by Jo Penn
“Macario.” Eber rose. “Run and gather your belongings, Fale, just what you need and want for today. The rest can be boxed up and collected.”
Fale stood but looked to the Prince for permission.
“I see…well, mates are meant to be together. Very well, I will be by in an hour to—”
“Cool, I can have a run with my little wolf bro!” Luka exclaimed.
Caspar growled low and deep. “Fine. Fale, is this what you want? Tell me now if you do not wish to relocate to your mate’s home. And it is important to tell me if you are unhappy and do not want to mate. While there are many rules to do with mateship, the cardinal one is that mate’s get to choose. If at any time you are afraid or wish to return to the guild, be assured no one will make you mate or force you to remain at the Aston Estate.”
Fale breathed out a huge sigh of relief. He hadn’t even realized he was so worried, but hearing the Prince, his fae Prince, state Fale could return and no one was forcing anything was reassuring. He didn’t know what was going to happen, and though Fale wanted Macario with every fiber of his being, there just wasn’t a guarantee the man felt the same. In fact, Fale was certain Mac didn’t feel the same or he wouldn’t have been out with someone new every day for the last eight days! Fale could excuse this betrayal to some extent, Mac was human, and they didn’t always immediately feel the mate pull, and sometimes fought it, but Mac was from a large paranormal family and had a little shifter DNA, which should have alerted him to some extent. Enough to start him yearning for Fale and not wanting to be with others.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I…I’m concerned. Mac shouldn’t have wanted to be with others since meeting me, he has a little paranormal DNA, but he’s been with lots and hasn’t sought me out.”
“He has?” The Prince looked to Visij and Eber for confirmation.
“Every creature and they’re biological makeup is different,” Eber murmured in a serious tone. “My brother has very high morals. If he were aware you are his mate, Fale, he would never cheat, never seek to harm you. He may have felt a spark of interest in you, attraction, a draw even, but nothing more. But it would explain why he has been more uptight lately and restless. At present, Mac is going through…issues.”
“That’s why he tossed the guild’s logistics accounts on the conference room floor the other day and set them alight?” Visij glared, crossing thick arms over a broad chest. “Because let me tell you, I was a breath away from taping his mouth shut when he started the slurs against our soldiers—”
“He is frustrated and angry. And he was right. Your guild soldiers feel they have magic and can open portals so do not need to train. The Alliance is paying for their training. Macario brought up the fact there were issues in three different meetings and was ignored. Emile is now working to convince Mac there will be changes made because he has refused to work for the Alliance again.”
“I’ll look into the soldiers training, and if there is a discrepancy, I’ll deal with it.” Lieutenant Visij growled. “I will be watching how he interacts with Fale though—”
“He’s my mate.” Fale felt a well of confusion swell up inside him, not liking the how Lieutenant Visij spoke of Mac. He guessed it was the way of mates. The need to protect, take care, and defend was ingrained in paranormals.
Prince Caspar stepped close and rested a hand on Fale’s shoulder. “As I have discovered, young fae, being mates does not necessarily precipitate a happy union. Mates are fated, our souls are matched. But that does not mean we are perfect and do not have concerns, hurts, and are without problems. It is up to mates to make a relationship work.”
“The big guy’s right.” Luka was sitting on the table texting, pink tongue poking out as he concentrated. “You want Macario, do something about it.”
Fale hadn’t been around his leader and mate, nor their other mate, during his brief time here in Milson Valley, but he’d heard about their relationship. Prince Cas was powerful and a great leader with two mates, both of which were a little reluctant at the beginning of their mateship. Luka apparently bolted the moment he scented Cas. While it may not have been a joyful beginning, that swiftly changed apparently, and they were extremely happy in their triad now.
What both Cas and Luka said made sense. If Fale wanted his mate, he might just have to work for Mac’s attention and love. Fale wasn’t usually aggressive, so he wouldn’t be taking that approach, but he remembered while they were in the massage room that Mac was a little aroused nearly the entire time, as was Fale, and the man made a point of reassuring Fale at one stage. That had to mean Mac wasn’t indifferent to him, right?
