by Jools Louise
“Soon, you’ll see just how different I am from anyone you’ve ever known,” Slade whispered, hearing Shark’s wail as he came hard, back arching in ecstasy as Slade brought him to completion. “When we have a few hours to ourselves, I’ll make love to you so good, you won’t ever want me to leave.” He dragged Shark up his body, peeling the damp pj’s back, and mouthed Shark’s dick, feeling the guttural moans as Shark bucked against him, clutching at his shoulders for purchase. “Hmmm, deliciously salty,” Slade teased, before releasing his lover, letting him slide back to the floor again.
He turned to Oliver, who was watching wide-eyed, and opened his arms. Instantly Oliver moved in, and Slade fell to his knees. They embraced, falling to the floor as Slade covered Oliver’s mouth with his, fusing them together as he slid between the man’s slender thighs. Oliver clung on, crying out as he undulated urgently, grinding his cock against Slade’s belly, seeking urgently for relief. Slade lifted his lover’s legs higher, tugging his pj’s down and diving in for a taste. Spreading the man’s thighs wider, he buried his face between Oliver’s soft cheeks, tasting the musky, fragrant skin, and then delving into his tiny hole. Oliver cried out again, writhing helplessly beneath Slade’s big body, and then came apart soon after, spraying cum all over his abs, painting them with cream.
Groaning, Slade scooped up a handful of the creamy mess, offering Shark a sample. Shark eagerly accepted, sucking on Slade’s fingers greedily, and then helped Slade clean Oliver up, licking at his smooth skin hungrily. He and Slade shared a cum-filled kiss, and then joined Oliver in a sloppy, dirty little three-way, letting Oliver enjoy his own taste.
“You, now,” Shark demanded, tugging at Slade’s buckle. Slade grunted, quickly ridding himself of the cumbersome fastening, then unbuttoned his jeans, the only thing he wore, until his thick, moist cock sprang free.
“On your backs,” Slade ordered, fisting his dick, pumping it vigorously. Both shifters fell to their backs, mouths open wide as Slade straddled them. Jacking off urgently, Slade let loose a low, guttural roar as his cock erupted in a fountain of thick, creamy cum, splattering his lovers. He whined, his orgasm never-ending as his lovers fought to catch every drop, ending up with their faces covered with the sticky residue, then sharing a hungry, erotic kiss. Trembling with the force of his release, Slade fell between them, dragging both men atop his big frame, kissing them both passionately as they stroked and fondled one another languidly in the aftermath.
“When you’re ready for the step, let me know,” Slade said huskily as they cuddled together on the carpet. “I won’t force you, but know that I want you as my mates, more than anything. Once Crash is dealt with, once and for all, we’ll take this further. On your terms. You just say the word.”
They kissed again, murmuring soft words of delight before easing up again. The passion between them settled down to a low, throbbing simmer as they reached a new stage in their relationship. Shark and Oliver stayed close, touching constantly, with Slade very much a part of the touching. He smiled to himself, happy that he’d at last broken down some of the barriers. He hadn’t been joking, though. When they made love, when he claimed them, the next move would be theirs.
The three of them contemplated the scene outside, streetlights struggling to be seen beneath the stormy weather, the sky as gloomy as their thoughts. Then they went to get showered and dressed for work.
* * * *
Hate-filled eyes studied the apartment block, fixing on one particular window. Narrowed, focused, their owner contemplated the shadows, his shifter vision sharp and all-seeing. The kiss, the disgusting display of all-male passion. A disgrace. But they would regret their actions. They would soon be under his control once again. There was the family’s honor to think of. Family was everything, even if certain members refused to comply with clan codes. He watched lights flicker on inside the apartment and faded back into the darkness. The watcher jumped into his truck, headlights doused to conceal his presence, smirking as he aimed for his next destination. His nose wrinkled at the stench from the flatbed behind. Someone was in for a smelly awakening when they got to work. He laughed at his cleverness. He’d been playing mind games on this town for a while, now. It was time to up the stakes. Let the pranks now begin.
* * * *
Oliver spied the dark shape on the ground as they approached the alleyway that led to the security entrance into the mall.
