by Lynn Hagen
It was time to get down to business, and Roy had to admit he was nervous as fuck. He had no idea what to do, how to do it, or what he should say, if anything.
“I’m a virgin!”
Roy wanted to go back in time and force himself not to blurt those words out. He was mortified as he buried his face in his hands, wishing a hole would open up and swallow him. Had he really just shouted that at a naked, willing partner?
He’d never been so embarrassed in his life.
Roy peeked between his fingers and saw Calhoun simply staring at him. “Just forget I said that.”
But there was no way Roy would ever forget how heart-stopping Calhoun looked standing there naked. He continued to peek through his fingers as his gaze slid over all the muscles, the tanned flesh, the thick, long cock jutting between Calhoun’s powerful legs.
If he died of embarrassment right now, Roy would be a happy man. Dead but happy. With a smile and a boner, too.
Calhoun gently pulled Roy’s hands away from his face. God, he didn’t want to look up at the guy. His body was flush from humiliation, and he wanted to crawl under the blankets to get away from what he’d admitted.
While he sat there ready to combust from the burning heat coursing through his body, Calhoun grabbed the lube from the drawer and tossed it on the bed.
Instead of jumping Roy’s bones, Calhoun pulled them both onto the covers and stretched out beside Roy. He didn’t say anything about Roy’s confession. Calhoun slid his hand down Roy’s side and started kissing him again, only he didn’t linger on Roy’s lips. He made his way down his body, placing kisses along the way until he reached Roy’s cock.
“Holy shit!” Roy fell to his back when Calhoun swallowed Roy’s cock down his throat. He punched his hips upward as he grabbed at Calhoun’s hair, jabbering unintelligible things as Calhoun pulled off Roy’s cock and worked his way down to his balls.
Roy cried out as Calhoun spread his legs even farther, licking and lapping and nipping until Roy thought he would lose his ever-loving mind.
Then a wet finger slid into Roy’s ass. That was it. He was gonna die from sheer pleasure. That was what his sister would put on his tombstone. Here lies Roy. The idiot died from his first experience with sex. May he rest in embarrassment for all eternity.
His thoughts scattered when Calhoun added a second finger, thrusting them deep inside Roy as he worked his way back up to Roy’s cock. Roy’s legs trembled. His heart thundered. His body coiled tight as those glorious fingers kept pumping in and out of his ass as Roy kept chanting “oh god, oh god, oh god.” He really wished he would shut the hell up.
He was that close to having another orgasm when Calhoun removed his finger, making Roy cry out in frustration.
His lover crawled back up Roy’s body and planted a kiss on his lips that wrecked Roy’s soul. He was ready to beg the man to fuck him as Calhoun latched onto one of Roy’s nipples, lashing the hard nub with his tongue.
Roy hissed, clamping his hands on Calhoun’s head as he writhed beneath the man. “Please, Calhoun. I need…”
“And I’ll give, just as soon as I’m done playing with your beautiful body.”
He latched onto Roy’s neglected nipple. If they’d been in an interrogation room, Roy would’ve sung like a canary. The way Calhoun tortured Roy’s body had him ready to spill all his secrets.
And they hadn’t even gotten to the good part yet. The part where Calhoun fucked Roy until Roy’s brain melted.
Calhoun reached between their bodies and curled his fingers around Roy’s cock. He started stroking Roy as he continued to kiss him. It took only moments for Roy to cry out, another orgasm sweeping him under.
But as Roy came, Calhoun drove his cock into Roy’s ass. Roy clung to Calhoun, his nails digging into the man’s back as he waited for the pain to subside. Calhoun didn’t wait. He began to thrust hard and deep, morphing the pain into pleasure.
“Mine,” Calhoun whispered as he slid his arms around Roy. “All mine.”
Roy curled his legs around Calhoun’s waist, gasping at the way his body came to life. Why had he waited so long to have sex? This was…he couldn’t think of a good enough word to describe how Calhoun made him feel.
His cock stretched Roy’s ass deliciously as he pounded into him.
