by Julia Talbot
He gave more, his body on fire. He wanted Peyton just as desperate.
Peyton rode his finger like a madman, up and down, over and over. When Grizz slipped another finger inside, Peyton snapped at him, fangs dropped all the way down.
He chuckled, the bite a promise, not a threat. No, Peyton would wait and bite him when he needed it most.
“Be good, Peyton,” he murmured, and Peyton almost growled. “I’m gonna make sure you’re ready, honey. Not until then.”
“Tease.” Still, he thought there was pleasure in Peyton’s voice.
“Mmm.” He made sure that little hole was open and wet, going all the way to three fingers. Grizz wasn’t small and his mate was tiny.
Strong, though, and fine. Peyton made him happy, deep down.
Deep. Grizz chuckled. He would go deep.
“Love your laugh, Bear. More.”
“More of this?” Grizz crooked his fingers slightly, but he knew what Peyton really wanted.
“Bastard!” Peyton jerked and sat up, shocked as hell.
“Umm. You like that?” So damned responsive to his every touch.
“Uhn.”
That was a fine answer. He would go with it. He grinned and did it again, just for good measure. Hello hot spot. He did love how Peyton needed, how that tight hole squeezed his fingers.
Grizz finally stopped torturing them both, though. Time to ride. He tugged his fingers free before yanking Peyton into his lap.
“My bear.” Peyton was smiling at him and it was heaven.
“Yours,” he agreed. He lifted Peyton, getting his cock seated at that tight hole, then he eased his lover down, nice and easy.
Peyton grunted, eyes flying wide open. “Oh. Damn.”
He growled, his cock throbbing as he eased in. He wanted more, so he yanked down, really pressing deep.
“Grizz!” Peyton’s head fell back, happy cry on the air.
“Ride me, honey. I need you.”
“Uh-huh. Up and down, up and down.” Peyton matched actions to words, bouncing on Grizz’s prick.
“Yes. That’s perfect. I love it.”
Love. The thought made Grizz’s eyes cross and he squeezed Peyton’s hips.
“Harder,” Peyton murmured, and he obeyed.
Harder was good. Great. The fucking best. Peyton’s skin slapped against his, sweet and so hot.
Oh, God. Grizz’s head spun, his need spiraling right out of control. “Soon!”
“Uh-huh.” Peyton leaned down in a smooth move, fangs burying in his throat.
He shorted right the hell out, coming so hard his bones rattled inside him. His balls emptied so fast they ached, and he hung there, caught on Peyton’s hunger. He could hear Peyton singing to him, caught in a joyous passion.
Moaning, Grizz wrapped around Peyton in a bear hug, holding on because he couldn’t do anything else.
Love. Peyton nuzzled his throat, lapping at him.
Clumsy as hell, he patted Peyton’s back. “Mnugh.”
Peyton’s chuckled tickled his skin, making him smile. Incoherence seemed to please Peyton.
Not that he didn’t get that. Knowing you pleased your lover was a huge ego boost.
Peyton hummed, ass squeezing him as if Peyton had heard him.
Grizz patted said ass with one hand, trying not to laugh. Whatever happened next, he had a feeling it was sure not gonna be boring.
Chapter Eleven
The text woke Peyton at sundown.
Cody. At least it was just Cody. Grizz had left him to go get some food, and he was jumpy now that he was awake. And alone.
He knew Cody would, too. The man had his back. Always.
Laters. As if Cody wasn’t the most cowboy of all backward cowboys… It made him grin, though, because Cody was his dearest friend and Peyton wouldn’t give for him.
He stretched, looking at the trailer. It was mostly vamp proof, but he’d need to make some changes if he was staying forever. It was cozy and big enough for him and a bear, one way or another.
Still, he needed to convert something into a boxlike area where he could hide…
A scratching at the door made him sit straight up in bed, straining to hear. Snuffling. Shuffling.