“That’s Noah!” he cried, wrenching away from Slade’s warm grasp, running forward. “Noah! Oh God,” he whimpered, kneeling beside the large bear shifter. Three holes had been ripped into the man’s yellow uniform top, shredded beside him after he’d shifted. He was bleeding profusely.
He watched as Noah’s eyes flickered open, looking dazed. “Fly,” he whispered, barely audible.
“Fly’s not here,” Oliver said, stroking Noah’s face gently. “Dammit, call for an ambulance, someone!” he screamed behind him, terrified as he saw Noah struggling to breathe.
“Morag…took…him,” Noah got out with obvious effort. “He…was…drugged…”
“Shit,” Slade cursed, cell phone in hand, as he fell to his knees beside the pair of them, Shark taking the other side. “That bitch really has a hard-on for her nephew, doesn’t she?”
Footsteps sounded, and the sound of a siren rang out, signaling help approaching.
“Noah?” Oliver looked up and saw a woman, possibly Meredith.
“Who are you?” he asked, scowling.
She blinked, looking surprised. “What?”
“You could have taken Fly, then doubled back,” Oliver suggested, glaring at her. “You could have shot Noah and then come back here, all pretty and innocent, pretending you’re not a psychotic bitch who tried to murder your own nephew.”
The woman stared at him, openmouthed.
“Meredith…here…Morag…different…scent,” Noah gasped out.
Oliver looked at him and then flushed. “Oh,” he replied, then sniffed, inhaling a whiff her odor, but still shot Meredith a hard look. “That still doesn’t stop me from keeping an eye on you,” he said sharply. “You spent all that time away, playing at being a secret agent, while Morag was living your life. Your son was hurting, nearly died, and you just waltz back in, as though everything’s okay again.”
“Er, Oliver,” Shark said gently, looking at him with amused understanding. “Meredith was kept a prisoner by the Flashpoint mob. She couldn’t actually get away.”
“Hmmph!” Oliver snorted, narrowing his gaze on Meredith. He lifted his hand to his face, gesturing with two fingers splayed, to let her know he’d be watching her.
“What happened to Fly?” she asked, rolling her eyes at his antics.
“Morag shot Noah and kidnapped Fly,” Slade answered, eyeing Oliver with a glimmer of respect, mixed with amusement. “I’d have questioned her, as well, little dude.”
Oliver shot him a grateful look, glad that Slade was as suspicious as he was. Having twins, one bad and one supposedly good, did confuse things a little. Morag had spent years pretending to be her sister, and nobody had a clue. She’d disguised her natural scent with perfume, while Meredith had been taken as a hostage and kept incarcerated.
“We’re wasting time,” Meredith replied impatiently. “We need to track him down.”
She shifted into her cheetah form and put her nose to the ground.
“Through…alley…had…vehicle…” Noah slumped suddenly, having used up all his energy. Meredith let out a low snarl and then fled down the alley, disappearing from sight.
“What’s happened?” Pace asked, running toward them from the direction of the jail.
“Morag’s visited, kidnapped Fly, shot Noah, then departed,” Slade replied succinctly. “Meredith just went down there to see if she can pick up a scent.”
“Apparently Morag had help,” Shark interjected, looking up as an ambulance pulled up to the curb. Lex and Leo got out hurriedly, racing forward to begin administering first aid, trying to plug the hole
s in Noah’s broad chest and stop him bleeding to death.
“Get him to hospital,” Pace ordered. “I’ll order a cordon around town.”
“They already left—a cordon is too late,” Meredith stated, walking back toward them in human form. They all averted their eyes from her nakedness. She was female, after all. “I scented Ghost and two other men, as well as Morag and Fly. We need eyes in the sky, to find the vehicle.”
“I’ll call the college,” Pace said, turning to watch Noah being loaded onto the ambulance as Lex stabilized him enough to drive the short distance to hospital. “Freddy will be able to assist.”
“That may be what they’re wanting to happen,” Slade suggested, frowning. “If this is a Flashpoint event, it may be a distraction, especially if Ghost is back, too.”
