other shoe was going to fall at any second. Some strange tick would start under Warren’s eye and he’d crack and Ryan would be buried deep under his mate’s meltdown.
“I’m not sure.” It was the god’s honest truth. What did he know about mating and babies and making plans? Ryan had lived his life on the fly, never knowing what he was going to do until shit happened to him.
“Where’s Ash?” Warren looked around and then down at the floor, as if Ash was lying down there.
“I’m not sure.”
Warren gave a throaty grunt as he slapped his lap. “You’re not helping me right now.”
“What do you want me to say?” Ryan asked. “I’m just as blown away about this as you are. My brain is stuck on stupid, and I don’t have the first clue what to say or do.”
“Fine.” Warren crossed his arms over his thin chest. “I’ll take charge. First.” He jabbed a finger Ryan’s way. “You’re going to stop going overboard. Got that? No more smothering me with your attention. A guy needs room to breathe. I don’t mind cuddling, but we’re not joined at the hip.”
“I’m working on that,” Ryan admitted.
“Second, and most importantly, I don’t like being in charge, so pull your damn boots straps up, find Ash, and you two figure this insane mess out. Now, I want to go home.” He paused then added, “And I’m starving.”
Ryan could do food. That wasn’t a problem. He could master feeding Warren. All that other shit? They needed Ash. “We can stop at Pump. Other than that, I have no idea where to look for him.”
Warren’s brows knitted together. “You don’t have his phone number?”
Ryan hadn’t thought to get it. This was why he didn’t need to be responsible for other people. Ryan had never done long-term, so it hadn’t occurred to him to get Ash’s number.
Warren groaned. “I’ll be fine here. Go find him and bring me back some food.”
“Are you sure?” Ryan didn’t want to leave Warren by himself.
“I’m sure. I don’t want to run around town with you trying to find Ash. I’m still a bit queasy. I’d rather stay here and let you do all the leg work.”
Without thinking, Ryan leaned in and brushed his lips across Warren’s, waiting for his mate to shove him away. But Warren didn’t. He sighed into Ryan’s mouth like he was welcoming him home.
Ryan took the kiss deeper, cupping Warren’s face. When they pulled apart, Warren looked a bit dazed.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare go anywhere.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Warren yawned. “I just might get more rest. Don’t wake me unless you have some food in your hands.”
Ryan waited a few beats and then left the clinic, praying Ash was at Pump. Because like he’d told Warren, if their mate wasn’t, he had no clue where to look.
* * * *
You are the worst person in the world. Ash was standing there with a hot, raring-to-go twink ready to whatever he wanted him to, and nothing. Not even a twitch in his dick. Ash couldn’t think of partying, trying to get laid, or drinking because the weight in his chest was crushing.
This wasn’t what he wanted. The hazel eyes that stared eagerly didn’t melt his heart or make him want to go out of his way to please the guy. They were just eyes in a sea of faces that danced in the club.
Ash hadn’t even caught the human’s name.
“So, you were saying?” The guy tried to get closer, but Ash took a step back, scrubbing a hand over his face because he was frustrated with himself. He was handling things all wrong, and he knew it.
Since when did he walk away from problems? Since when did he ever tuck tail and run? He was the guy who was always handing out advice, always there with his rock-hard shoulders for anyone who needed to lean on them.
And when the most important guy, one of them, had a bomb dropped in his lap, how had Ash handled that? He was in a fucking gay club trying to get his dick sucked by Mr. Eager.
“We could go out to my car.” His voice was soft, alluring, and Ash’s wolf sniffed and turned its head. The twink pressed his hands against Ash’s chest, and from the corner of his eye, Ash could see Prince watching.
That was another issue Ash wasn’t going to dwell on. Not when he was trying to get the guy in front of him to back off. He grabbed the h
uman’s wrists, and the twink must have taken that as an invitation because he leaned up, going for Ash’s lips.
Before Ash managed to take another step back, there was a big wall of angry flesh pulling the twink away. Hard muscles, eyes so furiously hard that they could’ve been made of stone, and a clenched jaw that had the muscles in his neck standing out.
“Mind telling me why he was pawing you?” Ryan shoved Ash against the wall at his back. Ash spotted one of the bouncers cutting through the crowd to get to him. Bayne’s jaw was set, and he looked as if he just might murder Ryan when he reached them.
