Dire Desires: A Novel of the Eternal Wolf Clan (21 page)

“You’re such a goddamned Dire.”

“I’m hoping that’s a compliment.”

“It is,” Cain assured her.

“And you’re in love with Angus Young, by the way,” she said softly.

“The guy from AC/DC?” he asked and she smiled a little.

“I hope he loves you back.”

“Me too,” he muttered.

C
ain and Vice walked out
of the penthouse to
gether after Jinx had come for Gillian. Cain was drained after his discussion with her, but helping the Dire was necessary.

“You were good with her,” Vice said.

“I like her.”

“Don’t say that in front of Jinx,” Vice warned. “You need a ride home?”

“No.”

“You shouldn’t be running alone, wolf.”

“I’m staying in the apartment tonight,” he admitted. “I just figured I’d walk you out.”

“My bodyguard,” Vice said sarcastically. “I guess we’re going to your apartment to talk.”

“I actually was going to call Jinx about this.”

“Is this a twin thing?”

“It’s a mate thing.”

“I know a little something about that.” The Dire wouldn’t take no for an answer so Cain didn’t bother trying. Angus was meeting him later, but if the human walked in while they were there . . .

Turned out he didn’t have to tell Vice shit. Even though Cain was able to hide his scent on Angus, he could do nothing about Angus’s scent in the apartment.

“It’s on you, too. Faint, but it’s there,” Vice told him as he sprawled out on the couch and Cain locked the door behind them. “I figured it was just from when you spoke to him in the woods. Turns out, I was wrong.”

“He’s been here, yes.”

“You’ve been playing with fire, wolf.” Vice’s eyes glowed.

“That might be why it’s been so good.”

Vice gave a soft laugh and Cain hung his head. “He’s my mate, Vice.”

“Get the hell outta town.”

“Yeah, that too. I’m supposed to, with Liam.”

Vice sat down next to him, handed him a silver flask and lit himself a hand roll, which Cain took from his hand and inhaled. Strong shit. He took another toke and then a few long swallows of the strong whiskey that burned going down.

“You’re sure about the mate thing?”

“He told me I goddamned glow.”

“I hate to say this, Cain, but he’s a hunter. Maybe he heard the lore—”

“How would he know what I was? He saw me glow long before he was a hunter. He’s got nothing to gain with that shit. Makes it even worse for him.”

“Did you protect him?”

“I had to.”

“You did. You’re right.” Vice lay down onto his back, blew smoke rings as he considered the situation. “Jinx would come talk to you if you called him. You know that, true?”

Cain did. But Jinx appeared to have more than enough problems. “I haven’t even told Cyd any of this. I tell him everything. But this was all kinds of sacred.”

“So you decided I was the right person for sacred?” He and Vice both laughed at the Dire’s words, but the truth was, in some odd way, Vice was sacred.

“Vice, what am I going to do? I’m mated to a human.”

“One you happen to have fallen hard for.” Vice stared at him. “And dude, I’m the last one you should be asking for advice on your love life.”

•   •   •

Cain decided he needed to tell Angus before he
did anything else. After Vice left, he paced again with the window wide open until he scented the human. And blood. He had the irrepressible urge to lock the man in the apartment again and never let him out.

Because that went over so well the first time . . .

He practically dragged Angus into the apartment, stripping him down to check him as Angus said over and over, “It’s not my blood, Cain—I’m fine.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” His mating instincts were in full force. They wouldn’t be as bad as Rifter’s . . . but they’d be tough to handle for a human.

He’s tough enough.

He’d have to be. He stared for a long moment at the handsome brown-haired man who was a couple of inches taller than he was and then dragged his eyes along the lanky chest, nearly growling at the old scars. His wolf wanted to scar Angus, but in the good way.

Get ahold of yourself.

Once he had Angus naked and was convinced that no part of him was bleeding, Cain threw the clothing in the washing machine and dragged the man into the showers. “Don’t want you smelling like anyone but me.”

Angus didn’t say anything, but his stance was calm. He stroked his hands through Cain’s hair as they stood under the spray, Cain still fully clothed. He didn’t protest when Cain spun him around and barked, “Hands on the tile.”

