by Jo Penn
Each of the family members, siblings or cousins? Maybe second cousins? Holy hell, there were a lot of them, nodded their thanks and came over to the bed, patted both Ran and Deakin, then filed out two at a time. Ran was left wide eyed.
“Now, how are you feeling, Ran?”
“Thirsty?”
The doctor frowned. “Ah, is that a question?”
“Sure? Am I supposed to feel thirsty, and if so, am I healed and ready to leave?”
“I see. Yes, you should be thirsty and no, you are not fully healed as your wolf spirit is not healthy. You will not be leaving today. Hello, brother, I see the Alpha has called you home.”
Ran glanced towards the door and felt his blood pressure spike. Oh, shit, that was never a good sign. He looked at the doctor wide eyed.
“Err, brother?”
“Yes, my brother. Avenger Vicus. He has been assigned to eliminate the threat against yourself, the Starters pack, and because of last night, the entire Milson Valley residents. A sniper is a serious offense. Many could have been injured.”
Ran tried sniffing the Avenger, then rolled his eyes. Of course he couldn’t scent the creature. They could withhold their scent. That was one of the things that marked them as an Avenger No one could scent them coming, and no one could see them when an Avenger made their move. Unless, of course, the Avenger wanted others to scent him. Then he just let his scent out. Right now the creature’s hood was pulled up on his form-fitting leather coat that was like a second skin on his six-and-a-half-foot, slender, but very muscular, frame.
The Avenger, a deadly creature you never wanted to have gunning for you, moved with a fluid grace that not even an agile sprite or feline shifter could claim. He hugged his brother, sniffed, then turned slightly and sniffed the air, scenting it before approaching the bed.
Ran tried not to shiver in fear, but that was useless so he gave in to the need and trembled so much he was jostling Deakin’s limp form around.
The Avenger leant close, Ran able to see the creature’s face clearly. His wolf had been cowering in the back of his mind, hiding there. Now an ear perked up. With gentleness, startling Ran, the big creature trailed soft fingertips lightly over Ran’s chest, right where the bullet had entered him, eyes watching Ran intently. When the Avenger leant closer and pressed his nose to Ran’s cheek, he whimpered just a little.
“Wha?” Deak groaned. “Hey! Stop that! He’s mine!”
Ran couldn’t move to stop his mostly human sprite mate from reaching out and slapping at the Avenger, and he was stunned the big, deadly creature didn’t stop Deakin himself. Rather, he appeared a mix of serious and amused, his stunningly handsome face so close, Ran could make out every feature.
“Deak, babe, you can’t hit an Avenger.”
“Watch me!” Deakin pointed a finger at the big creature. “I don’t care who you are. We have protection and Ran’s mine. We’re mated, so that means you don’t touch him—err, or me.”
The Avenger gently captured Deakin’s hand and did the strangest thing. He kissed the end of Deak’s pointed finger.
“It is good you stand up for yourself and protect our mate. I will see to the one who has harmed what is ours and be back soon.” The Avenger straightened, caressed his thumb over Deakin’s hand, stroked Ran’s face, then snagged Doctor Layke on the way out of the room.
Deak and Ran were quiet for a few moments, then, as usual, Deakin began bleating.
“Did he say our mate?” Deakin scratched his bizarrely sticking up hair. “And why didn’t I want to kick him in the nuts when he kissed my finger? Oh, fudge, sorry, babe, you know I only love and want you, and though I’m so sexually frustrated due to not having sex for nearly two years, what with your wolf spirit problem—which, by the way, phew, good to know. I was beginning to think you weren’t interested in me anymore—”
Ran kissed his mate. It was the most fun way to shut him up.
When they separated, both panting a bit, Deakin began checking Ran over, even lifting the gauze over his chest.
“There’s only a pink mark there now. How are you feeling?”
“Okay. Help me sit up.”
With a few grunts of pain, and leaning on Deak, Ran was finally sitting up.
“What’s an Avenger?” Deak helped Ran sip water through a straw.
“A very deadly creature.” Ran sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. “They’re like an elite military guy—or girl—or an assassin. Never see them coming, never hear them, and if you see one, don’t make eye contact and run like a feral squirrel is on your tail.”