Bear? He reached out, searching for his lover, his grizzly. It was time to come home.
A distant sounding rumble was all he got in return. Maybe Grizz was eating. His bear swore he was no multitasker.
Okay. Okay. He slid out of bed and headed to the door, his fangs bared. Whatever it was, he could cope. He clenched and unclenched his fingers when a bang sounded loud against the base of the door.
“Who the fuck is it?” he snarled, searching the entrance for a weapon of some sort.
“Peyton, open the door!”
How could it be Grizz? How could he have barely heard his bear so close?
He wrenched the door open, ready to protect his bear from anything.
The only thing he saw was Grizz. Who held a massive bag of food and a six pack of beer and what looked like a whole pie.
“Bear! Oh God. Come in. Come in. Oh, fuck.”
“They kept handing me things.” Grizz looked a little taken aback. “I couldn’t say no, but if I set anything down I’ll lose it all.”
“Here, I’ll help.” He grabbed as much as he could and started hauling it in.
“Thanks. Were you calling me? Was something wrong?” Those golden eyes searched his, worry plain in them. “I was distracted.”
“I just thought…” He shrugged. “It’s all good.”
He was just freaked beyond reason.
Grizz put down the rest of his load in favor of grabbing Peyton in a bear hug that made his nervousness fall away. “At some point you have to tell me what’s what.”
“I--” He melted into Grizz’s arms, the heat and strength like a balm.
“Shh. Not right now right now. But soon.” Grizz kissed the top if his head. “This mating thing takes some getting used to.”
“I’m sorry. I’m such a dork.” He knew it too. He was living on panic.
“Nah. I’m just a weirdo who can’t do two things at once.” That smile, just for him, made it all worthwhile.
“You’re my weirdo. You were hungry. Come and eat.”
“I am.” Grizz made this adorable snuffling bear noise as he pawed through the bags of food.
Peyton just let himself touch, let himself stroke and pet. He loved Grizz’s big body, the strength mixed with his goofy, loveable bear.
“You keep that up and I’ll bear out, honey.”
“What? The petting?”
“Uh-huh. I would use a good scratching.”
“I would give it to you.”
“Yeah? It won’t freak you out to see me shift?” Grizz glanced back at him, eyebrows raised.
“It doesn’t freak you out to let me bite you. You’re my bear, either way. Besides, I like snuggling with you when you’re fuzzy.” He might have to Febreze Grizz a little because the scent was a bit gamey, but that was the worst of it.
“True.” Grizz munched a handful of… some kind of meat. “Okay, well, gimme some space.”
“You should take your jeans off, too.”
“Oh, good idea.” Grizz stripped down, tossing clothes all over.
“Mmm.” He did like that look--bare Grizz. Peyton liked it enough to let go of his neatnik tendencies.<
br />
Grizz grinned, and then magic shimmered in the air. Grizz shifted easily, no popping joints or cracking bones, just a big, shaggy animal standing where the man had been.
“My bear!” he crowed, loving the tingle that the residual magic left.
Grizz swung that huge head toward him, nose working hard. Sniffing was apparently very important. Peyton had read that bears had a sense of smell ten times better than a bloodhound.
He grinned and waved, wiggling his fingers. “I have scritches for you, love.”
Grizz grunted, then came closer, nose against his chest. Crazy, to see such a big animal in such a small space.
He reached out and scratched ears first, the low groan pushing against his belly. When Grizz leaned, he damned near lost his balance and tumbled over.
“Come sit. I’ll bring some food and we can bond.” Dork bear.
Grizz lumbered to the bed, which was really the only spot big enough for him. Peyton grabbed a few containers with one hand and then pulled Grizz’s stubby little tail.
Turning over, Grizz batted out at him playfully. No contact, which was good, as those paws were bigger than his head.
That could be awkward as hell.
Grunting, Grizz nosed along his hip, then licked him. Rough!
