by Toni Griffin
Archie didn't think he'd mind working so much if he had someone to come home to. What he wanted more than anything was to fall in love and live with someone, not like how he currently lived with Amal. He wanted to wake up held in someone else's arms every morning, to share their life's burdens together instead of dealing with them all by himself. He even thought he'd look forward to the mundane things like cleaning and going grocery shopping if he had someone by his side.
Archie sighed. His mind always started to wander to the future, and the big what if's of his life when he got overtired. As his life stood right now, Archie doubted he'd find his prince charming anytime soon. He didn't have the time or the spare money to go out drinking and dancing in the hopes of meeting anyone, let alone date someone enough to get to that point in a relationship.
One day, he kept telling himself over and over. One day it would happen. Right now, all he could think about was getting home and crawling into bed.
Chapter Six
Archie hadn't walked more than roughly a block when the hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. The creepiest feeling made Archie want to check behind him, and he didn't like it one little bit. Archie looked around, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary or anyone following him.
It took effort to stop himself from breaking out into a run. Instead, Archie quickened his pace. The bad feeling cemented itself inside his gut, but after looking around once more and not seeing anything, he put it down to how tired he felt.
The breeze picked up, and a few locks of Archie's light brown hair flew across his face and obscured his vision. Just as Archie reached up to tuck the hair behind his ear, an arm wrapped around his waist and another came up and covered his mouth with a cloth.
Archie struggled. He scratched and clawed at the man's arms, desperate to loosen the hold the man had on him, but to no avail. Archie's arms quickly lost their strength, and his body went boneless as a horrible smell finally permeated his distraught thoughts.
Whoever was behind him started to drag him back the way he had just walked.
Archie fought his eyes closing. He didn't long to fall asleep anymore. Someone trying to take him couldn't be for a good reason, no one ever got kidnapped for fun. Archie didn't want to die.
Just as he started to lose the battle, his eyes closing, Archie saw two of the largest dogs he'd ever seen racing toward him. He thought his mind might be fracturing under the pressure since dogs that big didn't exist, then his world went black.
* * * * *
Adze and Oriax ended up with the northeast section of the city as their hunting grounds, anything above Elizabeth Street was theirs to patrol. Adze knew it would be just about impossible for the pair of them to cover every inch of their ground, but they would get as much of it as they safely could.
Daevas and Nicor were searching between William Street and Elizabeth, and Cacus and Pyro had everything south-west of William, including the Docklands. If they didn't find anything by next week, then they would expand into Southbank, North Melbourne, and Carlton before expanding their search even further.
When Adze and Oriax turned down Swanston Street, it seemed to be far emptier of night life than it usually was, making Adze think maybe the population was actually taking the police warning to heart.
Not many people out tonight. Oriax noted.
Nope, makes things a hell of a lot easier for us. Hopefully, it'll stay this way come the weekend too, Adze replied.
True that!
They didn't have to slink through the shadows quite as much when there weren't people out and about.
Thankfully the weather had cooled down, not like Perth the last few days, it had been bloody hot over there. The breeze felt wonderful flowing through his thick black coat.
Adze stopped suddenly when he felt the familiar tugging in his head announcing a nephilim was close by. Surely, he couldn't be that lucky to find the guy they were looking for on their first night out. He watched as a moment later Oriax stopped too. Adze concentrated until he could clearly feel the pull, then took off. He had no idea if it was the one they were after or if there was a second nephilim terrorising their city. Either way, if Adze could scent the darkening of their souls, then they had to be taken out.
This way, he said, knowing Oriax was right behind him.
As they raced through the streets, Adze didn't care if anyone saw them or not. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he needed to reach the nephilim soon or something worse than usual would happen. Adze couldn't fully explain the feeling, but it gnawed at his gut. Dread settled over him, causing Adze to stumble before he caught his footing once again and quickened his pace.
