They tore his body up and nearly drained him, Gunny had explained to him. Nero didn’t want any of those germy blood suckers near him.
Caden had suffered as well. When he took off to the city to find his mate, Mark, three vampires attacked him. Caden had thought Mark left him and was trying to find him to beg his return, but it was all for naught. Mark had only gone to the city to sell his business so he could move here to be with his wolf boyfriend. Gunny had told him a lot about the boyfriends and the wolves that lived here. It made Nero feel like less of a freak.
Nero paced, hating to stand in one spot. It made him jittery to do so. Maybe one of the taller boyfriends could walk him down to his office so he could get his laptop. That would give him something to do.
“Hey, Chewie, can you take me to my office to get my laptop?”
“Explain to me how you got Chewie from Lewis?”
62
Lynn Hagen
Nero shrugged. “It’s…complicated.” He began to pace again. He couldn’t help that he forgot names easily. Nero was just grateful the mate didn’t sound angry by it.
“I get it.” Drew laughed. “Lewis, Louie, Chewie.” Lewis, that’s his name. Nero made a mental note to try harder to remember it.
Lewis rolled his eyes. “Let’s make this quick.”
“No.” Mark held up his hand. “No one leaves this room.” Nero began to pace again. He was becoming agitated staying in one room for so long.
It wasn’t like he was going all the way upstairs or even to the other side of the estate, just down the hall. What could happen? Lewis looked like he could kick some serious butt. What was the problem?
Nero began to rub his hands up and down his arms. “No good, not good at all.” He muttered as the circle he paced in became tighter.
Soon he was just going in circles.
“Dude, I think he’s having a nervous breakdown,” Kyoshi commented.
They were all watching him. Nero could feel their eyes on him.
His spine tingled, telling him so. “Insert slot A into tab B. I have a new game for you to play. Will I get a raise? My nutter.” Nero was babbling everything Gunny had ever said to him, making him feel closer to his wolf. “It’s okay, let go, Gunny has you.”
“Is he going to explode?” Johnny asked as Nero began to chant faster, walk quicker, and rub harder. “My employee. You’re the boss.
I want to love you forever.” Nero closed his eyes on the last words.
He wanted to love Gunny forever, too. Where was his wolf?
* * * *
“Okay, okay. Make it quick.” Mark watched as Lewis led Nero out of the library. The man sure knew how to wind himself up. Mark thought he really would explode too. Nero’s motions became faster,
Nutter Nero
63
more unstable. His mate, Caden, might act like an excited puppy but nothing close to what Nero went through. He was thankful he wasn’t Gunnar. How did the warrior deal with it?
All heads turned when Lewis and Nero walked back in. Nero seemed to have calmed down, and he looked more relaxed. He went over to the desk, sat down, opened his laptop, and became oblivious to the world. One problem solved.
“How long do you think they’ll be?” Kyoshi asked as he held his cousin Keata close.
“Don’t know. Depends on how many there were.” Mark scanned the backyard. This was a far cry from working in his tattoo parlor months ago. There were vampires in the city, but he was ignorant of the fact. Things seemed simpler back then—lonely but simpler. He looked over his shoulder at Caden. He wouldn’t trade it for the world.
For once, he was glad his son was at home with his mother. He wouldn’t want Curtis involved in this. It was bad enough Caden was.
“I think they’re back.” Mark squinted into the night, barely able to see into the backyard. There was movement—that much he could decipher. “No one leave until Maverick tells us what’s going on.” Mark and Caden had all of five seconds to run before the windows exploded. Glass shattered everywhere. The sound was deafening.
The mates screamed, and George grabbed Melonee as they took off from the library, heading to Maverick’s office and the secret passageway.
The Alpha had warned them to only use it if necessary because of his mate’s fear of it. Cecil had been kidnapped and lost in a catacomb of tunnels in pure darkness. He feared the dark now, which was understandable, but he also feared the passageway.
Mark swung Cecil up into his arms, holding him close to his chest as they descended down to the chamber. Lewis was the last person in, securing the lock the Sentries had installed for just a scenario as this one. Maverick would know where they were. He would know how to bypass the lock when it was safe to come out.
64
Lynn Hagen
Everyone thanked heaven Oliver was snooping around when he first arrived here. He was the one to discover this hidey-hole. Not even Maverick had known it existed.
