by Jo Penn
“Mine! Leave him alone!” Icy blue eyes clawed Drake as much as those razor-sharp talons had.
Drake got in his mate’s face, growling. “You listen to me, mate. You’re gonna have to learn to share. You’re mine. So is the human, and I take care of my own. And you’ve run out of time and my patience. I should just fuck and claim you here and now. Be thankful I’ve got more control than that. My guards will find the human. Ryder, out of the limousine.”
Drake climbed out after his brother and looked around. There were a few paranormals who had been alerted to the struggle and watched from their own homes. The humans stayed safely tucked inside.
“Why don’t I go collect some bags? It shouldn’t take the guards long to track down one human. His scent is all over the house. I’ll ride up front so you can have some time calming down your vampire and getting him used to you, and Jax will remain here with Dominic.” Ryder slapped Drake’s shoulder, smiling. “At least you got a fighter.”
Ryder was quick, tossing two Louis Vuitton overnight bags into the boot before climbing in and closing the door. He tossed a sheet of paper on Drake’s lap and tapped the ceiling. Mark took off immediately. Drake picked up the piece of paper without interest and then did a double take.
“Both your mates.” Ryder grinned. “Man, did you ever luck out. I hope I’m so fortunate. I’m climbing in the front now. Take it easy.”
Drake stared at the photograph in shock. The picture looked like it was taken in a relaxed setting, both his mates smiling and completely different from one another. Where Xavier was all elegance, with that glossy cap of dark waves, startling ice-blue eyes, and stunning bone structure, the human was pretty much the exact opposite. Sunlight blond hair, cut short and stylish, flopped in a careless way over his face, so cute and beautiful that Drake could only stare in shock at the dimple in one cheek, the pointed chin, and the light, dreamy hazel eyes.
“Gorgeous, isn’t he?” Xavier was watching Drake intently.
“You both are.” Drake put the photograph aside. “Now, what am I going to do with a mate who challenges me?”
Xavier smirked, lethal fangs flashing. “Why don’t we spar and find out?”
Amused, Drake crouched beside his vamp and looked him over. “How about I just take this gorgeous body?”
“And here I was beginning to think you were not going to be crass and take me while in the back of a limousine.” Xavier smirked.
“Shame, we could have some fun.” Drake wiggled his eyebrows. He liked that, despite their current situation, his mate was still able to tease. It boded well, hopefully.
“So, Prince Drakius Sergio Rodriguez Sanchez, tell me about yourself.”
A white-blond brow shot up. “I haven’t felt you in my mind to know my full name, Xavier.”
His icy blue eyes glistened. “Oh, I’ve been in your mind, mate. You just don’t feel me. There is a lot you have yet to learn.”
“So it seems. I’m looking forward to that.”
Laughing, Drake made himself comfortable, pushing down his cat, who wanted to purr, rub himself all over his mate, and fuck him into the floor before claiming him. Maybe another time—once Xavier got used to a little manhandling.
Chapter Two
Keeley Tate
He had a mate.
Keeley ducked through an alley, keeping himself in the shadows and as small as possible. That part wasn’t difficult. He was only five-foot-seven and slim. Paranormals also hunted via scent, which meant he would have to be alert and careful. He still wasn’t sure whether they would come for him or not.
After all, it was Xavier who had the mate, not Keeley.
Keeley had been outside Readings Restaurant, where Xavier worked as chef extraordinaire. Not that Xav needed to work there. He just loved to cook, and he’d said the chef required a few lessons before she poisoned someone.
Keeley had been out doing a few things at the mall and was going to pop in and say hi to Xavier when he’d seen a limousine pull up—a big, luxurious stretch limousine—and a big, white-blond man get out. Immediately he’d thought shifter. He was so used to paranormals these days that he could identify a few nearly straightaway. Vampires always had an alluring quality, and the way they moved was streamlined. While shifters seemed to stalk and were surprisingly light on their feet, there was also a lot of suppressed aggression in shifters. Witches and wizards tended to glide a little, like their magic lifted them up. Fae was another Keeley usually got straightaway.
