Wes

by Catherine Lievens

  Taylor froze, not wanting to hurt his mate, and he looked at Wes, who was blinking up at him. Wes wrapped his legs around Taylor’s waist again and tightened them while pressing down at the same time.

  Taylor’s dick slid deeper into him, and they both moaned. “Taylor, please.”

  How could Taylor resist that whispered request? He slid his arms under Wes’ back and hooked his hands on his shoulders, anchoring them together as he moved.

  Wes arched his back, exposing his pale, long neck, and Taylor’s eyes crossed. His mate was offering himself, and he didn’t want to resist. Wes sank his nails in Taylor’s shoulders, and the small bursts of pain made Taylor crazy.

  His fangs slid out, and before he could really think about it, he bit into the soft flesh of Wes’ neck.

  Wes screamed and arched even more as he clutched at Taylor’s shoulders. His legs went even tighter and Taylor felt him coming between them. He convulsed around Taylor, and it was too much. The taste of his mate’s blood, the feeling of him, so tight around Taylor’s cock... Taylor came.

  He stayed in Wes until he came down from his pleasure high, then he gently slid his fangs out of Wes’s neck. He knew he should explain, say something, but his mind was blurry—the alcohol, the pleasure, and his mate’s presence getting to him more than he’d have thought.

  Taylor slid his now limp cock out of his mate’s ass and dumped the condom by the side of the bed. He smiled at Wes and stretched down next to him, pulling him close and spooning him. He kissed the back of his mate’s neck, feeling almost complete, and fell asleep.

  Chapter Two

  Wes felt Taylor fall asleep behind him, but he didn’t close his eyes. He stared at the window and at the moonlight streaming through it, his eyes wide, shocked.

  Taylor had bit him. He’d bit him, and he’d drunk his blood.

  Wes slowly raised a hand and touched his neck. He tensed in preparation for the pain, but he didn’t feel any. He stroked a fingertip where he knew Taylor had bit him, but there was no open wound there. He could feel a scar he knew hadn’t been there before, but there was no blood and no pain.

  He didn’t understand how it was possible. He didn’t understand why he was still there, why he hadn’t run as soon as Taylor had released him. He didn’t understand why he wasn’t scared.

  Wes knew he should be. He really should be, and the fact that he wasn’t was scary in itself. He couldn’t help but feel safe in Taylor’s arms, like nothing could touch him. Like Taylor would protect him, whatever happened.

  Wes had never felt like this, not since his mother had died and he’d been put in foster home after foster home. Not since he’d ran away from the last one only to find himself on the streets. Certainly not now that he did what he had to do to survive.

  Taylor was too good for him, and Wes knew it. Taylor’s words didn’t matter—he’d been drunk when he’d said them. Wes knew Taylor wouldn’t want him anymore in the harsh light of day. He wasn’t stupid, and he’d been there before. He’d let himself hope that time, and it had only led to more pain. He wasn’t stupid enough to do it again.

  Wes closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then another. He pushed the tears away, and by the time he felt calmer, he knew exactly what he had to do.

  He slowly turned on his other side and faced Taylor. He was beautiful, and Wes took his time admiring him. He knew it was the last time he’d see this man, and he wanted to remember him, no matter how much it might hurt. For a little while, he’d felt safe and right, not like he was scum, not like he was fighting for his life.

  He stroked a finger on Taylor’s jaw, freezing when Taylor smacked his lips and snuggled closer. God, Wes wanted to stay right there with him. But he couldn’t.

  He inched away from Taylor, taking his pillow and putting it in his place. Taylor hugged it close and smiled in his sleep, and a pang of pure want shot through Wes. He wanted that. He wanted a nice life, a job that didn’t involve taking his clothes off, a good man by his side who would love Wes as much as Wes would love him.

  Shaking his head, Wes climbed off the bed. He gathered his clothes and walked into the bathroom, then closed the door. He might as well take advantage of the shower while he was there.

