by Shea Balik
And when he’d finally managed to swim? His seal had been overjoyed as it glided along the shoreline. Twisting and turning hadn’t exactly been comfortable but his animal had been too damn happy to worry about the aches the motions created.
He hadn’t wanted to shift back, at least not too early, but Kylo also didn’t want to overexert himself on his first time out. After only ten minutes he could already sense his body tiring from the strain of too much exercise all at once.
He twisted around, doing his best to ignore the twinge along his back and side as he made his way back to the rocky shore he’d used to come into the water. Yosi met him at the edge, a towel slung over his shoulder as he waited for Kylo to make the shift.
Fuck.
It was like hot pokers were being jammed into his body as he started to transition back into a man. By the time he was done, which the whole process took him a bit longer than usual because his body didn’t want to cooperate, it still was no more than a minute. He was sweating profusely, and his muscles were trembling with exhaustion.
“It worked,” Yosi whispered as he stared at Kylo’s body.
Unsure what his mate meant and too damn tired to even try and speak, Kylo just lay there slumped against the rocks. He was still mostly in the water, but he’d managed to angle his shoulders and head further upon the rocks, allowing him to not worry about swallowing a bunch of water. Or worse, drowning.
His whole body shook as Yosi wrapped the towel around his hips the best he could. The next thing Kylo knew, Rus was there lifting him up and carrying him back toward the house. If he’d had any energy left, Kylo would have bristled at the idea of being carried – again. But he couldn’t summon the strength to worry about it.
All he could try to control at the moment was to not whimper. Or pass out. Or cry. He wasn’t quite sure if he’d succeeded with the first or last one, but the moment Rus had placed him on a mattress, Kylo knew he’d somehow found a way to hold off losing consciousness.
“It’s okay, babe.” Yosi’s voice was a calming balm to his overwrought system. When he lay down next to Kylo and stroked his left arm, some of the muscles that had seized during his shift started to relax.
The red-hot pokers he’d been sure were shoved into his body receded, until only the constant throbbing of pain he was used to remained. A shiver rose up his spine when Yosi’s soft touch caressed his hip, inching ever closer to his groin before returning up his arm and shoulder.
It was on the return trip back down his side that Kylo sucked in a breath of surprise. “You’re touching my hip,” he whispered, sure he had to be imagining it.
But Yosi’s huge grin told him otherwise. “Yes, my mate, I am. Whether it was from shifting, or the fact that your seal was finally able to swim, some of your wounds are mended.”
Tears trailed down his cheeks as Yosi continued to stoke the newly healed skin. He’d never imagined anything could feel as amazing as his mate’s fingertips. Hell, up until a moment ago, he’d hadn’t dared to believe he’d ever be able to be touched there.
“Where else?” The lump in his throat made it nearly impossible for him to get even two words out, but Yosi understood what he was asking.
His hand trailed across his abdomen to the other side. He bypassed Kylo’s right hip, where the agony that still thrummed through that area was all he needed to know it hadn’t gotten better. But when his mate traced up Kylo’s finger and along his forearm, stopping only when he reached the elbow, goosebumps broke out all over his body in excitement.
He wasn’t sure if it was because he was finally starting to heal, or because the sensual touch of his mate was causing his body to want so much more. But as much as he might wish to claim and be claimed by his mate, Kylo was too damned stunned to do anything about it.
Instead, he lifted his arm, moving it slowly as his shoulder still felt as if it were burning. Sure enough, when he could see his forearm, there was nothing but skin. A few pink scar lines crisscrossed the area, but even he could see they would most likely disappear with time.
Or another shift.
His heart sped up as he wondered what would happen the next time he shifted. He would do it right then, but even though a surge of adrenaline was currently coursing through his veins now, Kylo could still feel the weight of overexertion on his muscles.
No way would he be able to go through all that again so soon. But it gave him something he hadn’t felt in months. Hope.
Not just that he wouldn’t be constantly in pain, but also for the future of his mating. Yosi had threatened to never have sex. Kylo would have put his foot down on that one, but now? Now he wouldn’t have to. If his body managed to repair as much as it had in that one shift, it wouldn’t be long before the rest of him was better too. Right?
