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

by Jools Louise

“John, you were too busy leering at Cameron’s ass to remember where you were,” Kevin protested. “Then you ran into our lane, and that was our race over. You’re the idiot, dude. I thought you were joking when you said you weren’t good at running.” Douglas just knew he was flipping the big Brit off and grinned at his friends.

  “Cameron, why is he even running?” Douglas asked, laughing when John snorted. “You know he’s getting past it, so instead of admitting he’s slow, he distracts the competition, making out he’s a klutz.”

  Cameron laughed loudly. “Nah, man, he just really likes my ass,” he retorted smugly.

  There was a smooching sound, and Douglas figured the mates were kissing each other. He chuckled at the sound of retching from the twins.

  “Please, don’t do that in front of us, John. Us kiddies don’t like seeing our parents in a clincher. It’s just wrong,” Kevin complained with just a little more sass than was necessary.

  There was a loud squeal of alarm, then Cameron began laughing again. “Kevin’s on his way to a new lap record for the four hundred meters,” he said. “I’m so glad I undid this Velcro strap. John’s giving him a run for his money. Kevin’s been teasing him all morning.”

  Douglas shook his head. “I don’t even want to know,” he sighed. “Just tell me which trial I’m entered into next. Let the dweebs play.”

  Kieran laughed. “Alfie has you lined up for a bout of wrestling,” he said. “Apparently you’re to head over to the arena. He’s got you a couple of friendly matches to get you started.”

  Douglas curled his lip and heard Alfie giggle as he and Cracker left the stadium.

  “That man is just a little too excited about this,” Douglas drawled to his mate.

  Cracker cupped his hip and drew him closer, kissing the top of his head. “He’s in his element,” he said, with some sympathy. “I get the impression he’s doing it to reinforce the fact that you can do all these things, after your little meltdown a few days ago. He was scared for you. None of us wants to lose you. We all love you too much to see you so despairing again.”

  Douglas stopped suddenly and turned around. “Alfie? I’m okay, you know,” he called. The shifter came running up and hugged him again.

  “I know,” was the tremulous reply. “The twins told me about your nightmares, and how you wanted to die after Ellis was killed. I don’t want you to ever think like that again. You’re part of this town, a huge part of it. I don’t know what we’d do if anything else happened to you. It was bad enough when you were rescued from the lab in Idaho, but you came through it and helped your brother get through his suffering. Then to see you in so much pain after the acid attack, and being blinded. It was just too much. You seemed to pull through that, too, but I should have noticed how much you were really suffering. I’m your friend and I let you down. And I never told you how much I love you.” He kissed Douglas on the cheek, stroking his hair gently back from his brow. “You’re better than any of us, Douglas.”

  Then he patted Douglas’s cheek and gave a choked laugh. “Now get on with those trials, slacker. I want you to show this town what we’re made of.”

  “We?” Douglas asked wryly.

  “Oh yes,” Alfie laughed. “Behind every great athlete, there’s a kick-ass queen,” he said, and giggled. “At least when it comes to the Two Spirit Tournament, anyway.”

  He kissed Douglas again. “Love ya,” he repeated, then left, sniffling slightly.

  Douglas sighed, scuffing his feet on the ground. “I love you, too,” he called. “But don’t think this lets you out of payback for signing me up for so many events. Your day is coming.”

  He heard Alfie giggle again. “In your dreams, sweetie,” Alfie retorted. “I’m helping you all to realize your full potential. You should be giving me a medal. Or maybe a really large bag of those yummy chocolate kisses from your shop.”

  “He thinks he’s getting rewarded?” Douglas asked, laughing as he continued on his way to the wrestling arena, a smallish building that housed the martial arts marches, as well.

  “I think he deserves it, actually,” Cracker said. “He’s had virtually no thanks for getting us all involved in this whole tournament. He’s pretty much organized it single-handed.”

  Douglas felt a twinge of guilt for being small-minded. Cracker was right. Alfie had surpassed himself, throwing everything he had into getting the tournament off the ground. People in town had resisted, avoided, and upset the little shifter for not realizing what the tournament was about. It wasn’t just a sporting event, but a celebration of their emergence from the shadows they’d all lived in for so long, and the surprising acceptance of their society across the world. There were still pockets of people who didn’t see their presence as being a good thing. On the whole, that negativity had been exacerbated by the likes of Purdy and certain canine species, who viewed humans as being exploitable and used their shifter strength and cunning to hurt people.

  “We should do something to show Alfie how much he’s appreciated,” Douglas murmured. “Each new business in town should donate to the prize, maybe, and present it to him when the tournament opens. As a thank-you.”

  Cracker hugged him, kissing him tenderly. “That sounds like a really great idea,” he said huskily. “Now let’s get this wrestling thing done with, so we can go and play.”

  Douglas laughed. His horny mates had been patiently waiting, helping him with each event, letting him practice over and over and test out each new arena and track and pool. Once the wrestling was over with, they could take some time off to have fun. He smiled wickedly. They hadn’t christened nearly enough of the venues yet.

  * * * *

  Cracker moaned as he felt Ryder’s thick cock spear him, sinking right to the hilt and filling him in the most satisfying way. Straddling his big mate, he sank down, driving the fat cock deeper still, then paused for several moments to let his ass adjust to the monster plugging it up.

