Keenan had also started to talk with Finn, and he had found that he actually liked the man. He was funny and curious as hell, and he had adopted Finn as a friend and made him feel at home. The mood in the mansion was lighter now that their relationships were clear. The way the three of them were now friends, or at least tentative friends, might seem weird to some people, but it worked.
Right now Finn was looking at a present Keenan had bought him. It seemed that the man had decided to be the one to do the basic shopping for those who arrived at the mansion without clothes, like Derick. The wolf often wore the t-shirt Keenan had bought him, the one that said “Who needs tits?” on the front and “When you have an ass like this” on the back, and Finn had hoped Keenan would have bought him one that was more...sedate. He had already been shopping with Bryce after all, so he didn’t really need other clothes, but this was a gift, so he couldn’t refuse it.
Finn grabbed the thing and took it out of the bag. Keenan was bouncing on his feet next to him, waiting to see his reaction. He was just like an excited puppy waiting for approval.
The shirt was blood red with black writings that said “Mostly human.” Okay. It wasn’t that bad, even if Finn usually wore darker colors like black and dark green.
“Mostly human?”
“Hey, it’s funny because it’s true!”
“But no one should know that, Keenan.”
Keenan shrugged. “Well, it’s still funny because we know it’s true.”
Finn couldn’t find it in him to tell the guy he didn’t like it. It wasn’t even that he didn’t like it, it was more that he was perplexed, but he would still wear it.
“Thank you.”
Keenan waved. “It’s nothing. If I had enough money I would buy one of these for each member of the pride.” Keenan plopped down on the bed “So. Are you two mated yet?”
Finn blushed. He didn’t have problems with Keenan anymore other than a little jealousy, but he wasn’t sure he could talk about his sex life with him yet, or ever. It made him uncomfortable to think that his mate had had sex with the man in front of him, but Keenan was like that. He probably didn’t see what the problem was.
“Umm, no, not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Keenan, leave him alone,” Bryce said as he entered the bedroom and gave a quick kiss to Finn. Finn let out a breath, happy at having avoided that particular question.
“Okay, okay, I’ll leave it to you. I’m going. I have a date anyway.” Waving, Keenan exited the room, leaving Finn alone with his mate. Bryce sat down next to him and hugged him tight, and Finn took a moment to bask in his mate’s scent.
“Don’t you want to know?” he asked Bryce, his face still hidden in the man’s neck.
“What?”
“Why we’re not mated yet.”
“I’d like to, sure, but I figured that if you haven’t told me you probably want to keep it to yourself.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. We might be mates, but it doesn’t mean we have to say everything to each other. Sure, I want you to tell me the major stuff, but you’re allowed to have your secrets.”
“I want to finish the bond,” Finn blurted. He hadn’t meant to say it like that, but yeah, he wanted it. “I’m not sure why I wasn’t ready until now, but I know I am.”
Bryce put his hands on Finn’s shoulders and gently pushed so that they could look at each other’s faces. “Are you sure? If we do this I won’t let you go, ever. You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.”
“I want that.” Finn leaned in, deciding that he would have to convince Bryce with his body. He had become less shy since the first time they had made love. “I don’t think you’ll let me go even with only half a bond anyway.”
He pressed their lips together, his hands rising from where they were on Bryce’s waist to his chest. He needed so little to be ready to make love with Bryce—a kiss, a caress, and he was hard as a rock, just like now.
“Since you are the one who has to do the claiming, I’d like for you to top me.”
Finn froze. Those last two weeks they had made love every day, several times a day, but he had always been on the receiving end. He knew how it worked, so he could do it—in theory—but he wasn’t sure he would be good at it. “What if I hurt you?”
Bryce smiled. “You won’t. Just do what you know makes you feel good, and I’ll be fine.”
