by Joyee Flynn
“I know. You’d never hurt me,” I sighed, reaching back to run my fingers over his hip. “Drink from me, take my blood, and let me be what you need.”
He didn’t hesitate then, sinking his fangs in my neck quickly. I gasped in shock and delight. He was right. It didn’t hurt. For a second I felt them pierce my neck, which wasn’t great, but then it was like that warm feeling in my balls right before I came. And it spread out from my neck to my entire body.
The moment he drank from me, my cock swelled right back up instantly. His hand brushed mine away as he started to stroke me furiously. I moaned and squirmed against him as intense pleasure shot through my groin. By the third pull of my blood, I came hard. I cried out, bucking against his hand as my cock shot reams of cum. This orgasm was about as intense as the one I’d had making love to him.
Hell, if this was what I got in return for giving Curtis some blood, he could drink from me as often as he wanted. As the last wave of my climax left, he pulled his fangs out of me and started licking the bite. “Did you like that, angel?”
“Uh-huh,” I grunted, not having enough energy to form complete sentences or thoughts.
“Did I take too much?”
I shrugged that time. I had no clue what was too much blood.
“Do you feel dizzy or light-headed, Shem?”
“No, just spent and a little sleepy now.” I chuckled, snuggling back against his body. “But I was feeling like that after we had sex. My body isn’t used to this much sexual exertion. And I’ve never come like that before, and twice!”
“I promised to keep you happy.” He snickered and tightened his arms around me, interlacing our fingers over my chest. “Thank you for giving me what I needed, my angel cheetah.”
“Is it dorky that I love that you have a pet name for me already?”
“No, not at all, Shem. I’m falling for you hard, and you feel so perfect in my arms that I was just thinking how I ever thought I was living before experiencing this with you.”
“Well, I can’t take away what makes you happy,” I said with a yawn. I patted his arms lightly as I closed my eyes. “I guess I’m just going to have to keep you.”
“I’m thrilled you’d even want to,” he replied after a moment as sleep pulled me under. The last thought I had was what the hell had my mate been through to doubt himself so much? Curtis was a catch, and he was acting like he’d found the Holy Grail in me as a mate. While I was flattered, he didn’t seem to see himself as I did. And that was something I was going to fix.
* * * *
The next afternoon we were lounging in bed, getting to know each other in between rounds of hot, hot sex. I’d never been so happy in my life. Curtis was amazing. I’d really struck the mating lottery with him.
“Would you quit feeding me?” I giggled and pushed his hand away when he put another strawberry against my lips. “I’m fully capable of feeding myself.”
“It’s part of my seduction,” he whispered in my ear. Chills went through my body at the simple sound. “It’s not about you being blind, my angel. I want to pamper you.”
“Okay,” I sighed teasingly. Opening my mouth, I moaned loudly as I bit into the berry, just to seduce him back.
“I swear, I’ll never get tired of hearing you make that noise.”
“But I make so many other nice ones,” I replied with a purr. I swallowed the food in my mouth and bit the bullet. I needed to know what that comment last night meant. “What did you mean last night when you said you could be a good leader? I’m not doubting the truth of that. It’s just you sounded like there was more to that statement.”
“Yeah, I guess there was. Conley asked me to take over Harold’s position as head of the Dakota and Wyoming covens. I’ve been thinking about the offer for days. That’s why I was wandering around the mansion when I found you. I’m actually really glad I have someone to talk to about this now.”
“You can talk to me about anything, Curtis. You know that, right?” I heard him move the tray before he picked me up and sat me down to straddle his lap. Instinctively, I started nuzzling his neck and marking him with my scent.
“I know I can, and that means the world to me,” he answered softly. “It affects you now, too. I mean, we’ve not even gotten to your plans, Shem. Are you going back home? Where is home?”
Suddenly, I was very cold. The mention of home, which was my parents’ house, brought that day with the Hunters swarming like locusts and my parents death back to the front of my mind. I pushed away from Curtis as my stomach started to heave.
