by Lynn Stark
“Shut the fuck up, Chance. I’m sure Pebin can hear you. I think it all looks real nice. Now brush your fucking teeth before I knock them down your throat.”
“Do you mean to say it’s okay for him to mess with our stuff?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say it is, but you’re overreacting. It’s not like Pebin broke anything valuable or stole something.”
Okay, Pebin realized too late that he probably shouldn’t have touched personal objects, but Chance’s reaction to the beautiful gold leaf he’d applied to the frame of the mirror in his bathroom was just plain mean. The werewolf was hateful. He had never hidden the fact that he didn’t like Pebin.
Where was Cain when you needed him? Pebin wondered as he sat there feeling sorry for himself. He didn’t know how to heal the wound Chance had created with his harsh words. But Cain would say nice things to him. Who knew vampires could be so nice? And Cain gave wonderful blow jobs, too.
Maybe he should go to Boston to see Cain. The painters would be starting the repainting of the house. That would take a few days. No one would miss him, and maybe Chance would decide he didn’t hate Pebin’s guts while Pebin was gone.
Sighing, Pebin got out of bed. He made it, because he couldn’t leave a messy bed behind, and then went to dress. Once he had a pair of new jeans and an aqua T-shirt on, he found his shoes and put them on. He didn’t like shoes, but knew he couldn’t go around in the human world without them.
After packing a few changes of clothes, Pebin carried his bag to the door, pausing long enough to listen for sounds coming from Larson and Chance. He hadn’t heard them for a while, so he guessed that they left to go eat breakfast at the community center. It didn’t escape his notice that neither of them had come to check on him or ask him if he wanted to join them.
With the pain renewed in his soul, Pebin went for Tobias. He coaxed his beloved pet into his new carrier and then left the house, hurrying along the path to the main part of the farm. When he reached it, he saw the truck with the crew of men and women that would be painting the house. It looked like they were about ready to head over to the house to get started. Because he’d already discussed the project with Ian, he didn’t feel as if he had to be there for the people to do their job.
Pebin sighed with relief when he saw Malcolm standing beside his mates, Ian and Danny. There were several children around them. Maybe while he was in the city with Cain, the vampire could give him a baby. The thought lifted his spirits as he hurried toward Malcolm.
“What can I do for you, Pebin?” Malcolm asked as he looked down at him, his gaze going to the bag and carrier Pebin held in his hands. Tobias croaked loudly. He didn’t like the crate. Malcolm’s eyebrows shot up when growling came from inside of it, followed by a hiss.
Neither of them mentioned it. Pebin was laser-focused.
“Can you do that thing where you can take someone from one place to another?”
“Yes, I can. Why, do you need to go somewhere?”
Pebin nodded vigorously. “I need to see Cain. Can you take me to this house by the water he has near Boston?” Once he knew exactly where Cain lived, Pebin could get himself between there and the farm, by taking a shortcut through the fairy realm.
“I can. Are you sure you want to go?”
“I am. I want a baby. Cain’s going to give me one.”
Chuckling, Malcolm reached out to touch his shoulder. “Come closer.”
As he did so, he heard Chance shout, “What do you think you’re doing, Pebin?”
Pebin turned to see Chance and Larson walking out of the community center. He glared at the werewolf. “None of your business,” he yelled back. “If you don’t have anything else to do today, you can kiss my sparkling pink butt.”
“Hush. There are children,” Malcolm scolded gently, but his lips were twitching when Pebin looked up guiltily.
Even as his face heated up with embarrassment, Pebin found himself standing in an amazingly large room with enough bling and color to make him happy for the remainder of his life.
The walls were painted a rich royal blue. There were a multitude of paintings hanging on them. Some were of dogs. Others were landscapes. There was one of a windmill. Then there were the portraits of people he was certain were of Cain’s family. As he turned slowly in a circle, the door opened and Cain entered.
“I thought I sensed that someone was here.” He crossed the room and shook hands with Malcolm. “Thank you for bringing my mate.”
“My pleasure. I need to get back. Hopefully you will return to the farm for a longer stay.”
