“Then you should probably talk about it within my earshot,” Baron stated, his words a demand. When Cosmo paused and peered over his shoulder at him, Baron glared. “After all, it is my well-being you’re intending to discuss with my mate.”
Cosmo’s pale eyes narrowed in his mottled-blue face. “Very well.” He turned, using his hold to cause Conchlin to do the same.
Baron hated that he didn’t have the strength to rise and grab Conchlin away from the other man. No one should move the little gargoyle around in such a manner but himself. He would press him against the nearest wall and—his balls tingled just from his thoughts, yanking him out of them.
“That’s why I was going to speak with Conchlin alone, Baron,” Cosmo told him dryly, evidently figuring out exactly where Baron’s thoughts had strayed. “You’re still on medication. You’re having trouble controlling yourself.” The blue doctor’s brow ridges drew together, his expression betraying his concern. “I have a mate. I know how strong the drive is to touch, to feel, to fuck and hold. If I could trust you to maintain discipline, then I would give the doctor’s okay, as long as you went slow and easy, as long as you stayed off your back and let Conchlin do all the work.”
Cosmo shook his head slowly. “I don’t believe I can trust you to do that though.”
Baron took a slow deep breath. He did his best to ignore the tantalizing aroma of his mate and process Cosmo’s words... objectively. As much as he hated to admit it, the blue gargoyle had a point. He definitely felt out of control.
Gritting his teeth, Baron decided on a course of action. “I’m a shifter, Cosmo,” he began slowly, working hard to keep his voice even. He couldn’t demand what he wanted. Baron was no longer an enforcer in his herd... nor did he want to be. “I’ve never been on medication before.”
That hadn’t even been an option in the past. Painkillers for shifters? Not a thing in his old herd.
Except I’m not there anymore. They’ve been disbanded, according to Lachlan.
Baron really wished the cat shifter had explained more to him before he’d had to leave the clutch, but he couldn’t say he’d have remembered everything if he had. Hell, maybe Lachlan explained every bit of what had happened to his herd, and Baron just couldn’t remember.
Recognizing that his mind was drifting again, Baron struggled to focus. “Whatever painkillers you’re giving me, stop,” he ordered forcefully. Focusing on Cosmo, it took him a second to read his expression. The gargoyle appeared about ready to refuse. Baron forced himself onto his side, holding up his right hand to stay both men’s advance when they both leaped forward. “Stop. Please. Stop.”
Cosmo swept his gaze over Baron, obviously searching for signs of discomfort. Conchlin was a bit tougher to read. He seems concerned. Baron liked that.
Sliding his left arm straight in front of him, Baron rested his head on his bicep. At the same time, he bent his right knee and brought it up, covering his groin. Just because he was a shifter didn’t mean he wanted to flash his erection at everyone.
Maybe if, no definitely if I was alone with Conchlin. I’d beg him to suck me—Shit! Focus!
Baron sucked in a harsh breath as he blinked a few times. Staring at Cosmo, who had his brow ridges lowered and his eyes narrowed, probably trying to figure out if he needed to intervene, Baron met the doctor’s gaze. He used the position to easier convey his seriousness as he continued.
“I mean it,” Baron ordered again. “No more pain meds. I’ve felt plenty worse pain than healing cuts. Trust me.” He blew out a breath as he thought about the couple times he’d healed from broken bones. “I want my focus back.” Meeting Cosmo’s gaze again—he wasn’t certain when it had slid to the picture on the wall—he added, “I can’t bond with my mate”—he shifted his gaze to Conchlin—”with you, Conchlin, if we can’t get to know each other. We can’t do that if I can’t focus most of the time.”
Cosmo nodded. “Fair enough, but if the pain becomes too excruciating, we need to know.” He moved toward Baron and ordered, “Now lie flat again. Gonna check your back to see if you popped any stitches.”
Baron did as he’d been told even as he muttered, “If I was being given something other than chicken broth, I’d heal faster.”
