by Jo Penn
“Yeah, me, too. Let’s do something together to help all those kids that need it.” Tyler held his mate closer, never wanting anything horrible to ever touch his mate again. He was going to be visiting Ronaldo Hutton very, very soon.
“What? Like a charity?”
“Yeah. Xavier’s mate, Drake, runs this huge charity organization for homeless kids that helps them find homes, good ones. The charity also supports and guides their education and future.”
“Why not help all the older kids and people? The system just spews them out once they hit eighteen and they sink or swim.”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
Constantin sat up. “Just like that?”
“Yep! I’m pretty amazing at setting things up and networking. We do it together and I just know we’re going to do a lot of good.”
If anything, Tyler expected Constantin to perhaps scoff, that cynical side of his mate showing itself. Instead, Constantin gazed steadily at Tyler and he realized that the human with a bit of djinn biology and a gift was studying him, analyzing. Huh. So if Constantin was allowed to use his truth telling gift, then Tyler could use his mind gift.
“Don’t.”
Tyler jerked Constantin close. “Are you reading my mind, sweets?”
“No, but it’d be interesting if I could.” Constantin leaned closer, their lips a whisper apart. “You narrow your eyes just a fraction when you use your mind gift.”
Man, his mate was good at observing. And Tyler wasn’t going to waste this opportunity to taste his man.
About to close the distance between his lips and Constantin’s, Tyler was left gaping as Constantin jumped up.
“I’m thirsty. Want a drink?”
“What? Nooo! Damn.” Flopping back on the sofa, he glared up at the ceiling as Constantin went to the kitchen.
Having patience sucked.
Over the next hour, he learned just how stubborn his mate could be. Insisting he needed more time, refusing to sign the documents and Constantin wouldn’t let Tyler claim him.
Nor did the stubborn creature fall for any of Tyler’s tempting moves. By the end of the day he was so horny he was panting and his teeth refused to retract. Knowing he was suffering the mating need of his kind and that after a few months of pursuing his mate, and now being in close proximity that his will power was wearing down, Tyler practically ran from their suite, through the family wing and down a flight of stairs to the medical clinic where he’d taken Constantin the day before.
As soon as he burst into the room, the medical officer apologized and said they’d just run out of the potion. The specific one that Tyler needed, the one that helped paranormals to stop hurting and turning feral during the mating process!
Gaping at the stupid woman—didn’t she see he was losing control?—Tyler demanded she get some more. She assured him she had placed an order. It would arrive in three hours.
Staring at her in shock, his talons sliding down and not retracting, he hissed at her then groaned at the delicious scent of his mate.
“Tyler?”
Constantin’s unsure tone made Tyler feel bad, then his blood practically danced at the thought of tasting his mate, drinking the man down. His cock throbbed, teeth ached painfully and if the medical officer’s expression was anything to go by, and the way she was frantically hitting the emergency button, his eyes had begun to glisten, a sign his mind was reaching out to take everyone over.
Not wanting that to happen, he would have made a run for it to Xavier or Misha, but Constantin put a hand on his arm and urged him to turn around. Tyler knew he should go, he should step away from this gorgeous man that affected him so much, tempted him to forget his word and take what was his, bond them for all eternity. But he couldn’t resist, he’d never be able to resist Constantin, and he’d never hurt his mate.
“What’s happening?” Constantin asked quietly, brown eyes concerned, not afraid.
“I n-need you, but I won’t! I just need the potion, then I’ll be fine, but she doesn’t have any!” Tyler exclaimed, pointing accusingly at the medical officer.
“Okay, well, let’s get you that potion. I don’t want you to be in pain and I don’t want either of us to regret claiming now while you’re going crazy.”
Tyler jerked, surprised. “Huh? Crazy?”
“Yeah, you look a little crazy. Watch those talons. Where can we get some of this potion? Oh, would that doctor who was here yesterday have some?”
Tyler would have kissed Constantin if he wasn’t absolutely certain he’d just end up pouncing and taking the human. Of course! The Aston Estate across the road. They’d have some potion, Layke or Lacy were always organized. Unlike this poor excuse for a medical officer. Tyler hissed at the woman.
