“I don’t think so.” Noem’s voice was a whisper, as if he was afraid Kay was going to get angry with him because he was saying that Kay had wanted it as much as he had.
And maybe Kay had, at least unconsciously. There had obviously been consent, since Noem wouldn’t have been able to bond them otherwise, and Kay couldn’t deny that he did want a family. Seeing Troy with Aaron had driven that home, even though he hadn’t really had the time to think about it.
“I’m not angry,” he finally said.
Noem nodded. “I know. I’d be able to feel it.”
“I just have questions.”
“You can ask them.”
“We don’t have to do anything else to be mated?”
“No.”
“But we don’t have a bite to show we are.”
“No, but we have that.” Noem reached out and touched the spot that had hurt on Kay’s chest. Kay realized it was the same spot where Noem now had their initials entwined together, and he looked down at his own chest. He’d expected to see another mark, but it was still surprising.
His chest had been blank only moments before, but now there was an obvious mark on it. It could pass for a tattoo, even though it wasn’t black. It was a few shades darker than Kay’s skin, and it was beautiful. Their initials twined together elegantly, and it wasn’t a mark Kay would be ashamed to show.
“Talk to me,” Noem said. He looked less anxious, but Kay could still feel an undercurrent of worry coursing between them.
“I can’t say I’d have chosen to do it now if I could have, but I’m not angry with you. Like you said, you didn’t do it on purpose, and we both know it would have happened sooner or later. It’s sooner than we thought, but it’s all right.”
“So you’re okay with it. You’re sure?”
“Yes. Come on, tell me what you can feel coming from me.”
Noem hummed as he focused. “Surprise, but it’s fading. A bit of worry. Hope. Satisfaction. I think you’re still riding your afterglow, even after this conversation.”
Kay laughed and reached for Noem. He pulled him close, something he’d been dying to do ever since they’d both come and Noem had fled the bed.
He kissed Noem’s hair and buried his nose in it. “We hadn’t planned this, but we’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.”
“We will. What do we do now, though?”
Noem pressed his face against Kay’s neck and Kay could feel the smile on his face. “We could move you in here. If you want. I mean, I know you haven’t exactly moved in, and you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but you’ve been living next door from me for a week and it’s been hell knowing you were so close, yet so far.”
“I might as well have moved in. You’re right, I haven’t been home much in this past week. It would be ridiculous to continue paying rent, right?”
“Yes, and you don’t have to move in my room. You can keep the one next door, really.”
Kay laughed again. “I don’t want to keep that one.” He didn’t know why mating with Noem was making him so happy. He hadn’t expected it, hadn’t thought he wanted it, but he loved it. He loved the feeling of Noem in his head, small and unobtrusive, yet present if Kay needed him. Which reminded him... “What’s up with the mind talking anyway?”
Chapter Seven
Noem hummed as he bounced down the stairs. Kay had stayed behind to finish getting dressed, and he’d told Noem to go ahead, since he wanted to see if Troy was still in his room before coming down to dinner. Noem was too hungry to wait, so he’d left, but not before making out with Kay for another ten minutes.
He almost couldn’t believe Kay wasn’t angry with him. He really hadn’t meant to mate them, but he’d done it, and it hadn’t been what Kay wanted. Well, not really. He might have wanted it unconsciously, but he’d never said that. Actually, he’d said the opposite. He’d wanted to wait, and Noem had expected him to be angry, but he hadn’t been, and things were as close to perfect as they could be between them.
“What happened to make you so happy? Did we beat the hunters while I wasn’t looking? Did the humans decide we’re god and they’re worshiping us?”
Noem snorted. “You, a god? We’d all die.”
Nysys grinned. “Maybe the god of chaos. That’d be neat.”
“And it would fit you perfectly.”
Nysys waved, and Noem noticed he was holding a still intact donut. Noem’s stomach growled and Nysys narrowed his eyes at him, looking suspicious. “What?” Noem asked.
“I’m not giving you my donut.”
“I didn’t ask for it.”
“But I saw you looking at it. You want it. It looks good, huh? Tasty.” He licked his lips. “Mmm, it’s going to be so good.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I do my best.”
“I’m sure I can get a donut somewhere.”
Nysys grinned. “Nope. This was the last one.”
“Oh?”
“Yep. Nicky kept it just for me.”
Noem frowned. “I thought the two of you were still fighting. Don’t you hate each other?”
“Nah. We’re just playing around.”
“So you weren’t really angry when he locked that collar around your neck?”
“Of course I was. I wanted to kill him, but I couldn’t shimmer over to André’s parents’ house.”
“And now you’re suddenly best friends.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Don’t you think it’s weird?”
“Hello? You do know who you’re talking to, right?
“Right. Of course. What was I thinking.” Noem’s stomach growled again and Nysys moved his donut away. Noem rolled his eyes. “Just eat the damn thing if you really think I’m going to steal it.”
Nysys grinned and raised the donut. “You’re right.” He bit almost half of it off with his first bite and started chewing. He froze, his eyes wide, his mouth slowly opening. Noem took a step away, because whatever was happening, it couldn’t be good, since Nysys hadn’t swallowed yet.
A piece of donut fell from Nysys’ mouth and Noem grimaced. “Seriously? You’re a pig.”
