The Coming Storm (23 page)

I licked my lips before throwing back the covers and spreading my legs wide. “What did you like best?” Aurelo eyed over my body as he reached for the lube. In a flash, he was slicked up and pushing inside me, practically folding me in half.

“The way you screamed my name, telling the camera you wished it was my cock pleasing you,” he grunted as he took me. “Everything you said as you touched yourself. That you did it for me. All of it, Chicago. It was the best present I’ve ever gotten and not for the sexy factor or the kink. I felt the heart behind it. It
touched
me because you made it for me and it was all about me.”

“It was,” I assured him. “I was thinking about you, not Hadley, though he was the one fucking me with the toy. In my mind, your hands were touching me, pleasing me. I knew you would watch it and I wanted you to have proof forever of how much I need you and not only in bed.”

“And now I do. That’s just one of the reasons you’re so amazing.” He slowed down then and made love to me, telling me over and over again how I was stuck with him now because after getting me back and everything I’d done and we’d shared now he wasn’t letting me go.

I was
very
okay with that.

When we were finished, Hadley showed up with food. We ate and then we had the third round Aurelo had promised him. Hadley was in heaven… And not just with me this time. I think he liked being taken by someone as big as Aurelo as well.

Then we showered where we played some more. After that it was another nap and more rounds of sex. One more quick nap.

And then it was time for us to go.

As we pulled away from the flock house, Hadley stood outside waving goodbye to us from next to Director Woodrow. I had checked that they had the files, dozens and dozens of copies on small thumb drives the owls could easily carry in their shifted forms so we had our backup plan. But I was still sad.

“We can still keep in touch, right?” I asked Aurelo as I stared out the window.

“For a day pass?” he chuckled. I shook my head and turned to him.

“No. It’s not about that. I like him, didn’t you?”

He thought about that and nodded. “Yeah. He’s a good guy. We gave him the burner phone number. He promised to let us know his once they replace out their phones. Just because we sample someone doesn’t mean that’s the only time we’ll ever see or talk to them, Chicago. It’s only that we won’t be with them like we’re together.”

“And I don’t want that. I just want to be his friend. I think he needs those. He seemed so lonely and wounded,” I admitted, finally figuring out what it was about Hadley that I couldn’t put my finger on earlier.

“I agree but I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with you being his friend alone,” Aurelo hedged. I blinked at him a moment.

“You’re jealous.”

“I would be, yes. That man was incredibly clear he would go to almost any length to have you be his. I’m not saying he’s immoral or would try and break us up but we don’t know him that well and I won’t do anything to risk you even if he needs friends or I liked him.”

I rolled that one around in my head and agreed. “Yeah, if the shoe was on the other foot, I would feel the same. I think Director Woodrow liked the idea of combining with your coven so we’ll put Hadley in the movie night/sit by him at dinner/maybe have drinks friend category. Not the same as my brothers or Julus where I can just be me but for now a little guarded until we decide he won’t ever try and interfere with us being together.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that more than you know.” He gave me that bright smile that melted me inside.

“How much?” I teased.

He bit his lower lip before an impish smirk crossed his lips. “Enough that you might get a video of your own soon.”

I growled at him and his eyes flashed surprise. “You better get a fucking camera stand for that plan and not
help
, Aurelo Guisti, or I’m biting you again.”

“Next time we stop at the store,” he assured me with a chuckle. “Or I’m sure Director Fabian has one.” I thought about that. Actually…

“Daniel could help you.” I cleared my throat and looked away when his eyes narrowed at me. “You could help him too. It could be a present from both of you to me. I guess I could let that one slide but no one else.”

“Uh-huh. Let it
slide
my ass,” he muttered. Yeah, I was busted. It would totally get me hot. Oh well. He knew my secrets.

I wonder if that meant I got the video still?

14

By some miracle from the gods, we made it to the Paranormal Parliament without any more issues or the authorities finding us. I remember thinking it just couldn’t be this easy. There had to be a catch or the shit was going to hit the fan, right?

“Dude, don’t invite problems in,” Seattle snickered as we got out. “We’ve had more than enough obstacles and issues getting here. Our dues were paid and now we can just do our touchdown dance.”

“Sometimes the end of a mission does really turn out.” Julus shrugged and I felt better. If they were good, so was I. They had more experience with these things after all.

Aurelo had updated Director Fabian, we had the backup plan in place in the form of Director Woodrow and his owls. We’d done everything imaginable… Or at least to us.

We hightailed it inside and again someone smiled down on us because the only reason we got through to see the PP without a hassle was Boston, Seattle, and Julus served with a guy who was now head of security.

“Thanks, Try,” Seattle said as he slapped the guy on the back. “I promise this isn’t a waste of their time.”

“I believe you. You wouldn’t step through these doors unless it was important and I know you well enough that you don’t ever run around saying the sky is falling. If you’re worried, I’m fucking running for cover.” The man chuckled at his own joke and shook his head as he turned to lead the way.

“I gotta ask. Try?” Milwaukee glanced at the man, eyeing him appreciatively. “And you’re an elf, right? I’ve never met one before.”

“Try is short for Trystram which can be a mouthful,” Try explained as he leered at my brother. Interesting. “And yes, elf. Not what you expected, huh?”

“No, not quite. I mean, I didn’t think Santa’s helpers of course. I thought more…” He trailed off and bit his lip as if not sure what
would
be an okay thing to say at this point.

“
Lord of the Rings
?” Try offered.

Milwaukee nodded. “Yes. Legolos is a favorite of mine. Like that. Lean, sleek, hot.”

“Are you saying I’m not hot?” Try stopped walking and turned on Milwaukee. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“No, I think you’re gorgeous,” Milwaukee squeaked out as he took a few steps back. “Just not lean and normal-sized. You’re huge and I need to shut up now.”