The human shuddered a little but he did as requested. Cain soaped his hands and spread them along Angus’s back and shoulders, watched as the tension bled out of him at the gentle touch. He moved a little closer and soaped the man’s chest, then moved lower to circle his cock with a soapy hand.

Angus jumped and Cain asked, “Want me to stop? I will.”

“I know. And no, don’t.” Angus’s eyes were screwed shut and his breath came fast and Cain knew it wouldn’t take long. The man was rock hard.

He stroked gently even as he kept his body from touching Angus, so the man wouldn’t feel boxed in. There was just Cain’s hand and Angus’s soft moans and he cried out Cain’s name as he spilled onto Cain’s fingers.

He pressed his forehead to the tile and Cain released him. The man shook and Cain realized it was in relief, not panic.

“Come on, Angus—let me finish,” he said quietly, his wolf calmer now. Angus let him wash him down completely and then dry him. He wore a pair of Cain’s sweats and Cain stripped off his wet clothes, which landed with a heavy thump on the tiled floor, before drying and dressing himself in a similar fashion.

Angus looked relaxed, like he could fall asleep. He also deserved an explanation. “Come on—I’ve got to talk to you.”

“Okay.” Angus let Cain tug him out to the couch, where he sat calmly, but Cain smelled the fear rising again. And fuck it all, he was nervous too. “If this is bad news—”

“It’s not. Not exactly. Fuck.” He slid a hand through his hair. “I don’t think it is. But it’s . . . unexpected.”

“Cain, if you don’t start telling me what it is—”

Cain held up a hand. “Okay, look, the other night you mentioned the glowing thing. And the mating thing.”

“And you told me I had the wrong information.”

“What if I told you that you didn’t?”

Angus blinked. “I was right?”

“Yeah.”

“But that means . . .”

“Yeah,” Cain said softly. This was worse than an out-of-control roller coaster—too fast, too many twists and turns and he wasn’t sure if he could handle the trip down. But he was balanced at the top and all it would take was one little push. . . .

Angus moved next to him, took his face in his hands. “Good.”

And then the man kissed him and Cain roared down the tracks at a hundred miles an hour. He forced himself to tamp it all down, to wait for the mating instead of doing this now and possibly scaring Angus more. Because the human still
was
scared, no matter how much of a show he was putting on.

He also loves you
. Cain knew that, even though Angus hadn’t voiced it yet. And he let Angus kiss him, reveling in the fact that the human wasn’t asking for chains or trembling. Maybe it was the bond he’d put on him the other night to cover his own scent or maybe he was just trusting Cain to control himself.

Which was why Cain would. Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled away from the kiss, kept his hand on Angus’s thigh.

“Is that why . . . the smell, the shower?” Angus said, his sentences as jerky as his breathing.

“It’s the wolf. He’s really possessive. He’s been that way since the beginning. He knew before I did, I think.”

“And that’s why you locked me in here.”

“That’s one explanation. I want you safe, Angus. If you can’t figure that out by now . . .”

“I can.”

“Good. Ask your questions.”

“What makes you think I have any?”

“Okay, FBI.”

Angus shoved him. “Fine. With this mate thing . . . even if I didn’t like you—”

“You liked me from day one.”

“You were a murder suspect.”

“Maybe that turned you on,” Cain said with a smirk. “You said yourself that you’re addicted to danger.”

Angus grew serious. “Are you only with me because we’re mates?”

“That’s not how it works. There has to be an attraction there for fated mates to even be an option,” Cain explained.

“There definitely was.”

“You were letting that guy touch you on purpose?” Cain demanded and Angus shrugged. “You’ll pay for that.”

“That’s kind of what I was hoping.”

Cain led him to the bedroom, where he chained himself to the bedposts again. He wanted Angus comfortable and the man had already received enough information tonight to make his head spin. And when he rutted against Cain, making the men come nearly at the same time by jerking them off together, his palm hot and sure against Cain’s cock, Cain did howl, a low, harsh sound.

