Hidden Passions (29 page)

The gargoyle's goblin head grinned at him. "Dragons do good," he said in a rumbly voice. "New keeper be proud of them."

The dragons seemed proud of themselves. They squawked excitedly, scrambling around the pool where Jonah paddled in human form. He could have swum as his tiger. Chris guessed he preferred to be in a shape that allowed him to complain.

"Call them off," Jonah said. "They won't let me out of here."

Trying to kill himself and then being rescued at the last moment seemed to have sapped the cat's berserker energy. Chris went to stand by the pool to watch him wearily tread water.

"I'm bleeding," Jonah said. "Those dragon bites aren't healing."

His left arm did have a bunch of punctures from Auric's jaw.

"They saved your life," Chris reminded.

Tired or not, Jonah scowled. Scarlet did not like that. She cawed accusingly at him, then huffed a long tongue of fire.

"They're crazy," Jonah said, shrinking back in alarm.

He was one to talk, Chris thought.

~

After all that excitement, Tony's heart needed a chance to settle. Destiny didn't seem to be on board with letting him get it. Everyone except the one person he wanted with him stopped by the lounge chair he'd dropped onto beside the pool.

Rick was the first. He crouched down to pat Tony's knee and congratulate him on pulling off the fight. "Next time I won't doubt you."

"I couldn't tell you doubted me this time," Tony teased.

Nate slapped his shoulder and Evina invited him to dinner. "You and Chris," she said. "Next week. Absolutely no excuses. Nate will cook something nice."

Tony's mom and dad both hugged him.

"I'm proud of you," said his dad.

"That boy seems nice," said his mom, handing him a black T-shirt she'd found somewhere.

"He is," Tony assured her.

She opened her mouth to ask one question too many. "Grill him about his love life later," his dad advised, hugging her to his side. "After he's caught his breath."

Someone from Shifter Counseling arrived to collect Jonah. Freda had tranq'ed him as a precaution, once the dragons let him out of the pool. The tiger wasn't unconscious, but he was woozy and couldn't drive. Tony didn't think the cat was going to be charged with anything. Freda accompanied him in the ambulance. Liam looked like he wanted to go to his buddy but wasn't sure he should. A few minutes after that, Vasur, Syd and Liam left the terrace together. They were subdued but seemed okay. Tony hoped this meant they'd adjust to Jonah's expulsion from the clan.

Rick's fiancee came over then. Per usual, Cass's appearance was breathtaking.

"Cass," Tony said. "I'm so sorry we ruined your engagement party."

Snow White smiled and shook her head. "Remind me to tell you how boring my life was before I met Rick."

"That bad?"

Dimples appeared in her rosy cheeks. "A few small someones would like to see you before you go."

He thought she meant Ethan and the cubs, but when he turned in the direction she indicated, he saw the dragons clustered together near the French doors. Their mouths were agape and their eyes hopeful. Cass's dad stood with them, his hand resting casually on Auric's golden head.

The brood liked the slightly scary pureblood. Tony supposed he had to mark that as a point in Roald's favor. Rising, he glanced around the dwindling crowd. Chris stood by the shut off barbecue, packing up leftovers--probably because he hadn't felt comfortable standing around unoccupied. Tony caught his eye and waved for him to come over.

The tiger hesitated a second before he moved. As he walked toward Tony, his gaze was unusually serious. Tony realized he was self-conscious. From now on when Chris looked at him, people would be aware they were more than acquaintances.

Tony knew that would take time to get used to.

Chris stopped closer to him than he would have before. "Everything okay?"

"Yes." Tony touched his hand lightly. "Come meet the dragons officially."

Chris looked nervous but followed him. Tony went to his knees to hug each dragon first.

"You were so good tonight," he praised as they bumped up to him. "Smart and brave. I'm really proud of you."

Chris laid his hand on Tony's back.

"Want to meet your other new guardian?" Tony asked. All three dragons looked up at Chris.

"Hello," he said as if they were people. "I hope you'll like working with me too."

Auric uttered a little chirp. Scarlet edged closer and butted Chris on the thigh. Chris smiled and stroked her head. Once she'd accepted his admiration, the others crowded around as well. It wasn't long before he was on his knees, laughing and being pestered for attention.

