Copyright
Published by Dreamspinner Press 382 NE 191st Street #88329 Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author‟s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Together Bound Copyright © 2011 by Elizabeth Noble Cover Art by Paul Richmond http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 382 NE 191st Street #88329, Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ ISBN: 978-1-61372-158-2 Printed in the United States of America First Edition October 2011 eBook edition available
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-159-9
Dedication
Dedicated to my family and friends.
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Prologue
THREE hundred years ago, a cataclysmic natural disaster brought the world to its knees. Contact with the world outside ceased, and for three centuries the people of North America struggled to create a new society on top of the ashes of the old one. The continent divided into protectorates that operated under a different kind of law for a different kind of world. This is the world Todd Ruger was born into. By this time computers and cell phones were only read about in history books, oil was not used as a main power source, and travel had almost disappeared. People stayed on the continent of their birth. Slavery became an accepted and ritualistic form of existence binding slave and owner. As a child, Todd‟s life changed when he was bound to an extraordinary boy named Nick and they became master and slave. Nick grew up, trained, and educated in what was the ways of the sentry. Todd returned on Nick‟s twenty-second birthday and took Nick for his own. It became Todd‟s responsibility to care for Nick, to teach him what he‟d need to know to survive and fight as a sentry in the real world. Nick‟s ability to see signs of evil in not only people but the paranormal became a valuable tool. Now there was talk of war between New Colorado and neighboring West Caldera. Unrest, political posturing, and intrigue were everywhere, in every paper, heard in every tavern and café. Todd was of the firm opinion that sentries in general—and he and Nick in particular—didn‟t mix well with politics. Unfortunately,
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Nick, his abilities, and being a slave as well as a sentry, made it impossible to steer clear of the things they wanted to avoid. Eighteen months after Todd and Nick bonded as master and slave, as mates, the world of politics landed on them with a solid punch, and it would take everything they had to survive.
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Chapter One
TODD‟S hand shot out, and he gripped the doorjamb so hard his knuckles went immediately white and his hand and arm cramped. This wasn‟t happening. It wasn’t goddamn happening. No one could do this. It couldn‟t possibly be legal. He couldn‟t let Nick see this, he couldn’t. Yet he had no way of not showing him. Nick would have to know. Nick was going to freak. He‟d heard the rumors and stories of special slaves for years, and had no idea how Nick or his ability were involved, if at all. Todd wasn‟t even sure he completely believed all the rumors, they were sketchy at best. Even those rumors didn‟t do anything to explain this. Mind racing, he went through scenario after scenario, not wanting to face any of them and completely panicked by the realization he‟d have to face them all. Pounding on the door made him start and gulp air into his constricting lungs. Three days, the letter said three days; why was someone here now? It took a few seconds for him to process that someone on the other side of the door was calling his name and it was a voice he recognized. Staggering from the kitchen to the front door, Todd yanked it open without checking to see who it was, something he‟d never done before. Apparently Nick wasn‟t the only one who was going to freak. Todd was well into his own freak-out. His vision swam, and he stood staring at the man in front of him for a few more seconds before choking out, “Jimmy?”
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The older man brushed past him and shut the door firmly behind him. Hands gripping Todd‟s shoulders hard, Jimmy gave him a slight shake as his eyes scanned the apartment. “Where‟s Nick?” “They can‟t do this.” Todd pulled away a step. “No one can do this. They can‟t just take him. Can they?” “Hell, kid, I wouldn‟t have thought so. I don‟t know. Todd, where is he?” “Eminent domain is for property, to build roads and hospitals. Not to take people.” “Todd! Where the hell is Nick?” Blinking, Todd lifted his gaze from the paper in his hand to Jimmy‟s face. “He‟s… it‟s Sunday.” Jimmy literally snarled at him. Shaking his head, Todd cleared his throat and concentrated. “It‟s Sunday. When we‟re in town, we get breakfast at a café near here. He went to pick it up. That‟s where I get the coffee you and Nick like so much. Nicky loves the coffee….” Todd‟s voice trailed off. Did Jimmy mean to imply they‟d snatched Nick off the street? Gaze going back to the letter, Todd scanned the words again. Mr. Ruger, In accordance with governmental rights of eminent domain you are hereby ordered to remand custody of one slave, Nick Ruger, to the Vice Chancellor’s office immediately. Failure to respond to this letter by August 30, 2423, will result in imprisonment. You are expected to appear with the above mentioned slave in my office upon receipt of this notification. Vice Chancellor Geoffrey Clarke
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“Why are you here?” Todd stammered, focusing more intently on Jimmy. “Ya damn fool, they sent me one too. I got mine a few days ago. My name is on record on the bill of sale and listed above yours as owner, so I was notified first.” “We have to…. I have to go meet…. Would they grab him off the street?” “If they were going to do that, Todd, I doubt very much you or I would get an official letter.” Todd balled the piece of paper inside his fist and headed to his weapons locker. “I have to go get… make sure…. They can‟t just take him. Why? Why would anyone even want to? Have you seen how much he eats?” Checking the load of his pistol, Todd tucked it back into his shoulder holster and dropped that on the bed. He pulled a knife from the locker and strapped it to his ankle. Everything stopped, and Todd‟s vision narrowed down to a pinpoint when the door swung open and Nick lumbered through, a bag in each hand. He kicked off the sandals he wore in the warmer weather and padded barefoot across the floor. The kid simply wouldn‟t keep shoes—or a shirt—on no matter what Todd did or said. Why the hell couldn‟t Nick wear shoes like everyone else? “Hey, Jimmy, I had no idea you were here. I can go back and get more.” Nick smiled and set the bags on the low table near the couch. Grabbing Nick with one hand and reaching around him with the other, Todd slammed the door shut and locked it, then pulled Nick firmly against him. “Todd, what‟s wrong?” Nick‟s words were cut short when Jimmy reached out to put a hand on Todd‟s shoulder, making his grip on Nick tighten. Growling low in his throat, Todd stepped away from Jimmy, hauling his mate with him. He knew this was going to send Nick all sorts of alarm signals. Todd rarely was physically demonstrative in front of others; yanking him away from Jimmy was only going to fuel that fire.
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When Todd‟s hand fisted in Nick‟s hair, tugging him even closer, Nick squirmed in his grasp. “Todd… ow… you‟re hurting me….” “Did you have any problems getting back?” “No. Why would I? Todd, you‟re scaring me.” “Were you followed?” Jimmy asked quietly. “Followed?” Turning in Todd‟s arms so he could talk to Jimmy but maintain contact with Todd, Nick glanced from one to the other. “What‟s going on? Did I do something wrong?” Pulling air into his too-tight chest, Todd knew he had to calm down or he could never explain this to Nick. There was no way to keep it from him, as much as Todd desperately wanted to. Nick was going to be freaked out enough for the both of them. Todd needed his head screwed on straight, and he needed it that way fast. Moving his hand away from Nick‟s hair and brushing his thumb over Nick‟s cheek, Todd whispered, “No, Nicky, of course not.” He had to get control of this situation right now. “Sit down, Nicky.” “But what‟s—” “Sit.” Todd kept his voice low but firm, leaving no doubt it was a command, not a request. One final glance at Jimmy, and Nick walked quietly to the overstuffed chairs and sat down. He wouldn‟t move until given permission. Todd rarely invoked such control, but when he did Nick obeyed him completely and without question. He locked his gaze on Todd with wide, frightened eyes. Not knowing how to say it, Todd simply held the letter out to Nick for him to read. Tears sprang from Nick‟s eyes. He sucked in a breath and let the paper flutter to the floor. “You promised me.” Nick‟s words came out in a sob. “You promised no one would ever take me away from you. Now you‟re going to just hand me over? Todd? Please? You promised.” He was pale, shaking, chest heaving, with tears running unstopped down his cheeks. Nick actually thought Todd would follow through with this? That just pissed him off. Vice Chancellor or not, this asshole had no
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right to do this to Nick—to them. Nick shouldn‟t have to worry about being forced away from his master and his home. “God, Nick, no! Never, I‟d never do that. How many times do I have to say it? Do you really believe I‟d so much as give something like that a second‟s worth of thought?” It was a knee-jerk reaction on Nick‟s part, that Todd understood, but it still hurt that Nick would think he‟d be so easily and quickly given up. “No. I-I‟m… I don‟t know what I think.” “I showed you so you can help me work this out.” Todd settled on the arm of the chair and laid one arm across Nick‟s shoulders. At once Nick‟s long arm snaked out and circled him, Nick‟s wide hand spread open against Todd‟s side. Nick pulled himself as close as possible with the chair arm between them. “Todd.” Jimmy spoke quietly. “You‟ve been asking the important question: why would the Vice Chancellor, or anyone, for that matter, want to do this? Why would they even think of doing it?” “We can‟t let them,” Todd said. “You promised if anyone tried, we‟d go away. We can pack up and go away.” Nick looked up, fingers digging into Todd‟s waist and his grip tightening. Anger swelled again in Todd‟s chest. This was wrong. “Do you like this apartment, Nick? Our home? Going to the café and the other places I take you?” “You‟re more important to me than those things.” Fresh tears threatened to spill down Nick‟s cheeks. “Aww… Nicky, you‟re way more important than those things, but why should you have to give them up? Why should we? We didn‟t do anything wrong, we didn‟t break any laws. We‟ve done everything we‟re supposed to, and that bastard has no right to take what we have away.” “What are we going to do?” That was a question Todd didn‟t have a ready answer to. “I don‟t know, buddy.”
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“You boys stay here. The main library will be open soon. I‟m going to see what I can dig up on Vice Chancellor Clarke.” “What are we supposed to do, just sit here?” Todd stood but didn‟t move far from Nick. “You‟re a helluva lot safer here.” “You mean me,” Nick said quietly, gaze focused on his knees. Todd sighed. “This isn‟t your fault. “Look.” Jimmy crossed the room. “We don‟t know that someone isn‟t watching you or won‟t try grabbing Nick. You‟ve got a stack of newspapers over there. Go through them and see if you can find any clue as to what this guy wants Nick for.” Nodding, Todd followed Jimmy to the door, closing it softly behind him and checking twice to be sure the locks were in place and secure. “Guess we‟d better get at it.” He pulled the newspapers off the floor and dropped them onto the kitchen table. Dipping his head at the bag Nick had abandoned when he came in, Todd sighed. “We might as well eat while we do this.” Nick stood and grabbed the bag, again recognizing Todd‟s subtle command, for which Todd was grateful. To him it meant Nick‟s trust in him hadn‟t diminished or even been tarnished. He set the bag on the table beside the papers and sat in one chair. Todd pulled the items out, setting Nick‟s in front of him. “C‟mon, Nick, you‟ve got to eat, and there‟s no sense in letting good coffee go to waste.” “I‟m not really hungry.” “Nicky, eat. We‟re going to work this out. Don‟t worry. Please?” Nick nodded, pulled his plate closer, and grabbed up one of the newspapers. Todd crossed to their study, took a couple pads of paper and pens, and returned, setting one down for Nick and one for himself before swinging into his own chair. Hours later Nick had moved to the couch and was half asleep with a newspaper spread over his chest. Todd had decided a break was in order and was fixing them sandwiches when Jimmy
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reappeared. He took Todd‟s offering of a sandwich, biting into it as if he hadn‟t eaten in days. Gaze drifting to Nick, Jimmy smiled fondly. “How you guys doing?” Todd shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay, I guess. Did you find anything?” “Yeah, this Clarke guy is the squeakiest clean politician ever.” “That‟s about what we found out too. There‟s nothing on him in any recent news that might account for that letter.” Nick sat up and blinked at them. He shoved the paper away and ran a hand through his hair a few times. “There are some odd reports about the Chancellor and a few incidents at the Chancellor‟s Estate.” “We‟re going to have to go talk to this man. I‟ll send a message to the office here in town in the morning.” He turned from Nick and faced Jimmy. “You‟re welcome to stay here with us.” “Naw, you two need to be alone, and I‟m not very good at being a guest. There‟s a small hotel a few blocks over. I‟ll stay there.” Patting Todd‟s shoulder, Jimmy crossed the room and grabbed Nick‟s foot, giving it a shake. “Make sure he behaves himself.” He winked at Nick and tipped his head toward Todd. Smiling up at him, Nick nodded. “Yes, sir.” He fell silent until Jimmy had left and they were alone once again. “Todd?” Sliding onto the couch beside him, Todd brushed Nick‟s bangs away and kissed his forehead. “You remember the rules of being a hostage?” “Yes. Blend in, keep up my strength, follow their rules.” “Right. If this is some trap, you keep your head. If we get separated, I will come for you. Got it?” Todd suppressed a shiver, remembering Nick‟s words when he‟d thought Todd had died. I wanted to be with you. “I‟m not dead until you see my body.” “Yes.” Nick nodded soberly. “I don‟t want to go see that man.” Todd sighed. “Me either, but I don‟t see that we have a choice. He wants you for something, and I just keep coming back to one
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thing: you‟re a sentry and owned by a sentry. We’re sentries, and if he‟s in trouble somehow, or even if he just thinks he is, then it‟s our job and our responsibility to help him. But this thing goes south, if it‟s some kind of trap or not a hunt, we‟re gone. I promise you, Nicky.” They spent the rest of the evening preparing to leave in a hurry if need be. Their night was far from restful; a line of thunderstorms rolled through after midnight, making Nick even jitterier. Todd gave up on any sleep and was up before dawn. He wrote a reply to the Vice Chancellor, left Nick a note, and slipped out of their apartment. The early-morning air was cool and still damp from the earlier storms. Later there would be heat and humidity, but now in the grays and golds of morning, the air was fresh and clean. He headed to the messenger depot a few blocks away, pleased to find a few already on duty. His short note requesting an appointment on its way to the Vice Chancellor, Todd hurried back home, not liking the idea of leaving Nick alone for too long. His message would get to the Vice Chancellor‟s office probably before it was even open, so he was expecting an answer later in the morning. When he stepped through his apartment door, Nick was just wandering out of the bathroom. “I sent a message. I imagine we‟ll hear back this morning sometime.” Todd kept his voice soft. Nick nodded and lifted a towel to his head, rubbing it over his hair. He crossed to the closet and pulled out a pair of loose-fitting cotton pants with matching shirt for Nick and dress pants and shirt for himself. “We should probably wear something nicer than jeans. They‟ll search us for weapons—none are allowed in the government offices without permits—so keep your eyes open, stay on your toes.” “All right.” Todd watched as Nick dressed, admiring how Nick‟s shoulders and arms filled out the material that just accentuated enough the V formed by broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist. The outfit was dark green and offset Nick‟s eyes and skin tone beautifully. The pants fit snugly around Nick‟s waist, but the material draped straight down off his hips, which somehow came off as incredibly sexy. Nick knew how much Todd liked seeing him in those clothes, and Todd figured it
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would give Nick an extra boost of confidence. The material was light enough that even in the heat of the day, he‟d be comfortable. It had the added advantage of being loose enough that if any sort of fight broke out, Nick‟s movement wouldn‟t be constricted. They were nearly done with breakfast when there was a knock on the door. Todd saw how the color dropped from Nick‟s face and how he gripped the table edge until his knuckles turned white when Todd opened the door and a messenger handed him an envelope. “I‟m supposed to wait for a reply.” The girl was maybe twenty. She smiled at Todd and leaned in the doorway as if that might impress him. Barely glancing at her, Todd nodded. “Okay, give me a few minutes.” He let the door swing shut and glanced over at Nick. “He wants us to meet him at his office at eleven.” Nick bit his lower lip and nodded tightly. Writing his reply that they‟d both arrive at the Vice Chancellor‟s office at the requested time, Todd gave the note and a tip to the girl waiting in the hall. She took the money, let her eyes trail up and down Todd, pouted, and left. Shutting the door, he couldn‟t help rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “We‟ll stop by the hotel Jimmy‟s staying in, let him know what‟s going on. I‟ll give him an extra key too. Any trouble, you know to go to him.” “Yes.” Todd was going to be a much happier man when they arrived across town and got this whole stupid mess sorted out.
GEOFFREY CLARKE wasn‟t expecting his guests to particularly like him. He stood and stepped around his desk to greet them, motioning to the chairs, making a point to indicate both chairs. “Please, gentlemen, have a seat.”
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When the older of the two simply stopped halfway through the room and politely informed him they were just fine where they were, Clarke knew this was going to be rougher than he‟d thought. Taking the coward‟s way out, he retreated to the far side of his desk. He knew the slave was young, only twenty-three, barely more than a boy, his age being listed in the public sale records. The kid‟s master was another story. It seemed there‟d been two parties involved in the boy‟s purchase. The fact that this man was the obvious owner and not much older than his slave confirmed Clarke‟s suspicions they‟d been bound as children. Ever since he‟d arrived at his office earlier that morning and read the message from Todd Ruger, Clarke had been having second thoughts. Seeing the two of them now fueled his doubts. The younger man dropped to one knee behind and to the left of his master. Clarke saw how the kid curled the fingers of one hand into the hem of Ruger‟s pants. “I‟m Geoffrey Clarke.” He purposely left off his title. “I know who you are, and I don‟t care. You can‟t do this.” Ruger‟s left hand dropped onto his slave‟s head. Clarke doubted the man even realized he‟d done that. “I understand this is—” “Hard for me?” Ruger snapped. “He‟s… my… mate.” “I was going to say—” “He‟s my mate.” Todd repeated the words, voice softening. “Do you have a family, Mr. Clarke?” Nodding, Clarke said, “Yes. I have a wife and two daughters.” “How about you just hand over your wife to me for whatever I want to do with her?” Clarke winced. The guy had a very valid point. “Look, I‟m sorry, but I needed…. I asked around, and your name came up over and over again as the best sentry. I don‟t know much about… shit.” “So, you wanted to hire a sentry and figured the way to win me over was threaten my mate?” Ruger was spitting words at him again.
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The man looked positively frightening. His slave scooted farther to the right so he was more behind his master than not. “It‟s a complicated matter. I needed someone who could get the job done but who I could trust would follow the instructions to never talk about it. Your slave is the only slave I could find who had any sentry skills, and he does have a special talent.” Leaning his hands on his desk, he let his weight shift forward. “I guess I didn‟t think this through very well. I‟m sorry. I never should have sent that letter. You‟re both free to leave.” Todd‟s face softened, and his shoulders relaxed by a small fraction. He glanced down for a beat, his slave glancing up, their eyes locking before the slave ducked his head down again. “What do you need a sentry for?” Clarke watched a slow smile spread over the slave‟s face; an expression of pride replaced what had been apprehension. Dropping his gaze to the boy kneeling behind Todd, Clarke waved one hand up and down. “Son, stand up, get off the floor.” The kid looked up at Todd, who tilted his head and nodded. He let his hand slide from the boy‟s head to rest against his hip as his slave rose and stood behind him. “What‟s your name, boy?” For the life of him, he couldn‟t pull the name on the kid‟s records out of his head. “Nick.” Clarke straightened. “Nick, I‟m sorry. I had no way of knowing what sort of relationship you have with your master. I‟d heard stories that sentries only took slaves to use as weapons.” “Nick hunts, he doesn‟t kill,” Todd said. Clarke couldn‟t help the feeling that every sentence the man uttered was some sort of challenge. “I kill.” Why didn‟t Ruger‟s last statement surprise him? “As I said, I didn‟t think things through very well.” “No, you didn‟t.” Todd was snarling again, not that Clarke could blame him for being angry. “Please, sit down.”
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Todd crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Shifting so he could look Nick in the eye, Clarke asked, “Is your master always like this?” The boy, Nick, smiled. It was soft, affectionate, and incredibly kind. “Only when it comes to me.” “Maybe since you scared the hell out of us and dragged us across town, you could tell us what the problem is? You still need a sentry.” Clarke realized addressing Nick had gone a long way toward cooling Todd down. “How much do you follow the lives of politicians?” “Not much,” Todd said. “In the last few weeks, Chancellor Shaffer hasn‟t been himself. To the point that he‟s someone I don‟t even know anymore, and it could jeopardize the integrity of our government and our security. I don‟t know about you, but I definitely don‟t want to worry about being absorbed by West Caldera.” Todd snorted and Nick tensed, but neither made any comment. “I couldn‟t openly hire a sentry. That would raise too many questions. I honestly felt I had no other recourse.” “What exactly has the Chancellor done, or not done, that‟s made you suspicious?” Todd asked. “Why do you think it‟s something you need a sentry for?” “I‟ve ruled out drug use; none of what has been happening has fit that pattern. He looks like himself, but I‟ve known this man since university. He‟s like a brother to me, and I can say, the man I see now? It isn‟t him. Up until earlier this year, I‟d say he was the most devoted family man you‟d ever meet. Doted on his wife and children, never once looked at another woman. Now he not only looks at them—men, as well—he has multiple partners, wild parties, and I‟m fairly certain he‟s using government funds for at least some of his… activities. The oddest thing is when he looks at me; it‟s as if he‟s looking through me. His eyes are wrong, his whole expression, demeanor, is wrong.”
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Todd rubbed at his chin, obviously digesting this information. “His eyes are wrong how?” “Nothing I can put my finger on. They‟re the same color, but… I don‟t know, it‟s as if there is someone else looking out.” Looking at his feet for a few minutes, Todd drew in a deep breath before looking back up. “Can you pin it down to anything? Was he attacked, or went on a trip, was somewhere out of the ordinary alone for a day or so?” “Not too long before this started, he did tour one of the more remote areas south of here that was hit by a hurricane late last year.” “Those types of things tend to stir up all sorts of nasties, flushes them out or wakes them up. Was the change sudden or gradual?” “Not immediate, over the span of a few weeks, month, maybe. The more he does, the more he seems to want to do.” Clarke stopped and drew up the courage to ask the most important question. “Do you think he can be saved?” Todd‟s gaze slid away from his. “I don‟t know. It‟s going to depend on what the problem is. He‟s at the Chancellor‟s Estate, I take it?” “Yes. You understand, this has to be kept quiet. If it were to become public that the Chancellor had been compromised weeks ago—” “I get it.” Todd cut him off sharply. “I‟m going to need a way to be in there, move around without really attracting attention or anyone thinking it‟s odd I‟m there. Some way that gives me freedom but no one pays attention to me. And by me, you do understand I mean we. Nicky and I are a set.” Clarke nodded. He hadn‟t exactly expected their help, and he surely didn‟t think Todd would leave his young mate alone while he went in and worked on this problem. “That might be an issue. I knew how I was going to get Nick in, he‟s a slave. As I said, I hadn‟t really thought things through very well.”
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“Yeah, we established that.” Todd shifted his weight so he was more between Nick and Clarke. “Just how were you going to get Nick inside?” The shame of what he had planned hit Clarke, and he sat down heavily, unable to look at either of the men before him. “How?” Todd growled. “Orphan slave.” Clarke picked at a blotting mat on his desk. “There‟s a huge government orphan slave sanctuary there.” When he looked up and saw the horror and then anger in Todd‟s eyes, he quickly added, “Not that he‟d actually be an orphan slave.” “You were going to take my mate and put him—” Todd was breathing hard, fists clenched at his sides. “I don‟t see another way. Other than the highest-ranking officials, Estate employees aren‟t permitted slaves while they‟re assigned there. Though they are encouraged to… interact… with the orphan slaves and purchase one, or more, when they leave.” Todd‟s nostrils flared, his upper lip twitched a few times, and his gaze went hard and flat. Clarke‟s insides churned. He folded his hands together, hoping how they suddenly shook wouldn‟t show. “I am being as honest with you as possible.” “Is there any other way?” Clarke shook his head. “I‟m sorry. No. Not that I‟ve been able to think of, anyway. I hadn‟t thought of any way of you being in there.” Nick‟s fingers slid over Todd‟s shoulder. “What‟s an orphan slave?” he asked very quietly. “They‟re….” Todd‟s voice faltered. It was plain for Clarke to see this was something that bothered him greatly. “When an owner dies and leaves no provisions for who is to take his or her slave, those are referred to as orphans. They become wards of the Protectorate and are taken to live in one of a few compounds. The largest is in the Chancellor‟s Estate. They are given
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jobs there. The goal is to have them resold, but if that doesn‟t happen, they live out their lives in the sanctuary,” Clarke explained. “That doesn‟t sound so bad.” Nick leaned over Todd‟s shoulder. “It‟s better than them starving or being homeless.” “Just barely, Nick.” Todd ground out. “What he‟s not telling you is they have their wrist brands removed, and anything from their life before is taken away.” That made Clarke angry. “They‟re cared for. They‟re given counseling and work and protected. Honestly, if people would do the simple thing of drawing up a few papers and taking care of business, the government wouldn‟t have to step in that way. It‟s obscene to do that to a slave, not provide for them in case of owner death, and we do the best we can with it. It‟s one of the main reasons Estate employees don‟t have their own slaves. It would create too many problems and heartache for the orphans.” Todd straightened and blinked at him. “I‟m sorry, I didn‟t realize—” “That I would feel that way?” Clarke bit out. Nodding, Todd looked down, cheeks flushing pink. “Guess you‟re not so bad after all.” A quick look back at Nick. “We‟ll have to work out how I get in, but you‟ve got yourself a pair of sentries.” “We have a floor of a nearby hotel reserved for VIPs. Please, I know I‟ve put you both through a lot, and I want to apologize. Be my guests there until we have the details worked out. A little vacation for the two of you before you head south to the Estate?” “I‟d rather you pay us three times what we normally get.” Todd rocked on his heels and smirked. “You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Ruger. I‟ll do both. Keys will be waiting at the desk.” “Under what name?” Clarke thought about that. “Good point. If you are yourself, someone will find out and know you‟re a sentry. How about McCabe? Tyler McCabe.”
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“Wasn‟t he some kind of musician?” Grinning, Clarke nodded. “Jazz, about fifty years ago. He‟s dead now.” Turning and nudging Nick ahead of him, Todd stopped and looked Clarke up and down, saying, “We have to get some supplies. We‟ll get back by tonight.” Clarke smiled at them, hoping this didn‟t turn into a royal disaster. As the pair left his office, he saw how Nick gulped. His fingers fisted the back of Todd‟s shirt for a few seconds before he let his hand drop and bump against his thigh. Nick‟s gaze skittered around the room as the door shut behind them.
