"The guy who kicked your ass last night. You got any eggs?" He'd best start out like he could hold out. He needed to eat, but he'd slept hard enough to save some energy if he needed to fight.
"Fuck you." The words would be more threatening if the kid wasn't swaying so bad. He could remember that, when the change was still fairly new and it took it out of you, made you weak as all fuck.
Made you disoriented too, and Roman took advantage of it, slipping out of the bed and prowling, pacing. "That'll come. Or the other way around, at least. But now I want food."
"People... people in Hell want ice water." The cub's nostrils flared, curious to learn him.
"I know. Trust me. I've been there." Hell had to look a lot like Death Valley at midday. "Come on, kid, I know you have to be starving."
The cub nodded, still blinking. "You made me lose my hare."
Then he got a look at the tight, sweet little ass as the cub padded toward the tiny little kitchen. Hell, he had to admit, the cub was taking care of shit, the cabin neat as a pin.
"How was I to know you were living in my house?" Little fuck. He followed, his own nose twitching as he breathed in deep, getting a good taste of the kid's scent. Yum.
"It's mine. I earned it." Oh, that was a growl, there.
"You earned it from a coward who gave it up when he was charged with protecting it for me. I fucking built this place, from the crooked edge of the foundation on the north side to the not quite plumb wall in the guest room." Let that stew a minute. He could do his own growl.
"If you're fucking stupid enough to leave it with a coward, that's not my problem." The kid had a cast iron skillet in hand now and Roman'd be damned if the little shit didn't look like he could use it.
Roman muscled in, pressing the kid back against the counter, holding him there. "Well, I'm back now, aren't I?"
That upper lip curled, the growl sharp and sure. "And you can turn around and leave the same way."
"Nope. Mine. And since you're here..." He cupped one hand behind the kid's neck, leaning down. "What's your name?"
"Cage." All the kid's muscles went tight, fighting him, pushing against him.
It was the scruff thing that was making the kid all rumbly, but he had to, to prove dominance. "I'm Roman," he said, bending more and pressing his lips to the pulse beating hard at the base of Cage's throat. "And you're mine now, too."
"No." Pheromones poured between them, the air flooded with them both.
God, yes. Cage smelled like...home. It was crazy. They'd fight. The kid would see to that. But damn. Roman growled low, licking. "Yes."
The pan clattered to the floor, the kid's hands landing on his shoulders with a slap, muscles bunching. "No."
If the no meant no, the pan would have hit his head. Smiling, Roman pressed the advantage, rubbing his cock against the tight belly, biting a little. "I think we can work this out, Cage."
"I don't..." Oh, right. Cage didn't, with that pretty cock curving up to rub against his thigh, belly tight and hot against him.
"Don't think. This can be easy. We can be pack..." That hit him hard and sudden, the need to make that. He'd been wandering too long. Lone wolf. He'd wanted to come home to Johnny. Why not Cage?
"I." The kid slipped out from under him, leaving a strip of skin, he'd bet. Those eyes were wild, a bright sharp blue that just screamed confusion. "Who are you?"
"I told you. My name's Roman. Roman Elias. This is my place. My den. It has been for a long time." He wanted to lick the sore spot Cage was fidgeting against, wanted to soothe. "I bet it smells like me still. I bet that's why you could sleep with me."
He got another one of those unconscious nods. "I didn't steal it. I won." One hand traced down the tanned belly, the scars there deep, ropy.
He lowered his voice, letting it come out as a rumble, a sound cubs heard from birth. "I bet. You're good, Cage. You're tough. But there's safety in numbers."
He could see it, see how that sound hit Cage and settled him, made the kid tilt his head and swallow and stare.
"Yeah. Just like that." Roman moved close again, his hand smoothing down Cage's shoulder and arm. "Let's just eat, yeah? Not think a minute. Just relax."
"I..." Cage sniffed, sniffed again, belly rumbling. "I have bacon. Good and thick. I traded for it."
"Then you make bacon, and I'll make the most amazing eggs you've ever had. Fried or scrambled?"
"I like scrambled." Those blue eyes searched his, so off-kilter he almost laughed. Almost, because sure as shit that would piss the kid right off.
His lips didn't even manage to twitch. "Cool. I like them scrambled well." He met Cage's eyes with his, holding them, sure and steady. "It's okay."
"Okay." The way the kid licked those lips made him want to howl.
He held it in, held off on the urge to grab his cock and stroke, too. "Bacon, hon."
"Yeah, it's in the fridge." Again he got tempted with that ass, this time with a bright red scratch on the top from the edge of the cabinet. Bacon and eggs and milk were pulled from the old fridge, the kid pouring a huge glass of milk and gulping it down, before pouring another. "You want one?"
"Yeah." Hell, yes. He could smell what it would do for him, all of that good shit like carbs and vitamins and just comfort.
He got a glass filled to the brim, the kid still twitchy, not shaking, focusing on the food and the milk. He could see all the little things that had changed. Things fixed up a little here, chewed a little there.
Literally chewed in some places. Lord, the kid must have been going through a chewing stage in wolf... Roman sipped his milk and watched. The bacon would take longer than the eggs.
