The Half-Breed Who Found His Other Half (8 page)

“Let’s go inside, please, Isaac. I just have a bad feeling, okay?”

“Sure, baby.” Isaac started to pull him back, seeming alarmed.

“Come on. We’ll go to your room.”

Isaac obviously trusted Chantay’s assessment of the situation, something which relieved Chantay greatly. As they fled the unknown threat outside, Chantay tried to send his energies to scan the manse grounds. His eyes widened as a wave of power assaulted him, fighting back against his untrained abilities.

With a small cry, Chantay fell against Isaac, his mind attacked by never-ending waves of dark emotion. Isaac caught him and held him tight, and in the ocean of pain, only Isaac’s existence anchored Chantay. The half wolf’s voice reached Chantay through a veil of agony, but it reached him nonetheless. And in that moment, Chantay knew Isaac was right. He and Isaac were mates. If Chantay managed to live through this, he would not waste a moment before telling Isaac and bonding with him the way they both wanted.

* * * *

A woman and a boy walked by the Cunningham mansion, hand in hand. The child held an ice-cream cone, seemingly enjoying it very much. But as they got out of earshot of the guards stationed at the gate, the boy abandoned his treat and chuckled.

“I truly do love these people,” he said in a voice that sounded far too mature for someone his age. “They’re so predictable.”

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His supposed mother smiled adoringly at him. “They’re no match for you, my love.”

“I must say, shifters and incubi are such idiots,” the child answered seriously. “To this day, I can’t believe they let me go, just like that.”

“They had no idea who you were,” the woman pointed out. “They must have thought you were just a particularly precocious boy.”

The child laughed. “But you know different, don’t you, darling?”

“Indeed.” The woman smirked. “Worry not, my love. These creatures are beings of instinct. The only thing we need to do to turn them against each other is to hurt their supposed soul mates.”

The child snickered. It was quite true. Shifters and incubi alike had no notion of priorities. When facing a choice between saving their mates or helping their people, they chose their mates. They did not realize that in the long run, such a mentality only corroded the very basis of their society. But he understood, and he knew he could easily use it. Family turned against family and friend against friend, all because of these mates, who often brought little else than sexual satisfaction to that particular person’s life.

Witches and warlocks were not like that. They’d survived up to modern times because they’d clustered in covens. He himself had been able to transcend death because of the loyalty and sacrifice of his people. If not for one of the families in the coven agreeing to hosting his soul in their child’s body, he’d have died long ago.

It was unfortunate that the boy in question had therefore ceased to exist, but it was just the type of sacrifice that needed to be done for all of them to survive. Powerful warlocks like him were hard to come by, and he’d spent his life protecting the coven. It made sense that the rest of the members would be loyal to him.

Alas, shifters and incubi didn’t think that way. Hell, they’d been willing to risk open war over an unborn child. It just showed that they didn’t deserve to survive in a world where emotion was a liability.

And for that reason alone, he could begin their systematic destruction.

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“It’s true,” he told the woman who had been his wife. “They think they’re powerful now, but their strength is like a castle of cards. And we know exactly where to strike, don’t we, my dear?”

They laughed as they recalled the elder werewolf and his son. “I almost feel bad for them,” the witch said. “Almost.”

“I don’t,” he answered. “They deserve their fate.”

Anyone who didn’t understand the course of existence deserved it.

It was the law of nature, and he would teach it to the shifters who should have known it from the very beginning.

* * * *

Isaac carried his mate back into the house, panic coursing through him. He had no idea what had happened. One moment, he was chatting peacefully with Chantay, the next, the half fae had sensed something wrong and demanded to be taken back inside. Isaac had also felt a strange tension in the air, but the last thing he’d expected was for his beautiful baby to collapse in his arms, convulsing.

Desperate, Isaac scanned his memory for the last place he’d seen Sterling or Winter. The two Sidhe were healers. They’d know what to do.

As luck would have it, just as he meant to rush straight into the ballroom and demand for the Sidhe king to help Chantay, he ran into Winter. The prince took one look at Chantay and ran toward them.