Keeley had learned early in life to pay attention. He may have appeared a bit ditzy and oblivious, even uninterested, and he may not have been the sharpest pencil in the pack, but he had survival instincts and knew observing and learning a few things relevant to his life was a damn good idea for his health and well-being. Such as knowing paranormals and their ways.
Spotting the shifter and the limousine—there weren’t many limousines in Milson City—he’d hung back to see what was happening, as did a few other humans and creatures around the strip of restaurants, cafés, and boutiques.
The shifter had practically vibrated on the pavement then stalked—that was all you could call it—while sniffing the air and heading into the Reading Restaurant. Keeley had watched from the front window and was shocked to see the shifter go straight for Keeley’s lover and make a grab for Xavier. Keeley had watched, peeking through the window as creatures streamed out of the restaurant in a big hurry. He’d seen Xavier square off against the big shifter but couldn’t hear what they had been saying.
After all, he was human and didn’t have that annoying extra-sensitive hearing like the paranormals did.
As Keeley watched, fascinated and practically hopping from foot to foot in a bit of shock, fear, and excitement, he’d seen a standoff, creatures closing in on Xavier, some talking. And then the strangest thing—Xav had bared his throat to the mammoth, white-haired shifter, who pounced on the vampire like he was the last late night supper in the store and he’d been starved for a year.
Xavier never bared his neck for anyone, not even the vampire coven he belonged to. Gods, they were all pretty much in awe of Xavier, and even the queen there treated him with adoration, as equal to her and with affection. This was weird and confused the hell out of Keeley.
No one stepped in to help. Keeley would have, but he was in shock and it happened quickly. One moment Xavier was flat on his back on top of a table with the big, white-blond shifter over the top of him, a mouthful of sharp teeth in Xav’s throat, and the next, they were up and moving.
By the time Keeley had taken a few steps, Xavier was being pulled out of the restaurant and he’d heard the word mate. Keeley had bolted into the café and out of sight but watched from a corner, peeking through the window.
Xavier had a mate. The shifter wouldn’t hurt him, though Xavier could look after himself. He was a big deal in the vampire world, a Lord, and very powerful. Keeley had seen Xav bitch-slap another vampire across a room, knocking the creature out, and he’d fought a Fae and bear shifter once. Plus, Xavier had an entire witch’s coven to come to his rescue, so what was a piddly little human going to do but get in the way?
Mates didn’t harm one another. Xavier said they were mates a few years ago when they’d met at a party, Keeley waiting at the bar, Xavier a guest. One who’d leaped across the bar, picked Keeley up, and taken him to one of the rooms. Xavier said the word mate and no one did a thing! Within half an hour, Keeley was claimed and mated to a vampire. Keeley was brought into a whole new world that was freaky and weird at times, but he didn’t mind so much.
But was Xavier his mate? The white-haired creature had called Xavier ‘mate’.
Keeley wondered what type of shifter the man was. There were lots of different shifter types—wolves, felines, bears, hawks, falcons, and lots more. Keeley had even met a hedgehog and a goldfish!
Keeley tapped a preprogramed number on his phone and put it to his ear. The phone rang once. Unusual. The witches and wizards were a bit snobby and took
their time answering the phone.
“Keeley?”
“Hi, Mason—”
“We’ve been looking for you, Keels. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
“Oh, umm.” Keeley kept his voice low and watched both ends of the alley. “Mason, ah, it seems that Xavier has a shifter mate.”
“You heard? Of course you did. Gossip spreads in this town faster than a Kardashian can smile for a selfie!” Mason really liked watching the Kardashians. Keeley always found that weird, since Mason had never seemed the type. “Yes, Xavier was claimed by one of the Sanchez felines this afternoon. There are a few from the Sanchez pack waiting at yours and Xavier’s house for you, Keeley. Or I can come collect you and take you to their compound.”
“Wait! What?” Keeley kept his voice down, eyeing the entrance anxiously. “Why me?”
