by Carol Lynne
Ryker had already warned Jack and Toby not to mention Jarek. Until they knew for sure what had happened to the friendly cougar shifter, he didn’t want to upset Daniel.
“Where’s Hakan?” Jack asked, making room between his legs for Toby to curl up at his feet.
“He’s talking to Father Sky. He should be along any minute. Did you line some people up to finish the bullets?”
“Yeah. Mica’s crew will take care of it as soon as they get the casings.”
“They’re in the truck behind the seat in a green strongbox.” Ryker watched as Jack picked up the phone on the side table and made a call.
He hadn’t spoken to Jack about Mica, and his friend hadn’t asked. Evidently the chief of security must be getting along with the shifters, or Ryker was sure he would’ve heard about it.
“Truck unlocked?” Jack asked.
“Yep.”
“Yeah, just send them down. Okay, thanks, Mica.”
Halfway through his glass of milk, Daniel leaned forward and set it on the table. “Can you tell me where we’ll be staying? I can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”
“I’ve already taken care of that,” Ryker informed his love. “I had a nice place built up on the side of the mountain.”
Daniel groaned. “Does that mean more hiking?”
Ryker chuckled. “No. There’s a road that leads right to the front door.”
Daniel sighed and slumped against him. Ryker noticed the looks that passed between Toby and Jack. Yeah, Daniel wasn’t himself, and they all knew it.
Standing, he pulled Daniel up into his arms. “I guess I’d better get Daniel to his new home.”
“You’re welcome to come back for dinner,” Toby offered.
“We might just do that. I don’t know if there’s much, if anything, in my freezer.”
“Tell Hakan we look forward to meeting him,” Jack said as Ryker eased Daniel out to the truck.
“I will.”
Before pulling out, Ryker unloaded the casings and set them on Jack’s porch. “Hopefully those’ll be enough, because we don’t have any other backup.”
“We’ll make it be enough, with a few to spare for insurance.” Jack slung an arm over Toby’s shoulders.
Ryker drove back in the direction of where he’d dropped Hakan off. After about three-tenths of a mile, a super-sized bald eagle flew in front of the truck. Ryker slammed on the breaks, nearly throwing Daniel into the dash.
“You okay?” Ryker began to check Daniel over.
“I’m fine. I should’ve fastened my seatbelt.”
The door opened and Hakan jumped in beside Daniel, like nothing had happened. Ryker narrowed his eyes at his lover.
“What?” Hakan asked with a puzzled expression.
“Don’t do that again. You scared the shit out of me. I nearly sent Daniel through the windshield.”
Hakan turned a worried gaze to Daniel. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Did you get hurt?”
Daniel shook his head. Ryker saw the way Daniel was fighting to keep his eyes open. “We’ll go back to Jack and Toby’s for dinner, but Daniel needs to lie down for a bit first.”
Once again, Hakan seemed to study Daniel. Ryker noticed he did that a lot lately. As Ryker turned around and drove toward their new home, he started thinking about its location. Why had he built his house so high up on the mountain? At the time it seemed perfectly natural. Now, with the addition of The Sky Guardian and a coyote shifter, he thought maybe it was fated to be their home.
Ryker let loose a soft snort. What else could it have been. His entire existence as The Guardian was by design. Nothing with Earth Mother was left to chance, if she could help it. Ryker began to understand the way Jack had felt when he’d first learned his true destiny.
The three of them rode in silence. Daniel was asleep against Hakan’s side, and Hakan was fidgeting in his seat. It was obvious his lover needed to talk, so why wasn’t he?
“Problem?” Ryker finally asked.
Hakan put his finger to his lips and pointed at Daniel. “Later.”
Ryker had a sinking feeling it wasn’t going to be a good discussion. He eventually pulled up to the large stone and timber two-story house and shut off the engine.
He started to wake Daniel, but was stopped by Hakan. “I’ll carry him.”
Ryker led the way up the front porch steps and dug his wallet out of his back jean’s pocket. He retrieved the seldom-used key and opened the front door. He smiled when Hakan got his first good look at the interior. Ryker knew the house was impressive, and was quite proud of it.