He wore the same wondering look everyone did when interacting with the dragons for the first time, like he'd discovered Santa Claus was real.

"You're beautiful," he crooned, trying to pet them all at once. "Look at your gorgeous wings!"

"You'll want this back," Roald said quietly to Tony.

He held out the guardian cuff.

"Oh," Tony said. He took it and slid it on. "Thank you."

"I have yours as well, Mr. Savoy."

Chris looked up at him, startled. "Ah. Um, thanks."

When Chris took his bracelet, he slipped it into the pocket of his sport coat. His casualness shocked Tony. This was how he accepted a priceless mystical object? By not even putting it on?

Cass's dad seemed to find his response amusing. His ridiculously handsome mouth twitched at its corners.

Verdi distracted him from the gaffe by cracking his jaw in a noisy yawn.

Chris patted the dragon's side and smiled. "I guess it's your bedtime, huh?" He got to his feet and turned to Tony. "You ready to get out of here?"

He obviously meant together, and hopefully meant all night. That thought warmed Tony. Chris and he were officially a couple. They didn't have to hide anymore.

"You bet," he said, already planning how they could celebrate.

TONY pushed the door to his apartment open, then stopped to look back at Chris.

"Um," he said. "Don't look at the living room. The rest of the place is less of a mess."

"Still working on those dining chairs?" Chris asked, recalling his last visit.

"Those are done. I've started on a sideboard. It might have to go to eBuy. It's a little big for my space."

As he stepped into the entry, Chris wondered how he could tell. Tony's place was stuffed with stuff all over.

"That's leaving," Tony said when Chris clipped his knee on a leather-strapped pirate's chest. "I'm Special Mailing it to a mundane in Oregon."

"You sell to Outsiders?"

"You can as long as you have a permit."

Tony slapped on the hall light and then the one in his bedroom. Plaid sheets clad his unmade bed, the pillows still dented from the last time he'd slept on them. True to his claim that there was less mess here, the worn old floorboards were mostly clear. Tony crossed them and flung a window open to let in the crisp night air. The breeze was cold but felt good.

Watching him do this felt very domestic.

"If you're hungry, I've got part of a chocolate cake my parents baked in the fridge." Tony was looking at him. Chris realized he was supposed to say something.

"You okay?" Tony asked. "You look kind of . . ." He pulled an
aack
face as he trailed away.

"I think everything is hitting me at once."

"You're out," Tony said with a little smile.

"I'm out," he agreed. "And you're alive, and I'm still my clan's beta."

"A good night, everything considered."

Chris wanted to be serious a moment longer. "Thank you for asking the dragons to save Jonah."

"I knew you'd want me to. I'm just glad they succeeded. Freda said she'd make sure Jonah sticks with the counseling."

"Freda is good people."

"You and she ever--?"

"No," Chris said. "It didn't seem right to use my alpha's BFF that way."

Tony looked relieved. He scratched his cheek, which was slightly pinker than usual. His guardian cuff gleamed with the movement. Chris decided he liked the way it looked on the wolf's strong forearm.

"Speaking of the dragons," Tony said.

Chris gave him an inquiring look. Tony exhaled and dropped to the edge of his rumpled bed. Chris joined him and took his hand. Their fingers twined together in a natural easy way. His heart felt good beating slow and steady inside of him: happy
and
peaceful, he realized.

I'm content
, he thought.
This is how that feels
.

"About the dragons?" he prompted.

"You didn't put on your cuff. When Cass's dad gave it to you, you stuck it in your pocket."

"I'm thinking about it before I put it on."

Chris didn't think this statement was outrageous, but Tony's jaw fell open. "Why do you have to think? You already said you'd be my co-guardian."

"I will. Ninety-nine percent probably. I admitted I was your mate when Roald asked because I would have felt like a skunk leaving you hanging. The guardian business I want to mull over."

"Don't you think the dragons are awesome?"

"Sure," Chris said. "I feel honored to be asked to protect them."

"And me? Aren't I awesome too?"

Chris laughed. Tony was kind of joking and kind of not. "You're extremely awesome."

