Once Upon a Rainbow, Volume One

by Mickie B. Ashling

  “Another person has gone missing?” Erik asked. Alice and Craig looked up at the sound of his voice, and Alice nodded.

  “Matthew Howard, university student. His friends thought he had gone home for the weekend, and his parents thought he was still at uni, so unfortunately we have a three-day window for when he could have gone.”

  Erik looked at the photo on the board; a smiling young man looked back. He couldn’t form words. Alice rose and turned to face Erik and Noah properly.

  “Any connection to the club?”

  “Nothing yet,” Craig said as he continued to tap away at the computer.

  “So are we sure he’s even one of ours?” Erik asked.

  “Not totally.” Alice sighed. “Debrief time. I hope you’ve got something for me.” Alice gestured toward an empty desk before she grabbed the mugs off the one where she and Craig had been sitting and wandered over to the coffee machine. When she returned, she had four drinks. She held out two in offering.

  “You are a goddess,” Noah declared, snatched the drink out of her hand, and attacked the caffeine with vigor. The action broke through the somber mood, and Erik sniggered and bit his lip when Alice narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Tired?” she asked Noah with a raised eyebrow.

  “Well, I am normally in bed by ten…”

  Erik chuckled at their antics and snagged his own drink.

  “We’ll do a full breakdown in a minute, but is there anything?” Alice asked. Never mind Noah being tired, Alice sounded exhausted. Erik studied her face. There were bags and dark circles under her eyes, and her hair had been dragged back into a messy bun with loose strands where she had run her hands through them. He hadn’t realized the toll this case was taking on her.

  “Nothing concrete,” Erik admitted, getting the worst news out of the way. Alice stared at him for a minute as if she was expecting something more.

  “But?” she prompted.

  “But nothing.” Erik shrugged, letting his face carry the feelings he couldn’t put into words. Alice seemed to wilt before them.

  “Damn, we needed to find something,” she muttered under her breath. “So what actually happened?”

  “We got there, had a look around, and talked to a few people. That’s basically it.”

  “We met the owner,” Noah added. “He seemed okay.”

  “Erik?”

  “Well, he’s not shifter,” Erik confirmed. “He smelled normal, but that means nothing. Noah smells like normal human.”

  “Normal humans can be just as bad as anything else,” Alice commented. Erik half expected a “duh” from Alice. “So what about him? Did he seem dodgy?”

  “No.” Erik sighed. “He was a flirty dick, but that’s hardly an arrestable offense.”

  Alice slumped forward until her head hit the desk. She smacked her forehead down hard once.

  “That was our best lead.”

  Erik and Noah exchanged a glance. Alice sounded miserable.

  “There was one area we couldn’t visit,” Erik told her. “A VIP section.”

  Alice lifted her head just enough to look at him.

  “The owner invited us back to visit it tomorrow,” Erik said.

  Alice slumped back down. “I doubt you’ll find anything, but you better follow it up.”

  ERIK AND NOAH walked out of the building in silence. Erik’s hands itched for something to do; he was on edge, wound up too tightly as he always was after a failed op. With every hour that ticked by, the chance of finding any of the men alive decreased. The short walk drained some of the excess energy, reminding him that he was tired. Erik bit back a yawn in the sharp morning air. It was far too late to be up. The beep of the car locks opening was a noisy interruption to the otherwise quiet morning.

  Erik settled into the car and sagged in his seat before he turned on the engine. Noah was silent at his side, a comfortable kind of quiet. The radio played as soft background noise as they zipped through the city streets. The roads had never been so empty, and they arrived at Noah’s in significantly less time than the trip had taken Erik earlier. He pulled up to the curb and waited for Noah to exit.

  Noah opened the car door, shuffled out, and went to slam the door shut, but stopped at the last moment and turned back to face Erik.

  “Do you want to come in?” he offered, biting his lip. The dull buzz of exhaustion that Erik had been fighting disappeared at the thought of spending more time with Noah, and really, how was he supposed to say no when Noah did something like biting his lip?

  “Sure,” he agreed, killed the engine, and got out.