Or at the very least, Mac was a caring guy and might not boot Fale out the moment he found out they were mates.
Lifting his chin, Fale nodded. “Okay, yes, I should speak to Mac.”
“I would, he’s hot. I’ve always liked smart guys and have a real weakness for red heads. They’ve got the most sensitive skin—”
“Luka!” Cas snarled.
Luka looked up from his phone, hazel eyes wide with confusion. “What?”
“Tudor’s right, you have no damn idea!” Cas grabbed his mate, tossing Luka over his shoulder. “Good luck with your mate, Fale. Vis, I expect to be kept informed every step of the way and Fale is to return to the guild four times a week for training and mingling. Eber, I expect my fae to be protected and cared for.”
“Oh, believe me, he will be.”
Okay, that sounded a touch ominous rather than reassuring.
Fale gulped. He could do this, he had to. He wanted his mate.
Chapter Four
“You’re going to eat all that?”
“Yeah.”
Considering the pile of food spread across the kitchen table and the size of the man who claimed he could eat it all, Mac had serious doubts. Then again, he’d seen how much food Ran Markson, his brother Vicus’ mate, could put away. Still, there was no way he could get through all that, and when did Ran eat sushi?
“They’re mine.” Jayce took a seat at the table. “And River is having the mushroom and truffle risotto.”
Mac stepped out of the way as his third eldest brother, River, pulled out a seat at the table.
“Join us,” River offered.
Ran, meanwhile, was sucking spaghetti down like he’d been starved for a month. That wasn’t unusual. Since Ran and Deakin Myers mated Vicus, Mac had watched Ran eat like he was starving. It was because Ran’s wolf spirit had been ill. Thankfully, the young wolf shifter was recovering, though he had suffered a minor setback a few weeks ago and since was always ravenous again. Lacy said it was because Ran needed to rebuild his strength and his body required replenishing.
As Mac was a little hungry, he pulled up a chair and took a plate from the stack at the end of the table and cutlery off a tray. There were two salads, one pasta and one Greek, the risotto River didn’t look like he’d share, the spaghetti, sushi, soup, and a big hearty chicken cacciatore. Grabbing a warmed roll and laving it with butter, he next scooped out a generous portion of chicken cacciatore onto his plate.
“Any news on Trent Sanchez?” Jayce asked River.
“The Croggen’s have narrowed in. Shouldn’t be long now.”
Trent Sanchez, a Commander for the Alliance, had taken off without warning a few weeks ago and as he was high on the Renegade list for capture, the Alliance, Sanchez’s, and others were hunting the creature down.
“Well, that’s good news.” Jayce sighed. “I wouldn’t mind a holiday. We could go to the Alps again.”
“Soon. Now isn’t the best time, too many Renegades and Hunters causing a stir,” River commented. “What are your plans this afternoon, Ran?”
“Napping. Shifting. Watching a movie.” Ran frowned at Jayce. “We could swim if you want.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jayce said without enthusiasm.
Mac felt for his second youngest brother being cooped up at the Estate all the time. As Jayce was a male siren, a creature so rare he may act
ually be only one in existence, it made Jayce a target for Hunters, Renegades, and any freak out there. Because of this, Jayce was kept secret and hidden here. At least Mac got to go out and mingle, even if it was with a tracking device attached to him and four bodyguards.
“I’ve got an idea.” Mac held up a finger as Jayce immediately opened his mouth. “Let me finish this and get everything ready. An hour—make it two.”
“Okay, but if you can’t do it, or get too tired, I can watch a movie with Ran and have a swim.”
Mac shrugged. “Sure, if you like—”
“What?!” Jayce exclaimed, tossing a chopstick at Mac. “I didn’t mean that.”
Laughing, Mac tossed the chopstick back and continued eating. Jayce didn’t ask for much, so none of them minded coming up with ideas to entertain him. Three weeks ago, Lacy had a witch friend come over and turned their indoor pool into a beach with surf, sand, and buried treasure that Jayce had to find. What none of them had realized were the traps until Blahz had fallen into a pit full of spiders. After that, they’d taken the treasure hunt much more seriously.
