Wolfsbane [Dark Hollow 5]
Page 3
Evan shook his head, seeming to wake as if out of a dream. He felt like he’d been under some kind of spell and was just coming back to reality. He jumped to his feet and backed toward the door. “No,” he said firmly. He took in the scene before him—the man chained to the wall, his jeans pushed down onto his thighs and his magnificent cock still curving upward proudly, only now beginning to soften a little. What in God’s name had he done? Evan turned and ran from the room, slamming the door behind him.
Chapter Two
Brett sighed and let his head fall back against the wall in frustration. He’d been so close to getting Evan where he wanted him. If he could have gotten him to remove his blindfold, even for a minute, he might not have had to go through with this elaborate game. He could possibly have seduced him into untying him, and then he could have escaped with him. He had just enough play in the chains to pull his pants back up over his hips, and then he sank back, too wiped out to bother fastening them at the moment.
He cursed himself for trying to push the young man too hard. Evan seemed a little frightened of Brett whenever he allowed himself to think about what he was doing instead of just reacting. Brett had to remember to take things slow. He was too close to having what he wanted to blow this thing now. Brett’s ears pricked as he heard the key turn in the lock again and the slight noise made by the door as the hinges squeaked open. He raised his nose in the air and sniffed as the pungent odor of his mate hit him. Evan was back. He’d hoped he wouldn’t be able to stay away long. He forced himself to be as still and non-threatening as he possibly could.
Soft footsteps approached him slowly, and he sensed Evan’s nearness. He remained absolutely unmoving, not wanting to scare his skittish mate. Finally he felt the heat radiating slightly from his warm body as Evan sank to his knees beside him, and a tentative voice spoke next to him.
“I’m back. I’m sorry I ran out of here like that, but I got a little freaked out.” He took a deep breath. “Listen, I never should have taken advantage of you like that. It was totally my fault and I’m sorry.”
Brett took a deep breath, almost afraid to speak and chase him away again. Instead he remained silent, allowing Evan to say whatever he needed to say.
“I don’t know what came over me to treat you like that—to do that to you when you were tied and helpless.”
Brett shook his head and spoke up quietly. “Don’t be sorry. You only thought to bring me comfort. I wanted it too.”
“How did you know my name?”
Brett hesitated a moment, thinking of the most non-threatening way he could claim to have learned his name. Even if it meant being untruthful, he couldn’t afford to have Evan panic and rush out again. Time was running out. He pushed his shoulders up slightly in a shrug and lied. “I asked the other guard who you were.”
“You did?” Brett could hear the surprise and skepticism in his voice, but Brett kept his face stoic, revealing nothing. “I didn’t know he came in here to talk to you.”
Was that a hint of jealousy Brett detected in Evan’s tone? A thrill ran through him at the idea and he decided to test the theory a little
“Yes,” he said quietly. “He came in yesterday and took off these cuffs from my ankles so I could stretch out my legs. I’ve had such bad cramps—he massaged my legs for me.”
“Henderson did that?” Evan’s tone was sharp. Brett couldn’t see him, but he’d bet he had a deep frown on his face. He could plainly hear the displeasure in his voice.
“Yes. He told me he’d take my blindfold off later on today, just for a few minutes.” He sighed a little. “I guess I can wait until he gets here, since it makes you uncomfortable.”
Right away, he felt Evan’s hands at the back of his head, untying and pulling off the blindfold. He blinked a few moments even though the light was dim, and then he was gazing directly into a pair of the most beautiful blue eyes he’d ever seen. Of course, he’d admired Evan from a distance—even from a few feet away once when he’d been at the guard desk as he was brought by on the way to his cell. He’d never been this close, however, and Evan’s beauty almost took his breath away.
He was young, and his skin still had a dewy freshness. His hair shone almost platinum blond, and those cornflower blue eyes—they were now regarding Brett solemnly. Brett wondered what he was thinking. He tried to focus enough to smile at him. “Thank you.”
Evan looked down, fiddling with a piece of lint on his pants. His breath was coming more rapidly. “Would you tell me your name?”
“It’s Brett,” he replied softly.
“Brett...” The sound of his name on Evan’s lips suddenly made Brett’s crotch tighten. “Do you...do you know what they have planned for you?”
“Yes,” Brett said quietly. “They’re going to torture me again.” He shrugged. “It’s what they do here.”
Evan shot his gaze up in shock. “I’m so sorry. That’s...that’s...”
Brett gazed steadily back at him. “Does it bother you, little Hunter? I thought you Hunters hated all wolves.”
Evan jumped to his feet and paced back and forth across the small room. “No, I hate this cruelty. I don’t want you hurt like this!” He ran his hands through his hair, looking frantic. “God, I don’t know what to do.”
“You could let me go.”
Brett had spoken very quietly, but the words fell like a bomb in the quiet room. Evan stopped in mid-stride and stared at him, his jaw dropping open. “No...no, I can’t do that. I can’t just let you go. Besides you’d never get out of here alive. They have armed security upstairs. No, it’s not possible.”