  Erik had never been inside Noah’s house before. Homes were pack land—sacred places to wolves—and Erik forgot that it wasn’t the same for people. He had never had Noah visit his home before. Noah was too smart; there was no doubt he would know exactly what that gesture of trust meant, and then Erik would have been forced to face his feelings. He had dreamed, though…

  Noah went on ahead and unlocked the front door, and then kicked his shoes into a box beside the entrance, so Erik followed suit. He wandered into the nearest open door, assuming that it was where Noah had gone.

  “Drink?” Noah called out from another room in the house. Erik forgot how to answer. Inside the club, his nose had been assaulted by the partygoers and the alcohol and the smell of sweat, and then outside, there had been the vile cigarette, but Noah’s house smelled only of Noah. It was perfect.

  “Yes please,” Erik called back a couple of beats too late.

  “What do you want and where are you?” Noah’s voice got louder as he moved through the house, looking for Erik.

  “Living room.”

  Noah’s head appeared at the door, followed by the rest of him.

  “There you are.” He placed one hand on Erik’s arm, and the touch transported Erik back to the dance floor where he had held Noah in his arms. How had he thought that being in Noah’s house would be a good idea?

  “Noah—” Erik broke off. What if he ruined everything they had? Noah stopped still and turned to face Erik, his brow furrowed with concern. Erik couldn’t think of a single thing to say, so he used his actions instead. He turned to face Noah and grabbed his hands.

  “Noah.” Erik let out a half chuckle. Noah’s eyes widened, and his face lit up with a gentle smile. “Please tell me this isn’t one-sided?”

  Noah moved closer to Erik. Unable to use his hands, he leaned against Erik’s chest in an approximation of a hug.

  “It’s not just you.”

  Erik felt the vibrations of the words against his chest and choked out a laugh.

  “Really?” He took a step back from Noah and released his arms so that he could see the expression on his face.

  Noah nodded and swallowed visibly.

  Erik launched himself forward and wrapped both arms around the smaller man. “Thank fuck!”

  They stayed lost in one another until Noah pulled away. Erik hated the distance.

  “What happens now?” Noah’s gaze had turned downward as he asked, his voice quiet. Erik hated that the physical distance was becoming a metaphorical one too, so he closed the space between them and wrapped his arms back around Noah.

  “Now?” he asked. “Now we go and put a film on and cuddle on the couch.”

  Noah stayed where he was but leaned back to study Erik’s face. Erik didn’t know what he was searching for, but he seemed to find it because he nodded and grabbed Erik’s hand to lead him to sit.

  There might have been a film playing on the TV, but Erik wouldn’t have noticed. He couldn’t have even said if the screen was turned on. All of his focus was concentrated on the beautiful man he was holding in his arms. Making himself at home, Erik had lain across the sofa and pulled Noah on top so that they were curled up together. They were really cuddling. Erik had only ever imagined that he might get to hold Noah in his arms one day. He was afraid to close his eyes in case it all disappeared. Noah was half sprawled across him, and the feel of a solid body on top of
his own was amazing. Erik’s wolf was dancing joyous circles in his head; Noah was finally his. Spending an evening together, cuddling on the sofa—this was not a one-off. This was something that they could do every day in future if they wanted.

  “What you thinking about?” Noah murmured, staring into Erik’s eyes from his position atop him. Erik looked up at the face that had captivated him, but it wasn’t just Noah’s looks. It was his mind that had kept his attention even longer. Erik couldn’t stop the smile that burst onto his lips.

  “You,” Erik said. “Us.”

  Noah laughed, a bright sound backed with a smile that lit up his whole face. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah.” Erik twisted so that he could reach Noah’s face and trailed his hand down Noah’s cheek in a gentle caress. “We’re both really here, really together.”

  The floppy smile that Noah gave made Erik’s heart tighten more than it should for someone he had been together with for less than a day. Time wouldn’t change anything between the two, though. Erik’s heart and wolf had chosen long ago.

  Noah ran his tongue across his lips, and Erik realized that he had been staring at Noah’s mouth.

