Watching Out For Fangs (The Cloverleah Pack Book 7) (23 page)

“Making them ripe for a takeover too,” Diablo said.

“More territory for the Atlanta pack,” Shawn said, looking worried.

“Can’t your mother take over the coven? You said she was older than you?” Josh asked.

“Women can’t rule covens. Archaic I know, but my mother has never been eligible to rule. It’s one of the reasons I had no problem handing over the reins to Ermine. He was far more likely to have children than I was, at least he was always trying for them and the succession line would have been assured. At the time I never thought I would have children.”

“Yes, well technology has come a long way since you were born, love, and we can talk about little Vadim’s another day. What would happen to your mother if you die and the coven is without a Regent?”

“They’ll kill her. It’s one of the first things they’ll do,” Vadim whispered, his heart plummeting as the enormity of the impact of the spell hit him hard. That magic user may be young, but he wasn’t stupid, whoever he was.

Josh scrapped his chair back from the table and stood up, holding out his hand. Vadim looked up, wondering what was on his mate’s mind now.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“
We
are going back to the cells,” Josh said firmly. “I’m going to watch while you break this spell. I’m not having your safety, the safety of this pack, your mother and the fucking coven on my conscience. You’re going to let the little fucker kiss you, and then your ass is mine. So help me, it had better fucking work, or I’ll kill him myself.”

Chapter Thirty One

Josh couldn’t believe he was actually going to allow this. Ha! He wasn’t allowing it, he was actually insisting his mate allow another man to kiss him. With his wolf roaring in his head about just how unacceptable any intimate contact with someone else was, Josh fobbed off the concerns of his friends, refusing to be deterred. Every shifter in the room understood why he was doing what he had to do, and just how much of a hardship it was going to be. If there was any other way of having Vadim up to full strength, then Josh would have taken it. But his mate was out of time. This wasn’t about reclaiming their mind link anymore, it was about keeping Vadim, and by extension his mother and the coven safe.

It was just a kiss and in human terms it probably wouldn’t seem a big deal. But for shifters, any type of paranormal really, the bond between mates was sacrosanct with fidelity and honesty as its cornerstone. Nobody touched another person’s mate. Kissing on the lips was an intimacy that lovers shared. Josh had thought maybe he shouldn’t watch, but he knew his imagination of what was about to happen was probably going to be far worse than the reality. It wasn’t as though Vadim was going to enjoy it. His mate looked positively sick at the idea, and he would get sick too, if the kiss went on too long. Josh’s bite would have seen to that.

Josh was pleased that Jax and Anton offered to accompany them though. Josh’s wolf felt Everett was a threat to their mating, and he was right. If the spell could have been broken with Everett’s death, then the man would be buried in the forest already. It would take every ounce of Josh’s control to see this through – his teeth were already hurting, he was grinding them so hard.

The men were silent as they marched down the long corridor to the cell where Everett was being held. As they stood outside the door, Vadim turned to Josh and Josh could see the pain in his mate’s dark eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I love you more than my life,” Vadim said, his words breaking and Josh knew that his mate was gutted at the thought of what had to happen next. His vampire had more honor than was good for him.

“I love you too,” Josh said. He forced a smile to his face. “Just gives me another excuse to claim you again, right?”

Vadim’s lips twitched and he nodded. He cautiously put out one hand and gently stroked down Josh’s face and mouthed, “I do love you,” again, before dropping his hand and squaring his shoulders.

“Let’s get this over and done with,” he said to Jax, who waved a hand over the door, releasing the lock.

Looking every inch the Regent he was Vadim swept into the cell, with Josh sandwiched between Jax and Anton following behind. Everett was curled up on his mattress, his face and eyes were red and it was clear that the man had been crying. There was no sign of Henry, but Josh wasn’t sure if that was the reason for the young human’s distress.

“What do you guys want?” Everett grumbled, sitting up and pulling his blanket tight around him. “I’ve told you all you need to know. I’ve lost the love of my life, and now the man who claims to be my mate doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Can you blame your mate, when he knows you’re in love with someone else?” Yeah, Josh should keep quiet but he couldn’t help himself. He just couldn’t see any redeeming features in the human at all. It had nothing to do with his species – Josh had never had a problem with humans before. It was Everett himself. A pretty man, but one who was so consumed with his own wants and needs, he never gave a thought to anyone else.

“I spent ten years loving my vampire, and only him,” Everett said, sitting up that little bit straighter, and challenging Josh with his eyes. “I’m not some fickle idiot. I can’t change my heart just because some furry creature decides he wants to keep me.”