“Do I taste good, Bear?” He wiggled and laughed, playing right back.
Grizz grunted and tugged at him with one paw, gentle as could be. He curled in, surrounding himself with the soft underbelly of his bear. He should probably be disturbed by the scent, but he wasn’t.
A soft moan sounded, Grizz wrapping around him, clearly more ready for a nap than food now. Lazy butt.
“Silly Grizz. I’m so glad I found you.”
Grizz grunted happily, rocking back and forth with him a tiny bit. He could hear the low hum of bear thoughts, mineminemine and sleeeeeepy.
“Yours, Bear. I’ll watch while you sleep.”
‘Tect you. He heard that clearly, those big bear paws closing around him to keep him safe.
“Thank you, Bear. I love you too.”
A long, low snore was his answer. His Grizz was a champion napper, dropping off at the least provocation.
It worked for him. He was a champion Netflix marathoner.
Chapter Twelve
Grizz watched two guys walk across the parking lot, heading for the arena. He sat with Denver and Brax at the kitty court, and he saw Denver frowning out of the corner of his eye.
“Right? Who are the suits?” Grizz asked.
“Dunno,” Denver growled. “They smell bad.”
“They do,” Grizz agreed. The men smelled like death, even from this distance. “Should I call security?”
“Uh-huh. I’m getting Dmitri.” Brax bared his teeth, panting a little.
“Okay.” Dmitri was a great bouncer, but he would need backup. Grizz would go, too.
“They after your mate, Grizz?” Denver asked. The bullfighter knew things. Everything. It was a little spooky.
“I think so. He keeps telling me he pissed off some high falutin’ vampire family.” That was all Peyton would tell him. He kept saying the less Grizz knew, the better.
“They got damn near as much hierarchy as pack does.”
“I guess. More formal.” Grizz stood. “Send Dmitri.”
“You need more help than Dmitri, you call. We’ll come.” Denver’s eyes glowed a warm, rich gold for a second.
“I can always count on you, my friend.” He needed to stop those jerks before they hurt someone. They were not going the right way for Peyton, thank goodness, but they might not be discriminating about who they hurt.
They definitely weren’t rodeo types. No way. He began to lumber into the arena.
Dmitri caught up to him in moments, the big guy moving so much faster than Grizz. “Where?”
“There.” He pointed out the two men who were working the crowd, searching one riser after another. “They’re hunting my mate.”
“Well, they can’t have him.” Dmitri had an impressive rumble. A big one.
“No,” Grizz growled. “Not even a whiff.”
“No.” Dmitri gave him a wild smile and he knew he had a friend here. They moved in on the vampires, flanking them steadily.
One of the vamps looked over at him, eyes going wide, so Grizz smiled, baring his teeth.
The one man hit the other on the arm, then jerked his head toward Grizz. The second guy had on shades, but he stared. Grizz could feel it.
He began to growl, holding their gazes. He wasn’t the type to get all glamored, to let someone into his mind. Hell, he’d proven that with Peyton.
Neither was Dmitri, he thought. The tiger was obvious in Dmitri’s looks, and he was making this hard big cat noise as he cut off the guys’ retreat.
“Your tickets, please?” Dmitri growled, his accent deepening.
“We paid.” The asshole with the shades reached for something in his pocket, but Grizz knew it wasn’t a ticket.
He lunged, grabbing the wrist of the reaching hand. Dmitri did the same, subduing the other vampire. Suddenly the arena was filled with friends, cowboys, surrounding them.
“You boys need to leave,” Denver said, and Grizz had to smile. His friend couldn’t stay out of a fight, not for long. In Denver’s mind, they were all pack.
Grizz yanked the vamp around, herding him back toward the front gates.
“I have a ticket.”
“They’ll refund your money at the gate.”
“You can’t do this!” One of the guys was trying to yank free. “We know people!”
“You telling me you’re not looking for someone? We take care of our own.”