Scoffing, Cosmo leaned over the side of the bed. “You’ve been in and out of consciousness for days, Baron. We haven’t been able to carry on much of a conversation with you.” Cosmo took a step backward so he could meet Baron’s gaze. “Back looks fine. So, what do horse shifters prefer to eat while healing?”
Baron took in the blue gargoyle’s amused expression. Dismissing the guy’s teasing, he turned his focus to Conchlin. “When I broke my leg, I enjoyed beef stew, fish, thick chowders, and turkey club sandwiches.”
Reaching his arm out to his mate, Baron felt a rush of pleasure when the cute orange gargoyle immediately came forward and gripped his hand. He squeezed his mate’s long slender fingers. When Baron saw Conchlin’s shy smile, he found he wanted to kiss that look right off his face.
Stunning.
“Do you enjoy those things, too?” Baron asked, fighting his desire to tug Conchlin onto the bed. “You brought me broth. Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, I already ate,” Conchlin told him. His big green eyes appeared widely dilated, and the scent of his arousal perfumed the air. “And all those sound fantastic. I can, um, I can ask Roman or Kort to make any of those for your next meal.” He swallowed hard as he pressed his hip into the side of the bed. “You, uh, just need to let me know.”
“Fantastic,” Baron responded absently.
His senses filled with the amazing aroma of his mate’s smell, and he became preoccupied with the best way to get him on the bed and under him. He swept his gaze over the ties that held Conchlin’s loincloth, nearly swallowing his tongue when he saw just how easy it’d be to remove... and the outline of the long slender erection that the loincloth did nothing to hide.
Baron had never sucked a dick in his life, but his mouth suddenly watered to taste his mate’s. He—the sting of a needle in his shoulder caused Baron to whip his head to the left. Glaring, he spotted Cosmo backing away from him, a syringe in hand.
“You’re going to take a little nap while those pain meds work out of your system,” Cosmo told him.
As he continued to speak, Baron found him tough to understand.
“Just remember you’ll be in quite a bit of pain when you wake up.”
Baron processed the blue gargoyle’s warning right before sleep pulled him under.
Bastard.
“You had to knock him out? Why?”
Baron barely recognized Nolan’s voice over the throbbing in his head and back. He wasn’t certain how long he’d been out, but it’d definitely been long enough for the painkillers to wear off. It finally registered just how powerful the sedatives had been.
Damn! Where’d they get them, and why did they have to scramble my brain so much?
Knowing he’d acted like an ass, Baron figured he had some apologizing to do. When he turned his head, a spike of pain surged up his spine. He stilled and focused only on breathing.
“Well, I didn’t,” Doctor Perseus countered, drawing Baron’s attention. “Doctor Cosmo did. He explained why to me, but the answer should really come from Baron.”
“I’m awake.” Baron realized he slurred his words and tried to swallow, but his mouth felt like it was covered in the sands of the Sahara. “Water.”
Once Perseus had slipped a straw between his lips, Baron quickly drank, greedily so. He peeled open his eyelids and flicked his gaze over the room’s occupants. Not only was there Perseus and Nolan, but Ariana stood near the sideboard, too.
Forcing a smile, Baron released the straw. “Thank you,” he whispered. “And I apologize for my behavior.”
Perseus’s smile appeared kind. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal.” Touching Baron’s shoulder lightly, he added, “But it seems to have been rewarded.”<
br />
Baron thought about the cute orange gargoyle whose scent had driven him wild with need. “Where’s Conchlin?” Realizing he was still being rude, Baron glanced between Nolan and Ariana. “Conchlin is my mate. I was having trouble controlling myself while on whatever painkillers they gave me.” Baron returned his focus to Perseus. “What is that shit, anyway?”
“Your mate?” Nolan cried, grinning broadly. His mismatched hazel and blue eyes twinkled. “Congratulations.”
“You decided to wake with plenty of questions,” Perseus replied, straightening. “To start, it’s a little after three in the afternoon. Conchlin is roosting right now.”
“Roosting,” Baron repeated, thinking back to when he’d first woken and his original introduction to gargoyles and some of the explanations Perseus had given him. “I don’t recognize that word.”