“Shem, what’s wrong?” he asked in a panicked voice as he held onto me. But I couldn’t answer him. I was afraid if I opened my mouth, I’d vomit. Smacking his chest hard with my hand, he finally loosened his hold on me enough so I could get away. “What did I say wrong? Why can’t you go home?”
Oh god, that just made it worse. I tried to scramble off the bed, but I’d not yet mapped the room, so I ended up hitting my head on the nightstand and falling to the floor in a heap. When I went to cry out in pain, I threw up all over the floor. I grabbed my head in a futile attempt to stop the pain, but everything was just hitting me so damn hard.
My parents were dead, and here I was lounging around with my mate in bed like I didn’t have a care in the world. So many emotions were slamming into me as I emptied the contents of my stomach. I hadn’t even made it to the bathroom. Fuck, I was useless!
“It’s okay, angel. Just breathe, okay?” Curtis cooed gently as he rubbed my back.
“Leave me be,” I croaked out, my throat hurt from the vomiting. “I’ll clean it up in a minute. Just give me some space.”
“I’ll clean it up. It’s not a problem,” he replied softly and moved away from me.
“I can clean up my own puke, Curtis,” I growled none too gently.
“How? You don’t know the room, and you just hit your head.”
“And I’m blind, right? I’m weak and blind. You forgot that part.” I pushed up enough to plop on my ass as I grabbed my head again. It was wet against my fingers, and I knew I was bleeding. I’d have to shift to heal the wound.
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Shem,” he said firmly as he pattered to the bathroom. Well, I assumed it was the bathroom unless he had a tiled closet that made his voice echo. “I’m sorry you got hurt and upset by whatever I said. But I don’t think you’re weak, so don’t put that shit on me.”
“Fine, just leave it. I’ll get one of my brothers to clean it.”
“I can take care of my mate,” Curtis shouted as he turned on the sink.
I couldn’t deal with this right then. I needed to get out of there. My head hurt, I was embarrassed I vomited and couldn't clean it up, guilt and grief were swarming me faster than I could process, and I was just all around annoyed with myself. And most of all, I didn’t want to admit Curtis was right. I needed to be taken care of at times. I stumbled to the door and turned the knob before letting the change flow over me.
“Shemael, don’t you dare run from this,” Curtis roared out as I booked it from the room. As much as I knew he was right and had every reason to be upset, I couldn't stay because I felt as if the walls were closing in on me. “Get back here, Shem!”
I raced down the main staircase, grateful at least my head stopped throbbing, and out the door someone ran to open for me when he saw me coming. Smart vampire, because right then I wouldn’t have cared if I shattered the door barreling through it.
Once outside, I just ran. I made sure to circle the property since I knew when I got exhausted, I’d collapse and shift back. And the idea of being naked on strange grounds when I couldn’t see was scary enough to cut through my emotional fog.
It didn’t take long for Ham to join me as I circled the grounds. As we were litter-mates, we could talk to each other telepathically and had like a hive mind when in cheetah form.
I saw images in Ham’s mind of my mate crying to my brother, scared out of his mind at where I went and the danger I
could be in. Well, shit, that wasn’t the reaction I’d expected from Curtis. Pissed I could handle. Worried and distraught, no way. I sent Ham back images of what had happened, the questions, the guilt, and the emotional turmoil I was feeling.
“You’re right. We need to have a family meeting,” he said as we headed back to the mansion. “We’ve let this go too long with our grief. It’s time we decide what’s the next step for our family.”
“Agreed,” I replied. A few minutes later, we reached the back terrace. Before we even had to worry about shifting back and being naked in front of people, my mate came racing out the back door. “Thanks for coming to get me, Ham. He doesn’t deserve to deal with my shit, and I never thought he’d be so upset I went for a run.”
“Did you tell him you were just going for a run?” he asked in a tone that let me know Ham already knew the answer.
