Amid a bunch of vile words and rude comments, the slammers retreated, but they did so without fully turning their backs. Trust was for idiots in this brave new world. McBride kept his rifle up and ready until the men made small dots on the horizon. To his surprise, Renner stepped forward and knelt down beside Quintus, heedless of the slammers. He offered out his lap for Quintus to rest his head on and then held him until the slammers retreated. When they were well out of range, Caleb turned and crouched down next to Quintus.
“How bad is it?”
“I think they broke a bone.”
Caleb looked up at McBride. “We’ve got to get him back to the big house.”
Before McBride could agree or do anything, Renner offered, “I can carry him.”
“I think you’ll need two.” McBride handed his rifle to Caleb and then dropped down near to Quintus’s legs.
Renner got his hands under Quintus’s armpits while McBride cradled his lower half. He did his best to hold him gently, but he was in a lot of pain and moving him was going to make it worse. Two steps told them he was never going to make it back to the big house like this.
“I’ll go and get the cart.” Ollie was off while the rest of them stayed to protect Quintus and make sure the slammers got all the way off the farm.
McBride and Renner put Quintus back on the ground. While Renner allowed Quintus to rest his head on his lap, McBride maneuvered Caleb back a bit.
“Keep me as a pet?” McBride lifted one brow.
“They said it, not me.”
“You didn’t seem to object.”
“I was playing a part.” Caleb tried to hide his grin, but he failed miserably.
“You played it a little too well. I think I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do with Quintus.”
“I think he was so scared he didn’t care who did what as long as he got away from those slammers.”
“You didn’t want to join them?”
“Like I said, I’m not into sharing.” Caleb met McBride’s eyes but looked away before the moment could intensify.
“I guess you’re not going then.”
“I guess not.” Caleb frowned. “My brothers are going to wonder what the hell I was doing out here with a pack on my back.”
“Tell them you were going out to meet Quintus. It’s almost the truth.”
Caleb nodded.
“Caleb, I—”
“They’ve stopped moving.” The butler was looking down the long drive.
“What are they doing?” McBride asked as everyone swung their attention that way.
“The valet says they appear to be looking at a piece of paper.”
“A map?” Caleb examined the rifle like he wanted to fire it just to see what it would feel like if he did.
“Why would they need a map if they’re from here?” Renner stroked his hand over Quintus’s chest, comforting him as best he could.
“Must mean they’re not from here.” Caleb looked down at his brother and the crimetech. A look of annoyance twisted his features. Clearly, he wasn’t happy at the idea of any of his brothers with any gentrymen no matter what had happened to the world.
When Caleb lifted his attention to the group, scanning every man standing there, McBride knew without asking he was looking for Jonas. When he didn’t see him, he nodded like he’d known all along Jonas would show his true colors.
“I told him to stay and watch over Alden.”
“And of course he dropped his fancy fanny down and settled right in.” Caleb glared down at Renner. “Why don’t you let McBride tend to his future mate?”
Chapter 2
Renner wasn’t about to let go of Quintus. He wasn’t sure what attracted him to the man, but he was determined to explore his options now that the odds of getting a thrall were pretty much zero. Besides, he was the only one on the farm who had any kind of medical training. It was from a book, but that still counted as far as things went.
As he gazed down at him again, Renner knew what he’d thought wasn’t quite true. He knew exactly what drew him to the stern-looking gentryman, but he felt it was something far beyond the fact that Quintus was sharply handsome. Dirty-blond hair was tousled over his forehead, drawing attention to his unusual gray eyes and his very angular features. There was a driven kind of focus in his gaze that pulled at Renner, making him want to explore the dark desires he’d always kept hidden.
For a split second, Renner’s gaze connected with Quintus’s, and Renner swore there was an answering heat, but then Caleb insisted Quintus was there to become McBride’s mate. His claim shattered the spell, forcing Renner to look up at his pompous brother.
