“I’d never,” Ash said resolutely. Yuri liked the gleam in their pretty eyes. It held fire, the same fire he ignited the night they first met. “Lance, truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
A wicked grin spread across Ash’s lips. “I dare you to ‘shift’ and eat all of this chocolate pudding I found in the fridge. With a spoon.”
“When did you even snatch that?” Lance asked.
“You just want to see Lance naked again,” Yuri said.
“I mean, yeah, I wouldn’t mind that at all. Also, I think this will be funny and probably impossible.”
“We’ll see about that,” Lance growled. He got to work stripping down and discarding his clothes onto the ground. Then he dashed into the living room where there was enough room for him to shift without destroying everything, as long as he stayed still. Yuri grabbed a spoon. Then he and Ash went into the living room too, after the crackling noises stopped, and squeezed past Lance’s big cat body. Lance sat like a dog on command, but he had a hard time keeping his tail in place. He glanced at Yuri, and Yuri got the message. He cleared anything that might accidentally get busted. They didn’t need to wreck their place again so soon.
Lance’s big paws rested on the wood floor. They were really big, and the spoon was so small. Yuri had to admit Ash had a good idea after all. This was going to be amusing.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I’LL BE NICE AND open the lid for you, Lance,” Ash said.
“No, don’t,” Yuri said.
“The lid wasn’t part of my dare, though.”
“Fine. Whatever. Do what you want.”
Once the pudding cup was prepped, Yuri held out the metallic spoon to his brother. “Think you can take this?”
Lance let out a low rumble as he held up one of his big black-striped white paws and slowly extended one of his claws. It didn’t work out too well. So, he resorted to curling his cat fingers into his paw, doing his best to copy the grip he’d used as a human. With that, he somehow managed to take the spoon from Yuri’s hand without dropping it.
“Look at you,” Yuri said, already amused.
Ash set the pudding cup down in front of Lance. Lance moved it around with his free paw as he clung desperately to the spoon with his other. He was trying to find the best angle for his foreleg so he’d actually be able to get the spoon into the cup. It was awkward, something he had clearly never tried in his tiger body. When he finally went for it, he missed the tiny pudding cup and hit the ground next to it. Lance showed his teeth and let out a low growl.
Yuri and Ash started laughing as he jabbed the spoon down and missed time and time again. When he finally did manage to get a spoonful of chocolate pudding, getting it into his mouth was almost as big of an obstacle. The spoon slipped, and chocolate got all over his white fur, but he tried again. This time, he got it into his mouth and licked off the pudding triumphantly.
Yuri laughed one of those big belly laughs. He couldn’t stop, and Ash was with him. He hadn’t laughed like this in a while. He couldn’t breathe, so he ended up on the floor, clutching his side. Tears leaked out of his eyes when Lance went to do it all over again. He had to finish the cup. That was the dare. Yuri’s stomach ached by the time Lance completed the dare. He quickly licked his paw and cleaned his face thoroughly before shifting back to his human form.
“Fuck.” Lance shook out his hand. “I’ve got a shitty cramp now. You know how tightly I was holding on to that damn spoon?”
He was more worried about shaking the cramp out of his hand than getting dressed again. That was what got Ash to stop laughing. They silently took Lance in, appreciating every inch of him. The smell of their arousal hit Yuri’s nose like a freight train, and his body reacted in turn. But he ignored it.
He wondered what that meant for Ash. He wondered if it was painful for them to have this strong of a physical reaction to his brother and yet have his brother decline sex. That was for the two of them to figure out, though. It had nothing to do with him.
“Your turn, Lance,” Yuri said when his brother was wearing pants.
“It’s bedtime,” Lance said. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”
With all the laughing, Yuri hadn’t realized how bad the throbbing in his head had gotten, but apparently it was showing on the outside. Lance knew him too well and watched him too closely.
“I’m fine,” Yuri insisted.
“Bedtime.”
“Killjoy. I’ll take the spare room.”
Lance frowned. “What?”
“Seriously, Lance?”
