Isaiah (8 page)

“It isn’t like that,” Bae protested, but in a way it was, so he stopped and tried to compose his thoughts before he spoke again. “We’re raised up knowing it’s our responsibility, our job, to help keep our species alive. It’s always been done, the…the contribution, before one found their mate. But I fought against it, stalled, because I can’t very well fuck a woman! I just can’t. And now that I’ve found you, I really, really can’t. Mates www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

47

don’t have sex with anyone else. It’s not possible, I think, so my family is going to be very upset.”

Isaiah stood, keeping his hand in Bae’s as he moved to stand beside him. “Well, that’s tough shit for them, Bae. It’s wrong to make people reproduce like…like animals in a conservation programme or something! That is all kinds of fucked up.”

“Maybe I can donate sperm…”

“No!” Isaiah barked, startling Bae so badly he almost fell out of his chair. Isaiah let go of his hand to lift him to his feet instead. “Bae, can’t you see how wrong that is, too? What about the woman, whoever gets to get knocked up? Do you know her? Does she want the child? Does she want any of it?”

Bae cringed under the questions, the same ones he’d asked himself before. It’d be easier if his family, his lepe, were all evil bastards, but they weren’t. They loved their children and each other, they defended one another and supported them, and all they asked was this one thing which, yes, he too thought was wrong.

“We’re raised up to accept it,” he muttered, his stomach gurgling and threatening to send the coffee back up. “Most of them don’t seem to mind it. Most don’t ever leave the lepe.

It’s all they know.”

“Like a cult,” Isaiah said. “Was that who was after you last night? Someone from your lepe?”

Bae snapped his head up. “No. I didn’t recognise them and I do know everyone in my lepe. It isn’t very big, just thirty-two strong.” Bae battled back his defensiveness. It wasn’t his lepe that was his priority. “They were South Korean, though, which is odd. I thought they were just shit drivers, but thinking about it…” It was fucking creepy.

“What are the chances?” Isaiah spoke the words for Bae. “I thought, like you did, they just needed to sit through a couple weeks of driver’s ed. Now, I can’t help but worry.”

“You and me both.” Bae replayed the incident in his head then cursed. “Damn it! There was a black SUV on the highway yesterday when I was driving to Ziti’s. It was right on my bumper and I got aggravated and managed to change lanes and exit quickly. I thought they were just bullies, someone in a bigger vehicle trying to intimidate me in my little Leaf, but now I wish I’d paid more attention to the make of the vehicle and the driver, checked for passengers and such.”

www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

48

Isaiah hugged Bae and nuzzled his neck, setting off delicious shivers as he flushed hot and cold. “Why would you have? Those kinds of assholes are all over the place. You wouldn’t believe how few people look for motorcycles.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t ride one anymore?” Bae suggested, clinging in more than just the physical sense. He didn’t want Isaiah hurt or worse. “I mean, I don’t doubt your driving ability, but like you said, people are looking for cars.”

“Mmm.”

Well, that was certainly non-committal.

Isaiah snorted, his breath a hot puff against Bae’s skin. “Well, yeah, I mean you’re asking me to give up my bike! That’s…a lot to ask.”

Apparently their mind link was functioning at full speed. “Not give it up entirely, just, I don’t know. Not ride it in town?”

“I’ll think about it.” Isaiah straightened and stepped back, scowling slightly. “And we got off track, honey. We need to figure out what to do about the—well, whatever that was last night, and your family.” Isaiah’s scowl deepened. “Although I think they are just going to have to deal with it. They can’t have any of you, unless you feel a pressing need for children?”

The way Isaiah’s voice hitched up there at the end made Bae wonder. “I…I don’t know how I feel about kids. I always figured I’d like to adopt a few. Maybe a half-dozen, try to keep up with Brad and Angie.”

Isaiah paled and gulped and Bae laughed. “I’m kidding. Kind of. About how many, I mean. I’d love kids, but they don’t have to be spawn of my loins—or yours—and all that crap. I don’t think DNA is what makes a family, a family.”

Isaiah nodded and walked back to his coffee. He grimaced when he took a drink.

“Nasty. I hate cold coffee.” He set the cup down. “I’m okay with kids. I never really thought about it, but I get fluttery here”—he touched his chest—“when I think about it now, so I’m thinking that’s a shitload of fear and anticipation. I want to be a good dad, like mine. He’s pretty awesome.”