“Don’t be an ass, Caleb. Jonas is McBride’s mate.”
After a painfully long moment, McBride shook his head. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this, but your big-mouthed brother hasn’t left me much choice.” McBride glared at Caleb, who lifted his brows like he’d done nothing wrong. Renner knew well that look on his brother’s face. He had timed his revelation to cause the most pain and embarrassment that he could because that was Caleb’s way.
“You and Jonas…” Renner didn’t quite know how to ask when he honestly didn’t feel that McBride’s private business was any of his.
“I claimed Jonas as my mate to protect him and the man he really loves.” McBride clearly didn’t want to share the information this way, but Caleb left him no choice. “The truth is Ollie and Jonas are bloodbonded.”
Renner gasped right along with most of the men present. It was on the tip of his tongue to protest that Jonas was a landed gentryman, but here Renner was with Quintus’s head in his lap because he no longer held to the old ways. Just the thought of Quintus in McBride’s arms made Renner want to tighten his grip on him, but he didn’t want anyone to know how he felt, especially not McBride if he was indeed going to claim Quintus. If no one knew, Renner could hide his shame and lick his wounds in private. Besides, he’d only just met Quintus. His lust would fade if he didn’t feed it.
A bunch of burbling questions emerged from his brothers’ mouths, but all chatter ceased when Ollie returned with the cart. Jonas was sitting next to Ollie, and now it made perfect sense to Renner. How had he not noticed how often the two men were near each other? When they’d lived in the town house, he’d thought it odd how Jonas doted on Ollie, but he decided Jonas favored him because he was the most welcoming of all the brothers. Renner didn’t mind when Jonas came to feed, but he didn’t look forward to it, either. Ollie liked Jonas far more than all the other brothers combined. But for Caleb. Caleb made no bones about the fact he hated Jonas and never allowed him to feed. The only scar on his neck was from McBride.
“What’s going on?” Ollie climbed down from the cart. For a moment, Renner was positive he was going to extend his hand and help Jonas down, but he stopped himself at the last second and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“They know, Ollie. I’m sorry.” McBride took responsibility for the information being spilled when it was clearly done by Caleb.
Ollie looked around at his brothers, expecting to be barraged with questions or maybe even hatred, but everyone seemed a little too shocked to comment.
“I’m glad for you, Ollie.” Renner smiled up at him. If Ollie and Jonas could find a way to be together, maybe his instant attraction to Quintus wasn’t so inappropriate after all. But that thought drew his attention to McBride, and his heart sank. He was of Quintus’s same class. Not only that, but McBride was big, strong, and thoroughly handsome. Renner doubted there was a gentryman in the land who wouldn’t want McBride as a mate. Even the fact that he was once the sheriff of the entire county gave him a powerful allure. In comparison, Renner was just a slammer with nothing but erotic fantasies.
“Thank you, Renner.” Ollie crouched down. “Let me help you get him in the wagon.”
Together they lifted Quintus up and placed him as gingerly as they could in the back of the cart. It was used to move dirt and supplies around the farm, and therefore f
ilthy, but it was the best they had. Concerned for his comfort, Renner climbed into the cart after him, placing his head right back in his lap.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Quintus smiled up at him, but when the cart jerked forward, he grimaced. “Who knew slingshots could be so damn dangerous?”
“I’m just glad we got to you in time.”
“Me, too.” Quintus clung to Renner’s leg as Ollie turned the cart around.
His hand felt cold against the heat of Renner’s body. “Your hand is freezing.” He reached down and grabbed his hand, but just as quickly he let go. “Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t mind.”
Tentatively, Renner reached out and took Quintus’s hand in his again. Despite the coldness, Renner liked what he felt when he touched Quintus. He had alternating shivers and tingles all the way along his body. Renner did his best to simply be kind and not indulge in any dirty daydreams. That wasn’t too difficult to avoid since Quintus was injured. He couldn’t be the tough but tender master Renner craved if he was wounded. Maybe when he was better they could—no. When he was better, and probably before then, he would be in McBride’s bed, not Renner’s.
