by Jo Penn
“I heard of Fale’s gift via a few of my apprentices,” Mason commented, his icy blue eyes serious. “I asked Drax, my mate.” Mason smiled at Fale. “My mate is an Enforcer for the Valley. I was curious as to why a fae with your particular skill wouldn’t be advised to keep your gift private.”
Fae worried and looked to his mate. Mac smiled and gave an encouraging nod.
“Ah, well, it was probably my fault. I didn’t see my gift as anything more than a useful trick. Neither did my family or any of my old guild back in Tahiti. Lieutenant Visij brought it to Prince Casper’s attention and they made a big deal out of it.” Fale flushed. “It was really nice, but I listened and didn’t tell anyone. Though we do our training on the fae grounds, I guess anyone could have seen.” Fale frowned. “But we swear allegiance. My gift was not to be told to anyone—except mates, of course.”
So really, anyone could have told. Fale didn’t see that his gift was something the Renegades would hunt him for, but now he did.
Mac squeezed his hand. “We’re going to go ahead and blame the Renegades and Hunters. They’re the ones that force us into having to keep secrets and attack us. And maybe we’ll blame Tilla. Vinn told me she’s the one who blabbed about your gift. She saw you at training the other day when I was there and after that, everyone suddenly knew what gift you have.”
“Tilla definitely should know better. She is much older and well used to our ways, whereas Fale has just arrived from Tahiti and should have been offered her support and guidance, not jealousy and spite,” Lady Delia said with feeling. “I will speak to Drax regarding her punishment. For one, she is banned from our coven, all her privileges revoked.”
Oh wow, Lady Delia was tough, too! Fale was in awe of the woman. And he got what she said. Fale could blame himself for being naive and trusting, but Tilla would have deliberately set out to harm him.
They chatted to Lady Deliah and Mason for another twenty minutes, Fale really liking both.
When they were leaving, Lady Deliah gave him a personal tour and was stunned by his talent, telling Fale it would be a very useful gift in learning all the different herbal treatments and help with his massaging.
She also gave him a gift bag and hugged Macario, murmuring she was so sad to learn he was ill and very happy he’d found his mate and would be with them for a long time to come.
Layke was waiting at the entrance and was again impatient to leave. Fale guessed that was just the way the wizard was. Tobias was driving them with another bodyguard, Molly, riding shotgun. Fale, though, was only interested in Macario. He thanked Layke and took the bag, rattling it.
“When we get home…” He wiggled his brows.
Mac just laughed, but coughed a little at the end. Fale instantly massaged his mate’s left arm. He knew his lover’s health was deteriorating in the few days he had been around Mac and wondered if his human was even up to bonding. To bond fully, they would have sex. Sure, Fale could claim Mac, but there was no guarantee this would help save Mac, particularly in this stage. Bonding, the exchange of fluids and opening oneself in acceptance, would join them completely, connecting them for all time.
So sex. Fale would say lots of sex, but that would have to wait until after his mate was better. Then Fale would be jumping Macario every opportunity he got and making as many opportunities as he could.
The Armstrong coven was a few miles outside the suburbs of Milson Valley, but it didn’t take long to hit the first set of lights. Mac had taken the tablets and slipped them into his jeans pocket, shaking his head at Fale’s antics and smiling. None of them were prepared when a bullet ricocheted off the driver’s windows.
“That’s not good,” Tobias commented. “Who’ve we pissed off lately, Molly?”
“Renegades. Hunters. HAP. Every asshole wanting to take out Avenger Vicus. Take your pick. Buckle in.” Molly glanced back at them.
Fale buckled in Mac first, then himself, Mac murmuring reassuringly the entire time, reminding Fale the windows were bulletproof, the car reinforced with magic. Layke, meanwhile, bemoaned the fact this would slow them down, and he had work to do.
“Hey, look!” Molly pointed upward through the front window. “It’s kids on the overpass taking pot shots at vehicles.”