“Do you think the rest of me will heal too?” he asked his mate.
“I don’t know,” Yosi told him baldly. “I think it’s a good sign. But we also have to keep in mind how badly the burns were and for how long you’ve had them. Yes, some of the lesser areas are basically healed, but the ones that were deep?” Yosi frowned as he stared first at Kylo’s upper arm and shoulder, then down to his hip and leg. “They don’t look any different.”
They didn’t feel different either. Kylo was grateful Yosi didn’t lie even if he didn’t necessarily want to hear it.
“Should we call Nole?” Yosi asked him. “He might have more ideas now that we know shifting does work as long as your animal is given time in the water.”
Kylo shook his head even as a huge yawn poured out of him. “Not today. Right now, I’d just like to…” He was going to say, sleep, but his stomach let out a loud grumbling noise reminding him that he hadn’t eaten much that day.
“Eat?” Yosi teased, making Kylo laugh.
Between passing out, traveling to the island, and getting a mini tour of Yosi’s house, which mostly entailed their bedroom, bathroom, and where the kitchen was, then shifting and playing in the water, Kylo had only had a sandwich when Yosi had taken him into the kitchen.
“Are you able to go downstairs to the kitchen?” Yosi asked him. “Or would you rather I bring you something to eat?”
It galled Kylo when he’d opened his mouth and nearly asked Yosi to bring him some food. Yes, he’d done more that day than he probably had in a month back in Miracle, but that didn’t excuse the fact that he needed to do things for himself. The only problem? Kylo honestly didn’t know if he could stand on his feet, much less make it down a set of stairs.
Did that make him weak? He honestly didn’t know, but Kylo wasn’t willing to put it to the test, for he damn well knew tomorrow he’d regret it if he didn’t find a way to make it to that kitchen.
“I think I can make it downstairs,” he told his mate. He prayed his mate hadn’t noticed him wincing at the bold-faced lie. He’d sworn the moment he’d met Yosi that he’d never do that, yet there he was, Mr. Lie McLiar Pants.
What was worse? The look his mate was giving Kylo told him Yosi damn well knew it.
“Okay. No. I probably can’t make it down the stairs, but I…” he sighed, unsure how to finish that statement. Admitting he wasn’t about to appear as if he were a child who needed to be waited upon sounded really bad. Then again, so did not being able to walk a set of steps.
The question was, which choice was more acceptable? Either way, Kylo felt like he was a kid. Either he had to be served, or he was too bullheaded to know what was good for him.
“How about this?” Yosi cupped his chin and turned Kylo’s head so he was staring into those deep blue orbs that captivated him. “Why don’t I put my arm around you, and help you down the stairs? And, if after eating, you’re too tired to make it back up them, I call Rus to help?”
There was something so damn sweet about Yosi’s offer that Kylo, once more, found tears springing to his eyes. He would be so glad when the need to break down was no longer a thing. It never had been in the past and Kylo was sure it had more to do with the fact that he was in constant p
ain than anything else.
“Thank you,” he whispered before leaning in for a kiss. Doing his best to ignore the pull of muscles along his right side, Kylo luxuriated in the feel of Yosi’s lips upon his.
It wasn’t until Yosi pulled back to get off the bed and help Kylo to his feet that Kylo asked, “Any chance you have fish?”
Yosi chuckled as he helped Kylo to the stairway. “We live on an island, babe. Fish is kind of a staple here.”
Kylo felt his face heat up. “Oh, right.”
Each step down was agonizing. It was only the mouth-watering anticipation of finally having fish that had Kylo pushing forward. He nearly fainted when his foot touched the smooth wood flooring of the first level.
Thankfully, his mate, who Kylo was quickly learning to depend on, held him upright as they made their way into the large gourmet kitchen. Carefully, Yosi brought him to one of the high-backed stools facing the large kitchen island in the middle of the room.