Bae shoved down the wistfulness that the claim stirred in him. “Mine is—well, the focus is now on reproducing.” He pointed at Isaiah. “Stop growling. It’s the way things are done in the lepe. I don’t know if they’ll ever change, but I can’t be a part of their plan to repopulate our species, especially since you vetoed me being a sperm donor.”

www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

49

“We’ll talk about it tonight.” Isaiah took his cup over to the sink and rinsed it out. “I know you have to work, but if you see anyone suspicious, or feel like you’re being stalked, watched, anything—”

“I’ll call you,” Bae assured him, relieved Isaiah wasn’t going to insist on babysitting him. “I’m glad you trust me to take care of myself.”

“I know enough about you to understand you wouldn’t tolerate coddling.”

Bae arched a brow. “Coddling? Really? How old are you?”

“Twenty-six,” Isaiah answered, “and yes, coddling. My grandma can be blamed for that word, but really, it fits. If I told you I wanted to spend every minute with you to make sure you weren’t hurt you’d be pissed.”

“Duh.” Bae chugged his coffee—he didn’t care if it was cold or ice cubes, he’d drink it.

He was beginning to feel somewhat human again. “You wouldn’t like it, either, if the situations were reversed.”

“Nope, I surely wouldn’t, but”—Isaiah swooped Bae into his arms—“I’m still gonna worry, and I hope maybe you’ll have some sympathy for me and will check in to let me know everything’s fine. And maybe that you miss me, a little.”

Bae laughed at the puppy dog eyes Isaiah turned on him. “I think I can do that.”

www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

50

Bae was a great teacher, patient with the kids and not condescending like some adults could be. Isaiah was impressed, and even if they hadn’t been mates, he’d have been enchanted by Bae.

As he watched Bae show Archie, a young man barely into his teens, how to properly clean a dog’s ears, he was impressed all over again with the man. He wasn’t the only one, either. He’d bet half the people in the room were crushing on Bae, kids and adults included.

Bae seemed utterly unaware of how gorgeous he was, and when he smiled, more than one person sighed breathily.

Isaiah tugged at his shirttail, ensuring it hung past his groin. He was relieved that it did since he’d had a boner from the time he’d got there. It sucked, because he knew there was going to be dinner and a lot of talking—which wasn’t bad, but he was going to be miserably hard during all of it.

Well, probably not when Bae talked about his lepe, family, whichever. There was no way he could be the least bit turned on if there was a discussion about the whole sick breeding programme thing. Bae had said they shipped people in and out to participate. God, Isaiah had felt ill every time he thought about the whole thing, and sure enough he wasn’t so horny any more.

“That’s all until next Thursday,” Bae said, his tenor rousing Isaiah from his brooding.

Bae talked with the kids for a few minutes then Sandy came and took the leash.

“Thank you for cleaning Missy’s ears.” She beamed at Bae. “This kind of volunteer work is beneficial in more ways than one.”

“Wait until you get the bill,” Bae rebounded with. Sandy laughed and turned to wave at Isaiah. “Why am I not surprised to see you here, Isaiah?” She smirked and Isaiah just knew he was as red as a stop sign. “I am taking it there’s going to be several broken hearts here at the centre.”

www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

51

Bae didn’t seem surprised, but as a shifter, he was probably aware of the lusty looks and scents around him. “They’ll all find someone more appropriate for them.”

“I meant when they find out he’s taken,” Sandy said, jerking her thumb at Isaiah.

“Geez, Mr Warren, get over yourself.”

“I was referring to Isaiah, Ms Singh.” Bae fluttered his lashes at her. “Although I am not ignorant of my own appeal.”

“Oh God, get out of here before I suffocate in the BS,” Sandy teased, laughing after she said it. “You two are both gorgeous and you know it. Thanks again, Bae. Isaiah”—Sandy shook his hand—“I’ll see you next Tuesday for your first class—which happens to be full.”

She winked and walked out, leaving Isaiah stunned. They’d settled on a dozen spots for the teens, and there were that many interested? Or did that include the staff?

“Staff doesn’t have to sign up, just like you didn’t to come watch me tonight,” Bae said.

Isaiah tried not to panic. “I’m gonna have twelve kids
and
possibly more adults watching me?”

