Gilbert (18 page)

“They went this way.” He pointed up over his shoulder. “Esau and Ye-sun, at least. I don’t know if they’re together or what, but I smell them.”

Bae sniffed then turned his head to the left. “The Amurs are this way, though. My father—our father, and perhaps others in our family, are most likely being held by Chung-Hee.”

Jihu sat up. “You want to split into two teams? If so, Gilbert and I can go after Esau and Ye-sun. They’re both on our side so it makes sense for only two of us to go. Or maybe we should stay together and all go after Chung-Hee—”

“No,” Bae said as he sliced the air with his hand. “We can handle the guards. I am worried about Ye-sun and Esau, and if you and Gilbert would go find them that would be one less concern, well, two less, to know they would be with you and Gilbert.”

Jihu sucked on his bottom lip then bit it. “Are you sure, Bae? Those guards, with the exception of Kwan, were pretty fierce.”

Bobby grinned and cracked his knuckles. “I might have a few others out here following our trail.”

“What?” Josiah snapped, whipping around to face his brother. “What do you mean, you might have others? What the fuck, Bobby? You didn’t see fit to mention it earlier?”

Bobby shrugged. “Didn’t know if they’d make it, but I’m thinking they did.”

As if to emphasise his point, a wolf howled, then another and a third and fourth joined in the song. “Guess they found it easy enough to follow my fat ass after all.”

“You’re a jackass!” Josiah got up in his brother’s face. “You could have said something sooner!”

Bobby pushed Josiah back with two fingers. He didn’t look quite so amused, but he didn’t look mad, either. “Told ya, I didn’t know for sure if they’d make it. They had to take a different flight, and last I knew, it was up in the air. So, fuck off, little bro. You can be quiet or thank me, but drop the temper, okay?”

Josiah growled but nodded. “Fine. Who is it?”

Bobby listened to the howls as they rent the air again. “Serge, Rogelio, Marlena, and Kerry.”

“Mated pairs,” Josiah muttered. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“No. You know Rogelio and Marlena were my best friends growing up. That’s why I asked them to come, and of course they’re gonna bring their mates.” Bobby looked out towards where they’d come from. “We should wait for them.”

“Yeah, okay.” Josiah took one of the two radios and gave it to Jihu. “Keep in contact. If y’all catch scent or sight of any Amurs besides Ye-sun, call me.”

“All right, we will.” Jihu clipped the radio to his waistband. “Be safe,” he said, then he did what he wanted to, and hugged Bae first, then the others. “We’ll let you know when we find them. Please, let us know you are all safe, too.”

Then he and Gilbert began making their way up towards the base of the mountain. Jihu seemed to have a slightly better sense of smell, but Gilbert’s vision was sharper. They chatted about easy things, the likelihood of them moving into the cabin—almost a certainty—what their decorating styles were. Gilbert liked simple designs, and Jihu really didn’t know. He’d never had a chance to figure out his likes and dislikes for a lot of things.

He found himself talking about that, about wanting to learn more about himself as well as others. “I just don’t know even what my favourite food is. Where I was raised we had the same meals every week. I mean, we had a different thing for dinner Sunday through Monday, but then it was the same the next week, you know? The same meal on Sunday as the Sunday before, then Monday—well, you get the idea. And breakfast was oatmeal when it was cold or bran flakes when it was warm. Lunch was always this bland pasta stuff.” He glanced at Gilbert. “I like the food we’ve eaten, except I don’t think I want to try the energy bars. They reek.”

“Taste like shit, too,” Gilbert admitted, “but they’ve got all the nutrients and minerals you need to stay nourished, so you ought to choke one or two down when you can.”

“If I have to.” Jihu knew he sounded sulky but he didn’t want to ever eat anything he didn’t want to again.

“But we will probably be back at the van tonight, so if you don’t want one, that’s okay, too.” Gilbert nudged him and Jihu smiled up at him.

“Thanks, Gil. I know it’s stupid, but I want to enjoy everything I eat.” Jihu’s groin tingled and he reached back to pat Gilbert’s butt. “Everything.”

“Jihu,” Gilbert moaned, “Why ya gotta do that to me? I already want to fuck you six ways to Sunday—”

“What does that mean?” Jihu couldn’t make sense of it.

Gilbert frowned and looked off in the distance. “I always thought it meant lots of different ways, though six isn’t lots and man, I’ve got dozens of things I want to do to your tight little ass. Hundreds, even. God.”

Jihu shouldn’t have started the whole flirtation because now he was going to have to walk like he had a board in his underwear. He tried to adjust his cock but that sucker was in the way and hard as a diamond.