  “May I kiss you?”

  Noah opened his mouth and then shut it and nodded vigorously, his eyes crinkling with happiness. Erik leaned forward and pressed his lips against Noah’s. The kiss was soft and gentle, an affirmation of affection between two people. Noah’s lips were slightly chapped, but the flaw only served to make everything seem more real to Erik and infinitely better than anything he had ever imagined.

  “I never thought I would get to kiss you,” Erik said, before going in for a second kiss and then a third. Noah shook his head when Erik finally let him breathe. “Not for real.”

  “I thought I had the most unattainable crush,” Noah admitted.

  “Then I guess we’re both lucky,” Erik declared. Noah laughed again, and Erik promised himself that he would try to hear that sound every day from now on.

  Though they battled the exhaustion, Noah let a few yawns escape, and his head was heavier on Erik’s shoulder. The clock showed that it was nearing 5:00 a.m., but neither of them wanted to break the perfect moment. It tore Erik apart that he had to leave and go back to reality, but there was still a case to solve and he wanted to catch Silas at the office before they went back to the club.

  “I ought to go,” he forced himself to say.

  Noah’s smile dropped and his expression twisted into a frown as he considered the clock.

  “Do you have to?”

  Erik nodded. “We still have to visit Gingerbread tomorrow night, and I want to pop in during the day to talk to Silas about the newest missing kid.”

  Noah pouted as he glanced at the clock, as if he could change the numbers it displayed by sheer force of will.

  “You could stay the night?” he suggested. “Just to sleep?”

  Erik took one look at the eager expression on Noah’s face. He was fucked. He would never be able to say no to Noah again.

  “All right then, mister, but no funny business,” he teased. “Take me to bed.”

  Chapter Four

  AT SOME POINT in the night, Noah had decided that Erik was his teddy bear and wrapped his arms around Erik’s middle. Lost in slumber, Noah looked even younger with an astounding innocence. Erik shifted so he could run his hands through the soft strands of Noah’s hair. He wanted to do it every night. The repetitive motion was soothing, and Erik drifted back off to sleep.

  The feel of someone staring woke Erik for the second time. Noah was awake and watching him with a content smile.

  “Morning,” Noah whispered. Noah had moved slightly away from Erik so that they were no longer touching. The loss of closeness made Erik grumble and move nearer to his boyfriend. He pressed against the length of Noah and inhaled sharply when he realized why Noah had moved away. The sharp scent of arousal was further proof of the hardness that Erik had felt.

  “Is this for me?” Erik purred, more cat than wolf, pushing his hips into Noah’s erection.

  Noah flushed. “I do have a gorgeous man in my bed.”

  Erik let out a little growl of approval before panic erupted. Noah knew that he was a wolf, but that wasn’t the same as knowing. What if the proof of his shifter nature was too much for the other man? Noah grabbed his hand and rubbed his face against it affectionately. Erik dared scent the air. Noah was more turned on, not less. He breathed out a sigh of relief and dropped a kiss on Noah’s head. Noah gave a cheeky little grin and began to run his hands down Erik’s chest. The touch bordered between sensual and ticklish, and Erik didn’t realize what Noah was doing until Noah changed the path of his hands and tickled him under the arm.

  “You brat!” Erik did not shriek. Grown men were not ticklish. He flipped himself over so that he loomed above Noah and launched an offensive of his own. Noah squirmed and squealed at a pitch that Erik hadn’t thought possible past puberty.

  “Please,” Noah begged. “Please stop.”

  Erik pretended to think about it while he continued to run his fingers along the sensitive skin of Noah’s side as he wriggled in a most enticing way.

  “What do I get out of it?”

  Noah let out a breathless laugh. “A kiss?”

  Erik pulled a face. “Is that all?”

  Noah pouted, barely holding back the laughter that was threatening to erupt.

  “You don’t want a kiss from me?”

  Erik stilled his hands and scrunched his nose up.

  “You’ve got me wrapped around your little finger already,” he accused before he leaned over and took the offered kiss.