There was no way Mac could come up with that type of adventure in two hours, but he could pull off something to make Jayce laugh.
River, who was a lawyer, told them about a case he finished last week and had them all laughing at the antics of a marketing executive who set up a screening for a potential client and got the recording mixed up with one from the executive’s private stash. He ended up showing a short film of himself strutting his stuff as a cabaret singer wearing only feathers. He was, of course, fired and was now suing his old boss for unfair dismissal.
As soon as Mac finished his meal, he cleared his section of the table, put everything in the dishwasher, and rushed away to put his plans into action.
It turned out to take an hour and a half. A lot of people owed him favors and with the aid of his friends Oliver, Mikey, and Ned, who he wasn’t sure actually helped, it didn’t look half bad. Not great mind you, and that’s where Mac’s brother Vinn came in. Vinn was a demon and great mechanically. He had Vinn lug in lights and the machine he’d badgered one of the people who owed him a favor to drop off over to the treed area of the Estate.
Set on five acres, the Aston Estate was surrounded by a high brick wall that was protected with reinforced steel and nasty ass demon magic. Not long ago, the gates were rammed and Renegades managed to get onto the Estate grounds, so Eber and Vinn had new gates specially made. These were huge, bullet and ram proof. The large mansion they called home was toward the front of the grounds along with a small building that housed four apartments, a security building with bunk rooms, and the large garage. There was also an indoor pool and gymnasium area that could be accessed via underground tunnels. That left about two acres. This space was mostly grass and trees and deliberately left that way as most of the family were paranormals. Layke and Lacy grew select herbs for their witch and wizard potions in a tidy patch to the side. The shifters liked to run around the grass and trees, and Mac liked to lie out there in the sun occasionally.
Though he couldn’t shift, he still held an affinity for outdoors…just not deep jungles and forests.
“Welcome to join us,” Mac said to his friends.
Mikey, a part-time actor and model, grimaced. “Not my scene. Have fun.”
“I would, but I have an appointment in forty minutes.” Oliver said. “I wish the secretary would stop booking me late in the afternoon, I never get out of there until after eight these days.”
“It’s because you turned her down,” Ned commiserated. “I’d stay but I have a date, and it’s going to take me hours to get this mud from beneath my fingernails.”
With his friends trooping off under Vinn’s watchful eyes—the big demon was always alert, even with those he trusted—Mac changed into the suit he’d rented.
“These are a good idea.” Vinn ran a hand over the suit material.
“Much easier to clean mud and grime off these than leather. The guy I rented these from said if I want there’s a buy option.”
Quad bike riding was a fun past-time most of the family participated in and enjoyed from time to time, but they did it away from the Estate. Now, Mac had set up a mud-soaked, hilly, obstacle-ridden track in the two and a half acres of tree area.
Vicus, the deadly Avenger, looked perplexed as he joined them. “Why?”
“Because Jayce needs something fun to do.” Mac grinned.
Vicus smiled. That was all that was needed to be said. Mac hurried off inside and found Jayce lying upside down in the games room on one of the sofas, drinking from a straw.
“Okay, we’re ready. Come on, Ran. Deakin, you will probably want to go do a bit of OCD sorting or some shit like that.”
Deakin narrowed his soft blue eyes on Mac. “I know what needs sorting, Macario Aston!” The mostly human, part sprite stabbed a finger in the air. “Your office!”
“How the hell did you get in my office?” Mac asked, alarmed. “Eber confiscated the master keys you had. My office is restricted—”
“Your office looks like a natural disaster happened right in that very room!” Deakin’s blond hair began to stand on end. “It’s an abomination! But I can fix it, don’t you worry—”
“Layke!” Mac called desperately.
“He’s not here.” Ran was edging away from his mate, eyes glued to Deakin’s hair that was standing straight up and waving about. “Let’s go, Jayce, quick.”
By the time he finished threatening Deakin and knowing the bugger would end up in Mac’s office tidying it, everyone else was outside, and Jayce was already suited up, goggles and helmet on, ready to go. Mac quickly grabbed a paintball gun, extra paintballs, and secured his quad bike. Jayce selected who he wanted for his team, which didn’t include Mac, but did have Vinn and Ran. Vicus would be the impartial umpire and Mac was on the same team as River and Blazh.