Nysys handed Noem the rest of the donut, and no matter how good it looked, Noem had no intention of eating it. Nysys spat the donut in his mouth in his hand, sputtering and swearing in between. “That bastard! I’m going to kill him. Ugh. I’m going to kill him slowly and painfully, and nothing anyone might say will matter. He needs to pay. So nasty. Who would do that to a defenseless donut?”
Noem was pretty sure he’d regret it, but he needed to know. “What happened?”
Nysys’ head snapped toward him. “What happened? What happened? Nicky happened, that’s what! He filled to donut with mayonnaise!”
Noem pressed his lips together, but he couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from twitching. Nysys’ eyes narrowed, and Noem raised his hands. “I had nothing to do with this. In fact, I told you it was weird and you didn’t listen to me.”
“You should have tried to stop me anyway!”
“As if you’d have listened to me. Please.”
Nysys opened his mouth to answer, but Isaiah came out of the hallway where the infirmary was and headed for the front door. He paused when he saw Noem standing there and nodded at him. “I was looking for you,” he said.
Noem handed the donut back to Nysys even though Nysys tried to push it away. “Why? Something happened? Is someone hurt?”
“No, but there’s someone at the door for you.”
Noem frowned. All his friends lived with the pride, and the few who didn’t had no problem shimmering in when they wanted because they’d lived there once. “Who?”
“Your father.”
Noem blinked. “My father?”
“Yeah. You should probably open the door.”
Noem shook his head. “No.”
Isaiah arched a brow. “No? You don’t want to see him?�
�
“No.”
Someone knocked on the door and Noem jerked toward the sound. He was sweating, even though he knew the pride wouldn’t allow him to be taken away. That didn’t mean he wanted to be called names and threatened, though. He’d had enough of that when he was younger.
There was another knock, and Isiah looked at Noem with worry. “Look, you can leave if you want, but someone has to open the door.”
Noem nodded. He started to turn around when Nysys grabbed the donut from his hand and shimmered away, only to shimmer back seconds later.
Then Noem was in front of his father.
He looked older. Noem hadn’t seen him in a few years, and even though Nix aged as slowly as shifters did, the time had taken its toll. Or maybe it had been his father’s decisions that were coming back to haunt him, but Noem wouldn’t swear on that. He didn’t think the man regretted anything, not even because it had cost him his son.
“Noem,” his father said.
Noem couldn’t run away anymore. “Father.”
“It took me a while to find you.”
“That was intentional.”
Noem’s father looked at Nysys. He didn’t even bother trying to hide his grimace, and Noem bristled. Nysys was one of his best friends, no matter how he looked or the way he behaved. He might be weird, but he was a good man, and he’d saved Noem from a future he hadn’t wanted.
“I suppose you’re here to take me home,” he told his father, getting his attention away from Nysys.
“Yes. It’s time you stropped behaving like a child having a tantrum. I gave you two years, but now it’s time to come home and take your place.”
Noem snorted. “My place.”
“As the future tribe leader.”
Nysys shot Noem a surprised glance. Noem hadn’t really talked to anyone about what had been going on with his tribe, not even to anyone in their small Nix circle. All of them already had their own problems, most of them a lot worse than Noem’s.
“You’ll have to choose someone else,” Noem said. “I’m not going to take your place. I’m a nurse, and I don’t want to get another job.”
Noem could see his father was angry from the way he pressed his lips together and tightened his hands in fists. “Being tribe leader isn’t a job. It’s what you were born for.”
Noem wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t the first time his father told him he’d been born just for this. It was why his parents hadn’t had other children—a son was more than enough, and they hadn’t bonded because they were mates or because they loved each other. They’d had to, and that would have been Noem’s fate too if he’d stayed with the tribe.
“That might be why I was born, but it’s not what I’ve decide to do with my life, Father. I’m not going anywhere. I like my job, and I like my family, the family I created for myself. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Noem.”
“Besides, I’m mated. I couldn’t very well bond with anyone to give you a grandson.”
Noem’s father was good at hiding his surprise, but Nysys wasn’t. He squeaked, and Noem patted his shoulder. Of course his father noticed, and his eyes narrowed.
“Is that who you’re mated with?”
“No. Nysys is just a friend.”
“If your mate is a woman—”
“He’s not, so don’t even think about it. I’m not coming back with you, and you can’t force me.”
“I’m your father.”
“Yes, and I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions, and I have. Goodbye, Father.”
Noem turned around. He knew his father wouldn’t change his mind.
He was surprised to see Kay standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at him with his arms crossed on his chest. He’d probably felt something was up through their bond, but he obviously hadn’t thought about using the bond to talk.
So this is my father, Noem told Kay.
Kay’s eyes widened a bit, maybe at the mind talk, but he nodded. I know.
I’m not going anywhere with him.
I heard that, and I’m proud of you.
Once Noem was close enough, Kay wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his temple. “So damn proud,” he whispered
And Noem felt free. For the first time, he’d stood up to his father. It hadn’t been hard, and his father wasn’t the threatening presence Noem had always thought he was. Not anymore.
He didn’t know how long the peace he felt would last, but it was enough for now.
About the Author
Catherine lives in Italy, country of good food and hot men. She used to write fantasy as a child, but it was reading her first gay erotic romance novel that made her realize that that was what she really wanted to write.
After graduating from college in English language and translation, she divides her day between writing, reading, taking care of her son and reading some more.
You can find her on Facebook and Twitter or on her website: authorcatherinelievens.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected]
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