Perseus eased onto the seat beside the bed. “When we sleep in stone form during the day, that is roosting,” the doctor explained. “It’s our version of deep sleep. Even after we’ve bonded and gone through molt, we must still turn to stone for several hours each week in order to get proper rest and keep up our strength.”
Baron managed to nod, his cheek sliding against the sheet, as he thought about that explanation. “Bonding,” he whispered. “Is that done the same as with shifters? And what’s molt?”
Perseus opened his mouth, obviously preparing to respond. The sound of a bell dinging caused him to rise from his seat. He touched Baron’s shoulder again while saying, “I’ll return and explain when I can.”
“I’ll see if I can’t walk him through most of it,” Nolan offered, grinning and moving closer. “I have a gargoyle mate, after all.”
“Good. Then you can just let me know if you need anything cleared up after that.” With those parting words, Perseus headed out of the room.
Nolan took the chair that Perseus had vacated, and Ariana came to stand near Baron’s hip. It was about then that Baron realized there was a blanket covering his lower half. Still, Ariana’s pensive gaze appeared fixed to his exposed and bandaged torso.
“Hey,” Baron murmured roughly, catching her focus. “Stop whatever you’re thinking.”
“I’m so sorry you were injured because of me and Kimmie,” she cried, revealing her thoughts. She wrapped her arms around her torso and bowed her head. “I didn’t mean for you to be. You should have told them where we’d gone sooner. Then—” Lifting a hand to her mouth, Ariana stifled a sob.
Baron ignored the zing of pain that spiked through his body in favor of gripping her wrist. “I didn’t tell Alpha Beacham where you’d gone.”
Irritation flooded him, but he stifled it. Baron knew Ariana didn’t need his ire. She was going through enough, what with the loss of her husband and needing to live on the charity of strangers just to survive. Once the last of the bad grapes in their herd were rounded up, then perhaps she’d be able to build a new life in whatever area she chose.
“Then how—” Ariana began, her face paling.
“Gabe,” Nolan cut in, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “He had it in for me after... well, just trust me.”
“Story there, huh?” Baron asked around a grunt as he released Ariana and rested his arm back on the mattress. He hoped the throbbing in his back would soon ebb a bit.
Nolan nodded. “And we have more important things to discuss.” He waggled his brows playfully. “Like bonding.”
Ariana offered a soft snicker. “And on that note, I’m going to leave.” Her face took on a pinkish hue as she smiled at Baron. “I’m so glad Lachlan found you alive, Baron.” Reaching out, Ariana skimmed her fingertips down his bicep as she winked at him. “I’ll visit when you guys aren’t talking about sex.”
Baron couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the pain it caused in his back.
After Ariana had left, Nolan snorted. “Bonding with a gargoyle is similar to shifters, except it has to go both ways.” He rubbed a hand over his darkening cheeks. “Uh, you know. You fuck Conchlin and bite him. Then he’s gotta fuck you and bite you, too.” Nolan cleared his throat, then hurried to say, “After that, Conchlin will go through molt. That’s the process that allows his body to take on a human form. It happens the first morning after your bond is complete.” Clearing his throat, Nolan held Baron’s gaze as he warned, “It’s very painful for him, so be sure to be there with him, no matter what. Your touch will soothe him and ease the pain a bit.”
Baron nodded absently, his mind fixating on a single point. Holding Nolan’s gaze, he asked, “You bottomed for your gargoyle?” Baron remembered that, way back when, Nolan had been about as dominate as he was. Surely he hadn’t!
Nolan nodded. “I did.” His cheeks darkened further, betraying his discomfort.
“Shit.”
Baron didn’t know if he could submit that way, even for his mate.
Chapter Four
When Conchlin woke from roost, he immediately popped to his feet. He grinned as he stretched his arms over his head and admired the swiftly fading purple streaks. Soon, he hoped to watch a complete sunset, as well as a sunrise... since he’d found his mate.
Thinking of Baron got Conchlin moving. He spread his arms and extended his bone-spurs from out of the ribs of his back, which stretched his wingskins. Jumping from the ends of the roof, he glided down to the third story balcony that led into his room.