Sinking onto the soft cushion, Kylo worked to get his breathing back under control as he looked around. The room was separated from all the others. There was even a swinging door that led from the main part of the house they’d just come through. There was regular door he’d learned earlier that led outside.
A table was set up along the windows that banked the entire back of the room overlooking the water. The majestic view allowed the cook to look out when prepping the meal on the large slab of the island. It was only when using the stove that one couldn’t see the outside, but that was probably a good thing, since it wasn’t wise to be distracted or else the food might burn.
“Would you like a glass of wine while I make us dinner?” Yosi offered.
Kylo shook his head. “I never really had much of a taste for alcohol. But I wouldn’t mind a glass of water.”
Yosi smiled and pulled out two tall glasses before filling them from the tap. “I couldn’t agree with you more. I have a wine cellar for the random guests that visit, but I’d rather have water myself.”
It was amazing how similar they were in so many ways. “Thank you,” Kylo told his mate when he put the glass in front of him. Sitting back, he watched his mate make pan seared salmon with a rice pilaf and a salad.
He was awed by the way his mate moved so effortlessly around the kitchen. Even before his injury, Kylo had never mastered more than the microwave. Already, he could see many a night just like this one. He only hoped those nights would also be filled with more than just kisses.
CHAPTER 11
It had been a week and already Kylo was starting to mend at a much faster rate than Yosi had expected. Nole too, for that matter. He’d called the doctor on more than one occasion for his opinion on some of the wounds that hadn’t appeared to be healing even the tiniest bit. As dismayed as they all were about those areas, it was encouraging how far Kylo had come.
“I don’t get it, Nole,” Kylo was once more on video chat with the doctor, showing him how his lower leg was stitching together nicely, although it still had a ways to go, but his thigh, especially the upper part, as well as his right hip didn’t seem to be doing a thing to get better. It was the same with his upper arm, shoulder and along his torso.
“I know it’s disappointing,” Nole tried to reassure him. “But you are making progress. It is possible your body is healing those areas that weren’t as damaged. I had hoped that when you two claimed each other it would speed things up, but in fairness it had only been a working theory.”
Kylo stilled, and Yosi was sure his own body was just as frozen as they struggled to take in the implication of Nole’s words. It had taken a great deal of effort, but Yosi had insisted they wait to have sex until Kylo was more on the mend.
The last thing he was willing to do was to cause his mate more harm, especially during their claiming. Kylo had grumbled about it – daily. Admittedly, Yosi wasn’t feeling any better about it.
How he ever imagined he would be able to live a lifetime with his mate by his side and not claim him, Yosi wasn’t sure. It had only been a week and Yosi was ready to do whatever it took to make Kylo his. If only it didn’t involve hurting him.
He’d even spent hours on the internet researching positions that might work, but nothing seemed like it would help. There were a couple of possibilities that would help to mitigate some of the pain, but none that would ensure his mate only felt pleasure.
Yosi might want Kylo desperately, but he just wasn’t willing to risk it. Not when it was the start of their mating.
That said, if Nole was saying what Yosi thought he was saying, then he’d held off for no reason. In fact, because of him, Kylo was still injured.
“Are you telling me if Yosi and I claim each other, I might heal faster?” Kylo asked Nole.
He had to give his mate credit for not giving Yosi a dirty look. All of this could have been resolved so much faster if he’d just fucked Kylo like he’d wanted to the moment he first scented him.
Nole appeared to be just as shocked as they were, but for an entirely different reason. “You two haven’t mated yet?”
Yosi could feel his face heat up in embarrassment. “I was afraid of hurting Kylo,” he defended. It might have been misguided if what Nole was saying was right, but his intentions had been in the right place.
“I should have guessed that and just told you the theory I’ve been working on.” Nole glanced away from the camera for a moment, a soft smile suddenly there. Edrick must have been out of the camera range but there to support his mate. “It’s not definite,” Nole finally said when his gaze returned to the screen. “But a couple of times we’ve used mate’s blood to help the other mate heal. I didn’t want to get your hopes up in case those were just flukes.”