“Evan, if you help me, I can get out of here. Let me handle the details. All you’d have to do is get me out of these chains, and I’d make it look like I overpowered you so you wouldn’t get in trouble. Please help me, Evan.”
Brett actually felt sorry for Evan as he watched him struggle with himself. He was so torn between wanting to please him on the one hand and do what he thought was the right thing and keep his oath to the Hunters on the other.
“I know you swore an oath to obey the commands of the Hunter officers, but an unlawful order should be disobeyed, Evan. They should never ask you to violate your own moral code—to be an accomplice to their war crimes.”
“We’re not at war.”
Brett smiled. “Aren’t we? Sure feels like it.”
Evan flinched and lifted confused eyes to gaze into Brett’s. His jaw tightened and he seemed to come to some kind of decision. Brett prayed it would be the right one. His next words dashed his hopes though.
“I can’t let you go. I’m sorry. But I will help you—I promise.” He turned and this time ran from the room and Brett smiled to himself. His man had some backbone. He wondered how long it would take him to do what he was counting on him doing. Probably better to stick with the plan anyway. Brett didn’t think he had much longer to wait.
* * * *
Evan had no idea, really, what he’d gotten himself into when he’d first accepted a friend’s invitation a few months ago to come to a Hunter’s assembly. He’d been horrified and fascinated right away at the notion that such creatures as werewolves actually existed outside of horror movies. Not just existed, but thrived in large communities the Hunters called the Dark Hollow Clans throughout the southern Blue Ridge mountains. Once he found out the truth, he was hooked.
To be honest, he’d been desperate to make a complete change in his life. After breaking up with Eric, a man he’d lived with for over a year, he needed to get completely away from his old life and the apartment they’d shared together. He’d been totally blindsided by Eric’s betrayal, but he’d suffered through the black sea of depression he’d had a hard time swimming out of. Without realizing it, he had ordered his whole life around Eric, and his loss made him feel as if he were floundering. It took a while, but once he managed to pull himself out, he’d left everything and everyone he’d known behind and had thrown himself into this new life. That was one reason he was s
o desperate to make a success of it. He couldn’t stand to fail again.
If the wolfman—Brett—continued to try to talk him into letting him go, he didn’t think he’d be strong enough to keep turning him down. Brett was gorgeous and compelling, and most of all, he was right. They’d probably wind up torturing and killing him in the end. Evan could at least put an end to this daily torture. He’d figure the rest out later. Evan realized he’d never been so attracted to anyone before in his life, surprisingly not even Eric.
He’d contacted the doctor first thing the morning following his last confrontation with the wolf, telling him he’d go through right away with the planned experiment.
The doctor in charge of the experiment was Dr. Cornsilk. A tall, dark haired man in his mid-thirties, he gave Evan a sympathetic look as he led him into the bedroom he’d set up for the experiment.
“Now if anything were to happen, there’s a panic button in here, by the side of the bed. Anything too extreme, you understand, or if you’re frightened for any reason. Push that and the guards will be in here immediately.”
“Okay.” Evan’s voice sounded nervous even to his own ears.
He’d thought it would take a couple of days to make preparations, but the doctor had surprised him by asking him to come in for a briefing immediately.
Evan glanced nervously at the big, king sized bed. “Will we—will he—get started right away, then?”
“Oh yes, I think so. He’s been in captivity for a few days, and these creatures are quite insatiable sexually.”
“But what makes you think he’ll give me a mating bite? What if he doesn’t like me that way?”
The doctor looked him up and down and smiled slightly. “Of course we don’t understand exactly how they make their choices for mates yet, but we’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. You’re a very nice looking young man. I think nature will take its course.”
He patted Evan on the back when he blushed. “Don’t worry. You’ll have complete privacy with him. This room is even soundproofed, thus the need for the panic button. We don’t think he’ll try to hurt you in any way, but stand near the panic button when he comes in, just in case. This room is absolutely escape-proof too, so you need have no worries on that score. For the next two to three days, you’ll be mostly alone with him, though I will be in to check you from time to time and bring the wolf food. From what we understand, he’ll provide you with all the nourishment you’ll need for the next few days.”
Evan sat down on the edge of the bed. The doctor laid a hand on his shoulder. “Ready? Don’t be so scared. All of the victims we’ve ever spoken to claimed to enjoy this experience very much, though I understand it can be quite—intense.”
“Intense like how?”
“The wolf’s penis has that gland I told you about that encircles the base. Perhaps you’ve seen it? It’s called the bulbusglandis, which is present in most canine creatures. It was designed to ensure the females became pregnant when they received it inside them, and is always a part of the first mating. With males, apparently it provides extreme stimulation to the prostate gland, causing multiple and very intense orgasms. The first mating can take a long time, and you’ll be ‘tied together’ for the duration.”
“Jesus.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so, but only the first time. Are you wearing the anal plug I sent over for you last night?”
Evan’s face flamed as he nodded. Hell, yes, he was wearing it and it was damned uncomfortable. It took him almost an hour to get the thing inserted the night before, because it was so damn big he had to keep stopping, and then trying to shove it a little higher. Once he’d finally got it in, he could barely walk. He’d managed to get to sleep, but he couldn’t wait to remove the thing.