“So what if we have friends here? That’s allowed. We know this establishment is run by one of our own.”
“Not one of yours.” Dmitri pushed the other man along. “You smell like death soldiers.”
Grizz nodded. This whole situation reeked of ill-intent, of danger.
“I don’t stink!” The one guy began to struggle harder, making Grizz grunt with effort.
“Enough.” Thack’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “Everyone out of the arena.”
The vamps froze, both of them staring at the Thack like rodents caught in the gaze of a poisonous snake. The big demon was fucking scary when he was in business mode.
“How fun is that, Dmitri?” Grizz grinned over the head of Mr. Bitey.
“Is great fun, Friend Bear.” Dmitri bared his teeth some more.
“What the fuck is going on?” Thack asked once everyone but them and Denver had cleared out.
“They’re hunting my mate,” Grizz said, the very thought making is teeth grind on the words.
Thack tilted his head, and his eyes glowed blood red for a moment. “So they are. We can’t just kill them, but we can banish them.” Thackery was a huge demon with ram’s horns and a real affinity for magick. He knew things.
Dmitri chuffed softly. “So fun.”
“I like a good banishing,” Grizz agreed.
“Let’s get them off the ground so I can do the spell,” Thack said, grunting.
“No problem.” Grizz hauled away.
Dmitri lifted his still vamp, too. They marched through the gates a few minutes later, and they both set the vamps down and backed away.
Thack began to mutter and magic filled the air, sharp and tingling. The foreign sounding words actually seemed to glow visibly in the air, little sigils following, patterns Grizz didn’t know.
“I love watching this,” Dmitri whispered.
Grizz stared, eyes wide. He and Thack didn’t interact much. Look at that. Amazing.
The vampires seemed to stretch out, taller and taller, lengthening impossibly until they disappeared with an audible pop.
Grizz jumped back. “Where
did they go?”
Thack shrugged. “Back where they belong. I didn’t kill them.”
“That’s stunning.”
“And exhausting. Boss. Come with me. Now.” Little January appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Thack by the hand.
“Huh?” Thack glanced at the wee brownie with the glasses and goatee. “Sure, kiddo.”
Wow. That was ballsy. January took chances no one else dared to.
Thack left with January, and Grizz turned to Dmitri. “Did you see that shit?”
“I saw. All of it. It’s...magic, yes, friend?”
“Yeah. I need to go check on my mate. Thank you, Dmitri.” He clapped the big cat on the back, genuinely grateful.
“You are most welcome, friend bear.”
He hugged Dmitri tight, and to his utter surprise Dmitri smacked a kiss on both of his cheeks in turn. “Be safe, friend Bear.”
“Always.”
He felt confident now, with all these men at his back.
Chapter Thirteen
Peyton grinned at Cody. “Checkmate, buddy.”
“When did you get good at this, kiddo?”
“Late twenties.”
“Huh.” Cody shrugged easily. He’d always been a good winner and a good loser. “I smell your bear.”
“I Febreze him every now and again.”
Cody laughed out loud. “That’s a good one. I ought to do that to Ozzie and Ben.”
“Totally. Have you smelled their trailer? Oh my God.” Peyton grinned over, winked. “My guy loves it over there.”
“They cuddle a lot. Good thing you’re damned secure.”
“Even if I wasn’t, those two would cream Ben between them.”
“Yeah.” Cody made a happy sound. “Nice visual, though.”
“Tell me about it. Hell, I spent a lot of time in here with you and Grizz is copacetic.”
“He is. Maybe he’s just lazy.” Cody winked, and he had to laugh.
He managed a fake snore, damn near choking himself.
A knock on the door made him jump, but Cody just smiled, so it couldn’t be anything bad. Lord, he’d lost his edge already, too comfortable here. Cody was nothing but edges.
Cody stood easily, unfolding himself from the sofa. “Seriously, kiddo. You have to learn to breathe. You worry too much.”
