Rise to Embrace [Rise of the Changelings, Book 3] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (4 page)

* * * *

Dorian snuggled into Rick when his mate sat back down. He didn’t like being held hostage here. Although the loft was a very nice place, it wasn’t a resort. He wasn’t going to get cozy.

“What is going on?” Dorian asked Rick when he saw the yellow flecks in his mate’s light-grey eyes. For changelings, the yellow meant emotions were running high.

Dorian could also feel the hard cock pressing into his back.

“Brooke and Deluca want Willow. Their lust is filling this room to the point of choking everyone.”

Dorian glanced over at the two men and saw the way they were watching the redheaded woman. Interest was an understatement. Those two looked like they were enamored with her.

When Rick’s hand slid over Dorian’s hip, Dorian glanced up at his mate. “What are you doing?” He knew he didn't need to ask. Rick’s eyes were glowing now. The man was horny as hell. “This is not the time to go all wolf on me.”

“This is the perfect time,
gatito
.” Rick dipped his head, nibbling at Dorian’s ear. His mate was making it very hard for Dorian to remember they were being held captive and needed to keep their wits about them.

“We are in a room full of people,” Dorian reminded his mate.

Rick lifted his head and glanced over to the far corner. Dorian saw a door, and assumed it was a bathroom. “No way.”

Rick got to his feet, tugging Dorian up as well. “Yes way. Now follow me or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you in.” Rick tugged at his hand and Dorian followed.

They may be in a dire situation, but Dorian was finding it hard to turn his mate down. He was craving Rick’s touch like mad. He knew the bond was growing between them. It had gotten to the point that Dorian started feeling anxious when Rick was away from him too long.

Knowing what his mate wanted, what he needed, Dorian found it hard to refuse the man. That didn’t make it any less insane to go into a bathroom and have sex when they were in a hostile situation.

But right now, Dorian didn't give a shit.

He should.

But he didn’t.

Rick opened the door and Dorian saw that it was indeed a bathroom. It wasn’t large, but it wasn’t closet size either. His mate closed the door behind them and before Dorian could say a word, Rick had him against the wall.

The man’s lips felt like heaven on Dorian’s skin. As badly as Dorian would love to have all the time in the world with his mate, he knew this was going to be a quickie.

He didn’t care.

It didn't matter to Dorian where they were, what was going on, or what may happen. All he cared about right now was being in Rick’s arms, his mate holding him close, and feeling as if Rick would always keep him safe.

Rick reached down and released his swollen shaft. It was thick and heavy in his hand. “Suck my cock,
gatito
.”

Dorian dropped to his knees, engulfing Rick’s dick to the back of his throat. He sucked hard and fast, playing with the veins that ran along the swollen shaft with his tongue as Dorian felt the head of Rick’s cock slide down his throat.

Rick wasn’t messing around. He grabbed Dorian’s head and began to fuck his mouth in earnest. His mate used quick, even strokes as Dorian opened wider.

There didn’t seem to be much Dorian could do. Rick was in control, using his mouth to bring himself pleasure. Dorian was all for that. Rick began to thrust his hips toward Dorian’s face, and cried out when Dorian played with Rick’s balls.

Rick’s seed shot to the back of Dorian’s throat as he grunted, his hips slowing.

But the man was still hard.

Dorian stood, shoved his pants down, and then turned, bending over the sink. When Rick swept his fingers over Dorian’s hole, Dorian batted the man’s hand away. “Just fuck me.”

“You want my cock in your ass that badly?” Rick asked with a teasing tone.

“What do you think?” he asked as he jutted his ass toward his mate. Dorian watched over his shoulder as Rick used his spit to lube Dorian’s hole before lining his cock up and thrusting forward. Dorian had to bite back the shout and the burn as Rick drove into him to the hilt.

His fingers curled around the edge of the counter as Rick pushed him up onto the wood, getting Dorian onto his hands and knees. Thank fuck the counter was strong enough to hold him.

“Fast and quick,
gatito
.”

“Hell yeah,” Dorian agreed as Rick set up a pace that should have knocked him into the wall in front of him. The man was changeling strong and not holding back.

Dorian had fought with Rick time and again about holding back. Rick was afraid he would hurt Dorian. But it seemed Dorian’s continued protests were finally paying off because Rick was plowing into his ass with force.