“Learning,” Bae corrected, brushing a chaste kiss over Isaiah’s lips. “Now, don’t worry, you’ll do fine. Concentrate on the kids, because the adults all know that’s what the whole deal is about. Be prepared for a few smart ass comments here and there. You’re working with teenagers, after all. Just be patient, and resist the urge you’ll get occasionally to throttle one or two of them.”

Isaiah laughed then slapped his hand over his mouth when the sound seemed too loud in the room.

“No, don’t cover it,” Bae prised his hand away. “You have a lovely laugh.” He moved closer and murmured, “and an equally lovely ass I’ve spent all day thinking about eating.”

Isaiah tried to speak but only an odd squeak came out. He wanted to melt into the floor, but Bae looked so smug, so self-assured, it was all Isaiah could do not to drop down on all fours and beg Bae to mount him.

Bae narrowed his eyes and a rumbling sound slipped past his lips. “Don’t think I wouldn’t love do throw you down and fuck you until you screamed. I will, once we’ve had our date.”

Isaiah adjusted his cock, feeling a little smug himself when Bae watched him and went kind of glassy-eyed with lust. “Okay, you’re right. I want to hear about your day, and more www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

52

about—” Oh hell, he didn’t want to hear about the weirdos in Bae’s lepe, but he needed to.

“Well, I need to know what’s gonna happen with your family. Or lepe. Both.”

Bae chuckled and took his hand. “My family is part of the lepe, but not everyone in the lepe is related to me. But, what goes for the lepe goes for my family. It’s like a little logic problem.”

“It’s a problem, all right,” Isaiah muttered as he followed Bae out of the room. Bae shot him an annoyed look. “Sorry. I just…don’t want them giving you shit.”

“Hey, Keegan, I didn’t see you in the class tonight,” Bae said instead of acknowledging Isaiah’s concern out loud. The warm tingling of reassurance that came through their mind link helped ease Isaiah’s fear that he’d offended Bae. He waved at Keegan over Bae’s shoulder and Keegan’s lips thinned, the young man glaring as he tipped his head up slightly.

Isaiah was almost two feet taller than Keegan, so the whole staring down his nose at Isaiah just didn’t work.

“I had things to take care of.” Keegan turned on his heel and went back down the hallway.

“What the hell?”

Bae shrugged. “I’m guessing he was crushing on one of us. Not to be vain, but that was definitely anger and jealousy he was wearing.”

No shit. The kid had not been happy at all. “He’ll get over it, right?” Isaiah felt bad for Keegan. He didn’t like hurting anyone, especially not a teenager who obviously didn’t have his family to support him. Just then another boy, the one Isaiah had seen watching Keegan the week before, appeared in a door way. He took off after Keegan. “At least he has someone.”

Bae nodded. “Yes, that’s Skeeter. He’s had it bad for Keegan for a while now. At least since I started here a few months ago.”

“Does Keegan know?” He’d seemed really unhappy about Bae and him.

Bae nodded towards the lounge. Isaiah glanced out of the corner of his eye when he passed and saw Keegan on the couch with Skeeter beside him, an arm around his shoulders and Keegan looking flushed and stunned.

“He does now, I’d bet,” Bae said as soon as they got outside. “I think young love is so cute. I just hope—”

www.total-e-bound.com

ISAIAH

Bailey Bradford

53

Isaiah grabbed Bae and pushed him up against the front of the building. “Fuck! Bae, there’s a black Expedition two blocks down, parked on the other side of the street.”

Bae thumped him on the stomach, knocking a grunt from him. “Get off me!”

“Sorry,” Isaiah rasped, then, “No, I’m not. You’re my mate and my instinct is to protect you. I can’t apologise for that and mean it.” He did, however, put a little space between himself and Bae.

Bae peered down the street, the darkness not a hindrance to them, and even if it had been, the street lamps illuminated most of the road. “It’s the same one, I think. I can’t see if there’s a licence plate or a dent above the right rear bumper.”

“I’ll check.” Isaiah took Bae by the arm, ready to plead. “Stay inside, please? If I go around back and come up behind them, they won’t know I’m there.”

“They’ve probably already seen us,” Bae pointed out. “And I’d be safer with you than not.”

Isaiah couldn’t disagree. He’d shift and shred anyone who tried to take Bae or cause him harm. And, Bae was an intelligent man. He didn’t want to be…coddled.

With a nod, Isaiah checked to see that the Expedition was still parked. It was, so he headed around the other side of the building. Better to let them think he and Bae were going in the opposite direction from where they were parked.