  He took as much time as he thought he could afford, which wasn’t nearly long enough. He let the hot water slug down his body and take away all signs of Taylor. All signs but the scar. He stroked a finger on it again once he was done and in front of the mirror.

  Wes tilted his head to the side to have a better look. The bite looked like something a vampire might leave, although it wasn’t exactly the same. He could see where Taylor had sunk his canines, but also the very faint trace of his other teeth. The scar was just a shade darker than Wes’ pale skin and only slightly raised. It was noticeable, but Wes doubted any of his clients would worry about it.

  Wes put his clothes on and sighed. He had to go. He’d have to walk all the way back home, and it would take him at least half an hour, if not more. It was freezing outside, so he wasn’t looking forward to it, especially not after being in the warm hotel room.

  Wes opened the bathroom door as quietly as he could and took his shoes from under the desk. He paused there, hesitating, before shrugging and taking the pen that was there. He scribbled a quick message on the notepad left there and tore the sheet away. He put it next to Taylor’s head, gave him one last longing look, and stroked his blond hair. He hesitated next to Taylor’s jeans.

  He hadn’t earned any money that night, and that meant he’d have to go hungry. He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to pay his rent. He leaned forward, his hand skimming the jeans, but he stopped before taking it. He knew he’d find money in them. Taylor was obviously wealthier than Wes, although that wasn’t a hard thing to achieve. Wes could take a few bills from his wallet, and he probably wouldn’t even notice.

  Wes would, though. He’d never stolen anything, which was why he was hustling to survive. But he was hungry. He bit his lower lip and grabbed Taylor’s jeans only to let them fall again. No, he wouldn’t steal from the man who had made him feel good about himself for the first in years. He straightened and gave Taylor one last glance, then he walked outside. He made sure not to make any noise when he closed the door.

  He paused before walking away, overwhelmed by feelings he shouldn’t be having. He leaned his forehead on the cool wood of the door and just breathed for a moment. Nodding to himself, he pushed away and headed down the hallway.

  He encountered no one on his way out except the man at the front desk. He frowned at Wes, but Wes was used to that kind of stare, and he shrugged it off. The blast of freezing air that hit him in the face was enough for him to forget all about warm beds and hot showers, but he knew it would take more than that to forget about Taylor.

  Wes shook his head. What was it with Taylor that made him so unforgettable? How was he different from every other man Wes had had sex with?

  Apart from the fact that Wes hadn’t asked for money to do it, nothing—or at least nothing identifiable—made Taylor different. But Wes felt so drawn to him, like he’d never been before, and that scared him more than the bite.

  Wes chuckled and shook his head. Why had Taylor bit him, anyway? Did he think he was a vampire or something? Or had he just gotten carried away? He wasn’t the first man Wes encountered who liked to bite, but he was the first one who had bit him hard enough to make him bleed. And what was up with the blood drinking thing? And how had the wound close so fast?

  Wes didn’t have any clue how that had happened, and he couldn’t think of a way. Maybe Taylor was magic or something. Yeah, right.

  Wes walked fast, his thoughts still churning on what had happened earlier. He ran up the stairs when he got to his building, grimacing at the man who was still sleeping on the stairs and staying as far as he could from him.

  He locked the three locks on the door once he was in his apartment, and only then did he relax again. He took his jacket off and
slipped into bed, glad he’d changed the sheets before leaving. His stomach grumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since the day before. He still thought he’d done the right thing by not stealing from Taylor, but his stomach didn’t share that thought.

  Wes sighed and hugged his pillow. He pretended it was Taylor, and hoped he’d dream of the man.

  * * * *

  Taylor groaned and blinked at the light flooding the room. He had a mild headache, thanks to the alcohol, and he was glad he wasn’t human. It wasn’t even bad enough to ask for a shifter painkiller from Jared.

  He hugged his pillow closer and frowned. Where was Wes?

  Taylor sat up and rubbed his eyes. The room was empty, and he couldn’t hear anything coming from the bathroom. He pushed the blankets away and got up, scratching his stomach and grimacing at the flakes of dry cum.

  He knocked on the bathroom door, but there was no answer. “Wes?”