"Then what is there to think about? Unless you think
you're
not hero material. Should I not have saved your bacon?"

Chris squeezed his hand. "I want to think because it's a big decision. I want to make it with my eyes open. I want you to know I
chose
."

Tony considered this. "You want me to know you're certain, and that you didn't feel pressured."

"Exactly," Chris said, pleased that he'd understood.

Tony grinned. "How long is that going to take?"

"You're impossible!" Chris exclaimed, amused by his impatience.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway."

"I do." Chris stroked his fingertips down the side of Tony's face.

Tony kissed his palm and gazed into his eyes. It all felt wonderful. Heat ran through Chris, followed by a humming excitement. He curled his toes. They could do this any time they wanted. Hold hands. Lock gazes. Even kiss in public. Everyone who mattered already knew what they were to each other.

"Would you consider selling your condo and buying Rick's place?" Tony asked.

"What?" Chris said, taken by surprise.

"Rick lives with Cass now. And I'm too much of a pack rat for us both to have our stuff here."

"Do you think your brother would sell? What about your alpha? Isn't this house kind of a pack thing?"

"Pfft." Tony waved his hand dismissively. "Adam got over Nate marrying a tiger. This isn't really a bigger deal."

Chris saw Tony believed this, and maybe it was true. He shook his head. "You wolves . . ."

"We're very forward thinking," Tony said airily.

Chris snorted. "All right. I'll--"

"--think about it," Tony finished for him.

They smiled at each other. "I love you," Chris said.

"You should," Tony teased.

"We could celebrate by having sex."

"I thought you'd never ask," his lover responded.

Tony leaned forward, and they kissed each other. Though they had exactly the same mouths and bodies as before, a sense of novelty rose in him. This was Chris's brave new world. He was gay, and happy, and Tony was right in the thick of it with him.

"Mm," Tony said. "Kissing you makes me so fricking hard."

Charmed by the claim, Chris ran his palm up Tony's thigh to check.

Tony jerked when he squeezed the big ridge between his legs. His cock was thick and long, easily standing up to the pressure he applied.

"Yup," Chris said, so happy he was almost laughing. "That is a hard hard-on."

Tony growled and kissed him more deeply. The wolf's interest was accelerating on fast forward. He yanked Chris's shirttails out of his trousers, his hands driving under it up his back. The kneading of his fingertips felt amazing. Chris squirmed and started unbuttoning his own shirt.

"God, I love watching you do that," Tony said.

Chris remembered doing it for him at the carwash. That seemed a zillion years ago--and not only because he'd been in the closet then. Tony's fight with Jonah had gotten to him, reminding him every moment they spent together should be treasured. Abruptly crazy-eager, Chris kicked off his shoes, wrestled out of his pants, and pulled Tony from the bed onto his feet.

He was so ready to ravish the sexy wolf it was not funny.

Grinning at his expression, Tony wrestled his black T-shirt over his head. Chris inhaled sharply.

Above the sweats he'd borrowed from his brother, Tony chest was bloody.

"Oh," he said, looking down at the stains. "Sorry. I'm healed. I just didn't take time to wash up before I pulled this on."

"Wait," Chris said when Tony would have kissed him again. He strode quickly to Tony's bathroom, ran a washcloth under the hot water, and wrung it out.

He brought it back to Tony, cleaning him off gently. The blood was mainly smeared on his ribs, but Chris stroked his arms and belly too. The channels inside his hipbones drew his attention like magnets. He guessed having the hollows rubbed with the cloth felt nice. Tony began to breathe faster. The front of his pants tented out fuller.

"Chris," he said, like his name really meant something.

Emotion caused Chris's eyes to flare. He tossed the washcloth toward the bathroom and reached for the drawstring of Tony's black sweatpants. The knot stymied him. Tony jiggled impatiently on his feet.

"Please hurry," he urged Chris.

Tony's words inadvertently rerouted his intent. "You should not have said that," he warned, a smile breaking out.

"Noo," Tony protested. "I had a big fight tonight. My libido is all worked up."

"You fought for
me
." Chris's grin was impossible to contain. "You deserve the best reward I can come up with."

"You're evil," Tony huffed.

This didn't deter him one bit.