Then he slowed his strokes, cupping Roy’s face as he stared into his eyes. It was the most intimate thing Roy had ever experienced. His lips descended onto Roy’s, his tongue delving into Roy’s mouth.
He felt another buildup. If Roy came again, he’d shrivel up into a dried raisin. He didn’t think he had anything else to give. Twice he’d come already.
Calhoun sank sharp teeth into Roy’s shoulder, and for the third time, he came. He came so hard that Roy saw stars. He also felt something snap inside him like a taut wire being plucked. The feeling sent vibrations all through him as Calhoun pistoned into Roy’s ass.
When Calhoun removed his sharp teeth and licked where he’d bitten, he purred. A real-life purr, like a cat being scratched on his tummy, only the sound was much louder than any housecat could make.
Roy started to ask what that was about, but Calhoun roared his release, punching his hips so fast that Roy had to hang on for the ride.
Calhoun slowed, rocking inside Roy before he eased out of Roy’s body.
Roy lay there sated, unable to move a muscle. He was deliciously sore in all the right places as he snuggled against Calhoun.
His lover slid his hand over Roy’s back, dropping kisses along his temple. “How was your first time?”
Roy smiled as he stared up into Calhoun’s gorgeous blue eyes. “Since I don’t have any other experience to compare this to, I’d have to say it was amazing.”
Calhoun chucked. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”
Roy started to respond when he heard a crash somewhere in the house.
Calhoun got up so fast that Roy nearly toppled from the bed. He slid his underwear back on and held a finger to his lips.
Roy nodded, terrified that Merk had found them.
Chapter Six
Calhoun scented the air as he moved quietly down the hallway. He wanted to charge in and tear the invader’s ass apart, but all three men after him might be in the house.
He should’ve known his luck wouldn’t last, but at least no one had attacked while he’d slept. Now that Calhoun was fully charged, he didn’t feel as though he’d fall over from one punch.
He scented the air again, but it wasn’t vampire he smelled. It was wolf. Had Cash Phillips found him? Was he alone? So far Calhoun didn’t scent anyone else but the wolf. But that didn’t mean he was by himself.
And he didn’t like the fact that Cash had come to Roy’s house. That put the deputy in danger. He just prayed Roy stayed in the bedroom and didn’t try to play hero. Now wasn’t the time for his mate to prove he could handle himself. He liked Roy’s initiative and handling his job as a deputy, but those qualities would get him killed if he tried to help Calhoun.
Taking a deep breath and letting his claws slide free, Calhoun rounded the corner, ready to battle.
“Put those things away,” Raven said as he looked through the fridge. “You’ll poke an eye out with them.”
It took a second for Calhoun’s brain to reboot and come out of kill mode. He allowed his claws to retract before he crossed the kitchen and slapped Raven on the back of the head. “What the fuck, man? Do you always break into someone’s house so you can loot their food?”
Raven came away with a bottle of juice. “I knocked for a good minute.” His eyes turned deadly. “Funny how I have to hear about your troubles from our cousin. You didn’t think to tell me you have a vampire after you?” He cracked the lid and took a drink. “When you didn’t answer the door, I got worried.”
“So you let yourself in?”
“That’s what family does when they think their brother is in trouble.” A sly grin crossed Raven’s face. “When I heard you having sex, I thought I’d wait.” H
is smile slipped away. “So we can talk about this fucking vampire that threatened our father’s life.”
That was one thing Calhoun loved about Raven. Although Calhoun had been adopted into Raven’s family, the wolf shifter never made Calhoun feel as if he didn’t belong. It was their father and their cousin.
“You still could’ve announced yourself.” Calhoun made coffee and waited for it to percolate, eyeing Raven. “How did you know to find me here?”
“Deputy Burrows,” Raven said. “After I hung up with Michael, I tracked you down to Tilted. They told me you’d taken off, so I tracked you to the gas station.” Raven shook his head. “Damn shame what happened to that human. Burrows told me you were with Roy and that the deputy is your mate.”
Calhoun grunted. “Burrows sure does talk a lot.”