Ash shook his head and held his hand up. Bayne stopped but didn’t turn away. He watched them, making sure Ash didn’t need his help. Which Ash didn’t, but it was Bayne’s job to protect everyone in the club, especially the employees.
Even if Ryan slugged Ash, he deserved it. “Why’re you here?”
“Why aren’t you at the clinic?” Ryan shot back. “Tell me you’re not the kind of guy who bails when things get complicated. Tell me I’m not mated to a fucking asshole.”
His voice was dripping with fire and accusation. Ash felt Ryan’s anger beating against him like a furious storm, but his concern shifted. “Where’s Warren?”
Ryan dropped his hands from Ash’s chest then wiped his hand across his face and glared at him. “Why do you care? You left, remember?”
“Why should I stick around?” Ash had told himself that he wasn’t going to say shit to either of them, just let them have their life together. But he was shocked at the pain and anger that pulsed against his chest. “You two are starting a family together.” His words weren’t cutting anymore. In fact, Ash sounded like a kicked, jaded puppy. “What do you need me for?”
A wry bark of laughter escaped Ryan. “I’m sorry I forgot to bring you a gift.”
His words made no sense. “A gift for what?”
“Your pity party. Do you think you’re the only one feeling as if life just kicked you in the balls? I didn’t even know I could get him pregnant. I’m the one who should be running away from this, but instead I have to hunt you down because Warren is wondering where the hell you went.”
“Ryan—”
“Man, fuck you. You can keep your ass here and have whatever guy you want to suck your dick if walking away from us is that damn easy.” Ryan turned, pushing his way through the crowd.
Bayne eased back.
Prince tried to hide a smirk as he watched Ryan storm out.
Right now an ant felt bigger than Ash did. He’d made the wrong choice at a defining moment in his relationship with Ryan and Warren.
“Was that your boyfriend?”
Ash looked down and saw that the twink was back. Did he have a death wish? If Ryan returned, he'd kill the short human.
“Yeah.” Ash moved around him and headed for the door, nodding at Bayne as he passed him. When he stepped outside, Ryan was there, his arms crossed, staring across the street.
Ash was stunned to see he’d stuck around.
“I’m still here because I’m trying to cool off before I go back to Warren,” Ryan said. “I’m also struggling with how to tell him our mate ditched us and was trying to get laid not even an hour after he finds out we’re going to be fathers.”
Ash didn’t know what to say. He had no defense, and he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
“That baby is just as much yours as it is mine, Ash.” He turned, and Ash saw the gentle fear in his eyes. “And I could use all the help I can get to figure this out.”
Ash curled an arm around Ryan’s neck and rested his forehead against his mate’s hair, taking Ryan’s scent into his lungs and breathing him. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good, because once we get Warren settled, I’m beating your ass for what I saw in there.”
“Nothing happened.” Ash curled his other arm around Ryan’s solid, warm body. “I couldn’t even get my dick interested, not the way it was interested in you.”
Ryan elbowed him. “Nice try, but you’re not off the hook.”
Ash pulled back and rubbed his ribs. “Just don’t tell Warren. He’s already dealing with enough right now.”
“He wants us to figure out what to do next.” Ryan started down the street, and Ash followed. “He says he doesn’t want to be in charge.” He stopped and looked up at Ash, and holy hell, Ash couldn’t resist pulling his mate to his chest and kissing him.
Ash might not want to fall for Ryan or Warren because he’d had his heart shattered in the past, but he had a feeling he had no choice in the matter. Not when Ryan kissed Ash like he mattered, like Ryan wanted this mating just as much as he did.
Ash’s cock was hard by the time they pulled apart. Now he knew it wasn’t broken. It just didn’t want anyone but Ryan and Warren. “Is Warren still at the clinic?”
He was trying hard to ignore his raging hard-on. All Ash wanted to do was shove Ryan against the nearest wall and fuck him until they were either arrested or couldn’t walk.
But they needed to get back to Warren. Ash didn’t like leaving him by himself. Not when Warren probably felt as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“I swear,” Ryan said. “I don’t like—” He stopped talking and walking and looked around. His fangs were showing, and his eyelids dropped to slits.
“What?” Ash looked around. “What is it?”
“How did he find me?”
