The Otter's Tale

by Charlie Richards

  Smirking, Aaden’s eyes narrowed. “I actually know that look. Seen it on my own face in the mirror a time or two,” he claimed, his expression assessing. “You thinking about running, Jerome?”

  Jerome sighed. “Not running.” Even as he denied the accusation, he saw the disbelief fill Aaden’s eyes. Blowing out a harsh breath, he continued to explain. “My pod is going to cause trouble. I don’t want that to come down on Aziel’s head.”

  “Isn’t that something I should have a say in?”

  Hearing Aziel’s deep bass voice from behind him, Jerome spun. He hadn’t even heard the water stop running or the door open. Realizing just how much of a distraction the whole situation was, he heaved a deep sigh.

  Jerome reached for Aziel, helping him back to the bed as he formulated a response. Once he had his human settled, the man with an expectant look on his face, he grimaced and shoved his hands in his pockets. If he continued to touch Aziel, he knew he’d agree to anything his mate wanted.

  “If I get dragged back to the Amazon, I don’t want it to affect you,” Jerome admitted. Unable to help himself, he settled on the chair by the bed, then rested his forearms on the mattress. “I want you to be happy.”

  Aziel reached out and wrapped his huge hand around Jerome’s jaw and neck. “Are you saying you couldn’t make me happy?” His brows furrowed in obvious confusion. “I thought you said I was your mate.”

  “You are my mate,” Jerome quickly confirmed. He wasn’t certain why there would be any doubt there.

  “Then wouldn’t I be happiest with you?” Aziel cleared his throat, looking uncertainly at his lap. “I mean, if you have to go the Amazon, I could probably get a job down there after I graduate. I’m getting a major in botany with a minor in plant studies, so checking out the plants down there would be interesting. I could probably get a job with a pharmaceutical company. Lots of unexplored shit in the jungle.”

  “Y-You’d be willing to leave behind your life to go to the jungle with me?” Jerome couldn’t help but gape. Never would he have expected that.

  Aziel cleared his throat, appearing uncertain. “Sure. That’s what mates do. They work it out.”

  Jerome wished he could take Aziel up on that. He wished it with everything in him. Instead, he nuzzled into his mate’s hold on his neck and whispered, “If I had to go back to the Amazon, it would be because my alpha refuses to allow me to be with who I want to be with.”

  “He can do that?”

  Turning, Jerome eyed Aaden. He’d completely forgotten the man was there. Taking in the man’s shocked scowl, he shrugged.

  “He’s my alpha.”

  “You need a new alpha, dude.”

  Jerome nodded. He completely agreed.

  Chapter Six

  Aziel tried to wrap his mind around what Jerome was saying. How could another person have that much say over the shifter’s activities? While he understood the concept of Chieftain Maelgwn ruling his clutch to keep them safe, secret, and cared for, the gargoyle had never tried to hinder a clutch-member’s needs.

  Especially not when it came to pursuing and bonding with a mate.

  In fact, the gargoyle leader did everything in his power to assist in the wooing and understanding process.

  Suddenly, a memory surfaced. One Aziel hadn’t thought about in a long, long time. His mother had claimed to have a sixth sense about things. On occasion, she’d say something in a vacant, almost sage-like tone, and more often than not, those things came to pass in some form or other.

  “When you meet that special someone, you won’t be able to keep that person alone,” she’d told him. “You’ll have to accept help to care, to please, and to save your lover.” Her smile had turned sad, and her gaze had drifted to the window. “Or you’ll be doomed to lose him.”

  At the time, Aziel had never really thought about the pronoun. It hadn’t even occurred to him to think of it literally. Right then, it was the rest of what she’d said that worried him.

  I can’t keep him alone? Does that mean I’ll have to share him? It sorta sounds like it.

  Aziel had never really considered himself a selfish person, but he sure as hell knew he didn’t want to share whoever ended up being his partner. He’d always planned on settling down with just one lover. On top of that, how could a shifter be willing to share himself with another as well as his mate?

  “I thought shifters couldn’t get it up for another after they’d bonded with their mate,” Aziel whispered, scowling at the comforter blankly. He blinked, then peered at Jerome through his lashes. “If you bonded with me, could you get it up for another... like, if I was with you?”