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Chapter Two
THE headache that had started when Todd showed Nick the letter from Clarke did nothing but grow as they made their way back across town, packed supplies and clothes for their trip, and made a return carriage trip to the hotel near Clarke‟s office. Nick‟s neck was tense and his head pounded as he settled between Todd‟s knees on the carriage floor, despite Todd asking and then telling him to sit on the bench beside him. Thankfully Todd didn‟t press the issue, probably realizing it increased Nick‟s feeling of security and simply made him feel better when he could nestle safely against Todd‟s thighs. Once they reached the hotel, they were shown to their rooms. Todd unlocked the door and gave it a shove open, stepping through. Nick leaned in and looked around, stepping sideways to allow the porter to carry in their bags. “Wow, this is really something,” he said after Todd had tipped the porter, thanked him, and tugged Nick into the room, shutting the door after him. “Yeah, it‟s way nicer than we normally get.” They weren‟t in a room, they were in a suite: bedroom, bath, and the outer sitting area they stood in now. Sitting on the couch in the small lounge, Nick asked, “Are we meeting with Clarke tonight?” “I think so.” Todd sat beside him, twisted sideways, and pulled Nick back against him. “How‟s your headache?” “Is it that obvious?” Todd laughed, a low rumble that vibrated through Nick and made him relax against Todd‟s chest even more. “Yes.” Using his
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thumbs, he massaged the tense muscles along the back of Nick‟s neck. Nick leaned back even farther and closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Todd‟s warm, strong fingers working over his skin, rubbing tension from his taut muscles. Leaning down and kissing Nick‟s temple softly, Todd whispered in his ear, “Are you going to talk to me about this?” “I hate the whole thing.” Nick hadn‟t intended to just blurt out his feelings. “Nicky, it‟s a job, just like every other hunt.” “But I have to pretend you‟re dead. As if that isn‟t bad enough, I have to let them think you were such a douche you had a slave you made no provisions for if you died.” “Okay, first of all, Nicky, you know damn well I did make those provisions, before I ever went to claim you. Secondly, it won‟t be me. We‟re using other names; it‟ll be some invented douche.” “Do we have to go there and do this? I‟m going to be in slave dorms… and—” His chest suddenly filled with emotion rolling up. What he‟d tried to push away, forget about, and suppress all day came slamming back to Nick. He‟d be cut off from Todd for at least part of their stay, forced to stay in a room far away from him and all the while pretend to be a grieving, abandoned slave. The backs of his eyes tingled, and tears threatening to overflow were hastily brushed away. Todd often became so focused on a hunt he overlooked how it might affect either of them personally. Todd had a choice; Nick did not. He was obligated to fit into Todd‟s life however his master deemed. Up until now he‟d never had an issue with any of it: the hunting, their work. Todd was proud of what they did, how many people they helped, and Nick was simply proud of Todd. “Hey.” Todd turned him so Nick‟s shoulder rested against Todd‟s chest. Two fingers slipped under Nick‟s chin, lifting his head to look directly at Todd. “Nicky, we‟re still sentries; we have to help this man however we can, but not at your expense. Estate employees have free access to the slaves. It‟s encouraged. Clarke was telling us
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the truth about that. I‟m not leaving you on your own in there. I‟d never do that to you. You know that, right? Clarke thinks I‟m doing that and he‟s on his own.” Nick nodded, miserable and a bit ashamed he‟d even think Todd would do something like that to him. Tenderly running his fingers through Nick‟s hair for a few minutes, Todd sighed and nudged Nick forward. “I saw a pharmacy next to the hotel. I‟m going to run down and get you something for your headache.” “It‟s not that bad.” “I can see how much your head hurts. You sit tight. I‟ll be back in a few minutes. Will you be okay?” Nick nodded and smiled, flopping back on the couch. Some of the tension eased out of his chest. He rolled his head to the side and smiled at Todd as he slipped on his jacket and quietly left, the door closing softly behind him. The lock snicked softly as he made sure Nick was securely locked in, safe. He settled more comfortably against the couch and let his eyelids drift closed. A sharp rap on the door brought Nick from partially dozing to awake and dealing with his pounding skull again. Sighing, he pushed off the couch and went to the door, expecting Todd with his arms laden with whatever he‟d purchased. Opening the door, a sarcastic remark about to tumble loose, Nick straightened and took a hasty step back when he saw Clarke standing in the hall. “To—my master isn‟t here right now, he went to the pharmacy,” Nick said in a rush. He took a deep breath and stepped back into the doorway, filling it. He often forgot his size and that he made a pretty effective roadblock. Clarke waved one hand at the hall he stood in. “May I wait here?” He smiled. “This place has room service and a delivery staff, and you‟re free to use them.” Clarke reached out and gently tapped Nick‟s forearm. “And Nick,”—he touched one fingertip of his other hand to his left eye—“when you‟re inside the sanctuary, you have to remember not to do that.”
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Feeling his cheeks flush, Nick immediately looked at the floor. “I-I‟m sorry, I‟m so sorry.” Clarke stepped back and leaned against the wall opposite the door, waving Nick off. “It doesn‟t bother me in the least. But some people at the Estate, they‟re a bit militant about those things, so watch yourself, okay?” “Yes, sir.” “I appreciate what you and Todd are doing. I have some understanding of how difficult this must be for you.” Nick‟s gaze flicked up and then down to between his feet again. “Todd said we‟re still sentries, it‟s our job.” Clarke smiled. “Your master is a very good man.” “You don‟t have to tell me that. No one does. I know better than everyone what he‟s like.” Nick couldn‟t help the edge of defiance that crept into his voice. How dare this man even remotely think Todd wasn‟t a good person? “I meant that as a compliment.” Clarke sighed and folded his hands together in front of him. “My father was a slave, so when I say I understand, Nick, I really do. What I did, sending that letter, it was wrong, and I am sorry.” “Your father was your mother‟s slave?” Clarke chuckled. “What? You think you and your master cornered the market on desire and love?” “I… uh….” Nick felt himself flush crimson. “I didn‟t—” “It‟s all right, Nick.” Todd picked that moment to come striding down the hall. He eyed the Vice Chancellor up and down coolly before stepping over to Nick. “You okay?” He turned back to Clarke. “He doesn‟t have to let anyone in if I‟m not here.” Laying one hand on Todd‟s arm, Nick spoke softly. “It‟s okay, Todd, he didn‟t do anything.”
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Clarke smiled placidly. “I asked if I could wait here for you, and Nick was kind enough to keep me company and chat.” He held up a folder. “I have some information and papers for you.” “Come in.” Todd nodded, and Nick straightened so he could walk by and into their room, Nick trailing behind. Todd walked to a dresser, setting down his bags, back to Nick and Clarke. “Furniture, Nick,” he said without turning around. When Clarke huffed a short laugh, Todd looked over his shoulder, eyebrow arched. Shrugging, Clarke looked a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, I was telling Nick that my father was a slave, and that brought back a lot of memories. My mother did the same thing. They‟re both gone now.” Todd looked away, “I‟m sorry.” He pulled a small bottle from the bag and ducked into the bathroom, back out in a few seconds with a glass of water. “Did she ever break him of it?” Poking at Nick‟s shoulder, Todd offered him a smirk, water, and some pills. He nodded to the sitting area. Clarke shook his head. “No.” Nick grinned sheepishly and took the pills, downed them, then sat on one of the large chairs in the sitting room. Todd followed a minute later, leaning one hip against the arm of Nick‟s chair. “What do you have for us?” His tone was one Nick was all too familiar with; it was Todd‟s take-charge, business voice, and it had the same effect on the Vice Chancellor it had on everyone else they dealt with. Todd was given immediate authority and respect. That voice always had another effect on Nick: it made heat curl in his belly and his cock feel warm and full. Todd was sheer power, and the way it came out in his voice never ceased to affect Nick on a very base and primal level. Silently Clarke handed Todd an envelope of papers and seated himself on the couch opposite them. “Meet Tyler McCabe. I had those drawn up today after you left. I had already worked details out much more thoroughly for Nick.” “We‟ll start with Nick.” Todd handed Nick the stack of papers and envelope marked T. McCabe, which didn‟t surprise him at all.
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Todd would want to know how Nick fit into things before he agreed to let him do anything. Nick quietly put the papers on his lap and folded his hands over them. “Once the orphans come into the sanctuary, they have their wrist brands removed, but Nick also has one on his chest, yes?” Todd looked up sharply, nodding. Nick thought he was prepared for hearing those words, but not so. His reaction to them was stronger than he‟d imagined it might be. Tears sprang to his eyes, his chest constricted, and his stomach dropped. Everything inside him seemed to tighten down and turn cold. It was taking away who he was, his entire identity. “You can‟t take my brands. They‟re mine. It‟s what ties me to Todd.” He didn‟t mean to snap the words out so harshly, especially after Todd had subtly and quietly ordered him to sit, which also meant be silent and behave formally. “Nick.” Todd‟s voice was very soft but firm. One hand dropped to the top of Nick‟s head, fingers skimming through his hair and then resting on the back of his neck while Todd finished reading through the papers. He sighed, setting them on his knee, but out of Nick‟s line of sight. Running his other hand over his mouth, Todd landed a stern gaze on Clarke, drawing a deep breath. Nick‟s fingers tightened around one another until his knuckles were white and his hands cramped. He stared down at them through shimmering vision. Was it possible Todd was going to let this happen? His mind simply couldn‟t wrap around the thoughts flitting through it. Clarke fidgeted but remained silent. “You and I need to be on the same page here. I want this to be crystal clear. If, at any point, I feel Nick is threatened in any way, we pull out. I am responsible for his actions, his well-being, and his care. I will not tolerate him being compromised in any manner. If there is any… interaction… between him and Estate staff that he doesn‟t like, we‟re out of there. We‟re going to be separated a lot. I don‟t like that, but I don‟t see a way around it, either. That will mean I can‟t protect
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him sometimes. He‟s used to me being around, and I won‟t put up with my mate being intimidated by anyone there.” Todd‟s thumb swiped back and forth a few times against Nick‟s neck under his hair. He glanced down at Nick and offered him a small smile before turning back to Clarke. “And there will be no removing of my marks.” “I never considered the surgery. It‟d be a waste of time, really.” Clarke nodded at the papers Todd held. “As you can see all along, I was trying to set this up so Nick was protected, at least somewhat. I found a religious order, not huge and a bit zealous. They wear leather wristbands. I‟ll have a set delivered for Nick. That should cover his arm brands. As for the one on his chest, I guess make sure you keep your shirt on. This particular order also only has same-gender matings, mostly male. The higher percentage of orphan slaves are female for some reason, and more of them seem to interest the Estate staff. That was the most undesirable I could make him. He‟ll be given the job on the Estate as a teacher and caretaker of some of the children. That should allow him to move about fairly freely and unnoticed.” Todd nodded and traded the papers he held for those on Nick‟s lap. Scanning them quickly, he turned his gaze on Clarke, waiting expectantly. “As for you,” Clarke began. “I decided the best thing was to let you do what you always do. I had you, or rather Tyler McCabe, added to our security staff. That should give you completely free rein to the entire Estate. You‟ll be assigned to and working directly under the man responsible for the orphan slaves, which I‟m hoping will give you even a bit more access to Nick than if you were simply a regular member of security. His name is Lawrence Witze. There are three slaves, and Nick, of course, being taken into the orphan sanctuary at the end of this week. Your first official assignment, Mr. McCabe, is to escort them via train to the Chancellor‟s Estate. The day after you arrive there is an official state function, a formal cotillion welcoming the newer employees and Parliament members. Try not to drop dead from the boredom.”
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Todd laughed outright at that. “I don‟t really have the proper attire for something like that.” He looked down at Nick, ruffling fingers through Nick‟s hair. “Let‟s get this thing taken care of before it starts, huh?” Nick grinned and nodded enthusiastically. He was all on board with them spending as little time as possible there. “Nice try, but everything the security staff needs is supplied. That includes their dress uniforms.” “Greeeeeat.” Todd exhaled and rolled his eyes. “About the Chancellor, is there a chance—?” “I don‟t know.” Todd cut him off. “We‟ll do everything we can, of course, but until I can evaluate what‟s going on, Rod Shaffer‟s fate is something I can‟t comment on.” Clarke nodded and focused on a point between his feet. It was plain to Nick he was struggling for control. “Understood. You and Nick board the train in two days; the other slaves won‟t be brought on until the day you‟ll arrive at the Estate. They‟ll board early in the morning. Until then, please feel free to stay here, and if you need anything, as I told Nick, there is room service and a delivery staff. If you‟d provide your account information to me before you leave, I‟ll have the funds deposited, three times your regular fee. I did take the liberty of having all this cleared with Mr. Cantor. He is the official overseer of sentries. I thought it appropriate.” “Thank you.” Todd followed Clarke to the door and let him out, closing, locking, and double-checking the locks. He turned and leaned back against the doors, sighing. “You look like hell.” Nick snorted. “Thanks. That‟s what I like the best about you: your charm.” Chuckling, Todd waved at the large bed. Everything on it was white, including the ladder-work wooden frame. “Why don‟t you get a nap, you‟ll feel better. I‟m going to hit the shower; then we can go out and grab something to eat, or order in that room service Clarke keeps bragging about.”
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Stripping, Nick stretched out on the mattress and tossed everything but a light sheet off the bed. The sheet he draped over his hips. Todd dimmed the lights and vanished into the bathroom. Nick let his eyes drift closed, and he dozed off to the sound of water hitting tiles.
TODD cranked his head forward to let the hot water hit hard enough on his flesh to loosen muscle and relax his neck and shoulders. As nice as Clarke was being to them, this entire situation sucked, and they all knew it. The impulse to grab Nick and run, vanish into the wilderness, was nearly impossible to resist. The thought of Nick having to live his life on the run was the only thing keeping Todd here right now. He was, however, completely prepared to put that plan into action whenever he needed. In the meantime he admired the bathroom. It was large, mostly rough stone tile in muted colors. There was a shower and separate bathtub large enough for two people along one wall. The other was one complete stretch of counter with duel sinks. The toilet was at the far end behind a divider. He leaned over the bath, picking up some of the oils left there for the guests. Candles were placed at each of the four corners of the deep tub. Sniffing them, Todd smiled. Lavender and sandalwood. Rubbing a towel over his head and then draping it across his shoulders, Todd pulled on clean boxers and padded silently into the main room, planning on enticing Nick into the large tub. His young mate‟s headache was a direct result of stress from the past few days. A nice hot soak and Todd‟s own special methods of relieving stress, and he was sure Nick‟s headache would vanish and he‟d feel better. He stopped dead when his gaze landed on Nick sprawled across the bed, asleep. His dark brown hair fanned out around his head, which was turned to one side. His arms flopped to the sides with his hands above his head and nearly to the slatted head of the bed. A light sheet was draped over his hips, dipping between his legs so the long slash of muscular thigh was exposed.
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Todd‟s mouth dried; he slipped the towel from his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. His cock immediately filled, his interest piqued. Twice he‟d tied Nick, teased him, kept him on the edge for hours before letting him orgasm. They‟d only begun to explore such things, and they‟d both enjoyed Nick being restrained. The second time Nick had asked Todd to use the soft cloth bonds and blindfold they had at home. Then Todd had gone and ruined it, tying Nick to a bed for real and taking off on his self-imposed mission of revenge. Since their return from West Caldera, he‟d been afraid of any sort of restraint during sex, no matter how much Todd desired it. He simply was too unsure how Nick would react, and in all honesty, a small part of him feared his mate‟s rejection. Asking Nick what he wanted was more of an option now that Todd was more likely to get an honest answer, not what Nick thought he wanted to hear. Still, the thought sent small sparks of fear through his chest. It was ridiculous; Todd faced down all sorts of horrors, yet this sweet-tempered boy he shared his home with scared the life out of him sometimes. The way Nick was lying was exactly what he‟d done that second time, when he‟d convinced Todd to tie him up. Moving silently across the room, Todd took a knife from one of his duffels. He snatched the towel off the floor and sliced it into five strips. Replacing the knife, he crossed to the bed and very quietly and gently pulled the pillows away from Nick‟s head before moving one of his arms up and securing that wrist to the slats on the bed frame. When Nick didn‟t so much as hitch a breath, Todd eased the other arm into a similar position and tied that. Next he slid Nick‟s legs as far apart as possible and tied them to the bed. The final strip of cloth he worked across Nick‟s face, blindfolding him. Glancing around the room, Todd smiled broadly when he spotted the pillows he‟d tossed on the floor. Smile becoming positively wicked, Todd took a pillow and worked the stitching loose along one corner. “Yes,” he whispered, and punched the air once. He got two fingers in and extracted one of the long, thin feathers the pillow was stuffed with. Soundlessly he pulled one of the chairs up close to the
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bed, leaned forward, and ran the tip of the feather lightly down Nick‟s side. At once Nick‟s breathing sped up, his skin twitched, and the muscles underneath fluttered. Todd leaned back and watched Nick move, slowly waking up and trying to stretch. Todd watched as the message filtered in to Nick that he was tied. Jerking completely awake, Nick turned his head one way, then the other, tested moving arms and legs. Emotions flitted over Nick‟s features; even with his eyes covered, Todd could tell by the way his mouth twitched, how he tensed, how legs and chest strained and turned rigid, that Nick was cycling through confusion, excitement, fear. His hips rolled up as far as the bindings would allow before he dropped back flat, panting and flooding Todd‟s brain with a haze of lust. “T-To-Todd?” Nick cocked his head to one side, obviously straining to hear. “Is that…. Who‟s there?” Leaning over in the chair, Todd dragged the feather over Nick‟s hip and down his inner thigh. The panting moans from Nick‟s mouth sent a zing of excitement through Todd. He eased out of the chair and leaned over Nick, letting his lips and chest dip close enough Nick would feel the heat from his body but not the contact of skin. He blew a line of warm breath over Nick‟s neck, down his chest, and across his abs, following with the feather. Tongue flicking out, using only the tip, he circled over Nick‟s chest brand, just barely touching the skin there. The corners of Nick‟s mouth twitched up. “If you‟re not my master, when he gets here he‟ll kick your ass.” Leaning on one elbow beside Nick, Todd licked at his closest nipple until it was a hard, pink-brown bud. Covering it with his mouth, he sucked until Nick was moaning and writhing, trying to buck his hips up. When he pulled back, breathing out, “He will, will he?” the feather was tapped against Nick‟s upper arm and then trailed down, under, and around Nick‟s chin and along the column of his long neck. He trickled it back up along the path he‟d just taken, turning it on end and making small circles against Nick‟s flesh, delighted when his breathing sped up. Todd‟s breathing was short,
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hard pulls of air into his lungs. He felt as if he‟d explode from all the want coursing through his veins and curling around his testicles. Nick licked his lips, swallowed, and nodded, gasping out, “He‟s very possessive.” Todd skimmed the feather along Nick‟s right side and pressed openmouthed kisses along his left. “I‟ll have to be careful, then.” Moving lower, Todd slowly pulled the sheet off Nick, being sure it rubbed and tugged along his swollen cock and the tender skin of his inner thigh, exposing him completely. He circled Nick‟s cock and tickled his balls with the feather, chuckling as Nick tried to arch up, groaning when he found no relief. He dragged his tongue up Nick‟s long body, relishing the taste of his skin and pulling the feather along in his wake, up and down, over and over until Nick was shivering, sweating, breathing nothing more than short, desperate pants. His body continuously rolled and tensed against his bonds. Slithering down, Todd touched the tip of his tongue to Nick‟s weeping slit, then ran it around the underside of the crown, loving how it jumped and twitched from his touch. The feather tripped over Nick‟s abs, over his hip, and then made small circles on his thighs. He lapped at the beads of precum sliding down Nick‟s cock, making his mate moan with his effort not to cum until permitted. Nick stretched as much as possible within his confines, whining and breathless. “Todd, please… touch me… please….” The feather skimmed and slipped around his navel, under his ribs, then over each one as slowly as Todd could bear. His eyes fixed on Nick‟s skin, how it shivered and prickled with goose bumps, and he thoroughly enjoyed the way tense muscle rippled under smooth skin. Gulping in deep breaths, Todd had to fight to keep from ripping Nick‟s bindings from his legs and plunging deep into his welcoming heat. Instead he circled Nick‟s entrance with one finger while he moved the feather along Nick‟s cock, over his belly. Again and again Nick tried rolling his hips up, arching his back, the muscles of his neck and sides corded from the strain of no release. His toes curled and extended, as did his fingers. He jerked harsh, short breaths in and out, each ending in a deep, needy moan.
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Leaning down, Todd ran his tongue along the length of Nick‟s cock, then pressed against the perineum, lingering there and closing his lips over the sensitive area, sucking ever so gently until long, breathy moans rolled one after another from Nick‟s lips. As slowly as he could stand moving, Todd slipped his finger into Nick, moving it in small circles. Todd was surrounded by the smell of musk and the scent of what was uniquely Nick. He inhaled deeply, drawing it in like a man held underwater and only allowed up for air when his lungs were near bursting. Blowing hot breaths over the top of Nick‟s cock, he watched as Nick tried pushing down, impaling himself on Todd‟s finger and at the same time pressing up, wanting, into Todd‟s mouth. Crooking his finger, Todd rubbed the pad over Nick‟s sweet spot. Seeing how his body rippled and hearing how he begged for release had Todd breathless in minutes. Removing his finger dragged a long, slow moan of his name from Nick. Leaning over Nick, Todd pressed his mouth to his mate‟s, tongue dipping into Nick‟s mouth and skimming around, over his teeth, caressing and sucking on Nick‟s tongue. Sitting up and back, Todd trailed the feather over Nick‟s skin and circled each nipple, then pulled it away from Nick‟s heaving chest. “You like this, don‟t you? Completely controlled? The only pleasure from me, and never knowing when or where I‟ll allow it.” Jerky, tight little nods and deep, drawn-out moans. Nick‟s body arched and writhed. “Please let me…. I need to…. Touch me just a little… please….” He sucked in fast, staccato breaths when Todd‟s feather zigzagged back and forth across his belly, up his chest, down one side and along one leg. Todd‟s heart hammered in his chest, threatening to beat straight through. Crawling up, he brushed his lips over Nick‟s, inched down his neck, barely touching, blowing hot breath where Nick‟s skin was moistened by his mouth. Nick‟s entire body quivered, and he moaned, barely able to catch his breath. Turning his head, Todd was wise to Nick‟s efforts to capture Todd‟s mouth or brush Todd‟s skin, and moved so silently Nick would never know where exactly he was or where he‟d touch or nearly touch next.
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Nick‟s entire body twitched and jerked, head pressed back against the mattress, neck muscles corded. He was begging with obscene, needy noises and half-words. One final trip of the feather down the length of Nick‟s body, and Todd slid silently off the bed and made his way as quietly as he could to the bath. Todd ran water into the bath, adding some of the scented oils, and lit the candles, moving them well away from the edges of the square tub. Pacing back to the main room and the bed, Todd snickered softly when Nick‟s head turned, following the almost nonexistent sound of his movements. Crouching at the foot of the bed, between Nick‟s tied feet, he rubbed one hand over the top of Nick‟s left foot, massaging lightly. “Here‟s how it‟s going to be. I‟ll untie your legs, then your arms; you‟re going to lie perfectly still until I move you or tell you to move. The blindfold stays on, and I‟m going to retie your arms. Then you‟re going to walk with me.” Nick nodded, then smirked. “My master is so going to kick your ass.” Making short work of untying Nick‟s feet, Todd flipped one of Nick‟s legs over the other and cracked his ass hard. When Nick yelped and complained, Todd did it again. “Now shut it, boy.” Nick huffed but said no more. Todd untied his wrist bindings and sat him up, retying him so his wrists were loosely bound together over the small of his back. Fingers moving over the back of Nick‟s head, Todd took a fistful of hair and pulled Nick to him, pressing his lips to Nick‟s, working his mouth open and his tongue inside to slip and slide over Nick‟s, swallowing the moans his young mate offered. His other hand curled over Nick‟s hip and dug in, tugging him off the bed. “C‟mon.” Todd took Nick‟s arm and led the way across their room and to the edge of the tub. “Step here.” He guided Nick‟s legs and helped ease him into the hot water, smiling when Nick hissed with pleasure as the scented water oozed over him. Todd slipped into the tub behind Nick, pulling him against his chest. One arm firmly around Nick‟s waist, Todd moved him until he pressed his cock
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against Nick‟s entrance, gliding in smoothly, slowly, making Nick feel every bit of him. Nick moaned, his head falling back on Todd‟s shoulder; his back arched, and he ground himself down, writhing and quivering on Todd‟s cock. The feeling of Nick‟s hammering heart against his chest drove Todd‟s hips to thrust faster, harder, until he couldn‟t hold back any longer. Sliding one hand down and wrapping his fingers around Nick‟s cock, Todd pumped and twisted the silk-smooth flesh. Hips bucking up of their own accord, Todd‟s other hand gripped Nick‟s hair, turned his head, and breathed against his jaw, “Cum right now, cum for me, Nicky.” Todd‟s teeth scraped over Nick‟s neck, then clamped down on his shoulder. Panting broken gasps and howls, Nick arched over Todd‟s shoulder, then pushed down against his cock, clenching around him, his entire body vibrating. “Oh… Christ… Nick….” Todd‟s orgasm ripped through him, making him gasp for breath to fill his lungs. The heady odor from the scented oils and candles combined with steam from the bath and surrounded them. Todd held Nick in place against his chest until both were calmer, their breathing even. Turning Nick and sitting him up so he straddled Todd‟s hips, he untied the cloth binding Nick‟s wrists. Nick reached to the blindfold. “Can I?” “Sure.” Todd pulled him in for a kiss, then leaned back while Nick eased the blindfold off his head and blinked a bit owlishly in the low lighting. “How‟s your headache?” Sliding down Todd‟s body, Nick wrapped his legs around Todd‟s hips and his arms around Todd‟s chest, head tucked under his chin. “Hmmm… much, much better, all gone.” “Your master still going to kick my ass?” “Probably. He‟s possessive. He loves me very much.” “He‟s a lucky man, your master.”
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Nick snuggled closer and sighed, a happy, dreamy noise. “Yeah, he is.” He licked over Todd‟s collarbone, kissing along the dip near his neck, and peered up at Todd from under dark lashes and wet bangs. “Oh geez.” Arms tightening around Nick, Todd rolled his eyes, relaxed and scooted farther down in the tub, dunking Nick. Nick pushed up and his head popped through the water, bangs sticking in long strands to his forehead. “Hey.” He sputtered, then slapped one hand on the water‟s surface, spraying Todd. Todd laughed softly and poked at Nick‟s side. “Out; the water is getting cold.” He gave Nick a boost over the side. Scrambling out, Nick turned, sat on the tub‟s edge, and let his legs dip into the water while he held one hand out to Todd, helping him out of the tub. Todd grabbed a towel off a nearby rack, patting them both down. The bed was wide and soft. While Nick piled the pillows Todd had thrown on the floor back onto the bed, Todd arranged the sheets. He crossed the room and opened the window, happy there was a nice breeze. Nick was in the bed when he turned around and had the sheet thrown back, ready for Todd to slide under and against his mate. Wound around one another, they drifted to sleep. A loud crack accompanied by a flash of bright light that came from nowhere and seemed everywhere nudged Todd out of sleep. Nick‟s arms and legs tightened around him. The curtains blew away from the window; the breeze had turned to a proper wind. The room lit up again for a split second, and the fact that Nick was trembling against him registered in Todd‟s brain. Groaning softly, Todd pushed Nick flat against the mattress and rolled to his side, hoping to block the view of the window. He didn‟t want to leave Nick alone even long enough to close the window. At once Nick squirmed and wriggled closer, pressing his nose to the soft flesh just under Todd‟s shoulder. He‟d had one hand slung over Todd‟s hip; now the fingers of that hand dug painfully into the muscle there. “Shh… Nicky.” Rubbing one hand up and down Nick‟s side, Todd tightened his hold on Nick with his other arm. “Hey, buddy,
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what‟s wrong? These haven‟t bothered you so much for a long time now.” More light flooded their room. This time there was another crack of thunder almost immediately after it, a sound that rolled through the room and vibrated along Todd‟s bones. The storm was right over their part of the city. Todd liked the fresh breeze and how the air smelled clean. The sound of thunder and quick flashes of lightning made his pulse jump, but not from fear as it did Nick. He‟d resigned himself to the fact Nick might never enjoy the storms as Todd did, but maybe he‟d not be afraid. Since he‟d first come to Todd, Nick‟s reaction to them had scaled back to almost nonexistent. Now it seemed he was back to square one. Another boom rolled through the atmosphere, making the air around them crack and smell sharp. Nick whimpered against him. Todd lifted his arm from around Nick‟s waist and stroked through his hair, pressing him close and talking low and soft into Nick‟s ear. Finally the storm passed, and they both relaxed. Todd lay awake for a while, simply watching Nick sleep. Todd knew where Nick‟s fear came from; he‟d told Todd stories of how the slave children in the village also worked the farms, how they‟d been left out in the fields even in the worst weather, not permitted inside until the work was done. Sometimes the children were left outside in bad weather as a punishment. The fact that someone could do that to a child appalled Todd. His Nick was kind and so good-hearted; the thought of him being locked outside in a storm for not finishing work, trying to get inside, or some other minor infraction sickened Todd. His stomach turned when he remembered Nick telling him once how another child was struck by lightning and killed. How Nick remembered still the smell of charred flesh from the other boy‟s ankle shackles and the metal farming tool in his hands. Several of the children had been killed during bad weather. Todd being hit by a rockslide in a storm hadn‟t helped his efforts to rid Nick of his storm phobia. His own father might not have won any parenting awards, but Todd had to admit, John Ruger had
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been a good teacher and taught his son what was worth his fear and what was not. Todd had learned very early that storms were to be respected, not feared. Nick had been given a different lesson, one of terror that lasted to this day. Nick‟s headache and now the return of his intense fear of storms was all from this job they were heading into. Closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of Nick surrounding him, Todd vowed to himself that once they were in the Estate, he‟d do whatever he needed to ensure Nick was protected, even if Nick and he were separated. He didn‟t know how; he simply knew he would.