“I swear to god you have the best ass I’ve ever fucked,” Rick said with a feral growl as his cock drove impossibly deeper. Dorian was on the edge. He couldn’t make his lips work in order to answer his mate—not when the pulse of pleasure was overtaking his mind.

A whimper fell from his lips as shivers began to work their way through his body. Dorian was mindless now as Rick thrust into his ass at an incredible speed.

Uncaring of who heard him, Dorian’s head fell back onto his shoulders as he cried out his release. His cock exploded as Rick bit into his shoulder, sending him careening over the edge into unfathomable pleasure.

Rick licked at the mating mark as he slowly eased from Dorian’s ass. He was sore as hell, but the pain had been worth it.

Bringing his breathing back under control, Dorian was set down onto his feet by Rick. He glanced over his shoulder, smiling at his mate. “Feel better?”

Rick chuckled. “Much.”

They straightened their clothes and then Rick pulled Dorian close for a mind-blowing kiss before they exited the bathroom.

“Damn,” Rick muttered.

Dorian glanced up at his mate. “What?”

“The arousal is thicker than before,” he said.

Dorian looked at everyone in the room and blushed when he realized all eyes were on him and Rick. He turned toward the door when Garrett walked in. Dorian’s heart stuttered in his chest when the alpha lifted his head and scented the air, his eyes sliding murderously toward Willow.

Oh hell. This was not good
Visit d p g ro up.org for more books uploaded by our generous members
.

“You should know better than to track me down,” Sasha said with a feral edge to his voice. “I left you at Rick’s house for a reason.”

“You’re supposed to be helping us get the changelings out of Shelton.” Nate matched Sasha’s tone. It didn’t matter at the moment that he had lusted after Sasha for years. Nate didn’t care that he was always a bundle of nerves around the man. The most important thing right now was ensuring that not only the werewolves made it safely out, but the other breeds as well. There was too much at stake for Sasha to be acting like an ass.

“Did it ever occur to you that I was already working on that?” Sasha asked with deadly calm as they stood on his back porch. This was the first time Nate had ever been to Sasha’s home. The man hadn't invited him, but Nate wasn’t about to sit back and allow the man to renege on his word. He had told Rick he would help, but the leopard alpha had yet to lift a finger. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was working on something extremely important? I don’t need you tailing me and getting me killed.”

“You could have told me—”

A warning cloud settled on his handsome features. “I don’t have to tell you a damn thing! I answer to no one.”

Nate moved closer, knowing he was moving toward incredible strength. As he took in the kelly-green of Sasha’s eyes, Nate felt some of the heat of his anger slowly slip away. The man was so damn stunning that Nate had to fight not to pull Sasha toward him. “You promised Rick you would help us. Were you just blowing smoke up his ass?”

Sasha gave a low warning snarl as he closed the distance between them, his shoulders straight, his look one of pure male. “And I’ve been helping you. The leopards, impalas, and the werefoxes have all been evacuated to a safer hiding. It’s the werewolves that have been giving me problems. Your breed is too damn stubborn for their own good.”

Nate wanted to kiss the man and punch him for his arrogance at the same time. He was close to giving up on the alpha. Sasha had been nothing but snarly to him lately, and there was only so much he could take. He wasn’t going to keep trying if all Sasha wanted to do was fight. “I’ll take care of the werewolves.”

Sasha smirked. “I’ve already taken care of one.”

“How did you know about Larry?” Nate asked as the image of the librarian crumbling to the ground entered his mind.

Sasha gave Nate a lazy shrug. “Does it matter? He won’t be betraying anyone anymore. Didn’t Rick tell you to take care of traitors how you saw fit?”

Again Nate’s anger spiked. Sasha was good at driving him crazy. The man seemed to have a knack for it. “How in the hell do you know this?” Nate ran his hand over his neck and then began to walk down the steps. “On second thought, forget it.” He turned to look at Sasha, shaking his head at the same time. “Play your games, Sasha. I honestly don’t care anymore. I’m getting the remaining werewolves out of Shelton, and then I’m going to go help Rick. The werecoyotes in Kentucky have decided to take him and his group prisoner and he needs my help.”

Sasha straightened, his eyes growing feral. “Garrett is holding Rick hostage?”