“Angel, I’m so sorry, okay? I won’t ever yell at you again, just don’t scare me like that,” Curtis rambled as he dropped to his knees and buried his face in my fur. “I can’t survive without you, Shem. You can’t leave me, baby.”
Cass came out with some clothes for Ham and I, and I shifted back. When I was in human form again, I threw my arms and legs around my mate.
“I wasn’t leaving you, big guy,” I said gently, running my hands over his back to sooth him. He was shaking in my embrace, and I started to feel even more guilt.
“Stop feeling guilty. Whatever it is, it wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”
“No, it was mine, Curtis. I should have told you I was shifting to heal the cut on my head, and I needed some air. I wasn’t running from you. I just couldn’t deal right then.”
“Okay, angel, whatever you need,” he said quickly as he moved his hands over my body as if checking for wounds. Then he growled loudly and started to pull off his shirt. “No one sees my mate naked but me.”
“I’ve got clothes, Curtis.” Cass chuckled and tossed a set at me. “Shifters are cool with nudity. You might want to get used to it now that you’re part of this family.”
“Sorry, I’ve not claimed Shem yet.” He answered and I felt his shirt brush my back as he put it back on as I got dressed. “We’re incredibly and obsessively territorial until that happens and sometimes afterwards.”
“But you’ve drank my blood when we’ve been intimate,” I whispered as my cheeks heated up with embarrassment.
“But not while I’ve taken you, angel,” he replied, cupping my cheek. “Just like you have to take me and bite me to claim me, the same is true for vampires. Or there has to be a simultaneous blood exchange. ”
“Oh fuck,” I gasped as once again his selflessness made me feel like a selfish asshole. “I–I didn’t know. I knew you were giving me time, but I didn’t know you weren’t claiming me until we did it that way. We can do it right now. I’m ready. Come on, you can take me.”
“I’m fine, angel.” He chuckled as I tugged on his hand with my arm only through one hole of my shirt. Of course, it was like trying to move an oak tree, even with my increased shifter strength. “I’m just a little extra possessive until I claim you.”
“But you don’t hurt, right? You’re not uncomfortable or clawing with need?”
“No, but thank you for your concern,” Curtis answered as he pulled me into his arms and brushed his lips across mine.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I was being a total brat,” I admitted as I finished pulling on my shirt.
“Since we’re all here, let’s go to the library and talk as a family,” Cass said loudly after he’d been whispering over with Ham. “There are things we need to handle.”
“I’ll leave you guys to it.” Curtis went to pull away from me, but I smacked him across the chest. “What was that for?”
“You are part of this family, my mate.” I snickered as I took one of his hands in both of mine.
“I’m good with that,” he replied and led me to the library.
A few minutes later, we were all seated and ready. I was snuggled on Curtis’ lap in an overstuffed chair, and while I could smell my brothers, I had no clue who was where. Swallowing loudly, I braced for the conversation to come. Part of me wanted to go hide in my room, but I knew it was time we dealt with what had happened and planned for the future.
Chapter 3
“Conley was kind enough to send some of his people to clean our house and take care of Mom, Mom, and Dad’s bodies,” Cass started after clearing his throat a few times. “I have their ashes in my room. Since they weren’t found in the best of condition, Conley explained to me that it might be best to have them all cremated together, and I gave him the okay.”
“So then let’s go home,” Hael said softly. “I’m tired of being here as a guest and having no purpose. I think we all knew Conley handled everything, but I was still scared as to what we’d walk into.”
“Not all the Hunters have been killed, just the ones who took Kody and ran the circus,” Curtis replied slowly. And I could feel his apprehension to jump in and be the bearer of bad news. “It’s not safe for you guys to go home and stay there. They know where you live and already have made moves to capture you.”
“Other cat families live on their own,” Ham objected. “The Donovans for instance. And I know Avery and his mates live by a wolf pack, but the rest of the Donovans live in Sheridan alone.”
“There’s a wolf pack there, too,” Cass countered. “I agree with Curtis that it’s not safe for us to live out in the middle of nowhere outside of Boston. We’re too far away from the Boston pack if we need help. And we need to take into account that Curtis and Shem will be in South Dakota.”