“Only because I told him I needed to find you,” Raven defended. “What the fuck is going on, Calhoun? Why do you have a vampire after you, and why is he so desperate to find you that he’d threaten to kill the entire pack?”
Calhoun wasn’t supposed to talk about his mission. Panahasi had made that clear. But with Merk threatening their family and friends, the vampire had pretty much let the cat out of the bag.
After pouring himself a cup of coffee, Calhoun explained to Raven why he’d really left their pack and how three of the five men responsible for running the drug lab were after him.
“The same lab that tried to kill Jet?”
Raven’s mate had been captured and put in a cage then hooked up to an IV. The dealers had been after fae blood to help produce the drug. The eyes of the dead victims popped into Calhoun’s mind. He closed his eyes, forcing the images out as he shook his head.
“We discovered a second lab after interrogating a cheetah shifter who had been a part of the first lab. The men who ran the second lab got away, but two have been tracked down and killed. Three remain.”
“And those three have a boner for you,” Raven stated. “For taking down their operation.”
Calhoun nodded. “My mate spotted the vampire in an alley, so I know Merk is here. I’m not sure about Cash or Razor. I’m figuring they’ll catch up sooner or later.”
Raven held a hand up. “Cash Phillips?”
“Yeah, you know him?”
“I’ve heard of him,” Raven said. “The man has a bad reputation. The wolf shifter kills what he hunts, even his own kind.”
Calhoun hadn’t known that, but anyone capable of kidnap, torture, and murder was evil incarnate.
“By the way.” Raven glared at Calhoun. “Smack me on the head again and I’ll bite your arm off.”
Calhoun matched the guy’s scowl. “Break into my mate’s house again and I’ll bite your fucking head off.”
“I’d really love to see that.” A voice came from behind them.
Calhoun whipped around and saw a stranger standing at the kitchen entrance.
Cash Phillips.
“Tell me more about myself,” Cash said to Raven. “Come on, I know you’ve heard worse.”
“Who the fuck is this asshole?” Raven looked from Cash to Calhoun. “A friend of yours?”
Calhoun laughed and then sobered. It really wasn’t funny, but sometimes Raven could be dense. Calhoun set his drink down, keeping his eyes focused on Cash.
“Raven, can you go check on Roy?” He said it slowly, anticipating any move Cash might make. Calhoun wanted to make sure the wolf shifter had come alone.
Raven’s features darkened. He’d finally put two and two together. The stranger in the kitchen wasn’t a friend, but an enemy.
With a smirk, Cash stepped aside, allowing Raven to leave. Why? Why would he do that?
“I’m not here for him,” Cash said, as if reading Calhoun’s mind. “We both know who I’m here to kill.”
Raven had just cleared the doorway but looked back at Cash’s statement. Calhoun nodded, telling Raven to go. He waited a few beats then headed down the hallway.
“You know—”
Calhoun held up a hand and shook his head. “Whatever you have to say, I really don’t give a fuck.”
Cash’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a cocky son of a bitch.”
“And I’m listening to a dead man talking.” Calhoun shifted into his animal form, and so did Cash.
They clashed, tearing at each other. They slammed into the table and then rolled toward the fridge. Calhoun was thankful the room was a nice size, giving him enough space to tear Cash apart.
The wolf broke away and raced toward the kitchen entrance. Calhoun leapt, cutting him off. He snarled, baring his sharp teeth, warning Cash to keep back.
Even if the wolf got past him, he’d have to go through Raven to get to Roy. The guy might’ve said this was between them, but men like Cash weren’t below using someone as leverage.
They were at a standoff. Both were leaning on their front legs, snapping and growling. Calhoun wanted this over with. He wanted Cash dead so he could bury the man’s carcass in some dense forest.
Calhoun struck first. He raced forward and clamped his jaw on the wolf’s neck. He’d caught Cash by surprise. That was the only way he’d gotten the upper hand on a coldblooded killer.
The wolf twisted and growled, fighting to get free. Calhoun used his immense weight to pin the wolf down. He held on until Cash stopped fighting.
As fast as he could, Calhoun shifted and snapped the wolf’s neck. There was no coming back from that. One bastard down, two more to go. Now all Calhoun had to do was kill the demon and the vampire and he could finally relax.