Nate walked to his Yukon, feeling weary. “Why should you care? You like to do things your own way, on your own terms. Maybe one day you will realize that there is more than just you at stake here.” As badly as he wanted to turn around, Nate slid into the driver’s seat and pulled away. He already had the remaining werewolves gathered. They were going to follow Nate to Kentucky and pull Rick out of the Smoky Mountains. He had hoped to have Sasha’s help, but at this point, Nate honestly didn’t care.

His werewolf didn’t like the idea of Nate giving up, but he was sick and tired of the man snarling at him. If he didn’t know any better, he would think Sasha wasn’t interested in him, even though the man had played and purred at times. Maybe that was just how Sasha acted around everyone.

And that thought pissed Nate off.

But there was nothing he could do. If Sasha didn’t want him, then he wasn’t going to pursue the man any longer.

He couldn’t dwell on Sasha. Nate had to get his head back into the game. He and Selene had already searched Larry’s place and come up empty. He had a feeling the changeling had already delivered his cataloged information.

Nate drove to the agreed meeting place, spotting Selene with the others. He pushed thoughts of Sasha to the back of his mind as he pulled up and Selene got in. “Sasha isn’t coming?”

Nate pulled away, the other vehicles following him. “No, the pussycat decided he had better things to do.” And no matter how hard Nate had tried, the bitterness had leaked out into his words.

* * * *

Rick, Edward, and Mason snarled at Garrett. Brooke even heard Benito and Miguel growling beside him. It only took a second for Brooke to catch on to what these men were doing, and he was grateful. Even though Brooke couldn’t scent emotions, he knew the men were replacing not only Willow’s arousal, but his and Deluca’s with aggression. In Brooke’s opinion, that was the only other emotion that was as strong as arousal.

He had known what Rick and Dorian were doing in the bathroom, and it only made his arousal shoot through the roof. The room had to be drowning in the scent.

Garrett’s attention was fully on Rick. “How dare you act aggressively toward me.”

“One of your men laid claws to a pregnant female in my pack, forced us up here at gunpoint, and you stand there with a sanctimonious attitude?” Rick asked in heated astonishment. “You better be lucky I’m still standing in one spot.”

Brooke glanced over at Willow to see her standing in the small kitchen, her full lips slightly parted and her hands cupped together as they rested against her stomach. Brooke may only be human, but he knew when a woman was scared out of her mind. He knew Garrett was an asshole, but Brooke wanted to know why Willow seemed terrified of the man. Brooke quickly looked away. He didn’t want Garrett catching him staring at Willow. His gut told him being caught staring at her would not be favorable for the beautiful redhead.

The anger seemed to seep out of Garrett as he tucked his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “I wish you would see things as I see them, Enrique.”

“I can’t,” Rick replied. “There is no reason to keep us here. You have no idea what’s really going on. Do you think that because you are tucked away in these mountains that the Death Squad won’t find you? Trust me, you are on the extermination list just like every other nonhuman.”

“There is no Death Squad!” Garrett snarled, his temper flaring once again. “There is no extermination list. The only thing going on is that you are a highly sought man for killing so many humans. Trust
me
,” Garrett threw Rick’s words back at him with fire. “Once you disappear, the chaos will die down. Then you can take on a new identity and start your life over.”

“Why do you care what happens to me?” Rick asked. “Why do you care if they kill me? I’ve never met you before in my life.” Rick stepped closer as his eyes narrowed to two tiny slits. “What is your real reason for keeping us here?”

“Think what you will.” Garrett turned and strode toward the door. “I’m tired of this fruitless conversation.”

Brooke watched as the man disappeared through the door. No one said a word. Everyone was looking at each other. Could Garrett be that idiotic? Did the man honestly think all this hoopla was about Rick having a warrant and nothing more? Brooke also wondered at Rick’s unanswered question. Why was Garrett so concerned with keeping Rick here, out of the public eye? He glanced around, but Brooke already knew he wasn’t going to find a television in this place. They needed to find out what was going on that had Garrett so adamant about keeping Rick here.

“Do you think he betrayed us?” Dorian asked as he glanced up at Rick. There was worry in his brown eyes, and Brooke didn’t blame the man. There were too many questions and not enough straight answers. Garrett was being evasive about the true reason he wanted them to stay. If it was just for Rick’s welfare, then why did all eleven of them get marched at gunpoint to the damn tree house? “Do you think he is stalling until the Death Squad gets here?”