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Chapter Three
NORMALLY Nick loved traveling on the trains that crisscrossed the Protectorate. He enjoyed seeing the scenery and watching the people on board. This time, however, Nick found nothing to enjoy. Instead of sharing a larger compartment in an upper-class car with Todd as he usually would have, Nick was assigned a small compartment at the opposite end of the train reserved for those riding for free or slaves traveling alone. When the other three slaves boarded for their final day‟s travel, they would be in the same section as he. Todd, or rather Tyler McCabe, had already been told that, along with Nick, there‟d be another male and two female slaves he‟d be escorting. Once they boarded, Nick would be confined to his compartment with a strange man. He shifted around as much as possible in the small space; his berth was probably a good four inches shorter than he was. There was nowhere else to sit, and he was trying to read over the information given to him by Clarke about his fake past life and identity. He huffed and gave up trying to get comfortable, hoping he didn‟t actually have to sleep in this thing. Twisting around, he dropped onto the small bench along the opposite wall of the compartment with his feet propped against the far wall. On other trips, when he was himself and Todd was himself, Nick was given free rein just like any other passenger, not locked up in a tiny space. He didn‟t like being forced away from his master, and the situation was only going to get worse. One glance at his watch, and Nick let the papers drop to his lap. All the things he‟d brought were with Todd, other than the files and
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wristbands he‟d wear at the sanctuary. Todd had promised that once the passengers were settled and the train was underway, he‟d come collect Nick. No one was going to pay much attention to a man who was transporting a slave to a government facility taking that same slave anywhere. Most people on the trains kept to themselves and paid little attention to what others were doing. He wished Todd would hurry up. His jeans were not the most comfortable clothes to wear while he was folded up in a small compartment. At least he got to keep his own name. “Nick” was common enough no one would ever think to put it with Ruger. Todd, however, was a much rarer name, so Todd‟s fake identity was completely different from his actual one. Nick slouched down farther and let his head bump back against the wall behind him. He was hungry, his legs and back were cramping, and he needed to take a piss. None of which he could do, because he was locked up. What did these fools think? He was going to jump off a moving train? Most slaves would never be a bother to the passengers, but Nick supposed those running the train thought this was a way to be sure slaves transported alone would be safe and arrive well and healthy at their destination, especially since most were alone because they‟d been orphaned. He‟d seen plenty of other slaves on previous trips, and spotted a few on this one too. Those people were with their owners, as Nick wanted so desperately to be with Todd. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the lock to his compartment clicked open and Todd‟s head poked through the space between the wall and sliding door. Grinning, he worked his hand through and held it out to Nick. “Miss me?” “God, yes!” Nick was up so fast he forgot about the short overhead and whacked his head on the ceiling. “Ow… damn.” Todd turned away and snickered, ducking his head and holding a hand up in mock defense when Nick slapped his shoulder. “I‟m hungry and I need to pee and—” Nick‟s words were halted when Todd slid one arm around his waist and pulled him in close, licking his bottom lip, then skimming his tongue around Nick‟s top lip before pressing it inside to tease at Nick‟s tongue.
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“I missed you.” Todd leaned his head back long enough to breathe the words across Nick‟s cheek. Wilting against him, Nick let his head drop to Todd‟s shoulder, his own arms wound tightly around his master‟s solid body. He soaked up the warmth and strength of the muscle surrounding him. “I don‟t know if I can do this. We‟re going to be….” Not able to say the words, his voice just trailed off. “Hey, shush, none of that.” Todd pressed small, wet kisses to Nick‟s neck and shoulder. “We‟re talking a night or two. I‟ll be able to take you to my quarters. I‟ve known people who have worked there before, and they‟ve all said the same thing. We‟re getting in, figuring this out, smoking whatever we have to smoke, and going home with a nice fat bonus. You‟re a good sentry. More importantly, you‟re my mate, and you‟re plenty tough and able to get through this with me.” Nick nodded, not trusting his voice yet. “So, let‟s get you back to my compartment so you can pee; then I‟ll snag us something for lunch.” Todd leaned into the compartment, snatched up the files Nick had been trying to read, and relocked the door. Obediently Nick followed Todd through the train. No one seemed to take notice of either of them. Nick wished he‟d never have to see the bulk transport section of a train again, but he knew in two days when the others boarded he‟d be consigned to that tiny compartment. Halfway through the train, they came to Todd‟s compartment. It was bigger, but not by much. However, it was designed for traveling couples, so there was a bed large enough they could squeeze into it, a small sink, and a toilet. There was a small closet and a counter along the wall to one side of the bed opposite the door. The train arrived at a station every eight to twelve hours with at least a four-hour layover each time. There they‟d get a room where they could shower, stretch their legs, and relax. Todd gave Nick a kiss on the forehead before he closed the door to his compartment and left Nick alone to make himself more comfortable. Nick shucked his jeans and dug through Todd‟s luggage
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until he found a pair of the soft, lightweight woven pants he liked to wear in the summer months. He‟d relieved himself and washed up as well as a guy his size could in a sink and was now standing looking out the window at the trees flying by. It was midafternoon; they wouldn‟t be in a station until closer to eight in the evening. The door snicked open, and wonderful smells of coffee and food wafted through. Nick immediately forgot about his grumbling stomach when an arm slipped around his waist, another hand curled over his hip, and lips pressed to his neck. He let his head fall to the side, giving Todd all the access he wanted to scrape his teeth up and down Nick‟s neck. The bites along his shoulder had his knees going weak. The growl of “You‟re mine” from Todd went straight to Nick‟s groin. Todd was caring and tender, but Nick liked it best when his more aggressive side came out. Todd made love like he hunted: the perfect predator who knew not only exactly what Nick wanted, but what they both needed. Right now Todd was as freaked as he was, Nick saw that. Todd understood what they both craved: Nick needed to be owned, completely and securely, and Todd needed to prove to himself, if not to Nick, that he could take care of his young mate in every way. Nick had come to learn this was a basic driving force in his master. He liked Todd best when he simply took what was his. “Y-yours,” Nick groaned. His ability to contemplate anything or speak coherently flew away when the hand pressed to the skin just below his navel snaked down under his waistband and wrapped around his cock. Two minutes, and Todd had him achingly hard, head bent back over Todd‟s shoulder, panting out breathy pleas for more… take me… more. Todd had the ability to get Nick straight to the edge in minutes when he wanted to, and he often kept him there for a bit. This was one of those times. A nail skimmed lightly along the length of Nick‟s cock, following the thick vein from the base to the crown‟s rim, tapping a few times before running lightly over the smooth skin there. Nick gasped and shuddered, knees melting away. He would have slid to the floor had Todd not been holding him up. Todd‟s tongue against his
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neck matched the same slow, lazy up-and-down motion as his thumb pressing ever so lightly to Nick‟s already twitching flesh. Reaching down farther, Todd‟s fingers slipped over his balls, then rubbed against the ultra-sensitive spot behind them, making Nick‟s breath catch in his throat and his body arch back against Todd‟s. Todd‟s other hand wandered up and down the length of Nick‟s torso, fingertips tracing the lines between muscles and circling his navel. The pads of his fingers moved over Nick‟s heated skin to his nipple, rubbing over it, turning it between thumb and forefinger. Todd stepped away far enough to turn Nick so they were face to face. He took another step back and left Nick standing there, a quivering mess of need. Nick panted, his mind reeled, and he struggled to balance his body over his feet. Ever so slightly, Todd‟s head dipped to Nick‟s pants. “Off.” Gulping in a breath, Nick nodded. It took him a few minutes to work out how to lean down and slide the soft, light material over his hips and pick up each foot slowly to ease free of the pants. Todd leaned back against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, looking casual and calm. His eyes followed the movement of Nick‟s hands and body. “Put them there.” Todd flicked one finger at the bed before tucking his arms against his belly again. Nick carefully folded his pants and set them on the corner of the bed. “My boots and socks.” Dropping to his knees, Nick took one of Todd‟s feet onto his thigh, undid the laces, and removed the boot, then the sock. Bending over, he pressed light kisses to the top of Todd‟s foot. He repeated the process with Todd‟s other foot, setting the boots with the socks folded inside at the end of the bed. Sitting back on his heels, Nick looked up from under his bangs, waiting for his next command. “Shirt.” Nick stood and took a step closer. He had to move carefully, think about how to work the buttons of Todd‟s shirt loose, since the universe now centered on the raging heat between Nick‟s legs. Slipping the shirt from his master‟s body, he folded that on top of his pants. Next was Todd‟s undershirt. Fingers skimming under the hem,
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Nick pushed his hands upward, taking the shirt with him, guiding it up and over Todd‟s head. He took a moment to sneak a step closer, dipped his head and lapped his tongue around the Celtic knot design tattooed over Todd‟s shoulder. Todd worked his hands between them, fingers moving lightly over Nick‟s chest and abs. Todd shifted and moaned softly, pulling his arms from between them and spreading them out to rest on the counter and take some of his weight. “Pants,” he rumbled. Licking across Todd‟s collarbone, letting his teeth scrape over the ridges and valleys of Todd‟s chest, Nick slowly slithered down Todd‟s body until his tongue skipped just under Todd‟s waistband. Todd groaned and pushed his hips forward, growling, “Off, now.” With trembling fingers, Nick fumbled at the belt, then the button, and finally tugged the zipper down. Carefully he curled his fingers under the edge of the waistband and eased Todd‟s jeans and boxers off all in one movement. Dipping his head, he followed his hands with his tongue, lapping gently at Todd‟s skin, cleaning beads of sweat, relishing the taste of salty musk and Todd. Tongue slipping over Todd‟s cock, using just the tip to tease along the vein running up the underside, then over the slit, he hungrily took in the pearls of precum blooming there. Traveling down, Nick sucked a path along the length of velvety hard flesh, then pressed his tongue broad and flat against Todd‟s testicles; circling them, he licked and nipped at the soft spot of skin where leg and body met. All the while Nick‟s hips kept a steady, slow rhythm rocking back and forth. Straightening and dipping his head forward, encouraged by Todd‟s moans, Nick slid his mouth over Todd‟s cock, teeth just barely scraping around the crown, tongue twisting and skimming the underside. Moving back, he kept his lips wrapped only around the softer skin there, sucking and sliding his tongue over and around, pulling moan after moan, and his name growled from Todd‟s lips. Todd‟s body shuddered as he sagged against the counter, hips pumping and pushing into Nick. Todd‟s fingers pressed into the flesh over Nick‟s shoulders, then skated down, gripping under his arms. “No… uh-uh… I want… shit… gonna….” He pushed Nick back and pulled at him until he
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stood. Moving fast, he reversed their positions, pressing Nick back against the counter. Leaning only far enough away to grab a bottle of oil from where he always stashed it under a pillow, Todd had two fingers slicked up and pressed to Nick‟s twitching entrance in no time. He circled a few times before plunging both fingers deep into Nick. Gasping and arching off the counter, then wriggling his ass down on Todd‟s fingers, Nick‟s body couldn‟t figure out which way to go, seeking out contact with warm skin and hard muscle or driving down on Todd‟s fingers as he hit that spot inside Nick over and over, sending jolt after jolt coursing along Nick‟s spine. Without warning Todd‟s fingers were gone, forcing a sharp exhale from Nick. A quick chuckle, and Todd wrapped both arms around Nick‟s waist, hoisting him up, partially braced against the counter; Nick clamped his long legs around Todd‟s middle. For a few seconds he felt the blunt head of Todd‟s cock slide between the cheeks of his ass, Todd‟s fingers sliding over the muscles there, pulling them apart. With one powerful snap of his hips, Todd thrust up as Nick was pulled down, and Nick was quite suddenly filled with Todd. Groaning loud and long, Nick pitched forward so his head draped over one of Todd‟s shoulders, his arms clinging desperately to his master. His feet were off the ground, his torso half slung over Todd‟s shoulder; Nick had no choice but to take whatever Todd offered. Moving up and down on his thighs, Nick ground into Todd, whimpering his pleasure as Todd‟s cock grazed his prostate with every stroke. He pulled closer to Todd, seeking solid, firm muscle for any tiny bit of friction against his own rock-hard erection. Shuddering hard, Todd bent his head, tongue skimming over the round, fleshy part of Nick‟s shoulder before tracing along his neck to the shell of his ear, tongue teasing, teeth barely touching, each contact sending jolts of electricity through every one of Nick‟s nerve endings. The movements of his hips faltering, Todd‟s arms tightened impossibly around Nick, cock pulsing and throbbing inside Nick, filling him with hot wetness. As his breathing slowed, Todd leaned back, pushing Nick a few inches in the other direction, and slid free but stayed close enough that
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Nick‟s legs were still wrapped around Todd‟s waist, ankles crossed. Nick barely had time to register that fact before his hips were grabbed in a powerful grip, yanked forward, and his cock was plunged into heat and wet that surrounded him. His own skin tightened down on his body; his mind reeled. The world flew away; the only thing Nick‟s brain could process was the scorching heat encasing his cock, his overpowering need for release, the tongue and teeth working over his begging flesh. Somewhere in a very small, dark recess of his brain, very far away, Nick registered words and sounds. He thought they were coming from him. Another, deeper voice joined in, the actual command lost to Nick‟s brain but not his body. So conditioned was he to Todd‟s voice, Nick‟s own body reacted at once. Nick had no say in the matter, completely and wholly under Todd‟s control. Waves rolled through him, shook him apart while Todd held him together with powerful arms as shouts ripped from his throat. When the world began filtering back into Nick‟s brain, his arms and legs were wrapped around Todd, and his entire body quivered and twitched. His belly was a mess of sticky warmth, and more of it trickled down from between his legs. Lips pressed to the heavy roll of Todd‟s shoulder, Nick whimpered and clung to his master. Todd‟s soft laugh was a low rumble and set Nick‟s body tingling all over again. “I‟d say you needed that.” “Nghnn,” was the most intelligent thing Nick could manage at that particular moment. Wriggling closer, Nick gripped Todd‟s side harder and was rewarded with a tightening of arms around his shoulders and back. Right now all Nick sought was the power and safety of his master‟s embrace. Eventually Todd moved one hand up Nick‟s back to brace the back of his head, fingers smoothing over Nick‟s hair before tangling in and hanging on. They stayed like that for a while, feeling one another breathe, holding tight and simply enjoying being together. After a while they washed as best they could in the small sink. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Todd, clad now in just his jeans, motioned Nick to sit beside him. He‟d pulled a thin cloth bag from his duffel. “We may as well get this over with. You‟ll need it on when we
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get to the station. I‟ll get us a private room with a bath so we can take a decent shower.” Pulling his woven pants over his hips, Nick nodded and silently sat beside Todd, hands in his lap, eyes cast down. “Hey, Nick, don‟t do this to me, please?” Todd‟s finger skimmed up his neck and hooked under his chin, prodding Nick‟s head to lift and turn in his direction. “They took mine.” He couldn‟t help the tears stinging his eyes, and brushed them away with the back of his hand. It was silly, being so attached to an inanimate thing, but he couldn‟t help it. “No, buddy, no one did. I‟d never let that happen.” Opening the small sack, Todd slid a plain, stiff black collar free. He bent and twisted it a few times, then shrugged helplessly. “It‟s not going to be as soft or comfortable. I‟m sorry.” “It‟s not your fault.” Nick nodded and sat still while Todd placed the state-issued collar around his neck. “Where‟s mine?” Todd smiled brightly. “I figured now was a good time to send it out to be cleaned, and that frayed bit near the catch fixed. When we get home, it‟ll be waiting for you. I promise.” He spent a minute adjusting the snugness and moved the collar around on Nick‟s neck until satisfied. “How‟s that feel? Comfortable?” “I guess.” “It doesn‟t look so bad. It‟s thinner, simple, sort of sexy.” There was no way Nick could stop the scowl and glare. Todd laughed, coughing to cover it. “Well, I guess not nearly as much as the one I gave you.” They spent the rest of the afternoon going over the files provided by Clarke, learning their roles and finally eating the lunch Todd had retrieved earlier. As soon as the train arrived at the station, he and Todd left, and true to his word, Todd had a private room for them. After a long shower together, they had food delivered in, then curled together on the soft bed and slept until it was time to re-board, the trip continuing.
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TODD sat staring out the window as the train pulled into the final stop for him and Nick. Well, now it was him and Nick, an older man of maybe sixty by the name of Jeremy, a middle-aged woman named Pam, and a girl about Nick‟s age whose name he thought was Karen, but he couldn‟t quite be sure since she‟d barely spoken above a whisper. With practiced skill and a long-ago-established habit, Todd scanned the area immediately surrounding the station, picking out a few locations in case he needed them later. Never could be too prepared. His heart bled for these people, though the woman, Pam, seemed far less affected than the other two. Todd got the feeling she and her owner didn‟t have any sort of relationship beyond ownerslave, and the hint of scars and old bruises led him to think Pam had come here from a more abusive life. Unlike the other two, her owner‟s sudden death was a reprieve and a chance at starting fresh and new. She might have been flirting with Todd—he wasn‟t paying much attention—but the grouchy looks Nick kept giving her tipped him off. Mostly he ignored Nick‟s bouts of jealousy when they occurred. He‟d long ago decided that would be something that never completely went away, his young mate‟s ingrained insecurity and fear of being replaced by another lover in Todd‟s life. Now Todd was resigned to the fact the best he could hope for was what he‟d fought long and hard for and accomplished. Those times were now very few and far between. Todd couldn‟t help wondering, was that what had happened to Pam? Her owner relegated her from a position of some sort of partner to one of simple slave in favor of someone new? Todd‟s stomach churned as he imagined Nick living his whole life with Todd, being cared for and protected, sheltered, only to be handed over to the state sanctuary as an older man, like Jeremy. Thankfully they arrived at the Chancellor‟s Estate later on the same day that the others boarded the train, so he and Nick had been able to share Todd‟s compartment until the other slaves arrived early that morning.
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The too-wide, too-bright-eyed look Nick gave him when they met the other slaves had Todd herding the group of them to the dining car. No one complained when they took a booth and had coffee and some pastries and hung out there before having a long lunch. Then he found a place near the transport car where they could all sit. By the time the train was slowing as the station approached, Todd was quite proud of himself, having kept the entire lot of them out of the tiny compartments reserved for the unowned slaves. A woman from the Estate sanctuary met them, as did Todd‟s— or rather, Tyler‟s—new boss. Nick hung back with him while the woman, whose name Todd didn‟t catch, got the other three settled in a wagon with the few belongings they‟d brought. She seemed kind and efficient, yet Todd couldn‟t help his alternating feelings of panic and protectiveness at the thought of turning Nick, his Nicky, over to some stranger, no matter how sincere and professional she appeared. The reality of the situation—that he wouldn‟t see his young mate until the following evening, wouldn‟t be permitted to speak to him or know he was safe and well for almost a day and a half—hit Todd hard between the eyes. As Nick waited his turn, his gaze shifted to Todd, and he hung back. The wild-rabbit expression Nick wore nearly broke Todd, making him want to grab Nick and take off. Pulling in a few deep breaths, Todd shoved away the thought rampaging through his head: separated. He and Nick would be separated, apart. Putting a hand on Nick‟s shoulder, squeezing lightly, Todd said in a low voice, “Go on, it‟ll be okay. Just a day.” He got a look from Nick that clearly read he questioned who Todd was trying to convince, himself or Nick. Another gentle squeeze and a slight nod, and Todd released him, watching as Nick shuffled to the wagon and climbed in, but not before turning to look at Todd over his shoulder for a few seconds before his head and gaze dropped, and his shoulders slumped. A pit opened inside Todd and widened with the distance put between him and that wagon. “McCabe.” A voice behind him demanded his attention. It wasn‟t a shout, or even loud, but a voice that certainly required immediate notice.
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Todd turned to find himself face to face with a man nearly half a foot shorter than he was. Large, round wire-rimmed glasses perched on a blunt nose. Thinning, very fair hair covered a shiny scalp. He was a slight man, certainly not someone Todd would imagine as one of the commanding officers of Estate security. “Yes, sir. Mr. Witze?” “Larry.” He stuck one hand out in front of Todd, firm grasp and a hearty shake. Todd was smiling at him in no time; he instantly liked this man. “Those your bags, son?” “Huh, yea—yes.” Scooping his and Nick‟s bags off the depot floor, Todd nodded curtly, dragging his gaze from the receding wagon to the bags and back to the road again. Witze clapped Todd‟s shoulder with a harder grip than his handshake had been. “I can see I‟ll have to give you the speech right off. Normally I don‟t have to do that for at least a few months.” Head dipping toward the wagon, Witze asked, “They give you any trouble?” “No. Hell no. They were all fine, great.” Chin jerking this time to a waiting carriage, Witze looked Todd up and down with such scrutiny he had to resist the urge to make sure all his clothes were where they were supposed to be and properly zipped and buttoned up. “You got attached to that tall kid.” There wasn‟t even a hint of question, and Todd swore to himself. Making a mistake like that, allowing his emotions to show through, was inexcusable and nothing short of a rookie move. He was better than that and knew it. “He got on the train, up north, the same day as I did and seemed really lonely, needed looking after.” He put his best sympathizing expression on his face and hoped this guy would buy it. “I couldn‟t leave him all alone in those rooms they use for transport; it didn‟t sit right with me. Poor kid looked so lost.” Climbing into the carriage, taking Todd‟s bags from him, and loading them under the seat, Witze settled on one seat, Todd on the one opposite him. At once he missed the normally ever-present warmth of Nick‟s body when they rode anywhere by carriage. His brain jumped to how sometimes Nick would lean against his side,
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fingers moving lightly over Todd‟s thigh, or sit on the carriage floor and press his shoulders between Todd‟s legs, cheek rubbing against his knee. An approving smile spread over Witze‟s face. “I have to say, I seriously questioned the wisdom of putting someone as young as you into this job, but you‟re not like the other kids in your age group that come here. You‟re more settled, a grown-up. I like that.” “I‟ve been pretty much on my own since I was about twelve. My dad was off working a lot. I had to take care of myself for weeks at a time sometimes.” Todd didn‟t add he‟d been a full-fledged independent sentry by the time he was sixteen. The youngest ever, as far as he knew. Nodding, Witze rubbed at his chin. “That explains a lot. You‟ve been hired as my second-in-command of the orphan sanctuary and I think we‟ll get along just fine. Let me explain a few things. My job is to make sure the slaves are safe and treated well, in some cases retrained to prepare them for being re-homed. I expect my rules to be adhered to and followed to the letter.” “Yes, sir.” Something inside Todd warmed and unclenched. The man‟s tone and sharp gaze on Todd told him that Witze took his job very seriously and put the well-being of his charges first. That offered a small amount of comfort to Todd about how Nick‟s life would be while they were here. “The purpose of the sanctuary is to find these slaves new homes and new owners. This is completely different from the villages that test and train them according to aptitude and customer need, then sell them. These are all adults; they‟ve lived in different situations and had different levels of freedom. They need to be taken back to square one and act formally.” “I understand,” Todd said when Witze paused, obviously waiting for some response from him. “So, they are given a list of rules and expectations, mostly the basics. No sitting on furniture, no eye contact, no speaking unless spoken to, following orders immediately and without question, you
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get the idea. They‟re given time to adjust, of course, and it‟s only repeat offenses that are really punished.” Todd couldn‟t help the inward wince; all the things he‟d worked so hard to convince Nick not to do, all the habits he‟d actively tried to break Nick of. Still, he had faith in Nick. His skills and confidence had grown by leaps and bounds in the time since their trip through West Caldera, and Nick was far better prepared to blend in. He would adjust for the short term. “What sort of punishment is there?” “These people have been traumatized enough—many are in mourning—we don‟t want to compound that, we want them to work through it and continue with their lives. They lose privileges, among those the right to interact with Estate employees, attend functions, and attend to their duties. We don‟t ever beat them, though on occasion I have allowed the withholding of meals, but unlike the villages, these slaves are fed three times a day. In some cases we have small seclusion cells behind the main dorms they spend twenty-four hours in. The goal is to make them resalable, not break them. I won‟t tolerate abuse of any kind. The orphans are given instructions right from the beginning that any kind of abuse is to be reported directly to me. If any of them ever requests a meeting with me, it‟s granted, no questions asked.” “Good.” Todd relaxed back against his seat. “All employees are encouraged to interact with the slaves, and after your deployment here, if you chose to take a slave, we‟re very helpful in making all necessary arrangements. There‟s an unwritten rule around here that if one person takes an interest in a slave, the others stay clear. Just remember, those slaves are people; they have feelings, and they‟ve been hurt in one of the worst possible ways, if you ask me. Fifty dollars‟ filing fee and ten minutes‟ worth of time for some paperwork, but people are assholes and never get what happens to their slaves if they don‟t leave them to someone. So, here they are, left out in the cold, so to speak, abandoned by the one person who they trusted their lives with. “You‟re permitted to go in, spend time with them, make friends, but do make them follow the formal rules. How you treat one in the privacy of your quarters, what rules you want followed, is your
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business as long as there‟s no abuse, just as long as they behave appropriately in public. Some of them are very fragile, and under no circumstances do you ever let one think they‟ll go with you when you leave if that‟s not the case. Am I clearly understood, McCabe?” “Crystal clear, sir.” “You‟ve obviously taken a liking to that boy, and when neither of you are on duty, feel free to spend as much time with him as you want, but do not lie to him. You do not screw him because you can and let him think he‟s got a home with you when you leave if that‟s not the case. If you do, you will answer to me. Trust me when I say, that‟s not what you want to have to do.” Todd didn‟t doubt that for a second.