“That’s a damn stupid thing to do. We’ll go up there and give them a fright,” Tobias snapped.
Though Fale was as impatient as Layke, he agreed that kids using peewee guns to shoot at cars was a terrible idea and was a deadly accident waiting to happen. They spent ten minutes telling the kids off, and Tobias took the toy gun. Back in the car, Layke announced he needed to stop for apricots and no arguing with the wizard changed his mind.
Fale wondered if he’d ever get home and get his mate into bed! Fuck, he really needed to ride his mate’s cock and bond. He wondered if Mac would considering lying back and letting Fale have his way with him. Yeah, that would be awesome.
At the fruit market, Fale and Macario trailed Layke around who annoyingly checked every single damn apricot. Fale, who wasn’t prone to violence and had a lot of patience, just wanted to throw apricots at the wizard and chase him out of the store.
“You!” A big man with a bushy beard glared at Layke. “You had security at the hospital tow my car! Do you know how much it cost me to get it out of impound? I should take it out on your hide—”
“I would suggest running along before Tobias there shoots you with his electrifying thingy,” Layke said in a bored tone.
“It’s a taser.” Tobias rolled his eyes. “But like the Doc said, beat it.”
“No! I had a right to park there! You walk around the hospital criticizing and annoying everyone. Hell, someone needs to put a bullet in your head, so you’re out of our misery!” With that said, the man pulled a gun.
“Okay, calm down,” Tobias ordered.
Macario, though, moved swiftly between his brother and the angry man with the gun. Fale very nearly had a heart attack and when Mac smiled calmly and began talking, he breathed deeply to stop from panicking. The man, though, was incised and waved the gun around while telling all the things Layke did that ticked everyone off at the hospital where they both worked. Layke rolled his eyes a few times, tutted, and said the man needed a tranquilizer.
“I’m going to shoot you in the arm! That way you can’t be a doctor anymore and will be out of my life! Now get out of the way, redhead, I don’t have a beef with you—ouch!”
Fale had enough. Grabbing a handful of oranges, he pegged them at the man. “Don’t point a gun at my mate and his brother!”
“Ow! Stop it!” The man now waved the gun at Fale. “Stop.”
Fale pegged the last orange hard and got the man in the nose. There was an audible crack when the orange impacted cartledge and the guy screamed, dropping the gun and cupping his nose. Fale winced at the gush of blood, he wasn’t too good with the sight of blood, it made him woozy. Mac kicked the gun out of the way and then hurried over to Fale and hugged him comfortingly as Tobias cuffed the man and called the cops.
“Sweetie, don’t ever do that again.”
Ooh, Fale loved the growl in his mate’s voice, and he could see the lion shifter in Mac’s eyes, how they turned animal. Seeing the passion and how authoritative Macario was turned Fale on.
“But he pointed a gun at you—”
“And then he pointed it at you!” Mac growled.
Then he was kissing Fale, and it was the hottest kiss imaginable. But then it was over, and they were being led out of the grocery store and were back in the car. Fortunately, Tobias snapped that there would be no more stops. Unfortunately, Vinn wanted a blow by blow rundown on what transpired as soon as they arrived home and went on about improved security measures. It was enough to make Fale screech he needed to get laid now!
When Layke rambled on about the man who always parked in his spot at the hospital, Fale interrupted and gave a thorough, detailed recall of what happened at the fruit market then grabbed Mac’s hand and practically dragged h
is mate to their suite. Mac didn’t protest. He did laugh, which Fale loved, but right now he was too horny to join in.
Fale didn’t care about finesse and putting on the moves, not right now, and he never cared about finesse, though his mate had it in spades. Now, right this moment, he wanted to get them both naked and the heat between them out of control. Mac seemed to want that, as well. He downed two tablets without water and tore off Fale’s shirt before doing the same to his own.