“Damn, I wish John and Ryder were back,” Pace cursed, dialing the college to get through to Freddy. “We need to split up, I think. A crew in town, to keep things under control and alerted for trouble. Plus another team to track down Morag and find where Fly was taken.”
“You rang,” a familiar British voice drawled. They all looked up with relief as John Hastings, looking tired but alert, sauntered along the street toward them. Ryder walked beside him, the pair of them taking in the situation with experienced eyes.
“Darling, I don’t mean to be a prude, but this is a public street,” John said to Meredith. “Please, before you catch your death, or I go blind, would you put some clothes on?”
Meredith snorted, flipping him off. “Such a pussy,” she shot back, smirking. “Fine, I’ll get dressed. But don’t leave me out of the loop. That’s my son who went missing.”
“Yes, dear, we know,” John said slowly, as though speaking to a child, shooing her off. “He’s also a good friend and has a mate who’s currently in critical condition. We don’t need you to tell us how bad the situation is. Now get dressed, and then you can help us determine what’s going on. This could just be Morag getting revenge. Or Ghost, who always has bigger things in store.”
“I called a Code Six,” Ryder cut in. “If this is Flashpoint’s attempt at a distraction, then we don’t need to advertise our plans.”
“Explosives could be on the cards,” Oliver said, staring after the ambulance as it roared off, siren blaring. “Maybe they planted another bomb.”
“Crap,” Pace growled. “What is it with people wanting to blow our town up?”
“Don’t ask me,” John said, when everyone looked at him. John did have an obsession with explosives. “I’m not a deranged psychopath whose dick got blown off once upon a time.”
“We need to check on the restaurant,” Oliver said, shaking his head at John’s antics. “We still have Crash on the loose, and now we know Morag and Ghost are up to their old tricks. What else could possibly go wrong?”
“We’ve hired extra security at the mall,” Pace said. “The bear shifters are perfect candidates, and after Doyle and Louis got shot, their brothers-in-arms are not happy at all. Especially since Crash threatened you two.”
Oliver nodded. “He may go after Mystery, Chill, or Bone. I’m glad they’re still staying at the guest house. With Mason and Jay guarding them, along with the Spirit Ink boys and Ronan, they should be okay.”
“I’ll send a couple of my old crew to help you at the restaurant,” Slade piped up as they began to walk toward the mall. “Jericho is a pretty good cook, and Tobias and Brody have worked in bars and cafes, so they should be easy to train.”
“Thanks,” Oliver said, feeling tearful at the easy offer of help. Shark placed a comforting arm around his shoulders, both of them feeling the weight of Fly’s disappearance and the shock of Noah being shot.
“We’ll get him back,” Slade said firmly, squeezing Oliver’s shoulder gently. “Fly’s tougher than he looks.”
Oliver sniffed, scowling. “Yes, but he doesn’t deserve to be targeted again, especially by that bitch.” He bared his fangs, snarling angrily. “If I could, I’d beat the crap out of her. And that bastard Ghost. The pair of them make me want to puke.”
“Remember what I said,” Slade told him, stopping to give him a hug, then drew Shark into the embrace. “Take out their jugular. Your best weapons are surprise, speed, and that impressive dentistry,” he advised, kissing Oliver warmly and then planting a hot smooch on Shark’s surprised lips. “If anyone gets close enough, and you find yourself alone, rip the fucker’s throat out.”
Entering the mall through the security door, they headed to the top level, where the food outlets were located. Feeling Clucky, the wolverines’ fast-food restaurant, was halfway along the main concourse. As they approached, Oliver gasped, spying a multitude of bouquets, the flowers all dead, piled up outside the door.
“That’s sick,” Shark said, scowling.
“Careful,” Slade said sharply, as the pair went toward the mound of rotting blooms. “We don’t know what this is. It could just be dead flowers, or it could be disguising another, nastier, surprise.”
“Oh God,” Oliver wailed, staring at the heap. The windows of their restaurant were smeared with bloodred paint, with similar messages to those left previously. Get out! Leave town! Snitcher scum!
They heard footsteps and turned to see Kaden striding toward them, looking angry. “Is it true? Has Fly been kidnapped?”