Everyone knew squirrels were dangerous creatures.
“Okay, so he didn’t seem too bad. And he said our mate, and when he touched me my whole body came alive. Just like when I’m close to you or think of you. Ran, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” Ran shrugged petulantly. “Why, do you like him? He’s probably better for you, can protect you—ow!”
“You’re lucky I pulled my punch, dimwit. You are my mate, so stop it. Did he scent like mate to you?”
“Ran can’t scent that at present.” Drax walked in with a big box he placed on a table, then began unloading. “With his wolf spirit damaged, he can’t even scent you as mate. Fortunately, because you’d already mated, you’re bonded and that kept you together.”
The hunky, big Enforcer placed a tray on one of those tables on wheels and steered it over to the bed.
“Eat.”
“I’m a vegetarian.” Deak turned up his nose.
Drax curled a lip. “Right. Eat the toast and fruit then, but leave a bit of fruit for your mate. He needs his vitamins. Eat, both of you.”
It was a strong, firm order and had them both eating. Ran got worried and began to get a little jittery, eyes darting around the room as he ate and drank the juice. Drax settled him with a firm squeeze of his shoulder.
“You’re safe here. The Avenger is out hunting the sniper.”
“About this Avenger. And why did he get called in? I thought that would be a job for you guys.” Deakin scooped scrambled eggs onto his toasted and wolfed it down.
“It is. We have been restoring order to the Valley and locked up five Enforcers from the Milton pack. When a creature endangers an entire town, we don’t take any chances. We’ve worked hard to make this a safe city. The entire North of America is safe because of the pack and pride soldiers, and the magical assistance from the Armstrong coven. We’re not letting a sniper and another pack destroy it, and we protect our own using every tool available to us.”
Ran pushed his food away. “I should go—”
“Eat. And we don’t let shithead Alpha’s and their tactics make us back down and run. Want to tell me why your brother is after you?”
Ran shivered. He remembered the hands all over him, the pain, the degradation. He broke out in a sweat, his wolf crawling to the back of his mind and cowering.
“Easy there, pup. You’re safe.”
Safe in Deakin’s arms, safe with Drax protecting him. Ran nodded, tears sliding down his cheeks.
* * * *
“He’s traumatized. Whatever happened all those years ago is locked away in a compartment in his mind, but parts of it are leaking out, causing his wolf to shut down and cower.” Lord Sebastian Sanchez wiped his brow, sweeping away the sweat that had piled there, despite it being a cold autumn day. “He’s fine day to day. He’s happy and well-adjusted actually. He knows who he is and what he wants, is comfortable with himself. Whatever was done to him caused a trauma so deep, he just shut it up. I touch on it too deeply and it will destroy him.”
Enforcer Drax Charmers snarled, top lip curling back. “His wolf spirit is dying. What do you suggest we do? If he can’t face whatever it was that was done to him, then he perishes.”
Sebastian nodded, eyes sad. “I am recommending we do something we rarely ever do. He’s a good little wolf. He’s got spunk and sass. He’s fun and so laid back he makes me want to take a happy little nap. Marco, Laur
ie, and Luka already adore him like a little brother, and even Ace, the temperamental little shit, likes him and Deakin. Ran has pushed whatever happened to that compartment and I’m going to sweep it out, take it from his mind completely. Yeah, he will know something bad happened, know bits of it, but it won’t hurt him anymore to know. It will merely cease to cause him pain.”
Drax nodded slowly, sighing. “I agree. What do you think, Vicus?”
Vicus hadn’t bothered to cloak his presence, though he remained away from the pair. Even if he had cloaked himself, Drax was the legendary three wolf and would still have sensed him. There were very few who could sense an Avenger when they were cloaked, but Drax was one of them.
Vicus moved over to the pair. “The sniper is dead.”
“You found him already?” Sebastian asked. “Of course you did. Did you get any information from him first, anything that can help us know why he was coming for Ran?”