“Well you’ve got your wish,” Vadim said coldly. “You can have your kiss.”

Everett scrabbled to the edge of the mattress eagerly. “You don’t want to be mated to the wolf anymore? You want me?” Josh could tell the human was quivering with excitement, although he couldn’t understand how anyone could be turned on by Vadim’s cold manner. Okay, well he was, but then he only had to be in the room with Vadim and he was all hot and bothered. Everett seemed ready to strip off and present his ass. Maybe this version of his vampire was the one Everett was used to.

“You’ve broken my connection to my mate,” Vadim said, his voice still ice. “You’ve said that with a kiss I will be back to normal.”

“Oh, you will be. The
magus
promised. Everything will be as it was,” Everett said, standing up and letting his blanket drop, his hands outstretched as though he couldn’t wait to get closer to Vadim. “You’ll remember everything we had, all the love we shared, and we can be together again, bonded mates this time.”

“Let’s see what happens with the kiss first, shall we?” Vadim said, not giving anything away. Everett looked over to where Josh was standing, Anton and Jax framing him.

“Do they have to be here for this?” He whispered to Vadim, as though the wolves couldn’t hear him.

“It’s a wolf thing,” Jax said, lying through his fangs. “The Alpha has ordered that Josh bear witness to the breaking of the spell. We’re here to make sure Josh doesn’t try and stop it.”

Everett shrugged and sauntered over to Vadim, resting his hands on Vadim’s chest. “I don’t care,” he said, not bothering to lower his voice this time. “Let the silly wolf see how much you care for me. You can fuck me in front of them if that’s what you want. I’d do anything for you, Vadim. Surely you can see that now.”

“We’ve never kissed. A true love kiss is important, let’s two people know if they have the chemistry for a long-term relationship. Let’s do that first,” Vadim said, evasive as ever. Josh could admire the diplomat in his mate even if his jaw hurt with the effort of controlling his wolf.

“Oh, we’ve got the chemistry all right,” Everett said, rubbing his body against Vadim’s like a cat. “Pick me up in your arms, hold me close, let me show you what you’ve been missing.”

Josh was glad Vadim didn’t even look at him, because he could swear his wolf was trying to force a change through his eyes. As Vadim bent down, so that Everett could reach his lips, Josh bit his own lip hard to stop from growling, as his wolf snarled and raged in his head. Seconds later, when Vadim and Everett’s lips finally touched, Josh couldn’t handle the visual and made to leap forward instinctively, only to be stopped by two equally hard hands gripping each one of his biceps. Both Anton and Jax had their claws extended, and the bite of pain was enough for Josh to control his shift, but only just.

Everett didn’t help in any way. No. The little human was panting, moaning and slurping all over Vadim’s lips as though the man was a giant popsicle. His hands were frantically roaming all over Vadim’s body as Everett tried to pull the vampire closer. But Vadim wasn’t cooperating at all. He was bent, almost like a caricature, his arms firmly plastered by his side. Josh could make out the faint tremors in his mate’s body, and knew it would be taking a huge force of will for Vadim not to be physically sick.

I will kill him. I will kill him. I will fucking tear his throat out and leave his body for the crows. He is so dead…

It took Josh a moment, but he finally caught on. Their mind link was back!

Enough. You’ve done it.
He sent back, praying that the link was two-way. He could tell the moment Vadim got the message because the vampire straightened so fast, Everett was knocked off his feet.

“It worked?” Vadim said, turning his head to look at Josh at last, a genuine smile creasing his face. Josh nodded and then winked first at Jax then Anton. “You can let go now.”

The instant the two enforcers let go of Josh’s arms, he leapt forward, crushing Vadim in his arms and pushing him up against the wall. He plunged his lips over his mate’s tasting Everett instantly. The growl he gave was low and mean, his wolf was not impressed and the vampire seemed to understand as Vadim went limp in his arms. Pleased with Vadim’s submission, Josh lathed and licked, bit, and nibbled and pushed his tongue around every recess of Vadim’s mouth, and Vadim just held on tight and took every second of Josh’s oral claiming.

It was Everett’s scream that finally roused Josh from kissing the hell out of his mate. Not a puff of smoke could get between their chests and Josh’s leg was wedged firm between Vadim’s, their erections caught between them.

“You’re still bonded! How is that even possible? That fucking
magus
lied to me!”

Taking one more leisurely swipe of Vadim’s puffed up lips with his tongue, Josh looked at his mate. There was the slightest hint of pink across the man’s high cheek bones, but his lips were blood red and swollen, his eyes swirling black with lust. Satisfied, for the moment at least, with his mate’s debauched expression, Josh half turned, holding Vadim firmly against him. Everett’s pretty face was twisted in horror, his eyes full of tears.