Conchlin headed into his suite, humming happily. He couldn’t wait to be able to share the space with his mate. After closing the balcony door, he paused and peered around the room slowly.
I wonder if Baron will like it.
Conchlin had decorated the bedroom in various shades of blues. The walls were a medium blue with the ceiling a couple shades lighter. His comforter was a deep blue, and his throw pillows were turquois. He’d even found a couple of pictures of the ocean, one of a lighthouse at sunset and another of the beach.
He thought it gave the space a wide, airy vibe, but it wasn’t exceptionally masculine.
Seeing as he couldn’t do anything about it right then, Conchlin dismissed it from his mind and headed to the bathroom. He stood under the shower’s spray and sighed, enjoying the heat. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and wondered how it would feel to have Baron in there with him, his arms around him.
Conchlin’s prick thickened at his thoughts. Giving in to his body’s need, he grabbed his body wash and poured some onto his fingers. He put the bottle back on the shelf, then reached down and gripped his length.
Sparks of sensation erupted through his groin. His cock twitched in his grip, and a bead of pre-cum oozed from his slit. Even his balls immediately began to tingle.
Groaning, Conchlin leaned against the shower’s wall. He reached down with his free hand and cradled his testicles. As he began stroking his dick, Conchlin rested his head against the wall, his breath escaping in heavy pants.
Conchlin imagined it was Baron’s hands on his body as he pleasured himself. In his mind’s eye, he saw his mate’s large dark brown hands on his dick. He imagined Baron would be a little rough, dominating his body, demanding his responses, and Conchlin was more than willing to give in to his shifter.
Lifting his leg, Conchlin rested it on a low soap shelf. He released his balls and slid his hand back farther. Rubbing his middle finger over his hole, he rocked into his own touch. Conchlin pushed his digit into his body, relishing the burn of the dry invasion. Crooking his finger, he pegged his prostate.
Within seconds, Conchlin’s need overwhelmed him. His balls pulled tight, and his cock throbbed. Waves of bliss coursed through him, sending his senses singing.
Conchlin managed to crack open eyelids he hadn’t realized he’d closed. He shuddered with pleasure as he watched his prick pulse and his seed splatter on the floor. Watching the streaks of creamy white being washed away by the water, he wondered how long it’d be before he could do that with his mate for real.
Did Baron even like showering with a lov
er?
Realizing he had so much to learn about the man, Conchlin swiftly cleaned himself up. He hopped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Just as he began drying himself, he heard his cell phone ring.
Grimacing, Conchlin hustled from the steamy bathroom, wrapping the towel around his dripping body as he did so. He really should have checked for messages before going to the bathroom. He’d been so focused on getting to his mate as quickly as possible that he hadn’t even thought about it.
Conchlin picked up his phone and looked at the screen. His brows lifted even as he swiped his thumb across the device, accepting the call. “Hey, Mom,” he greeted. “How are you? Everything okay?”
“Hi, baby,” Conchlin’s mother responded, her voice warm and friendly. “Of course everything is okay. Why does something have to be wrong for me to want to speak with my middle child?”
Warming upon hearing his mother’s teasing tone, Conchlin grinned. While his father, Creasis, had little regard for him, his mother, Wendy, had loved him just as much as his two brothers. The fact that Conchlin had been a smaller gargoyle, instead of a big male like his father and brothers, hadn’t mattered in the least to his human mother.
“I suppose not,” Conchlin replied as he crossed to his dresser and pulled out a clean loincloth. “Although I bet you’re calling because you have something interesting to share.”
Conchlin bit his lip, just managing to hold in his own news as he listened to his mother’s hum of agreement.
“Well, as it turns out, I do have news,” she stated, excitement filling her voice. “Your younger brother, Kinsey, he was just promoted to an enforcer position. Your father is so proud.”
“Good for him,” Conchlin replied, glad that he was on the phone and his mother couldn’t see him wince. “I’m sure dad is very proud.”
“Most definitely,” his mother continued, chuckling softly. “You know how your father is.”
Comforting his Restless Stallion Page 3