“Okay, let’s go see that doctor.” Constantin tugged Tyler, careful of his talons, toward the door. Xavier appeared in the doorway. “Oh, hi, Xavier, we’re just going to see the doctor across the road.”
“That is a good idea. Fresh air will help and distract at the same time. But we do not just leave the coven, Constantin. Due to the Renegade problems at present and our positions, we must always have protection.”
Tyler hissed at his cousin, wincing when he did. Xavier just smiled and placed a hand on the back of Tyler’s neck, squeezed gently and released some pheromones. This eased him down a little. Like with shifters, vampires responded to older, authoritative family or coven members, and along with the family pheromones it helped to calm Tyler a little. If anyone else had tried it but family, or maybe a close friend, Tyler may very well have torn their hand off.
Misha arrived, demanding to know what was happening. Xavier quickly filled him in.
“I will walk them across and remain with them, Misha.” Xavier assured.
Misha inclined his head. “Dimitri is outside, take him with you for protection. Layke is at the estate and should have the potion. Go straight there and return.”
“Bossy as usual,” Xavier commented without heat, moving them along.
“Family trait?” Constantin asked from the other side of Tyler.
“Yes, definitely.”
“I’m working on it!” Tyler exclaimed, stumbling out the front door and into Dimitri, whom he hissed at.
The trek across the road was done with ten coven security guards surrounding them. It did help getting out of the confines of the suite where he was constantly touching and breathing in his mate’s scent but now, so on edge, whenever one of the group glanced at Constantin Tyler lunged at them. Three times Dimitri had to wrestle Tyler back while Xavier calmly kept them moving forward.
They just reached the gate—decorated with a very gaudy row of red, silver and gold Christmas bells—when Dimitri snarled and pulled Tyler and Constantin to the ground where he covered them with his bulk. With his paranormal superior hearing, Tyler made out the sound of bullets striking close by and the pounding of feet. That didn’t concern him as much as Constantin, who immediately began to panic at being pinned beneath Dimitri. Having automatically pulled his mate close when Dimitri grabbed them, Tyler snapped Constantin’s attention to himself and using his mind gift, slowly refocused his mate’s attention away from being confined.
“That’s it, sweets, just look into my eyes, and listen to my voice.” Tyler helped Constantin stand and moved them into the Aston Estate with Dimitri and guards covering them.
“It is peculiar, is it not,” Avenger Vicus commented, striding past with daggers in each hand. “The shooter only appears when Tyler is on the lane.”
“Huh?” Startled, Tyler stared after the Avenger.
“That is true. And now I have to fix the damn stone wall again.” Eber grumbled. “Get them in the house, cousin. You realize Xavier has gone, have you not?”
“Well, fuck, now I’m gonna have a bunch of tigers as well as vamps bitching at me if he gets himself hurt,” Dimitri snarled.
Wide eyed, Tyler looked around for his cousin as Dimitri shoved Tyler and Constantin toward the house. Well, he
ll! That was just like Xavier, always rushing off protecting others. He was going to get his ass kicked not only by his mates, but by Misha and their mother for placing himself in danger.
“Come inside,” Constantin said quietly.
As much as Tyler wanted to go and find Xavier, Constantin needed him and the need to protect his mate was paramount. Also, Dimitri wouldn’t let Tyler past, dammit.
“Someone’s shooting at you because you’re a vamp prince?” Constantin asked once they were inside a safe room in the Aston Estate.
“Part of the glory of being a Durand, sweets.” Tyler tugged his stressed mate against him and wrapped his arms around Constantin. And yelped when said mate stomped on his foot. “What was that for?!”
“You used your…” Looking around, Constantin got close and dropped his voice. “Mind gift on me again. Stop it. I don’t like it.”
“Well, shit, mate! You were panicking and we were being shot at! What do you expect me to do? Let you get hurt? Let Dimitri stuff you over his massive shoulder and—”
“No. Just try talking to me and stop being a freaking bossy prick and taking over!” Constantin yelled.