And that made Angus come again immediately, his body jackknifing, the look of surprise on his face making Cain flush with pride. It took several minutes before he got his breathing under control and Cain wanted to rip the damned cuffs off and hold the man.

As if Angus knew, he finally pushed himself up on his elbows and used the key. Cain brought his hands down around the man’s shoulders. “Is this okay?”

“Holy mother of God,” Angus muttered in response.

“I’ll take that as a yes. But what would the nuns you grew up with say?”

“Probably that I was going to hell,” Angus admitted. “And right now, I could give two shits. I mean, what was that?”

Cain nuzzled his neck. “The wolf’s pull is strong. Just means your body’s accepting it. Submitting to it.”

“I’ve never considered myself submissive.”

“You’re not going to have a choice with this.”

Angus stared up at him. “Somehow, I don’t think I’m going to mind much. Are you doing that protection thing again?”

“For now, I have to do it every time we’re together.” His mate was protected, but still so damned vulnerable until the true mating happened. “I don’t want to rush you, but I can’t have the normal human courtship, Angus. There’s too much at stake. Too much danger,” he explained. “Wolves work fast. When an omega finds his mate, he usually claims him within twenty-four hours. That’s why my wolf’s getting controlling and impatient. I can’t hold it off much longer.”

“How does it all work?”

“I mark you as mine. It protects you, but it also could make you a target.”

“What happens when . . .” Angus shook his head like he didn’t want to go there.

“When you die?” Cain asked and Angus nodded. “I only get one mate. I mate for life.”

“But you’ll live longer than me. How is that fair to you?”

“Already trying to hook me up with someone else?”

“No,” Angus said so quietly the word almost didn’t register.

“What happened tonight?”

“The blood was another hunter. He got into it with a trapper at a bar. No big battle or anything. I just played medic.”

Cain nodded. “You’re marked as a hunter now, but you know, that will have to end.”

“I never said I was giving that up. You can’t ask me to do that.”

“The fuck I can’t,” Cain roared, pinning Angus to the bed. The ex-fed struggled, put up a better fight than most, but he was no match for the wolf.

“Is this how every fight between us is going to end?” Angus asked as he looked into Cain’s lupine eyes.

“You are fucking lucky you’re cute.”

“Cute?” Angus huffed. Tried to ignore his raging hard-on as Cain traced the scars that ran along his neck to his shoulder, then along the bite marks on his chest made by a wolf named Jamie, who’d risked his life to help Angus and the Dires. Not a bad reminder of where they’d been.

Cain had a feeling Angus had brushed over this marking thing too quickly, and although he was reluctant to bring it up, he figured he’d put all his cards on the table and see how badly Angus reacted. “There’s a little more to this mating thing.”

“I’m not wearing a dress but I’d consider running around naked under the moon.”

“I’ll take you up on the second one,” Cain said.

“Look, I know,” Angus said.

“What do you mean?”

“After Shimmin told me, I explored the lore a bit.” He swallowed a little harder than normal.

“And you’re freaked the fuck out.”

“Some. But I trust you.”

“You still have nightmares about what happened. Every night,” Cain said. “Don’t lie.”

Angus remained silent and Cain touched his arm. “I try to stop them before they start—that’s why I wake you.”

“I thought that was for sex.”

“Well, that’s kind of a bonus.”

“Thanks.” Angus paused. “When you bite me, you link your life span to mine, right?”

“Or in this case, yours to mine.” Cain said somberly. “But I’m hard to kill. And you won’t age. You’ll heal faster.”

“But I won’t turn into a wolf.”

“No. But I’ll still love you.”

Angus grinned. “Where do you have to bite me?”

“Wherever I want,” Cain said. “Gotta leave a visible scar so you’re marked.”

“And then everyone who sees it will know I’m yours.”

“Yes,” Cain answered absently. He was still trying to decide if Angus was better served with a public mark or a private one.

“When does this happen?”

“Soon. I just have to get permission first.”

“Permission to mate?”

“Permission to stay here, with you.”

“You’re giving up your place in Liam’s pack.”

