by R Phoenix
Zain leaned down and rubbed a hand over Caleb’s head. “You okay, Pup?”
“Yup, just fine,” Caleb said as he got to all fours
Then he glanced at Liam. “Do they make ramps for these? Something that would make it easier for him to get out of the car?”
Liam gave Zain a look, one of the ones Caleb recommended as his “I would roll my eyes but I’m too dignified” look. “He has come a long way. He must practice if he is to get better at such things. He is a pet, not an invalid.”
“I guess so.” Zain acted like he wanted to check over Caleb, but to Caleb, it looked like Zain was just wasting time.
Caleb wasn’t sure any of them were eager to walk into the house and face Isaiah.
Zain glanced toward the rear of the car. “He’ll bring my stuff in? I can get it if it’s easier.”
“His job includes such things,” Liam said dismissively. “You may leave it here. He will bring it to your room. He will also fetch your other belongings and bring them to you.”
The marked human bowed to them, but Liam didn’t so much as glance in his direction. Of course not. They were all just a bunch of toys to the vampire, who didn’t give a fuck if he broke them when he played with them.
“Y’know, Zain and I can just wait out here…” Caleb suggested brightly, more brightly than he felt, as Liam clipped the leash to his collar.
Well, fuck.
“You will come inside,” Liam said, his tone leaving about zero room for argument.
For Caleb, there was always just an iota of room, even if he had to carve it out himself. “But it’s probably better if we—”
“Enough, Pup,” Liam said, tugging at the leash.
Caleb sighed, starting to walk alongside the vampire as he headed toward the door. Well, damn it. He’d tried. He cast a look up at Zain, trying to see what he thought about the whole thing.
The ‘wolf seemed to be attempting a blank face but even Caleb could see he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of going back in the house. Zain’s measured steps kept up with Liam’s stride, but he clearly wasn’t in a rush.
As they approached the door, Zain reached for the leash. “Maybe I should hold that. Just in case… Well, you probably want some space to talk to Isaiah.”
Liam gave him a flat look, but it didn’t stop him from handing the leash to Zain. “You will be there, regardless, but you may mind the pup.”
Like Caleb needed much minding. He behaved!
Mostly.
Liam led them to the door, entering the security code and stepping inside. He didn’t have to go far before they ran into Isaiah.
The vampire was sitting in the living room, working on a tablet, and he stopped abruptly when the three of them entered the room. “Liam, I thought we spoke about this.”
“We did,” Liam said evenly.
That was a brilliant start to the conversation. Really. He glanced up at Zain, wondering how he was handling this. Zain’s grip on the leash was tight, and Caleb couldn’t tell if it was because he thought they’d need to leave quickly or if the old vampire made him nervous. Both were pretty good options.
“These are my pets,” Liam said before Isaiah could interject. “I understand that you do not approve, and I am, as ever, grateful for your insight.” He bowed at the waist, smoothly, to Isaiah. “But you also taught me to think for myself. They are mine.”
“They will distract you unnecessarily from your task,” Isaiah countered, standing and setting his tablet down.
Caleb wondered what would happen if he fetched it and buried it in the backyard.
“They have done no such thing thus far, and they will do no such thing in the future,” Liam said. His voice took on an unfamiliar edge as he continued, “You told me to live my own life. Now you come into it and seek to tell me how I should live it?”
Well, there were obviously some issues there. It almost sounded like Liam had been kicked to the curb as well, which was probably part of the reason he had issues.
“I merely seek to guide you,” Isaiah insisted.
Caleb was more tempted than ever to grab the fucking tablet and run, but instead he sat on his heels like a proper pup, leaning up into Zain’s hand to earn himself a few scratches behind his ears.
“In this, I respectfully disagree with your opinion,” Liam stated, the words quieter then and offered with a bow of his head that time.
Damn. It was almost like they were having a screaming match in vampire.
“I see. Well, I am certain you will understand that I do not feel comfortable staying here with a werewolf,” Isaiah stated, again drawing a line in the sand.