Lonsdale Street, between Russell and Exhibition, Adze sent out to the other four hounds. He doubted they would get there in time, but at least he would know back up was on the way.
Be there as quick as we can, Cacus answered for him and Pyro.
On our way, Nicor said right after.
Adze and Oriax came 'round the corner onto Lonsdale Street, and his eyes immediately zeroed in on the nephilim three blocks away trying to pull a young man toward a parked car. Even from this distance, Adze met the man's gaze, and he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He watched as the struggling guy's eyes fell closed and didn't reopen again. He could clearly see a white cloth covering the man's mouth.
Adze howled and continued to race toward the nephilim, wanting the guy's head on a fucking platter for daring to touch his Cor Coeunt, his heart mate. The nephilim heard his howl and glanced around frantically, his gaze zeroing in on Adze and Oriax as they charged him. The nephilim must have realized he was out of time as it was taking too long to drag his victim to the car, he swore loudly and pushed his mark away.
Adze watched in horror as his mate crashed to the ground, unconscious, his head making one hell of a noise as it connected with the pavement beneath him.
Bates, Adze was sure that was who they'd found, left his quarry and raced to his car. Free of his burden, his increased speed due to his heritage, allowing Bates to reach the vehicle well before Adze and Oriax could have cornered him. Adze wasn't stupid enough to try and take the nephilim on with only Oriax at his side. Their last nephilim case had been a good reminder, and Pyro and Oriax had taken a long time to heal up.
Nephilim were a bitch to take on, some more than others, but they needed at least four hounds to attempt to kill one.
Just as Adze and Oriax arrived at the unconscious man, Bates's car engine revved. The nephilim pulled away, tires squealing as he took off in the opposite direction.
Did you get the license plate? asked Adze, distracted as he padded up next to the man on the ground.
The smell of blood mixed together with the foul odour of chloroform. Adze's hackles rose as he bared his teeth and growled at the gall of the nephilim. He bent down and started to lick at the small wound on the guy's head that seemed to be continuously bleeding. Head wounds always did bleed like a bitch.
Yeah, man, I got the plate.
Adze nodded worriedly as he watched his unconscious mate closely. He sighed in relief when he finally saw the wound start to knit itself back together. He'd never been so thankful for the healing abilities in their saliva before.
Adze sat down on the ground next to the young man and just stared at his beauty. His soft light brown hair had blood matted in it, and the man's white shirt looked like it had either been ripped in the struggle or when he'd hit the ground. Adze didn't know which. His expression was soft, almost as if he was in a peaceful sleep. Adze had seen the guy's green eyes at a distance. He wondered if they would be a rich emerald or a soft matte grassy green or maybe even the colour of jade.
The man's scent was driving Adze crazy. The rich aroma seemed to burrow deep under his skin and take up residence. Adze sat and stared in awe at the man lying on the pavement. He had been taught about mates years ago. They all had been.
But as mates were such a rare and precious commodity, Adze had never once in his life thought h
e would find his own. When he had come around that corner and laid eyes on the man Bates had been trying to kidnap, Adze had trouble believing what he was seeing. He felt the instant connection snap between them.
Adze's insides had felt like they'd been put through the blender and his emotions seemed to be all over the place. Confusion, elation, anger and downright joy all mixed together as he'd chased down the nephilim trying to take away his mate.
Now as he looked at the man passed out on the street, all those emotions still swirled within him, and Adze really didn't have any idea what the hell he was supposed to do with a mate.
Moments later he felt the pull of his pack mates as they all raced around the corner, heading in the direction of where he and Oriax sat. They came to a screeching halt when they noticed the man on the ground.
He doesn't look much like a nephilim. His aura's wrong, Nicor said as he took a step closer.
Adze bared his teeth and growled. Nicor stopped in his tracks and tilted his head to the side in confusion. Adze didn't like the thought of anyone confusing his mate with one of those creatures. He's not. The nephilim took off in a car when he saw us coming for him.