Finn thought about it and found out that he did want to try, but was he willing to do it this time? It was an important step in their relationship. Looking up, he tried to read Bryce’s eyes. He would never have thought the man would want to bottom. He was so much taller and bigger than Finn. Finn knew it really just was a stereotype, and that as long as everyone felt good there were no rules in sex. He could see how important it was for Bryce, and he could understand it. He had been through it, and it had made him feel like a part of Bryce was in him. It was only logical that Bryce wanted to feel the same thing.
Nodding, Finn brought their lips together again as he started to slide his hands under Bryce’s t-shirt. The position was awkward, though, so Finn ended the kiss and stood up, taking off his shirt and his pants before lying down on the bed. Now that they had begun, he was eager to continue.
Bryce didn’t lose time, his clothes joining Finn’s as he too climbed on the bed. They were both naked, yards of tanned skin at Finn’s disposition, and he couldn’t let the opportunity pass. He explored Bryce’s body, even though he should have known it by heart by now. He still managed to find something new every time, like a freckle he hadn’t noticed under Bryce’s armpit or a small scar on the back of his hand.
He inhaled his mate’s scent, the clean sweat and male scent going straight to his groin and making his cock jerk and ooze pre-cum as Bryce circled it with his hand and started jacking him off.
“You...if you don’t stop that, I won’t make it inside of you.”
The smile Bryce gave Finn was wicked. “And we don’t want that, do we?” Bryce released him and moved, reaching into the nightstand to take the lube before he flopped down on the bed. “I’m all yours. What are you going to do to me?”
Finn had a pretty good idea, actually. Reaching for the lube, he tried to squash down the anxiety by doing something he had already done. He settled between Bryce’s legs and leaned down, engulfing the hard, leaking cock in front of him in his mouth. Bryce moaned above him and Finn felt his lover’s hand twining through his hair. He actually liked the fact that Bryce gently gave him directions on what he liked and wanted that way.
Finn bobbed his head up and down a few times before concentrating on the swollen head as he opened the lube. He sucked the cap before swirling his tongue over it and spearing his tongue in the small slit on top, searching for more of the slightly bitter fluid he liked so much.
Sucking harder, he waited until Bryce was writhing under him to push one lubed finger in his mate’s rectum. It was hot and tight, and Finn moaned when he thought about how this was going to feel around his cock. He couldn’t wait.
He continued to take care of Bryce’s dick as he stretched him, taking his time to be sure he was doing things right. As he slipped the third finger inside his mate, Finn felt a small bump on the inside wall of Bryce’s chute. Guessing at what it could be, he sucked hard on his mate’s cock, hollowing his cheeks as he pegged the small gland. Bryce’s hips jacked up as he groaned, his hands pulling on Finn’s hair as hot cum spurted into Finn’s mouth and down his throat.
“Umm, do you think you’re ready?” Finn asked as he took his fingers out. He knew he was probably killing the mood, but he wanted to be sure.
“More than ready. Come here, love.” Bryce grabbed Finn arms and pulled him on top of him, their groins bumping against each other and making Finn moan at the contact. He yet had to come, and he could feel Bryce was still hard against him.
They came together in a sloppy kiss, Finn grinding against Bryce, their cock
s sliding together. Bryce hooked his hands under his knees and pulled his legs up, completely exposing himself to Finn’s eyes. Finn nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight, his mouth going completely dry. He felt a bit of worry coming back, but he tried not to think about it as he kissed Bryce one more time before gripping the base of his cock. He hissed, the contact almost too much on the heated flesh. He was so close, but he didn’t want to come before he was in his mate.
“Come on, love. Make me yours.”
Angling his cock, Finn gently pushed against the tight ring of muscle. It took more force than he thought, but he finally felt the head popping in. Slowly, gently, Finn pushed in until he was fully seated. He kept his eyes on Bryce’s face, making sure his mate didn’t feel pain or even discomfort, but the only thing he saw in Bryce’s face was pleasure and love. His lover’s eyes were glazed over with passion and his cheeks were flushed, making the man even more gorgeous than he already was. It was a sight Finn would never get enough of.