“What happened?” he asked, looking alarmed.

“I don’t know,” Isaac replied, wishing like hell he’d at least been able to give Winter some information. “We were in the gardens, and suddenly, he felt something wasn’t right. I sensed it, too, like a presence. I couldn’t quite realize where it was coming from, though.

We went back into the house, and then, all of a sudden, he collapsed.”

Winter pressed his hand to Chantay’s forehead and murmured a brief incantation. Isaac waited to see what the Sidhe would do and was greatly relieved when bright light emanated from Winter’s
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fingers. Chantay’s convulsions ceased, but he still didn’t recover consciousness.

Isaac was dismayed when Winter pulled back. “Come on,” the Sidhe said. “We need to find Alexis. “He knows more about incubus nature than I do. Don’t worry, Isaac. We can make him well again.”

Clearly, Isaac’s bond to Chantay was more than a little obvious.

Isaac couldn’t bring himself to mind. He just wanted his beautiful lover whole and hale again.

As per Winter’s suggestion, they rushed to find Alexis Cunningham. Unlike some of the other members of the Cunningham family, the incubus had remained in the nursery, watching over his son. However, he must have sensed the problem somehow, as he met up with them just as they reached the family wing.

“Let’s take him to his room,” Alexis said without preamble.

“Isaac, no matter what happens, don’t let go of him. He needs to feel you to pull through this.”

Isaac followed their instructions to the letter. He carried his mate to the guest bedroom Chantay occupied. Corbin closed the door behind them while Alexis and Winter followed Isaac to the bed.

Gently, Isaac placed Chantay on the mattress, careful to never once release his hold on the half fae.

“Hold his hand and focus on your connection,” Alexis instructed.

“Emotion feeds incubi, and can heal them, too. I don’t think Chantay is an exception.”

“I haven’t claimed him yet,” Isaac replied, tasting despair in his mouth. “We don’t have the mind link.”

Alexis took a deep breath. “Well, Isaac, my advice would be to claim him now. The rush of feelings would be exactly what he needs to heal himself from the attack he suffered, an attack of hatred. But remember that if he is your mate, you already have a bond in place.

You can attempt to reach out to him like that. I don’t guarantee the result, though.”

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Hoping that there was another way out, Isaac gave Winter a look.

The Sidhe prince seemed visibly upset and uncomfortable. “I would try to heal him, but there are certain circumstances that keep me from giving it my all.”

Isaac wanted to rant and rave, but in his heart, he knew Winter must have a good reason for his choice. He also realized that, if Alexis was right, the best solution would indeed be the claiming bite.

But he honestly didn’t want to push Chantay into something the half fae wasn’t ready for. He’d told Chantay the truth with regard to his plan. He had, indeed, intended to woo Chantay, to show his beauty just how good a relationship between them could be before they actually jumped into it.

It would seem, however, that once again, life didn’t give him any choice. He only hoped his mate would understand. Isaac couldn’t in good conscience allow Chantay to suffer when the power to heal the half fae was within his grasp.

“All right,” he told Alexis. “What do I do?”

“Just go with what your beast tells you,” Alexis said. “Claim him like you would have if you’d had a choice.” He offered Isaac a weak smile. “Except, you know, without the sex.”

Alexis’s pathetic attempt for humor fell flat. Isaac didn’t feel like laughing at all, not in the circumstances. Still, he appreciated the man’s guidance. He sought his beast like Alexis had told him to. He might have been concerned because of his dual nature, but both his sides yearned for Chantay and wanted his safety.

His canines dropped, and Isaac gripped Chantay’s wrist. Slowly, gently, Isaac bit down in the delicate flesh. His mind and soul reached out to Chantay’s, hoping that his growing affection for the half fae would be enough to snap the other man from his trance.

To his shock, an intense heat reached back, the warm glow of Chantay’s magic and spiritual energy enveloping Isaac in a cocoon of life and light. Isaac actually felt their connection click into place and
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sensed the moment the emotions he fed into that bond began to heal Chantay.