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Chapter Four
WITHIN minutes of entering the orphan sanctuary, Nick realized this was an entirely different world from that of the village he‟d grown up in and Todd had taken him from. He and Todd had been bound as children, neither really having a choice in the matter. The people here weren‟t bound to anyone, not anymore. No one was forced into any sort of life. The dorms were bright, cheerful, and comfortable. There was a central common lounge area for socializing, and from what Nick saw, the socializing was heavily encouraged. A small kitchen took up one end. There were couches, tables, and chairs. Games of chess and backgammon and decks of cards were strewn over the tables. His room was down the hall from the lounge. On the bed was a packet with large black letters across the front stating “WELCOME PACKET.” There were the state-issued clothes he was to wear next to them, along with a small basket containing personal hygiene items. Taking the packet, he tore it open and extracted the items: a booklet detailing what was expected and his job assignment, which he already knew was tutoring some of the employee children living here, a list of rules, and a note from the security head of the sanctuary informing him that any type of abuse or neglect was to be reported directly to that man. He changed from his traveling clothes and put on the loosefitting pants and wraparound tunic, tying the sash at his waist. No shoes. The climate was warm, so it wasn‟t a big deal, but Nick realized there were enough orphan slaves who tried taking off to warrant this measure of control over them. Wandering to the long,
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vertical window in the wall opposite the bed, Nick pulled back plain tan curtains and looked out. The sanctuary itself looked like a park. It was all green grass, trees, a pond with ducks, flower and vegetable gardens. The only clue it was a slave compound was the high wire fencing, double gate, and moat around the property. There was a bridge near the gate leading to the employee compound Todd‟s quarters were in. That land was higher, so there were stairs from the end of the bridge on the sanctuary side. The bridge opened to a gravel road leading to the main garden and circular drive around the security offices and employee quarters. Off to the right, tucked discreetly into a corner of the compound, were four tall, narrow buildings that at first Nick thought were some kind of outhouse. Squinting closer, he realized they had padlocks on the outer doors, and sliding, shuttered windows. Each structure was probably six by six feet square and seven or eight feet tall. A quick rifle through the rules brochure, and Nick knew those were punishment shacks for anyone repeatedly breaking the rules. Turning away, Nick sat on the bed and looked through the rest of the packet. A map of the compound, ID badge, and a schedule of various Estate events, each marked to indicate if he was permitted or not permitted to attend. A few indicated all slaves were required to attend. There was one such event the next evening, a cotillion welcoming the new employees. The slaves were expected to work as servers while meeting some of the employees. Nick remembered Clarke telling him and Todd about that; it would be the first time since coming here he‟d be able to see Todd. After that Todd would be permitted to take Nick from the dorms to his own quarters. It seemed like a hundred years away. He wandered back to the window and gazed out at the buildings on the other side of the bridge. His master was in there somewhere. Nick wished he could see him even for a few seconds. It didn‟t matter if Todd wouldn‟t know he was looking and they couldn‟t talk. Scratching absently at the brand hidden by his tunic, Nick turned away from the window and let the curtain drop back into place.
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A bell sounded, announcing it was dinnertime, and Nick was hungry. Besides, he needed to walk the grounds, learn where things were and find hiding places should he or Todd need one. He‟d have free run of all the common areas of the sanctuary; only the slaves‟ individual rooms were non-common areas. The dining area and attached main kitchen were in a separate building. There were large solar panels, and the slanted roof was lined with sun windows, no doubt giving it a bright, cheery glow when the sun was out. Now, however, there were dark purple clouds rolling in, and the air had the tang of an impending storm. Nick stood in line and was surprised by the choices of food offered. His stomach growled. He couldn‟t get his plate filled fast enough. Finding an out-of-the-way corner mat, Nick settled cross-legged and listened in on the chatter around him while he ate. There was talk of impending war with West Caldera from one group. Another discussed the Chancellor and how he would be visiting the slave sanctuary in the morning, something he‟d only started doing a month or so ago. Nick stored that bit of information away. A few others were deep in a debate over the use of slaves in a war, particularly ones they referred to as being “special” or having exceptional aptitudes and talents. People here were not purchased for some skill or aptitude, as they were from the villages. These slaves were encouraged to develop relationships with the employees, and each other. Nick remembered the doctor who‟d helped Todd treat his brands those first early days, Dr. Oberon. He owned two slaves, both from an orphan sanctuary. They‟d come to him together, a mated pair. Slave couples here, he learned, were rarely split up when sold. Nick wondered if Oberon and others like him who bought slave couples got some sort of discount. Some of the slaves had obviously been here awhile, at least long enough to make friends, and sat in groups. There were those that hung back, kept to themselves, and the others seemed to respect that. At least Nick wouldn‟t have to be fending off unwanted attention from the terminally cheerful among them. He made mental note of the more outgoing, chatty people; those would be the first ones he‟d go to for information if he needed it.
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He looked at the generous slices of blueberry pie sitting on a table with some coffee urns and wondered if the coffee was as good as what he and Todd often bought and if Todd would get blueberry pie, his favorite, with his dinner. It turned out the pie was wonderful, the coffee at least drinkable. Distant rumbling and the clouds growing darker and darker made Nick decide it was time to head back to his room. A storm was coming, and he didn‟t want to be caught outside. Hugging himself, he hurried across the yard, happy when he reached his room. A streak of lightning flashed, brightening his room for a few seconds. Nick closed the curtains, but it really didn‟t do much good. He put the few items on his bed away and hung up the two extra sets of clothes provided for him. Another flash erupted, and his room was dowsed in bright bluish light, fading almost as soon as it was there. Nick started when thunder rumbled through the air outside. Crawling under the sheets on the bed, Nick clutched the pillow to his chest. He wormed two fingers of one hand under the leather bands around the wrist of his other arm, pressing them against the concealed brands there—Todd‟s initials, his marks, Nick‟s lifeline. Nick squeezed his eyes shut and tried blocking the everloudening cracks of thunder, growing in intensity and number. The sound of rain pelting the window did nothing to calm him. He lay curled in the bed, light on, trembling with every streak of lightning that crossed the sky, every sharp pop of thunder. By the time the storm passed, Nick was exhausted, but he didn‟t sleep very well. He tossed and turned, constantly reaching out for a man who was not there beside him. There were no muscled arms around him, no gentle caresses of his hair or light rubbing of his back. Todd wasn‟t dead—this wasn‟t like when they‟d been trapped in West Caldera—but the loneliness, the ache in Nick‟s chest, was just as powerful. Nick felt guilty. For him this was temporary; for the others here, it was real and neverending. The following morning, after barely any sleep, Nick was happy to see the coffee urns again. It wasn‟t the greatest coffee, but it gave him a healthy jolt of caffeine, so it had some value. The meeting with
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the Chancellor was at ten; then he‟d be introduced to the children he‟d care for and teach. Nick didn‟t have a clue what he‟d teach them. Mythology and weapons use? The social cotillion, and seeing Todd, wouldn‟t happen until early evening. It was the only thing Nick was able to focus on. The Chancellor arrived shortly before ten, when all the slaves were gathered in the sanctuary dining hall. Nick took the same out-ofthe-way corner he‟d taken for dinner the previous night. It gave him a good view of the entire room and everyone present. He could easily watch the Chancellor without drawing attention to himself. As soon as the crowd cleared and he had a good view of Chancellor Shaffer, Nick was relieved he‟d decided to hang back. One look at Shaffer, and Nick was thrown back to the first few weeks he‟d been with Todd and what he‟d learned was reality, not myth. He‟d managed to push away thoughts of the first time Todd had taken him to the sentry saloon across New Colorado City from their apartment. The odd man Nick saw there that wasn‟t a man, a human; he‟d known that right away. He‟d had no idea what it was, and Todd had never elaborated. The thing injured Todd, sliced his side with a knife. Nick still shuddered when he remembered the blood, the horrible, angry gash, the fear of losing Todd after merely a few days together and the confusion of not knowing exactly what it was Todd—and by extension, himself—did or why this thing in a man‟s suit was different or even existed. Nick had seen enough since then to have a better grip on his ability, but this was the first time he‟d seen anything so closely resembling that particular creature. Nick‟s reaction to Shaffer was immediate and surprising. As Shaffer neared the part of the room in which Nick sat in, Nick scooted back, hitting the wall. He felt a tingle run up and down his spine as it rubbed the smooth surface, blocking his escape. Nick was trapped, and his gaze flitted up when he heard a voice right next to him. Todd claimed one of Nick‟s most valuable gifts was his ability to make detailed observations and still remain in a formal slave position, eyes cast down, appearing as if the whole world was passing him by. That gift failed him this time.
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There was what appeared to others to be a man standing a foot or so from him. Nick saw more, much more. The face wobbled in and out of focus, a few seconds as Rod Shaffer and another few as something distorted and grotesque. A huge mouth without lips formed an O and barely covered row after row of small, sharp, pointed teeth. Eyes with lids that blinked sideways were high up on a long, narrow face with prominent cheeks. Its hands had five fingers, but that was where the similarity ended. They were long, with four joints, and ended with sharp, pointed nails that looked more like talons. Chancellor Shaffer cleared his throat and tapped one heel against the tile floor. The face morphed back to human and pulled into an oily, wide smile that Nick could only feel danger from, not warmth. That was when he realized he was looking directly into Shaffer‟s face, making eye contact. A shiver ran through Nick, and he dropped his gaze to the floor, cringing away and stammering out, “I‟m sorry, sir.” The woman who‟d met the train the day before hurried forward, stepping between Nick and Shaffer. “Sir, he hasn‟t been here twentyfour hours yet, just arrived yesterday evening.” Shaffer leaned down, stroked two fingers over Nick‟s hair, then along his cheek. Fear slammed through him, and something else coursed along his nerve endings, something unwanted from this creature. Heat slithered through his veins and pooled in his belly. This wasn‟t the same as when Todd touched him, but it wasn‟t completely different, either, except that from this thing, Nick hated it and loathed himself for letting the heat build. “What‟s your name, boy?” In a voice strangled and soft, Nick managed to whisper, “Nick, sir.” As quickly as it had ignited, the heat was gone when Shaffer‟s fingertips withdrew, leaving Nick cold and trembling. “Well, Nick, have you read your welcome packet?” Somehow when Shaffer said his name, it sounded vile and filthy, something to
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be ashamed of. Flicking one finger at the leather bands around Nick‟s wrists, Shaffer asked, “You belonged to a shaman?” “Yes, sir.” “I understand life, rules, were different for you there. Things have changed, so I suggest you read and reread the rules printed out for you until you get them right, boy. If not…”—Shaffer snickered— “well, you had better work on it.” “Yes, sir.” Chancellor Shaffer moved off, and Nick wilted in on himself. He pulled one knee up and let his forehead drop to it, barely breathing and trying to quiet his suddenly out-of-control body. The shaking hit him, and it took him a good ten minutes to get to his feet and retreat to his room. Fortunately no one seemed to notice—or maybe it was that they didn‟t care—how Nick was acting at that moment. A few hours later he was taken to meet the children he‟d care for and teach. Happily Nick discovered he was more of an assistant to people actually trained as teachers. The children were delightful and made him laugh. He was indeed to teach them mythology, history, some religion, things Nick had been well-educated in himself and knew inside and out. He loved learning, the research he did for the hunts he and Todd were assigned, and discovering what the world had been like in centuries past. Todd loved kids, and Nick always had the suspicion that if one of them were female, they‟d have children. Nick had never really seen the allure until now. He sat cross-legged in the middle of the classroom. The kids shoved the desks away and gathered in a circle around him, fascinated by what he told them—mere stories to them, but Nick knew different. Still, it made him feel good, and almost forget for a bit how much he missed Todd, to see their faces light up and hear excited questions. His fear from the initial meeting with Shaffer shoved to the background, Nick spent the majority of the afternoon in the school. The time flew by, which also made him happy. It seemed no time at all before he would be seeing Todd at the cotillion. After the cotillion any employee wishing to visit the slaves in the dorms was permitted
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to do so, as well as take them from the sanctuary to any other part of the Chancellor‟s Estate. Nick showered and shaved, deciding to wear the dark-green uniform. Todd particularly liked that color and often bought Nick clothes in dark greens and grays or browns. He had three uniforms, the other two being a lighter tan and olive khaki. He was glad the pants fit loosely, because just the thought that in a few hours he‟d be wrapped around his master, in his bed, tucked safely at his side made Nick‟s cock moisten and swell.
TODD felt like a teenager preparing for his first date, even though he never actually dated; he had been with others before Nick, and this was how that first time, knowing his father was taking him to a brothel, had felt. He was excited and nervous all at once. It felt like forever since he‟d seen Nick, and not only would he see him tonight, he‟d be able to touch, caress, hold his mate close, and feel him snuggle into sleep in Todd‟s arms. The night before had been nothing short of torture for Todd with his arms left empty and aching, the storm that had rolled through simply compounding how empty and alone he‟d felt in his bed. He‟d wanted nothing more than to go to the slave dorms and get to Nick, by force if necessary, soothe him and make sure he knew he was safe. Each thunderclap had squeezed Todd‟s heart mercilessly tight. If he didn‟t stop imagining Nick and how he felt nestled to him, Todd was going to end up spending the evening in the bathroom tending to his own very pressing needs and wants. As he shaved and dressed, excitement curled through him, making him smile at his reflection and hum. His dress uniform wasn‟t nearly as bad as he‟d imagined; in fact he looked pretty darn good in it, even if he was saying so himself. Straightening and tying his tie, Todd wondered what Nick would think of the suit. He‟d never seen Todd dressed like this, and he hoped his young mate liked the darkgray suit, crisp white shirt, and silky dark-emerald-green tie.
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He‟d spent a good part of the day filling out paperwork, getting a schedule, being shown around the Estate, and being fitted for his daily and dress uniform clothes. Since his ability to move around the Estate depended on him acting as an actual Estate security officer, not completing those duties, at least on the surface, would bring unwanted attention. He straightened the bed, sure Nick would rumple it in about thirty seconds anyway. The kid couldn‟t seem to stand a made bed and bounced around on them like a dog trying to get comfortable in straw. Satisfied the room was in order and he had everything stocked in it he wanted, that he and Nick would be comfortable for the night and not need to leave until morning, Todd left, locking the door securely behind him, and headed across the Estate to where the cotillion was held. When he arrived, he scanned the large room, searching out his mate. The slaves were working as servers, and Nick was among them. Moving toward the bar, Todd said hello to a few of the people he‟d met earlier in the day. Biting back a smile, Todd sipped his beer, gaze slipping to Nick every few minutes. His heart fluttered along with his stomach. The way Nick‟s eyes raked over him; the shocked expression on his face, quickly covered; the way Nick‟s breathing sped up for a few minutes; and the thick, slow swallow accompanied by the slight flush rising up Nick‟s neck, Todd knew. Nick liked the suit. Gripping his glass, he walked casually about the room. He wasn‟t supposed to really know Nick, so going right to him would have chanced blowing their cover. He did risk a smile and a wink, licking his lips. Everywhere he went he felt Nick‟s eyes on him. It was exhilarating, exciting, and incredibly frustrating. Nick was his. Todd wanted. He wanted so badly he could barely hold himself together. A few of the women coaxed him onto the dance floor. Todd enjoyed dancing, but Nick didn‟t know how, and until this moment Todd had never realized how much he‟d enjoyed dancing
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when he was younger and how much he missed it now. Nick, Todd decided, was going to learn to dance when they were done with this job. With every move he made, he managed to get himself closer and closer to Nick. He saw jealousy spark in Nick‟s eyes, which only served to fuel Todd‟s lust. The urge to take, to grab Nick and fulfill his want, expanded, filling his chest. He was about to excuse himself and quietly steer Nick out of the hall when Chancellor Shaffer, Clarke, and a few of the other higher members of government decided it was a good time to put in their appearance. Clarke did a fine job of not knowing either Todd or Nick. He did wander close to each in turn, offer a polite nod, and move on. The Chancellor, however, was another matter. He greeted the new employees, Todd included. When he shook Todd‟s hand, a rush of cold slammed through his gut, and the hair along the back of his neck bristled for a few seconds. It was when he crossed the space and deliberately confronted Nick that Todd learned the meaning of selfcontrol. Nick had been watching the Chancellor, gaze riveted to the man as he moved about, but it was more than that. Todd watched as the Chancellor leaned in, brushed his fingertips over Nick‟s cheek and said something to him. The color dropped from Nick‟s face, and he visibly tried to not cringe away. It was too much, the touch, the fear in Nick‟s face. Todd put his glass down and walked purposefully across the room. Nick was his mate. Todd was bound by love, by Nick‟s trust in Todd, and by ownership to protect him. It was plain to Todd: Nick was terrified of the Chancellor. Whether it was because he saw something in the man no one else could or because of something that had happened between getting off the train and now, Todd had no idea. He sure as hell was going to find out. When Nick‟s eyes flicked up and met his for barely a second, Todd read the warning they contained. He stood rock still, clenched fists shoved into his pockets, forcing himself to breathe evenly until the Chancellor moved away. Nick looked down, shuffled to the side, and turned away, gaze darting to the Chancellor every few seconds. Todd took up a position nearer to the table Nick worked behind.
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His blood ran hot. His lungs seemed to pull in sharp, heated air. “Can I get you something, sir?” Nick moved closer; eyes, smoldering and dark, met his for another mere second. Todd wanted. Nick was his. Todd desperately wanted what was his. “Are you all right?” He pushed the words from between his lips in a harsh, gravelly whisper. Todd watched out of the corner of his eye as Nick‟s shoulders and neck relaxed. His hands loosened from around the plate he held; he flipped a rag over his shoulder. Glancing up for a second from under his bangs, Nick offered him a quick, incredibly sweet smile and a soft voice. “I am now.” The sound tore at Todd‟s heart, ripped through him like a hot spear. Lust, desire, and an overwhelming need to protect surged up from deep in his chest. Wheeling away from the table, Todd wound his fingers around Nick‟s elbow. He nudged Nick away from the table and through the side door, hissing, “What did you see?” “I-I‟m not sure.” Nick didn‟t object or even stall, moving smoothly at Todd‟s side. Catching sight of a sign saying Coatroom, Todd reached around Nick and shoved the door open. “We‟ll talk about it later.” Kicking it closed, he locked it, grabbed Nick‟s shoulders, and shoved him against the wall in one smooth movement. Arms coming up and dropping on either side of his neck, Nick grinned and whispered, “Missed you.” “Crap, I missed you too.” Shoving both hands under Nick‟s tunic, he grazed his fingertips from Nick‟s hips to his nipples. Blood pounded in his ears at the feeling of Nick‟s flesh quivering and how his body shuddered. “This… off… now.” Todd‟s hand skimmed to Nick‟s shoulders, pushed outward, and pulled the tunic down. Sliding his tongue over Nick‟s chest brand, he breathed against his mate‟s skin, “When we‟re in my quarters, this… thing… comes off. You
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have a minute to get it off when the door is closed. You never wear it in there.” “Yes, master.” Nick‟s head fell back, offering Todd all the access he wanted. Todd wanted so very much. Growling low in his throat, Todd‟s teeth skimmed Nick‟s neck, pulling deep, wanton noises from Nick‟s throat. Hands winding around and gripping Nick‟s back hard, he pulled Nick flush against him. One hand moved up to Nick‟s hair, grasping a handful and yanking until his lips met Nick‟s, tongue shoving into his mouth, owning, claiming, sucking on Nick‟s tongue, then lips. Jamming his knee between Nick‟s legs and pressing up until Nick was panting and collapsing against him, Todd let go of him long enough to shove the pants from Nick‟s hips. “I said off.” “Todd… gimme a….” Nick hopped on one foot, trying to get the pants and underwear off; finally he simply grabbed a handful of the fabric and got his feet free, tossing the pants to the side a few seconds before Todd spun him around to face the wall. Hooking two fingers through the leather band around Nick‟s wrist, Todd shoved his hand over his head and pressed Nick between the wall and his chest. Catching Nick‟s other hand, he used the leather bands to hold his wrists in one hand, pinned to the wall, breathing in time with the heaving of Nick‟s chest. The sensation of Nick‟s heart hammering inside his chest drove Todd. He was rock hard, frantic with lust, and he wanted. Using one hand to tug his belt open and unzip his pants, Todd pulled his trousers down far enough he could get his cock free. He smeared the precum pooled in the slit over his cock, sucking in a deep, harsh breath. Kicking Nick‟s legs slightly farther apart, Todd pushed inside, inch by glorious inch, biting down on Nick‟s shoulder as his heat closed around Todd. Nick moaned, a deep noise that rumbled from his chest and reverberated against Todd, shoving his ass back against Todd‟s thighs. Pulling back, Todd snapped his hips forward, grunting, sweating, pulling out, and slamming back in. He angled to hit Nick‟s
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prostate. The panting, filthy noises Nick made drove Todd faster and faster, obliging Nick‟s pleas of harder, more. He ground into Nick, keeping him immobile against the wall, knowing how Nick‟s dick rubbing against unforgiving drywall gave him no relief. Arm around Nick, Todd held him as tightly as possible, hand sliding down to clamp around Nick‟s thigh, pressing them together. Licking across Nick‟s shoulders before biting down, he growled, “Mine.” Todd‟s entire body shuddered, and he fell apart, cumming hard, spurting hot and unrelentingly into Nick. Sliding one hand up Nick‟s long, trembling body, Todd curled his fingers around Nick‟s neck. Head falling back on Todd‟s shoulder, Nick moaned and shuddered. He pressed against Nick‟s windpipe with one hand; the other reached around and roughly grabbed Nick‟s cock. Pulling, tugging, twisting, Todd tightened his grip on Nick‟s neck, not stopping until Nick was gasping for breath, struggling to fill his lungs. “Cum,” Todd hissed out, letting go of Nick‟s neck and nearly losing his ability to stand when Nick clenched around him, entire body shaking, hot semen spilling in large spurts over Todd‟s hand. They stayed that way, Nick leaning against the wall and Todd pressed to his back for a few minutes, coming back to themselves. Todd pulled out, stepped away, and snatched the towel Nick had been carrying, wiping them both down. He tucked himself in and zipped his pants. Nick quietly pulled his clothes back on. Glancing up, eyes twinkling, he grinned at Todd. “I was hoping you‟d like this color.” “I have to stay until nine. I‟ll come to the dorms and get you after that.” Stepping up to him, Nick laid one hand on Todd‟s shoulder. “Todd?” “Go on. I‟ll be out in a minute.” He brushed away Nick‟s bangs and kissed his forehead lightly. “I‟ll be watching you. You‟ll be safe.” Nick smiled, sweet and tender. “I know. I‟ve always known that.” He slipped quietly out the door. At nine sharp, Todd left the cotillion and headed across the Estate nearly a full hour after Nick had left. Crossing the bridge, he
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hurried down the stairs to the slave dorms. The sky was clouding over, and in the distance there were rumblings of thunder. He wanted Nick back in his quarters, safe with him before the storm hit. Once inside the dorm, he stopped to get his bearings, wondering how to find Nick in here. Wandering through the common lounge, Todd was obviously causing a bit of a stir. Unlike at the cotillion, here the slaves were more open. Several greeted him warmly, asking if he‟d like a drink. One woman ran her gaze and then her hand down the hard line of muscle under Todd‟s suit jacket. He got a glimpse of Nick coming from a hallway, quirked an eyebrow, smiled, and stepped away from the woman. “I thought you‟d never get here.” Nick sort of growled the words, making the woman turn to him and step back from Todd. Charming smile all over his face, Todd cocked his head to one side. “Thanks for the offer, but I think my card is full.” He reached beyond the woman and took Nick‟s hand, urging him closer. Nick suddenly ducked his head, blushed, and huffed a breath, which did nothing but make Todd‟s heart pound faster. Nodding to the group, he said, “Good night,” pleasantly, and left, Nick in tow. As they walked, the wind was picking up, and the sky went from deep blue mottled with fluffy gray to an angry purple. Nick pressed to Todd‟s side as they hurried across the bridge. When he started shivering, Todd dropped one arm over his shoulders and tugged him in closer, whispering, “S‟okay, Nicky.” Once inside the employee building, Todd led the way to his quarters. The scrape of Nick‟s teeth against his neck and the way Nick‟s warm tongue dragged across his jaw made Todd fumble with the lock to his door. They more tumbled into the room than entered it. Nick stepped back a few paces and began stripping off his clothes. Todd inhaled short, quick breaths and watched appreciatively as Nick‟s cock lengthened, swelling dark and moist to curve up and along his belly. Dropping to his knees, Nick inched over the thick carpet until he was right in front of Todd, gazing up. Laying both hands flat on
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Todd‟s hips either side of his engorged cock, Nick rubbed up and down a few times before nuzzling his cheek against Todd‟s thigh. A deep, needy moan escaped Todd as he twined his fingers in Nick‟s silky hair. Nick‟s fingers worked lightly under the hem of Todd‟s trousers, massaging his leg. Head dipping to the couch along one wall, Nick glanced up hesitantly. “Please, sit there, it‟ll be easier.” Todd couldn‟t do much more than nod stupidly and back up to the couch, transfixed by the sight of Nick crawling beside him. Kneeling in the V of Todd‟s legs, Nick pulled one of Todd‟s feet onto his thigh and removed his shoe and sock. He bent down to drop light kisses along the top of Todd‟s foot before kneading the ball and arch with both hands. A minute later Nick repeated the action on Todd‟s other foot. Stroking through Nick‟s hair, he was simply satisfied for now with watching his young mate and enjoying the way muscle moved beneath enticing skin. From their very first meeting, Todd had known how Nick loved—craved, even—being held and caressed. He‟d also come to learn that the higher Nick‟s stress level, the more he sought out Todd‟s touches. Nick‟s hands skimmed over him. He pressed openmouthed kisses against Todd‟s clothes and smiled with delight when Todd‟s body arched into his hands. Slithering up the length of Todd‟s body until he was flush against Todd, waist to Todd‟s groin, chest to Todd‟s belly, Nick stretched and licked Todd‟s neck, planting soft, submissive nips where his tongue had moistened seconds ago. His hand rubbed circles on Todd‟s stomach. Every few seconds he‟d look up dutifully, offering a shy, sweet smile with those dimples Todd loved. “Nick.” Todd managed a rough whisper, tugging lightly on Nick‟s hair so he could look at Nick‟s face. “Earlier, I‟m sorry… I missed you so much…. I was out of line and—” “I liked it.” The words tumbled out of Nick‟s mouth, and he flushed pink. “Don‟t apologize, nothing to apologize for.” Todd blinked at Nick a few times. It took his befuddled mind several seconds to catch up.
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Nick settled beside him on the couch, legs slung over Todd‟s left thigh. Leaning close, he swirled his tongue over the shell of Todd‟s ear. “When you get like that, take what‟s yours,”—Nick‟s tongue slithered under Todd‟s ear and brushed his jaw—“it makes me feel loved, protected, owned.” Nick‟s teeth grazed the line of Todd‟s jaw. “It‟s so comforting to know you know what we both need and want.” Nick inhaled sharply, then excited Todd all that much more with a more forceful nip that he licked over using his entire tongue. “I‟m not made of glass, Todd. Sometimes you treat me like I‟ll break. I won‟t, not ever, not with you.” “You liked it?” Well, didn‟t he just sound intelligent? Nick nodded, looking wide-eyed. His smile turned from sweet to sultry when Todd rumbled low in his throat and turned his lips up in a predatory grin. “I like when you take, when you make me do what you want, what we both want, mark me as yours over and over.” Before Nick had the chance to react further, Todd slid one arm around his waist and flipped him over Todd‟s knees, cracking his hand on Nick‟s ass a few times, anticipation building when his handprint bloomed over Nick‟s flesh. “Like that?” Nick‟s grunts turned to soft moans when his body lurched forward a few inches with each strike. He puffed out a breathless “Yes.” Twisting around to see his own butt, Nick turned back to Todd, met his gaze for a minute before dropping his lips and kissing along Todd‟s leg, panting against the fabric. “And I like the inbetween, hot and tender all at once.” Fingers gripping Nick‟s arms, Todd pulled him up and between his legs. One hand sliding around Nick‟s waist and across his shoulders, he pressed Nick close, breathing warm air over his face and down his neck. “Like this?” Nick nodded, turning to Todd. Todd‟s hand moved up, tangling in Nick‟s hair before dropping again to Nick‟s face, cupping it. Leaning in, he licked his tongue over Nick‟s lips, the tip of his own tongue just barely slipping through.
