A Warrior's Choice [Warriors of the Light 18] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by AJ Jarrett

  “Oh my god,” Kevin whispered. His gaze lowered to stare at Kayson’s tented boxer briefs. The bulge was massive.

  “Kevin. Are you all right?” Kayson’s voice sounded far away. Kevin couldn’t stop looking at the monster in the man’s pants.

  “Uh, yeah. Great.” Kevin’s voice cracked. He spun around and walked toward his dresser to grab some clothes. He refused to look at Kayson. It was proving harder and harder to do. His body wasn’t listening to his brain and once again his cock was rock hard and ready for action.

  Behind him Kevin could hear the rustle of clothes as Kayson got dressed. Kevin took a deep breath, grabbed his clothes then turned around. He kept his gaze forward, avoiding any and all eye contact with Kayson.

  “Kevin, wait a minute.” Kayson stepped in front of him, his black eyes shining in the morning light. “Thank you again.” Kayson raised his hand to press his palm to Kevin’s cheek. “It meant a lot to me.”

  “No problem.” Kevin wanted to look away. He really did but he couldn’t.

  Kayson stared into his eyes and suddenly Kevin felt as if the entire world tilted on its axis. As if in slow motion Kayson leaned in closer. Time stood still and for one moment Kevin let himself go. At the first touch of Kayson’s warm lips Kevin moaned and moved in closer to press harder against Kayson. His lips were soft and damp with their combined moisture.

  Kevin dropped the clothes in his hands and wound his arms around Kayson’s waist. Kayson’s pointed tongue licked at Kevin’s lips and he opened just enough to give Kayson access. Kevin moaned louder and held on tighter as Kayson kissed the very life-giving breath from him. It was an amazing kiss.

  But all too soon reality came slamming down on Kevin. He stopped sucking on Kayson’s tongue and shoved him away. Kevin wished he hadn’t enjoyed it so much. This was just another betrayal he had to live with.

  “Sorry.” Kayson’s breath had increased. “I didn’t mean to do that. I…I…” Kayson ran his fingers through his thick long hair. “I better go.”

  “Yeah.” Kevin bent down and grabbed his clothes. “Bye, Kay.” Kevin walked with purpose to the bathroom and shut and locked the door. He sagged against the wooden surface and closed his eyes. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

  * * * *

  “What’s with you?” Matt asked as he handed Kevin the platter of steaks he’d just pulled off the grill. “You’ve been quiet since you got here. What gives?”

  After Kayson had left him that morning Kevin managed to shower, dress and leave his house without rubbing one out. He refused himself that one relief as punishment for allowing himself to get lost in Kayson’s cold dark eyes. But they weren’t cold, were they? No, they were soft and welcoming and suddenly black was his favorite color.

  “Kevin,” Matt snapped.

  The sound of his brother’s voice jerked him from his internal debate.

  “Yes. Sorry.” Kevin shook his head. “What did you ask me?” Kevin looked up from his plate and glanced over at his brother. Matt wasn’t looking at him though. Kevin turned his head to see that Matt and Wes were staring at each other with quizzical expressions on their faces.

  “I was wondering what the hell is wrong with you?” Matt chuckled. “You’re here but not really.”

  “Work’s been crazy lately,” Wes answered for Kevin. “He just finished up on a rough case. Remember me telling you about it?” Matt nodded.

  “Yeah,” Kevin agreed. “It was a disturbing one, that’s for sure.” Kevin reached for the mashed potatoes and scooped some out onto his plate. He was doing his best to act normal but it was hard. His mind was racing with all the things he’d done wrong in the past twenty-four hours. He should hate Kayson and want him dead but to admit that would be a lie. As he sat there at the dining room table in his brother’s house all he felt was longing. Dare he say he missed Kayson?

  “I hate that you decided to become a cop.” Matt sighed. “If I’m not up at night worrying about him…” He pointed toward Wes. “I’m up worrying about you.” Matt narrowed his eyes at Kevin. “Why couldn’t you get a nice normal job like as a teacher or a doctor?”