Not able to wait a moment longer, Fale jumped his mate, Mac laughing as he caught Fale in his arms and stumbled back toward the bed. They got rid of the rest of their clothes, tossing them aside.
“I love your skin,” Mac murmured, his lips trailing over Fale’s chest until he got to the right nipple and sucked it into his mouth and flicked with his tongue.
“Yeah?” Fale managed to groan, his hands reaching out to press against the headboard while his legs shifted restlessly half beneath his mate.
“Oh yeah.” Mac’s teeth teased his nipple. “Beautiful, so smooth and soft. Look at us together, my mate.”
Fale glanced down their bodies and had to agree. With his dusky skin tones and Mac’s pale complexion with a scattering of a few freckles, it was a beautiful sight. He was pleased to see his mate’s cock erect and straining.
“Fuck me!”
“Patience—”
“Next time.” Fale pulled Mac close and kissed him, showing how much he needed his mate right this second.
Thankfully, Mac got the message. He broke the kiss, got the lube and nudged Fale onto his stomach. Fale helpfully hitched his ass up and enjoyed every second of his mate carefully, but quickly, stretching him. Expecting Mac to simply take him, he was surprised when he was moved to his side, his back pressed to Mac’s front, and one leg hooked over Mac’s. His mate placed his cock at Fale’s hole and pushed in past the guardian muscle, not stopping until he hit bottom. The feel of that big cock stretching him wide, sliding along his channel, had Fale dripping precum and babbling yes yes yes.
It felt fucking fantastic!
Mac nipped Fale’s neck as he sunk his cock into him to the hilt again and again, Fale groaning, demanding Mac go harder, deeper, and with every stroke, his mate hit that bundle of nerves that had his cock twitching and leaking.
Fale had never felt anything like being with his mate. Mac was a fierce lover, but at other times, tender and sensual. He had an unerring ability to find the spot inside Fale’s channel that made him scream with pleasure and buck with every glide. He was going to come too quickly but didn’t care, so caught up in the heat between them that seemed to reach a boiling point the moment they touched, the moment they looked at each other.
Then Mac grasped Fale’s cock and brushed his thumb over the head, and he came, his balls pulling up, his body jerking as he emptied his seed over his mate’s hand and the sheets beneath them. Mac grunted and sunk surprising sharp teeth into Fale’s neck as he felt his mate coming, his hot seed filling his ass just as he came again from his mate’s claiming bite.
It was a while later before either moved. Their claiming had been the most passionate moment of Fale’s life, out of control, and it took a while to come down from the high.
“I love you, my mate,” Fale whispered.
“Love you, too, sweetie.”
Fale twitched and glanced over his shoulder. Yep, his mate was going to sleep. “Hey, wake up! We’re not finished. Our bonding is going to take all night, mate.”
“All night? That sounds fun, but I’m not sure I have enough tablets,” Mac murmured sleepily.
“Oh, you won’t need them soon, honey. We’re going to be together and in love for a very, very long time.” Fale turned over and cupped his mate’s face between his hands. He stared deeply into Mac’s blue eyes. “We are mates. Forever joined. Forever paired.”
Spoken in truth and magic, the joining words sealed them together and sunk deep inside their souls, minds, and hearts and connected them for forever. They would feel what the other felt, know what they thought and sense what was needed. Energy passed through them in a flood, knocking aside barriers and settling inside.
They lay tangled in each other’s arms, floating on the after effects of claiming and bonding.
Fale had his mate, the love of his heart, mind, and soul, and they were joined for all time. Fale snuggled close and wiped tears aside.
“Hey, why the tears?”
“I’ve never been so happy, nor felt so much,” Fale confessed.
“Neither have I. Thank you for stalking me, sweetie.”
“I didn’t! Oh, well, maybe I did.” Fale laughed. “So worth it.”
“Yeah, it was. You know, I took two pills,” Mac said just before Fale found himself face down with his mate covering him. “Ready?”
“Oh yeah,” he sighed happily.
THE END
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