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Tilting back, breath ghosting over Nick‟s face, Todd murmured, “Nick, I‟m just not good at words… with—” Nick chased his mouth. “Yes, you are.” Todd pulled Nick back in, arms wrapped tight around him, tongue slipping between Nick‟s soft lips, exploring, tasting, caressing Nick‟s tongue and alternately nipping and sucking. Backing off for a breath, he exhaled, “You seem to think you‟re the only one in this relationship who is owned.” Moaning into his mouth, Nick‟s hips rocked steadily against Todd‟s leg. A bite to Nick‟s lower lip, pulling it between his teeth. Todd landed another sharp crack to Nick‟s ass. “Bed… now, boy.” Grinning brightly, Nick slid off Todd and sprinted across the room, cannonballing onto the bed with a laugh. Stripping his clothes off as he crossed the room, Todd chuckled, lengthened his stride, and, flinging himself the last few feet, tackled Nick and pinned him to the bed. Rearing up onto his knees, one hand around Nick‟s waist, Todd yanked Nick up with him, pressing their mouths together. Nick‟s fingers dug into the flesh along the back of his shoulders. Shifting his weight, Todd eased Nick onto his back, hands on either side of his neck, hovering over him, drinking in the sight of him, brown strands of hair fanned out around his face, muscles ripped, sleek skin covered with a fine sheen of sweat. Everything about this young man ignited Todd from deep inside. Caressing with fingers and tongue, bodies moving together, bucking and twisting against each other, Todd took Nick to the edge, eased him back, took him there again and again before adding a generous amount of lube and sliding them together, taking his mate. They cleaned quickly with a towel Todd grabbed from the bathroom before winding together as Todd pulled the sheets over them. There was a remnant of the storm, distant rumbling of thunder that Todd saw Nick was just now noticing. Todd was quite proud of himself, having so well occupied Nick during the worst part of the wind and thunder. Tucked against his side, Nick wiggled around, pillowing his head on Todd‟s chest and sighing as he finally settled comfortably into Todd‟s arms.
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Sleep tugged at Todd. He was exhausted, and only in part because he‟d had so little sleep the night before. Fingertip twirling over the hills and valleys of muscle on Todd‟s chest and abs, Nick whispered, “Hey, Todd?” “Hmm?” Todd reminded himself for the zillionth time Nick was young and energetic. “Think they‟ll let you keep the suit?” Rubbing Nick‟s head, Todd laughed and squeezed him close and tight. “I love you.” “Well, yeah. I love you too.” Nick kissed Todd‟s nipple. “So think they will?”
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Chapter Five
TODD rolled out of bed a few minutes after Nick had slipped off to the shower. He hung up his clothes from the previous night and folded Nick‟s neatly on a chair near the bed. He pulled a clean pair of underwear and jogging pants on and headed into the kitchenette. Humming happily, he put on some coffee and made them a simple breakfast of toast and jam. They‟d eat a proper meal later, but it was dangerous being seen together in either the employee or the slave dining hall when they weren‟t supposed to know each other very well, so their meals would be separate for now, other than what Todd could fix over the cook top in his quarters. Nick wandered from the shower a few minutes later, stopped in the middle of the room, and sniffed the air like a gundog on a trail. “Something wrong?” Todd asked casually. Shaking his head, wet droplets taking flight off the ends of damp bangs, Nick said, “Nuh-uh.” He twisted his torso to look all around, leaning back a bit and eyeing the kitchen. Swinging onto one of the tall chairs in the breakfast nook, Todd sipped his coffee and asked, “Did you lose something?” “No.” Nick sat in the opposite chair and leaned forward to look into Todd‟s cup. “I made some toast.” Smiling, Todd slid the plate resting in the middle of the table at Nick. “You going to put some clothes on? Because we have work to do on our case and that sure as hell won‟t happen with you parading around here naked.”
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Nick blinked at him, grinned, and shrugged. “Maybe. You did say I had to take my clothes off in your quarters. I sort of like being naked.” He pointed at Todd‟s mug. “What‟s in there?” “Buddy, the coffee here….” Todd grinned when Nick‟s mouth dropped open. He and Nick said together, “Sucks!” Laughing, Todd waved at the small coffeepot in the kitchenette. “I came prepared.” Nick nearly wasted the table and chair in his efforts to get to that coffeepot. “I bought you some cream too, in that little icebox.” Beaming, Nick poured his coffee, fished out the cream, and stood with his nose over the mug, inhaling deeply and smiling. “Do you want me to step out so you can be alone with that, ‟cause, kid, I think you‟re getting a hard-on.” “Am not!” Todd leaned to one side and made a point of looking at Nick‟s groin. “Am too.” Striding back to the table and setting the mug down, Nick wound his arms Todd‟s neck, and his lips left wet, sloppy kisses along Todd‟s cheeks. “You are the best master and mate that ever lived.” Pulling his head to the side far enough to look at Nick, Todd nodded. “Yes, I am.” Nick snickered and slid back into his chair, sipping his coffee. “Really, Nick, you need to at least put some workout pants on, ‟cause you spill that and… hummfffpptt… I‟m not going to be responsible.” He nodded to the small closet and chest of drawers. “Some of your clothes are in there.” “Okay.” Slurping up another mouthful of coffee, Nick crossed the room and found a pair of the soft woven pants he liked so well, pulling them on as he walked back across the room. “Tonight and tomorrow night, if we‟re here, they have me scheduled until midnight.” When Nick‟s face fell, he quickly added, “But I‟ll come get you as soon as I can.”
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“Okay.” Nick pulled a slice of toast to his mouth, chewed on it thoughtfully. “Do you remember when I first came to live with you, the first time we went to the sentry saloon?” “Of course. You saw something there. Nick, what did you see yesterday?” “I think some sort of creature. Not the exact same as the one I saw that day, but similar. The Chancellor, he‟s not the Chancellor, not anymore. I‟m not even sure how to describe it, but what everyone else sees, it‟s not what‟s really there.” “Some sort of spell work?” “I don‟t think so. There was a blackness, but this time I could see a lot more of what it looked like. More details, not just a black hole. That‟s why I don‟t think it‟s the exact same type of creature… thing… whatever. I think this one is more along the lines of something that can take on different forms, at least for a bit.” Nodding, Todd frowned. “A shifter of some kind.” “There is more than one kind?” Nick had learned and experienced plenty of things in the last year and a half, but shape-shifters were not common, and he‟d only read about them. “Yeah, there are a couple of kinds. Basically they‟re the same, other than who they feed on and how. How they hunt. Do you think you can draw it?” Todd watched a shiver run through Nick as he nodded. “Yes. I also found out yesterday the Chancellor never used to visit the slave dorms when the new arrivals came in, but started doing that about a month ago.” “That‟s interesting. Fits into the pattern Clarke described too.” Standing, Todd moved to where he‟d left their duffels and extracted a small sketchpad and two notebooks. He handed Nick the sketchpad and a notebook. “There is a huge library here, one of the biggest in the protectorate, so we should have plenty of resources.”
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“There are books in the school I think I can look through, too, if we can‟t get to the library.” Nick flipped open the sketchpad and started drawing. “We won‟t be able to contact Clarke, but he can contact us, so be sure if he does you let him do it however he wants. We can‟t risk blowing his cover or ours.” Nick‟s gaze popped up, and for a few seconds Todd thought he saw something odd cross his young mate‟s face, apprehension, fear, maybe, some confusion, he couldn‟t be sure. It was fleeting but enough to make a hard, cold kernel settle in the pit of Todd‟s stomach. “Nick, is everything okay? No one has hurt you, have they? If they have, you need to tell me right away.” Nick shook his head. “No.” Todd sat silently for a few minutes, watching Nick finish the sketch that he handed over to Todd without a word once completed. “Nick.” “I‟d tell you, Todd, I would. Trust me, I would.” Todd swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck, taking a deep breath. He sat, quietly watching Nick. “Nicky, look at me.” Obediently Nick looked at him for a few seconds before his gaze flitted away. “Nick.” Pulling himself straighter, Nick‟s met Todd‟s gaze, silently acknowledging Todd‟s command. “I saw how you reacted when the Chancellor got close to you last night. Why the hell do you think I reacted the way I did? I saw your face. He didn‟t just alarm you or even scare you. He terrified you. Hell, I thought you were going to pass out. It wasn‟t simply because he was butt-ugly, either.” “He… yesterday, when he came to the sanctuary, he….” Nick‟s voice faltered and trailed off. Drawing in a few deep breaths, Nick licked his lips. Folding his hands on the table in front of him, he twisted his fingers together until his knuckles were white. “He touched me, and I f-felt something.” “Felt what? Touched you where, how?” What bothered Todd was how guilty Nick looked, as if this were his fault. Trying to quiet
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his trembling insides, he reached out and laid his hand on Nick‟s forearm, feeling fine tremors run through his mate. Todd forced his face neutral and his voice quiet. He wanted to rant and rave, but that wasn‟t going to help. Nick ran two shaking fingers over his hair and along his cheek. Pulling his lower lip between his teeth and biting down hard enough to make Todd suppress a wince, Nick looked at him, then dropped his gaze to the tabletop, swallowing hard. “I‟m sorry I wasn‟t there and that I didn‟t stop him.” Todd‟s throat felt odd and tight when he spoke. “It wasn‟t your fault. He knew about me, that I was supposedly owned by a shaman. Do you think he realized what I really am?” “No. I don‟t. If he did I don‟t think you and I‟d be sitting here having this conversation. Look, Nick, the guy in charge of the sanctuary, my „boss‟, he seems like a real good guy. If you have trouble and can‟t get to me, go to him and ask him to put you somewhere safe. Tell him you‟re being harassed. Everyone is under orders to let any slave in who claims any sort of abuse or harassment. He‟ll fire them if they don‟t.” “Okay.” Nick smiled softly and nodded. Todd looked down at the drawing Nick had given him, grimacing. He flicked the paper with one finger. “This thing is really ugly.” Nick merely nodded. “Okay.” Todd pushed up from the chair and began pacing, feeling how Nick‟s eyes tracked his movements. “I‟ll take you back to the sanctuary so you can get a real meal before you have to get to the school. I‟ll have time to hit the library before I have to check in. See what you can dig up in the school.” “All right.” Nick‟s voice was soft and silky. Todd loved how it flowed over him, igniting a fire and power deep within him he sometimes had absolutely no control over. Easing closer to the table, he stepped around to Nick‟s side, the overwhelming need to touch and hold washing over him like an
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invisible tidal wave. Hands sliding effortlessly under Nick‟s shoulders, Todd pulled him in. Nick was smooth, warm skin and liquid grace as he stood up, melting against Todd. One hand slipping down to wind around Nick‟s waist, Todd pressed the heel of his other against Nick‟s spine, moving up until his fingers found the soft, velvety strands of Nick‟s hair. He loved Nick‟s hair, loved twining his fingers in it and running his nose through, smoothing it down with his cheek. This time he let his fingers separate a bit and skim through until his hand cupped the back of Nick‟s head. Mostly he loved stroking Nick‟s hair while they made love and Nick moaned his name or as they fell asleep, Nick‟s breathing matching the easy rhythmic movements of Todd‟s caressing fingers, relaxing them both into slumber. Inhaling deeply, Todd nuzzled his cheek along Nick‟s for a minute before turning his head ever so slightly, lips ghosting over the skin along Nick‟s cheek, then jaw. Tightening his grip on Nick‟s middle, pressing them completely flush, Todd ran the tip of his tongue along Nick‟s lower and then upper lip, tracing their curves. Pressing ever so slightly against the corner of Nick‟s mouth, Todd let his tongue slide between Nick‟s lips. Moaning softly against Nick, Todd‟s tongue traveled a slow, leisurely path over Nick‟s teeth, the roof of his mouth, and up and down his tongue, sucking ever so gently. Nudging his thigh between Nick‟s legs, he pressed up with steady pressure until Nick was rocking slowly back and forth against the taut muscle of Todd‟s thigh. He leaned back, breaking their kiss for mere seconds, drew in a deep breath, and leaned Nick back over the table, mouth pressed to Nick‟s. The feeling of Nick‟s chest heaving harder and harder with every passing breath sent tendrils of excitement slithering through Todd to settle in his aching, throbbing cock. The hand in Nick‟s hair moved down, feeling how every muscle he touched quivered, every patch of skin twitched. Covering Nick‟s groin for a few beats, Todd began slowly, methodically rubbing his palm up and down Nick‟s cock, moving the material of his pants with his hand. The fleshy heel of his hand pressed firmly against the base of Nick‟s cock, Todd pulled it up and pushed down in a slow rhythm to match how his tongue circled Nick‟s.
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When he leaned away, breaking their kiss again, Nick wilted against him, forehead pressed to Todd‟s shoulder, panting and trembling. Hand leaving Nick‟s rock-hard, swollen cock, Todd fumbled with his pants long enough to get them down far enough that his cock was freed. “Stroke me.” His words were low, his voice thick. Nick licked his lips, barely nodded, and moved one shaking hand to settle between Todd‟s legs. Swiping one finger through the precum pearling and drizzling down Todd‟s cock, Nick skimmed the same finger along the crown rim, dipping under and then sliding over the already-too-sensitive head. Gulping, Nick worked his fist up and down, twisting with every stroke. The edge of his thumb grazed under the crown and along the ridge at every pull up. Todd pushed his hand between them, yanking Nick‟s pants down his hips. “Now you with your other hand.” Leaning Nick back far enough that his feet lifted a few inches off the floor, Todd widened his stance and wound one arm around Nick‟s shoulders, the other held firm around his waist. Nick‟s head dropped back, his jaw tilting up, long neck arching and exposed to Todd. Head dipping, Todd scraped his teeth the length of Nick‟s neck. Feeling his orgasm coil at the base of his spine and start to explode outward, Todd bit down on Nick‟s collarbone. Nick whined high in his throat, shivering and stroking them both. Being completely held up by Todd‟s arms and body sent him over the edge. Shuddering, Todd gasped out, “Nicky, cum.” Nick‟s strokes faltered. The heels of both feet dug into Todd‟s legs, and his entire body jerked, his head falling to the side, exposing even more of that long, delightful neck to Todd‟s mercy. He swiped his tongue up and down the length of Nick‟s neck, mouth lingering over his Adam‟s apple, sucking and nipping. Nick‟s mouth worked fruitlessly, nothing but low, needy grunts and moans slipped from his throat. Both hands kept working as thick, ropey white strands from them both bubbled over Nick‟s fists while he hissed out, “Toooddd.” Todd held him close until both their bodies stopped trembling and shaking. Pulling Nick to his feet, Todd rested his head against his mate‟s. “We‟d better get cleaned up and moving, huh?”
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Nick simply nodded. He was less than encouraging about the moving. Letting go, he moved his arms up and wrapped them around Todd‟s neck and shoulders, snuggling against Todd, body slick, breath quick against his skin. “You‟re going to be late,” Todd mumbled into Nick‟s neck. Arms tightening around him, Nick twisted so he was flush with Todd and slung one leg over Todd‟s. “Don‟ wanna have a real job,” he drawled and looked up at Todd from under disheveled bangs, eyes soft and lust-dark, body malleable and warm in Todd‟s arms. Smiling softly, Todd walked them backward to the bathroom. “No funny business, or we‟ll never get this job done.” Reaching around Nick, he started the water in the shower to heat up, then guided Nick inside. Leaning back against the wall, Todd felt loose and relaxed. There was a large sea sponge in the shower. Nick soaped it up and washed Todd using long, even strokes and firm pressure over his skin. Once he was clean, Nick turned the sponge on himself, looking every few seconds in Todd‟s direction. He knew Nick was making sure Todd was watching. Once they‟d cleaned up, Todd shut down the water and pulled his mate, skin slick with water, against him. “When we get back”—he kissed Nick‟s neck and skimmed his lips over Nick‟s jaw—“we‟ll pick up”—trailing soft nips in a line to the shell of Nick‟s ear, Todd sucked it into his mouth for a few beats—“right where we left off. Once we‟re here”—he pressed light kisses to Nick‟s forehead and cheeks—“get your clothes off, then mine, and get your ass in here.” Nick dipped his head, angling just so, rubbing his nose against Todd‟s and then pressing his mouth to Todd‟s. “Yes, master.” The words were soft and breathy; Todd was hungry and greedy, swallowing them before easing away from his mate. Lagging back as Nick left the shower, Todd pulled one hand back, then flung it forward to crack against Nick‟s ass, making him jump. Grinning, Todd smacked him a few more times, enjoying how Nick‟s skin pinked and flushed, how his breath caught in his chest, then sped up. Ruffling his hair on the way by, Todd tossed Nick‟s slave uniform to him before grabbing his own clothes and getting dressed for the day.
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Todd‟s heart nearly broke in two when they reached the slave sanctuary and Nick‟s light, playful mood turned to something more akin to depressed and sullen. Glancing up and down the hall, ensuring they were alone, Todd kissed Nick‟s forehead and pulled him into a hug. “Do you want me to wait while you change and take you to the dining hall or the school?” He leaned back and ran one hand through Nick‟s mostly dried hair a few times. Gaze shifting between Todd and the door to his dorm room, Todd saw Nick‟s inner battle on his face. Other than the few places Nick went alone on errands near their apartment, he was rarely far from Todd. A quick shake of his head and an unsure smile was what Todd got now. “No, I‟ll be okay. It‟s just for a few more days. And we have to play our parts, right?” “If that.” Todd snorted, hands running down Nick‟s arms. He squeezed his biceps and wondered who hated this more: him or Nick? One last squeeze of Nick‟s muscular arm and a swipe of his thumb over one of the veins webbing beneath Nick‟s smooth skin, and Todd winked, turned, and hurried down the hall before he changed his mind and dragged Nick from the Estate. He had a few hours to kill before his “shift” started, so he headed to the library, taking the many tightly packed steps three at a time. A smattering of charm laid on the woman behind the information desk—though it wasn‟t as much fun when Nick wasn‟t there to huff jealous breaths— and Todd was headed to the right section, up yet more flights of stairs. Who‟d have thought the library would provide such a great workout? After an hour of searching through books covered in enough dust he felt like he sneezed the entire time, Todd‟s research produced far more on this particular type of shape-shifter than he‟d expected. While shape-shifters themselves might not have been very common, lore on them was. This area of the continent was home to a very ancient and vicious type, and Todd suspected this was what he and Nick were dealing with. He scanned the articles and information: sexual predator; no preference for male or female; prefers young, athletic humans or those of great power of some kind; can feed off victim and assume its identity for many months.
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Todd sat back, rolled his shoulders, and rubbed his eyes. “Great. Just freaking great.” Tucking his notes away, Todd carefully replaced the old books and headed to the map section. What he found there disturbed him even further. The Estate, especially the slave sanctuary, had been built over a series of what appeared to be naturally occurring tunnels. In reality, Todd discovered they weren‟t natural but the product of most likely hundreds of years of digging done by the shape-shifter. He made a mental note to further investigate Witze‟s statements about slaves and abuse. Possibly what was going on was not what Witze thought. Another thing he‟d have to do today or tomorrow was get Nick out and walk him around to see if they were dealing with more than one shifter or just the Chancellor, which was going to put the two of them in the public eye together. Sighing, Todd massaged his shoulder. There was no way around it. Certain parts of the Estate accessible to Todd were not accessible to a slave without an escort. Hopefully it wouldn‟t cause much commotion or be noticed. Witze had already pegged Todd as being interested in Nick, and Todd had surely been seen entering and leaving the slave dorms. No one would think much of him with a slave, since that was encouraged at every turn. Tracing Nick back to him would be nearly impossible without Todd‟s real name, and if that got out, Todd knew who to go to, since only he, Nick, and Clarke knew his true identity. Todd was pretty damn sure neither he nor Nick would be giving up that information. Clarke, Todd was quite certain, had believed him when he said he‟d kill anyone who put Nick in jeopardy. Pausing at the entrance of the sanctuary security office, Todd made sure that his notes and map were tucked safely into a pocket. He walked through the building, casting a glance out the window at the sanctuary in hopes of seeing Nick, but no such luck. Nodding to a few of the other employees, he stopped in a common area for some coffee on his way to his office. It still made Todd take pause and nearly chuckle aloud: he had an office. He shook himself mentally, chasing away thoughts of what he could—and would—do to Nick on his desk given half the chance. “McCabe.”
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Todd remembered that was him, turned, and offered Larry Witze a courteous smile. “Afternoon, sir.” “How‟s your young friend?” Lifting his gaze from his coffee mug to face Witze completely, Todd put an amiable expression on his face. “He‟s good.” Nodding, Witze motioned for Todd to follow him as he headed toward his office, which was much larger than Todd‟s. His desk brought about even more thoughts of what he and Nick could do there. “He seems to be settling in well. Remind him he needs to follow the rules laid out to the letter, at least out in public.” “I will.” Todd thought it was an odd thing to say and smelled vaguely of a warning. “Was there a problem?” What hadn‟t Nick told him, or was it some minor thing Nick was completely unaware of, or just a general statement between colleagues? Witze closed the door and motioned Todd to a chair. He eased into it slowly, leaning forward and setting his coffee on the edge of the desk, noticing it was long enough that he bet Nick could stretch most of his body along its top. Settling in his own chair, Witze folded his hands on the desk. “Shamans—hell—most people who have a slave aren‟t very strict, especially the longer the slave is with them.” He shrugged. “Just the way he acts, particularly when he thinks no one is paying attention to him, which seems to be most the time. He was obviously used to being something more than a mere piece of property. It‟s harder for those slaves to fall back into acting formally, eyes down and so on. Makes me wish I could have five minutes alone and off the record with the asshole who‟d put a nice kid like that in this sort of situation.” Witze‟s final words were so filled with hate and venom, Todd flinched. He was the asshole who‟d put Nick in this position, though not in the way Witze thought. Todd couldn‟t find it in himself to have much malice toward the man. He obviously cared a great deal for his charges.
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Mind flicking back to the first days Nick was with him and how many times Todd had told Nick to look at him when they spoke, Todd sighed and nodded. “I‟ll remind him.” “Good.” Witze grinned, signaling that matter was resolved. He shoved a file across his desk, and Todd‟s mind imagined Nick‟s bare ass moving over the smooth, rich wood. “There‟s a young woman, a slave, who came in this morning, then decided she couldn‟t tell me what her complaint was. There is something going on, and for some reason I‟m not the guy she wants to tell. You‟re closer to her age, and you‟re probably more her….” His voice faltered and stopped. Raising his eyebrows, Todd asked, “More her what?” “Oh, for crap‟s sake, McCabe, don‟t be coy with me. I know you have to look in the mirror at least once a day to shave. You‟re a big, good-looking, strapping guy.” He waved one hand at Todd, then waved that same hand up and down himself. “And I‟m not. She‟d probably feel safer with you, and even though you like men, I think you can turn on some charm for the ladies when you want to. Your popularity the other night at the cotillion did not go unnoticed by my old eyes.” Todd coughed, pulling his fist in front of his mouth. Snatching his mug of coffee, he took a sip. “I think I understand, sir. Flex some muscle and smile.” “Exactly!” Witze‟s hand smacked the desktop, making Todd jump slightly. The sound reminded him of how his palm felt against Nick‟s ass. “And stop calling me sir, I‟m not that old. Larry, I‟m Larry, and you‟re—” “Tyler, si—Larry.” “Good. Now, Tyler, go solve a case for me and impress me.” Solving a case was what Todd was here to do, and something niggled at the back of his head, telling him this girl and his case were tied together. “I‟m on it. Where is she?” “Two doors down on the right.”
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Nodding, Todd stood, and mug in hand, he found his way to the small room the girl was in. He knocked softly and eased the door open, poking his head inside. “May I come in?” She was huddled in a ball in an armchair. There was a small cot, a table with two chairs, and the armchair she was in. “Yes, sir.” She spoke barely above a whisper. Sliding through the door, Todd closed it softly behind him. One thumb jerking over his shoulder, he said, “Do you want some coffee or something? I can get it for you. Or are you hungry?” “My master always said coffee was the devil‟s drink,” she mumbled. Even with her legs pulled into the chair, Todd could tell she was tall, probably just a few inches shorter than he was. She was older than Nick by a few years, closer to Todd‟s age, he guessed, with strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, plus a few stray strands she brushed away from her face with long fingers. Deep blue eyes watched him intently. Todd wrapped both hands protectively around his mug and glanced down at the liquid sloshing inside. “Pity. It‟s way too good to waste it on the devil.” She glanced up, the corners of her mouth twitching up ever so slightly. Todd set his mug on the table, slipped his jacket off, and hung it over the back of the nearest chair. “Do you want anything?” “No, sir, thank you. We have plenty of whatever we need in the dorms.” Sitting in the chair, Todd leaned his elbows on the table, patting one hand softly against its flat, shiny surface. “Will you come over here and talk to me? You don‟t have to tell me anything you don‟t want to, but you came here for a reason. I‟d like to hear about it.” Hesitantly she uncurled her legs and stood, making her way to the table. She sat in the chair opposite Todd‟s, hands folded on the table, eyes downcast. “My name is Tyler. What is yours?” “Nadia, sir.”
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“Nadia.” He repeated it and took a sip of his coffee. “That‟s a pretty name.” Scrambling around for something to say to this girl to draw her out and talk to him, Todd had a sudden flash of inspiration. “Can I share a secret with you, Nadia? Something between just you and me?” Nadia blinked at him for a minute before she nodded. “You, all the people like you, you‟re all here because you lost an owner.” Todd kept his voice low and soft. “Yes.” He huffed a soft, short laugh. “Well, I‟m sort of here for the same reason. I had a slave I lost.” He pressed his lips shut before adding once. “So, I guess I can say I really do understand how you feel.” “Did you love her?” Todd smiled. “Him, and yes, very much.” He saw disappointment flash through her eyes before they softened and it turned to sympathy. “Now, you have a secret from me.” He dipped his head forward and raised his eyebrows enough to offer her a prompt to tell him hers. “I came here…. Something happened to me a few nights ago, in the dorms. When I got here and tried to get the words out, it all sounded stupid and silly and like a whiny little girl.” “I promise I won‟t think that. Will you tell me, please?” “There‟s been stories, since before I came here, going back to when this place was built, about parts of the slave dorms being haunted. I thought they were just stories, something people entertained themselves with. The other night, it was late, and I was coming back alone. I was in the hall just down from my room. Something….” Nadia‟s voice cracked, and she broke off. Reaching over the table, Todd patted her arm. “Take your time.” “The last few months, things people have seen, or sometimes felt….” She shrugged. “I don‟t know, it seems like it‟s happening an awful lot.” Twisting her fingers together for a few minutes, she looked up at Todd and then away at once. “Something touched me.
