Battle for a Mates Heart

by Raven Darkwing

  His mate’s muscles squeezed him until he thought he was going to blow, but he managed to hold back. He licked and then bit down gently on one of Ricky’s nubs and then the other. His hands traveled over Ricky’s body, savoring the sensations while he pounded into his mate.

  Ricky’s nails raked across his back before resting on his hips. He could feel him vibrate beneath him as he pulled Grant closer than it should have been possible. It almost felt as if they were becoming one body. The alpha could feel his fangs drop down as his balls drew up incredibly tight to his body. “I love you!” Grant roared before he bit down hard over his previous mark.

  “Oh my, God!” Ricky screamed, as wave after wave of pearly white seed erupted from his cock and smeared between them. Grant stroked in and out a few more times before he pushed as deeply as he could, his balls emptying and filling Ricky’s ass with his load. Ricky moaned again, as a few more weak spurts of come spilled from his cock to join the rest.

  Grant carefully removed his teeth and licked the bite clean before he rested his forehead against his mate’s. After a few moments, he rolled from the bed and quickly went to the bathroom to get a warm cloth.

  When he returned, he smiled at the blissed-out look on his mate’s face. As he cleaned them both up, he paused and tilted his head as he felt a wave of peace engulf him. He noticed Ricky rubbed his chest for a moment, the same confused look on his own face.

  “What the…” Grant thought, only to be astonished when he received a return answer in his own mind.

  “Is that you, Grant?” Ricky’s voice whispered in his mind.

  Grant sat on the side of the bed. He’d secretly wondered why he couldn’t feel or communicate with his mate before now. He’d never mentioned it to anyone, and eventually assumed it was just a myth told by those before him and nothing more.

  Yet even now he could feel his mate’s confusion, but more importantly, he could feel the underlying love and acceptance. “Yes, I never thought it would happen,” Grant replied.

  “What…what would happen, Grant? It feels like you’re here, inside me,” Ricky whispered, as he touched his chest.

  Grant smiled before he climbed back onto the bed. He pulled Ricky into his arms and kissed him lightly before he lay back. “It has been said that one of the ways to know you have found your Semme’ mate is when after the claiming, your souls not only become one but your minds as well. I had wondered when I couldn’t feel you or talk to you in here,” Grant tapped Ricky’s forehead.

  “So why now?” Ricky asked.

  “I think it is because until now, we both had our doubts. I think that a claim without true love is not complete. Fate can lead us to each other my mate, but it cannot force us to love. That is up to us,” Grant finished with a yawn. It was getting late and he had to get up in a few hours to leave for Seattle.

  Ricky nodded sleepily as he laid his head on Grant’s chest. “Makes sense I suppose.”

  Grant smiled as the softly whispered words of his mate entered his mind, “I love you, Grant.”

  “And I love you too, my mate.”

  ◆◆◆

  Sparky walked quickly down the stairs. He needed to leave, even though his wolf was pushing him to return to his mate. There was no way he was going to give in to his emotions again. The last time had ended with him almost becoming a mindless sex slave to his former lover. Even now, he could hear Winston’s voice in his mind, “You belong to me, and you will do what I say…”

  The mechanic shook his head; he refused to be anyone’s property to be used at their whim. “But Charlie is your Semme’ mate, he would never hurt you,” his inner wolf seemed to say. Sparky had reached the living room, but before he could get his coat, he felt a hand on his arm. He quickly turned to find himself face to face with Jason, the alpha’s youngest brother.

  “Where are you going, Sparky?” Jason asked.

  “I have to go,” Sparky responded, as he turned once again to grab his coat.

  “Why would you run from your Semme’ mate?” Jason pressed.

  Sparky’s shoulders drooped as his inner wolf seemed to howl internally. Even after being with his mate for a short time, he had felt the pull. Leaving might lessen it some, but somehow Sparky didn’t think he could run far enough this time to escape.

