by Fel Fern
“I can’t,” Silas admitted, looking away. “I don’t understand what this is between us.”
“We’re mates, Silas. Can’t you tell? That’s why I came running the moment I smelled your hurts. Why a guy like me who avoids trouble would jump in the line of fire for a stranger he just met.”
“Mates?” Silas echoed. He heard of the concept. Knew shifters mated for life, but it had been something like a fairy tale story or a made-up myth. “Like instant love?”
Harley laughed. “There’s no such thing. What we have is spark, something that can either go out, or go strong, because nothing in life is ever easy.”
“So what you’re doing, is distracting me with sex so I don’t think about eating you?”
Harley growled, slamming him against the tree. “I’m no one’s prey, little vampire. I lead the dance, not you.”
Then Harley curled his fingers around Silas’s member. Silas let out a gasp as Harley flicked the pre-cum glistening at his tip and teasingly pinched his cock head.
“Beg me,” Harley demanded.
“How arrogant of you to presume I like that sort of thing.”
Harley let out a rumbling laugh. “I don’t presume, Silas. I know. I can smell your need. Despite your snark, you want someone worthy to take control of you.”
Silas shivered under his gaze. How can Harley, still a complete stranger despite his claim they were mates, know Silas was submissive when it came to sex? Hell, the werewolf hit all of his right buttons.
“Am I wrong?” Harley asked, fingers not moving, only keeping his member captive.
“You’re right,” Silas admitted.
Harley grinned. “Then say the magic words.”
“Please,” Silas uttered. Once the word came out from his lips, the tension in him broke. He yielded against the large hulking werewolf holding him down. Silas moaned into Harley’s mouth as Harley began pumping his cock.
Harley glided his fingers up and down, gaining momentum before purposely slowing down. Silas groaned his frustration. His glower seemed to only amuse Harley, who kept bringing him close to the edge, only to draw back when Silas was close enough to burst.
“Please,” Silas said again.
“That sounds fucking perfect on your lips.” Harley took his swollen mouth again. This time, he let Silas come.
“Come all over my fingers, Silas. Now,” Harley commanded.
He pinched Silas’s tip and that had been enough to trigger Silas’s climax. Silas let out a muffled moan as the pressure building inside him broke. He didn’t know how his body could react like to a simple hand job, but the forest and the events of the past hour fell away as waves of pleasure assaulted his body.
Harley looked pleased by the sight. He let go of Silas’s wrists and pulled Silas close, and angled his head so his neck was bared to Silas’s gaze. Trusting himself, Silas gripped Harley close and wrapped his hands around his broad shoulders. Silas unsheathed his fangs and drank deeply. Harley’s rich blood flooded down his throat. Silas could feel Harley trying to contain himself, to stop from struggling or fighting against Silas.
Silas didn’t just take sustenance. He also drank down some of Harley’s memories. Images of Harley flashed through Silas’s head, and some moments more vivid that any information relayed through dates and word-of-mouth. He knew Harley hadn’t lied to him once. Through Harley’s eyes, he saw the man who saved his life and his bonds with his family, the Darkfall Mountain Pack.
When Harley gently nudged him away, Silas conceded. He’d thought it would be harder, to pull away and not drain Harley dry, but something in Silas told him Harley wasn’t prey, but an equal. More than that, Harley could be something else. Be someone even Lucius couldn’t be—Silas’s mate.
Silas wiped the blood off his lips as Harley slumped slightly against him, Harley’s weight no longer a mean load because he’d just fed.
“How are you feeling?” he asked Harley anxiously.
“A little dizzy, but fine,” Harley muttered.
“No you’re not. You can barely stand. I took a lot of blood and your bullet wound’s still healing. Besides, it’s almost sunrise. I need to get us somewhere safe,” Silas muttered. Lucius taught him all vampires knew when it was time to get underground. “Do you know somewhere we can go?”
“There’s an unused cabin west of Northfield woods, which is where we are right now. It’s not far, maybe three to four kilometers uphill.” Harley grunted and finally conceded to leaning against Silas’s shoulder.