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Grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me. I think it was a man. The little bit I saw, I thought maybe it was the Chancellor, but that‟s silly; why would he be in the slave dorms? The worst part was how he— it—tasted and what it did.” “Go on.” Todd prompted when she stopped. “His tongue, or something, I‟m not even sure, it was so bitter, and it made me feel….” “Made you feel how?” She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and shifted in the chair. “This is so stupid. Please don‟t laugh at me.” “No, of course I won‟t.” “I felt… I haven‟t felt like that since… since before…. It made me… I got so horny.” Todd sat back and blinked at her. This was certainly not what he‟d been expecting. “Horny, as in—?” “Yes! To the point I could barely control myself. But it wasn‟t enjoyable. I felt used. I hated it. Then whoever or whatever it was vanished.” His mind played connect-the-dots. Started a few months ago, sexual predator…. “Nadia, would you show me where this happened?” “You believe me?” Nodding, Todd stood up and pulled his jacket on. “I do, and that is definitely unwanted contact.” They left the security office and made their way across the large expanse of lawn and gardens to the slave dorms. Todd followed while Nadia led him to the hallway near her room. Nick‟s room, he noted, was on the same floor but at the opposite end of the building. “My room is right over there.” Todd glanced to his right and couldn‟t help smiling; she‟d painted small stencils on her door of bunnies in a nest. “Where were you, exactly, when it first happened?”
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Nadia spread her arms wide. “Right here. This spot.” He paced from one side of the narrow hall to the other, looking at the floor, the walls, the ceiling, scrutinizing every inch of the area. “What are you looking for?” Shrugging, Todd barked a short laugh. “When I see it, I‟ll tell you.” He ran the fingertips of one hand over the outer wall, squinted at it, and stepped a bit closer. “Like, what do you suppose this is?” Kneeling, he followed a line on the wall from ceiling to floor. Nadia rocked up on her toes and leaned over Todd‟s shoulder; he felt her shrug. “A crack in the wall?” “Pretty damn straight and even for a crack, don‟t you think?” Stepping first to the left, then the right, Todd ran his fingers the length of the wall, stopping a few feet from the line. Turning far enough to look at Nadia, he quirked an eyebrow and smirked. “A door?” “Let‟s find out.” Todd leaned both palms flat against the wall and pressed his weight against it, shifting to the left. Nothing. He repeated the process, shifting his weight to the right and nearly lost his footing when that section of wall gave way and slipped along a track and behind the next section of wall. “Oh… my!” Nadia gasped, reflecting Todd‟s sentiment perfectly. Holding the edge of the doorway with one hand, Todd swung his upper body inside, looking around. “That does about sum it up, doesn‟t it?” There was a narrow tunnel between the wall and the very outer wall of the building. In the floor, a section was cut away from the ground and dirt stairs led down, but it was too dark for Todd to see what was there. He‟d have to come back armed with better supplies and a weapon or two. Cranking his neck back, he looked up. “It looks like it goes down but not up. At least here there is no access to any floor but this one. If you want I can arrange for you to be moved to a room on the second or third floor.”
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Nadia spent a minute looking back and forth between the hidden tunnel and the door to her room. “That‟s been my room since I came here.” Straightening, Todd reached out and touched her shoulder. “It‟s not really fair, I know. Look, I promise, I‟m going to get whatever or whoever is doing this. I‟ll put some extra security people on duty here. I don‟t suppose these doors lock?” “Well, no.” He smiled. “If you change your mind, let me know. In the meantime, do you have to go to work? I can excuse you for the day if you‟d rather stay here.” He carefully slid the access door closed. “Actually I‟d rather go to work.” Taking Nadia‟s arm, Todd turned her away from the wall. “Our secret?” “Yes, sir.” “If there is anything else you remember or if something else happens, I want you to come to me. I‟ll help you, I swear.” They started walking to the dorm entrance. “Yes, sir.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you.” Todd walked her across the Estate to where she worked, then returned to his office in the sanctuary security building. He collected some supplies and checked his watch. He‟d have quite a few hours before he could get Nick, and traipsing around the tunnels at night didn‟t sit right with him. For a few hours, at least, Todd was back to hunting solo.
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Chapter Six
NICK tucked a few books under his arm and padded quietly down the main hall of the school. All the children had gone for the day; he had hours before Todd would be free and thought he could spend at least some of that time prowling through the school library. He‟d have to get permission to stay much longer. Stopping in the door to the main office, he waited quietly for the superintendent to finish what she was doing and look up at him. Gaze darting to the name on her desk long enough to make sure he would pronounce it correctly, Nick was relieved to see her name wasn‟t unusual. Asking for favors went much more easily when he didn‟t piss someone off mispronouncing their name. Hers was easy: Elaine Gimble. She looked like an Elaine Gimble, with her kind brown eyes that crinkled at the corners, and gray hair held back from her face with heart-shaped clips. Barely glancing up at him, she waved one hand in the direction of the middle of the room. “You don‟t have to stand in the hall. Come in, please. Nick, isn‟t it?” Taking a few steps into the room, Nick dropped to one knee, holding the books against his thigh. Even kneeling, Nick was probably still taller than she was. “Yes, ma‟am.” He felt naked and completely vulnerable in front of this woman. Todd usually dealt with these types of people, leaving Nick to take up the background, guard the flank, which he was more than happy to do. “Is there a problem? You came here for a reason, Nick; you can say what you‟d like.”
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Sneaking a peek at her from under his bangs, Nick saw she was smiling at him. “I wanted to find some more material for tomorrow‟s lessons, but the school is closing. May I spend some time in the library after hours?” One of the perks of being a slave and having to follow certain rules such as “eyes down” was that it made lying easier. He‟d dealt with angry spirits, demons, a werewolf, and countless other types most people thought were nothing more than myth or stories, but this tiny, round woman, like most people, scared the crap out of him. His fingers tightened around the books until they cramped. “You‟re doing a very good job, even after only a few days here. The children like you.” Nick‟s smile was genuine. “I like them.” “You may certainly spend as much time as you‟d like preparing lessons, but be sure you don‟t miss dinner. No going hungry for work in my school.” “Yes, ma‟am. Thank you. I‟ll watch the time.” Nick left, thinking about how much Todd would like this woman. The school was three buildings nestled close together and attached by covered walkways. The classroom Nick had been assigned to was in the same building as Elaine Gimble‟s office. The library was one building over and in the middle of the group. It took him a few minutes to get across the walkway and through the next building to the library on the upper floor. It was warmer up there, and the afternoon‟s humidity was on the rise, making his tunic stick to his back and chest, alerting Nick to the fact that more storms were on the way. A quick glance out the window, which took up the majority of the outer wall, confirmed Nick‟s suspicions. The sky to the west was already going from blue to a darker purple. Checking his watch made his heart sink. It was only five now; he had another seven or eight hours until he would be with Todd again. At least he could occupy some of that time by searching this library for information. A few trips up and down the many aisles, and Nick found plenty of resources to examine. Taking the books to a table, he carefully
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positioned himself so his back was to the window and the storm slowly rolling in. He became so engrossed in the articles he found and was reading, he didn‟t notice the time go by until he was squinting to see in the dimming light. The rumbling of his stomach prompted him to sit back and rub at his gritty eyes. Sighing, Nick started to gather his books to return them to the shelves. “Not missing dinner,” he said to the room. It was nearly seven, still too early to be as dark as it was outside. He hurried along, wanting to get back to the slave sanctuary before the storm hit. Books safely returned to their proper places, he went back to the table and gathered the notebook and few books he‟d brought with him. The sound of footsteps over the tile floor made him stop and straighten as he glanced around. The place was bathed in shadows, quiet, the air almost too still, making the fine hairs along the back of Nick‟s neck and arms rise, his skin prickling. Twisting around when he heard the definite click of a boot heel against the floor, Nick was met with nothing but rows and rows of bookshelves. This wasn‟t Todd messing with him. What little Nick heard made him sure Todd was not the one wearing that boot. “Hello?” His voice echoed for a second before dying in the large space. Thunder growled, getting closer, making him shiver. Shaking his head, Nick tossed off the odd feeling, grumbling under his breath. “Letting your imagination get to you. Definitely time to eat.” As hungry as he was, the thought of sitting alone in the slave dining hall was depressing. Being a constant at Todd‟s side for nearly two years, Nick had grown used to his company. Doing something as simple as eating seemed empty when he was by himself. He hated it and wondered how it was for the people here. For them it was a reality and forever; how did they cope from day to day? He felt pangs of guilt knowing he was simply playing a part. A soft sound slipped through the library and past Nick. He spun in a circle again. “Damn place is probably haunted.” Snatching his things off the table, Nick turned and headed to the stairs, stretching his legs to their full stride.
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He was nearly to the staircase when something dark and quick slid into his path. Drawing up short, Nick stumbled back a few steps. “I-I‟m sorry, sir, I didn‟t see—” “You should pay more attention. Here all alone?” Chancellor Shaffer moved so he blocked Nick‟s exit. Gaze flicking up for an instant, Nick swallowed the gasp when he got a look at the Chancellor‟s face. Again it shifted from human to something else. Shaffer shifted his weight back, brought one arm up, and the next thing Nick felt was the sting of the back of Shaffer‟s hand across his face. The blow jerked his head to the side and sent him tumbling off balance to the floor. Clamping his lips shut against the defiant snarl of “My master will kill you” that was pushing to spill out, Nick bit his lip and pulled his legs under him so he was kneeling, not sprawled over the floor. “You do have a problem with that, don‟t you, boy?” “You startled me. I‟m sorry.” Shaffer snorted, crossed his arms over his chest, and paced around so he was at Nick‟s back. Leaning in close, he spoke next to Nick‟s ear. It was all Nick could do to keep from jumping and flinching away from the hot, fetid breath and low voice. “You‟ll have to work on that, Nick.” Nick closed his eyes slowly and tried to suppress the shiver working down his spine. The fact that Shaffer—it—knew his name started his insides churning. A strong hand clamped around his neck and tugged. Obediently Nick stood, hands at sides, staring at the floor. He hadn‟t been struck since he was seventeen, not like that. Todd never hit him in that manner, and he‟d learned young how to avoid it from the tutors in his village. In the time he‟d been with Todd, probably 85 percent of his contact with another human was from Todd. Very occasionally Jimmy would give him a hug or a pat on the shoulder, but Nick was happy being off-limits to anyone but Todd. His master never pressed the issue or forced him into unwanted contact with others. Being backhanded by Shaffer unnerved and incensed him all at the same time.
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Far off in the distance, lightning streaked the sky, making its color intensify for a few brief seconds before settling back to deep purple. Shaffer gave him a shove, and Nick stumbled, coming to a hard stop face-first against a wall. A low, distant roar of thunder reverberated through the building and into Nick‟s chest, making every muscle clench. Shutting his eyes tight, Nick forced his mind to focus on the picture of Todd he thought up and hoped this creature that was Shaffer couldn‟t read minds. He felt more than heard Shaffer move in behind him. The creature trailed one pointed finger across Nick‟s shoulders, making him tense even more. Leaning in until his chest barely brushed Nick‟s back, Shaffer dipped his head and brushed his nose up Nick‟s neck and over his cheek, inhaling deeply. “I can smell your master, mistress, whichever it is on you.” Another deep inhale. “Ah, master, male, virile, his scent is as intoxicating as yours. You‟re no orphan. Why are you here?” Jerking in a sharp breath, Nick scrunched his eyelids tighter against the tears vying for freedom. “My master died.” Shaffer‟s laugh was low, hot air blown against the skin along the back of Nick‟s neck, just under his hair, making a few strands ruffle and then settle against his skin again. “Not yet. His scent is all over you, and it‟s fresh.” He pressed his body to Nick‟s, rubbing into Nick with a deep moan that was pure desire. A long, thick, pointed tongue darted out of Shaffer‟s mouth and slithered over Nick‟s jawline. “I can taste him on your skin, and my so much as mentioning him amplifies the scent you give off. It‟s quite delightful.” Nick tried turning his face away, but Shaffer‟s hand came up and clamped against his head, holding him in place. His other hand moved around and reached between Nick‟s legs, long, pointed finger stroking along the groove where hip met groin. Spikes of cold, raw fear shot through Nick, radiating out from his spine. “Not interested, boy?” Hand moving to Nick‟s inner thigh, Shaffer squeezed. “Please… don‟t…,” Nick half sobbed, half whispered.
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A finger trailed through his hair and scraped lightly over his scalp. “Never been with anyone but him, have you?” Nick shivered when its tongue crept down and under the top of Nick‟s tunic to slime over his shoulder, another luxurious inhale. “Hmmm… makes you taste so good, smell so good when you think of his hands, not mine, on you. Lucky me, I‟ve found a nice young bonded pair, twice the pleasure.” “My master… he died… left me….” Nick pushed the words out of a throat closing and tightening around itself. “Please… I don‟t want—” Shaffer chuckled, grabbed Nick‟s shoulder, and spun him around, slamming his back against the wall. “Oh, but I do.” His tongue moved farther under Nick‟s tunic, pushing the material away. When it skimmed over the brand, Shaffer pulled his head back, eyes narrowing. Hands fumbling at the other man‟s—creature’s—hips, Nick shoved against it. “Get away from me,” he grunted when Shaffer snapped his hips forward, pinning Nick even more tightly against the wall. Upper lip curling, Shaffer moved one hand to hook along the edge of the tunic and slowly moved it away and down Nick‟s shoulder. His tongue worked its way up to Nick‟s lips, tracing over them. When Nick tried turning away, his chin was grasped in an iron grip and held still. “Sentry,” Shaffer hissed. “This is more fun than I‟ve had in centuries. It‟s been too long since I‟ve gone against a sentry, hunted one. And now, lucky me, I have two here. Mated, bonded sentries.” Lightning flashed, still far off; fading nearly at the same time it erupted. He forced Nick‟s lips apart and thrust his tongue deep inside, slithering down Nick‟s throat, making him gag and choke, wanting to spit. Something oily and bitter dripped across his tongue and drizzled down his throat, immediately setting his stomach on fire. A deep, powerful burn raced through his veins, along his too-tight skin; nerve
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endings zinged and became over-sensitized. Nick‟s cock lengthened and swelled despite his disgust, fear, and sheer desire to escape. Shaffer pulled his tongue free. “That‟s more like it.” His hands roamed Nick‟s body, pressing and rubbing his groin, tracing the lines and grooves of his abs, pinching his nipples. Nick bit down on his lower lip, refusing to find any pleasure. From the very start, one of Todd‟s commands had been no sexual pleasure without Todd‟s permission. Nick had never broken that rule, not once. There was no way this vile beast was going to make Nick break that vow and betray his master in such a horrible way. Squirming, Nick tried again to break away. This time Shaffer backed up a few paces, leaving Nick shivering and twitching, barely able to keep his legs under him even with the wall for support. “A sentry to hunt. A mated sentry, a bonded pair, so rare, so sweet. Don‟t worry, boy, you‟ll give him up to me eventually. I‟ll sniff him out.” Shaffer leaned in, inhaled against the side of Nick‟s face, and then swiped his tongue along Nick‟s neck one final time before turning on his heel and stalking away. Sliding helplessly to the floor, Nick curled around and in on himself. His cock ached; his balls were heavy and painful. He wanted, needed release, every bit of him screamed for it, but he refused to let it happen. Gasping in deep breaths, Nick flinched when thunder cracked, loud enough to rattle the windows now. The room flashed bright for a few seconds, and a second peal of thunder bounded through the air. Shame fought with lust, finally winning out and softening Nick‟s cock. No one but Todd had ever touched him in such a way, aroused such sensations and feelings. Nick had never even entertained the thought that someone else could. Brushing away tears, he was so ashamed of what he‟d done, how his body had reacted. He stumbled to his feet. Thunder so loud he felt it in his feet made his body jerk, his heart hammer wildly. Nick ran down the stairs and out of the building, heading across the Estate to the sanctuary. He barely paid any attention to the looks
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he got, or how his feet sloshed through wet, muddy grass, the rain that whipped in his face and plastered his hair to his head. Sliding to the ground behind a tree when his stomach lurched and vaulted against his ribs, Nick dropped to his knees, retching onto the wet grass. Wiping the back of one hand across his mouth and shaking the last remnants of spit away, he stood on trembling legs and sprinted the rest of the way to the dorm. He stopped only when he was in his room, wedged between the wall and dresser, huddled on the floor, knees pulled up. Pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, Nick rocked back and forth, crying softly. What he wanted more than anything was to run to Todd, seek out the power and safety that was his master, his mate, his home. How could he do that, though, after failing Todd‟s trust and love in such a way? Feeling nothing but cast out, lost, and alone, Nick stayed there for hours until his tears ran dry. Once the storm passed, he was exhausted and sore. Crawling to the bed, he climbed in, shivering and wet even though it was hot and humid in the room. Sleep slipped to him and then marched away, leaving him tossing and turning, adrift in frightening dreams. He‟d grown so accustomed to Todd‟s warm, solid body beside him at night. The heaviness of his arms over Nick, the sound of his breathing and heartbeat in Nick‟s ears was what had lulled him to sleep for many months. No matter how he twisted and turned, tried curling around and hugging himself tight, Nick couldn‟t find real rest. He‟d never been so afraid in his life, and for the first time since Todd had taken him from the village, Nick had nowhere to turn, no strong, safe arms to nestle into. No home to run to.
THE last thing Todd wanted to have to do was go into that tunnel at night. It would be dark down there, he knew that, but from what he‟d read, the shifter—a kelbit, as it was called in literature—was more apt to return to its tunnels to feed or rest after sunset. Any investigating had to be done before nightfall.
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Wasting no time, Todd hurried back to the security building and to his quarters for a silver-edged knife he kept there. Next he went to the main part of the building where the offices and armory were housed. Collecting supplies he‟d need—a firearm, gas lantern, and some rope—he moved quickly down the hall. As he passed Witze‟s office, Todd hesitated. The man was a trained soldier, unlikely to completely freak out if faced with the kelbit, but Todd wasn‟t sure about taking someone untrained as a sentry in with him. Then again he‟d taken Nick, untrained, in with him that first hunt for an angry spirit. At the very least he decided he had to inform Witze of his discovery. Rapping knuckles against door, Todd waited until he heard Witze‟s voice granting him entry. Stepping inside, Todd shut the door behind him. “I‟ve found some sort of access to tunnels in the slave dorms. I‟m going to head down there and check them out. It might be how the attacker is moving around.” Witze eyed him up and down before standing and moving out from behind his desk. Crossing the room to a cabinet, he unlocked and opened it, taking out a shoulder holster and handgun. “So something did happen to that woman?” Todd nodded. Witze growled and shook his head. “She‟s the fourth one this month alone. Whoever it is, I want the bastard caught. These attacks don‟t follow a real pattern, whoever it is goes after men and women. Some attacks are quite brutal.” The relief Todd felt surprised him. He‟d hunted with his father until his early teens, but from then until he‟d claimed Nick, Todd had been mainly a solo act. In just under the two years he‟d had Nick, he‟d grown so accustomed to hunting with a partner that the thought of going it alone, even for a short time, was unsettling. He‟d do it, but he sure as hell wouldn‟t like it. Having Witze, even untrained and untried in hunting, as a backup offered him a small measure of comfort.
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They crossed the bridge and commons to the slave dorm. Todd was happy to see the place was still fairly well deserted. Most were still either at work or had left for a late-afternoon dinner. The fewer the people around, the fewer questions he‟d have to answer. Setting everything down, Todd found and opened the access door in a few short minutes. They both checked the load of their pistols before Witze handed him one of the lanterns already lit, ignited the second one for himself, and shouldered the coil of rope. Todd stepped through first, taking a better look around now that he had better lighting. Witze pulled the door mostly closed behind them. The area immediately beyond the door was narrow enough that Todd had to turn sideways to move through. Shoulders brushing the damp, rough walls, he walked cautiously to the hole leading down to what, he could only guess. Slime and some moisture spotted the earthen, carved steps. Free hand against the tunnel side, Todd stepped carefully down, holding the lantern ahead of him. Brick wall and foundation stopped a few feet down, where dirt and rock started. Behind him Witze sucked in a breath and let out a long, low, soft whistle. “I never knew this was here, or that the stories would be remotely real.” Todd glanced back, one corner of his mouth turned up for a split second. How many times had he heard that or a variation on that? A few more yards, and the narrow tunnel widened and branched off into several others. Witze jerked his chin to one side. Todd nodded and stepped along the main tunnel while Witze checked a few yards into each of the smaller ones. Holding the lantern high, Todd followed the main tunnel for a few minutes before coming to a series of chambers carved out like a honeycomb. Remains, human and otherwise, scattered the floors, something thick, green, and smelly covered the walls of each section. Todd was quite sure he didn‟t want to know what that something was. Tucked into a corner of one of the larger chambers was a cocoon the size and shape of an adult man. Every few seconds it twitched or a part of it shifted, making it shine and reflect various pale colors in the lantern light.
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A quick glance over his shoulder when he heard footsteps had Todd backing out of the chamber. Retracing his steps, he met Witze just as the other man was about to enter the first chamber. “Christ, there‟s bones and rotten flesh in some of those tunnels.” Witze looked pale. Todd jerked his thumb over his shoulder, “Yeah, same in there.” “What the hell are we dealing with?” “I‟m guessing,” Todd started carefully, “some kind of animal lives down here, and whoever is responsible for the attacks is using the tunnels to get around.” The last thing he wanted was a crew of people snooping around. Burning the remains here would do no good without catching the kelbit; it would simply jump hosts. To capture and kill it, Todd knew he‟d have to wait until it returned to feed at night. “I‟d like to not let on we know about this yet, see if I can find more entrances. I want to flush this creep out, not make him or her run.” Witze nodded. “Whatever you need, let me know. In the meantime I‟m going to step up security.” Todd felt a wave of relief rush through him. He knew what he had to do and would have preferred Nick was there to help him. Not that he didn‟t trust Witze, but some things were more easily accomplished without long explanations. Besides, he and Nick were a team, they worked well together, and if there was a direct confrontation with the kelbit, Todd was convinced it‟d go smoother and be safer with his mate at his side. His next step was finding a way to trap the kelbit. They‟d have to track the thing, since Todd was fairly certain it wouldn‟t be down here every night; possibly it would return to its tunnels only weekly or monthly. In the morning he and Nick would return and find out exactly what was in that cocoon. By the time Todd was able to return to the slave dorm for Nick, it was nearly one in the morning. He hurried across the commons from the employee quarters, glancing at the sky every few minutes as he jogged down the stairs beyond the bridge three at a time. The night sky was clouding over, thunder rumbled, and lightning was already
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streaking the sky. As he reached the dorm entrance, splats of rain began hitting the ground. It was bad enough poor Nick had been left alone earlier when a storm had rolled through. Todd wanted to get to him before this one was much worse. Shaking water off as he slipped inside the building, Todd barely spared a glance at the section of wall where the hidden door was. Earlier he‟d placed a small bit of wood along it so it couldn‟t slide open easily. The makeshift lock was still in place. Rounding the corner, he moved silently down the hall. It was late, and he didn‟t want to wake anyone. Stopping in front of Nick‟s door, Todd leaned in the doorway and rapped his knuckles softly against the door. There was no light from under the door, and he wondered if Nick was asleep. For a few seconds he contemplated leaving Nick to sleep, but he‟d promised he‟d be here, and the storm would only get worse, likely waking his young mate. The thought of Nick being needlessly left alone made Todd‟s chest clench around his lungs. Turning the doorknob, Todd poked his head through the door. “Nick?” he called softly. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dim room; the only light came from what there was outside. Nick was tangled in the sheet, asleep but clearly not resting. He tossed his arms one way and his head the other, mumbling, “No… no… don‟t… please… not, can‟t, no.” Nick‟s words were more a whimper than anything else. Slipping inside and shutting the door quietly behind him, Todd crossed the small room to the bed. Dropping down onto the edge, he didn‟t hesitate at all, reaching out and taking Nick‟s shoulders. “Hey, Nicky, come on, buddy, wake up, just a bad dream.” He shook firmly, gently. Nick gasped, his eyes opened wide, and he sucked in a breath and held it, gaze darting around the room. “T-Todd?” Todd didn‟t have the chance to so much as nod before Nick‟s arms were around his neck, face pressed to Todd‟s shoulder, as much of his body crushed flat against Todd as possible. “Whoa, whoa, Nicky, hey, easy.” It was sheer instinct, bringing one arm up and
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around Nick‟s back, the other partially around his shoulder, bent at the elbow, and a hand firmly against the back of Nick‟s head. Brushing his lips lightly over Nick‟s hair, Todd whispered, “It‟s me, right here. C‟mon, tell me what‟s going on.” He‟d learned in their very early days together, Nick only had nightmares for a reason. They were often vivid and violent and terrified both men, but they were never without cause. The storm picked that moment to break out for real. Lightning lit up the small room, at the same time thunder crashed through the atmosphere. Nick scrambled closer. “Can we go? I wanna go.” Todd tried moving so he could lean back, tip his head, and look at Nick‟s face, but Nick‟s arms tightened, muscles bulging and cording, holding them tightly together. Rubbing one hand up and down Nick‟s spine, Todd spoke quietly. “You sure? We can stay here, it‟s okay.” “You can‟t, against the rules, remember? Please, can we go to your rooms?” “All right, come on, let‟s get out of here before it gets worse outside.” Todd pried Nick loose as gently as possible and stood up. “Do you need to take—” Todd‟s words died when Nick bounced off the bed and was in the doorway in three long strides. “Please, now, can we go?” Shaking his head and chuckling, Todd followed; making sure the door was shut tightly behind them. Todd led the way down the hall quickly and headed out into a steady downpour. Jogging across the commons and up the steps to the bridge, he was stopped by Nick‟s arms wrapping around his shoulders and Nick pressing to his back. “It‟s okay,” Todd whispered. Taking Nick‟s wrist, he pulled him along, “We‟re going to get soaked.” Ducking his head into the wind and rain, Todd clamped down hard on Nick‟s arm, making sure Nick kept pace with him, and ran across the bridge and to the building he currently called home. Fortunately it was the middle of the night, and no one was around to take notice of two sopping wet young men, one clinging to
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the other, slipping in the water they dropped and running down the halls. Todd got his door unlocked and shoved Nick inside. Stopping in the middle of the room, Nick looked like a half-drowned rat, and Todd imagined he didn‟t look much better. Nick‟s normally wavy brown hair that turned up at the ends hung in strings, each ending in water droplets. His clothes were plastered to his body, and he was shivering violently despite the fact it was midsummer in the south. Biting his lip, Nick started peeling his slave uniform off. “Christ, Nick, just go get in the shower and get warm. I‟ll get you something dry.” Kicking his boots off, Todd turned, intending to grab clean, dry clothes for them both from the closet and dresser. Nick‟s fingers around his arm stopped him. “Please. Don‟t leave me. Please stay. I didn‟t….” Nick‟s eyes were wide, his face ashen; he was trembling. Frowning, Todd looked him up and down. “You didn‟t what? Nick, what‟s going on?” Nick tugged gently. “Stay, please, don‟t leave me.” Lightning flashed across the sky; more thunder and the sound of rain hitting the window filtered into Todd‟s mind. He tried to convince himself it was simply that the storm had Nick spooked. “Nick, what are you…? Leave you? Don‟t be ridiculous, I‟d never—” Backing toward the bath, Nick tightened his grip. If at all possible, his eyes grew wider. A tight nod, and Todd moved forward, again taking the lead as he passed Nick. Yanking his own clothes off on the way, by the time he had the water running to warm up, both he and Nick were naked. When he turned and reached for Nick, his mate slid between his arms and pressed against him. Tilting his head to one side, Nick nudged Todd‟s head back far enough he could run his tongue across Todd‟s jaw and down his neck. “Let me, please, sorry, I didn‟t—” Nick‟s words were cut off when he pressed openmouthed kisses to Todd‟s neck, hands, and mouth, covering him in short, frantic movements as if Nick was trying to touch all of Todd everywhere at once.