“Still,” Kylo huffed out, clearly agitated. “You could have told us there was the possibility. Let us make up our own minds.”
Nole nodded, his face filled with contrition. “To be honest, it didn’t occur to me you’d wait. Then, if it worked, great. If not…” he trailed off as he shrugged. “If you do decide to claim each other, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know if it helped. Like I said, it’s a theory, but one that is impossible to test. All I can go on is real life situations.”
Yosi understood that. No way would one mate allow the other to be hurt just to see if Nole’s hypothesis held water. “We’ll let you know,” Yosi promised him. “But we have a lot to talk about, so we’re going to let you go for now.”
Without waiting for Nole to say anything, Yosi clicked, ‘end,’ and turned to his mate. Sure he was about to get an earful for making them wait, Yosi was surprised when that didn’t happen. He shouldn’t have been, for as much as Kylo may stand up for himself, he rarely put others down just because he could.
“I realize there’s a chance this won’t work, but I’d like to try.” Then Kylo shook his head. “No. It’s far more than that. My seal and I are going crazy the longer we don’t claim you. I know there’s a chance having sex will hurt, but I’ll be honest.”
Those grey eyes looked right into Yosi’s. “I’d gladly walk through hell for the chance to claim you. But if you’re not ready to take that risk, I’ll understand. I can’t promise to be happy about it, but I’ll respect your wishes.”
How was Yosi supposed to say no to that? Especially when he had no desire to in the first place.
Tipping Kylo’s head, Yosi leaned in and kissed him. Their mouths fused as if they’d found their home. In a way, they had. For nowhere on earth had Yosi felt as safe and at peace then there with this mate in his arms.
“I would love to be claimed by you,” Yosi whispered against Kylo’s mouth. “Just promise me, if it hurts too much, you’ll tell me. It doesn’t mean we have to stop, but there might be a better position, or just taking a small break might help.” He let out a heavy sigh as he pressed their foreheads together. “It would kill me to know I caused you pain at any time, but especially during our claiming.”
Kylo’s lips curved up into a soft smile. “I p
romise.”
That was good enough for Yosi.
Leading Kylo to the bed, Yosi stripped his clothes off. Kylo was already naked, having just thrown a sheet over his body when he’d been on the video chat with Nole. Then Yosi climbed up onto the end of the bed.
“I’m thinking that this would put me at the perfect height for you to have my ass.” It was something he’d been anticipating since Kylo had brought it up the day they’d first met. Well, screamed it for the world to hear, but Yosi wasn’t one to worry about that kind of detail when he had a mate who wanted to take him.
Kylo’s eyes had gotten large. “You want me to fuck you?” he asked in surprise. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would love that, I just thought, with the way you’d been talking earlier, that you were expecting to be the one…”
It was adorable the way Kylo started to blush the more he spoke. By the end, as his voice trailed off, and he looked as if he were sunburned.
Yosi reached out and took Kylo’s hand, gently urging him forward until their mouths were mere inches apart. He’d made sure to keep his legs spread as wide as possible so his mate’s thighs wouldn’t brush against his own. The last thing he needed was to start the whole evening off with Kylo hissing in pain if his wounds touched Yosi.
“Would I love to feel you wrapped around my cock?” Yosi grinned as Kylo’s ears turned pink at his dirty talk. “Oh yeah. To feel your muscles massaging my dick as I fuck you would be heaven on earth.” He could see the question in Kylo’s eyes about what he’d suggested for that night. “That said, since you shouted to the world how you would fuck me, I have to say, I have thought of little else.”
Damn. Yosi couldn’t stop himself from leaning in and nibbling at the shell of Kylo’s bright red ears. The heat pouring off of them was sinfully delicious as he swiped his tongue along the outer rim.
He could feel the hard length of Kylo’s cock against his own, as the height of the bed put them in the perfect position. “What do you say, babe?” he grinned at being able to use the endearment, chuckling softly when Kylo narrowed his gaze at him but didn’t say anything about the word. “Will you do me the honor of sliding deep into my body and claiming me as yours?”
