by Joyee Flynn
Beyond the Marius Brothers 5
Maverick Danker
Maverick Danker’s been on the job for too long. Now that he has just celebrated his two thousandth birthday, he worries he may never find the mates he deserves after having spent his whole life serving others.
Tyler Gilroy, a werewolf who’s been beaten, tortured, and used, has long since given up hope of finding a mate. He’s sickened with himself for being willing to accept any sort of affection to feel wanted, but the alternative is too bleak to contemplate.
Asterio has never left the fae plane before. When he enters Earth, he must learn a new way of living, adjust to having two mates, and face his insecurities after a few hundred years’ dry spell.
Will Mav, Tyler, and Asterio fight to overcome the obstacles on their road to love? Or will they each choose the path of least resistance—and ultimately end up alone?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 35,355 words
MAVERICK DANKER
Beyond the Marius Brothers 5
Joyee Flynn
MENAGE AMOUR
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove
MAVERICK DANKER
Copyright © 2012 by Joyee Flynn
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-829-6
First E-book Publication: June 2012
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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MAVERICK DANKER
Beyond the Marius Brothers 5
JOYEE FLYNN
Copyright © 2012
Chapter 1
Maverick
I was depressed… Plain and simple. I was two thousand years old and I was still alone, always alone. I’m always the man behind the position, keeping them safe and putting my life on the line to protect them. Don’t get me wrong, Caleb Kyros was a great guy, and I was proud to be his head of security. It’s just that I’d spent so long ensuring everyone else’s happiness and way of life I couldn’t help but wonder when I got my own.
When I turned two thousand a few weeks ago, everything in my life seemed to change focus. It’s not like I got lax in my work. I just got fed up with it all and most of the people around me. Everyone always came to me with any problem, personal or professional, and looked to me to magically solve it. But who did I have to go to? No one. There was no one I could open up with and be myself. There was no one to love me.
And it sucked huge monkey balls.
It was always Mav, what do we do? Or Mav, I need this fixed. And Mav, I need your help. Constantly. All day, every day, and I was just tired. It wasn’t like I didn’t like helping or being in charge. It was just I was tired of it. Caleb threw me a huge birthday bash, his mates’ brothers even flying in. I had gotten so excited, already having decided in my mind that after having met one set of twins that weren’t my mates, the last single ones would be.
Nope. Not my mates. It didn’t seem like I deserved mates and wouldn’t ever find any. But why? Why didn’t I? I’d spent my whole life in the service of others for the greater good. Why couldn’t I be happy, too?
Part of me just wanted to resign. Most warriors didn’t retire until after they were mated or took teaching jobs to train the next generation of warriors. But after one thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years of service, I thought I’d given enough.
I think Caleb realized I was close to quitting so that’s why he sent me on this trip—for a change of scenery and to clear my head. I know I’d become a bear with everyone. People who would always ask my advice or help were now giving me a wide berth at the palace. Which actually made me fall into this depression. If I had any real friends, wouldn’t they be making sure I was okay and trying to help me for once? I guess I didn’t have any friends.
Yeah, that helped my midlife crisis. Or late-life crisis? What was it called when you could live forever? Fine, my life crisis.
So now I was on a borrowed Boeing 787 Dreamliner to pick up a few hundred displaced fae. It was an eleven-hour flight, but I didn’t mind. I was alone with no one to pester me or give me funny looks or ask me for anything. And the plane was luxurious even though it was huge. We’d moved things around because while we had a lot of passengers coming, extra room was needed for all their belongings. I just hoped we could fit it all. A lot of people equaled a lot of stuff.
Either way I was being sent to be Caleb’s ambassador and get everything handled so the fae could make the transition into our world as easily as possible. I’d do him proud and welcome them. But when I got home, I was pretty sure I was going to talk to him and then our Council about stepping down. It was time to live my own life… Even if it was alone.
* * * *
Tyler
I was a freak. There was no way around it. I was completely, totally, and utterly a freak. I’d been tortured by my Alpha, beaten several times within an inch of my life, and use
d for years as a blood whore. But I didn’t hate all that happened to me. That’s why I never let Ayden, our Kappa and trauma healer, help me. I didn’t want him to see what was going on in my head.