  Jerome’s face darkened, and he growled low in his throat. “I’m not sharing you, goddammit,” he snarled. “If we bonded you’d be mine! There would be no other... for either of us.”

  Okay. That wasn’t what it meant, then.

  “Dude, why would you even ask that?” Aaden cut in, setting a plastic bowl filled with chicken noodle soup on Aziel’s lap. “You’ve seen our paranormal partners, how possessive they are.” As soon as Aziel wrapped his hands around the bowl, Aaden shoved his hands into his pockets. “What the hell is going through that big brain of yours, Z?”

  Aziel jerked his head up and gaped at Aaden.

  Aaden smiled and shrugged. “Mitch told us about your botany major, and you just said you were working on a minor, too. We’ve suspected for a long time that you’re way smarter than you let on.” Then his brows furrowed. “You got somethin’ rattling around in there. What is it?”

  “My mother sometimes knew things. Just knew them, ya know? Like her stories about paranormals. She knew they were real, but she didn’t ever tell me how,” Aziel began, trying to explain. His growling stomach forced him to pause a second to take several bites of soup. Humming, he mumbled, “So good,” before popping another spoonful into his mouth.

  “So, your mother was a seer?”

  Peering at Jerome, Aziel shrugged. “Guess you could call her that. Anyway, one day we were putting away groceries, and I was telling her about this girl I liked in school.” Seeing the shifter’s frown, he grimaced, but pushed on, “I think I was fourteen at the time. Anyway, she paused where she was putting away a box of cereal and said something really odd.”

  Aziel continued by repeating what his mother had told him, then finished by saying, “I didn’t give it any thought at the time. Hell, I was only fourteen.” Taking another spoonful of soup, he mulled the words over in his mind again.

  Aziel glanced between the men. From the looks on their faces, he could see that they were running the words through their minds, too. He couldn’t blame them. His mother had said some odd shit at times.

  Aaden snickered. “So you’re, uh, gonna need help keeping and pleasing your man, huh?” he teased, waggling his brows. “Need some pointers, Z?”

  For an instant, Aziel started to growl. Just as quickly, he stopped, thinking about the words.

  “I’m certain whatever we do together, I’ll be more than satisfied,” Jerome cut in, obviously attempting to soothe Aziel. At the same time, Jerome glared at Aaden. “Any touch from my mate will be better than I could ever imagine.”

  “Wait, sometimes things my mother said were completely literal. I’d need help pleasing my lover.” Aziel felt his cheeks heat, and never had he been so grateful that he had dark chocolate skin. Clearing his throat, he mumbled, “Help could be as simple as getting information on best lube brands.”

  Aaden’s grin grew even wider. “Oh, I can help with that. There’s this warming shit that makes stretching feel amazing.”

  For the next several minutes, Aziel listened to Aaden sing the praises of his favorite lube, oftentimes gaping before remembering to snap his mouth closed. He even went so far as to explain how one kind tingled better than another along the rim of his asshole. Once finished with that explanation, Aaden spent several more minutes expounding on which lube brands tasted best for whi
ch flavors. He even went on to tell all about the afternoon he and his mate, the gargoyle Grigoris, had spent testing as many flavors as they could get their hands on.

  Aziel felt certain he’d never been so embarrassed in his life. It was even worse than the time his father had tried to explain the birds and the bees to him. Aziel hadn’t been able to look his dad in the eye for a week.

  “Oh, god,” Aziel mumbled, focusing on his empty soup bowl. “That was so much more than I needed to know about you or Grigoris.”

  Oddly enough, Aziel couldn’t actually see the hardened gargoyle, who worked long hours alone in the garage as the mechanic for the clutch, spending hours exploring lubricant. He figured Grigoris must reserve that kind of playfulness for his mate. Figuring that was how it should be, Aziel did his best to thank his friend in a level voice.

  “Do you need information on good positions while healing?” Aaden asked, his tone teasing. “Your first time is best on hands and knees of course, but—”

  “I think we can figure that part out on our own,” Jerome cut in, holding up his hand. When he lowered it again, he placed it over Aziel’s forearm, since he still held the bowl in both hands. “I can teach you a few things, too.”