Slade nodded. “Morag came back,” he said and explained the incident earlier. “Now this,” he added, gesturing to the disturbing messages.
“Fuckers need to be taught a lesson,” Kaden growled, glaring at the mess on the windows and floor. “Freddy’s on his way. He’ll be taking point on aerial surveillance. Hopefully we’ll find Fly soon. I’ve been trying to get a hold of Alfie, to tell him what’s going on, but with the wolverines at the guest house, I guess they’re a little busy. I just went to the salon, and it hasn’t been touched, so far.”
“I called his brother, Mercury,” Slade said. “He’s doing some reconnaissance, trying to find out more about those fight clubs, so he is out of state right now and can’t get back. He needs to know what happened, so I left a message on his phone.”
Cullen came running up, in uniform, looking distraught. “Is it true?” he asked, clutching Oliver’s hand. “Is Ghost back?”
“Yes,” Shark responded. “Or at least that’s what Meredith’s claiming.” He explained what had happened.
“Oh crap,” Cullen moaned, looking scared. “That’s not good news.” He looked at the pile of rotting bouquets and frowned. “Crash is still not caught?”
“No,” Oliver replied, trembling. “But we need to get to work. We won’t be cowed by that moron,” he added, trying to sound convincing.
“You said Noah was shot?” Cullen asked belatedly, eyes wide as he processed the news.
“He’s in critical condition,” Slade said. “Three slugs to the chest.”
“I should go to the hospital, see how he’s doing,” Cullen said, wringing his hands.
“No,” Oliver said, stopping Cullen from leaving. “Ghost could be after you. Don’t forget your own stake in this.”
Cullen shuddered, looking nauseous. “I hate this,” he said shakily. “Why doesn’t he just leave us alone?”
“I don’t think he has any lives left,” Slade retorted grimly, and Kaden nodded. “If any of us sees the bastard, he needs to be destroyed—permanently. Not taken into custody again, giving him the chance to escape.”
“Pace is sending Mabel over to take photos of this. She can have a look at the security system, too, see if they have footage of the culprits.” Shark placed his phone in his pocket, after phoning through the incident. “He said not to touch this, though. Ryder’s coming to take a look in case there’s anything hidden beneath the bouquets.”
“Then I guess we just have to wait until they arrive,” Slade said. “Once they get here, I’ll go down to check on my store. I want to collect a couple of doodads to help you with extra security. Nothing fatal, just something to scare the crap out of anyone who
goes near your restaurant again.”
“I need to check on Noah,” Kaden said, greeting Jericho and Moe as they came along the concourse. “Take care of these guys,” he told the pair. “Oliver and Shark have Crash on their tails.”
“I heard,” Jericho said, his long brown hair tied back in a neat plait, his hazel eyes glittering with shards of gold and green. He sported a jagged scar on his left cheek, turning his mouth up into a permanent sneer. His eyes were kind, though, as he looked at the smaller shifters. “We’ll help you clear up, once the sheriff clears the site.”
“Thanks,” Oliver said gratefully, eyeing the pair of ex-bikers with awe. They looked tough and imposing, but both were friendly toward him and Shark. It was a relief to see that not everyone was prejudiced against wolverines.
“I can’t wait to see you in uniform,” Slade drawled, smirking, and then yelped when Oliver punched him in the arm.
“Don’t mock,” Oliver scolded, shaking a finger at the big shifter. “Those uniforms are fun, and happy, and colorful…just like us.”
Kaden chuckled and then headed off, waving cheerfully at Slade, who was flushing a little at the rebuke.
Oliver glared at Slade. The big guy was going to learn that he and Shark were not pushovers. Besides, Oliver liked the Feeling Clucky uniforms. He ignored the smiles of Slade’s former crew and waited for the apology he was sure was on the tip of Slade’s tongue.
Chapter Five
Fly whimpered as he woke up, pain lashing his entire body, from his toes to the roots of his hair. Hell, even his hair hurt! What the hell? He tried to move but found himself strapped down, helpless. He shivered and tried to open his eyes, then flinched as bright light seared his retinas.