Pebin was interested in hearing Cain’s answer. “I hope to do so.” Good to hear. Maybe he could punch Chance in the nose.
Once Malcolm had left, Pebin set down the carrier and the bag containing his clothes to throw himself against his mate’s big, powerful body. “I missed you!” he told him passionately, perhaps with a little too much drama.
“I missed you, too. But I think there’s another reason why you’re here.” Strong arms squeezed him tightly. Cain’s heart thumped steadily beneath his ear.
Despite the comforting sound of Cain’s heart, Pain lanced through Pebin as he recalled Chance’s harsh reaction and words. “Chance hates me.”
“Oh, I doubt that.”
Pulling back, he looked up at Cain. The vampire was so handsome. “He said some mean things about me. I don’t want him for a mate. Can we trade him for another?” he asked hopefully. “Neither of us has gotten that attached.” That was an understatement. He and the werewolf had picked at each other so much, they had obviously caused wounds. “You barely know him, and I know him too well.”
Cain didn’t respond to that. He bent and kissed Pebin softly on the mouth. “Come. Have breakfast with me.” He frowned. “You look tired.”
“I was awake all night making our house beautiful.” Pebin puffed up with pride. Cain would understand.
The vampire nodded. “I’m certain your talents are being put to good use. After we eat, I want you to sleep.”
When Cain’s phone began to ring, Pebin scowled. “It’s Chance,” he told Pebin.
Trying to hear both sides of the brief conversation proved to be impossible. Pebin accepted that he would have to wait to learn what Chance had to say. As he walked out into the hallway, he discovered it was as grand as the room he’d just left. He couldn’t wait for his family to see Cain’s house. They would be as impressed as he was. Pebin was certain all visitors were when they entered the house.
“Our mate is not happy,” Cain said as he joined Pebin, where he was standing and looking up at the ceiling above the stairs near the front door. He tipped his head back and stared. The ceiling had to be three stories above him. There was a huge chandelier suspended from it and guessed it was dazzling when it was lit. At the moment, the sunlight streaming through a large, round window was being bent by the prisms created by the cleverly cut crystal. “He says he didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“Sure he did.” Pebin shrugged as he tore his gaze away from the incredible lighting fixture. The sting was still there. Chance always had harsh words to say to him. How had he thought they could be friends and mates? It was impossible. “He has mean things to say to me, even before I tried to get him to help me with my brothers.”
Cain sighed. “The two of you will have to work it out. Otherwise, the next few centuries will be very difficult. Come. Let’s have breakfast. Is that Tobias in there?” he asked, indicating the carrier.
“Yes. I couldn’t leave him behind.”
“I suggest you let him loose in the greenhouse. There’s a large banana tree in there that he can climb.”
The vampire’s thoughtfulness was one of the reasons why Pebin was falling in love with him. Cain showed him where the greenhouse was. It was yet another huge, amazing space. And it did, indeed, have a large banana plant growing in it. The air was warm and moist, just the way his pet enjoyed it. Tobias headed straight for the tree as soon as Pebin opened the carri
er. He set it aside on a bench, and then followed Cain.
“Your house is very beautiful. I can understand why you like being here.”
“Thank you, but I might not live here much longer. I am considering moving to the farm to be with you and our mates, full-time.”
As they walked along one wide hallway and then another, Pebin wondered where they would be eating. It felt like they were walking back to the farm. His stomach grumbled as he hurried to match Cain’s long strides.
“But you are important! You have a coven to govern.”
Cain chuckled. “Yes, I suppose I am important. Vampires like order in their life. While we’re not mindless beings, it’s good to have a leader you can respect and rely on.”
“Can’t you do that from the farm?”
“That would be extremely difficult. There is already a coven living on the farm, and former members of this coven are in the process of transitioning.” They finally arrived at a pair of doors. Cain reached out and turned the handle. The scents of food reached Pebin’s nose. He inhaled deeply, and his stomach rumbled loudly. “If I was still a coven leader, and living there permanently, there could possibly be a conflict of loyalties. No one wants that. If I were to give up the position, there would be less confusion.”