  Aziel’s eyes widened, and his nostrils flared upon hearing the husky note in Jerome’s voice. He met the shifter’s heated gaze, and his throat went dry. Swallowing hard, he found his focus drawn to Jerome’s lips.

  “I-I brushed my teeth,” Aziel whispered. “You ready for that kiss now?”

  “Hell, yeah,” Jerome immediately responded. He rose from his chair and leaned toward Aziel. With his mouth only a few inches away, he paused and whispered, “Whenever you’re ready, my mate.”

  Aziel happily took that offer. He set the bowl aside and reached for Jerome’s face with both hands. Cradling the shifter’s jaw, he tilted his head a little and closed the distance between them.

  Pressing his lips to Jerome’s, Aziel thought the man’s mouth should be firm, but it wasn’t. Jerome’s lips were soft and had a bit of give. Brushing his own over Jerome’s lightly, he relished the heady feel of the other man’s mouth against his own.

  When that was no longer enough, Aziel tightened his grip on Jerome’s head. He used the hold to tilt the other man’s head, allowing him to slot their mouths together more fully. Parting his lips a little, he swiped his tongue along Jerome’s bottom lip.

  Jerome’s taste exploded across Aziel’s taste buds. He was a little muskier than any woman he’d ever tasted, definitely a masculine flavor. There was also a hint of sweetness, maybe from soda or sweet tea.

  Underneath all that was something unique, something that must have been all Jerome’s own flavor.

  Aziel wanted more of it... much more. He nipped Jerome’s lip, then soothed the sting. The other man opened his mouth just a little to murmur his approval against his lips.

  Thrusting his tongue between Jerome’s lips, Aziel relished the taste of the other man as it exploded across his taste buds. He lapped across Jerome’s tongue and plundered his mouth. Jerome’s appendage slid across his own, lapping across it, the man giving as good as he got.

  Pleasure speared through Aziel. Fire sparked in his veins. Goose bumps rose on his forearms as his cock thickened and pulsed in time with the beat of his heart.

  The only way it could have been better was if Jerome was straddling his lap.

  As the mechanics of getting Jerome up and straddling his lap, so he could grind against him, flitted across his mind, Aziel heard a throat clear.

  Aziel was damn tempted to ignore it. He wasn’t certain who made the noise—his friends wouldn’t be nearly that discreet. After all, he was enjoying making out with Jerome far more than he could ever remember the feel of another’s kiss.

  However, since breathing was becoming a necessity anyway, Aziel eased the kiss to an end. As soon as their lips separated, he sucked in a harsh breath. He took in Jerome’s visage, and smug pleasure filled him upon seeing the sexy man’s flushed face, glazed eyes, and heaving chest.

  So very handsome.

  “So good of you to come up for air,” Sapian teased, drawing Aziel’s attention.

  The large gold-hided gargoyle stood just inside the door. He had his white wings draped over his shoulders like a cloak, his arms were crossed over his chest, and he leaned casually against the wall. The tension in the tendons of his neck, however, belied his casual stance.

  Alarm filled Aziel. He’d never seen the normally laid-back enforcer so uneasy. Even when speaking of the hunters they occasionally sparked off with, Sapian’s attitude was anger... not unease.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Aziel released Jerome’s face, taking a second to give him a small smile and trace the forefingers of his right hand down his jaw. At the same time, he slid his other hand down Jerome’s arm and threaded their fingers together. He squeezed lightly as the much smaller male settled back into his chair.

  Sapian noticed their clasped hands, pulling one arm free to point. “This is going to cause a problem, your scent all over Jerome.”

  Jerome scowled. “Why? To who?” Then he grimaced, shaking his head. “To my alpha? He’s a bigot.”

  “Actually, nooooo,” Sapian responded slowly. “To your mate, Jerome. She’s coming here, along with your family.”

  Aziel’s heart felt as if it skipped a beat. He tightened his hold on Jerome, then realized he had no right, so attempted to pull away. Jerome held on, turning his attention on him.