“Yes.” Vicus had taken all the information he needed from the sniper’s head. “The brother, Mikkos, is not Ran’s threat. He tried to protect the wolf, challenged the old Alpha, and defeated him. By then, Ran had fled and Mikkos has been hunting his brother to bring him home and protect him. Not that Mikkos is innocent, he was a Beta and knew what was going on, but he didn’t act until the Alpha snatched his brother, apparently. Ran cannot return, the memories will destroy him.”
Sebastian nodded. “Strange, but I can only catch glimpses of what happened. Usually even when a creature has blanked out bad memories, I still see them clearly, but Ran’s are buried so deep it will take me longer to retrieve them. From the little I saw, I do not believe it is necessary to do more than get rid of them entirely. Is that what you want, Vicus?”
Vicus removed his hood and inclined his head. “Yes.”
His mate should be free of what harmed him so powerfully. Vicus would hunt each and every one down who had harmed his mate, and take pleasure in the torturing and slaughtering.
“I know what you have planned, but revenge isn’t always the best way,” Sebastian said quietly.
Drax rolled his eyes. “It is our way. You know that, Seb.”
“Yeah, but right now that pair could use stability and someone who is just for them, protects them, and shelters them while letting them live freely. Deakin’s not stupid. He lets his mate drift, but he’s had enough and wants to settle. Ran is the follower. Whatever Deakin wants, he gives. But he gets them into trouble all the time, and Deakin isn’t strong enough to keep leading. He needs to lean on someone too.”
An Avenger finding his mate, or mates as the case may be, was always complicated. They were always targets to control an Avenger, and some looked at an Avenger for a mate with horror, for really, an Avenger was just a killer, no matter that he got his orders from the High Council directly.
“I will deal with the threat to my mate,” Vicus said calmly.
“Who is the threat, if not Mikkos?” Drax growled. “The old Alpha Mikkos defeated?”
“Yes. Mikkos defeated but did not kill him. He was…humane when he should have slaughtered. By doing so, he has left his brother, pack, and his own position vulnerable. A creature such as Titus McCracknel must be eliminated.”
“Sounds like,” Sebastian murmured. “So, I’m going to go ahead and wipe your mate’s mind… Do you want to do that, and see it all first, or not?”
Avengers had a few gifts, one being able to see into other creatures’ minds, their deeds, thoughts, and lives. There was still something the sniper didn’t know, a part that was missing so the picture could be completely matched up.
“It harms him to breach the compartment wall of his mind. His wolf cowered and wilted. My touch will be harmful… It is best you do this.” And that pissed Vicus off to say. He did not like another messing with his mate’s mind.
But for his mates, he would do what was right and needed.
“Drax, sorry to interrupt. Finn’s had a vision. It’s a bad one.” Beta Kelly strode into the hospital room beside where Ran and Deakin had been placed. “Apparently a group of nasty ass Renegades are on their way here, led by an Alpha named Titus.”
Vicus smiled slowly as he raised the hood of his leather coat. “How convenient. See to my mate, Lord Sebastian. I thank you.”
Striding out of the room, Vicus passed his mates’ room, noted both were sleeping wrapped in each other’s arms, and left the hospital, creatures giving him a very wide berth. This no longer bothered him. It made things easier for him, in fact.
Chapter Three
“I didn’t say you could leave the couch. Did I say you could leave the couch? No, so why are you leaving the couch?” Deakin exclaimed, waving his arms around wildly.
Ran paused, glancing around as though the furniture would give him a clue how to respond.
“I need to piss.”
Apparently the furniture had helped.
Deakin had no recourse for that, so with a sigh, let his mate escape to the bathroom. He knew he was being weird, but he couldn’t help it! Not when ten of his brothers and sisters had turned up at the hospital demanding to know what was going on, all talking at once, touching everything and telling Deakin what he should be doing. On top of that, Ran had a session with Sebastian and had been fairly withdrawn since, and very tired. Now they were home in their one bedroom, very nice apartment, and for some reason there was this creature sitting there saying he was their mate!
So while Ran got to escape to the bathroom away from his lunatic boyfriend, Deakin was left with the stunningly handsome creature that had let himself into their apartment and told them seriously and quietly he was their mate.