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“Don‟t be sorry.” Todd groaned and let his head drop back. Hot water pelted down on his even hotter skin. Nick‟s hands held his head while he leaned against the wall, confused and not processing much beyond the desire building through him. Nick bent, and his mouth worked over Todd‟s collarbone, down one of his pecs to cover a nipple, suckling softly, body rocking into Todd with a force and urgency that drove Todd insane. Nick had long since gotten over his shyness and hesitancy over asking for sex or making his own wants and needs known, but he‟d never been so frenzied, almost panicked. Moving down his body, Nick‟s tongue flicked against Todd‟s overheated skin, and his lips sucked Todd‟s flesh between them, mouthing softly before sliding to another spot. Hot water covered them, steam rising from the floor and their bodies. The smell of Nick surrounded him, heady, musky, and intense, making Todd‟s senses swirl, his head spin. Animal lust shot through his veins, making him so hard so fast it took him by surprise. Grabbing a handful of Nick‟s hair, Todd tugged him to his feet and, in one quick, fluid move, reversed their positions. Shoving Nick into the wall, Todd jerked his head back, mouth pressing down on Nick‟s throat, teeth closing on the tender flesh, moving from his jaw to just above his collar. Free arm around Nick, Todd pulled him tight to his chest, trapping Nick between the shower wall and himself. “God, rain makes you smell good.” Todd pulled Nick‟s head to the side, slanted his own, and captured his mate in a kiss, tongue thrusting into Nick‟s mouth and skimming around the roof of it. For the briefest second, he thought he tasted something bitter. It stung. Starting at the very tip of his tongue, every nerve ending came even more alive, shot through with pure want…. Todd needed. Primal animal hunger coursed through his veins and mixed with something else, something foreign. “Mine.” He snarled, pulling his mouth from Nick‟s and bending his head to bite a mark into Nick‟s shoulder. “No one else. Mine.” He wasn‟t simply hard; Todd was engorged like he‟d never been before in his life.
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Something else. Something was there that shouldn‟t be, some feeling; a tingling along Nick‟s skin as it quivered against Todd‟s transmitted straight to Todd‟s cock. Something that threatened. Something that drove Todd to claim, mark, take, and shoved every other emotion and thought away. Nick‟s head fell to the side, his fingers pressed into the muscle over Todd‟s shoulder, his chest heaved, and words Todd barely paid attention to babbled out of his mouth. Attacks with pheromones. Mouth pressed to Nick‟s collarbone, Todd sucked blood to the surface of his skin, leaving a trail of small, red marks. He rutted against Nick harder and harder, consumed with the fire igniting between them at every point their skin touched. The fingers of one hand skimmed up and down the long line of Nick‟s throat, curling around, owning, claiming, gripping with enough pressure Nick would have marks from that too. Todd‟s brain was on fire, consumed with the desire to mark Nick as much as possible, stake his claim, take what was his. He couldn‟t get teeth, mouth, and hands enough places at once to satisfy his craving. Shoving his hips against Nick‟s, Todd came, hard and sudden, to a litany of Nick‟s voice, words tumbling out of him. “Yours… sorry… Todd… Todd… master… don‟t leave… I didn‟t….” None of it made sense, and Todd cared for nothing beyond the feel of Nick in his arms, trembling, panting, begging. Sexual predator. Swiping his tongue over Nick‟s ear, Todd bit down on it, fisted Nick‟s cock hard, then breathed out, “Cum.” Grip tightening on Nick, Todd didn‟t miss a beat, working himself through his own orgasm as Nick made some odd, choking sound, shuddered in his grip, and slumped against Todd‟s still-twitching body. Letting go of Nick with one hand and moving so that hand was braced firmly against the wall holding them up, Todd shivered, this time because he realized the water from the showerhead was ice cold. Nick‟s arms were wound around him, his face pressed to Todd‟s shoulder; he was jerking in breaths, whimpering and moaning, panting in time with Todd.
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“Christ, Nick, I‟m—are you—?” Pheromones. Predator. “Don‟t… dare… say… sorry… liked.” Nick‟s words stuttered out. Todd finally got his head working well enough to crank the water off and stumble from the shower, Nick still latched onto him. Reaching out for a towel with shaking fingers, Nick pulled one close, trying to dry them both off. “Nick, stop. Stop.” Todd took the towel more roughly than he‟d intended and wrapped it around Nick‟s trembling shoulders, pulling Nick against him, rubbing his hands over the soft material, not sure whose tremors he was trying so desperately to quiet, his or Nick‟s. His mind spun, still on some odd sort of overdrive, wanting Nick close, needing to prove Nick belonged to him and him alone. The words Nick kept repeating in the shower danced around the edges of his mind, never coming close enough for Todd to grasp completely. Nick‟s scent was overpowering. His taste made Todd‟s mind and emotions reel, sending continuous messages through him to claim, own, protect, and dominate. In the next instant, Todd was so exhausted he wasn‟t sure he‟d be standing in another minute. “Bed,” he mumbled, and he tripped from the bath, Nick in tow. They were barely wrapped up together in the bed before Todd more lost consciousness than fell asleep, Nick‟s warmth tucked against his side, his head on Todd‟s chest. Light flashed across Todd‟s eyelids, and sound crashed around him, making him jump. Nick winced beside him, a small noise coming from his throat, leg pushing between Todd‟s, arms tightening around Todd‟s waist. “No… please, don‟t… not yours… no… don‟t….” Todd groaned and jumped from the loud thunder ricocheting through the air. He rolled onto his side, blocking the window from Nick‟s view, too tired to get up and shut the drapes or the window. “N‟kky, wake up, s‟okay.” The arm Nick leaned against tingled, and Todd shifted, trying to pull it free and wake Nick all at the same time.
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Only my master, don’t leave, not yours, don’t… please stop… no…. The words Nick had babbled in the shower earlier banged around in Todd‟s head. Not you… no… please… don’t. Todd‟s head cleared. He shook Nick‟s shoulder gently. “Hey, buddy, wake up, bad dream, bad storm, is all.” Nick squirmed closer, clueing Todd in to the fact he was at least somewhat awake. “Nicky, what‟s going on, tell me, why did you say those things? Did something happen at the school?” Todd squinted his eyes shut and opened them again, trying to clear the haze and cobwebs from his brain. “Umhummmm….” was Nick‟s drowsy answer. “Told kids a story ‟bout a sexy, incredibly strong, and smart sentry with beautiful green eyes and broad shoulders who could make a guy forget his name with just a kiss.” Nick‟s words slurred ever so slightly; he really was more asleep than awake, Todd realized. That made Todd chuckle. “Bet that‟ll go over well with their parents.” “Okay, maybe I left out the sexy part and the kiss, and….” Nick‟s voice trailed off. He twitched and cracked open his eyes. “Not the smart, strong part. Think there‟s a few of them with a crush on you now.” Todd smiled softly, trying to remember what had seemed so important a few minutes ago. The feeling of Nick in his arms comforted and calmed him. Running one hand through Nick‟s silky hair, he bent his head to kiss the boy‟s temple. “You got some competition.” “Naw, I‟m way bigger than them.” Nick‟s words drawled out and ran together. “I can take them.” He sighed, wiggled around so he was more under Todd than next to him, and blew soft, warm breaths against Todd. Another minute later, Todd followed Nick back into sleep, barely able to remember the fear and tension that niggled at the edges of his brain. Something… not right… something….
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Chapter Seven
TODD eased into the chair, leaned both elbows on the table, and covered his face with his hands. He picked up his head long enough to scowl at the sun streaming through the windows and to watch Nick cross the room. Setting two tablets and a glass of water on the table beside Todd, Nick laid one hand on Todd‟s shoulder. “You okay?” Taking the pills and downing the water in one gulp, Todd rubbed at the spot between his eyes for a minute before looking up. “Yeah,” he croaked. “Are you…? Last night—” Leaning down, Nick kissed the side of Todd‟s neck. “I‟m fine.” “Last night you kept saying something about not wanting someone to do something, and when I got to your dorm room you were having a nightmare, and then again during the night, it woke me up. The headaches and fear of storms coming back, the nightmares.” He reached out and firmly took hold of Nick‟s wrist. “Nicky, is there something going on I need to know about? Are you okay when I‟m not around?” His biggest fear and suspicion was Nick feeling vulnerable and unsafe in the dorms. Not that Todd could blame him after what he‟d found. Nick dropped to his knees and pushed against Todd‟s hip with enough pressure to make him swivel around, legs falling open. At once Nick shimmied between Todd‟s thighs, hands pressed flat, fingers splayed out. “This place is getting to me. I‟m sorry.” Todd gazed down for a minute before taking Nick‟s face in his hands and stroking his thumb softly across Nick‟s cheek. “Don‟t be
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sorry. I‟m the one who got us into this. Don‟t you ever be sorry. Has anyone hurt you, in any way?” He swallowed the threats of violence against anyone intimidating his mate, knowing if Nick felt hesitant to talk for any reason, it was going to bring Todd nothing but silence. “I don‟t like how some of them look at me, especially the Chancellor. I think he at least senses something.” The words coming from Nick weren‟t the complete truth; Todd knew that at once. The real issue was why Nick thought he had to cover something up. Nodding, Todd lifted his hand to stroke through Nick‟s hair, not in the least bit ashamed to admit, if only to himself, how that act calmed and centered him. “I‟m pretty sure I found where it nests. There was some kind of cocoon there, human-sized. We need to get down there this morning and find out who it is—was.” “I got some reading done yesterday at the school. It could feel it if we do anything to its host.” “It‟ll probably be looking for a new one pretty soon.” Todd saw how Nick‟s gaze skittered away, felt how he suddenly tensed. “I didn‟t get too good a look at what I found, but that thing looked pretty well-cooked. We‟re going to have to trap the kelbit before it jumps hosts. Have you seen any others, or just Shaffer?” “So far only Shaffer.” “Well, that‟s something in our favor. Nicky, if there‟s anything—” Nick stood suddenly and pushed away from Todd. “Can we get this done and leave?” Todd‟s resolve solidified. There was something more, something just out of his grasp, but he knew it was there. Something Nick wasn‟t telling him, and somehow Todd felt he should know what that something was, but it danced away. Maybe if they ended this creature and left, they‟d be all right. If not, he fully intended to invoke his authority and order Nick to tell him what was eating him from the inside out and why it had seemed to happen overnight. They ate in silence and readied weapons they‟d need. Nick wasn‟t permitted to carry a weapon, so a gun was out of the question. He was able to conceal a knife under his tunic in such a way that if he
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was discovered by the wrong person, he could get rid of it quickly and without drawing attention to himself. All the while Todd‟s mind churned over what they‟d learned about the kelbit. “It‟s a sexual predator, hunts using scent, specifically pheromones,” Todd stated, and with a huge effort he kept his voice flat and his face neutral. If Nick felt Shaffer suspected they were hunting him, then possibly he‟d picked out his next victim and was tracking him or her, or most likely them. The way Nick‟s shoulders stiffened and his gaze slipped for a few seconds to Todd and then away spoke volumes. Shaffer was somehow making his presence known to Nick, Todd was positive. It gnawed viciously at Todd that Nick wouldn‟t tell him what had him so spooked. Todd knew damn well it was more than the feeling Shaffer knew he was being hunted. They‟d encountered that sort of thing plenty of times, and Nick had never been this edgy—afraid—before. Todd was going to enjoy killing this thing. The suddenness and sheer viciousness of his thoughts shocked him. As they walked, Todd kept an eye on his young mate. That was it: Nick was afraid, and not only of the Chancellor. The feeling kept niggling at the back of Todd‟s mind; Nick‟s fear was in large part because of Todd. Yet not once in the entire time Nick had been with him had Todd ever given Nick a reason to fear him. It wasn‟t that simple, and again he had the feeling he should know more details. Todd couldn‟t tell if that fear was of him or for him, and being unable to read Nick as he‟d always been able to do was disturbing in multiple ways. Once they reached the hidden access door in the slave dorm, Todd kicked aside the brace he‟d put there and slid the door open. Holding a lantern high, he stepped inside the space and watched as Nick followed and pushed against the door, closing it but making sure it didn‟t catch. Nodding at the narrow set of steps, Todd headed down. “Careful, it‟s slippery.” He put one hand out, feeling the need to make contact with Nick, reassure him, fingertips touching Nick‟s arm, rubbing lightly. He was unreasonably pleased when Nick didn‟t move away from his touch.
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Nick did as Todd did, using his free hand against the wall to guide and steady his steps. Leading the way, he checked over his shoulder every few feet even though he could feel Nick under his fingers and the heat from his body against this back, Todd went straight to where he‟d seen the cocoon. The soft gasp and Nick‟s swearing, voice so low that if Todd had been a foot farther away he wouldn‟t have heard it, drew Todd‟s attention behind him. “Lovely, huh? I think it was in better shape yesterday.” Todd turned his head far enough to make eye contact with Nick for a few seconds. Kneeling next to the shimmering blob, Todd held the lantern close. Nick stood behind him, leaning over his shoulder and peering at the thing. The cocoon was a light pearlescent gray, and on closer inspection Todd saw it wasn‟t one solid piece but a series of thin strips woven together to create the whole. It was translucent enough they saw the outline of a person—a man, Todd judged by the general size and shape. The heady scent Nick gave off combined with the closeness of the tunnels filled Todd‟s nostrils, making his body warm and his skin tighten down, and a razor-sharp pang of want uncoiled from his belly to slither a path to his balls, wrapping around and pressing in firmly. He shoved thoughts of mine… take… now… to the back of his mind. “Look there.” Nick reached across Todd‟s shoulder, fingers nearing the cocoon, pointing something out, about to touch it. “Is that a face?” Panic flitted along every one of Todd‟s nerve endings at the mere thought of Nick touching that thing. Jerking his free arm up and pushing Nick‟s arm away, he snapped, “Don‟t get near it.” He twisted on his heels to look up at Nick. Blinking at him a few times, Nick dropped his gaze and stepped back, his shoulders drooping. “I‟m sorry.” Todd let his head drop so his chin rested on his chest for a few beats. “Nicky, I‟m sorry.” Pushing to his feet, he reached out and rubbed one hand up and down Nick‟s arm. “This place is getting to me too.” When his fingers skimmed the bare skin of Nick‟s hand, a
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tingling ignited, coursed up Todd‟s arm, and flashed across his chest. For another few seconds, pure lust assaulted his brain and body. “Are you all right?” Coughing, turning back to the cocoon, Todd nodded. “Ye-yeah.” His voice sounded shaky and weak. “Gimme your knife.” Nick handed the weapon over at once. “We need to find out who this is, or was. I‟m betting it‟s the real Chancellor, but we need proof, we need to see. What did you say about the kelbit knowing if this was messed with?” “It can connect with the host, feel what he or she feels, use their memories and emotions. So anything we do to whoever is in there, the kelbit is going to know.” Nodding, Todd used the very tip of the knife to ease a few of the strands apart, giving them a closer look. “Can you hold the light closer?” He heard Nick shuffle closer and again lean over Todd, this time with one of the lanterns dangling from his fingers. When the Chancellor‟s face came into view, the eyes blinking at them, Todd shoved backward and away from the cocoon so quickly he ended up slamming down hard on his ass. Todd felt Nick jump. “Shit.” Nick exhaled. “Is he—?” “I-I don‟t know.” Leaning in, Todd peered at it again. Pieces of the cocoon wrapped snugly around the Chancellor‟s body. Bits of it looked stuck to his neck, arms, and legs. Smaller shoots branched off the main ones, creating a series of veins across his skin. Small flecks of red along the line of veins made Todd think they were embedded in the man‟s flesh somehow. “Chancellor?” Todd said, then repeated his words, only louder. A glance back at Nick, who shrugged. “No real reaction.” Todd snapped his fingers a few inches above the cocoon. Again there was no reaction other than eyes blinking steadily, though his eyes didn‟t appear to be focusing, and they didn‟t follow the
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movements of his hand. His skin was pale and sort of waxy in appearance; his lips had a bluish tinge; his breathing was quick and shallow. “I don‟t think he‟s conscious. Nothing but a shell.” Standing up, Todd moved back a few steps and brushed dirt off his legs. “Hey, you okay?” Nick was staring wide-eyed at the cocoon. His gaze slowly dragged away from the cocoon and to Todd. A shiver rippled through the thick muscles of his back and shoulders. He nodded. “Tomorrow is a reception; there‟ll be quite a few important people there. This thing goes after people who are young and athletic for quick, short-term satisfaction, and for longer periods it takes people like the Chancellor, someone with some sort of power. If it‟s going to jump hosts, I‟m betting it‟ll target its next one tomorrow night. Until then we‟ll have to keep up our cover or tip it off. While the reception is going on, we‟ll come down here, put this guy out of his misery. That should draw the kelbit, and we can trap him, end him.” Todd‟s blood ran hot with the thought of killing this monster. “All right.” Nick stared at the ground. “Nicky? Buddy, if there is something you need to tell me….” “I hope we never see one of these again.” Nick followed a step behind Todd, glancing back at the cocoon as they made their way back through the tunnels to the stairs. “When I get my hands on this thing, it‟s going to die, slow and painful.” The roughness of his own voice, how the words growled out of his mouth unbidden, hit him so hard he stumbled. The need to dominate—compete—win settled like a thick fog in Todd‟s brain. Nick jerked sideways, stepping away from Todd. “Todd? Are you sure you‟re all right? Aren‟t you the one always teaching me we do what we do, we kill them, but we don‟t ever torture them? Quick and merciful.” Todd stopped, straightened, and drew in a deep breath. Where the hell had that even come from? “Yeah, Nick, I didn‟t mean….” What had he meant? Todd‟s vision swam for a few seconds, his heart thumped hard in his chest, and Nick looked at him with a wilddeer-facing-down-a-wolf expression on his face. Todd nudged Nick
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into motion, staying a bit behind him, trying to quiet what rampaged through his entire system. Once they were clear of the tunnels and the dorms, Todd‟s head cleared somewhat. He left a rather confused and befuddled mate at the slave dining hall and jogged around the grounds a few times to burn off nervous energy, not understanding in the slightest where those jitters came from. He thought it was being near Nick that made his brain overload and go all fuzzy on him, but not so. Every man and woman he passed who was even the slightest bit attractive to him had his mind working overtime, spinning out fantasy after fantasy of what he‟d do to them, how he‟d overpower them, break them, take their bodies and use them for whatever pleasure Todd craved. Sprinting to the employee dorm, Todd didn‟t stop until he was safely inside his own quarters, shutting the door firmly, locking it, and checking the lock twice before he turned and leaned against the door, panting in painful breaths. His lungs ached right along with the rest of his body. Legs shaking so badly they couldn‟t support him anymore, Todd slid down until his butt connected with the floor. Pitching forward, Todd pressed his face into both palms, the heels of his hands pressed against his closed eyes, trying desperately to get the images out of his head. He hadn‟t looked at anyone, wanted anyone other than Nick since before he‟d gone and claimed Nick, taken him as his own. Now his entire being was permeated by a need that consumed him to take control, a desire to compete and win, to destroy some unknown opponent. The room didn‟t have enough air for him to fill his lungs. Todd was intensely loyal to Nick; he didn‟t want anyone else. Nick‟s jealousy was unfounded, though Todd understood Nick‟s need to protect what was his. Images of the woman sliding her hand up and down his arm the night of the cotillion, combined with the low rumble of Nick‟s voice when Todd had arrived at the dorms that night, fueled his need to conquer. Todd‟s head snapped up, and he looked around the room. Conquer what? His entire body was on fire from the inside out. What was happening to him? This wasn‟t him, he didn‟t do things, feel things
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like this, violent, brutal. Ever since he‟d started having sex, Todd had prided himself on pleasing his partners, and that went more than double for Nick. He wanted Nick happy and satisfied, not dominated and frightened. Now the only things he could think of were ways to take not only Nick, but anyone. Use them, get pleasure from them, and toss them aside for the next. If they died in the process of his pleasure, so what? The feeling of Nick gasping for breath, writhing and twisting beneath him, warped into one of the women he‟d seen earlier, how he could totally dominate her. He was bigger, stronger, a force to be feared and reckoned with. One never ignored or denied. Christ, he needed a shower. A really cold shower. Nearly running to the bathroom, Todd stood under the cold onslaught of water until he couldn‟t stand it anymore. So cold he was shuddering, he staggered from the shower and to the bed, falling facefirst. He wrapped himself up in the blankets and let the darkness come. Jerking awake at the sound of thunder crashing all around, with a glance at the clock, he saw he‟d slept for a few hours. Pushing off the bed on stiff, aching arms, Todd swung around and sat on the edge for a few minutes. He felt better, himself, though slightly hungover. Whatever the hell had affected him so profoundly earlier seemed gone for now. Rubbing the back of his neck, he shook off the last bits of sleep and stood up, dressing. Even though it was early afternoon, the room was swathed in grays with long shadows inching across the room. Thunder rumbled, coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. The rain hadn‟t started yet, but it would soon. Outside his window Todd saw trees bend and sway in the ever-building wind. This storm wouldn‟t blow through quickly and be over, and likely there would be more later that day and into the evening. Todd intended to meet Nick at the school when the classes were released. His mate had been forced to face several of the storms that frightened him all alone; Todd was determined, as soon as Nick was free to leave the school, he wouldn‟t be alone in this bad storm.
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He needed more information on how the kelbit hunted, how it found its victims and trapped them, but those details had been sorely lacking in every bit of literature he‟d found. Watching his reflection closely in the mirror as he shaved, he tried talking it through with himself. “Where did that come from? I was down in the tunnels with Nick, then I was some monster.” He wanted to ask Nick to help him sort through the tangled jumble of thoughts in his head, but honestly he was afraid Nick would never look at him the same again. Todd was on his own for now trying to figure this out. Alone, lost, unsure for maybe the very first time in his life, he needed Nick and couldn‟t go to him, ask for his thoughts. Todd needed Nick, and his young mate was too far out of his grasp. The connection had to be the kelbit, or maybe it was the tunnels or something in the cocoon he‟d touched. Todd had no clue. What he did have was a very clear sense that if he didn‟t figure it out damn fast, he‟d be consumed from the inside out.
NICK struggled to concentrate on the children and his job. The storm building wasn‟t helping him or them, and with each thunderstrike, each splash of lightning to flash across the sky, he struggled to push his own fears aside to keep the kids calm, but it wasn‟t working. The more he thought about him and Todd in the tunnels earlier that day, the worse his nerves frayed and his mind skittered from one thing to the next. No matter how hard he tried, the images wouldn‟t stop flickering across his eyes and through his brain. Nick knew Todd, knew him well. Todd was a mess and getting messier. That fact was blindingly clear. The kelbit was behind Todd‟s actions somehow. Nick didn‟t understand how or why but knew right down to his core the kelbit was at the root of Todd‟s odd behavior and words. Another thing Nick knew down to his core was that if he told his mate about the kelbit‟s attack on him, Todd would charge in with nothing but revenge and
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fire in his heart. Todd was spiraling out of control, not thinking clearly, and that scared Nick. Todd was always in control, always planning things out in calculating detail. Now Nick feared Todd would confront the kelbit, challenge it in a rage. It was a battle Todd was likely to lose. He was too overwrought, too out of control. Todd would die, or worse. Either way Nick would lose his master, his mate, his home. That was something Nick refused to allow. Until he had more information and they could face down this thing together, back one another up, Nick had to keep what had happened buried. His disloyalty to his mate aside, with Nick‟s horrible indiscretions and the way his body had reacted, he knew Todd would still go after the thing. Todd might never love him again or touch him, but he would defend Nick. He desperately wished he‟d never have to tell Todd, but he knew he would. That was something never to be kept a secret. The best he could hope for was a confession and that Todd would believe him, that he didn‟t intend on the reaction, didn‟t want it. That maybe Todd would let Nick stay in his life, even if it was as nothing but a slave. Even if he wasn‟t Nick‟s mate, Todd would be alive, and that was what mattered the most to Nick. He didn‟t fully understand the kelbit and was out of options on finding that understanding. They‟d have to work with what they had. Quite a few of the children, the younger ones, had been picked up by their parents. The storm was strong and getting stronger, and the teachers had decided it was best to close the school early. Nick had no idea what time Todd “worked” until and had no way of finding out. He wasn‟t even sure Todd would come for him. Not wanting to travel across the commons to the dorms in the rain, Nick stood in the classroom by the window, watching the lightning split the sky over and over, arms wrapped around his middle in a useless attempt to protect himself. The classroom grew darker and darker as more thunderheads rolled in and blotted out the bright summer sky.
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Something moved behind him. The message barely got from Nick‟s ears to his brain that the classroom door had been shut and the lock snapped into place when strong fingers gripped the back of his neck and he was shoved forward and down. His chest hit the edge of the desk, sending sharp jabs through to his spine and making it hard to inhale properly. A warm, wet tongue swiped across his cheek and down his throat, then under his tunic. The weight of a heavy body pressed against his back and held him flat against the desk as he struggled to breathe. “I can taste him on you. How he‟s being driven. Getting a little out of control, isn‟t he?” The Chancellor‟s breath hissed hot into Nick‟s ear. “Master not himself today?” “My… master… is dead…,” Nick ground out and bit back a gasp when the Chancellor‟s weight shifted and his chest was smashed even more tightly against the edge of the desk. “Your master is mine. Nothing will cover his scent now that I have his attention—and yours.” The Chancellor moved again, this time so his face was close to Nick‟s. “See, it‟s simple. I go after the mate, and every alpha male by nature hates his mate being taken, his authority challenged. They come for me and”—the Chancellor snapped his fingers once—“then they are both mine. You two are a prime catch. A mate as delicious as you, young, strong, with tons of stamina, I‟m sure. And him, whoever he is. A sentry, defiant, dangerous, and so centered on you. I won‟t need to take my pleasure anywhere but with the two of you for months.” The Chancellor laughed, the fingers of his other hand curling along the line of Nick‟s throat, stroking up and down before skimming the line of Nick‟s shoulder and bicep. “A rare, special treat for me.” Bucking back, Nick tried throwing the thing off, which earned him nothing but having more of the creature‟s weight pressing down on him. The edge of the desk ground into his ribs, making him struggle for each breath while sharp pains radiated out to fill his entire body. Heat and desire from the kelbit swirled around him, filling him, suffocating and trying to consume him. Everywhere the kelbit‟s tongue touched felt as if liquid fire coursed along its path.