  “Because we’re not normal people.” Kevin picked up his knife and fork and began to cut into his steak. “We know what exists out there in the world. It wouldn’t be right to turn my back on helping people, knowing what I know.”

  “Dear God!” Matt groaned. “You sound just like him.”

  Kevin smiled as he stuffed a bite of steak into his mouth. This was a normal conversation they partook in at least once a month. Matt hated that he and Wes were cops. He understood why they felt the need to protect and serve but it didn’t mean he had to like it, which he didn’t.

  “Hey, Kev.” Wes reached for his tea and took a drink. “I got an interesting call this afternoon.” Kevin looked over at Wes. “It seems two people, a man and woman, showed up at a hospital about one hundred miles from where that little shack was located.” Kevin bit the inside of his cheek to keep from showing any sort of emotion.

  “Really?” Kevin looked back at his plate and took another bite. The food tasted like cardboard in his mouth.

  “Yeah.” Wes nodded. “Both patients were drugged off their gourds and were anemic. The cop came to take the hospital’s report because both individuals were missing people and thought they might be connected to the bust we made at the house. Weird, huh?”

  “Definitely odd,” Kevin agreed but gave nothing away. If he told Wes the truth all hell would break loose and Kevin wasn’t ready to deal with the backlash he’d receive from his brother, brother-in-law, and the rest of the warriors. A part of Kevin hoped this would all just go away.

  Wes stared at him for a moment longer. Kevin held his gaze, not blinking. He refused to flinch away from that knowing stare. Kevin wasn’t that frightened teenager anymore. No, he was a man and he could hold his own against anyone, including Wes.

  “This steak is so good.” Matt’s moaning interrupted the stare down he and Wes were having.

  Kevin glanced over at his brother and laughed. “Dude, slow down before you choke.”

  “He’s right, babe.” Wes’s brow was pinched together. “Take it easy.”

  “Shut up,” Matt said around a mouthful of meat. “You two haven’t had to give up food for eleven years. I have and it sucks.” Matt shoveled in another bite. “God, I love meat.”

  Kevin started to laugh and he and Wes exchanged a knowing look. Matt had taken becoming a vampire pretty well. He didn’t have a choice after all but he was very vocal about the things he hated about being a vamp. The most important was no food. When a person was first transformed into a vampire their bodies wouldn’t accept anything but blood, but over time they developed a tolerance toward food and could eat it. About a year ago Matt discovered he could eat food again and had been eating everything in sight.

  “Don’t forget to breathe, big brother.” Kevin took a bite of his mashed potatoes.

  “I’m a vampire, kid.” Matt smiled a toothy grin, exposing his sharp teeth. “I don’t have to breathe. Right, babe?” Matt winked at his mate and Wes blushed.

  “Gross.” Kevin winced at his brother’s comment. He could only imagine what it was that his brother was referring to but the look on Wes’s face was all he needed to know. “I’m eating here.”

  They all went back to eating their dinner. The mood in the room had lightened and they turned to simple topics like the weather and the latest baseball game they’d watched. It was easy being around his family like this. Kevin sat there wondering how many more dinners like this they’d have once Matt and Wes found out about Kayson.

  Chapter Twelve

  Kayson wandered around the house checking all the doors. It was well after midnight and the clouded sky kept any stars from lighting up the night. It was quiet and dull.

  That morning when Kayson arrived back at the house he found Hale still asleep but at least he was alone. Kayson went up to his room to shower and change his clothes. He stood there wi
th a towel wrapped around his waist and his long, wet hair dripping down his back. Kevin was right. Everything he owned was black. His shirts, pants, socks, even his boxers were black. Kayson had never noticed it before. The lack of color and design in his life seemed dismal.

  Kayson made a mental note to acquire some new clothes. Ones with color in them. He dressed in his usual attire and went back downstairs to the kitchen to get some breakfast. The fridge was stocked with blood that lately only he’d been drinking. Hale preferred to drink straight from the source, which meant that Kayson had to dispose of more and more bodies.