Caleb… didn’t actually know what Liam was going to do. He knew what the vampire had said, but there was some weird sort of sire-vampire kind of thing going on, and it made Liam act weird.
Well.
Weirder.
To his surprise, Liam nodded. “I will arrange for accommodations at the hotel I stayed at when we first arrived. I highly recommend it.”
Isaiah shook his head slowly, but he didn’t argue. “As you wish. I believe this is a mistake, Liam.”
“It will not affect your business here, Isaiah.”
Definitely the vampire version of a screaming match. It was really sort of fascinating.
Zain was as quiet as he was, and Caleb thought they both had the right idea of it.
“Well then.” Isaiah was the one to incline his head, ever so slightly, to Liam. “Send me the information and have my belongings sent to the hotel. I have a meeting to attend and do not have time to talk sense into you.”
“I will see you out,” Liam said. He walked alongside the older vampire, escorting him to the door, but Caleb had no idea what they were saying.
Zain’s entire body seemed to relax, and he took a deep breath as soon as the vampires were out of sight. Looking down at Caleb, he lowered his voice. “Was that weird to you too? I think I would have preferred real yelling instead of that… cold… whatever it was.”
Caleb couldn't help but laugh and nod. “He’s gone though.”
“Isaiah won’t change his mind or decide to save Liam from himself, right?” Zain glanced toward the door, and only looking back at Caleb when they heard the sound of the door closing.
Caleb hesitated then shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he ventured, looking after them. “They have some weird shit, but Liam’s a grown-ass vampire, and hopefully his sire will respect that. I mean, they’re adults. They’re super-adults. They’ve had lots and lots of experience with all this crap.”
“Werewolves make more sense.” Then Zain shrugged. “Sometimes.”
Zain finally relaxed his hold on the leash and reached down to unhook it from Caleb’s collar. Looking around the room, Zain seemed to be reacquainting himself with the space, or maybe just remembering how differently it had gone the last time he’d been in the room.
“Come here and let me check you out. I didn’t like the way you fell out of the car.” Resting his hand on the back of Caleb’s head, Zain led him over to the couch.
Since it looked like Zain just needed something to do while they waited for Liam, Caleb rolled his eyes but didn’t call him out on his worrying.
This time.
When Zain sat down, he started running his hands over Caleb, caressing more than actually checking for injuries. This was a type of worrying Caleb could get used to. He sighed and let his head rest against Zain’s leg as his alpha ran warm hands over Caleb’s back and legs. He wiggled a little, pressing up against the touch.
Before he could get too settled, Isaiah was gone, and Liam returned to them. He seemed at a loss for the first time Caleb had ever seen though, simply eyeing the two of them almost warily.
Zain didn’t seem to be sure what to say, but his hands continued the soft caress over Caleb’s back so he wasn’t overly worried about his alpha. Finally Zain sighed. “I’m trying not to treat you like a human or werewolf and ask you if you’re all right, but it’s
hard. So, let me just ask if you need me to do anything.”
“Stand up and lean over the couch,” Liam said, seemingly out of nowhere. “Bare your ass to me.”
Zain let out a rough laugh. “I’m all for make-up sex but I think I’m going to need more than that if you want my ass.” Looking down at Caleb, now with a wicked glint in his eyes, Zain smiled. “Besides, I think Caleb needs some exercise first. He’s been cooped up all day and just walking around the hotel room and the pack building doesn’t count.”
Caleb half-expected the vampire to sigh. But coming at every problem like a hammer to a nail wasn’t going to work for him, and Liam damn well should’ve known that by then.
Chapter Thirteen:
Zain
Liam’s frustrated stare only made Zain want to drag it out longer. Sure, he knew even when Liam was frustrated and just wanted to distract himself with his pets, the sex would be good.
But when he was really there with them mentally and wanted them — not just the release — it would be even better. Besides, Zain might have started to move past what had happened, but he wasn’t going to make anything easy for Liam.