Ash looked back and forth between the brothers, but they stayed silent.
“We always sleep together,” Lance said.
“Yeah, as a security thing left over from when we were cubs on the streets. We should grow up someday, right?”
Lance looked wounded. Truth be told, Yuri didn’t fancy sleeping by himself either. Sleeping back to back, just feeling the barest hint of Lance’s body heat, meant everything was okay at night. He knew the behavior was abnormal and honestly unnecessary. Lance knew it too, but they had never cared. Fitting in had never been their priority, but Lance had someone he wanted now, a potential mate, and that meant things had to change.
“We could all squeeze onto the bed together,” Ash suggested.
“Not enough room,” Yuri said.
“We can make it work,” Lance said.
Yuri shook his head. What was Ash trying to do? There was no way Lance would let this go if Ash didn’t take Yuri’s side. Yuri acquiesced. His head hurt too much to argue.
After everyone was done with the bathroom, Yuri last, Yuri walked into his and Lance’s room, though he meant to go to the extra room despite what Lance and Ash had “decided.” It was out of habit that he didn’t. Their bed was against the wall. Ash had gone for that side, and they were already sound asleep based on how long, smooth, and calm their breathing was. Lance was cozied up next to them, the big spoon. Ash was almost smashed against the wall. It didn’t look comfortable to Yuri, but clearly they didn’t mind.
Yuri turned back around, ready to tiptoe out of there since Lance’s back was turned to him. But Lance somehow saw him out of the corner of his eye and said with a low growl, “Come back.”
“It’s really not a big deal,” Yuri murmured. “I’ll be fine, and you’ll be fine. More than fine.”
Lance looked over his shoulder without moving the rest of his body. “Come back.” When Yuri looked into those icy blue eyes, he saw a cub, the Lance who had always been by his side. Even when their father was alive, they had always slept together in one big cluster of bodies. It seemed to be the Lenkov way.
Yuri rolled his eyes but stepped forward. He crawled onto the bed. Somehow, he fit. The bed was bigger than he thought, or Lance was really squishing Ash, because he still had breathing room—which was the way he liked it. Even when sleeping so close together, he liked a sliver of space. He just wanted to be able to feel the heat radiating off Lance’s skin, to know that he was there.
Right away, Yuri’s eyelids grew heavy. This was what safety felt like. It could put him to sleep in an instant.
Lance elbowed Yuri in the back.
“What?” Yuri hissed.
“Do you like Ash?”
“Yes. You already asked me this. Stop worrying. Nothing important is going to change, all right? I’m your brother and always be.” Yuri rolled over, while somehow making sure to stay in his designated space, and grabbed Lance’s shoulder. He pressed his forehead into the back of Lance’s neck.
“That’s what I should be telling you,” Lance said.
“I’m not the one obsessing over stupid things.”
“If you and Ash ever do want to do anything, sex, you know, whatever, I really don’t care.”
Yuri licked just below Lance’s hairline. Lance jerked, but he steadied himself while silently cursing.
Wow, Yuri thought. He really doesn’t want to wake Ash up.
“You’
re such an asshole,” Lance whispered. “Stop trying to distract me. I could smell it, you know? Both of your arousal.”
“Got it already.” Yuri gave Lance’s shoulder a nudge and rolled over again so his back was facing Lance. “Shut up and go to sleep.”
Thankfully, Lance didn’t speak another word. Yuri closed his eyes, aware of his brother’s presence behind him, aware that everything was fine as long as they were together because they had each other’s backs.
Everything was warm and right until the nightmares came.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ASH STARTLED AWAKE WHEN the bed moved. It took them a moment to realize what was going on. There was a warm arm around their waist. They had never woken up like this before. Ash blinked a few times and let the weight of that warmth wash over them.
Lance.
He was fast asleep, so who was rocking the bed?
Ash stayed still, staring at the wall in front of them. They heard the door squeak open and close again with a soft click. It had to be Yuri. Ash wouldn’t have worried about it. There were many reasons why he might be getting up during the night, but then they heard shuffling in the living room like Yuri was grabbing his coat or something.