"What are you looking at?"
"You're all scraped up. We should take a shower after breakfast, get patched up." The eggs cracked easily into the little clay bowl Cage handed him, and Roman concentrated on that, knowing when to back off. He'd nip and growl some more when Cage got cocky.
Cage didn't answer, just dug out bread and a slab of butter, slathering the butter on thick white slices and shoving it in the oven, sort of grunting and muttering to himself.
Okay, maybe he needed to get the kid sorted out now. Setting the eggs aside, Roman pounced, covering the kid's ass and back with his body, his teeth sinking into the back of that vulnerable neck.
The cub yelped, hands scrabbling on the counter, body arching underneath him, trying to throw him off. Roman just went almost boneless, putting all of his considerable weight behind his teeth, pressing down. He could feel the panic, the fight as Cage panted and struggled, even as that compact body sank to the ground.
Smart cub. So smart. Roman went after him, covering him, just pressing down all the way to the floor. He knew the kid needed total submission to understand, to really know.
Breath coming quick and harsh, Cage finally stilled under him, just the softest noises filling the air.
"Shhhh." He bit down gently before moving back to turn Cage to his back. He nuzzled the throat, then the belly and then the soft, fuzzy balls, Cage shivering under him but holding still. "Good. That's good."
He got a quiet little sound - not quite a moan, not quite a whine. The cub's scent was hot, strong, male and promising. The only thing that might burn was the bread, so Roman covered Cage with his body again, rubbing back and forth, their cocks pressing. His whole body rocked at the feel, involuntary but so, so right.
All those muscles bunched, arching beneath him and rubbing back. Cage's lips parted on a growl, eyes rolling and wild. Roman bit down against the skin of Cage's throat, feeling it nearly split beneath his teeth, licking it to soothe after. He just kept rubbing, needing so bad.
Cage's cock started leaking, leaving wet lines on his belly, his prick, this new scent filling his nose and making his lip curl. His mouth watered, making him reach between them and pull at both their cocks, rubbing his own pre-come into Cage's skin, too, pushing them back and forth.
Cage pushed up, long tongue sliding over his shoulder, tasting him
, licking at him as Cage humped up into his hand. He growled. So long. Too long. Grunting, he smacked down against Cage, biting, licking, snarling his fucking joy. His teeth scraped along Cage's throat, the thin skin catching, the salty taste filling his mouth. Heat sprayed over his hand, Cage howling with it, the sound almost surprised.
There. Right there. Roman came so hard he saw stars, his head snapping up and back, his vision filled with nothing but Cage and the look on the cub's damned face...
His hands were busy, even as he came floating down, rubbing his scent into Cage's skin. Marking the cub. Claiming. His.
So his.
They rested a long while, until Cage shifted under him, a short, sharp bark telling him how uncomfortable the floor was. He finally let Cage up, holding him just long enough to make sure the cub knew it was *his* choice.
Then they were both up. "How about those eggs?"
The growl of Cage's belly was answer enough.
***
Cage paced from bathroom to bedroom, heart pounding, head just whirling.
Okay.
Okay.
Was he supposed to leave now? Beat Roman with a shovel? Pounce the sorry son of a bitch and fuck him?
Shit.
He'd thought this place was far enough away from everything that he could just stay here, hide. Live. Not fight all the fucking time.
Cage growled, heading for the door. He needed to run, to move, to think.
He almost ran smack into Roman, who was coming back in, wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that showed off every muscle. "Hey, Cub. Going out?"
Yes. No. Shit, if he left, was he fucked? What were the goddamned rules?
"Not a cub."
"Uh huh." Those eyes were dark brown and had crinkles at the corners as Roman smiled at him. "Well, don't get lost. I've got steaks to cook."
"This is my home. I won't get lost." Steaks. Uhn. God, he was still hungry.
"So, how did you manage to beat Johnny anyway?" That big body brushed his as Roman went by, hauling a couple of sacks.
"We met. We had a fight. That was that." Sort of. Basically. With a lot of details left out.
"Yeah? You'll have to tell me all sometime... You like potatoes?" It was surreal, how this guy acted like this was all normal and shit.
"Yeah..." He frowned, just blinking.
"Cool. I'll toss some of them in, too." Was that a laugh? Was that bastard laughing at him?
It raised his hackles, made him growl under his breath, heading straight for the door.
He landed hard enough that the whole house shook, Roman's full weight on his back, his breath whooshing out as Roman pushed him down. "Don't you growl at me, Cub."
"Not a fucking cub." That would have been more impressive if he could breathe.
Heavy bastard.
"Then stop acting like one. Be civil, you hear?" A hard bite hit the back of his neck, Roman shaking his scruff a little before getting up off him.
He bared his teeth, swung his legs around hard enough to tug Roman's right out from under, the big man slamming onto the floor. "Watch your fucking tone while you're in my house."
A low snarl was his only warning as Roman leapt up and came at him like a flash of lightning. Damn. Jesus, the man was fucking fast. Cage rolled, faking a dart to the left before heading right, sliding to a more defensible position by the door. One hand swiped his leg, leaving a terrible sting. They both turned, both prowled back into fighting stances.