  “Why don’t we sit down and talk,” Jason’s soft voice interrupted his internal battle. “Sheila is making some coffee. Come on, you have to know running isn’t going to solve the problem this time. You have a home here, and you have the support of the pack. You’re part of the alpha’s inner circle as well.”

  “Okay, okay!” Sparky mumbled. He turned to follow Jason into the kitchen. He watched as the shifter walked up to the honey-blonde haired woman and pulled her to him for a quick kiss.

  Even though he played for the other team, the mechanic had to admit Sheila was beautiful. Jason had been dating Sheila for years. Even though they were not Semme’ mates, many thought they would eventually end up together. After all, before now, Semme’ mates were almost never found.

  Sheila stepped out of Jason’s arms and slapped him lightly on the chest. “Go sit down and I’ll bring you both some coffee,” She glanced at Sparky. “It’s not every day someone finds their Semme’ mate.”

  Sparky huffed, “What the hell. Did you all take out an ad or something? I only just discovered that Charlie is my Semme’ mate and you’re planning the ceremony!”

  Jason smiled as he sat down opposite the irritated shifter. “You know the pack telegraph is fast. It’s hard to keep something like this a secret for long and why would you want to?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Sparky replied, as he ran his hand through his hair. “Maybe I’d like time to actually get to know the guy, or maybe the guy doesn’t want me…”

  Jason reached across the table and placed his hand on Sparky’s arm. He squeezed lightly, “You’re right, Sparky. It is too soon for talk of love, but the fates have put you two together for a reason. Whatever the problems are right now, you and Charlie can work through them.”

  “How do you know?” Sparky sighed.

  “The question isn’t how I know, but instead, it’s how will you know if you don’t give this a chance?” Jason replied.

  The mechanic smiled at Sheila as she placed the cup of coffee in front of him. He took a quick sip, “Thanks, Sheila.” He looked up at Jason and nodded his head. The man had a point.

  Ever since he came out to his home pack and was kicked out, he’d been running. He had tried hiding who he really was, only to become ensnared in an abusive relationship with his ex-boyfriend Winston. He’d run when Ricky had used his mojo on him because he had allowed his fear to over-rule his reason. It was time he at least took a stand. Even if he still had no clue what fate was thinking of in pairing him up with a magi; and one that could read minds no less.

  “I have some of the herbal tea that Doc wanted Charlie to drink. It will help with his healing,” Sheila stated as she began to pour the liquid into a cup. “Why don’t you take it up to him and see if you can get him to drink it?”

  “Fine, I’ll do it. But if this goes south, you better stock up on the double chocolate rocky road ice cream, because I plan on eating myself to death.” Sparky huffed as he stood and took the cup from Sheila.

  “Seriously, Sparky?” Jason chuckled as he also stood.

  Sparky turned and winked at him, “Do you know any better way to die than death by chocolate?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Jason responded as he pulled Sheila into his arms. “I can think of a few ways.”

  “Ew, talk about TMI dude. Why don’t you two find a room, my gay eyes might fall out if I have to witness the two of you doing the nasty.” Sparky turned and left chuckling to himself. His mate might not want him, and he certainly had his doubts about them being able to work past his own issues, but Jason was right, it was time he stopped running; if only to find out what the hell the fates were thinking.

  Chapter 8

  Sp
arky quietly entered the room where Charlie was being kept. He wasn’t surprised to see Charlie’s half-brother Artemus sitting on the side of the bed. His long fingers gently ran through the dark, colored fur. Sparky couldn’t stop the low growl that escaped from his lips. Artemus smiled as he shook his head.

  “You know, I’m no threat to your mating,” Artemus said, as he continued to stroke his brother’s fur. “In fact, I think fate has chosen wisely for my brother.”

  The mechanic cocked his head, “Seriously? You of all people should understand why this is so fucked up. I mean, the fates had to be smoking some good stuff the day they decided I would be the perfect match for Charlie!” Sparky saw the wolf on the bed close his eyes and look away. To say he felt awful would have been an understatement. But he couldn’t hide the truth. After Winston, the last person he thought he’d mate would be a magi.