“I didn’t know about McBride.” Quintus had turned his head so that he could look out the back of the wagon toward the men who were following them.
“Know? Oh, that he wasn’t really with Jonas?” Renner kept his voice down since Jonas was sitting up front next to Ollie. “I didn’t know, either.”
“Are you upset about it?”
“Me? No. I guess if they’re happy that’s all that really matters.”
Quintus made a face. “But he’s a landed gentryman and is—was—the sheriff.”
“Even though my brother is a slammer it doesn’t mean he’s some kind of trash like the men who were chasing you.”
“I didn’t say—I didn’t mean—never mind.” Quintus shut his mouth and looked away.
Trailing behind their cart were the rest of his brothers, two thralls, and McBride.
“I suppose you are here to become McBride’s mate.” Renner tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, but he failed miserably. Given that the slammers who’d been pursuing Quintus had undoubtedly captured all the thralls left in town, Renner realized the odds of him getting a mate were just about as likely as Caleb getting one.
Quintus didn’t answer.
Lifting his attention, Renner gazed back at Caleb. He was dressed in layers of clothing despite the heat of the day. Moreover, he had a pack on his back and his heaviest work boots on his feet.
“Caleb wasn’t coming out to meet you, was he?” It was a guess, but Renner was starting to learn to trust his gut.
“I have no idea what he was doing out on the road. I’m only glad he was there.” Quintus adjusted his torn shirt, but in covering up the center of his chest, he exposed his nipple. It was high, tight, and dark brown. Dozens of lusty thoughts sprang to life in Renner’s brain. “When they saw him, they stopped and stared in awe. I thought for certain I’d gone from the frying pan to the fire, but he actually stepped in front of me to protect me.”
That was his brother. Caleb alternated between being the hero and being a total ass. “What did the slammers want you for?”
“Blood. Sex. Revenge.” Quintus shrugged and then winced. “They acted as if I had personally enslaved them.”
“What happened to your slammers?”
“I didn’t have any.” Quintus moved up into Renner’s lap a little bit more. Excited at first, Renner quickly realized he was only shifting position so that he could use Renner’s shadow to block the sun.
“How did you feed if you didn’t have slammers?”
“That’s hardly any of your business.”
Renner realized Quintus was right, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. From what he understood, gentrymen had to feed daily and sometimes several times a day. Most gentrymen had at least three slammers, but then again, Renner had only known two gentrymen, both of them landed. Quintus wasn’t landed as far as Renner knew, but both Jonas and McBride were. Still, even though they both owned land, they were about as different as night and day in terms of personality. Beyond land, the other commonality they had was both of them fed a lot. Or Jonas had when he’d been giving his neck up to McBride’s father. Since Jonas and McBride, the son, faked their bonding ceremony, Jonas hadn’t come to Renner once to feed. Come to think of it, McBride hadn’t been feeding from him much lately, either.
It was obvious now that Jonas had been feeding from Ollie, but if Jonas was bloodbonded to Ollie, then who was McBride feeding from? The last time Renner had seen McBride crossing the yard with what looked like thirst, he’d been going to Caleb’s house.
Renner watched McBride and Caleb as they walked behind the cart. Even if the sun wasn’t glaring down, he’d be able to easily make out the two men since they were the exact same size and shape. Oddly, they were matched in strides. When McBride strode forward with his right leg, so did Caleb. They were pacing one another perfectly.
“That’s why he did that.”
“Sorry?” Quintus asked.
“Nothing.” Renner wasn’t about to be like Caleb and spew out private information. Part of him thought he had more discretion, but the truth was if he was wrong, he didn’t want to look like an idiot. McBride could have called Quintus here to ask him to be his mate in an effort to stop himself from becoming any more entangled with Caleb than he was. Or maybe Renner was only seeing what he wanted to see. If McBride had a thing for Caleb that meant Renner had a shot with Quintus. The more he thought about the two powerful men together, the less likely it became.