“I’ll find it. Come on, big guy.” This time, it was Silas who led the way.
Chapter Four
“Right there, just a couple of meters more,” Harley rasped.
With Silas’s body healed, it didn’t take them long to reach the cabin. Most of the younger werewolves in the Darkfall Mountain Pack knew about the place on Northfield as a spot to fool around in that was close enough to home. Too bad most of Harley’s pack members were probably back at Darkfall, either still celebrating, drinking or fucking after their monthly full-moon run. Either way, Harley hoped to discuss a strategy with Silas before bringing trouble to the pack.
“Thank God,” Silas muttered.
Harley pulled the front door open and they collapsed inside. Most of the moth-eaten blinds were down and there was a thin film of dust on the floor, but they had the entire place to themselves. Silas dropped him near what was once the living room. Harley didn’t need to look out the windows to know the sun would be coming up soon.
“Don’t worry about me,” Harley pointed out. At Silas’s stubborn insistence, Harley showed him his wound. Satisfied it was beginning to close up, Silas left it alone.
Silas looked a little exhausted by now, as if his supernatural body knew their natural enemy—the sun, was fast approaching. “The bedroom has no windows. You’ll be safe there.”
He followed Silas into the room, and made sure no light could touch the space as Silas settled himself against the corner of the room.
Only a moment ago vampire looked like in the prime bill of health after taking his blood. Now their situations were reversed. Harley settled himself on the floor beside Silas. The wooden walls felt cool behind his back, like the chill from Silas’s skin. Silas looked at him, expression painfully vulnerable and raw. Lost almost, and Harley wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the vampire, and transfer some of his heat.
Harley patted his lap. Brightening, Silas lap his head against his thigh. Harley ran his fingers through the vampire’s golden silky hair and thumbed the ridges of his spine to calm his down. When Silas wiggled like a happy puppy, Harley couldn’t help but smile. Hard to imagine it was his needy mate, seeking his comfort. Lying so sweetly like this, Harley could imagine they weren’t running for their lives.
Would they survive this ordeal to experience tender moments like these? Desperation and unfortunate circumstances might have drawn them together, but looking at Silas and combing his fingers through his hair, Harley realized he wanted more. He wanted to see what it was like, taking his mate out on a date or doing couple things, like taking cooking or gardening classes.
Strange how Harley never saw himself doing any of those things before Silas.
“Harley. When I wake, will you still be here?” Silas asked, sounding sleepy.
“I’ll stay by your side and fucking make sure nothing comes close enough to hurt you,” Harley promised.
“Don’t lie,” Silas murmured, sounding partly unconvinced.
Harley teasingly tugged at Silas’s hair. “I keep my promises.”
“Okay,” Silas agreed.
Then Silas closed his eyes. Harley watched him sleep for a while, and marveled how gorgeous his mate looked in slumber, like a sculpted statue its creator took time to chisel into perfection. He thumbed the bridge of Silas’s nose and his bottom lip, surprised by the surge of possessive emotions practically overwhelming him. Harley knew without a doubt, he’d do anything and everything to save his new mate and keep
him from harm.
After making sure Silas was sound asleep, Harley gently set him aside then shifted. The bullet wound ached a little, but Harley knew it would no longer be a problem once he fed. He padded out of the cabin and into the nearby woods. Harley didn’t go far, only circled the property. His wolf would alert him of any intruders and suspicious moments. Breathing in the scent of fresh mountain air and feeling the dirt underneath his paws helped him think. The land didn’t belong to the pack, didn’t exactly smell of home, but it was close enough.
Harley found small game and fed heartily, knowing he’d need his strength for later.
He wondered about the hunters he stole Silas from. The Order of the Knife never lacked for numbers. Kill one bastard and more would come, Harley knew. He instantly regretted not being able to finish his kill. Dead men tell no tales, but even those half-dead can contact his allies. Worse, Silas and he were practically incapacitated for the next couple of hours.