  Taylor pushed the door open and entered. He peed and washed his hands. The shower had been used, but Wes’ clothes were gone. Taylor wanted to hope his mate had gone to buy them breakfast, but the feeling of dread in his stomach wouldn’t go away.

  He dressed and sat on the bed to put his shoes on. That was when he noticed the piece of paper next to his pillow.

  Thank you.

  That was all it said. Thank you. No phone number, no full name. No clue as to how to find Wes. Taylor had lost his mate.

  He swore and crumpled the piece of paper, then swore again and flattened it on his thigh. It was the only thing he had of Wes’. Maybe Isaiah would be able to use it to find Taylor’s mate. Taylor snorted. Yeah, right. Isaiah might be good with computers, but even he couldn’t do miracles.

  Taylor wanted to kick his own ass. He hadn’t been so drunk that he couldn’t have asked for Wes’ name or phone number last night, but he’d stupidly thought Wes would stay with him the entire night, that he would feel drawn to Taylor as much as Taylor felt drawn to him. Maybe he had, but it clearly hadn’t been enough for him to stay.

  Taylor stormed out of the room. He wasn’t about to give up, and Wes wouldn’t know what hit him when Taylor found him. He’d never let Wes go when he did, even if he had to lock his mate in the mansion.

  Taylor slowed down. Okay, maybe that wasn’t true. He wouldn’t lock Wes away, of course, but he’d do everything he could to keep his mate by his side.

  He took his cell phone from his pocket and called Darin.

  “Hey, Taylor. Night went well?”

  Taylor sighed. “You could say that. Can you come pick me up? I’m at the Manford Hotel on Main Street.”

  “What, your one-night stand won’t give you a ride home?” Darin teased.

  Taylor groaned. “You don’t know how true that is. Shit!”

  “Taylor?” Darin’s voice was worried now. “Is everything okay?”

  “No, everything’s not okay.” Taylor lowered his voice. “I met my mate last night. We came here to the hotel, had sex, I bit him, then I fell asleep.”

  “Oh, Taylor. He’s human?”

  “Yeah.” It hit Taylor. He’d bit his mate and started the mating process, but Wes was human. He’d probably panicked when Taylor had bit him. He couldn’t understand what had happened, couldn’t know unless someone explained it to him. He’d probably decided Taylor was nuts and run away.

  “I’m sure Isaiah can find him. You just have to give him your mate’s name,” Darin tried to reassure Taylor.

  “I don’t know his name.”

  “You don’t—Taylor!”

  “Yeah, I know. I’m an idiot. You don’t have to tell me. Are you coming or not?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  They hung up and Taylor stopped at the front desk. “I’m sorry, can I ask you something?” he asked the man behind it.

  “Of course. What can I do for you?”

  “Were you here last night? I mean, where you at the desk?”

  “No, I’m sorry.”

  “Oh. All right, thank you.”

  “My son was, however. I could call him if you need to talk to him.”

  Taylor felt guilty for disturbing a man who’d probably spent the night awake, but finding Wes was more important. “Yes, thanks.”

  The man made a phone call, and a sleepy looking man wearing a jacket and a hat appeared from a door behind the desk a few minutes later. Now Taylor felt even guiltier, because it was obvious the guy had been about to go home. “Umm, sorry to disturb you, but I had a question.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “I need to find the man who was here with me last night.”

  The guys’ eyes narrowed. “Did he steal something from you? I thought he looked weird, but I didn’t stop him. I’m sorry.”

  “No, no, he didn’t take anything. He just forgot something, and I need to get it back to him, but I don’t have his cell number.”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can help you. I saw him leave the hotel around two in the morning. He turned to the left when he got out, but that’s all I know.”

  Taylor sighed. “Thank you.”

  He paid for the room and left the hotel. Darin arrived almost right away, and he climbed into the car. They were both silent for a while, but Darin looked like he was about to burst. Taylor decided to put him out of his misery. “Come on, ask.”

  Darin gave Taylor a wide-eyed glance. “Ask what?”