“This is something else,” Hakan said, gazing up at the timber-beamed ceiling.
“Wait until you see the rest. But first, why don’t I show you where the bedroom is.”
“No need,” Hakan informed him. “I can smell your spunk. Evidently you didn’t change your sheets last time you were here.”
Ryker started up the stairs, shaking his head. He wasn’t sure if Hakan was teasing him or not. “You’re wrong. Not only have I never had sex in this house, but I always change the sheets before I leave.”
Hakan pushed passed him with Daniel still cradled in his arms. “I’m telling you the truth.”
After depositing Daniel in the center of the bed and covering him up with a small blanket, Hakan dropped to his knees.
“What’re you doing?” Ryker asked.
Hakan reached under the bed and came back with a towel. He held the light blue terrycloth to his face and inhaled. With an expression of triumph, Hakan held the towel out to Ryker.
Ryker rolled his eyes. He must’ve jacked off into the towel on his last visit. “Are you sure you’re not part wolf?”
“I know the smell of my men.” Hakan’s eyes went to Daniel.
There it was again. That expression of sadness. “What’s going on?”
Hakan bent and kissed Daniel’s slack lips before gesturing for Ryker to follow him out of the room.
Once in the large kitchen, Ryker got two beers out of the fridge and passed one to Hakan. He didn’t say a word, just waited for Hakan to tell him what was wrong.
Hakan finished his beer and pulled another out of the refrigerator. “I asked Father to please stop fucking with me and tell me what was going on with Daniel.”
“And did he?”
Hakan nodded, taking another long swallow. “We need to get Daniel to Crater Lake.”
“Why?” Of course Ryker knew Crater Lake was sacred to some of the Native American tribes, but he didn’t understand why, in the middle of everything else that was going on, they needed to take Daniel there.
Hakan finished his beer and reached for yet another. This was a side of his new lover that Ryker hadn’t seen before. Whatever it was, it must be bad.
“I can’t tell you everything. I’m sorry. I know it probably makes you feel like I don’t trust you, but I’m bound to a certain extent by my Father’s wishes.”
Hakan was right. It did hurt, but Ryker understood. Dealing with Earth Mother in certain situations wasn’t a walk in the park. “What can you tell me?”
“That he needs to come to terms with what really happened to him when he was in The Hunter’s hands. Cleansing his conscience in Crater Lake is the only way to do that. Until he does, he’ll continue to grow weaker.”
The news was like a punch in the gut. Ryker ran his hands over his face, scrubbing at the tired eyes that were starting to burn with emotion. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
Hakan shook his head. “We can’t take him. It’s a journey he must make alone.”
“No!” Ryker shouted. “It’s not safe.”
“That’s exactly the reason Father waited so long to tell me. In order for us to send Daniel safely on his journey, we first have to take care of The Hunters.”
Ryker thought about the sleeping man upstairs. One thing was certain. If Daniel would continue to get weaker, there was no way he could accompany them on their mission to end The Hunter’s reign of te
rror.
Walking forward, Ryker sought the comfort of Hakan’s embrace. When his lover’s strong arms wrapped around him, Ryker rested his head on Hakan’s shoulder. “We’re gonna have to leave him here when we go looking for Hunters.”
“Yes.”
“Will he be able to handle that?” Ryker asked, gazing down into Hakan’s dark eyes.
“We’ll make sure the Refuge is well protected. I’ve heard him talk about Layla a lot. Maybe we’ll ask her to stay with him.”
“And Toby. I’m sure Jack won’t let him go either.”
Hakan nodded. “I don’t think we should tell Daniel about Crater Lake just yet.”
“I agree. Although I do think we should give Jack and Toby a heads-up, just in case something happens to us.”
Ryker closed his eyes and brushed his cheek across Hakan’s. “I’m gonna go call Mica. He may need to muster more guards to accompany us, and still have enough to protect Refuge.”
“Have him check on the bullets, too. The faster they get them loaded, the faster we can start tracking The Hunters. I’ve asked my people for help in finding them. Hopefully we’ll hear something soon, and I want to be ready.”