“But if you didn’t live there all the time, it would be okay?” he asked, trying to understand it all. Fairies didn’t have such complicated rules. This was all new to him.
Dropping his bag on the floor, Pebin sat down in the chair Cain pulled out for him. “Yes, it would be okay. And that has already been approved by Ian and Malcolm. Now, you sit here and I’ll fix a plate for you. Would you like some orange juice?”
“Yes, please. That’s a lot of food. Will there be others eating with us?”
“My brother, his wife, and their children will be here shortly. I’m glad you’re here. They are very curious about my mates.”
Suddenly nervous, Pebin reached up to smooth his hair and then his shirt. “Do I look okay?”
Turning, a plate piled high with food in his hand, Cain’s dark eyes swept over him. He felt his skin go all hot with the desire he saw in them. “You’re perfect, baby. Don’t worry about them. They will love you.”
Within minutes Pebin realized he had nothing to worry about. He was swarmed by children of varying ages and hugged warmly by each of them. Cain’s brother, Nicholas, and his sister-in-law, Sophia, both greeted him with what seemed like genuine pleasure.
They were midway through breakfast when the door opened and Pebin lost his appetite. An angry Chance entered first, followed by the mellower Larson. Pebin swallowed hard and looked away from the moody, unpleasant werewolf. He stabbed a piece of sausage with his fork and shoved it in his mouth. As he chewed, he listened as Cain introduced the two males. One thing that gave him a bit of satisfaction was that the children weren’t as enthusiastic in their greetings. It was a mean, selfish pleasure, but it was there.
Pebin watched from the corner of his eye as Larson and Cain went to the buffet to fill their plates. Then they were returning to the table. Larson took the place across from him. Chance pulled out the chair beside him and sat down closer than was necessary. He was purposely crowding Pebin.
Leaning over, Chance whispered in his ear, “Stop being a dick.”
Gasping, he turned his head to stare at the werewolf, a retort ready on his lips. Chance took the opportunity to give him a quick kiss, effectively silencing him. Then Chance returned his attention to the food piled high on his plate and ignoring Pebin, as if he no longer had any interest in him.
With his stomach now hurting with stress, Pebin’s hunger diminished to nothing. He made a show of moving the food around the plate, but only nibbled at the scrambled eggs and ate a couple of grapes.
The children and their parents finished their meal and excused themselves. Pebin was sorry to see them go. Not only did he enjoy the children’s bright moods, he was now alone with his three mates, and he doubted he would enjoy what they had to say.
“So,” Chance began when the door was closed and they were in complete privacy. “When are you going to stop acting like a child?”
“About the time you stop acting like a complete jerk. You didn’t have to shout down the house this morning.” Pebin stabbed another piece of sausage and put it in his mouth. He chewed it vigorously, trying to work off the sudden surge of aggression. It was a complete mystery to Pebin as to why Chance brought out this side of him. “You could have ignored it, admired it, or told me sensibly that you didn’t like what I’d done, but you didn’t need to make me feel like dirt. I worked very hard to make the room beautiful.”
Larson normally didn’t insert himself between the two of them when they squabbled with each other. If anything, he’d always seemed to find a great deal of amusement when they went at each other. “The two of you need to figure out how to get along. With good fortune, we will live long lives. I don’t plan on listening to the two of you sniping at each other for the next few centuries.”
Obviously, Pebin thought with resentment, Larson was now riding his horse of superiority. His eyes narrowed on the man seated across from him. “You know, you’ve done nothing but encourage our arguments. Heck, you’ve actually added fuel to them with comments and suggestions. Personally, I think you should stay out of this.”
“So do I,” Chance agreed, shocking both Pebin and Larson. He turned to Pebin. “I’m sorry I yelled this morning. I didn’t sleep well. Discovering enough bling in the bathroom to make Liberace happy, I was taken by surprised.” Leaning toward him, Chance shocked Pebin by kissing him softly, swiftly, on the mouth.
