Trials, Track, and Tribulations [Spirit of Sage 7] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour ManLove)

by Jools Louise

  “Who’s too old to get it done?” Cracker growled, fondling rather than cleansing now.

  “Ryder!” Douglas shrieked, the fondling turning to tickling, which had him screeching with laughter.

  Ryder laughed from the bedroom, but didn’t join them. “You should know better by now,” he said. “Cracker hates being called old.”

  Out of breath, still giggling, Douglas was kissed soundly, hugging his big, idiotic mate before being bundled into a warm towel. “I love you,” Cracker whispered against Douglas’s lips, his tender kisses curling Douglas’s toes.

  “I love you, too,” Douglas sighed, tilting his head back when his lover nibbled a seductive line alone his throat. He felt two kisses press against his damaged eyelids, which had been sewn shut to protect the tissue behind them. He flinched a little, involuntarily.

  “Baby, this doesn’t define you,” Cracker said gently, kissing him again. “Your momma doesn’t define you.” Another kiss. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. You just have to believe it.”

  Douglas nodded, not really feeling it.

  He got a slapped ass for his trouble. He obviously needed to work on his expressive face, which apparently showed everything he was thinking. “Ryder and I have made a pact,” Cracker growled, nipping Douglas’s lower lip. “Between us, we are going to destroy that bitch’s legacy, once and for all. Starting right now.”

  Douglas tried to drag his lover’s lips to his, chasing those seductive kisses. He got another smack on his butt instead. “I was going to tell you later, but I guess now is as good a time as any,” Cracker said mysteriously, carrying his smaller mate into the bedroom.

  “Cracker bought a shop,” Ryder interjected, sounding amused. He laughed aloud when Cracker protested at being preempted.

  “I was gonna tell him!” the big lion shifter complained.

  “A shop?” Douglas asked, thinking quickly. Probably a hardware store or something.

  “It’s a sweet shop,” Cracker said proudly, like a little kid who just got straight As on his report card.

  Douglas’s mouth opened and stayed that way. He had no words.

  “And you’ll own it with me,” the big guy said firmly, brooking no argument. “Misty wants to buy in, as well. He has some ideas, so I said yes.”

  “Er…” Douglas began to say, but that was all he had. For once, he’d had the wind completely taken from his voice box.

  “I haven’t thought of a name yet, but once we come back from the ranch, I’ll show you where it’s at,” Cracker said enthusiastically. Douglas hugged him, loving that his mate was showing signs of losing the depression that had followed him since Sherman’s brother, Kaden, had arrived in town. It had opened a whole can of hornets, since they had found out that Kaden’s father had been behind Cracker’s sister’s death.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Douglas said, smiling. A sweet shop would be fun to have in town. The kids, and big kids, would love it. He had no clue what he would be able to do, though.

  “Don’t even think that you’ll be useless at helping,” Ryder warned from out of nowhere. Douglas flushed at the comment. “You have abilities that a lot of people in town don’t have. You use your other senses when we rely on our sight. You’ve learned to compensate. So don’t ever think that you’re no good. Stop focusing on all the things you can’t do, and think about what you can do. You’re not fucking dead, you know.”

  Ryder sounded genuinely angry, which meant more to Douglas than anything. It meant his big, bad elite squad mate was sincere. He never got irritated about things unless they meant something to him. Usually he was laconic, sarcastic, and exceedingly dry in his demeanor.

  “So this means I’ll be starting work, soon?” Douglas asked, smirking.

  “Yeah, so get your butt into some jeans, and then we can go see what your dad wants,” Cracker drawled, stripping away Douglas’s towel, then slapping his butt for the third time.

  Douglas laughed, planted a kiss on his lover’s cheek, then pulled away. He unerringly made for the dresser where his clothes were kept, then dragged on clean pants, underwear, and a T-shirt. Then he took two steps to the side, found his slip-on Kickers, and put them on, sans socks. He hated socks.

  “Come on, old guys,” he said, smiling at his mates. “My dad’s waiting.”