Granted, I didn’t like the beatings or being tortured. But I did love being used and treated like a slut when those demons were all hopped up on my blood. To a vampire or demon, shifter blood was like Viagra, speed, and an injection of testosterone. Once they had it in their system, they had wanted me so badly that it just flipped my switch.
Okay, I hated the way they would hit me or bite me savagely to where it hurt and left me bruised. But I missed all those men wanting me so badly, pounding into me until I passed out from the pleasure. Hell, they used to drink from some of the other shifters they held captive and then come to find me because I wanted to be their slut. Yeah, I was a freak and totally fucked in the head.
Even when I was back with my old Alpha after I’d been rescued, I was his slut. He’d fuck me over and over again and so would the other enforcers. I was a joke to them. I knew that, but the only reason they didn’t screw with me is because I’m built and very strong. Even more so than regular werewolves. I could kick any of their asses besides the Alpha. The sick part? I hated the man. He was pure evil and the way he ran the pack made me sick.
But when he found me at night, it was like none of that mattered because someone wanted me. I’d long since given up any hope of being loved for who I was and was willing to take any scraps of affection just so I felt, even for a moment, I was special to someone.
Part of me wanted to walk into the warrior compound, bare my neck to them so they’d get all hopped up on my blood, and then offer my ass like the slut I was. I missed having men line up and fight because they wanted me right then. How sick was that? And it left me a shadow of a man, riddled with shame and guilt.
But I couldn’t help what I wanted and what my fantasies were when I was alone at night.
“Hey, Tyler,” Ferris said with a smile, interrupting me with my thoughts. “You packing up?”
“Yeah, I start working on the head of the East Coast Council’s house today,” I answered, giving him a hesitant smile. No matter what my sick mind wanted, vampires still scared me. Not because of the sex I’d had while captive, oh no, that part I loved. It was the way they used to beat me and try to rip out my throat at times. But those weren’t vampires, I reminded myself. Those were demons, and the vampires I was around now were good guys.
“Cool. Now that you guys are done here I can finally move in and start my protection detail.” I could tell Ferris was excited about it especially since he’d been asking almost every day how much longer until his room was ready. “Darcy said I was getting a room twice the size of the one I had at the warrior compound. I’m totally stoked.”
“Well, you have fun with that.” I chuckled as I picked up my toolbox, belt, and bag of extras. I gave him a quick wave and headed out to my truck. I was glad to have it back. When the vampires had come in to rescue Ayden’s younger brothers and anyone else who wanted sanctuary, we’d had to leave everything behind. But then our Elders got involved and my old Alpha was out of business.
Our stuff had finally been delivered a few days ago, and I was glad to have it. Having my own belongings made the shock of moving and being surrounded by another species, one I didn’t have the best history with, bearable. Now I was going to start work on Barnabas Leopold’s house and help update it as some of the fae that were crossing over onto our plane settled in there.
I was glad the wolves weren’t the only species who were coming to live among the vamps anymore. I thought the fact that the vamps welcomed the fae, along with some of my pack, was a hopeful sign that these were the good guys. That was my current idea at least.
Now if I could just stop the fucked-up desires in my head, I could move on from the past and have a better life here. Right, like I thought they would just disappear anytime soon. But a man could hope.
* * * *
Asterio
I was scared. Gods, I was scared out of my ever-loving mind. Sure, I was over three millennia old and one of the best warriors the fae had, but I’d never left our plane before and been to Earth. I was ready to shit purple kittens I was so frightened. Everyone was talking about the move, and I’d been working tirelessly to get everyone packed up and ready to go.
The whole community was a mixture of excitement, fear, and hope. It was an odd combo, but we needed to leave this plane though most didn’t want to. Here we were safe. Here we knew what to expect from day to day. Here was our home… But now that was all gone. The rational part of me realized it was logical to be afraid given what we were facing. The male part of me scoffed at that, saying warriors weren’t ever afraid.
Riiiight.