After a slick slide of his tongue deep into Hakan’s mouth, Ryker pulled away and picked up the phone.
“I’m going to go lay down with Daniel.”
Ryker nodded. “I’ll be up as soon as I can. I’m also going outside to have a little talk with Mother. Maybe she’ll finally trust in me enough to open up about Daniel.”
Hakan cupped Ryker’s cheek and placed a tender kiss to his lips. “Don’t take it personally if she doesn’t. I think there’s a reason they’re keeping the truth from us.”
“We’ll see.” Ryker gave Hakan another kiss and started for the door. The phone call to Mica could wait, finding out about Daniel couldn’t.
* * * *
Lying on his side, Hakan stared at the sleeping coyote shifter. He couldn’t work out why it was so important that Daniel not cleanse his heart in Crater Lake until after The Hunter’s were dead.
Ryker stepped into the room and started taking his clothes off. Hakan rolled to his back to regard the man he loved. Damn, he still couldn’t believe he finally had people to love. Daniel may not know how much Hakan loved him, but he did, and hopefully someday Daniel would be willing to hear it.
A naked and dour-looking Ryker slid under the covers and against Hakan. “How’s he doing?” Ryker asked.
Hakan shook his head. “He’s still sleeping, but your absence didn’t seem to cause him any trouble.”
Ryker’s light brown eyebrows drew together in concern. “Should we be worried about that?”
Hakan knew there were many things to worry about concerning Daniel, but he couldn’t say anything. “It might be a blessing. I mean we’ll be leaving him here without us. Hopefully, as long as the two of us stick together, he won’t have a problem.”
“Yeah.” Ryker rested his head on Hakan’s chest. “Mica said the bullets will be finished in the morning.”
“That’s good. The sooner we can find The Hunters and take care of them, the sooner we can send Daniel on his way.”
Hakan felt Daniel go rigid beside him. “Hey, you finally awake?”
After several moments, Daniel opened his eyes. “Yes.”
“We’re gonna have to get ready for dinner before long,” Hakan reminded Daniel.
“And I want to see Layla.”
Hakan nodded. He hadn’t met the wolf shifter who had been married to Toby’s brother, but he’d heard a lot about her. He’d learned about Daniel’s years of living as a pet to Layla and the pack Alpha, Garth, before his death at the hands of The Hunters.
According to Ryker, Layla had lived in fear under the heavy hand of the pack Alpha. Daniel often took care of Layla after Garth’s brutal treatment, and the two had formed a close bond.
“I’ll call Toby. Maybe we can invite her to have dinner with us.”
Hakan was a bit surprised Daniel didn’t reach for either him or Ryker. Instead the small man simply nodded and sat up.
“I’m going to take a shower.” Daniel swung his legs over the side of the bed, looking around the room for the first time. “This is nice, Ryker,” he mumbled as he shuffled toward the bathroom.
When the door shut, and Hakan heard the unmistakable sound of the lock clicking into place, he sat up as well. “Something’s wrong.”
Ryker’s head rolled off Hakan’s chest as he sat up. “You think he knows we’re leaving him here?”
“I don’t know,” Hakan replied, getting off the bed. “But I’m damn sure gonna find out.”
Raising his fist, Hakan knocked on the door. “Daniel? Can I come in?”
When nothing happened, he pounded harder. “Daniel! Open up.”
Hakan looked over his shoulder. “Do you have anything to open this door, or should I just break it down?”
Ryker slid off the bed and joined him. Maneuvering himself between Hakan and the door, Ryker reached out. As Ryker’s hand hovered over the pewter hardware, it began to glow.
Hakan felt the heat radiating from Ryker’s nude body as he melted the door handle.
When he was finished, Ryker stepped back and gave the door a slight push. The ruined blob of pewter seemed to give immediately, allowing the door to swing inward.
“No sense in replacing the entire door,” Ryker said with a shrug.
Hakan stepped into the bathroom. Just as he’d feared, Daniel was sitting on the tiled bench in the corner of the large open shower. His head was down, his wet hair hanging in his face.