  A feeling of nausea crept over Kayson. For so many years doing Hale’s dirty work and his mother’s before that didn’t bother him but that was then and this was now and Kayson hated it. So much death and senseless killings seemed pointless to him. Hale didn’t have to murder so many people but he wanted to. Hale was unhappy and wanted to make the other innocent people around him suffer, as well. It wasn’t right but Kayson wasn’t sure how to fix this problem.

  Kayson warmed up his bag of blood then poured it into a coffee mug. A small billow of steam rose up from the glass and Kayson wrapped his fingers around the glass to warm his hands. He pulled a chair closer to the bay windows on the side of the room and stared out at the bright and sunny day. The grass in the back yard was a vibrant green and the sound of the neighbor’s dog filled the air. To anyone else this would be a gorgeous and relaxing day but not to Kayson. He knew the horrors that waited for the innocents of the world.

  “Morning, brother.” Kayson glanced over his shoulder to see Kane opening the refrigerator. “Where were you last night?” Kane pulled out a bag of blood and walked over to plop down in the chair beside Kayson. “I popped in about three this morning and you weren’t here. Hot date?” Kane waggled his eyebrows.

  Visions of Kevin’s tanned muscled body flashed before his eyes. The way Kevin smiled in his sleep and snuggled closer to Kayson while he slept. It was the most perfect night ever. Kayson wanted many more of nights like that. No, he wanted all of Kevin’s nights and days. They were meant to be together, not apart. It had only been a few hours and he missed his mate more than he could say.

  “I couldn’t sleep and went for a walk.” Kayson looked away from his brother and lifted his mug to his mouth to take a drink. Kane and he were twins. Identical from head to toe. There wasn’t much he could hide from his brother. “Why were you here?” Kayson quickly changed the subject. “Weren’t you assigned to watch Athena?”

  “I was and I did but when I took my break I stopped by here in hopes of hanging out with my favorite brother.” Kane winked and Kayson rolled his eyes. “But when I arrived I didn’t find you and the sounds coming from Hale’s room were enough to make me leave.”

  “Christopher was here last night,” Kayson said with a bit of a growl in his tone. He detested that man so much. Christopher was no good for Hale. Hale had a good mate out there. One who loved him yet he was here fucking that little monster.

  “I figured since there were no cries for help.” Kane laughed. “That Christopher is one sick little bastard. He’d bend over for anyone if he thought it would get him closer to the top.” Kane took another drink from his bag of blood. “I overheard some of the guys talking about how Christopher wants to be at Hale’s side when he rules the world. That little freak really thinks he can keep Hale satisfied. What a moron.”

  “He does realize that Hale has a mate, right?” Kayson could never understand some people. Christopher was wasting his time if he ever thought that Hale would pick him over Colby. “A mate that he deeply cares for.”

  “Yeah, well, Hale hasn’t been showing that as of late.” Kane leaned back in his chair, kicking his legs up. “You said it yourself that all his nightly hook ups all look like Colby. Who in their right mind would want to kill their fated mate over and over again? It’s sick, man.”

  “I agree.” Kayson looked back out the window. “So how is Athena doing?”

  “Still bat shit crazy.” Kane shrugged. “She’s now mumbling about someone named Remi. Over and over again, saying that name and love and something about a baby. It’s fucking weird, man.”

  “It is.” Kayson thought about it for a moment. What was it that was driving Athena crazy? She was in forced isolation by her dear son but what was causing the agitation? “Maybe Hale did something to her. Something to make her go crazy.”

  “Who knows? You’re his caretaker. Has he said anything to you?” Kane asked.

  “Nope.” Kayson glanced at his brother. “He doesn’t talk about her ever.”

  Kayson and Kane sat in silence for a little longer. They didn’t even move until they heard Hale moving about then as he walked down the stairs and came toward the kitchen.

  “Well, if it isn’t the Langley twins.” Hale smiled brightly at Kane then Kayson. “Always a pleasure to see my two deadliest warriors.”

  “Morning, Hale.” Kayson stood up and took his cup over to the sink to rinse out. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Like the dead.” Hale laughed. “But unlike the dead I woke up this fine morning.” He slapped Kayson in the chest with his hand. “Funny, right?”