Slightly mollified by the apology, Pebin nodded. “Thank you for saying that. I should have asked,” he admitted, reaching out to pat Chance’s muscular forearm, where it lay on the edge of the table. “Who’s Liberace? Would I like him?”
Cain chuckled. “I’m sure you would, baby. Liberace was a famous entertainer and musician and loved over-the-top costumes and décor. He’s been deceased quite a few years now, but he and you share a love of sparkles that is unmatched. Personally, I can’t wait to see what you have done with the house so far.”
Pleasure surged through Pebin. It was too bad that this Liberace person was dead, but it sounded like he’d had a fabulous sense of style.
Chapter Seven
Because of everything that had happened in the past few years, not to mention the last couple of weeks, Chance felt he was in serious need of a vacation. He’d never had one before. What would it be like to stretch out on a sandy beach somewhere and soak up the sunshine? A chilled alcoholic beverage would be nice, too.
Having three mates was taking its toll on Chance. There was also the fact that he hadn’t had sex in years and he was aching to sink his dick into something soft and hot. His ass also ached to have something hard and throbbing filling it up. On more than one night he’d imagined Larson fucking him through the mattress. Then he could return the favor by fucking Larson until he was begging for Chance to slick his channel with cum.
That last thought sent a shiver of dread through him. They would have to avoid the possibility of impregnation. Bearing a child was something he wasn’t ready for. The idea of screwing up a kid was horrifying. His own parents had sucked at parenting. They had never failed to mention how much of a mistake he was. On the day he had come out as gay, and they told him to leave, he’d been feeling overly brave. What did he have to lose? He asked them if they’d ever heard of birth control. That had earned him a punch in the mouth by his father. Chance had spit the blood filling his mouth at the man’s feet and then returned the punch, planting his fist into the soft gut. After his father fell in a heap at his feet, Chance packed his stuff and left. No one had come after him.
What did he know about taking care of a kid?
Then again, Chance did know what not to do. He was surprised when there was a spark of hope deep inside his chest.
What needed to happen first, however, was he ne
eded to get along with all three of his mates, not just two of them. It seemed that after he’d had a heart-to-heart talk with his mother, Pebin now understood why having a family was important and that he wasn’t intended to enjoy a single male’s lifestyle. Maybe if he hadn’t met his mates, but he had, Pebin shared.
That took some pressure off Chance, but he still didn’t think he should be allowed to influence a small being. It was a bridge he would cross when he came to it. For now, however, he needed to figure out why he and Pebin couldn’t get along. They had been antagonists since their first meeting.
One thing he knew, the fairy was a brat. Chance, on the other hand, had lost his sense of humor a long time ago. If he’d even had one in the first place. There hadn’t been a lot of laughter or happy times while he was growing up. Now Pebin’s antics simply annoyed him. There didn’t seem to be any end to the mischief the fairy could get into or how much of it he wanted to drag, at times literally, Chance into.
A rusty chuckle took Chance by surprise as he stood looking out at the water. He’d never smelled ocean air before. He liked it.
Thinking of the time not so long ago, when Pebin had wanted Chance to go to the fairy realm to kick his brothers’ asses for messing with him, and his collection of possessions, caused him to smile a little. Just a little. There wasn’t any point in getting carried away, he thought as his amusement increased. Why was he losing his annoyance with Pebin? The guy was all sorts of trouble.
One chuckle led to another. It didn’t turn into full-blown laughter, but it was a good start.
“Are you okay?” Larson asked, obviously noting his unusual behavior.
Turning to look at the bear shifter, Chance saw that Pebin was with him. Both males were looking at him with concern. He couldn’t blame them. “Not a thing,” he said. “Something struck me as funny.”
“This sure is a nice place that Cain has,” Pebin commented, obviously trying to find a neutral topic.
“It is. It’s the nicest house I’ve ever been in,” Chance confessed, feeling his face heat up. He wasn’t exactly ashamed of his past, with the exception of his parents, but it wasn’t something he liked to expose to others. But these were his mates, and he would just have to get used to telling them things he wouldn’t tell others. “I’ve been in a couple of real nice old government buildings. But they don’t count. They’re not someone’s house.”