His toes curled, fingers wanting to be claws, a howl wanting to push out and tell everyone--everyone--that this was his house. Lips pulling back from his teeth, Roman came at him again, weight pushing at him, snapping at him. He dropped low, pushing through, trying to get Roman off balance. The scent of them together was distracting, made him confused, dizzy.
The feel of Roman's mouth smacking against his made it worse. When Roman pushed in with his tongue, it all went to hell, his whole body just betraying him. Their chests slapped together, nails dragging along backs and arms and chests as they growled and moaned and tried to eat each other alive. Roman rolled, putting him on the bottom and humping against him, hips moving hard and fast as the kiss grew teeth and drew blood. His fingers tangled in the thick, dark hair, and if he couldn't figure out whether he was pulling toward or away? He could live with that.
They rubbed, their clothes seeming wrong, harsh against his skin. Roman moaned for him, bit his throat. The bites made him wild, made him growl and snarl and bite back a whine. Rearing back, Roman ripped at his shirt, tossing it aside. Then he got more of those maddening bites, on his shoulder, just over his nipple, right above one hipbone.
His skin was on fire, burning and aching, cock leaking and hard in his pants. Growling, Roman opened his pants, fingers hard and callused, pulling at him. The sounds were just...amazing. Eyes rolling, he arched, legs scrabbling for purchase on the wood floor. Oh. More. More. Now.
"More," Roman echoed out loud. They moved, a predatory dance that just rocked his world. Roman bit him again, hanging on like a fucking pit bull, his shoulder throbbing.
He rolled, trying to get on top, trying to get more. Fuck if that big bastard didn't push him back down so hard he saw stars. But he got what he wanted, Roman covering him, their cocks rubbing as the man opened his own jeans and got them both in one hand.
"Uhn." His hands opened and closed, balls going tight as stones. Yes. Yes. He needed.
"Uh huh. Fuck. You smell good...Jesus, Babe." They'd take up the issue of the man and his pet names later. Now they could just come together and apart with sharp jerks of their hips.
"Want. Want." He wrapped one hand around Roman's hip, moving them faster.
"Yeah. Now. God, come on." Roman tugged hard, moved harder, and bit even damned harder, a bruise blooming under his skin. He jerked and shot, eyes rolling, heat spraying between them, his nerves just singing.
Not two seconds later Roman came on him, heat sliding across his belly, wet and good. Their scent. Oh, God. They rubbed together, his mouth watering, cock trying to jerking and come back to life again.
"Mmm. Fuck, yes. Needed that." Not that Roman stopped moving. The man slid and slipped on him, their come rubbing in.
He leaned up, lips finding Roman's throat, tongue sliding on the skin. Good. Now it was Roman's turn to "uhn", the sound vibrating against Cage's tongue. "Gonna get me going again."
This was a bad thing?
He nuzzled in, rumbling as the scent of Roman filled his nose, the flavor filled his mouth. Hot. So hot. Roman pushed him a little, detaching his lips from that throat and pushing him more toward the chest. Yeah, the man wouldn't want him at the throat or belly. He bit one collarbone, just to let Roman know that he wasn't just going to submit. He wouldn't. His home.
He got a chuckle, Roman's hands sliding on his skin, soothing him like a pup. It worked, though, making his eyes half close as Roman scratched at his back.
Oh. He groaned and stre-e-e-e-e-etched, the sensation as right as hunting.
A low, rumbly, totally inhuman sound made him want to whine, made him want to curl in and beg. Or toss Roman down and fuck him. Cage bared his teeth, lips rubbing over Roman's skin, needing that flavor, that scent.
"Careful, Cub." Roman yanked him up for a kiss that sent him spinning, sharp teeth cutting into lips. He wasn't sure whose blood it was that he tasted. He pushed, shoving hard enough to roll them, landing on Roman with a thud.
Roman grunted, feet and hands scrabbling, teeth bared. "Fuck, Cub. What the hell..."
He straddled the thick thighs, pushed right into the kiss, tongue forcing Roman's lips open. Not. A. Cub. Whether it was surprise or Roman humoring him it didn't matter, because that hot mouth opened to his, letting him in to taste and feel. Yeah, the man was up for another round. Seriously up.
It eased him and he rubbed, exploring the sharp teeth with his tongue, finding out the soft spots, the smooth spots. Roman grabbed his ass, hands hard and rough, digging in. Pulling him into a rhythm. He growle
d out his pleasure into Roman's mouth, hands dragging along Roman's ribs. Good. Smelled good.
They smelled right together. There was something about Roman's scent, something in how it mixed with his that made him crazy. The way Roman buried his nose in Cage's throat and breathed hard once the kiss broke told Cage he wasn't the only one who thought so.
"Mmm..." He nuzzled Roman's temple, tongue slipping out to taste, to explore.
Bead of sweat ran under his mouth, Roman groaning against his skin, licking him in return. That rough tongue had goosebumps rising.
He couldn't help his sounds, the low rumbles and soft growls that just built inside him. Good.
Shifting Again Page 31