Leaning down until their chests were flushed, Finn paused a moment just to feel. Bryce’s hole was tight and hot, so hot, and he felt as if he could come with just the slightest movement. Taking a deep breath, Finn started to move.
* * * *
Bryce locked his legs around Finn’s back, pushing his heels into his mate’s ass cheeks. Finally, finally, Finn was going to claim him. It wasn’t necessary to do it during sex, but it was an act of love, and Bryce wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. The fact that Finn was making love to him was a bonus. It had been a while since he had been on the receiving end, and he felt like it gave a special meaning to this. He was about to become a part of Finn.
A moan escaped Bryce’s mouth when Finn pegged his prostate. He had already come once, but he felt on the brink of his second orgasm already, thanks to the way Finn was sliding in and out of him, stimulating every nerve of Bryce’s passage. Bryce clutched to him, meeting every thrust with his hips.
“Bryce, I—”
Finn didn’t finish what he was saying but Bryce understood anyway. His mate was close, and he wanted to claim him. Raising one hand, he let one finger shift, his claw coming out as he slashed into his neck. The wound stung, but it was necessary, since Finn couldn’t use his teeth. Bryce felt the blood start trickling out, but Finn didn’t go to it right away. Instead, his mate straightened and looked at him in the eyes, the green pools so full of passion and love that Bryce felt his heart skip a beat.
They hadn’t said those three little words yet, but he knew he loved Finn. He was just scared that he would send him running because it was too soon. He shouldn’t have worried, though. Finn’s next words brought him peace and a happiness unlike anything he had ever felt.
“I love you, Bryce.”
Finn didn’t give him the time to answer. He bent down and latched on the wound on Bryce’s neck, sucking hard as he sank his blunt human teeth around it. The feeling of those teeth pushing on his flesh made Bryce yowl, sending a spark in his loins and his orgasm running along his spine until he exploded. An intense heat radiated from Bryce’s chest and his cock spurted wave after wave of sticky cum, until both their stomachs were slick with it, their movements against each other smearing it on their skin. Finn was still sucking, each and every pull directly connected to Bryce’s groin. He felt Finn’s presence appearing in his mind and he knew he would never be alone anymore.
Bryce could feel the utter happiness Finn was feeling, but also the worry in the back of his mind that he wouldn’t be enough. He didn’t know how to reassure his mate right now, he just couldn’t think past the feelings his body was experiencing, so he acted on instinct. Moving up, Bryce felt his canines emerging from his gums as he struck, embedding them in the soft skin on Finn’s neck, right where he had claimed him the first time. Finn went rigid on top of him and Bryce felt warm fluid invading his chute as he withdrew his teeth and licked the wound in Finn’s flesh clean.
Finn shuddered with every pass of Bryce’s tongue on the abused flesh, and Bryce could tell he was trying very hard not to fall on top of him, even if Bryce was strong enough to take the hundred and thirty something pounds his mate weighed. Bryce reached up, wounding his arms around his mate and pulling him down. Finn couldn’t resist and he crashed on Bryce, knocking the air out of his lungs.
“What did you do that for?” Finn muttered from Bryce’s neck, sounding utterly exhausted.
“I wanted to feel you.” He felt a small tongue sliding on the wound in his neck and he wondered if Finn’s teeth had penetrated when he had bitten him. He fingered it, wincing at how tender it was.
“Sorry, I didn’t want to hurt you. I don’t know what happened, it just...came out.” Finn tried to get up but Bryce stopped him.
“Did they leave a mark? Did they penetrate?” His finger was clear of blood, but Bryce hoped they had. He wanted to wear his mate’s mark on his skin for everyone to see.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite so hard.”