  Chapter Two

  The sports complex was pretty much completed now, and a line of cars was making its way into the entrance. The trials for the tournament had begun, with people showing up from all over the world, wanting to take part. Ryder drove, leaving his mates to canoodle next to him on the bench seat. He already knew what Cody was wanting Douglas to help him with, and why, but kept quiet. Douglas would be irritated if he thought they were ganging up on him, especially since Ryder knew that his friends were doing just that. Douglas had managed to keep most people fooled that he was doing okay, laughing and joking and making it to the café each day. The more astute, like John and Cody and Ryder, knew it was a sham. Douglas was still dealing with all that had happened. Murphy, the town’s resident psychotherapist, had been trying to counsel the young shifter, but until Douglas recognized and accepted that he needed help, it was no-go.

  “Can you believe there’s a traffic jam?” Ryder drawled sardonically, laughing softly. “This town is on the map now, well and truly.”

  “Yeah,” Douglas laughed. “Soon we’ll need another set of lights.”

  They all chuckled at that, since Sage had crosswalks but so far only one set of traffic lights right in the center. Slightly off the beaten track, a few miles from the main highway, it had never gotten that much traffic, but since they’d been advertising the Two Spirit Tournament, more and more people were showing up. The ranch had opened up about a thousand acres to accommodate those wanting to try out for the competition, providing camping pods, water hook-ups, and electric-hook ups, and they’d set up a food marquis to cater for everyone, as well as having to build toilet and shower blocks. The site was filling up fast, with a festive air of friendly competitive spirit as different teams and individuals from all over the country came to take part.

  “Who’s that, directing traffic?” Cracker suddenly asked, squinting.

  Ryder stared, as well, then began chuckling. He rolled down the window as they drew closer, resting his arm on the door frame. “Hey, dude, got a light?” he asked, smirking.

  Joe McKellar, a resigned look on his face, flipped him off with a smile. “Laugh it up, Froot Loop,” he retorted. “This is getting crazier every day. We’ve had a few fender benders recently, so now we have to direct them like kids.” He rolled his eyes.

  “I could get some of my crew to help out,” Cracker said. “With construction finished, they’re at loose ends.”

  Joe looked relieved. “Thanks. We’re all busy here, what with the children and camp site. Our friends from the Wind River reservation are helping out with the food and rigged a shower unit, which needs daily cleaning. Plus the portable toilets.” He screwed up his face. “They need a lot of cleaning.”

  “John said you had some international visitors, too,” Douglas piped up. “Something about Russian bears?”

  Joe chuckled, leaning in closer. “John’s started his wind-up routine early,” he said. “There’s a team from Russia, one from the Ukraine, and one from Estonia…they’re all big bruisers, wanting to compete for the wrestling, shot put, and some other stuff. He reckons they must be Kodiak bear shifters, though I’m assured that they aren’t.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Cracker replied breezily. “Those guys at the clinic are bears…it wouldn’t be impossible for bear shifters to be able to hide out in a place the size of Siberia, for example.”

  Joe blinked, then snorted. “Quit teasing,” he said. “The Russian team are tiger shifters, the Ukrainians are wolf shifters, and the Estonians are lynx.”

  Cracker shrugged, laughing. “It was worth a try,” he said.

  “Are you trying to psyche Joe out?” Douglas aske
d, knowing the Two Spirit crew were in direct competition with Cracker’s.

  “It was worth a try,” Cracker repeated.

  Ryder chuckled at Joe’s pugnacious look. The man was not amused. “Cracker, it’s not nice to tease the little kitty,” he said. “He might get all upset and cry.”

  Joe showed his huge feline fangs, grinning at the pair. “Just you keep telling yourselves that, douchebags,” he retorted. “Your little pussies are dust.”

  Waggling his brows at them, he stepped back, gave a low bow, then waved them on through with a one-fingered salute. Ryder laughed aloud, enjoying the banter. He and his elite squad had gotten a basketball team together, and he was looking forward to taking down Joe and his band of muscle heads.

  They drove through the entrance, which had a huge sign straddling the road. Two Spirit Tournament was displayed in bold letters, with mountains in the background, a decal of a half-feline, half-canine face on one side and a human face on the other. Their hands, one clawed, reached over the letters like a rainbow, forming a pyramid at the apex, holding a flag that had a half-human, half-animal face on it, silhouetted against a plain white background.