Brooke’s eyes were once again drawn to Willow as she busied herself in the small kitchen. She and Trisha were getting dinner ready, but even though Brooke wasn’t changeling and couldn’t scent her emotions, he knew she was scared.

He could see it in the jerky movements as she chopped the vegetables and grabbed a mixing bowl. She looked worried, and he had to make himself stay rooted to the spot. Every male instinct and protective urge inside of him was shouting for Brooke to go to her, to draw her into the safety of his arms and protect her from whatever it was that she feared.

Her head turned slightly, and Brooke stood motionless as her eyes locked with his for a brief moment before she looked away. But that one stolen glance told him that she was downright terrified.

“I don’t like this,” Deluca said as he moved next to Brooke. “She’s too jittery. I’m not a fucking changeling but even I can see she’s terrified of that prick.”

Deluca had spoken Brooke’s thoughts. He wanted to pull Willow into the other room and ask her what was wrong, but he could sense that whatever was bothering her, she didn’t want Trisha to know about it. She smiled at the young teenage girl, and Brooke knew that Willow was trying to act as if nothing was wrong.

Brooke crossed the room. He couldn’t stand by and let the woman he wanted with every fiber of his being think that she was alone in this. He had to let her know that she could trust him and Deluca. They would protect her from Garrett. They just had to figure out how in the hell they were going to get out of this mess first. He knew Benito had texted someone for help, and Brooke assumed it was Nate. Brooke just hoped the man got here in time and brought enough backup to get them away from Garrett and his pack. He wasn’t too sure they could wait around, though.

Their time was short. If Garrett was holding them for pickup, then it would only be a matter of time before the person, or people arrived. They needed to move quickly. As soon as he talked with Willow, Brooke needed to talk with Rick.

His gut was telling him that they couldn’t wait for reinforcements. Garrett was too edgy, and his insistence was too firm for a guy they had never met before. The alpha shouldn’t care about what happened to Rick. Not in the way he was trying to make Rick lie low and then take up a new identity. It was very odd behavior for a stranger.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Brooke asked as he glanced from Willow to Trisha. He gave the young girl a polite smile and then turned back toward the redhead. If anything, his nearness seemed to make her even more nervous. Her delicate hands began to shake as she wiped them on a cloth. Brooke was guessing that she had grabbed the cloth to hide her hands. But he had been trained to pick up on the slightest details, and he was picking up a lot of things about this woman.

For one, he could see her full breasts rise and fall quickly as she glanced up at him with her big green eyes. His nearness affected her, and Brooke was glad to see she was just as interested in him as he was in her. But her eyes snapped over to the young girl as Trisha emptied the cutting board into the bowl on the counter. She was telling him to watch what he said in front of the teenager.

He gave her a slight nod.

“Can this wait?” she asked. “We must get dinner ready. I’m pretty sure your group is hungry after trekking through the mountain.”

Just hearing the soft lilt of her voice had Brooke growing hard. He fought the images in his head of what he and Deluca would do to her if there was no one around. He wanted to see her writhing between them and hear her crying out their names. It didn’t bother him that Deluca was interested in her as well. The two men were close, and some part of him had known that when he found the right woman, she would give herself to both of them.

It seemed natural to share her with his best friend. He knew Deluca would protect her just as fiercely as Brooke planned on doing. Too bad there was a fucking war going on because Brooke wanted nothing more than to take her home and spend countless hours giving this woman the love and pleasure she deserved.

Never before had Brooke considered settling down, but Willow was bringing that desire to the forefront. He didn’t know her, but he was pretty damn sure she was the perfect one for the two men. Hell, he was even entertaining the thought of the three of them starting a family together. He knew his feelings had to be strong to even consider something as sacred as family with this woman, but Brooke also believed in love at first sight. Call him old-fashioned, but he believed in a lot of the romantic notions that seemed to have died away in modern times.

“It’ll just take a minute,” he replied as he placed a gentle hand on her elbow, trying to steer her away from Trisha. She hesitated and then set the cloth down.

“Keep working,” she instructed Trisha. “I’ll be right back.”

Trisha nodded, but Brooke could tell the teenager was curious to know what was going on. He had to be careful. Brooke didn’t want to do anything that could be misconstrued in any way. He didn’t need Trisha going back to Garrett and telling him anything. Brooke moved her to the other side of the room, keeping his voice low. He knew changelings had exceptional hearing, but Brooke knew how to speak so low that only Willow would hear him. He also possessed the talent of reading lips. He had perfected that talent over the years and could “listen” to an entire conversation without the people talking even suspecting he knew what they were saying.