No choice but to sit it out. Come sunset, he’d guide Silas out to the woods. Persuade Silas to feed his hunger on animals. Harley wasn’t a vampire, but he’d endured a similar experience back when he was a newly changed werewolf. Unlike Silas though, Harley had the pack to watch his back. Silas had no one but him to rely on. After Silas fed, they’d start heading for Darkfall. Ideally, they should reach the border, before the hunter and his friends caught up.
Even members of the Order would hesitate causing trouble in Darkfall, where the pack was at their full strength.
After feeding, Harley washed up in the nearby stream, and headed back to snuggle close to Silas. Unconsciously in his sleep, Silas pulled Harley close and used him as a damn pillow. Well. Harley didn’t mind. The vampire had great taste after all.
* * * *
“Fuck this,” Gordon Willis hissed.
His chewed-up arm bled like a bitch despite his attempts to contain the damage. Gordon didn’t know what hurt worse. His brother, his only blood, dead or never being able to use his dominant arm. Fuck. Gordon needed both hands to do his thankless job.
“You’re going to regret this, mongrel. My buddies and I are going to hunt you and your bloodsucker mate down. Mount your fucking heads on my bedroom.”
Gordon didn’t know how he managed to get out of the barn before the local cops came. Feverish, arm in a make-shift cast, Gordon relied on his hatred to fuel his desire. He crawled out of the barn, tasting vengeance on the cold night air. Gordon made his way to Ben’s beat-up black Toyota. Hauled his pathetic ass in and drove the hell out of the scene as fast as he could. No helping it, but Gordon had to leave Ben’s corpse behind.
There was simply no time, and besides the cops wouldn’t find anything. All members of the Order were essentially ghosts. Men and women who died the moment they took up the blade and gun, and swore a tireless oath to hunt every stinking supernatural creature who dare walk the earth that rightfully belonged to mortals.
Gordon spat out a wad of blood as he drove like a madman. Back in town, he stashed the car in an alley and made his way to the temporary hideout Ben and he picked out—an abandoned apartment building in the town slums. One-handed, Gordon picked up his emergency phone and dialed the number all hunters were told to only contact in an extreme emergency. This situation was close enough.
Ben and he had been tasked with a simple thing. Hunt down the Master Vampire Lucius and secure his treasure, the Rosewood Chalice, a relic that predated Christ and supposedly had supernatural abilities. Gordon wasn’t clear on the details, but they didn’t expect any complications, certainly not the unwelcome knowledge Lucius had a new fledging and that fledging had a werewolf mate who belonged to the Darkfall Mountain Pack.
Darkfall was werewolf country and one of the places a hunter couldn’t freely stalk his prey without consequences. Gordon needed the big guns.
“I hope you’re calling in for a good reason, Comrade Gordon,” came the voice on the other end.
Gordon licked his lips, and explained the situation. There was silence on the other end. The number was a direct phone line to one of the Order’s five Hunting Captains. Call for a foolish reason and you might end up dead, Gordon knew that, but he wanted retribution and justice for Ben and his recent shame.
“What do you need?” said the voice finally.
“A hunting party equipped and ready for extermination.”
“We will contact you with the details again. Make sure you will not fail the Order again, Gordon. Remember, retrieving the chalice is your number one priority.”
Then the line went dead. Gordon didn’t give a fuck about some old relic, but he’d certainly look forward to making the vampire and his pet werewolf hurt in ways they’d never knew existed.
Chapter Five
Silas woke, panicked. He relived the same nightmare—Lucius taking the barrage of bullets so he could live, except Lucius spoke to him in his version, or tried to communicate with Silas, except blood poured out of him.
Still unused to his new heightened senses, Silas reacted badly. Outside the cabin, he heard the distinctive hoot of an owl and the rustle of trees. Silas reached for the nearest object closest to him, surprised his hands clutched a handful of fur. He blinked, seeing the huge comfy wolf curled near him.
“Harley,” Silas whispered with relief.
The big wolf nudged his head against his side, his tongue wet and rough. If it weren’t for Harley’s impressive row of canines, Silas would have thought him a large dog. Without an ounce of shame, Silas brought Harley close for a tight hug.