  The driveway led to a large parking lot, and a couple of the older ranch kids were helping to direct traffic. The lot was split into sections, with faces of different shifters displayed on different colored posts, approximately ten meters high. They were given a ticket with a jaguar’s face on it. Ryder frowned at it, puzzled.

  “We’re practicing for the event,” the teenaged boy said, grinning at Ryder’s expression. “This whole tournament is just growing and growing…I think Alfie’s going a little crazy, since there’s just so much to do, and we’re running out of time.”

  “Any troublemakers?” Ryder asked.

  “Just John,” the kid retorted, rolling his eyes. “That man just loves winding up the teams. He’s got it bad for a couple of the teams from England. Apparently he used to work with them. Oh, and we’ve had a few homeless people who’ve made their way onto the ranch. They’re humans, wanting to take advantage of the food hall set up at the camp site. So far, they’ve been behaving themselves, but we’re keeping an eye on them.”

  Ryder arched a brow, making note of the information. John Hastings, owner of Café Anglais and a bad-ass snow leopard shifter, had once been a Special Forces soldier, a member of the SBS, or Special Boat Service. If his friends had arrived, that meant the man was going to be even more unbearable. The guy just lived to wind people up. He was also one of the most fearless men Ryder had ever met. He would quite literally walk into the fires of hell for a friend…then flip off the devil, laughing the whole time, before sauntering back out again. The other potential issue, homeless folks invading the ranch, could be more trouble. He’d look into sending a few of his squad out here to keep an eye on things.

  “Oh, this will be good,” Cracker said, chuckling. “John and another bunch of pansy-assed Brits against the might of Sage.”

  The teenager sent him a droll look. “Dude, those pansy-assed Brits haven’t been beaten yet…at anything. They’re super cool.” He had a look of hero worship on his face, sighing blissfully as he fanned himself with both hands.

  “I need to meet them,” Douglas said, laughing. “I want to hear stories of what John was like before he arrived in America.”

  “Between you and me,” the kid said dryly, “I think he got worse!” Then he walked to the next car, waving them through.

  “Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” Douglas giggled, bouncing on the seat. “My dad and John go back years, as well. You two better have your game on, because Two Spirit are gonna kick ass.”

  Ryder exchanged an amused glance with Cracker. “Is our mate supporting the Two Spirit team, by any chance?” he asked the big lion shifter dryly.

  “It sure sounded like that to me,” Cracker drawled back, and grabbed Douglas in a noogie. “Our mate appears to be backing the wrong team.”

  Douglas laughed hysterically, struggling to free himself, then cuddled up to the big lug, pecking him on the cheek. “I’m neutral,” he said. “I support Sage, but I also love John and the Two Spirit crew, as well. So I’ll be happy with whoever does what…so long as there’s fair play.”

  Ryder parked up while the pair bickered, rolling his eyes. “Let’s go and see what Cody wants, before you two come to blows,” he said, seeing Douglas was about to retaliate against Cracker.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what I can help him with, but I’m game if he is,” Douglas quipped, grinning.

  “When we’re done, I have something I need help with, too,” Cracker whispered seductively, placing Douglas’s hand on his cock.

  Douglas giggled, squeezing hard. “Sweetie, I’ll do what I can.”

  Cracker gave him a hard smooch on the lips, humming with pleasure.

  Ryder sighed, shaking his head. “You’re driving home,” he told Cracker. “I’m missing out on all the fun, here.”

  Douglas immediately turned to him and kissed him, as well. “There, there, baby, no need to pout.”

  Ryder growled and nipped Douglas’s lip teasingly. “Maybe we’ll stop off somewhere on the way home, little one,” he said, dragging Douglas onto his lap and kissing the man senseless. “Someone’s heading for a spanking.” Douglas moaned, grinding into Ryder’s cock. Ryder smiled against his lips. “Does our little sex kitten like that idea?” Douglas moaned again, his head lolling back to let Ryder take a long, slow taste of his throat, nibbling along his slender neck to his Adam’s apple and then back up again to claim his mouth again.

  “We could play hide and fuck,” Cracker suggested, moving closer to share a sexy three-way kiss. “Or little red riding fuck.”