What was he doing? It was dark outside. Ash carefully wiggled out of Lance’s hold so they could look over him and to the analog clock on the headboard. The red numbers said it was three in the morning.
Ash gently took Lance’s hand, rested his arm on his side, emerged from the blanket, and climbed over him—though escaping his warmth was the last thing they wanted to do. They had to check out what was going on. Something didn’t seem right. Ash gave Lance’s forehead a soft kiss before leaving the bed. Ash had barely touched the doorknob when they heard another door close.
In the living room, they saw Yuri’s coat and boots missing. They peeked out the window but couldn’t see anything in the dark. Ash grabbed their phone and quickly put on their own coat and boots to follow. They found footprints and kept their eyes low to the ground so they wouldn’t lose sight of them.
Ash picked up the pace and continued following Yuri for a time, even after his tracks led into a section of extremely dense black and white spruces. Ash fished their phone out to turn on the flashlight. The trees were blocking out the light of the moon and stars above, but their phone battery was dead, so Ash was left to fumble around in the dark. They could hardly see anything at all now. They considered turning around, but they stumbled, and their sense of direction was skewed. They tried to find Yuri’s tracks again, but they couldn’t differentiate from disturbed snow and actual footprints. It was just too goddamn dark.
Well, they were lost.
They had no idea which way would lead them back to the Lenkovs’ cabin, to Yuri, or anything else for that matter. They didn’t know how far the trees would stay dense like this either.
It was time for a different approach. Ash had meant to follow Yuri quietly, but the situation had changed. Maybe he would hear them if they called his name. They were about to do it, but there was movement in the distance. Ash started moving again. It had to be Yuri.
When he didn’t slow down, Ash was about to call his name. Then they lost their footing. The ground crumbled, and they were falling. They managed to twist their body around and dig their fingers into a solid piece of the crumbling edge. They let out a startled, “Whoa,” and slid farther, until their palms were hanging off the edge. Their fingers were the only thing stopping them from falling into some deep hole. They couldn’t tell how far down it went, but their feet weren’t touching ground, so letting go seemed like a bad idea.
Ash wasn’t the screaming type. They held still and thought for a moment, analyzing their situation. They tried to pull themself up, but it was too slippery. Any minor movements they made had them slipping again. The gloves they wore made their grip worse. Oh, and their fingers were burning and shaking. If they gave another inch, Ash would drop down.
“This is not good,” Ash remarked.
And then Yuri appeared, looking down at them, eyes flickering orange. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Hanging out.”
Yuri grinned, and then he grabbed Ash’s wrists. Ash felt secure, so they stopped clawing at snow and dirt and twisted their hands to grab his wrists in return. Yuri hauled them up quickly, and Ash wasn’t ready. They tried to catch their feet on the ground, but it shifted. Yuri yanked their arms away from the ditch, and Ash slammed into his hard chest as the edge crumbled away, making the hole’s mouth wider.
“Well, that was precarious.” Yuri let Ash go and took a step back.
Ash squinted. “What’s with all these holes?” They could see another not too far away.
“I don’t know. I hoped they weren’t real. I thought someone else would have seen them by now if they were, but they aren’t near the Toran Pack’s trails, so I guess there’s no reason anyone would have noticed them.” Yuri winced.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine.”
His cheeks looked hot, or they were so cold that they turned a bright red against his naturally tan skin tone. Ash reached up and touched his cheek. He flinched, and Ash half expected him to move away, but he stayed there, allowing Ash to rest their hand on his cheek. Ash hesitated before moving to his forehead. His skin was hot. Fire-hot.
“You have a fever,” Ash said.
“Just a little one. I’m fine.”
Ash frowned and withdrew their hand. “Now I understand why you were talking about living every moment like it’s your last. Conquering the fire ahead of you. Facing every obstacle and proving you’ll come out on top. Lance told me about you before, but when I met you, I didn’t think you were his Yuri. You were sick for a long time.”