  Where their kisses the night before had been chaste and full of love, this morning’s were playful with a hint of mischief. Erik nipped at Noah’s lips, exploring his mouth as if the taste was the best delicacy he had ever had and he wanted to chase every last drop of the flavor. When they finally had to pull away for air, Noah let out a low moan that warmed Erik’s blood. He held his hand just above the skin of Noah’s chest.

  “May I?”

  Rather than answering with words, Noah pushed into him. This time, Erik used his fingers to feel the shift of muscles in Noah’s chest, and Noah began his own tentative exploration in return.

  Erik moved closer so that he could trail his mouth along the skin. He sucked a bruise into Noah’s shoulder, a temporary mark that would have to be enough until they were ready to consider bonding for real. Noah shuddered under his touch. Erik moved lower until he reached a nipple. He gave it a quick nip that had Noah gasping before continuing his journey. He hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Noah’s boxers, and when Noah nodded, he pulled them down. Noah’s erection sprang up, looking awfully neglected. Noah’s own exploration seemed to speed up at that point as if it had only just dawned on him that he could touch Erik, that he could see all of him. Noah turned away for a moment and rummaged in a draw at the side of the bed before retrieving lube.

  “Good plan.” Erik grabbed the bottle from him. He poured some onto his hand and reached for Noah’s dick as he kissed him. Noah bucked into the touch.

  “Erik…” The thought trailed off as Erik sped up his movements.

  “This hardly seems fair,” Noah grumbled. He snatched the lube from the side of the bed where Erik had abandoned it and reached for Erik’s dick.

  Erik groaned at the feel of Noah on him. Noah was perfect, and he couldn’t wait to do everything with him. Noah sped up his motion in retaliation, and Erik gasped as he came over Noah’s hand. He focused his efforts on bringing Noah to completion, and Noah came with a strangled cry. They cleaned up and lay back down to enjoy the afterglow.

  “You’re amazing,” Erik whispered as they cuddled.

  Noah propped himself up on his elbows to face Erik. “You’re sappy,” Noah teased, leaning his head on Erik’s chest to go back to sleep.

  THEY RESURFACED AT midday, only waking to silence grumbling stomachs. Breaking the peace they had settled into was the most di
fficult thing Erik had ever done.

  “I should see if there’s any updates on the case,” he said, half hoping that Noah would argue or pout or make him feel guilty about leaving, but that wasn’t Noah.

  “Don’t you mean we?” Noah asked pointedly. “I am on this investigation too.” The knot that Erik’s conscience had tied itself into loosened.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “That’s what I meant.”

  THE BUSTLE OF the night before hadn’t faded, only increased. Alice was nowhere to be seen, and Craig was staring at a screen as usual.

  “Didn’t your mom teach you that staring at screens gives you square eyes?”

  Craig stuck his middle finger up in greeting. Noah shook his head at their antics before disappearing off to his own department, saying something about wanting to check some records. Erik wandered over to Craig and opened his mouth to ask where everyone was.

  “Alice is with the Dragon, and Silas is interviewing the last kid’s friend.”

  Erik closed his mouth without saying a word. Obviously, he was getting a bit predictable. Erik turned to walk away; as he took the first step, Craig muttered loudly.

  “You’re welcome, Craig. Thanks for letting me know.”

  Erik shot back a middle finger to the sound of laughter.

  ERIK CORRECTLY DEDUCED that Silas would be in the casual interview room. The age of the kid who was with the empath took him aback. Erik didn’t think he would have placed him at eighteen. He watched the two interact.

  “Would you like a drink?” Silas offered the kid. There were bags under Silas’s eyes and a frown line that only appeared when he was feeling strained. Erik had no idea how Silas coped working on cases like these. At one point, Erik had thought that an empath on the team would make finding the perpetrators easy. After all, he could just sense their guilt or pride, but that had been a naïve assumption. Everyone felt guilty for different reasons. The kids who hadn’t noticed their housemate was missing? They felt guilty. The mom who had thought her kid was at his house? She felt guilty. It was all guilt, but none of it meant they were necessarily guilty.