Then who the hell is this guy? Pyro asked.
My Cor Coeunt. Those words said it all as far as Adze was concerned, nothing else needed to be added.
The rest of the pack seemed to have been struck dumb by his pronouncement.
Oriax, could you please race back home and grab our bags with the clothes. I can't exactly walk through the streets of Melbourne naked carrying an unconscious man.
On it. Oriax took off in the direction of their apartment. Thankfully it wasn't too far away and shouldn't take Oriax too long. They always left the apartment as human and returned the same way. They stashed their clothes in carry bags in a nearby alley and shifted there where they couldn't be seen.
Adze shifted back to human. He lifted the unconscious man into his arms and made his way into an alley, where they could wait in the dark for Oriax to return without worrying about someone stumbling across them. His pack mates all stood around him, on guard, in case the nephilim returned. Adze stood transfixed by the man in his arms, he couldn't take his eyes off him. Soft cheekbones, pouty lips, and long lashes, Adze couldn't wait to be properly introduced to his Cor Coeunt. He had no idea how long Oriax had been gone, but he was gently shaken from his reverie of his mate to the sight of a dressed Oriax holding out the bag to him.
"Let me hold him for a moment so you can dress," Oriax said.
Adze growled. He didn't like the thought of anyone else putting their hands on his Cor Coeunt.
Oriax shook his head. "Don't be a stubborn idiot. You have to dress so we can head home. I brought the car back with me, but you still need clothes. There's security cameras in the building, you know this."
Adze did know, but it didn't make him want to hand his mate over anymore.
Oriax sighed. "The sooner we do this the sooner we can get him home where it's safe."
Safe. Now that rang a bell in Adze's currently scrambled brain. Safe, he needed his Cor Coeunt to be safe. Reluctantly he handed him to Oriax, who held him carefully. Adze bent and opened the backpack rifling through until he found his clothes.
When they were going hunting, they never bothered with underwear, just shirts, and shorts, or jeans, depending on the season. They only needed the clothes to get in and out of their building. Adze quickly dressed and then Oriax handed his mate back, and they headed to the car.
We'll take the long way back, make sure there's no more sign of Bates anywhere near here. Pyro said as Daevas grabbed up the backpack in his jaws and the four of them took off down the alley.
Adze climbed into the back of the car with his mate, as Oriax jumped in the driver's seat and headed them toward home.
They drove home in silence. Adze too awestruck with the night's events to even think straight, let alone talk. He had a feeling the questions would come thick and fast once everyone was home, but he had no idea how he was going to answer them. Hell, he didn't even know the man's name. Sure, the guy would more than likely have a wallet on him with some sort of identification in it, but Adze would much prefer the man to tell him than to go snooping.
When they finally arrived at the building, Oriax pulled the car into the underground parking. Adze was anxious to get his mate inside their apartment where he knew it was safe and could easily protect him. The lift door opened and Adze stepped inside, his arms wrapped protectively around his precious bundle. As much as he loved the feeling of his mate in his arms, the man was getting heavy. Not to mention the fact that Adze was in quite a bit of discomfort below the belt as well. The scent of his mate was driving him crazy, especially in such a confined area, and his cock had hardened in appreciation of the enticing smell. Because he currently had his hands full, Adze couldn't exactly adjust himself, and he wasn't about to ask Oriax to do it for him.
When the lift doors finally opened at their penthouse, Adze had to hold back the sigh of relief. He headed in the direction of his room. Just before he got there, he turned around and spoke to Oriax.
"Can you contact Matti and let her know what's happened. Give her the plate number so she can run it. I doubt he'd be dumb enough to keep the car after tonight, but you never know."
"Will do. Take care of your mate." Oriax smiled at him before turning in the direction of the office and getting to work.
The house was quiet, with the others not back yet. Adze was thankful for the peace, with six of them in the house he'd learned to appreciate it on the rare occasions he got it.