“It’s not safe for you there,” Cain said.

“You can’t keep me in a bubble forever.”

“I can try, human. I can try.”

A
ft
er everyone left th
e apartment and Jez went to the roof, Jinx turned to Gillian.

“You need to run.”

“I need more than that, but we can start there,” she said honestly.

He made a call to Vice, who promised to have wereguards posted and they got onto Jinx’s Harley and headed for the protected woods. He was surprised she’d waited this long without asking.

Despite all the danger hanging over them, this was another oddly playful run. She’d barely been able to contain herself, cut loose as soon as she got into the woods.

He followed her scent, deeply arousing, and he thought maybe he should turn around because there was no way he’d be able to resist her. But Brother Wolf drove him forward like they were on autopilot, unable to resist Gillian any more than he could a siren’s song.

When he got to the place where her scent was strongest, he couldn’t find her immediately. He hadn’t shifted yet, and he spun around looking for her, reluctant to call out and break the silence.

He sensed nothing nefarious, but he would always worry. Being what they were was fraught with peril. Nothing would change in this lifetime.

But mating with Gillian would make it worth it, no matter how much the thought made him pulse with fear.

“Gilly, come out and play,” he called quietly and she jumped him from behind. She flipped him. Straddled him. And her hand went to his throat again, a makeshift mating collar. His stomach tightened at the thought of that—at the thought that she still wanted that, despite everything she’d learned.

She was holding him down. He bucked up but it didn’t come close to throwing her off. She smiled a little, gripped his wrists and held them above his head.

“Now you’re just showing off,” he muttered.

“But I think you like it.” She ground against his erection and he bit back a groan. “I want to tie you up. Hold you down. Take you.”

“Gillian . . .” Why bother protesting? He let the tension go out of his arms and she slunk forward and began to kiss him, hard and sweet and, oh yeah, he could get used to this. Because, oddly enough, the ghosts that usually hovered had gone silent during this. And while they usually did leave him alone during intimate times, they’d gone away long before the intimacy had started.

But caring about the ghosts became of little importance when Gillian reached between their bodies and unzipped his jeans.

“I’m so glad you go commando,” she whispered.

So was he. And apparently, she’d taken to going the same route, because when she slid out of her shorts, her bare sex brushed his cock. Her shirt was long enough to cover them, which he preferred, because even though they were deep enough into the woods, he didn’t like the idea of anyone seeing her but him.

Jealous alpha male much?

“You know the rules, Gillian,” he told her. They couldn’t have sex this third time without bringing the wrath of the Elders on their heads. The third time had to be a true mating or they’d risk not being allowed to mate at all. And he didn’t see any of the mating chains out here, although he’d run to the house to get them, if she asked.

She didn’t, but continued to rub against him, kiss him, hold him down and he was arching against her, a howl rising inside his head.

“Got to let me protect you, Jinx,” she murmured against his cheek as she stroked against him.

“This isn’t fair.”

“I know. Never said I had to fight fair.”

Why was he even fighting this? She had the strength, speed . . . he knew she had the mental fortitude. “Why do you want to do this for me?” he asked finally and she stopped, looked surprised.

“Because I love you, wolf. And you love me.” She said it so simply and easily, it awed him. “That’s what it’s all about, right? I’ll protect you because I love you. You’d do the same to me. You have done the same for me.”

“You’re twenty-one. I’m like—”

“Old. You’re old,” she teased. And then she bent down again and kissed him, released his wrists and his hands went around her.

“I want to mate with you,” he said against her mouth.

“Yes,” she told him.

“You don’t understand—I want to mate with you—right here and now.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “Then my answer is still yes.”

“Good.” He rolled her to the side and stood. “Wait here. Don’t move.”

“Try to stop me,” she told him.

He backed away because he didn’t want to take his eyes off her and he called for Vice who came running like a shot, his white wolf coming to a complete stop directly in front of Jinx. He shifted, asked, “Where’s the fire?”

“It’s ah . . .” In my fucking pants. “Can you keep the others away?”

“Because you don’t want them to know you’ve been beaten by a female again?”