“Why?” Mason repeated, sounding a mix of confused, amused, and exasperated. That was a pretty neat trick, actually. “Keeley, you’re Xavier’s mate. You go where he goes, and now you’ll be mated to Prince Drake, also. You will be living at the compound they have a few miles from Milson City, opposite to the Armstrong Coven in the Valley. Hey, tell me where you are and I’ll come get you. Have you checked your phone? I wish you wouldn’t turn off the ring on your phone.”
“Mason, I have to go.”
“Keeley? Wait—”
Ending the call, he ignored the dozen or so missed calls and text messages and decided to turn his phone off. He wasn’t so sure Xavier hadn’t put a tracking device on it. Xav was like that, possessive and always keeping a close eye on what Keeley was doing. They’d had words about that. Xavier got peeved when Keeley didn’t fall into line, and he’d made it clear that Keeley needed to be more attentive.
There were a few problems in their relationship.
What relationship? Keeley hunched and walked toward the other end of the alley. Xavier was now mated to someone else and Keeley wanted no part of that. Gods, he was having enough trouble being with Xavier. Not the vampire’s fault, all Keeley’s. He had issues, he guessed. Keeley wasn’t going to be pulled into another paranormal relationship, and not one with three in it.
It was best this way. Keeley convinced himself of all of this, pushing from his mind and heart all they’d done together, been like together… How he so admired and loved everything about the vampire who had given him so much. Materially, yes, but it was so much more than that, so much deeper. It was best this way, yes. Keeley just wasn’t…anything much at all.
Xav now had a mate, a real one, who understood the paranormal ways, and was strong and hot. Yes, Keeley had noticed the hot shifter—he couldn’t not see the big blond!
The shifter was huge, about five inches taller than Xavier’s six-foot-one and much wider.
A spike of jealousy had Keeley worrying his bottom lip and pacing back and forth, fists clenching and unclenching. Gods, he was so confused! Xavier said they were mates, bonded, so why was the big shifter claiming Keeley’s mate? It was wrong, wasn’t it? Xav was the only one who had ever truly cared for Keeley, wanted him for who he was. It made him ache inside to give that up, to lose that…love. Yeah, he knew Xavier loved him, but honestly, Keeley had never really understood why.
He needed to get out of Milson Valley right away and not go anywhere near Martha’s Vineyard. For one, the big, blond shifter would probably tear Keeley apart, because Xavier had believed they were mates, and shifters and vamps got really territorial and possessive. For another. if he was wrong, they may grab him like the shifter had grabbed Xavier.
He hoped Xavier was all right and then dismissed the worry. Mates. Paranormals. Yeah, they were fated and whatever, meant to be together. This was so much to take in!
Keeley’s other problem was that his car was missing from where he’d parked it, and there were creatures in Xavier’s house. He ducked out of the alley, looking around quickly, and then crossed the street and dashed into the local police station.
It wasn’t a big station, not like those in a city. There was a staff of possibly between seventy to a hundred, a mix of administration and police, deputies and the sheriff. He thought that was what they called the top dog in a town police station. He walked up to the counter and smiled at the woman in a uniform there.
She beamed at him. He got that a lot. No idea why. Maybe because he was normally polite?
“Hi there, how can I help you?”
“Hi. My name’s Keeley Tate. I don’t want to be a bother, but my car seems to be missing and…” Keeley dropped his voice. “There are a few shifters in and around my house.”
“Were they invited in? Did you ask them to leave?” she asked seriously.
“Err, I didn’t invite them, and I’ve stayed away.”
She studied him. “Did you say you’re Keeley Tate?”
“Umm, yes.”
She beamed again. “Just wait over there please, Mr. Tate.”
“Okay, thanks!” Keeley gushed and smiled, turning and walking in the direction of the chairs lined against the far wall.
Then he bolted. He may not have been the brightest human around, but he knew how to read someone, was very well-versed in it, finding it to be the only way to survive in this world.
“Keeley! Stop!” a deep voice growled.
He knew that voice—Urian Starters, the alpha of the Starter wolf pack here in Milson Valley. Damn, why hadn’t he known Urian worked at the police station? Ugh, probably because he didn’t pay enough attention.