  “All the questions you have for me. I can almost see them leaking from your ears.”

  “Okay, first, eww. That’s a visual I didn’t need.”

  “You don’t have to ask if you don’t want to. It’s not like I’ll force you to listen.”

  Darin stayed silent for a few seconds, then he blurted out, “How could you, Tay? You don’t even know his name but you bit him!”

  Taylor grimaced and closed his eyes. Darin’s shrill voce wasn’t helping his headache. “I know his name, just not his surname.”

  “And?”

  “What?”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Wes.”

  “What else do you know about him?”

  “Uh, he’s cute, too thin, and he looks like he could eat more. He smells of lemon and spices and home, he has dark hair and dark eyes, and he’s shorter than me.”

  Darin glared. “I meant what you know about him that can be useful to find him.”

  “Nothing. I told you everything.”

  Darin took a deep breath, then another. Taylor knew his friend was trying not to kill him, and he couldn’t blame him. He was trying not to kick his own ass. “So let me do a recap. You met your mate last night. I assume it was at the club?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, so you met your human mate, whose name is Wes. You took him to a hotel, fucked him, bit him without telling him about shifters, without asking him more than his name, then you fell asleep, and when you woke up, he was gone.”

  “Yeah.”

  “He didn’t leave you his number?”

  “No. Just a note that says thank you.”

  “Fucking muffins!”

  Taylor guffawed. “You really should work on your insults.”

  “Shut up. You’re the one who fucked up here. Besides, my insults make sense. I’m a baker.”

  Darin stopped in front of the gate and waited for it to open before driving forward and parking the car in front of the house. They both got out. “So, what do we do?” Darin asked.

  “We?”

  “Don’t be stupid. You might be an ass who claimed your mate without telling him about shifters, but it doesn’t mean I won’t help you.”

  Taylor grimaced. “I think I should tell Dominic about it. He probably should know there’s a human who thinks I’m crazy out there.”

  “Well, shit. I wouldn’t want to be in your place.”

  “Me either. I’m going to check wit
h Keenan whether Dominic’s here, then I’ll go shower.”

  “Let me know.”

  “Of course.”

  Darin headed to the kitchen, no doubt to bake something, and Taylor went to Keenan’s office. The door was open, like always, and he stuck his head inside. Keenan was at his desk, frowning at his computer, and he looked immensely pleased to have someone distract him.

  “Taylor! What can I do for you? Please tell me it involves me leaving my office.”

  Taylor chuckled and stepped inside the office. “I’m afraid it doesn’t. I need to talk to Dominic, and I was wondering if he was in.”

  Keenan shook his head. “He left early today.” He clicked a few times with his mouse. “He won’t be back until eight or nine tonight, but you can talk to him then if it’s urgent.”

  It wasn’t, not really, but the sooner Taylor confessed, the better it would be. “I’ll do that.”

  Keenan typed on his keyboard and nodded. “I scheduled you in for nine tonight. I’ll let you know if Dom’s back early.”

  “Thanks.”

  Now Taylor just had to find a way to spend his day. Maybe he could go by Isaiah’s office when he was done showering. It was better than waiting for Wes to appear out of thin air.

  * * * *

  Wes knew he should’ve gone to the club, but he was afraid. He was afraid Taylor might try to find him, but also that he might not. He felt like an idiot, but he’d decided on staying on the streets instead, hovering near the club but not close enough that he wouldn’t have the time to bail if Taylor did try to find him.

  He wasn’t having any luck, because no one wanted to have sex in the cold, at least not tonight. He kicked at a small mound of snow on the side of the alley he was in and peeked toward the main street. It was still early, and he knew he’d eventually be able to find someone, but he was strangely reluctant to do so.

  Not that Wes was ever eager to find a client. He hated what he had to do, but it was necessary. Today, though, he felt especially disgusted at the idea of letting someone who wasn’t Taylor fuck him or to do any other sexual act. Which was ridiculous, because Taylor had been a one-night stand, and he’d probably already forgotten all about Wes.