  Artemus sighed, “The fates only open the door, you and Charlie have to decide to walk through it.”

  Sparky decided to change topics, “Why is Charlie in his wolf form? I know Doc wanted him to shift a few more times, but he doesn’t need to stay that way for long for it to work. Is it because he’s half magi?”

  Charlie’s brother shook his head, “No, well, not totally anyway. You see my brother’s gift is also a curse. It’s the reason I’ve kept him hidden all these years.”

  “What happened to him?” Sparky asked as he placed the cup of tea on the bedside table. It was obvious Charlie wouldn’t be drinking it until he became human again. From the looks of it, that wasn’t going to be anytime soon.

  Artemus looked at Charlie for a moment as if asking his brother what to do. The wolf on the bed sighed and appeared to nod. Sparky moved closer and sat in the chair beside the bed. His hand itched to replace the magi’s hand on his mate’s fur. But he sensed it wouldn’t be welcome.

  “The story isn’t really mine to tell other than to say this. My brother has not had an easy life which was complicated by the high priest of our birth coven who feared my brother.” Artemus paused to pet Charlie before he continued, “Personally, I think the only reason he spared my brother’s life, is because he suspected he would have some kind of powerful magic that he might be able to use.”

  “How could he know that?” Sparky asked.

  “It was his eyes. Many of the most powerful magi are born with one blue and one brown eye. While some cultures see it as the sign of a curse, magi see it as a blessing. Even though it is unheard of for one who is not part of the direct line to be a natural magi, the gods bestowed the ability of mind-speak on my brother.”

  The mechanic leaned forward, “And what exactly does that mean? Can he control people’s minds like Winston?”

  Artemus shook his head, “No, Charlie is kind of like a radio receiver. He can ‘hear’ others’ thoughts and pick up on their emotions. The stronger the thought or emotion, the louder it gets. He can also open a channel to talk to others in their mind. In some cases, once he has opened a channel to a person, he can communicate to them through their dreams. But it is hard and tires him unless the person doesn’t fight against him. In some cases, it can be painful for the other person when they fight against his ability.”

  “So, what does that have to do with him staying in his wolf form?” Sparky couldn’t help but ask. So far he’d seen his mate’s wolf more than his human half. If Charlie was a wolf most of the time, it was going to make being his mate even more difficult.

  “Imagine if you heard voices in your head and no matter how hard you try, the ‘noise’ never quits. Then add to the mix the fact you have to live with the thoughts of others as if they were your own memories."

  Artemus sighed, "Normally, those with the natural ability of mind-speak segregate themselves from others. They become loners and rarely have contact with anyone. It is the only way for them to stay sane.” Artemus smiled softly, “However, my brother was given two ways to help him block the noise.”

  “Let me guess, he can’t read minds or hear our thoughts when he’s in his wolf form right?” Sparky asked.

  The magi nodded, “Yes, in his wolf form he is like any other shifter. Of course, like other shifters, if he remains in his wolf form too long, he can actually lose himself to the animal. So, it’s not the best solution for him.”

  “And living remote wouldn’t work because his wolf needs to be part of a pack. Lone wolfs always search for others to keep from going mad, even if they aren’t an official ‘pack’,” the mechanic guessed.

  “You’re right, neither solution would work for any length of time for my brother.” Artemus smiled sadly, “My mother understood this and found a way to help him.”

  “How?”

  “She knew a shaman who collected magic relics from our ancestors. He gave her a pendant that was formed into the shape of an ancient arrow. It was made of obsidian and contained a heart made of golden amber. The ancient magic was infused into the amulet and held in place by symbols etched into the heart."

  "It was called the Heart of the Warrior and was rumored to have been worn by a powerful magi who had the favor of the gods.” Artemus chuckled, “I remember my father thought she was crazy to believe some old piece of jewelry could help my brother block his powers. But after it was placed on Charlie’s neck, he knew peace for the first time since his powers emerged.”

  “So, where is this amulet?” Sparky asked. “I didn’t see anything like that in the things he had with him.”