As much as he might argue otherwise, Liam didn’t appreciate easy. Zain wasn’t planning on being some little slave that just rolled over and went ass up on command… even if the fantasy was hot. Liam needed more challenge than that in order to appreciate the victory, and Zain wanted to be a victory prize that was well savored.
Savored inch by inch and lick by lick.
It would be the only way they’d last.
Caleb wasn’t the only one who wanted their fucked-up little family to work. He’d just been the most honest about it. It was that honesty that needed to be rewarded. Zain turned from Liam’s frustrated expression, that on anyone else would be defined as a pout, and looked at Caleb.
Zain let his fingers circle the pup’s sensitive tail and skim over his hole, loving the way the pup squirmed and a low whine escaped. “Don’t you want to run and play and have fun?”
A shiver raced through Caleb, letting Zain know the pup understood what he meant. Caleb hadn’t wanted to come back to himself, and when he had, there’d been nothing but frustration and fear that Liam and Zain would be too stubborn to make it work.
Zain thought it was time for Caleb to relax again for a while, but it would be up to the pup.
Liam opened his mouth, probably to make some comment about the pup not having a choice, but a quick glance from Zain had him holding his tongue for the time being.
Caleb arched his back and pressed his ass into Zain’s hands. “Please, Alpha.”
“Please what, Pup? Do you want to stay like this for a while and enjoy being more human again, or do you want to relax and play?” Zain wrapped his fingers around Caleb’s tail and caressed it all the way down to the tip. It was so close to the way Zain sometimes jerked off his cock that Caleb whimpered and thrust his hips forward, humping the air.
Zain glanced up to see Liam’s heated gaze following the slow motion of Zain’s hand. Was he picturing Zain jerking off Caleb too, or was he picturing something more wicked?
With Liam, it was hard to tell.
When Zain released Caleb’s tail to move his fingers back up to the base, Caleb barked low, and his tail curled up to bare his hole. As he arched and whimpered, begging for more, Caleb finally got out the words, “No more fighting… No leaving… Like it was before?”
“Yes.” Zain looked up to Liam and gave him a long look letting the vampire know he meant it. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Caleb sagged as though relieved, and another shiver raced through him. “Just a little while. Not more than a few days this time, please… Then I’ll focus back on this and, you… and please.”
Zain let one finger press into Caleb’s tight hole, just enough to suck the breath from his pup and send need and anticipation through him. “You want to belong to Alpha and Master again, don’t you?”
“Just… Yes… Sometimes…” Caleb’s broken words made enough sense to Zain that something inside of him finally relaxed.
No matter what other people said, or how it might look from the outside, Caleb wanted this as much as they did. He didn’t always know how to ask for it or even how to admit he needed the escape from reality, but the desire racing through him couldn’t be faked.
“He is mine. He will always belong to me. You will both always belong to me.” Liam’s words had a finality that probably should have scared them both, but a matching shiver raced through Caleb and Zain both as they turned to see the vampire giving them a heated, demanding look.
Zain could see that Liam was tired of all the drama he didn’t understand — and the need to claim them both coursing through the ancient creature standing in front of him. Liam kept accusing Zain of not understanding he wasn’t human, but Zain knew the man standing in front of him hadn’t been human in a very long time.
That didn’t scare him though… No, he loved the edge of fear and desire that he raced across when Liam had his fierce gaze turned on him.
Caleb moaned and whimpered again, but Zain nodded. “Yes, Master.”
They both knew Liam would let Zain walk away…
But they also both knew that Zain didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Liam took several long steps forward and reached down to cup Caleb’s chin and raise his face. “Yes, I think we shall see how this going back and forth as a pup works.”
Zain nodded, hiding the Caleb-like smirk that wanted to curve onto his lips. It was good they could read Master’s mind and know what he wanted.