“It should have helped to stretch you properly for this first experience. If he has relations with your afterward, his gland won’t be..um...inserted. You have experienced anal sex before, you told me. There’s lube in the drawer. Oh, and insist he use plenty of it.”
Evan nodded, his face flaming again.
The doctor smiled. “No second thoughts? Cold feet?” When Evan shook his head, he patted his shoulder and went to the door, stopping with his hand on the knob. “I’m about to bring him in. Get ready.”
* * * *
The first thing Brett saw when he walked in the door was Evan, standing by the bed nervously. He wasn’t in his Hunter green uniform, but was wearing simple jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing simple about the way they fit his body though. The t-shirt hugged his torso, showing off every lean muscle, and the jeans...God, they were sinfully tight, and left little to the imagination. The idea that he’d been wearing them in front of other men made Brett furious. Soon, baby. Soon I’ll tell you what you can wear on that gorgeous body, and it won’t be anything to show yourself off to anyone but me. Brett wanted him out of those jeans and naked on that bed just as fast as he could get him there. He willed himself to slow down and take his time. After all, they’d have a lifetime together.
He was standing next to the head of the bed, near what Brett knew must be a panic button. Dr. Cornsilk had explained the set-up carefully. He stopped a few steps inside the room and let his eyes sweep up and down his boy. Brett had to play this game with him just right, if he was to believe it. He set his shoulders and made his voice harsh.
“You? What are you doing here? What’s all this for?”
Brett saw Evan wet his lips and drop his eyes downward. “Didn’t they tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
Evan stared back up at him, his eyes very large and blue. He was breathing through his mouth and looked scared to death.
“They want you to...to mate with me.”
“What?”
“To mate with me. It’s an experiment. They think you might secrete something in my blood either with the mating bite or the—the gland thing on your...”
“Is that right?” He sauntered over to the bed as Evan backed away. He flopped down on the bed on his back. A little smile played around his lips. “What makes them think I’d mate with you?”
The heat rose to Evan’s cheeks. “You don’t have to, of course. They can find you someone else if the idea of having sex with me is so repugnant to you.”
He started for the door, but not before Brett saw a hurt look in his eyes. Brett called out to him from the bed. “Stop right there.” Evan hesitated, then turned slowly around to look at the man. “Bring your ass back over here.”
“What if I don’t feel like bringing my ass back over there?”
Brett smiled. “Please, Evan, would you please move your sweet little ass back over here?”
Evan hesitated, giving the wolf a dirty look, his blue eyes flashing. In the end, he walked slowly back toward the bed, his feet moving like they were stuck in quicksand. But he was coming, and that was the important thing. You’ll learn to follow my commands more quickly in the future, sweetheart. Brett gave him plenty of time, holding out a hand to him as he got closer. He took his hand and pulled him down onto the bed to sit beside him. Brett noticed he winced a little when he sat, and leaned to the side. What was going on with his little Hunter?
“I didn’t say I didn’t want to mate with you, sweetheart. I just wondered what made them come up with the idea? And what made you agree to it?”
Evan ventured a look directly up into his eyes and answered the first part of his question, ignoring the last. “They told me Elias Winters is trying to come up with an antidote for the blood match thing. Winters says it’s too late for his son, but maybe it will help someone else if they can get their hand on another mate. They think it must be something from your gland, or something in the bite. They think if you...mate with me, then they can check my blood afterward. See what they find.”
Brett put back his head and laughed. “Well, good luck with that one! I think we might be as happy to find that antidote as the Hunters are.”
Evan tilted his head. “Why would you say that?”
“Smell them?”
“The blood mate has a unique odor to the other mate. Sort of sweet. Hard to explain, but it’s compelling. It draws us in and won’t let us go. Then, after the mating bite, it’s impossible to ignore, no matter what. Like I said, a pain in the ass.”
“What if they’re already mated to someone else?”
“That’s what I mean—they could be. There have even been a few rare cases of three people sharing the match. Unless they’re into ménage, one of them is screwed. And wolves don’t share! Don’t even get me started about the human equation. My alpha Marco has a human mate. He’s a brat and nothing but trouble. They fight all the time and then make up with embarrassingly loud sex. The human is gorgeous and smart, but to my way of thinking he takes way too much effort. Always running away or storming off in a huff. Our beta has a human mate too. Both of them lead their mates a merry chase. It’s stupid. My mate will never be allowed to act that way.”
“So you don’t like humans? I’m guessing you would never mate with one. So where does that leave me? I guess they can’t make you mate with me.” Evan’s voice seemed a little hurt, and Brett mentally chastised himself. He was talking too much. What was there about this human that had him spilling his guts to him and saying way more than he should have?
“No, I like humans all right. I didn’t mean to give that impression. Some of them are quite beautiful and sweet. Hell, they’re all interesting. And I can’t help who I mate with—that’s the point, sweetheart.” He lifted his hand to the side of Evan’s face. “Like you, for instance.”
“Me? But I’m not your blood mate.”
“Who says?” He reached out and took a lock of Evan’s hair in his fingers, rubbing it against his thumb gently.