“Now there’s an image, a diamond dick.” Gilbert snickered. “Bet that’d bring in millions at an auction. Of course, if it was attached to you, no one else would ever get to see it.”

“I have got to watch my thoughts better,” Jihu muttered.

“Yeah, because I’m probably going to slip up and call you Diamond Dick every now and then, but please know, I say it with nothing but love and respect.”

Jihu’s heart did a weird little flippy thing when Gilbert said ‘love’. He realised Gilbert had stopped walking and Jihu did as well, turning to look at him.

“Yes, Jihu. I do. It’s fast, but we’re mates, and I’ve loved you probably ever since I saw you. Didn’t want to freak you out by saying it too soon, but there it is.” Gilbert’s cheeks were ruddy and so were the tips of his ears, but he didn’t blink or look away from Jihu.

And everything inside Jihu felt fluttery and warm as he looked into Gilbert’s pretty eyes. “Okay. I’ve never loved anyone until Daniel, and I loved him before I ever met him. He taught me that love can happen in an instant, and still be stronger than bonds that have held me all of my life. Stronger than fear, and anger, stronger than hopelessness and doubt. I know what I feel for you, and it’s the enduring love I never thought I’d have. And damn it, I need you, Gil. Please.”

Chapter Sixteen

Gilbert checked around them and didn’t see or sense anything out of place. The faint traces of Esau and Ye-sun’s passing were there, but no other shifters. He palmed Jihu’s nape and drew him to him. “Come here,” he murmured, fitting his other hand under Jihu’s butt.

Jihu climbed him like a jungle gym, his slender legs going around Gilbert’s waist. Gilbert wished there was a tree that wasn’t burnt or fallen to lean on. He’d settle for just a kiss, though.

“More,” Jihu whined a second before Gilbert crushed his mouth with his own. He closed his eyes and drank in Jihu’s whimpers, the needy little sounds that spilled from Jihu into him. He kneaded Jihu’s tiny ass, digging his fingers into the crease to push at his hole.

Jihu’s want came through as he began to rut against Gilbert. Gilbert cracked open his eyes and spotted a tangled mess of burnt trees. He carried his horny mate over to them and dropped to his knees. Jihu slid down until he was kneeling as well but they never broke their kiss. Gilbert pulled Jihu’s hips to him for a few moments, the grinding gyrations from Jihu making him dizzy with need.

“Off,” he rasped, lifting his mouth from Jihu’s. Gilbert jerked his own pack from his shoulders and Jihu did the same. The ground was hard, blackened in more patches than not, but he didn’t think Jihu was going to care. Still, he turned Jihu over and put him belly down on their backpacks.

Jihu whined and pushed his ass up, eager and hungry to be fucked. Gilbert tore at his waistband, almost ripping his pants off before Jihu reached under and unfastened them. Then it was simple enough to pull the denim and underwear down right beneath his bottom.

Gilbert could see just a hint of Jihu’s balls. He kicked off a shoe and took his own pants off one leg, leaving them and his boxers around the ankle of the other. This wasn’t about to be a romantic round of love making. It would be a desperate, needy, dirty fuck that both of them had to have.

Gilbert pinned Jihu’s thighs between his legs. He whimpered imagining the tight grip the position was going to give his dick. “No lube,” he realised.

“Don’t care,” Jihu panted. “God, Gil, would you just do it? Fuck me.”

Hearing Jihu curse inflamed Gilbert’s need even more. He spat in his hand and pulled Jihu’s ass cheek aside. The dark pucker looked impossibly tiny. Gilbert rubbed the spit over it then used both hands to hold Jihu open so he could wet his opening better.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was perfect for them just then. Gilbert used more saliva on his dick, then he pressed his tip to Jihu’s hole. He hadn’t stretched him, and started to do so when Jihu reached back and grabbed his hip, digging his nails into Gilbert’s skin.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Jihu snarled, and again, the language, so uncommon for Jihu to use, along with the fierce demand—well, Gilbert couldn’t resist either of those.

“Yes, sir.” Gilbert pushed in as slowly as he could, watching every flinch, hearing every slight hitch of Jihu’s breath. He held still with half his tip in while Jihu’s ring clenched around him, pinching him in the most stimulating way.

Then Jihu tried to push back. “Move already.”

Gilbert had only barely managed to keep Jihu from spearing himself open on his cock. Now he was glad he’d grabbed that narrow waist so hard. “I’m doing the fucking here,” he reminded Jihu, and shared in the thrill the words gave Jihu.