And what made Deluca and Brooke a force to be reckoned with was the fact that Deluca possessed those same talents.

His best friend stayed where he was at, talking to Benito and Miguel, but Brooke knew the man was watching their lips. It would look too suspicious if both of them cornered Willow.

His hand lingered on her elbow, and Willow didn’t pull back. As much as he hated releasing her, he knew that he had to. Trisha was watching them as well. He couldn’t allow the teenager to know his interests in the curvaceous beauty. “Do you know anything about what is going on?”

Her eyes snapped up to him, and Brooke could see the truth in those green depths. She knew something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was no way she could tell him she didn’t know anything. Her eyes told it all.

“I can’t,” she whispered.

Brooke moved his body so that he blocked Trisha from seeing Willow, but still allowed Deluca to read their lips. “You know what Garrett is doing is wrong. We are not the enemy here. If it’s protection you need, you have it.” Asking the woman to trust total strangers was a long shot, but Brooke had to let her know that she wasn’t alone in all of this. If he had his way, she would never be alone again.

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” she replied as she glanced at the other people in the room. “Besides, I don’t even know any of you.” She turned her eyes back toward him. “For all I know, your group is wanted for countless murders just as the news reports claim.”

“Sugar, I can guarantee we had nothing to do with those murders.” Brooke had to stop himself from reaching up and tracing her high cheekbones with his thumbs. He wanted to touch her, to see if her skin was as soft as it looked. She had a small patch of freckles dancing over her nose, and Brooke wanted to inspect the rest of her voluptuous body to see if she had any more. Her nostrils flared, and Brooke knew she could scent his arousal. There was nothing he could do about his scent. Nothing short of death could stop him from being affected by her feminine aroma and her closeness.

“I can’t make that same guarantee,” she stated. “The only thing I’m sure of is that I have to prepare dinner.” She moved to walk away, but Brooke blocked her from leaving.

“If Garrett is setting us up, then he is condemning innocent men to death.” Brooke let the steel conviction of his words radiate in his eyes. He had to make her see that he was telling the truth. “You’re changeling. My scent should tell you if I’m lying or telling the truth.”

She shook her head, her fiery red strands moving across her shoulders. Damn, Brooke had never fought so hard in his life not to touch a woman. She was temptation incarnate.

“I can’t scent anything right now but your…” Willow’s eyes lowered, and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red. Brooke knew exactly what she smelled.

“My desire,” he said with a simmering heat to his voice. “You’re damn right I want you. Any man in his right mind would want a woman as beautiful as you.”

Her eyes snapped up to him and the blush deepened. “Most men want a woman with fewer curves.”

“Most men are idiots then,” he replied without hesitation. “Because, darling, you are everything I ever desired in a woman.”

Her eyes sparkled with merriment as a small smile tilted her full lips. God, she was even more beautiful when she smiled. Brooke suddenly wanted to hear her laugh. He was betting the sound was just as beautiful as the woman.

“You know all the right words to get a woman to do what you want, don’t you?”

Brooke was getting harder. “I know all the right words to tell you because they are the truth.”

“Willow?” Trisha called from across the room.

The light teasing in Willow’s eyes died. Her features grew serious as she glanced toward the kitchen. “I have to get back over there.”

Brooke didn’t want her to leave his side. He liked teasing her and he wanted to see a full smile on her face. But he knew they were treading on dangerous grounds. “Think about what I said to you, Willow. Deluca and I will protect you. I promise that you will be safe.”

Her eyes wandered over to Deluca. The man gave a tight nod in their direction, confirming Brooke’s promise.

“I’m Brooke,” he added, feeling a need to let her know his name.

“I have to get back over there,” she repeated as she hurried away. Brooke stood there for a moment, his erection slowly easing. Once he was back in full control, he joined Deluca.

“I didn’t think she would trust us,” Deluca said. “We’re strangers.”

That may be true, but Brooke planned on changing that. And if the shit hit the fan, Willow was coming with them whether she knew it or not. There was no way he was leaving her behind. She feared the alpha, and Brooke wasn’t leaving
their
woman behind, especially with someone she was terrified of.