Bryce cupped Finn’s jaw and gently moved his face until he could see him. “I’m not. I hope it scars, actually.” Finn’s eyes widened. “You have my bite on your neck, and I want yours. If it doesn’t scar, I might ask you to bite me often just to get a new wound.” Bryce stroked the mating bite on Finn’s neck, feeling smug. Yeah, everyone knew Finn was taken.
“It’s that important to you? That everyone knows you’re taken?”
Bryce shrugged. “I guess it’s a shifter thing. How do Nix mate?”
Finn looked down to Bryce’s chest and pointed to his heart. “Like this.”
Bryce looked down and gasped. On the skin right over his heart was a mark that hadn’t been there that morning. It was dark brown, much like a birthmark, but from what he could see it had a precise pattern. He stroked a finger on it and asked, “Is it...are those our initials?”
“Yes. This happens when we decide to mate. We mate with sex, but only if we really want to. It has to be a conscious thought.”
Moving a little, Bryce peeked at Finn’s chest, and he felt his heart beat faster when he saw the same mark in the exact same place. Pushing Finn on his back, he slithered down his mate’s body until his eyes were at the mark’s level. It was beautiful, the two initials written in calligraphy and woven together just as their bodies were right now. It wasn’t big, just about the size of Finn’s entire nipple and about the same color. Bryce remembered the moment in which he had felt the skin heating, and he realized Finn must have claimed him then.
“You don’t mind, right? I know I should have asked you, but you had already bitten me, and—”
“I love it. I can see myself spending many hours tracing this with my tongue.” Bryce placed a kiss on it before leaning his head against it. “The pendant you wear...is it your parent’s mark?”
“Yes. My father had it made for my mother.”
“How do Nix recognize their mates? I know you don’t have the sense of smell shifters do, so...”
“By sight. From the first time I saw you I knew that you were my soul mate.”
Bryce couldn’t help but think back at that first time they had met each other. He remembered that even knowing Finn was his mate, he still had kissed Keenan right in front of him. God, he was such an ass. He didn’t want his mate to think about that now, though. Bryce had felt the sorrow Finn was experiencing when he had mentioned his parents, and he didn’t want his mate to feel sad. “I might have to run around bare chested to show it off.” It worked, because he felt Finn’s chest move under him as his mate laughed.
Bryce was about to kiss his mate senseless and maybe start another round of loving when he suddenly felt someone else in the room. He turned around, keeping Finn behind him as he faced the danger and crouched on the bed, not caring that his body was bare. It would only make it easier for him to shift if he needed to.
He didn’t know the man standing in front of him, but he looked vaguely familiar and the ears peeking from under his blond hair we
re pointed just like Finn’s. He was so small and thin that he looked like Bryce could knock him over just by breathing on him, but Bryce still remained on his guard. “Who are you? What do you want?”
Bryce felt Finn move behind him and gasp. “Ani? What are you doing here?”
He looked at Finn. “You know this guy?”
“Yeah, he’s my cousin.”
So Ani was family. He saw the Nix’s eyes zeroing on the mark above Bryce’s heart before the little guy opened his mouth. “Oh my god, Finn, you’re mated!”
* * * *
Finn wasn’t exactly comfortable with his cousin seeing him naked, and he was downright jealous about him seeing Bryce naked, so he grabbed the sheet under him and wrapped it around them both. It wasn’t easy since Bryce was still in fighting mode, his body rigid as he stared at Ani, but he did it anyway.
Finn didn’t know what to make of Ani’s sudden appearance. Yeah, they were cousins, but they barely talked to each other, although not because it was what Ani wanted. Finn just knew it would only make Ani’s life harder. He hadn’t wanted to drag his cousin in his problems, to make him a target for Karun, so he had always ignored the guy.
Not that it was easy. Ani was a determined man, and he had pestered Finn with attention. He had given him food when Karun didn’t want him to have any, he had taken care of Finn’s wounds when he had been beaten up, as well as covered for him when Finn had disappeared to his refuge in Ireland. In short, he had never taken no for an answer and he had wormed his way into Finn’s heart.
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