“Because I’m going to mate with her, despite everything. If she’ll have me.”

Vice cocked a brow. “I’m the first to know?”

“Yeah.”

Vice smiled and tossed him a pair of handcuffs, because Vice wouldn’t be Vice without always carrying something of the sort. “Go get ’em, wolf.”

•   •   •

When Jinx came back minutes lat
er, Gillian expected to see him dragging the heavy mating chains with him. Instead, he had a lone pair of handcuffs already attached to a wrist.

He leaped onto her and then rolled himself easily back under her. He was so graceful when he moved. She loved that he was strong enough to handle her. Because he was, no matter who won the wrestling match. He had the strength exactly where it counted.

“You didn’t change your mind, did you?” he asked.

“No. But I thought we needed chains. Special ones.”

“Fuck traditions. We’ll make our own, and Odin help anyone who tries to tell me that I’m not your mate,” Jinx growled, his eyes going lupine. “Go ahead and give me everything you’ve got.”

Jinx’s words were an immediate aphrodisiac—a dare, a promise, and she kissed him. His tongue lapped against hers, dueling for the last vestiges of domination he’d have tonight. And he was willing to be submissive for this—for her.

They were already both naked, needy and willing. His cock lay heavy and rigid against his belly and he reached down and stroked it a few times while watching her.

She liked that, especially because he used the hand that had the cuff around it. “I could get used to having you bound.”

He stared at her. “So could I.”

The rumble of his voice was enough to make her blood boil. She leaned forward and he continued stroking himself while he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked hard, enough to make her cry out in pleasure. She felt more wild than ever—completely free, uninhibited.

Jinx would be hers and she his, forever. She’d wanted this from nearly the moment she’d seen him. And she’d never felt anything more right in her entire life. “I love you, Jinx.”

He smiled up at her, his eyes heavy lidded. “I love you, Gillian. I’m ready to mate with you. To face whatever comes next together.”

With that he let go of his cock and she put both his arms over his head, cuffing them together, a concession to tradition. The rest of the bindings would be symbolic, but no less meaningful.

And then, as had happened before, a hand went to his throat and Jinx bared it for her to get a better grip.

“This is . . . during mating, this happens,” she whispered. Vice had told her about the chains, but not their placement. Still, she suddenly knew exactly where one of them was meant to go.

He nodded. “I’d wear a collar. And I like this one very much.”

She’d been making this unconscious gesture from the first time they’d been together. She kept her hand there as she used the other to stroke his already hard cock before bringing herself down on it, inch by inch.

“Don’t worry about hurting me, Gilly. You wouldn’t. I know that,” he managed and she was a little worried, because of her strength and her newness at being a wolf. She didn’t always have the control she would’ve liked. But Jinx trusted her.

She pushed herself all the way down so he was completely buried inside of her. Her womb ached with need but she remained still for a long moment, wanting to never forget this feeling, this moment in time.

Jinx was slightly more impatient. He groaned, arched his back so his hips jutted up, filling her. She held to him tighter, instructed him not to move.

He smiled, did as he was told. She loved this power, the way he trusted her not to hurt him. She knew she had to have an uncontrolled shift for this to work . . . and he would remain still so as not to spook Sister Wolf.

Don’t worry,
Sister told her.

And she didn’t, rocked against him as pleasure seared her body. She moved faster and faster, closed her eyes, unaware of anything but her harsh breaths and Jinx’s groans. She leaned forward and held his arms down, even though he hadn’t moved them at all.

“Harder—take me harder,” Jinx growled, and that alone made her come as though he’d commanded it.

When she opened her eyes, she was Sister Wolf, standing next to him, raking his shoulder with her claws. Jinx growled, his eyes lupine but he remained still as she marked him, stalked him, jumped on him and huffed.

Finally, she shifted back, in a daze. Jinx’s arms were around her, his blood on her chest as he hugged her, turned her and fucked her on all fours while she cried out. Her moans rose, the air around them sticky and sweet. When she climaxed, wet and hot against him, he went over the edge as well, calling out her name.

It was done. They were mated. And there was no separating them now.