Slowly, as slowly as he could manage, Gilbert entered Jihu. His dick was massaged by the velvety grip of Jihu’s inner walls, and Gilbert dropped his head down, his chin on his chest. He moaned and held Jihu fiercely as need tore through him. Gilbert thrust, and thrust again, burying his length in Jihu’s ass.

Jihu let out a sound that came from his gut, a deep moan of pleasure that reverberated through his body. Gilbert felt it around his cock and it inflamed his arousal even more.

“Fuck yeah,” he grunted, unable to hold back. He rode Jihu hard and fast, thrilling with each shove back from his mate.

Jihu greedily begged for more, harder, more, deeper, and Gilbert growled and snarled as he hunched over Jihu, driving into him with a bone-jarring strength. He lapped at the back of Jihu’s neck and reached beneath Jihu to fist his cock. It was wet with pre-cum, hot from the friction as Jihu humped the bag under him. Gilbert gave it a sharp tug and a twist and Jihu yelled, the sound echoing and unmistakable for what it was as Jihu spilled hot cum over Gilbert’s hand.

Gilbert struck with the speed of a rattlesnake, biting and marking Jihu again as he shoved in as deep as he could get. He moaned and his eyes rolled back in his head as pleasure blanketed his body, filled him and turned him inside out. It felt like he pumped more spunk into Jihu’s ass than should have been possible, and maybe he did. The tart-smelling liquid oozed out from Jihu’s hole and ran into Gilbert’s pubes where he was pressed against Jihu’s body.

Gradually his shivering stopped, and his cock softened. Gilbert let go of the flesh he’d bitten and licked the blood from it. “You okay?” he asked in a croaky voice.

“Ungh.” Jihu rolled his head to the side and smiled sappily. “Nungh.”

“Guess that’s a yes in fucked-out speak.” Gilbert couldn’t stop the smug grin from stretching his mouth. “Think of how you’ll feel when you do that to me.”

Jihu blinked a few times then a sexy smile lit his face. “I’m going to, you know. I want to, very much.”

Gilbert clenched his ass, his hole tingling. “I want you to, very much.” He pulled out of Jihu’s opening and more cum dribbled down onto Jihu’s thighs. “I like this.” Gilbert rubbed a streak of it into Jihu’s skin. He ran his fingers up to trace around Jihu’s hole, where the skin was puffy and pinkish-red. “Are you hurting?”

“N-no, but I will be if you keep that up, ‘cos you’ll have to fuck me again.”

“Man, that word on your lips, it just does it for me, Jihu.” Gilbert caught some spunk on his thumb and, gaze locked with Jihu’s, raised it to his mouth to suck clean.

“Fuuuuuuck,” Jihu gasped, eyes huge. He shoved his arm under his belly and panted as he jerked himself. Gilbert ‘s cock was erect again, but he wanted more than a quick fuck, and they needed to be on their way. But he would always want to help Jihu out.

He did so then by pushing two fingers in, a hard thrust that brought his fingertips over Jihu’s gland. Jihu coughed out a curse word and went rigid beneath him, the only movement tiny jerks of his hips as he came again while Gilbert massaged his nub.

Jihu collapsed, sliding forward and pulling himself off Gilbert’s fingers. “Jeez, I don’t think I can move.”

Gilbert palmed one small butt cheek and kneaded it. “Got to. We’ve fucked through our lunch break. It’s time to get moving again.”

“Yeah, but that was a lot better than your energy bars or my trail mix.”

Gilbert helped Jihu up and would have wiped him clean but Jihu stopped him. “I like smelling like us.” He did, however, clean off his belly with his stained shirt. Jihu wrinkled his nose at it and pulled the whole mess off. “A few hours of sun will be good for me.”

“Not if you burn.” Gilbert took his own shirt off and held it out to Jihu. “Put it on. I’ve got another somewhere in this bag.” He found it and pulled it over his head. Once he got his arms through the holes he was ready to go.

They set off again, Jihu walking like he’d just been fucked hard, and Gilbert grinning like he’d just fucked the daylights out of his lover. They were both pretty damned happy with themselves and each other, and Gilbert wished they could feel that way forever.

A good while later, he was wishing he could lay down with Jihu and sleep for twenty-four hours. “We need to stop for a few minutes. We should eat, and I’m about ready to collapse from thirst.”

“Me too.” Jihu set his bag down and took a bottle of water out. “Crap, Gil. I only have two more.”

“Same here.” Gilbert did a check in with Bae like they’d been doing. Everything was fine so far, except he and Jihu ran the risk of becoming dehydrated. “Guess if we have to, we’ll shift. We can move a hell of a lot quicker as leopards.”