“God, I’d thought you leave me. I mean, any logical person would,” Silas confessed. Fur and claws disappeared until Silas now held onto a handful of man. A very naked sweat-slicked and slightly aroused man, Silas noted. His mate. He still found it hard to believe he’d find Harley here of all places.
“Don’t be fucking foolish,” Harley said, baring teeth.
“Why do you always spoil the moment by opening your crass mouth?” Silas demanded.
Harley fastened his hand on the back of Silas’s neck and pulled him for a rough kiss that left him breathless. Good Silas hadn’t imagined that, or the heat between them.
“Better?” Harley asked, foolish grin on his face.
“A kiss can’t always make things better,” Silas muttered, still feeling giddy.
“Will this?” Harley slipped a hand between their bodies, about to reach for Silas’s cock, and then stopped. He shook his head. “We have no time for this.”
“Why?” Silas demanded. Then he heard it a second later. His sharp hearing caught the sound of footsteps a distance away. He swallowed, as the old fear rose up inside him. “It can’t be,” he whispered. “How? You killed both of them.”
Harley looked at him grimly. “I didn’t finish the last fucker. He probably called more of his friends. Doesn’t help the Order seems to have a hard-on for your Master’s chalice.”
“I don’t even know what that is,” Silas said, sounding frustrated.
Harley grabbed his shoulders, gaze intense. “I believe you. Look, we don’t have time to spare. They have gear and weapons. We have our claws and fangs, it’s not much but it has to do.”
“What’s the plan?” Silas asked.
God, he hoped Harley did have one, because Silas didn’t plan on dying soon. Not after finding Harley. Remembering his nightmare, Silas began to believe things happened for a reason. Was it destiny Lucius died protecting him, so Silas could eventually find his mate in dire circumstances? If the hunters hadn’t found him, he’d certainly never meet Harley.
Harley claimed they were mates, despite being total strangers, and Silas was beginning to believe he was right. How else could he explain these overwhelming feelings? This sudden hunger to live, so he could find out if Harley had a tomorrow and a happily-ever-after waiting in the wings?
“We’re going to have make a run for it and head for Darkfall. If we make it there, my pack will protect us. It’s not an easy journey though. First, we need to feed your
hunger, then we start toward the Darkfall Triplets—they’re the three mountains ringing the town.”
Silas swallowed. He might be a vampire, but he’d never been a fan of outdoor activities. Silas thought on Harley’s words. “How will your pack react to us sending hunters to their door?”
Harley winced. “Don’t know yet, but I don’t see any other way. You told me your Master planned on staying in Darkfall either way and Sergio is expecting him.”
Silas nodded. “Lucius said he’ll train me there. Come to think of it, I think he mentioned he had another purpose in mind as well.”
“Sergio, my pack alpha, might know something about this chalice. Either way, the answers lie back home. Let’s think about outrunning the hunters first. I’ll take the lead, and you follow.”
Harley shifted and Silas followed him out. The werewolf sniffed the air, his hackles raised. Silas frowned. He focused his senses, narrowing it down to the direction the hunters were coming from. There was the faint rumble of engines. Bikes, Silas realized with dread, and the sound of voices. He smelled something else, too. Guns and they would be toting silver bullets—lethal to both Harley and he.
Feeling nervous, Silas leaned against Harley and caressed his ears. Harley seemed to like that. He let out a rumble and playfully nipped at his arm. Then Harley streaked into the woods. Silas took in their uphill journey. The terrain would be rough and merciless, but he realized with Harley beside him and guiding him, Silas felt less afraid.
He spied Harley’s furred form weaving up the trees, letting out a growl for Silas to follow. With newfound resolve, Silas raced after him.
* * * *
After making certain his mate fed, Harley picked up his pace. They streaked past more dirt and trees, and continued going uphill. Here, the air was thinner. Colder. Earth gave way to stone, but Harley feared there would be less foliage, less places to shield them from the eye.