  Kane was doing his best to muffle his laughter with his hand over his mouth. Kayson glared at his brother. It used to never bother Kayson, the talks of death and dying. He never felt remorse for the evil things he’d done but now it was different. The thought of killing for the sole purpose of causing someone else pain horrified him in a way that made him want to vomit up the blood he’d just drunk.

  “So, what are your plans for today?” Kayson asked.

  “Actually, I’m leaving town for a while.” Hale started another pot of coffee then turned to hop up to the counter. “I need some alone time.” Hale looked thoughtful for a moment before he smiled back at Kayson.

  “Will Christopher be accompanying you?” Kayson didn’t mean to pry but he didn’t like the idea of Hale being alone with that little bastard for too long.

  “What does it matter if he is?” Hale cocked his head to the side to study Kayson.

  “I don’t trust him,” Kayson said in all honesty. He might not agree with the things that Hale had been doing but he was still his friend.

  “That makes two of us.” Hale smiled. “Don’t worry so much.” Hale hopped off the counter and reached for a mug to fill with coffee. “With that being said, you’ve got some time all to yourself. Maybe you can go get laid, kill something, let off some steam.” Hale glanced over at him and smirked. “Whatever floats your boat.”

  “You don’t want me to come with you?” Kayson didn’t like the sound of that. Hale was dangerous when Kayson was there to watch out for him, but alone? That was too much of a gamble.

  “Believe it or not but I can take care of myself, Kayson.” Hale grabbed his coffee mug and left the kitchen. “Go have some fun, Kayson. I’ll call you when I need you.”

  “You lucky bastard.” Kane nudged Kayson in the leg with his foot.

  “I don’t like this.” Kayson turned from looking at Hale’s retreating back to his brother. “It’s not safe for him to be out on the loose by himself.”

  “Dude, relax.” Kane slurped up the remainder of the blood from his bag, making an annoying sound. “Like he said, he can take care of himself. He’s the son of the evilest person in the world. In fact, he’s surpassed mommy dearest. He’ll be fine without you babysitting him.”

  “It’s not him I’m worried about.” A barrage of nameless faces flashed before his eyes. It wasn’t safe for the world at large and its inhabitants for Hale to be wandering around. People tended to die when he was around.

  “Kayson, calm down. What’s the worst that could happen?” At his hard stare, Kane winced. “Okay, bad wording but you know what I mean. Stop worrying so much. You’ve got some free time off. What are you going to do, bro?”

  About a million thoughts rushed through his mind and all of them involved Kevin.

  “Oh boy.” Kane sat up straigh
t in his chair. “That’s a scary look on you, brother.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kayson was eager to get out of this house and to Kevin. He hoped his mate wouldn’t mind having him around. It was the perfect opportunity for them to get to know each other.

  “You got this gleam in your eyes. Is there something you want to tell me?” Kane smiled so wide his lips were pulled thin. “Are you sneaking off to hook up with someone?”

  “Don’t you have a crazy witch to be watching?” Kayson put his mug in the dishwasher then headed out the door.

  “You’re mean!” Kane shouted at him down the hallway.

  He could feel his brother’s glare at his back but he refused to tell him where he was going or about Kevin. He just wasn’t sure how Kane would react to the news that he’d found his mate and that his mate was an honoree member of the Warriors for the Light. He also wasn’t sure how to tell his brother he’d be leaving the Warriors of the Dark to be with Kevin if Kevin would have him. Kayson didn’t want to lose his brother but the love he had for Kevin was so strong that walking away from his mate wasn’t an option.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After dinner Kevin went home. He was exhausted from having to pretend that everything was all right when it clearly wasn’t. His head ached from the stress and the betrayal he felt. Matt and Wes were his family. Surely they would understand his dilemma with Kayson, right? Kevin wasn’t sure and he was too afraid to find out.

  The drive home was short and before he knew it he was pulling into his driveway. He sat there a moment staring at his house when he noticed that the light in the kitchen was on. He could see the glow seeping through the open window blind.

  “What the hell.” Kevin leaned over and opened his glove box. He pulled out his hand gun and slowly got out of his truck. In all the years he’d lived here, not once had there been a break in on his street.