  “I don’t have a mate, female or otherwise,” Jerome cried, desperation in his voice. He held Aziel’s gaze. “You have to believe me. I didn’t lie to you, Aziel. You are my mate. No other.”

  Taking a few seconds to sweep his gaze over Jerome’s face, Aziel took a long deep breath. He slowly nodded. “I believe you,” he claimed. He did, too. There was nothing but sincerity in Jerome’s gaze. Aziel struggled with something to say and finally came up with, “Well, I suppose we need to find out why someone is saying you do have a mate, huh?”

  Jerome’s expression of abject relief told Aziel that he’d said the right thing. “Yeah.” He nodded and smiled, the expression tight. “Yeah.”

  After giving Jerome’s hand a squeeze, which earned him another grateful smile, Aziel turned his attention to Sapian. “I don’t suppose you would be willing to share what the hell is going on?”

  “Yeah, I can do that,” Sapian assured.

  He crossed to the side table, pushed everything to one side, then hopped up on it. Sitting and facing them, he leaned against the wall and absently slid his back against the wall, scratching his wings. His brows were furrowed as he obviously decided what to share... or maybe how to share it.

  Finally, Sapian cleared his throat and focused on Jerome. “Chieftain Maelgwn told you that a notice had been submitted to the Shifter Council for any word on Jerome Laguna, right?”

  Jerome nodded. “Yes. Is this lie about me bonding with some female something being spread by Alpha Saburo?” He scowled, his fingers tightening a little more on Aziel’s, as if he were afraid Aziel would suddenly pull away. “Because it’s not true.”

  Aziel squeezed Jerome’s hand, doing what he could to reassure the man he hoped to, eventually, figure out how to love. Sex, too, definitely. For just an instant, Aziel wondered what his brother would say.

  A second later, Aziel realized he didn’t care. His family was right there, with the men who were already in the room and the few more currently entering. These people were the ones’ whose opinions mattered.

  “The alert was only put out three weeks ago,” Sapian revealed. “And it wasn’t your alpha who issued it. It was your parents.”

  “M-My parents?” Jerome seemed truly shocked. “But why? They’d actually seemed relieved when I told them that I was leaving.” His brows furrowed as he slowly shook his head. “Why would they be looking for me? And why the hell would they say I was mated to someone.” Focusing on Sapian, he s
cowled. “Did they give a name in their report?”

  Sapian nodded. “A woman named Sabra.”

  Jerome gasped. The blood drained from his face, leaving him entirely too pale. He swallowed so hard that Aziel saw his Adam’s apple bob.

  Concern riding him, Aziel brought the clearly shocked Jerome’s hand to his lips. He kissed the knuckles lightly, hoping to draw his attention. The shifter turned wide brown eyes his way, confusion and fear clouding his expression.

  “What is it?”

  Unable to withstand the separation or to deny the need to soothe whatever was going through Jerome’s mind, Aziel twisted on the bed. He slid his free hand under the shifter’s armpit, gripping his torso. Between his hold on Jerome’s hand and the one on his ribcage, he managed to get the shifter to slide onto the bed with him.

  Aziel wrapped Jerome in his strong arms, cuddling him against his side. “Easy, easy. Talk to me.” He could tell the name meant something to him. His heart skipped a beat.

  A past love?

  Screwing up his courage, Aziel cupped Jerome’s jaw and urged him to tip his head so their gazes met. He dipped his head and brushed a kiss to the other man’s lips.

  I could definitely get used to the feel of this man’s mouth on mine.

  Pushing the thought aside, he refocused on Jerome. “Jerome, talk to me,” he ordered, making his voice gruff. “Who is Sabra?”

  Finally, Jerome blinked once, twice, then focused on Aziel. “Sabra is my brother’s mate,” he whispered. “What happened to Galen?”

  Assuming that Galen was Jerome’s brother’s name, Aziel could only shrug as he held the smaller man close and attempted to offer comfort.

  Chapter Seven

  The numb feeling slowly eased, and Jerome realized it was all due to the hand rubbing up and down his back. He sighed, pressing into Aziel’s side. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the dark, musky smell of his mate, not to mention his soothing touch.