“It will be fine, Asterio,” Queen Magdalena whispered as I stood there, staring at the portal. I looked over to her, loving her like my own mother. She’d taken me in when my parents had died tragically when I was just a boy. I would do anything for that woman and not just because she was my Queen and I swore an oath to protect her. No, I would do it out of love. “I share your concerns, son, but this is our best option as a people if we are to survive.”
“I know and I would follow you anywhere, your highness,” I said, trying to ignore my quivering voice. “It’s nice on Earth, right? I mean, we’re a people of the land. I’ve heard about their huge buildings and cities where you can’t see the sky.”
“There are places like that, but it’s not where we’re going. It’s rural and has lots of land. These are good people who are welcoming us in our time of need.” She gave me a comforting nod and gestured toward the portal. I took a deep breath and stepped through.
I gasped as power radiated all around me and suddenly I was standing on firm ground outside a large house. I moved out of the way for the next person and dropped to my knees. It was like someone had punched me so hard that the wind was knocked out of me and then dropped me off a cliff. I just couldn’t seem to breathe.
“What you’re feeling is normal, Asterio,” my friend Makari said gently as he knelt down next to me. “You’ve never crossed over before. Their air is just as breathable to us as at home, but it’s thinner so it will take you some getting used to. After a week or two adjusting, you won’t even notice it. And then I’ll show you all the fun to be had in this world.”
I gave him a weak smile. I really was trying. It’s just I’d heard a human adage once about how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. And while that was talking about animals, I was over three millennia old. Change didn’t come easily to me, and this was one huge ass change.
Now the big question was whether I could adapt or I’d lose my mind. I seriously voted for the first.
Chapter 2
Maverick
“Thank you for coming,” Barnabas Leopold, head of the East Coast Council, said brightly as I entered his home. I was a little jet-lagged and trying to adjust to the seven-hour time difference. Back in Greece I would be getting ready for bed soon, but here it was still the afternoon.
“It was my pleasure, your honor. Lord Caleb sends his regards and looks forward to meeting you soon. He apologizes for not coming himself, but with the birth of his first child happening any day he could not in good conscience leave his surrogate,” I explained, giving Barnabas a respectful bow.
“Oh! I didn’t know that’s why he stayed in Greece.” Barnabas gave me a bright smile and shook my hand. “He was very cryptic on the phone about why he couldn’t come.”
“Phone lines can be tapped and we’re keeping the fact that he will have an heir soon quiet. As the last of your line, I hope you understand the dangers his child might face.”
“Of course,” he said with a grimace. “It was just a few weeks ago we were attacked by demons trying to take me out.” He shook his head as if to let go of the morose thoughts. “But on to better topics. I’d like you to meet my mates and security, Miles Juniper and Digger Slane.”
“A
pleasure.” We all greeted each other, and I was about to say more when the most heavenly scent hit my nose. I glanced around the foyer and landed on a man who was staring at me, shaking as if he’d seen a ghost. My fangs immediately dropped as I ignored everyone else and took a step toward him.
“Don’t,” he whispered and held up his hands. I froze, seeing his distress was very real.
“Do you know who I am?” I asked quietly, not wanting to spook him anymore.
“Yes, but vampires scare me.” I didn’t get a chance to reply before he shifted into a wolf, tearing his clothes. Wow! He was beautiful. My mate had to be at about six one, built but still lean, with ear-length auburn hair and bright blue eyes. He was just as stunning as a wolf, glossy auburn coat and still having those blue eyes.
“I would never hurt you, cub.” I got down low and then onto my knees and scooted a little at a time to him. He gave me a warning growl with no real malice behind it.
“You’re his mate, aren’t you?” Barnabas asked with a sigh. “This is bad.”
“Why?” I snapped but then cleared my throat and tried to calm down. “I’m not a bad person. I would never hurt my mate.”
“Tyler was taken by demons and used as a blood whore for years. He has some serious issues with anyone with fangs.”
“Yet he lives among vampires?” I shot back, not understanding any of this.
“It’s complicated,” Digger said carefully. “It’s for him to explain.”