Finding himself being yelled at by his mate surprised Tyler. Constantin hadn’t yelled before. He snapped, sure, and snarled, but he hadn’t gotten angry. Confounded as to what he had done wrong, and fighting the urge to sink his still aching fangs into his mate, he looked around questioningly at the Astons present, who were in the safe room, as they didn’t fight. Tyler was startled to find them all watching avidly but keeping their distance. Deakin waved his finger at Tyler and tutted.
“Oh, come on! I was protecting my mate!” Tyler exclaimed.
“Hold still.” Layke barely gave Tyler a moment to do anything before jabbing the needle into his shoulder after jerking down the sleeve of Tyler’s top. Hopefully, the potion would calm Tyler down. “No one likes to be taken over. He seems agitated. I can give him a sedative if you like.”
Layke was the most confusing creature Tyler had ever met—brilliant doctor, though. “No, thank you.”
With the adrenaline rush fading, the potion kicking in and taking down his driving need, Tyler found a sofa and sat, pulling Constantin down on his lap. The mate didn’t like that and moved off to sit beside him, rolling his eyes at Tyler’s pout.
“Is it still crazy out there?” Jayce Aston asked, leaning over the back of the sofa in front of them.
Ran popped his head up and peered over at Tyler. Blazh edged closer but Deakin just pointed at a screen on the wall and kept reading a book.
“Put on the monitor if you want to see the fight.”
“There isn’t a fight,” Layke snapped. “Just some whack job shooting at Tyler and ruining my day.”
“You can do that?” Tyler asked, ignoring the brilliant, anti-social doctor. “Put it up on screen?”
“No. Eber disconnected it a week ago after Mac was caught redirecting the security monitors.” Jayce scowled at his human brother.
“So what? You’ve seen dozens of fights, get over it.” Mac lounged back on a sofa and flicked channels on the television. “And Layke said there isn’t a fight, just someone shooting at Tyler.”
While the brothers chatted, Tyler hugged Constantin to him. The shooter was probably a sharpshooter from the Renegades. Tyler may not like being shot at, but Renegades were everywhere and always trying to take someone out. Apparently, it was his turn.
“So,” Constantin said firmly.
Sighing, Tyler nodded. “I won’t apologize for trying to protect you but I’ll try talking to you first. Okay?”
“Yeah, there’s some truth in that.”
Tyler lay down and was surprised Constantin moved him so his head was in his mate’s lap. He smiled as his eyes drifted closed. He’d just rest a minute.
“Need to keep you, sweets.”
Chapter Seven
It seemed to Con he spent a lot of time denying his mate, and hurting him. Yet there was Tyler, smiling, affectionate, caring. Persistent. Man, it would be so much easier if he could just drop whatever it was that held him back, and it was getting harder and harder to say no. The vampire was more than tempting, he was pretty much everything Con had ever fantasized about.
Except Tyler was real and wanted Con.
Gods, he wished he could just say yeah and jump right into the mateship. He wanted to, truly, but at the same time something held him back. And unfortunately that had caused Tyler to be in pain with the vampire need, or whatever the correct term for the condition was, and then some asshole was shooting at them, or maybe just Tyler.
Constantin could have lost Tyler. That caused such pain in his head and chest it was hard not to double over. Having Tyler lying on him helped, knowing his mate was safe. Twining his fingers through his mate’s silky, stylish hair, a mix of light brown and blond, Con thought of everything they’d shared since he moved to the coven. Though it’d only been twenty-four hours, it felt like home. He wasn’t stupid enough, or jaded enough, to think of every family being like his, he was just cautious. But he’d cottoned on pretty quick to the fact Tyler’s family were pretty cool and man, did the vampire ever get away with a lot of shit!
He was pretty bossy, but covered it up with cheerful smiles and just “organizing” everyone to do what he wanted. Not mean or manipulative, he just had everyone happy and doing things. It was fun to watch. So what was Con going to do? Something inside him said hold on, take a bit of time and he tended to follow those instincts.