“Try, back off,” Boston growled. “You knew what he meant. Don’t pick on my brother.”

“I know what he meant,” Try agreed, still moving closer to Milwaukee. “I just love little geeks. I wanted to see if he liked big elves, and now I do and can proceed.”

“Um, no you can’t,” Seattle snarled as he stepped in between them. “I like you, man, always have. Don’t make me kill you for playing one of my little brothers. You love them and leave them. I bet your numbers are up in the thousands. You’re not adding any of my brothers.”

Try adjusted his jaw as he met Seattle’s gaze before glancing at Milwaukee. “Let’s table this discussion for a more private setting and appropriate time but I will say this. People change, Seattle. You must have or you and Julus wouldn’t be back together, from the loving looks you’re giving each other.”

“Fine,” Boston said quietly as he pushed them apart. “Later. Milwaukee is a grown-up, Seattle. But yeah, people do change and grow out of their player ways. Just know there’s a conversation to be had.”

“Agreed,” they both replied.

“We never do anything the easy way,” Orlando snickered as we started moving down the hallway to the Parliament main chambers. My malamute didn’t like this place. I think it was the smell. I mean, the building was old of course but it was more than that, almost like laundry left too long in the washer. Not moldy but not fresh as if they had some warped wood in the foundation.

“That would be boring,” Phoenix joked.

“I miss a little boring,” I muttered under my breath. Aurelo shot me an unhappy look as we got to the doors, and I rubbed his arm to assure him I hadn’t been referring to anything to do with him. He was the good kind of excitement. Well, not the fighting part of course.

Try opened the doors and we followed him in. It was hard not to gasp as I took in the splendor of the room. It wasn’t an olden courtroom as I had thought it would be. More like if there had been a Knights of the Round Table in the 1800s. The massive oak table in the middle had just enough seats for every person with a crystal deemed worthy to lead us.

“Elders, forgive the interruption but the Niska brothers are here to—” Try started to say but was cut off.

“Arguing with our ruling some more?” an older man sneered as he turned and glanced over us. The wolf elder I’d guess. “Now in person? You’ve traveled a long way just to hear
no
again. You will join the San Jose wolf pack.” Our heads all snapped to Seattle. I don’t think we knew he’d actually been in touch with the PP officially. “And the youngest will be married to the Alpha as agreed upon for his protection over your family.”

“
We
didn’t agree to that,” Seattle said in a reserved voice, laced with anger. Wow. I was impressed he was keeping it together.

“Besides, Chicago’s spoken for,” Aurelo drawled. “And the Niskas are joining our coven.”

“But that’s all moot now and we’ve got bigger fish to fry. Though thanks for pimping me out. I’m thrilled my leaders felt they had the right to do that.” Everyone in our party slowly looked at me and simply blinked. “Yeah, quiet Chicago just grew balls and got sassy with the PP. Deal with it. They tried to whore me out to a dipshit Alpha with a harem in the most illogical, immoral move the century.”

“Are you done insulting us?” Another elder asked, raising an eyebrow as his eyes flared while he crossed his arms over his chest. It was hard to distinguish them when they were sitting so close together but I was pretty sure he had to be the cat elder. “I’d show some respect, child.”

“I’ve always respected this body,” I said firmly. “I was raised that way and never have faltered. I’m here because I
still
respect it. I just wish you had respected mine. I deserve some snarkiness for that and a few choice comments. None of you would ever stand for what you were going to do to me. Hell, you’re pissed I’m saying you made an illogical and immoral call.

“You were going to
give me
to a werewolf to do with as he pleased. I’m a person. One of
your
people.” I held up a hand when he went to argue, shocking them all and myself. I was tired of this shit, really I was. I’d said my piece and arguing wasn’t going to get us anywhere. “We’re not here for this. We came because we found information that our ruling body needs to know to protect our people.”

“Actually, Chicago did,” Boston praised. “You know, the one you were going to give to the wolf like a chew toy? He hacked into the government and found a threat against all paranormals.”

“You hacked into the human government?” one of the elders gasped. Bird elder maybe? “Dear gods,
why
?” Nice that they skipped over all that other stuff. I noticed then how many extra guards were in the room. Either they always came when Parliament had visitors or
us
being there brought them, but there were two dozen at least.

“To get something we thought you would want in case you ever needed leverage over the humans,” Seattle explained as he nodded to me. I pulled out the original thumb drive that Milwaukee had given back to me. “We went to finish what we thought our parents were working on for you.”

“We told you to drop that—” the wolf elder started to growl.

But Seattle kept right on going. “And found out that every human government around the world knows about us.” There were several gasps in the room… Just not from any of the elders. How was it possible that guards trained to not show emotion or react to anything let gasps slip out but the elders all didn’t even flinch?

“They’re planning a worldwide attack against us in almost three months to wipe us out,” Boston continued. “The proof is on here.” I tossed the thumb drive onto the table. “They’re going to start taking out paranomals in government positions and the military in under two months though we came upon some Air Force officers starting early on some owls after they were told.”

“Does the NSA know you have this?” the cat elder asked, sounding almost panicked at the idea… At the idea the NSA could know it was us who had the information. Not about the information. Something was wrong and I was missing a piece.

Seattle shrugged, glancing at Boston, probably feeling something was off as we all did. “They’ve put out a BOLO with pictures, but the last we heard, they didn’t know our names or—”

“We didn’t say we broke into the NSA,” I blurted out, figuring out that missing piece. “We said the government. How did you know it was the NSA? Mom worked for Homeland Security. You sent her in there to get information after you got audited.” My malamute practically whimpered as I felt waves of what I could only think to classify as guilt coming off everyone sitting at the table. “My gods—you already knew.”