“Vadim and I are
true
mates, twice claimed and blessed by the Fates. There isn’t a power on earth that can break us apart, not magic, no spell, not even death will break our bond.”

“But why…how…why did you ask for me to kiss you?”

Josh waved his hands, totally over the whole Everett situation. “I’ll let these gentlemen explain the facts of life to you. I’ve got more important things to do.”

If the look he gave Vadim was feral his vampire didn’t seem to mind. He seemed to feel the same way.

/~/~/~/~/

Josh might not have vampire speed, but he could multitask. By the time he had Vadim slammed up against the inside door of their bedroom, both men were half-naked and panting wildly. As much as Josh wanted to feast on his vampire’s lips forever and a day, he needed the man fully naked more than anything else. With his wolf riding him hard to claim their mate, to make the vampire theirs all over again, Josh let his mouth slip quickly and deliberately away from Vadim’s lips, running his lips down the perpetually smooth chin, down and over his adam’s apple and then further. His mouth had a hot date with the bulge in Vadim’s jeans and as Josh moved further down the vampire’s body, he sank to his knees and with deft claws, ripped new seams in Vadim’s pants.

Shredding aside the remnants of fabric, Josh leaned forward letting Vadim’s cock smack him gently on the nose. He breathed in deeply inhaling musk, sweat, a hint of blood from Vadim’s earlier fight with Henry, but underneath it all, Vadim’s own unique scent signature. Yes, his man may be in desperate need of a shower, but Josh’s needs were greater. He could tend to his mate when his wolf was satisfied the vampire was still his.

For a long moment he contented himself with the smell, rubbing his face along Vadim’s cock, marking the man’s most intimate spot with his own scent. The impression of Everett barely registered here, but that wasn’t important to Josh. He had always loved the scent of aroused male – aroused
mate
was a gazillion times better.

“Josh please, mate,” Vadim gasped, as Josh felt two strong hands lightly grip his head. “You’re torturing me and I can’t...I just can’t…I need to feel you.”

Knowing there was no point in trying to reply, not with a mouth full of wolf teeth, Josh stretched his mouth wide and engulfed the head of Vadim’s cock, moaning as a dribble of precome coated his tongue. Covering his teeth as best he could, Josh carefully slid down the thick shaft until he felt the head of Vadim’s cock hit the back of his throat. Swallowing, he went further until his nose was nestled at the base. Counting to five slowly in his head, Josh held his breath and then pulled back up hollowing his cheeks and sucking hard. It wasn’t something Josh was used to doing with shifted teeth, but Josh was determined. Even so, he couldn’t help his teeth grazing the length as he sucked and he was heartened to hear Vadim’s groans get higher, as his vampire tried to thrust back into his mouth.

Setting up a slow but steady rhythm, Josh fumbled around in his jeans pocket. Since Vadim had decided to stay, Josh found single use lube packets a really handy accessory. Keeping his head moving, he tugged at the packet, releasing its contents, coating the fingers of one hand. Using the other to encourage his mate to widen his stance, Josh’s fingers found their goal, and he worked quickly to prepare his mate. No matter how great his need, the overwhelming edict to bring no harm to his mate prevailed. Three fingers in, Josh found Vadim’s prostate – a gentle scrape and Vadim yelled, shoving his cock deep down Josh’s throat. The man was close, and Josh was no better. Taking one last slurp, Josh stood up, grabbed a meaty thigh in each hand, and lifted Vadim, pushing him up the door, holding the vampire upright.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” Vadim was delirious, his head rolling from side to side on the door, his cock pushing against Josh’s abdomen, looking for any way to get the friction it wanted. Nudging forward, Josh remembered just in time he still had his jeans on.

“Get my cock out,” he gasped.  Fumbling between them, Vadim’s fingers found the zip and ripped it and Josh gasped again – no words this time, just the sheer relief of feeling air on his cock instead of snippets of metal. Locking his knees and bracing himself, Josh lowered Vadim down the short distance necessary for his cock to find its destination. Vadim’s hole resisted for a split second, before gravity and a hard thrust prevailed and in less than a heartbeat, Josh felt the welcoming warmth of his mate encase him.

“Fuck yes,” Josh groaned against Vadim’s neck, content for the moment to just savor the heat gripping his cock, the hardness of his mate’s body and the smell of Vadim’s arousal. Unfortunately his wolf wasn’t as patient and apparently neither was his mate.