He was so not stopping! Racing down the few steps of the police station, he dodged the few pedestrians on the sidewalk at this time of early evening and then quickly changed direction when a uniformed officer came running from out of a side alley. Keeley needed to get out of Milson Valley quickly.
After running as quickly as he could through people, tearing through a shop, he wasn’t prepared for Mason Armstrong and a few others from the witches and wizards coven to be waiting on the other side, and he plowed into them.
“Whoa, Keeley.” Mason caught hold of Keeley and stopped him. “Calm down, you’re safe. It’s okay, Uri, I’ve got him.”
Keeley spotted Urian Starters join them, wearing a uniform that stated clearly he was the sheriff of Milson Valley. Great, just what Keeley needed. He jerked away from Mason. The wizard was quick and caught Keeley’s right arm, holding it tightly.
“Damn, he’s fast.” The sheriff stalked over. He was a big creature, nearly as big as that werecat that had claimed Xavier and just as solid. “What’s with the running?”
“Keeley has a few commitment issues.” Mason grinned. “We’ll handle this from here, Uri.”
“Let me take him out to the Sanchez compound. I’d like a favor from those damn cats.”
Take him out to the Sanchez compound? No way. Keeley wasn’t looking to either be torn apart or end up with another mate, especially when he didn’t believe in the whole mate thing anyway…sort of. Maybe… Okay, he had moments of believing. Now wasn’t one of them.
Mason laughed. “My coven will be getting a lot of those from now on, I’m thinking.” Mason gently removed the backpack off Keeley’s back and tossed it to one of the other wizards. “I need to take him in, otherwise Xavier will get out of control. He’s already climbing the walls, so I’ve heard, and you’re not family.”
The sheriff, big and hot, nodded, hands on his hips. “True, good point. Why is he running? He’s already mated to your cousin.”
Yes, real nice, talking about the human like he wasn’t even standing here. What did he expect with paranormals, though? They were big, strong, magical, and could snap him like a twig.
“Sometimes Keels forgets that, don’t you, cousin-in-law?” Mason laughed.
Keeley always found it easier to go with calmness where possible, and a bit of sneakiness. Again, another way to survive in this world.
He smiled. “Isn’t there a law regarding this somewhere, Sheriff Starters?”
Sheriff Starters’s brows rose and he a
ctually looked at Keeley, blinking a moment.
“Dozens of them, Keeley. What’s the specific one you’re interested in?”
“Not abducting humans and giving them away to paranormals.”
Mason winced. “That’s not what we’re doing—shit, Sanchez pride.”
Keeley saw the big, muscular shifters stalking toward them and tried to pull away from Mason, but the wizard didn’t bat an eye.
“We’ll be taking him, Mason,” a tall, hot shifter announced. “Did he cause you some trouble, Sheriff?”
“Only that he nearly outran me, Dominic.” The sheriff scratched his head, looking at Keeley curiously. “Keeley is concerned about how the law views abducting humans and giving them away to paranormals.”
“Does he now? Well, I’m sure you can assure him that law is well and truly covered when it comes to mates, Uri.” Dominic, looked Keeley over. “He nearly outran you, Uri?”
“He’s fast.”
“Sprint and long distance champion.” Keeley smiled at the Sanchez shifters. “Hi.”
They all grinned at him.
“Hello, Keeley, we’ve been looking for you.” Dominic glanced at another shifter briefly before refocusing on Keeley. “Call home, Jax. Now, Keeley, I know you spoke to Mason earlier and maybe you read a few of those texts sent, so you know Xavier’s with my brother Drake, his mate. They’ve gone ahead without you, as there were a few time restrictions, unfortunately, and we weren’t sure when you were returning home.”
Dominic had a lovely, soothing manner and managed to say all that without any inflection whatsoever, just a caring, genuine openness. It was impressive, but Keeley was blessed with a little alert that told him when someone was trying to pull one over on him. He liked to call it his bullshit meter.
The big cat may have been telling the truth, but he was like a salesman, all charm and polish, never telling all the facts. Keeley would reserve his opinion as to whether Dominic had any real substance to him or if he truly was just a salesman, or a diplomat, as Xavier termed people like the cat shifter.