With great difficulty, Adze managed to open the door to his room. He entered and then kicked it shut again behind him. He walked over to his large bed and gently laid the man down on his soft mattress, thankful to be able to do so. The man wasn't that big, but carrying another grown man so carefully in his arms was awkward. If Adze had to guess he would say the man's height topped out at five nine, maybe ten, and after holding him for the last half hour, Adze knew for a fact the guy didn't have any excess fat on him, he was all slender build with hidden muscles.
Adze sat down on the side of the bed and just watched the man sleep. He waited a couple of minutes before he started checking his mate over. He looked at the black pants the man still wore and wondered what his odds would be of getting the guy undressed while he slept. Deciding not to chance it, Adze went to pull the blankets up when he remembered he still had no idea what his mate's name was.
As much as he would love to wait to be introduced to the man properly, he wasn't sure if his mate would be receptive due the events of the evening. Plus, trying to sleep with your wallet, phone, and keys in your pocket wasn't comfortable.
Adze reached out and slid his hands into his mate's pocket. He slowly extracted a set of keys, keeping them clutched tightly in his hand to stop any noise they might make, and an old and battered looking phone. The wallet was a little trickier as it was tucked in a back pocket and those were a much tighter fit than the side ones.
The feel of his mate's ass under his fingers had Adze's cock perking up to say hello. Adze desperately tried to will his erection away, as this really wasn't the time, but the stubborn thing had a mind of its own and refused to go down.
His mate moaned in his sleep and rolled over farther, hiking his leg up. His mate's pants tightened from the pull, making it even harder for Adze to retrieve the wallet. It did, however, nicely highlight the curves of his mate's ass, and if it weren't for the damn pants the man was wearing Adze would have an unobstructed view of the man's pretty hole.
After several tense moments, Adze was finally successful at retrieving the wallet. Adze reached out and brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over his mate's face. He sat immobile, watching the smaller man until another snore left his mate's mouth. Adze smiled at the sound.
Looking down at the worn brown leather wallet in his hand, Adze contemplated not opening it, but he really wanted to know his mate's name. He was a little tired
of constantly thinking of him as 'the man'.
He opened it and retrieved the driver's license. Adze stared down and blinked a couple of times when he read his mate's name, sure he couldn't really be seeing what he was. Archibald Courtney Eugene Hennings.
Jesus fucking Christ! His mate's parents must have been on crack or something when they decided to name their child. What sane person would do that to a poor, defenseless baby?
Archie—Adze refused to think of the man as Archibald—no doubt had been copping shit most his life in regards to his name and had learned how to deal with it.
Adze was actually glad he had snuck a peek at the license; he wondered how long it would take for his mate to confess his full name to him. Erotic thoughts of how Adze might be able to torture the information out of Archie started cycling through his mind, and Adze couldn't wait to try them on his mate.
He placed the wallet on the bedside table next to Archie's phone and keys.
Not being able to stop himself, he reached out and curled the lock of light brown hair behind Archie's ear, so it was no longer obscuring Adze's view of his face. His mate's nose was soft, almost delicate, and his lips looked like they were just waiting to be kissed.
So Adze did. He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against his mate's. He knew he probably shouldn't be doing this, but Adze didn't care.
The quick indrawn breath and the body going rigid beneath him alerted Adze to the fact that his mate just woke up.
Chapter Seven
Archie thought he was dreaming. His dream man, the guy he always fantasised about when he jerked off, was hovering over him, looking like he was about to kiss Archie. It took a moment for Archie to realise he wasn't dreaming, and he was in fact awake.
"What the fuck?" Archie shouted as he scrambled away from the man hovering over him.
Archie wasn't impressed with how long it took him to realise he was on a bed and not his own at that. His eyes were riveted to the man leaning over where he had been moments before. He couldn't get over how familiar he looked. Archie had to stop himself from reaching out and touching the man, to make sure he really was right there in front of him.