It was just like Alexis had said. Their souls seemed to meld into one, and Isaac followed his instinct, accepting Chantay’s energy within him.

He knew that his parents could talk to each other through a mind link, and his brothers shared the same connection with their mates. As such, he reached out to Chantay, testing their fragile bond.
“Baby, can
you hear me?”

Slowly, Chantay opened his eyes.
“Isaac?”
he asked, sounding confused.
“What are you doing in my head? What happened?”

“You were hurt,” Isaac explained out loud, not wanting to be more invasive than he’d already been. “I claimed you to heal you.”

“You did what?” Chantay struggled to get up and groaned. “You claimed me as your mate?”

“I’m sorry,” Isaac said, crushed at Chantay’s obvious rejection. “I didn’t mean to push you into this. I would have given you a choice had there been any mmpph—”

He didn’t get to finish the phrase, as Chantay’s lips crushed against his. The half fae wrapped his arms around Isaac’s neck, trying to pull him closer. Still under the influence of the unfulfilled rush of their mating, Isaac couldn’t control himself. He climbed on the bed, covering Chantay’s body with his own.

Chantay spread his legs, creating a cradle Isaac crawled into. The half fae rubbed against Isaac’s larger form, and as their bodies came into contact, Isaac could clearly tell that whatever Chantay’s mind thought about this mating, his libido definitely agreed to it.

While some part of Isaac knew he might be taking advantage of Chantay, his insecurities dissipated in the face of their new bond. It overflowed with desire, need, and, Isaac dared to think, an incipient feeling of love. How could he resist?

Distantly, he was aware of the door opening and closing as their companions left the room. Pleased about their newly acquired
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privacy, Isaac took advantage of the opportunity and started to work on Chantay’s clothes.

For years, he’d been raised into doubt and uncertainty. He’d never seen himself as enough, no matter what he did. Even with Chantay, he’d feared the other man would reject him. But not anymore. Once Isaac opened himself fully to their connection, he could sense Chantay’s emotions, and there were no longer any hesitations.

Still, Chantay had just been very sick, and Isaac had to know his mate was well enough to play before going any further. He couldn’t bring himself to break the kiss, so he sent a message through their bond,
“I want to fuck you, baby. I need to touch you. Tell me you want
the same thing I do.”

It was a plea and a question, not an order, and Chantay didn’t delay in replying.
“Yes! Yes, please. Take me. Make me feel alive.

Make me feel
you
.”

With a low growl, Isaac tore his mouth away from Chantay’s.

Kissing the half fae was amazing, but Isaac wanted more. He wanted to taste Chantay all over, to have his beautiful mate writhing under him in passion.

Buttons flew all over the place as Isaac roughly pulled Chantay’s shirt off. Even aware that he should be gentle, Isaac couldn’t help himself. It seemed as if Chantay’s desires were pooling into him, feeding his own, and Isaac wanted nothing more than to be inside his sweet mate.

Chantay’s shoes and pants were next, then his simple underwear.

Torn material was discarded on the floor, leaving Chantay nude and trembling under him. There was something incredibly powerful about being dressed while Chantay was naked. For one, it allowed Isaac to explore all that lovely, creamy skin and to pleasure his mate while he himself held back. The buildup was ecstasy in itself, and Isaac took advantage of the occasion to do what he hadn’t been able to when they’d first been together.

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He mapped his mate’s body with his hands, leaving no inch of Chantay untouched, unexplored. He peppered Chantay’s face with kisses and buried his fingers in the long strands of Chantay’s hair. He licked down Chantay’s neck, lingering in the hollow of the half fae’s throat to suck on the delicate skin. There was so much he wanted to do, but most of all, he wanted to assure himself that this was true and not a dream, that his mate had gotten over the attack and accepted their bond openly.

The emotions that emanated from Chantay did a lot to convince Isaac of the genuine nature of the moment. He didn’t think he could have imagined something so intense, so beautiful. Chantay’s sweet cries were like a drug Isaac couldn’t get enough of. As Isaac lowered his mouth over Chantay’s nipples, the half fae screamed, “Please.

Please, Isaac. Fuck me.”