Finally whatever was happening outside calmed down. Xavier strode into the safe room followed by a big guy with light blond hair and dark brown eyes. Jayce, who Con had really liked and he’d been stunned to learn was a siren, a male siren, jumped up and did some sort of weird handshake with the big blond, who made a chuffing noise as he grinned.
“Has Tyler been sleeping the entire time?” Xavier asked.
“Yeah, he crashed after the doctor gave him the potion. I should let him claim me, then he won’t hurt anymore.” Con sighed. He wouldn’t normally talk with someone he didn’t know about something so important, but he liked the vampire and felt comfortable with him.
And they were family now, which didn’t freak Con out. That was because of Tyler, the mate pull, the bond forming between them helping Con move past his issues.
Xavier crouched in front of Con, those startling icy blue eyes gentling. “Follow your instincts, little brother. They are telling you to wait for a reason. It does not hurt Tyler to be patient a short time longer now he has had the potion.”
“Nah, the cub’s used to getting his way, he can learn some patience.” The big light-haired creature grinned down at them. “I’m Drake, Xavier’s mate.”
Con thought he misunderstood. “But isn’t Keeley Xavier’s mate?”
“Yeah, we both are…mate, has your vamp family been ignoring I exit again?”
Xavier winked and stood. “Of course, mate. Now, pick Tyler up, he is in a healing sleep.”
“I can carry him,” Con protested, strangely enough not wanting anyone else to touch Tyler.
“He’s heavier than he looks, Constantin.” Drake scooped Tyler up. “Don’t worry, once mated no one else interests us in that way and it’s normal to be territorial.”
“I’m not territorial. Why do you think I’m territorial? I’m not a creature so that doesn’t apply to me,” Con denied quickly, then flushed at sounding so stupid.
“Yeah, sure you’re not,” Drake teased and walked off with Tyler out of the safe room.
They trudged back across the lane. Con saw a lot of soldiers and security creatures milling around and Eber Aston grumbling about damage to the fence and cobblestones. Con didn’t get Renegades, but then he’d never understood how sadistic and cruel creatures and people could be to others just to get what they wanted.
Tired himself now after the attack, he took Xavier’s advice and stayed close to Tyler, who they undressed and put to bed. After a shower and eating a sandwich,
Con got into bed with Tyler and let the worries slide away as he drifted off.
* * * *
After the misadventure yesterday the entire coven knew Tyler had gone a little overboard on the mate need, resulting in his friends turning up in his suite just as he and Constantin were finishing breakfast and making plans for the day. Or at least Tyler was while Constantin said they should spend a few hours studying and he had a couple of courier jobs lined up this afternoon.
They were in the middle of a heated debate—not an argument, Tyler denied it was an argument—over Constantin keeping his courier job when there was a cough behind them.
“Oops, sorry.”
Tyler turned to see Archie and some vampire friends hovering with Blazh, Deakin, Ran, Luka Charmers and his mate, Tudor.
Great. Tyler plastered a smile on his face anyway and gave his best buddy a hug to show he wasn’t angry. Archie tended to be a little sensitive and worried and Tyler didn’t want that. Another vampire, Shelby, whom Tyler had known for years as they’d grown up together, winked and flashed his fangs as a way of encouragement and support while Amit was busy checking Constantin over with their other friend, Cary.
Irked with that, Tyler snapped his fingers in Amit and Cary’s faces. Both jerked back, Cary giving apologetic eyes. Amit just shrugged and grinned.
“I know you.” Deakin peered at Constantin, who was staying well back from everyone. “It took me all night to figure it out. We’re in the Data Assimilation class together. You kept asking the lecturer about data integration and he asked for your phone number after class.”
Tyler spun around. “What? A lecturer asked you out?”
“Geez, Deak, way to stir things up.” Luka Charmers, one of the sexiest creatures Tyler had ever had the pleasure of seeing, gave a cheeky dimpled grin and cocked his slim hips. Everyone sighed. The guy was just drool worthy. His mate, wizard Tudor Masters, grumbled and slapped Luka’s arm. “’Course Con’s gonna get asked out by a dirty old lecturer. Look at him! He’s damn gorgeous and if I weren’t mated, I’d be chatting him up.”