Joining Daniel, Hakan knelt in front of the man he loved. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Despite the five jets spraying the interior of the shower, Hakan noticed tears running down Daniel’s face. The need to comfort the small man was overwhelming. Hakan pulled Daniel down into his lap. “Please talk to me.”
Daniel rubbed his face against Hakan’s chest. “It’s not your problem.”
Hakan spotted Ryker entering the shower, and motioned for him to join them.
“Anything that’s hurting you is our problem. That’s what it means to be together as a family.”
Before sitting down beside them, Ryker turned off the water and covered Hakan and Daniel with thick towels.
“Why are you sending me away?” Daniel asked, finally looking up at Hakan.
It dawned on him that Daniel must’ve overheard part of his conversation with Ryker earlier. They hadn’t discussed Crater Lake with Daniel, because they were afraid he’d take off before it was safe. Gazing down into the ‘true blue’ eyes of the Coyote King, Hakan couldn’t keep the truth from him, not if it meant hurting Daniel.
“Have you noticed how tired you’ve been lately?” Hakan readjusted Daniel to straddle his lap.
Ryker took the opportunity to press his chest against Daniel’s back, his long legs swung over the top of Hakan’s as the two of them surrounded the man they loved.
Daniel nodded. “I’m sorry I’m slowing you down. It’s probably just a virus or something. I’ll get better, I promise. I’ll start pulling my own weight. You don’t have to send me away.”
Daniel’s tears turned into a sudden sob. “I don’t have anyone else.”
The pain in the smaller man’s voice crushed Hakan. “No, sweetheart. We’re not sending you away for good. Oh, baby, how could you even think such a thing?”
Hakan looked at Ryker. It seemed they both knew it was time to come clean on a few things. “Once The Hunters are no longer a threat, you need to take a trip to Crater Lake. Do you know where that is?”
“Of course I know where it is, I’m from Oregon. But why do I need to go there?” Daniel asked, wiping his face with the towel.
This was the sticky point. Hakan knew he couldn’t divulge the confidential information Father Sky had given him. “The lake will heal you.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
Ryker was staring at Hakan, obviously w
anting answers as well.
Leaning back against the wet wall, Hakan placed a hand over Daniel’s heart. “You carry too much sorrow and regret. It’s draining your life force. Submerge yourself in the sacred lake, and you’ll be able to see inside yourself. It won’t be easy, and it’s not without its own dangers, but it’s our only hope.”
Daniel leaned forward, resting his forehead against Hakan’s chest. “I’ve tried for years to forget the past. Why will reliving it help me?”
Hakan placed a kiss on the top of Daniel’s head. “Only you can answer that question. Our pasts are our own. I had to deal with mine a long time ago, and it wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I did. Without dealing with the man I’d been, I never would’ve been open to the love I’ve found.”
After placing several kisses on Daniel’s shoulder, Ryker sought a kiss from Hakan. Opening immediately, Hakan’s mouth entertained a thorough exploration from Ryker’s tongue. He heard Daniel moan, and broke the kiss to look down into his lover’s eyes.
“You feel that, sweetheart?” Hakan asked Daniel.
Daniel nodded. “I feel it inside. Not only the desire, but the love.”
“Do you think when we leave in the morning you’ll be able to feel us when we’re together?”
“You’re leaving?”
“The bullets will be ready. I’ve got my people out scouting The Hunters. It’s time.”
“But what about me?”
“You’ll stay here with Layla, Toby and the other shifters.”
Daniel shook his head. “No.”
Hakan cupped Daniel’s cheek. “You’re not strong enough to fight The Hunters. Besides, if something should happen to us, Refuge will need its leaders. We can’t risk the lives of our Kings.”
“And I can’t risk being left alone in the world again,” Daniel proclaimed.
“Then we’ll just have to make sure Ryker and I watch each other’s backs, so we can come back to you.”
Chapter Four
Ryker speared a large T-bone steak and set it on his plate. “Looks good, Toby.”
“Thanks.”
Ryker wondered how many other dinner tables around the country held nothing but stacks of rare meat. No side dishes, no desserts. He cut a large chunk and brought it to his mouth, savoring the warm juices as they coated his tongue.