“I have a mate,” Deakin huffed out.
The big, handsome creature inclined his head with his shock of white hair. Huh, actually, now that Deakin thought of it, this creature sort of reminded him in a roundabout way of Orlando Bloom in that fab movie years ago when he was an elf or something. Fruit loops, it was going to bug him what the name of the movie was! With long, white blonde hair pulled back in a low plait and rather sharp features, the guy was magnificent. Deakin wondered what type of creature he was. Ran didn’t have a clue. He said he couldn’t scent the guy.
“Yes. Now you have another.”
Deak went to the pantry and began checking expiration dates he had meticulously labelled on each individual container. What was he meant to do with another mate? He had a perfectly good, though dysfunctional, one, why did he need another?!
A knock on the door and loud laughing and talking had him tensing. Oh, he could so do without his family invading right now.
“Want me to get rid of them?”
Before Deakin said yes, he nervously eyed the creature. “Get rid of how? I may not want them here…or within a thousand miles of me and always invading my space, my phone, my kitchen, my computer—”
“I will tell them that you and Ran require rest and will call them tomorrow.”
Okay, that was good. The Avenger wasn’t going to kill this half of his brothers and sisters. Deakin eyed the creature warily. Fortunately, Ran chose that moment to wander back into the lounge room. But when one of Deakin’s brothers pounded on the door and called out, Ran spun on his heels and bolted into the bedroom. Deak heard the lock engage.
“Oh, fudge. I’ll handle them.” Going to the door, he reefed it open and glared at the mix of human, part-human, part-sprite, more sprite, and full sprite creatures all gathered in the hall and around his door grinning at him. “Oh, fudge.”
“Hey, little brother! We bought your favorite, Sri Lankan!”
Deak sighed. “I prefer Japanese.”
“Huh.” Another brother pushed his way inside, then stopped dead in the middle of the living room. “Eep!”
“Holy Moly, an Avenger! Okay, don’t kill the little nerd. Whatever he did was stupid and mindless. He’s a bit of a fruit loop—”
“Thanks,” Deakin snapped.
“I am not here to harm your brother.” The Avenger rose from the
chair, not seeming bothered by the little part sprites milling around him in awe. One sister even poked him in the arm. He ignored her. “Your brother and our wolf mate are very tired after their ordeal. It is best you enjoy your food back at your hotel. Deakin will call you tomorrow and we will have you to lunch.”
“Have us for lunch!” A sprite passed out.
“Ignore Wynn, he’s a nervy little thing. Lunch sounds good.” Neville, the eldest of this group, whistled. “All, file out, and don’t forget to pick up Wynn.”
“Did you say our wolf? Is the gorgeous wolf yours too? Oooh, does that mean you’re Deak’s mate too?”
“It does, yes.”
“Yes! Wait till I tell Mom! She’s gonna be planning a big wedding feast!”
Deakin leant against the closed door when they had all trooped out, pale and shaky. “So, that’s my insane family. I prefer yours over mine and Ran’s.”
Vicus Aston smiled and stroked his fingertips lightly down Deakin’s face. “They are amusing and irritating. I see why you wish infrequent visits. We will have more space for them to visit at my home, which is now yours and our mate’s. You may not be able to scent me, my little sprite, but you feel our mate link.”
Deakin was a quivering mess, his body so turned on, so hot and flushed, he was finding it hard not to just throw himself at the big creature with the shock of white hair that was perfectly styled, despite that hood thing he wore having been over it. How did he do that? If Deakin wore a hood or hat, his hair looked like he’d taken a ride on top of a jet plane going a trillion miles an hour!
He groaned when the Avengers lips touched his. He wrapped his arms around the big creature’s neck when he was pressed tight against that long, hard body, and cried out as he was lifted and a hard, big cock rubbed against his through his jeans.
Holy jinn, he was going to blow just from this.
A squeaking noise had Deakin blinking. Vicus gave him a soft kiss and a smile, then lowered Deakin to his feet, helping him find his balance as Deakin’s legs were wobbly from that mind-blowing kiss.