  “Damn, dude, that never gets old,” he murmured, groaning again when Ryder gave a teasing thrust upward, bouncing him gently.

  “Lover, you’re exquisite,” Ryder said hoarsely. “I’m not going to last long. I’m surprised I can still get a hard-on. We’ve been going for hours.”

  “Baby, I think we’re all surprised,” Douglas piped up, breathing heavily. “If this was one of the events in the tournament, we’d be contenders for gold, I reckon.”

  They all laughed. “The horndog trials,” Ryder chuckled.

  “Speak for yourself, tiger,” Cracker said, grunting. “This old feline is just getting his second wind. Now quit talking and start fucking.”

  “Ooh, he’s getting sassy,” Douglas said, laughing loudly. “I think maybe it’s time to bring out the wild card.”

  Cracker frowned. Wild card? Then he gasped out a curse when he felt Douglas’s familiar fingers stroking down his crease, and had an inkling what the minx was talking about. He had the feeling he was about to be double-fucked through the mattress.

  “In she goes,” Douglas said, his fingers slick with lube as he smeared his cock in preparation, then added a healthy dollop to Cracker’s stretched hole. Cracker moaned in delight as he felt Douglas slide in alongside Ryder, pushing him flatter on Ryder’s gorgeous body to allow for better access.

  “So fucking tight,” Ryder growled approvingly, kissing Cracker hungrily, devouring his mouth as though he was starving for the taste. “Baby, I have to tell you. This is the best part of my day. Being home with both my mates, in bed for fucks and frolics.”

  Douglas gasped out a laugh. “Me, too,” he said, then bottomed out with a loud moan. “Wow, this feels amazing.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Cracker gritted out, feeling the burn and loving every moment of being connected to his mates. “Now can you please fuck my brains out while I’m still young?”

  Ryder laughed up at him and cupped his jaw, kissing him again. “Here we go, beautiful.” Cracker whimpered when the pair of them got to work, finding a sexy rhythm as they mad
e love to his ass, rather than giving him the pounding he’d imagined. They kissed and stroked him as they slid in and out, murmuring their love for him, and how incredible he was. Cracker closed his eyes, undone by their sweetness, feeling his heart weep as they handled him as though he was the most precious thing in the world to them.

  “Love you,” Douglas whispered, blanketing his back as his younger mate surged in and out, in sync with Ryder’s up thrusts. “You’re goofy and funny and sexy, and I’m so glad we found each other,” he said. “I was so lost, after what happened, keeping everything locked inside me, poisoning my mind.” He kissed Cracker’s nape gently, then nipped his shoulder teasingly. “I feel as though I’ve found my second chance at happiness. With you beside me. Both of you beside me.” He gave a low cry, then his fangs sank deep and came hard, spewing warm cream deep inside Cracker’s tight hole.

  “Hmmm, Cracker, you complete us,” Ryder added, fucking upwards a little harder as Cracker’s cock bounced against his abs. “I wasn’t sure how this relationship would work,” he admitted. “But I’m so glad that I didn’t run from it. I love you both so much, it frightens me sometimes. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” He moved faster, surging into Cracker with powerful thrusts. Douglas withdrew and slid around, taking the thick meat between his lips and sucking avidly. Ryder, undone by the sight, came a second later, forcing Cracker to come unglued as the scent of his mates’ spunk hit his nostrils, as Ryder’s cock filled his hole to overflowing.

  Still joined, Cracker lay flat atop Ryder’s heated body, trying to catch his breath. He groaned when Douglas popped off his cock, then rose to his knees to share Cracker’s creamy essence with him, the ensuing three-way kiss dirty and delicious. Exhausted and finally replete, they dragged the covers over them and snuggled down, intimately entwined and utterly content. After all their trials and tribulations, they’d made it to the finish line, finally at peace and ready to take on whatever the world had in store for them next.

  “You know, I’m still going to give Alfie shit,” Douglas murmured drowsily after several minutes. “The little minx has me in every running, swimming, and wrestling event there is. He would have had me doing the climbing and jumping thing, too, except I drew the line. Now he’s thinking of getting me into one of the equestrian events. How the hell am I supposed to do that?”

  Cracker listened with smile to Douglas’s complaining and figured Alfie was just keeping Douglas on his toes. They were all looking forward to the Two Spirit Tournament, in just a few weeks’ time, and despite Douglas’s bitching, they all knew he was as excited as anyone else. He had been put in charge of the mini critters swimming and running events, and was teaching the little fuzz butts how to deal with their lack of sight. So far, Candy was the only one who had regained partial vision. The others were still in the dark, literally.

  “Dude, we’ll make sure that Alfie gets his reward, okay?” he drawled, and heard Douglas’s satisfied grunt. Then there was a soft, sated sigh, and he fell asleep, leaving Cracker to his thoughts. Trials, track, and tribulations had been the order of the day so far in this town. Judging by the new threats that were brewing, Cracker didn’t think that would be ending anytime soon. Sage seemed to attract the dregs, but they had their ace in the hole. They’d already spent decades in darkness, and no shifter was prepared to go back there.

  “Bring it on, dudes,” he whispered to the night. “We’ll be ready.”

  He closed his eyes, letting the soothing murmur of his mates sleeping lull him down into slumber. This was his favorite time of day, and he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

  THE END

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