They had to walk single file since the passageway was narrow.
Lewis chuckled at Keata, who skipped along as if all was right with the world and it was no more than an exploratory trip. The little man was resilient.
They all took a seat on the dirt floor, waiting until they received the all clear.
“Think whoever did that will find us?” Tangee broke the silence, his little sister fast asleep in his lap.
“Don’t think so. I didn’t see anyone following us.” Lewis tried to reassure him. He drew little pictures in the dirt floor, passing the time away. Drew crawled over to him, drawing a tic-tac-toe game. They sat there and played what felt like a thousand games.
“I gotta tinkle,” Johnny looked around.
“Me, too,” Keata added.
“You’ll have to go in a corner,” Mark offered, pointing over to the dirt wall.
“Ew,” Johnny and Keata said in unison.
“Only option, men.” Mark shrugged as he turned Melonee around and away so she couldn’t see.
Johnny sighed heavily as he and Keata walked away from them, using the wall closest to the exit. They began to laugh as they crossed streams and then tried to draw yellow artwork on the dirt wall.
“Gross.” Nero rolled his eyes, looking at the two whizzing in the corner.
“I ran out,” Johnny complained.
“Me, too.” Keata zipped up, looking around.
“What’s wrong, Johnny?” Mark asked as he let Melonee go.
“No sink.”
“Sorry, you’ll have to suffer it out.”
Nutter Nero
65
The two joined the others, teasing the other mates with their unwashed hands. Johnny chased Cecil around, taking the guy’s mind off of being down there. Cecil screamed, threatening to hide the controllers if Johnny didn’t cut it out.
“Men are such pigs,” Nero muttered. Mark chuckled at the mate.
“Hush.” Caden held up a hand, and everyone stilled. “The door is opening.”
The shorter mates huddled behind the larger ones, praying it was their warriors coming down.
* * * *
“Everyone all right?” Gunnar asked as he searched for Nero amongst all the men and little Melonee. He grabbed his mate, holding him tight to his chest as he breathed a sigh of relief. “You had me scared, nutter,” he murmured into Nero’s hair.
“Why? You knew we would be down here,” Nero said as he wrapped his arms around Gunnar’s neck.
“Everyone can come up now. Coast is clear,” Gunnar called out and then waited until the last person walked to the exit before following, his arm under Nero’s bottom, his mate’s legs wrapped around his waist. It felt good to hold his nutter again.
When the warriors had arrived back at the house and entered the library to find the wreckage, they quickly ran to Maverick’s office, and when they saw the lock engaged, they knew the mates were fine.
They all settled in Maverick’s office. There was a new guy there, leaning against the far wall with a scowl on his face. Gunnar noticed Maverick didn’t look happy either.
“Everyone, this is Montana. He is Caden’s replacement and the wolf that blew out my damn library windows.” Maverick growled.
The man smirked, staring down at Maverick. “Caden will be back to Sentry status as soon as he feels he is able. It is his call.” Maverick
66
Lynn Hagen
smiled at Caden, who was sitting close to Mark. Caden nodded at the Alpha, thanks written all over his face.
“How’d you get him?” Storm asked as he cuddled Kyoshi in his arms, nodding at Montana.
“Well, it wasn’t as if I could call all the Timber wolf packs and ask if they had a gay warrior they could send me.”
“So?” Gunnar rubbed Nero’s back, smiling at the evil grin on Maverick’s face. “What’d you do?”
Maverick chuckled. “I called all the Timber wolf packs and asked if they had a gay warrior they could send me.” Everyone laughed. Gunnar knew Maverick didn’t play with a full deck of cards. If he called all the packs, then he probably upset quite a few Alphas along the way. He knew Maverick didn’t care, and that’s what made it so funny.
“No way.” Cecil giggled as he drew in closer to his mate.
“Got me one, didn’t it? Although his entrance could have been a little less dramatic.” Maverick twisted his lips as he looked up at their new addition.
Montana shrugged his shoulders. “Killed those two blood suckers, didn’t I?”
“Canines work just as well as rocket launchers,” Maverick stated.
“But not as much fun.” Montana chuckled.
“Guess not.” Maverick mumbled, pulling at his soul patch. He turned his attention back to the room. “Seems we have something that is drawing the rogue vampires here. Prince Christian doesn’t know what it is, but we need to figure it out before we have another battle on our hands.”