  “I see a pattern,” Ryder laughed softly, taking Cracker’s lips hungrily. The man was sex on a stick, a complete surprise to Ryder, who had been so focused on getting Douglas back that he hadn’t thought about having a second mate. He loved both with a passion that often took his breath away. He didn’t deserve to find such happiness. He had a dark past, one he was reluctant to share with anyone…and he wasn’t so sure his mates would ever understand the choices he’d made in his youth. It was better if he stayed silent, until he was more sure of their reaction.

  “Yeah, we take our mate into the woods, track him down, and then fuck him like crazy,” Cracker said, laughing, as well. “Then we’ll double-fuck you, cutie.” Ryder let out a startled laugh at the nickname and softened his kiss. Cracker was a handful and a half, but he was fun to be around. The man had the craziest sense of humor.

  “Only if we can take your ass right after,” Ryder murmured, playing tongue tag with his mates as Douglas joined in, their kisses languidly sensual as they enjoyed one another. There was a loud knock on the window, which had them cursing as they sprang apart.

  A familiar face leered at them, his green eyes glinting wickedly. “Gentlemen, do remember this is a public place,” John said, smirking. He was surrounded by five miniature shifters in feline form, who sat grinning up at the car.

  Ryder bit back another curse and just refrained from flipping the irritating Brit off.

  “Don’t you have a business to run?” he asked, scowling when John’s grin only widened.

  “Nope,” the man replied breezily. “I’m on babysitting duties today. Cameron is having some quality time with his sister, over at the rez. So I’ve got Ethan running the café.”

  “Any problems so far?” Douglas suddenly asked, smiling evilly, which had John eyeing him suspiciously.

  “No,” was the reply, as John narrowed his eyes on the younger man. Ryder bit back a smile as he glanced through the side mirror to see what had caught Douglas’s attention. Douglas may not have had the power of sight, but his hearing was superlative.

  “So, all these little beasties are potty trained?” Douglas asked, still innocence personified.

  John looked even more wary, which had Cracker laughing now as he caught on.

  “Not all of them, John,” Dougl
as said sweetly. “One just peed on the truck.”

  John cursed, then blanched, then cursed again, and lifted the offending shifter in his arms, staring into the little one’s pale green eyes. “Candy, we’ve talked about that, haven’t we?” he said, his tone gentle but firm. “No bathroom breaks unless you’re actually in a bathroom.”

  The child shifted suddenly, giggling delightedly at John, and gave him a gentle pat on the cheek. “Yes, Uncle John,” she said, nodding vigorously, before shifting back into a fuzzball.

  He rolled his eyes, flushing as he looked at the trio in the truck. “She forgets,” he explained lamely, then bundled the others off in the direction of the main complex.

  “Oh that’s just perfect,” Ryder said, laughing delightedly.

  “Yep,” Douglas added, joining in. “The man is so wrapped around Candy’s little finger, and he doesn’t even know it.”

  Cracker stared after the little group wistfully. “Candy looks a little like my sister,” he said huskily. “She had the clearest green eyes and blonde hair that was soft as silk.”

  Ryder gave the man a tender kiss. “We’ll get them,” he said grimly, stroking Cracker’s face. “Her killers won’t get away with it for much longer. We’re closing in.”

  Cracker stared at him, tilting his head, then closed his eyes and sighed. “Just make sure I’m in on it when it all goes down,” he said.

  Ryder nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Chapter Three

  Douglas smelled chlorine, growing stronger as he walked between his mates through the complex. He figured they must be heading to the swimming and diving pools and felt a little nervous. He’d loved swimming before the incident that had taken his sight, but had been fearful of doing it again. In fact he was plain terrified at the thought of it, but he kept his fears firmly under control. He didn’t want anyone to think he was a wuss or that he was incapable of doing anything for himself. It had taken long enough to map out his home turf, Sage, since people were only too helpful. But he needed to do stuff on his own, for when nobody was around. He’d thought they were going to take a turn around the track, which he was familiar with. Sure enough, the swish of the doors heralded their arrival, and the scent of chemicals hit him hard. He flinched slightly and felt a warm hand clasp his hip, then another on the other side.