Yuri shoved his hands into his pockets. “I didn’t get that life philosophy because I was sick. I always thought like that. It just got stronger after I got sick. I was determined not to spend the rest of whatever time I had in bed.”
That fit him. Ash didn’t know Yuri well, just what Lance had told them and what they had learned about him that night…
Memories of what they did flooded back into Ash’s mind. Ash got hot, remembering how good Yuri’s body felt against theirs, how good it felt for him to be inside of them. It was rough, the opposite of how Lance handled them, but it was exactly what Ash had needed at the time.
But Lance was who they wanted.
“Why did Lance say that to you, Yuri?” Ash asked.
“Say what?”
“He asked if you liked me and said he wouldn’t mind if the two of us got together.”
“As shifters, we’re acutely aware of sexual attraction. Even if it doesn’t turn Lance on, he can smell the way your body reacts. Hell, he can smell the way my body reacts.”
Ash cleared their throat. “That’s… a little awkward.”
Yuri showed his teeth. Ash couldn’t call it a grin. “Yes. I can smell your need right now.”
Ash self-consciously drew their thighs together. “But why did he say it? It’s like he wants me to have sex with you.”
“Lance is insecure about the whole sex thing. It seems like a big deal to a lot of mates, lovers, all the ones we know anyway.” Yuri nodded. “He really loves you, and he wants you to be happy. That’s just how Lance works.”
“I told him it didn’t matter, that no sex wasn’t a deal-breaker.”
“You sure did.”
“It’s… I don’t know.”
Yuri waited.
“I’m attracted to Lance.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Do you think that makes him more insecure?”
“Maybe.”
“You’re a good brother, aren’t you?”
Yuri shrugged. “Probably not, because your scent is driving me crazy right now, and I’d really like to fuck you.”
Ash laughed. “If I wasn’t so in love with your brother, I’d take you up on that. Lance might not mind, but I do.”
“See? I told him he wasn�
�t thinking about this the right way. You should tell him that sometime.” Yuri glanced up at a small clearing in the snowy branches overhead. “I like you, Ash. You’re definitely going to make my brother happy. I can see it already. I can’t believe it took Lance this long to make a move. You’ve already decided you’re going to stay, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, I am. As long as Lance will let me.”
“He’ll let you. He wants you to.” Yuri looked up for a second time. There was nothing but dark sky. “Maybe it’s time for me to leave Eurio.”
“And leave Lance behind?” Ash asked.
“Never behind. Let him go. He’s been stuck with me for years. I don’t want him to feel like he has to be anymore.”
Ash took both of Yuri’s hands. “I can tell you right now that Lance does not feel like you’re chaining him down. He loves you. You’re his world.”
“Not true anymore, but it doesn’t matter.”
Yuri froze. Footsteps crunched in the snow, and Ash squinted in the darkness to see him: Lance.
“Hey,” he said.
Yuri saluted.
A grin overtook Ash’s face, and they ran to Lance. They took his hand, and Lance wrapped an arm around them, holding them even closer. It felt right to be near him. Nothing had ever felt so right.
Lance sighed and nodded toward the ditch Ash had almost fallen in. “Yuri, what the fuck?”
“Don’t ask me. I didn’t make them,” Yuri said and winced again. He backed up, inching dangerously close to the hole while pressing the palm of his hand to his forehead. Ash reflexively reached out to him, to stop him or yank him back, something. But he sucked in a sharp breath and dropped like a bag of bricks.
“Yuri!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LANCE CAUGHT HIS BROTHER before he could hit the ground and disappear into one of those ditches that pocked the land in between the trees as far as his sharp eyes could see. He moved his brother a safe distance away and continued to support him. Yuri’s legs wouldn’t hold his weight.
“What’s wrong?” Lance asked.
“My head,” Yuri gritted out. He replaced the palm of his hand with his fingers and clawed at his forehead.
Valentine's Day Tigers (The Holiday Shifter Mates Book 3) Page 13