Calhoun landed on his ass, bloody, bruised, and exhausted. He needed to call Panahasi and tell the demon leader that the men after him had found out where he was. He would do that just as soon as he got rid of Cash’s body.
Pain sliced through his side, and he crawled past the dead wolf, but before he could manage to get to his feet, Calhoun passed out.
* * * *
Roy was itching to get back to work. He loved spending time with Calhoun. The man had made him laugh more in the past week than he had in his entire life. But Roy was still spooked as fuck that someone had broken into his house and was killed in his kitchen.
The reality of Calhoun’s life smacked him in the face that night, and Roy was still trying to digest everything that was going on.
Their days were filled with laughter and fun, their nights with passion, but afterward, in the wee hours of the morning, Calhoun became restless, whimpering and reaching out in his sleep. A few times he’d bared his canines, and that had scared the hell out of Roy.
He needed to get out of the house, to walk through town and feel normal again. But every time he suggested they go shopping or hit the diner for a meal, Calhoun looked as if he’d freak out at any second.
Roy had no idea what to do.
Then a thought struck him eight days after being stuck inside. He waited until Calhoun used the bathroom, then Roy headed out the door, making sure his exit was quiet.
Once outside, he hurried down the street. He didn’t dare start his car because Calhoun’s preternatural hearing would pick up on the sound.
All Roy wanted to do was visit the station. On his way back he would grab some lunch at the diner and bring it home. What man didn’t calm down when given food?
As Roy walked, he kept a vigilant lookout for anyone suspicious. He’d always kept an eye on his surroundings when he was on patrol, but this wasn’t like when he worked. Roy felt as if that vampire and demon would jump from the bushes and grab him.
The stress played havoc on his nerves as he turned down Main Street. Even though his eyes darted around and his stomach cramped, it felt good to breathe in the fresh air and to wave to people he knew.
The sun was shining brightly in the sky. From what Roy had learned, vampires never came out during the day. He just had to keep an eye out for the demon. And since Roy knew what Merk looked like, that should be an easy task.
He stepped into Bistro and grabbed himself a hot cup of coffee be
fore walking over to the station.
Sabrina was behind the desk, talking on her cell phone. She smiled and waved at him as soon as she saw him. Roy didn’t wait for her to hang up. He headed into the small squad room and sat behind his desk.
Now this felt normal, even if he wasn’t in uniform. As soon as he turned on his computer, Deputy Hayley strode into the room. Roy rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to deal with Joshua’s bullshit.
“I wasn’t aware today was casual day.” He set his cup on his desk and took a seat in his squeaky chair. “Wish I’d known before I picked up my uniforms from the dry cleaners last night.”
Roy wasn’t sure if Joshua was being a smartass or just shooting the breeze. It was hard to tell with the neutral look the guy was giving him.
“I’m still on vacation,” Roy said. “I just came by to check my emails.”
Roy hadn’t had a chance to ask Deputy Burrows who was human and who wasn’t. For all he knew Joshua could be a snake shifter. He sure as hell acted like one.
He must have thought the deputy up, because in walked Malik, talking to Darren.
They both stopped and cocked their heads. When Malik looked Joshua’s way, Roy had his answer. Clearly Malik didn’t want to talk in front of Joshua, which meant he was human.
Maybe. Roy was just speculating. He wasn’t really good at reading facial expressions.
“I thought you had another week?” Malik asked as his gaze flickered to Joshua again. “Why are you here? It’s your relative still in town?”
Was that code for Merk? Apparently Roy sucked at codes, too. “Um, yes?”
Malik’s eyes narrowed. “Then why are you without your friend?”
Joshua looked between them with furrowed brows. “If you guys wanted some damn privacy, all you had to do was ask.”
Roy watched Joshua storm from the room. What was with him lately? Joshua was usually a straight-up prick, but lately he’d been moody as hell or very quiet.
Malik descended on Roy as soon as Joshua was gone. “What the hell are you doing running around town without your mate? You just said that vampire was still lurking around.”