He was on the losing team. Blazh was hopeless on a quad, and though River was a great driver, he wasn’t a great shot. Mac was competitive, it was the lion in him, so he wouldn’t give in easily.
For the next hour they had fun roaring through the mud and hilly tracks Mac set up, swerved around trees and shot at each other. Blazh was out after only fifteen minutes, Vicus swooping in before Blazh slammed his quad bike into a tree. Ran was next to go five minutes later, Mac getting the wolf as Ran got stuck in a mud trench. River lasted longer than Mac expected, probably because they were all having fun skidding through mud and trying to get their quads in the air off the hills.
River ended up in a ditch when Vinn pounded him with paintballs, which left Mac against Jayce and Vinn. They weren’t good odds, so he went on a suicide mission, driving straight for Jayce and firing. Of course, Vinn and Jayce returned fire and Mac was covered in paint and probably bruises, but he’d got them, too, so it was a win-win.
“That was awesome!” Jayce exclaimed, pulling off his helmet after parking his bike outside the garage. “Hey, I wonder who that is with Eber.”
Mac removed his helmet and goggles and glanced over to where Jayce was looking. “That’s Fale from the day spa. I wonder what he’s doing here—shit, Vinn, you need to get Jayce inside.”
No one was meant to see or scent Jayce outside those that were completely trusted, and there were only a few of those. Their brother’s life depended on keeping what he was secret and him well protected. An uncomfortable feeling spread through Mac. Eber didn’t believe in keeping important things from family, especially regarding safety, and he had told Mac a few days ago about Fale Taucher stalking him. Mac was actually surprised by that. The young fae was sweet and guileless, it didn’t fit he’d be stalking anyone. Eber bringing Fale here could mean the situation wasn’t good and Fale had to be dealt with.
Eber would do what was needed to eliminate a threat to their family, as would Lacy, Vinn, and Vicus.
And Mac, though only if absolutely necessary. Fale was not a necessary sacrifice to his family’s safety, he was positive
.
Before he could decide how to handle the situation, Vicus, Eber, and Fale had reached them. Vinn was off his quad and had placed himself between the group and Jayce, but the protective stance was ruined by Blazh excitedly jumping around. The young sprite couldn’t ever stay still.
“I am beginning to scent you, Jayce.” Vicus sniffed the air. “It is best you return inside and remove the mud. Use the lotion once you are clean.”
“Ok. Thanks for this everyone, really cheered me up.” Jayce slid off his bike and hugged Mac. “Thanks, brother.”
“Not a bother. We’ll do it again soon.” As Jayce walked away, Mac turned to his brothers curiously. “Hello, Fale.”
Fale’s handsome young face lit up. “Hi! I wasn’t sure you would remember me, Mr…err, Mac.”
Mac just smiled and looked questioningly at his brothers. “Is there a problem, Eber? I was sure you could deal with that situation we discussed without taking drastic measures. I’m sure there is another answer—”
“No need to speak in code,” Eber cut in. “I talked to Fale about his stalking, and he explained his reasons. He had a damn good reason too, Macario.”
“Oh?” Climbing off the bike, Mac undid the suit zip and shrugged it off his shoulders and down his arms. The suit had done an excellent job of keeping the mud off him and would be easy to hose off. Unlike the bikes, which were going to be a bitch.
“Yeah, a real damn good reason.” Eber grinned. “Mac, Fale’s your mate.”
Oh shit.
* * * *
Fale glanced worriedly at Eber. Mac had gone so pale his freckles were standing out amongst the few splatters of mud on his face, and he hadn’t said anything since Eber announced he was Fale’s mate a few moments ago.
The Avenger, who radiated power, stepped closer to Mac and snapped his fingers in front of his brother’s face. Oh, Mac was in shock. Fale felt a little flat over that. Mac must really not want Fale as a mate to go into shock like he had.
“Mate?” Mac finally spoke.