McBride was a man of morals. He was the sheriff for all of Woven Spire County, or at least he had been before the blood madness came. Would a man whose job it was to uphold the law break it? He might, given the major lie he’d told to cover up Jonas’s relationship with Ollie. But when Renner looked at his brother and his former master, he thought they belonged together. They seemed very well suited in temperament. However, McBride and Caleb didn’t seem to be so in tune. He sighed. Maybe he was only seeing something between them because it would be a benefit to him if they were involved.
“Tell me about him.”
“Him?” Renner asked.
“McBride.” Quintus glanced back and then lowered his voice. “I’ve only worked a few crime scenes with him, so I don’t really know anything about him personally. What does he enjoy doing in his off hours?”
Just about the last thing Renner wanted to do was play matchmaker between a man he was attracted to and his master. But then a new and very sneaky thought came to Renner. Maybe he could play the opposite of a matchmaker and ensure the two men had nothing in common.
Chapter 3
“I’m sure you had imagined a much more hospitable greeting.” McBride slipped one hand under Quintus’s knees and the other behind his back.
“I can help.” Renner was up and out of the cart so fast he made it bounce.
“I’ve got him.”
“But I’ve got medical training.”
McBride frowned at Renner’s eagerness but then softened. “Go and get supplies then meet me upstairs. I’m going to put him in the room adjacent to mine.”
Renner nodded and ran off.
Quintus didn’t think McBride was going to be able to carry him into the big house by himself, but McBride managed without even breaking a sweat.
“But, sir, I have Ollie’s house arranged for our guest.” The butler kept his voice low but insistent.
“It’s pointless to quarantine him when we’ve all been exposed anyway.” McBride kept right on going through the main door and right up the sweeping staircase.
“You were going to quarantine me?” Quintus felt like he was in a romantic movie and his powerful lover was whisking him away for a night of passion. That notion was cut short by a bolt of agony ripping up his leg.
“I thought you�
�d be coming under your own steam.” McBride looked down at him briefly then away. “I’m sorry. I know it sounds dreadful, but I thought you would understand, given your specialty.”
“I probably would have suggested it if not for being chased by a gang of brutal slammers.” Just remembering the hunger in their eyes and their intense determination to get their hands on him made him shiver. “Thanks for saving me.”
“You’re welcome.” McBride grinned. “But I did have ulterior motives.”
“Oh?” Quintus wondered if Caleb had been accurate that McBride brought him out here in the hopes of making him his mate. Flattered by the idea, Quintus was nonetheless a little surprised because he’d never gotten one flash of interest from McBride before. But then again, he was a very circumspect man. He didn’t seem the type to announce his longings in an overt way. As a classically reserved gentryman of the strong and silent type, McBride would be more subtle in his pursuit. Quintus wasn’t so certain how he felt. He’d had a flash of longing when he looked at Renner, but that was only because he’d been so kind and tried to assist him.
“We could really use some help out here.”
“You invited me out here to work on your farm?” It wasn’t at all the romantic wooing Quintus had been picturing.
“Well, not work, per se, but we need someone who understands the blood disease and can help us develop effective strategies for fighting it.”
“Oh.” Quintus felt a little let down. He thought he was going to be relentlessly pursued by the most handsome man in the county, but it turned out he only wanted him for his mind. “I will certainly do all I can.”
“That would be wonderful.” McBride eased a door open and found his way in the dark to a bed, which he carefully placed Quintus on. It was incredibly soft and smelled lightly of lavender.
Once he was settled, McBride returned to the door and flipped on the light. The room was spacious and decorated in shades of green. It was reminiscent of the one and only time Quintus had been in a boat. He couldn’t remember the name of the body of water, but it seemed to him it was made from every shade of green on the planet.
Renner Morgan Page 2