The warriors took their mates to bed. The night had been exciting enough. They’d figure out the problem tomorrow.
Nutter Nero
67
Chapter Six
Nero looked around the forest, clutched the basket closer to his chest, and then began skipping. He came up short when a wolf came from behind a tree.
“What do you have under your cape, red?” The warrior crept forward, his canines exposed. He was sniffing the air and staring at Nero with desire.
“It’s supposed to be ‘basket.’” Nero whispered the correction to Gunny.
Gunny shook his head as he gave a low chuckle. “But I want to eat what’s under the cape, not what’s in your basket.”
“I’m on my way to Grandma’s house.” Nero batted his eyes as he pulled the red cape around his body.
“Don’t care. I’m a wolf, I eat meat, and I smell a sausage.” Gunny took a step toward Nero. His upper lip pulled back, exposing his canines further, and his fingernails grew some. Nero stared in fascination for a moment before clearing his throat.
“I don’t have sausages, just goodies.”
“Sounds the same to me, red.”
Nero reached in his basket and tossed a biscuit at Gunny. “Just goodies.”
“Come here and let me see your sausage.” Gunny leapt.
Nero turned and ran, the cape flying out behind him, choking at his neck. His arms flew out when his foot caught on a root jutting out from the ground. Strong arms circled around him and pulled him close to a warm chest.
68
Lynn Hagen
“Gunny’s got you,” his wolf whispered in his ear. The big, bad wolf sat Nero on his feet as he took off again, minus the dropped basket this time. His feet skidded to a stop when the wolf appeared in front of him again from around a tree, not even panting like Nero was.
“My, what big teeth you have.”
“The better to nibble your cock with.” Gunny chuckled.
Nero’s jaw dropped at Gunny’s response. He was turned on big time. That’s not how the story went, but Nero could ad-lib just as well.
“And what a big tongue you have,” Nero said as he backed away.
“The better to lick your seed with.” Nero fought back the giggles. “My, what a big cock you have.” Gunny burst out laughing and had to clear his throat to answer Nero. “The better to fuck you with, red.” Nero tried to turn and run, but Gunny grabbed him and lifted him from his feet. “Let’s see what red has under his cape.” Nero squirmed around, Gunny running his hands all over Nero’s body, making his cock hard. “Hmm, I knew you were holding out, red. Look at that beautiful sausage.” Nero’s head rolled back as Gunny lifted him higher and lapped at his erection. He felt devilish earlier when he was getting ready and left his clothes in their bedroom. Wrapping the cape tightly around his body, Nero managed to get out of the house unseen.
Gunny sat on a downed tree and draped Nero over his lap, belly down. He could feel a wet finger pushing inside of him. Nero moaned at the sensation in his bottom. He pushed his erection into Gunny’s jeans, trying his best to use the friction to his advantage.
“Fuck my leg, baby.” Gunny groaned as he wiggled his fingers inside Nero’s hole. He could feel Gunny’s other hand smoothing over his back. Although he was ashamed of his scars, Gunny never made him feel that way. His wolf always kissed them.
“Come for me, nutter.”
Nutter Nero
69
Nero ground his cock into Gunny’s leg harder, the finger inside of him rushing in and out of his hole. “Gunny, Gunny, Gunny.” Nero began his ritual chant. It started off slowly then built up higher until he was crying out his wolf’s name.
“That’s it, nutter. Come for me.”
Nero shuddered as his body was racked with pleasure. He pushed his shaft into Gunny’s leg harder as Gunny pushed his finger into Nero at the same strength. His damn brain was melting.
He was too boneless to move as Gunny turned him over and held him close. “I love you, nutter.”
A tear slid down Nero’s face. Not even his own parents had ever said that to him. He grabbed Gunny around his neck, burying his face in the corded strength of his mate’s neck. If he ever lost Gunny, Nero wouldn’t be far behind.
* * * *
Nero rubbed his eyes, looking around the room. It was still dark outside, so why was he awake? Gunny had made love to him again and then tucked Nero in to go on patrol. His wolf wouldn’t be back until morning.
Nero waited for his eyes to adjust as he sat up in bed. Maybe his wolf got back early? Nero tossed the blanket aside and slid from bed.