Caleb was already too lost in the idea of what might happen to really pay attention, though. He barked, and his tail wagged back and forth desperately. A day or two just to let him see everything was okay, then Zain would pull him back. It didn’t have to be all or nothing. They just needed to see what worked best for their sexy pup.
Zain pushed his finger deeper into the pup’s tight body to watch the need race through him. It wouldn’t be painful, but the idea of what could happen and the knowledge that he was giving everything over to his master and his alpha would only make his desire sweeter.
At Liam’s pointed look and imperious nod, Zain pulled his finger out and gave Caleb a pat on the ass. “Outside, Pup.”
As they walked through the house to the back yard, Zain grabbed a few things out of a drawer by the back door and let Caleb out into the yard. “Go do your business, Pup.”
Caleb barked and ran toward the back of property as Liam came up behind Zain. Resting one hand possessively on Zain’s shoulder, Liam watched Caleb run. “You spoil him.”
There wasn’t any point in denying the truth. “I like spoiling him, and his pup side likes being cared for. His human side gets off on the control and the way you two battle against each other sometimes, but his pup side needs both to be happy.”
Zain knew he needed to give Caleb both to be happy as well. Teasing the pup and getting him worked up only to make him hump Liam’s leg to get off was hot, but the joy and freedom on his face and the way his tail wagged was beautiful to Zain.
Everything about Caleb was beautiful to Zain, especially right then in the wake of their understanding.
Liam’s hand went to Zain’s hip, palm flat against him, and he yanked so that Zain had no choice but to stumble into him or lose his footing entirely. Part of him wanted to make Liam earn this and his control, but the other just wanted to skip right to the make-up sex.
Zain felt the erection pressing against his ass, and he ground back against it. “We promised we’d play with Caleb first,” he reminded Liam, even though his voice was breathless.
“We will be playing with our pup,” Liam said, as self-assured as ever as his lips went to Zain’s throat. “Only… indoor games, yes?”
Zain had wanted to protest, had wanted to take a break between their tense conversation and the fucking, but Liam was making it difficult to wait. With the way his hand slid down to caress Zain’s cock th
rough his pants, his self-control was nearly gone by the time Caleb bounded back over to them.
Caleb took notice of it, his nose joining Liam’s hand, and Zain hissed in a breath.
Damn it. He could resist one of them, but not both, not when they were working together to make him come undone.
“Okay,” Zain yielded. “Okay, okay.”
Liam growled, pulling him harder against the solid muscles of his body, and turned his head, demanding a kiss. Caleb mouthed his cock through his pants, and the two of them made him groan.
“Inside,” Liam said huskily.
Caleb was the first to scramble for the door, and he was waiting there before Zain or Liam made it there. He also tore off into Zain’s room, leaving the two of them behind.
Liam chuckled, the sound low and deep. “I believe he is impatient, no?”
Zain grinned, but he couldn’t fault their pup for his eagerness. “You’re the one who nearly dragged me inside,” he retorted, letting himself be led into his room. He breathed in deep. It felt like… home, and with Liam and Caleb’s scents there with him, it was even more like home than ever.
Caleb was already on the bed waiting, ass presented in the hair and tail lifted.
Zain shook his head, but the tempting pucker of their pet’s ass was too much for Liam to resist.
The vampire strode forward, one hand cupping each of Caleb’s ass cheeks, and he ground against him much like he had Zain before. That had been a tease in comparison to this, and Liam was already reaching for the button of his slacks.
One-track minded vamps.
Zain stripped down, heading for the drawer he’d kept the lube in. Nothing was changed except for the sheets on the bed, and he felt a pang at the knowledge that it had been kept intact.
Of course, Caleb had to be feeling more of a pang considering Liam’s cock was already pressed against him.
Zain went to him, pressing the lube into Liam’s hand and demanding a kiss — a kiss they battled it out over then, with Liam gaining ground as Zain slowly submitted to it. He slicked his hand, slowly pumping Liam’s cock as they kissed and their pup whimpered on the bed.