“We will?” I asked, confusion swarming over me. “Is that where you’d be if you take over Harold’s position?”
“Yes,” Curtis answered from between ground teeth.
“I apologize,” Cass said softly. “Conley and I talked about this once he learned you were mated to my brother. He said it was an inherited position and it might be best for us to consider living with you guys since we’d be safe around vampires.”
“Bullshit!” Hael exclaimed. “Look, I like Conley, and everyone here has been cool, but those vampires in South Dakota were the ones who took Kody. How can we trust any of them? And how could the vamps do any better keeping the Hunters away than we could if we stayed together?”
Before I could even throw in my two cents, I was moved off of Curtis’ lap, and he was gone. It was faster than I could even follow, not having realized that he’d moved except I was now alone in the chair.
“You buy it now?” Curtis growled from the direction of Hael.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Hael gasped, and I could hear the fear in his voice.
“What the fuck is going on?” I yelled, frantic that my mate and brother were fighting and I couldn’t even see what was happening. “Curtis! Don’t you dare hurt Hael!”
“He didn’t,” Hael said quickly, and I felt Curtis kneel in front of me.
“I was proving a point, angel.”
“Not by scaring my brothers ever.” I growled and slapped his hands away when he went to touch my thighs. “What did you do, Curtis? All of a sudden, I was sitting in the chair alone. Do you have any idea how freaky that is when I can’t see what the fuck is going on?”
“Shit, I’m so sorry, Shem,” my mate begged as he kept trying to touch me. But every time he did, I smacked his hands. “I didn’t hurt Hael. I was trying to show him why vampires were able to protect your family. I can move faster than any of you can even track. He could blink and miss that I was at his neck with my fangs out.”
“You were going to bite Hael?” I gasped, hurt more now than angry. “Do you want him instead of me? I thought you were happy with me? Is this because I threw up and ran? I said I was sorry for that!”
“Shem, calm down!” Cass shouted as he moved and put his hands on my shoulders. “Your mate wasn’t putting the moves on Hael, okay? Just relax, and we’ll explain what just happened. Everyone
and everything is fine, baby bro. You need to just breathe a moment. I’m sorry you were startled, but your mate was smart and showed us something we didn’t know.”
Before I could answer, he shoved my head in between my knees so I could calm down. Cass was the best at handling us when we panicked. Since he had four brothers who were partially or completely blind, he was used to how certain things freaked us out. There was never a time when I felt more helpless in the world than when it sounded like the shit was hitting the fan and I couldn’t do anything but just sit there.
“Shem, I’d never hurt your family,” Curtis whispered in my ear as he rubbed my back. “And I don’t want Hael. I only want you, my mate.”
“Okay,” I replied, taking a few more deep breaths before sitting back up. “Then please tell those of us in the room who can’t see what just happened.”
“Curtis showed us how fast he could move,” Hael said gently. “Before I even knew what was happening, he was out of his seat, holding me to my chair with his fangs bared against my throat. He didn’t hurt me, Shem. It was smart. He showed us what vamps are capable of, which couldn’t be put into words. I mean, saying he’s really fucking fast doesn’t quiet cover it.”
“So basically you questioned how great vampires were, and my mate had to whip it out and prove to you otherwise?” I asked, staring at where I knew Curtis was kneeling in front of me with what I hoped was a scathing look.
“Yes, but it was also something we needed to see,” Ham answered, always the peacemaker. “I didn’t know vampires could move like that. So I think it’s safe to say we all agree now that being around them would be our best bet given we’re on the Hunters’ radar. The question now is whether we can trust the vampires in South Dakota after what happened to Kody.”
“Wait, Curtis hasn’t decided if this is what he wants,” I said as I stood up. I grabbed my mate’s hand and moved him back to sit on the chair before plopping my butt on his lap. “We barely started discussing it when I freaked out over the idea of going home and being happy after what happened to our parents.”