“Who?” Ash was getting tired of asking questions. He wanted Ryan to spit it out. His mate had a dark veiled expression as he took up a fighting stance. “Goddamn it, Ryan. Tell me what the fuck is going on.”
“Demon.” That one word was spoken ominously. “The bastard who’s been trying to track me down. He shouldn’t have been able to find me in this town.”
Ash’s jaw tightened. “We’re gonna talk later about you keeping shit from me.”
The guy who stepped from the shadows beside the building they’d been passing made Ash groan. They were in for one hell of a fight. He was thick as fuck, beefy hands the size of dinner plates, and his thighs were at least three of Ash’s.
His eyes glowed red as his nostrils flared.
“Macaw,” Ryan snarled.
“Did you think you could hide from me forever?”
Ash looked around. The street was deserted, except for a few cars on the other side of the park. Having a demon materialize on the street was bad. Worse, Ash wasn’t sure he could defeat the demon.
They possessed powers that shifters and vampires didn’t have. Ash didn’t want to know what powers this guy had. Cadeym, one of the demon warriors, could produce lightning in the palms of his hands. He could pull it from the air, too. Phoenyx, another demon warrior, had the power to heal, even if that person was on death’s door, with a single teardrop.
Then there were evil demons who used their powers to hurt and kill.
Like this guy.
Their best bet was to run, but that opportunity had come and gone when Macaw grabbed Ryan around his throat and lifted him from the ground. Ryan hissed as he clawed to no avail at the demon’s hand and wrist.
Ash shifted into his wolf and attacked, biting into the demon’s leg, tearing flesh from bone, but Macaw still wouldn’t let Ryan go. His mate was turning an odd shade of red, and Ash was desperate to get the vampire away from the demon.
He shifted back to his human form and picked up a cement trashcan from the curb, slamming it into Macaw’s back. The demon stumbled forward then turned and glared at Ash. “You’re next.”
Shit. What would it take to stop him? That trashcan had weighed a ton. Ash jumped onto Macaw’s back and put him in a headlock, trying to make the demon go to sleep.
When that didn’t work, Ash shifted back to his wolf and used a dirty move. He clamped his jaws down on the demon’s nuts. No matter the creature, that was a foul move no man could just ignore.
The demon howled and released Ryan. Ash’s mate dropped to his knees, scratching at his throat,
gasping for breath. Ash let Macaw go, and the demon stumbled backward, into the shadows.
And then he was gone.
Ash helped Ryan to his feet. They needed to get out of there. One, the demon might come back. Two, Ryan was naked, and Ash didn’t want any humans calling the cops on him.
“Are you all right?” Ash checked Ryan’s throat. There was immense bruising, but nothing a feeding wouldn’t take care of. He just needed to make sure that Macaw hadn’t done any damage to Ryan’s throat.
“Do I look all right?” Ryan stood and swayed. Ash held on to him until his mate was steady on his feet. “Let’s get moving. I want to get to Warren.”
They hurried down the street but stopped just outside the clinic. “Here, feed from me.” Ash offered his wrist. “You need to heal those bruises so Warren doesn’t ask any questions. He’s already freaking out about vampires and shifters. I don’t think he’s ready to find out that demons exist.”
Ryan snorted. “There you go again, trying to hide things from him.”
“For now,” Ash argued. “I do plan on telling him the other things that are in our world, just not yet.”
When Ryan sank his fangs into Ash’s wrist, goddamn. Ash wanted to fuck him right there on the street. Those sweet lips dragged at Ash’s skin, almost like a caress. It took all his strength not to touch Ryan.
His mate sealed the wound and licked his lips. Right in front of Ash’s eyes, he saw the bruises fade and then disappear.
“Better?” Ryan asked.
“Gone.” Ash couldn’t conceal how much he’d enjoyed letting Ryan feed from him. He was naked, and he had a boner from hell.
Ryan looked at Ash’s erection. “If you hadn’t gone to someone else to get your rocks off, I might’ve taken care of that for you.”
He walked into the clinic, leaving Ash standing there naked and needy.
Chapter Six
Warren was taking this better than he thought he would. His mind was still turbulent, and he felt as if he were in some bizarre dream, but at least he hadn’t passed out again. He was sitting on the side of the bed, his hands on either side of him, his legs dangling as he waited for Ryan to return with Ash.