  The magi shrugged, “I don’t know, but I’m betting it was taken from him by Alpha Clifton.”

  Both men jumped as a low growl sounded on the bed. Charlie’s wicked teeth snapped while the hair on the back of his neck stood up. It was clear the wolf had no love for the former alpha of the Willow Creek Pack. Sparky stood and sat on the other side of the bed. He placed his hand on his mate’s shoulders. “Take it easy Charlie. I promise we’ll find your heart and bring it back to you.”

  The mechanic was amazed when the wolf laid its head in his lap. The fact that his mate calmed at his touch wasn’t surprising. But from the way Charlie had acted earlier, he thought the man wanted nothing to do with him.

  “I wish you would shift back to your human side, Charlie. It’s kind of hard to hold a conversation with you while you’re a wolf. Besides, you should drink the tea I brought up before it gets cold.”

  “He’s right, Charlie. It’s time for you to shift. Most of the house will be leaving in a few hours to try to save Radar and Sammy. The noise shouldn’t be intolerable for you.” Artemus stood and stepped back from the bed, “Come on brother, shift and meet your amator.”

  “Amator?” Sparky asked, confused.

  “It is the same as Semme’ to shifters. The magi’s amator is his or her Amar Verus, their true love and other part of their soul,” Artemus explained.

  “Huh, then why didn’t Winston call his wife by that name?” In all the time he had been with Winston, his ex, had never referred to the woman he married in this way.

  Of course, he was only a toy for the man, something he could fuck and make do tricks for himself and his creepy friends. So, maybe he had said it when Sparky wasn’t around. Before he could reflect on it further, he saw his mate begin to shimmer. The mechanic stood up to give Charlie room to shift.

  The hybrid shifter quickly pulled the sheet over himself before he sat back against the headboard. The brief view Sparky got once again made his mouth water. The contrast between Artemus and Charlie was fascinating.

  Artemus had long, reddish-brown hair that hung past his hips. In a certain light, it had always looked to Sparky like it flamed. But his most striking feature was his green eyes. He’d never seen that brilliant a shade before.

  Charlie, on the other hand, had hair black as a raven’s wing that lay just below his shoulders. While it was a little strange to see one blue and one brown eye, Sparky thought they were amazing. It gave his mate a spiritual look, that actually drew you in if you looked into his eyes for any length of time. If he had
n’t been told they were related, he would never have guessed the two had the same father.

  Sparky handed the cup of tea to Charlie, “Here, Doc says the herbs in the tea will help with your healing.”

  “Thanks,” Charlie said softly, as he accepted the cup. The man took a sip and made a face. “This tastes like old sweat socks!”

  “Well if it tasted good, then it wouldn’t be good for you, would it?” Sparky replied as he placed his hand under the cup and urged his mate to take another drink. He watched as the man gulped down the rest of the brew, gagging slightly as he handed the cup back to Sparky.

  “I think I’d rather be sick than have to drink that crap again,” Charlie groused. Sparky chuckled as he put the empty cup back on the bedside table. He watched as Artemus leaned forward and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. He squeezed it lightly before he stepped back from the bed.

  “It’s time for me to go. I have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow for Seattle.” Artemus winked at Charlie, “Besides, I think the two of you have a lot to ‘talk’ about.”

  Sparky smirked, “You sure you don’t want to watch? Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something new old man.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but I’ve probably had more sex than you’ll ever be able to handle. I remember the time when a group of us tried to see who could have the most orgasms without passing out,” Artemus snickered when his brother put his hand over his face.

  “Come on Artie, that’s a picture I’d rather not have in my mind,” Charlie shuddered. “I’m sure Sparky doesn’t need to hear any more about your great sexual exploits through the ages.”

  “Who says?” Sparky piped in. “Who won the contest, Artie?”

  “Sorry, but we all swore to keep it a secret.” The magi grinned as he turned to leave the room, “I’ll stop in before I leave tomorrow, Charlie. Try to get some rest, okay?”

  “I wish you weren’t going, Artie. The bastard is crazy, and he has an army of pure evil to back him up.”