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“No.” Nick coughed the word out more than spoke it, palms against the desk as he tried pushing up. “I don‟t take no for an answer.” Shifting again, the kelbit grabbed a fistful of Nick‟s pants and yanked them down to his knees. Its other hand wound in Nick‟s hair and pulled so his back arched painfully backward and his torso lifted off the desk. His chest now exposed, its tongue skimmed over Nick‟s flesh, pinching and teasing at his nipples for a few minutes before traveling up and pushing beyond Nick‟s tightly closed lips. The kelbit jerked his head to the side and took advantage of the short gasp, thrusting his tongue deep into Nick‟s mouth and to the back of his throat. Oily bitterness shot down his throat. Gagging, Nick pressed his eyes tightly shut and wiped his mouth across the desktop when the kelbit‟s tongue slid free. Nick‟s body ignited against his will. His balls were so heavy they ached. Steady throbbing from between his legs made his stomach clench; pains shot through his lower back and abdomen, he was that hard. Something cool and rigid—Nick had no idea what and didn‟t want to know—pressed between his ass cheeks and rubbed against his entrance. Pulling his hand from Nick‟s hair, the kelbit moved it along Nick‟s side, fingers probing the ridges of his ribs and the hills and valleys of his muscles, sending jolts through Nick. Skimming over his hips and across his thigh, the kelbit‟s fingers wrapped around Nick‟s painfully hard cock, stroking. At the same time the object pressing against his hole rocked in a steady rhythm. The kelbit‟s mouth pressed against Nick‟s shoulder. Biting down, it groaned. “No… I‟m not… I won‟t….” Nick struggled, but the kelbit‟s weight was too great and held him against the desk. The wind rattled the windows, and thunder rolled through, making Nick cringe. Lightning flashed, drenching the room in bright bluish light, and vanished, plunging it into hazy grayness in the next instant. The kelbit hissed near his ear, again forcing its tongue past Nick‟s lips and more of the liquid down his throat before
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withdrawing. Nick tried so desperately to overcome his body, to regain control and follow Todd‟s directives, but it was too much. The sensations from the kelbit were assaulting him from everywhere at once; his cock was held prisoner in the creature‟s ever-tightening fist; his over-sensitive entrance, while not breached, was being stimulated. Tears oozing from his eyes, Nick bit down on his lip and refused to make a sound as his cock let loose, pumping and throbbing in the kelbit‟s grip. All at once everything was gone, the weight, the hands, the combustion of nerves, leaving Nick to slide helplessly to the floor, pulling up his pants and curling around himself. He‟d not only disobeyed Todd, he‟d betrayed him in the most unforgivable way. Nick belonged to Todd; no one but Todd touched him. No one but Todd brought pleasure to Nick‟s body. His entire body jerked when a sob rolled up from his chest. He hated himself for losing control like that. The blazing passion of a few minutes ago was replaced with a shame so deep Nick wanted to die. Thunder crashed through the air, and lightning lashed across the sky, brightening the room for a few seconds. Rough hands grabbed his hair and one arm, pulling him to his feet. “Now you‟re both mine. He‟ll never control all those urges to retake you, and then I take you both.” Shaffer‟s mouth twitched up into a nasty grin that made Nick shudder. “Come on.” Nick had no choice but to stumble after Shaffer as the kelbit jerked and yanked him away from the school and to the sanctuary security building. Nick fought an inner battle between praying Todd was there and would see them and that he wouldn‟t. Shaffer didn‟t stop until he was slamming through the door of the security director‟s office and throwing Nick down to the floor. “What‟s going on? Chancellor, what—” A man Nick recognized as Mr. Witze sprinted from the other side of a desk and reached down to help Nick up, talking to Shaffer at the same time. “I‟ve had it with this one. Teach him a lesson.” Shaffer snarled. “Leave him there.”
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Witze froze in his tracks. “Chancellor, let me handle this, please.” “Give me the key.” “Chancellor—” “Now!” The Chancellor‟s hand lashed out and hit a wall. Lips pressed into a thin, angry line, Witze moved back to the other side of the desk and opened a drawer, pulling keys out. He took one off a ring and held it out to the Chancellor. “Sir, I didn‟t do anything.” Nick looked up, pleading with Witze. He didn‟t know what was going to happen, but he had an idea that whatever it was, it wasn‟t going to be good. Witze‟s gaze dropped to Nick, and his face and eyes softened. “It‟ll be all right.” He looked back at the Chancellor, expression steeling. “I‟m going with you. Those are the regulations.” They left the building; Nick was hauled, stumbling and staggering, into the sanctuary and up to one of the solitary shacks. The wind whipped along the treetops, and rain was coming down steadily. The last thing Nick saw before he was shoved into the shack and the door was slammed shut was the Chancellor smiling and his face warping into its true form. Curling on his side, Nick jumped and shuddered with every crack of thunder pounding through the thin walls of the shack and straight through his chest. He pulled his knees to his chest and turned his head to press his face against the damp wooden floor. The words betrayed Todd rocketed through his head until his entire world narrowed down to his crime. Covering his head and ears with his arms, Nick couldn‟t block out the booming of the atmosphere around him or the screaming of his shame inside his head. Each reverberation through the air had him jumping and twitching. His breath came in painful, short gasps. There wasn‟t enough air. His body was too alert to every sensation, and the smell of ozone from the lightning filled his nostrils. The entire world seemed to crash down on Nick. He was alone, sure to be cast away by his master, no longer worthy of Todd‟s love because of his infidelity. He wished harder than he had ever wished
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for anything in his life that the shack would collapse and kill him before Todd could ever know what had happened.
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Chapter Eight
TODD bent against the increasing winds as he crossed from the employee dorms to the security offices. Once inside he happily shook off the raingear he‟d thrown over his shoulders for the short trip and shook water out of his hair. Just as the door shut behind him, thunder ricocheted through the air, and lightning split the sky. A quick glance at his watch told him Nick had another few hours before school officially let out. Some of the children had been picked up already; he‟d seen them leaving with their parents and heard other people talking about how bad this storm was and how it was only going to get worse. Looking out the window at the slave sanctuary across the bridge, then leaning against the glass and turning his head to see the school, Todd shrugged his slicker back over his shoulders. Screw it, he decided. Even if the children Nick cared for were still in the school and his mate had to stay, Todd could at least wait for him, let Nick know he was close by. He loved Nick and wanted him to feel safe no less than those people loved their children, after all. “Christ, there you are? Where the hell have you been?” Before Todd could react, Witze had his arm in a vice grip and was hauling him down the hall, away from the door to the outside. “I… Larry… wait… I need….” Shoving him through the door, Witze practically ran across the office to his desk. “That kid…. I‟ve been looking all over for you…. I‟m sorry, Christ, Tyler, I‟m sorry, I tried to stop it.”
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“What are you talking about?” A cold knot formed in Todd‟s stomach. “That tall kid, the one from the train, the one you‟re so taken with—” The cold knot quadrupled in size in the space of a second. “Nick? What about him, has something happened to him?” Witze dug through the desk and produced a key, tossing it to Todd. “The Chancellor‟s turned into a real prick lately. He seems to have it in for that kid, and I have no idea why. I tried to stop it.” “What the hell happened?” Todd‟s lungs seemed to frost over, making it difficult to breathe. “I have no idea why, but the Chancellor dragged that boy in here a while ago, demanded he go into one of the shacks. I tried to stop him. I did go with them and make sure he didn‟t hurt the kid.” His ears felt like they were filling with cotton. The muscles along Todd‟s back and arms went bowstring tight. He had to concentrate on Witze‟s voice, and still he was having a hard time focusing. “I tried to talk him out of it. I went back to get that kid out, but he wouldn‟t get near me, and I‟m not exactly big enough to haul his ass out.” Thunder slammed through the atmosphere with enough power to rattle the windows. Tree branches blew across the glass, casting odd shadows into the room when lightning erupted. Todd‟s hands clenched into fists, the key biting into his right palm. Gaze moving down to his hand, Todd sucked in a breath. “Shit!” Spinning on his heels, Todd ran from the office. Dodging people in the hall, shoving a few aside, he bolted for the door, pulling the slicker around his shoulders as he went. Sprinting across the commons, Todd had to sidestep fast to avoid being hit by broken branches. He was nearly bent in half pushing into the winds as he ran as fast as possible across the bridge. Slipping and sliding in the wet grass, Todd finally reached the shacks.
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Barely able to see from the rain pelting his face, he frantically got the key into the lock and the door open. He was going to kill the Chancellor. That thing was going to die slowly, painfully, and Todd was going to make it last as long as possible. Nick was curled on his side, arms over his head, face pressed to the dirt floor. His body shuddered from head to foot with such intensity he was moving back and forth on the floor, his elbows and knees leaving a trail in the dirt a few inches wide. Dark bangs were plastered to his forehead, his eyes scrunched tightly shut. Todd saw Nick‟s lips move, but he wasn‟t making any noise. “Nicky!” Shouldering his way into the small shack, Todd reached down and grabbed Nick‟s arms, giving him a shake. “Nicky, come on, we‟re leaving.” Rolling his head far enough to look at Todd, Nick gaped at him, then cringed away when more thunder snarled, more lightning exploded. Branches and leaves crashed and banged into the outer wall of the shack, the sound echoing around the inside. Rain hit it, pinging and rattling through the small interior. “Nick! Now!” Gaze making a slow path around the shack, Nick was slow to focus on him. His movements were jerky and unsure as he got his legs under him and unfolded off the ground. In the next instant Nick‟s arms were wrapped around his shoulders, his face pressed to the crook of Todd‟s neck. He was shuddering continuously and hard enough Todd staggered back a few steps and out the door. “No.” Nick whimpered on an exhale and threw his weight back, nearly knocking the two of them down. “Nicky, buddy, we‟ve got to go. We can‟t stay here.” Shaking his head, Nick tried tugging Todd back into the shack. His eyes were impossibly wide, his skin pale, his breathing rapid and shallow. An audible gust of wind picked up something and smashed it into the back of the shack. They both jumped away from the sound. Wrapping part of his slicker around Nick, Todd threw an arm over his
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shoulder, hunched into the wind, and propelled Nick into the storm and away from the shack. The slave dorms were closer, so Todd headed there, along with many other people dashing to the building to take cover. This entire part of the Protectorate was prone to storms of even higher intensity than this one. The buildings here had been built and reinforced to withstand much higher winds and falling trees. They weren‟t more than a few dozen yards from the building entrance when an old tree gave way in the high winds, bowing precariously for a few seconds before cracking in half and crashing to the ground between them and their safe haven. Todd managed to skitter to the side, shove Nick ahead of him, and change direction, making their way to the bridge. Nearly halfway across the bridge, Nick pulled away from Todd, trying to drop to his knees, arms coming up and over his head when thunder ripped through the atmosphere, exploding the air surrounding them. The sound was still ringing around them when lightning streaked the sky. “No, no, Nick, no.” Todd twisted around and yanked on Nick more harshly than intended, causing his young mate to stumble partially to his feet then nearly fall back to his knees on the wooden bridge. Wheezing out a soft, panicked sound, Nick finally found footing and scrambled to his feet. For the first time ever, Todd completely understood Nick‟s terror. It was a waking nightmare, being stuck out in this storm, something Todd had never experienced before. The world seemed to be lashing out at them from all directions and with all sorts of things. Rain hit hard enough to make Todd‟s face and hands sting. The winds plowed into him, making it difficult to breathe. Branches and leaves bounced off his back, and the sound of breaking wood joined the racket of thunder when trees were struck by lightning. It felt like years passed before Todd finally stumbled, Nick in tow, through the door to the employee dorms and down the hall. Bracing Nick against the wall while he fumbled for his key and got the door open, he had to keep one hand against Nick‟s shoulder to keep him from oozing to the floor in a heap. When he slipped one arm
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around Nick‟s waist to guide him through the door, Nick sagged against him. Gritting his teeth, Todd leaned down and wound his free arm behind Nick‟s knees, scooping him up and carrying him to the small couch in the outer room. Steam from the rain mixed with sweat and rose off Nick‟s skin; a heady aroma of Nick combined with something else swirled through Todd‟s nostrils and beat a path directly to his brain and cock, causing one to cloud over and the other to lengthen and swell, raging heat rising between his thighs. “I hafta….” Nick‟s voice sounded weak and far away. Propping himself on one hand, he struggled with his tunic and pants with the other. Shaking off the need to take, mark, dominate, Todd darted to the bathroom. “Sit still,” he snapped and grabbed a towel. Nick was still trying to shed the clothing as Todd had instructed he do anytime they were inside Todd‟s quarters, nearly making Todd‟s heart break in two. Even more unconscious than not, he was trying desperately to follow Todd‟s order. “Be still.” Todd growled, grabbing hold of Nick‟s arms and pulling them down. Immediately Nick stopped moving and sat staring, wide-eyed, at Todd. The second Todd‟s fingers touched Nick‟s skin, jolts of electricity coursed along from his fingertips and up his arm to spread through his chest and body, blasting his system with powerful desires to overcome, dominate… take. A want so great raged through him that Todd had to fight to control himself like never before. His brain filled with thoughts of Nick, of how Nick was his and he was damn well going to prove it… but to whom? Nick certainly never challenged Todd‟s ownership. In fact he‟d encouraged it at every turn. Dragging in huge breaths through his nose and blowing them out his mouth, Todd helped Nick strip out of his soaked, dirty clothing, rubbing him down with the towel, careful not to touch the broad expanse of Nick‟s chest, the smooth skin over his muscular shoulders. He couldn‟t look at Nick‟s abdomen, flat and ripped, how muscle glided under skin with his every shaking inhale and exhale.
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Nick‟s thighs trembled as Todd backed him up toward the bed. Todd had to force himself to look away, or he was going to slam his mate onto the bed and rip into him with force enough he‟d likely hurt Nick badly. Giving Nick a push, Todd mumbled, “Get in the bed.” When Nick reached for him, Todd jerked away as if stung. Without touching Nick, he wrapped sheet and blanket around Nick‟s quivering form and backed away. Wide, dark, wounded, tear-filled eyes watched his every move, but Nick said nothing. “Just….” Holding one hand up in front of him, Todd backed away. “Just… stay… don‟t…. I‟m here, won‟t leave you alone, but don‟t….” He shoved his fist into his mouth and backed away, not stopping until his legs hit one of the armchairs and he dropped into it. Pulling his feet up and hooking his heels on the edge of the chair, Todd hugged his knees, rocking back and forth. His cock was so swollen it ached and sent throbbing pains through his groin and down his legs. There wasn‟t enough air in the room; he couldn‟t breathe and couldn‟t inhale the scent surrounding him enough to satisfy his need. Tendrils of lust coiled through Todd, eating away at his reason and control. His entire system reverted to nothing but base animal instinct and drive. The winds died down and the rain softened; the sound of Nick‟s quiet, steady breathing reached Todd‟s ears. Reason was beaten down by something assaulting the most primitive part of his brain, the part that dictated he claim his mate. When Nick rolled onto his side, bedclothes around his waist and back to him, Todd saw a roundish mark. Even from where he sat, he saw it was from teeth. A bite mark. Nick had been marked by someone, and it wasn‟t Todd. Todd had bitten Nick more than once, but never with enough force that it left deep, red, angry welts. Someone had touched his mate, left their own mark, their own scent on Nick. Marks and touches and scents that needed obliterating. Todd‟s upper lip curled into a silent snarl; his fingers opened and clenched closed repeatedly against the chair; his nostrils flared
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with every breath drawn in, harsher than the one prior. The scent was overpowering, overwhelming, the sight of teeth marks on Nick‟s skin infuriating. Out of the chair and crossing the room, Todd didn‟t give much thought to his actions. The only thing he knew for certain was that he wanted his scent on Nick. His scent would wipe away any others, take away the offending intruder and allow Todd to reclaim his mate. The room swam around him as he advanced on Nick, sleeping soundly in the bed. Mine… mine… mine… the word ricocheted around Todd‟s skull. On his knees and crossing the bed to Nick, Todd jerked open his belt and pants. Grabbing his cock in his hand, he pumped rough and hard. He was already dripping with precum before he‟d even touched himself, and it took him barely minutes to climax. His semen burbled out and over his hand. Inching close enough his seed squirted over Nick‟s back and trickled along his spine, Todd bit his lip to keep from crying out. The warm, thick, white strands on his hand he smeared across Nick‟s shoulders. He knelt beside his mate, staring, hardly blinking at the sight of Nick, asleep and streaked with Todd‟s cum. Why had Nick nearly passed out between the shack and Todd‟s quarters? Todd rubbed his forehead. Nick hadn‟t even twitched when Todd had shot cum over him, rubbed it on him. It was wrong, very wrong, and Todd‟s brain refused to kick into gear and get ahold of the answers. Grunting, he shoved away from Nick and landed hard on his ass on the floor beside the bed. He crab-walked backward until he could stand and retreated once again to the chair, pulling his pants and belt into place as he climbed in and curled his legs up to his chest. Todd sat trembling, barely processing what he‟d just done. It had been primal and vulgar, and those were things Todd was not. Gripping his hands tightly together over his legs, Todd sat there, watching Nick sleep, pulling jerky breaths into his dry mouth, rocking to and fro.
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When sunlight started filtering through the window, Todd realized through the haze in his head he‟d sat there all night. His jaws ached from how hard his teeth were clenched. His back throbbed, tense and rigid. He watched Nick stir with gritty, dry eyes. Through it all, the one thing that was crystal clear was the single driving need to restore his authority, take on his challenger, and reclaim his mate. Now all Todd had left to do was seek out that opponent and make him pay. Pay dearly he would.
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Chapter Nine
NICK pried his eyes open. His lids felt heavy and hurt. Pushing onto his elbows and forearms and off the bed, he looked around, trying to figure out where he was and what had happened. The skin across his back itched, and when he reached over his shoulder to scratch, something flaked off. “You all right?” Todd‟s voice, thick, gravelly, odd in a way Nick had never heard before, came from the far end of the room, making him forget about whatever covered his back. Turning his head far enough Todd came into view, Nick resisted the urge to gasp and move away. His master looked horrible. Obviously Todd hadn‟t slept, or not much at any rate. His eyes were red and raw, with deep, dark purple streaks underneath. Overnight his cheeks seemed to have hollowed out. Nick‟s gaze was drawn to Todd‟s hands, clenched tightly around his legs, knees pulled to his chest. They were shaking. Todd‟s hands never shook. Todd was made of rock and steel, he wasn‟t afraid of anything, yet now he shook like a newborn infant, shuddering Nick‟s world down to its foundation. The man who was the center of that world looked like some crazed madman. Todd was frightening like this—out of control, desperate, Nick didn‟t know what, but it terrified him. Nodding, Nick slowly inched to the side of the bed and stood up. “Todd, are you okay?” Uncurling from the chair, Todd paced close, but not close enough to touch or be touched. Nick watched, uncertain what to do as
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his master‟s fists clenched and his face reflected some inner struggle. “We have to… get rid… of it… today.” Hunts using pheromones. “It knows I‟m a sentry.” Whirling to face him, Todd nearly knocked himself over. “It touched you!” Taking a step back, Nick nodded and ignored how the backs of his eyes pricked and stung. “I‟m sorry, I‟m so sorry, I didn‟t….” He had to explain. He begged, “Please, Todd, listen, five minutes, that‟s all I—” “Did it touch you?” Todd shouted, charging forward and pulling up short before getting too close. He backed off at once. Master getting a little out of control? It made sense, Todd shoving him away the night before, telling Nick to stay back. He knew of Nick‟s infidelity. Being found out as a sentry wouldn‟t produce much more than mild irritation from Todd; that happened. They‟d dealt with it before. Nick would never be blamed for that turn of events. Biting his lip, Nick nodded again. Hand fluttering near his chest brand, he said, “He grabbed my tunic, saw my brand. I‟m sorry… Todd….” “Later, Nick.” Todd waved one hand in the air, dismissing Nick‟s words. He paced back and forth, muttering, “We can‟t let it know there are two of us, can‟t tip our hand. There‟s a meeting later this morning, the Chancellor will have to be there. I have to be there, too, as part of security. You‟ll go back to the school; we pretend nothing has happened. If he gets wind of a trap, he‟ll either jump hosts or bolt. Either way we lose him.” Todd stopped and stared at Nick, eyes narrowing. “And I‟m not losing to that piece of crap. I‟m killing it.” Taking a few steps forward, Nick said, “Todd, will you listen to yourself? You can‟t go in like this.” Images of the real Chancellor wrapped up in the cocoon flashed through Nick‟s head. That was what would happen to Todd if the kelbit got to him.
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Stumbling back, Todd said, “Stay back…. Nick, I can‟t think straight when… the way you smell….” Todd was across the room and out of reach in seconds. Your master is mine. Nick froze, cold fingers clenched around his heart, and his stomach squeezed in on itself. He was an abomination to his master, his mate. He‟d so horribly let Todd down and now was being punished, told to stay away. “I‟ll take you to the school. You‟ll be safe there. Stay with the kids until I get there.” “He‟s got my scent already and knows I‟m a sentry. I‟ll bait him.” Todd‟s gaze jumped to him, and he shook his head slightly. “No, Nick, you‟re not—” “He‟ll come after me anyway if he knows I‟m hunting him.” Nick was completely prepared to die, sacrifice himself to save his master. The master he‟d betrayed after all the good and kindness Todd had given him. This was how Nick repaid the life Todd offered so freely. It was the only way to make things right. Nick forced the lump in his throat down and the tears pooling in his eyes away. He didn‟t want to die. He didn‟t want to leave Todd, but he saw no other way of being useful to his master. “No,” Todd snapped, making Nick cringe away. “Now, get cleaned up and get dressed.” Without saying another word, Todd turned and stalked to the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Twenty minutes later he was back out, and after Nick showered, they silently left for the school. There wasn‟t anything Nick could do but follow Todd‟s orders. He wouldn‟t be permitted near the area the meeting was taking place, and if he tried and was caught, it might very well put Todd right into the kelbit‟s clutches. Todd‟s theory that Nick would be safe in the school was about as invalid as it could be; however, Nick wasn‟t going to tell Todd that was where most of the attacks had taken place: the school or somewhere attached to the school.
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If the kelbit followed its pattern, it‟d come after Nick again in an effort to flush out Todd. In the first twenty-four hours Nick had been on the Estate, the Chancellor had openly—albeit subtly—confronted Nick in a room full of people. That was before the kelbit was actively pursuing him and Todd. With each attack, the creature‟s confidence rose. Yet it hadn‟t confronted Todd, which meant it probably hadn‟t identified him yet. If Nick let the kelbit continue and left himself open, possibly he‟d be able to kill the kelbit or injure it enough it couldn‟t jump hosts. Then he and Todd would be able to end the monster. Nick didn‟t dare even hope this would redeem him in the eyes of his master. At most Nick could only pray he‟d be kept as a hunting partner, the tool and weapon he was raised and trained to be. There was probably a better, safer plan of attack, but his brain seemed to have a constant covering of fuzz over it and he couldn‟t think clearly enough to find that better plan. The hours couldn‟t tick past fast enough for Nick. He did his best to concentrate on the children. He‟d come to like them more than he‟d expected and realized this was probably the last time he‟d see them. More than once throughout the day his throat turned into a large, soft lump of mush. Exhaustion was coursing deep within him. Every time the kelbit forced its venom down his throat, the act not only left Nick‟s head spinning and his cock swelling but made him lethargic with heavy limbs and a weary mind. It was probably another weapon of the monster, a way to keep its victims worn down. On Nick, it was working. Nick hung back after the children left for the day. No one questioned his actions or motives. He‟d done it every day he‟d been in the Estate, for one reason or another. Changing his routine now might draw unwanted attention. Besides, if the kelbit was with him, it wasn‟t after Todd and likely wouldn‟t know for sure who among all the others on the Estate it was using Nick to draw out. Once the kelbit knew Nick‟s master‟s identity, it would move on to its goal of taking over Todd‟s life, and Todd would spend the rest of his own life in a cocoon.
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He‟d heard nothing throughout the day of any problems or acts of violence from anywhere on the Estate. If there was one thing Nick had learned quickly on this job, it was that any news or gossip about everything going on in the Estate traveled from one end to the other like wildfire. That realization and knowledge led him to think the Chancellor and Todd hadn‟t gotten physically close enough to one another for a confrontation or there had simply been no time when one was alone with the other to give them opportunity. His suspicions on how the meeting and the morning had gone were confirmed within a half-hour of the children leaving; he stiffened when he heard the sound of now-familiar footsteps nearing the classroom. The door swung shut, but the sound of a lock snicking into place never came. Nick relaxed his shoulders; maybe he wasn‟t going to have to endure another attack. Turning, he half expected to see a face other than the Chancellor‟s, and wondered if the kelbit had jumped hosts already. It hadn‟t yet, he could see that at once, but it needed to. There was something off about the creature. For the first time it seemed nervous and edgy. Licking its lips, the Chancellor walked across the room to where Nick stood in front of the desk. Standing quietly, gauging his opponent, Nick watched placidly as it stalked closer to him. The Chancellor‟s lips split into a wide, shiver-inducing grin. “You humans and your bodies are so entertaining. There is so much to explore.” Nick didn‟t really have a reply to that comment, so he remained quiet. “He was there earlier today. Right in the same room as I was. I could smell you all over him, as well as his need to retake his mate. It was delightful.” The kelbit leaned closer to Nick, swiping its tongue along his neck and over his face, pressing between his lips. Bitter, oily venom shot to the back of Nick‟s mouth, starting the fire igniting through his veins. It pulled its tongue out, making Nick‟s skin crawl when it looked him up and down. “It‟s only a matter of time before I flush him out.” A short, smug laugh burst out of the Chancellor.
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“Well, really, he‟ll be coming to me. He‟ll think he‟s coming to defend his beloved mate, but really he‟s coming right into my trap.” The kelbit stepped close enough that it was pressed against Nick and forcing Nick to grip the edge of the desk with both hands. He had one small knife, but was it enough? It might do nothing but wound the kelbit. If that wound was minor, the situation would only become worse. “Get away from me. My master is dead. Get it through your thick skull.” Nick bit the words out, pleased they sounded far more threatening than he felt at the moment. “Oh, far from it.” The Chancellor leaned in, forcing Nick to bend backward over the desk. “Whoever it is, I made sure he got my message, knew my scent, and that I was in the same room with him earlier. I‟ll give your master credit, he‟s got more self-control than anyone I‟ve come across before. Most would have gone after me right then and there.” The kelbit‟s tongue inched over the skin along Nick‟s jaw, tickling with the very tip and winding a lazy path along to Nick‟s ear. One arm snaked around Nick‟s waist. Its other hand pressed to Nick‟s groin, rubbing up and down in a slow, methodical motion. Nick bit his lip against how the cloth of his pants skimmed over his hardening cock. He tried to get out from under the Chancellor but only succeeded in widening his stance, legs spreading and giving the vile creature more room. A loud rap and a cough from the doorway made Nick‟s heart skip in his chest as relief flooded through him. “Chancellor, your wife requested I take this slave to your apartments for extra tutoring of your children. Is this how you interview all the tutors?” Nick didn‟t have to look over the Chancellor‟s shoulder to know it was Todd; he‟d recognized the sharp rap of knuckles before he‟d heard the cough or the sound of Todd‟s voice. “I‟m going to very much enjoy the both of you.” The words were whispered in Nick‟s ear. The Chancellor smiled, gave Nick one final lick along his neck, squeezed his cock, and stepped away.
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Immediately Nick slid to the side, out of reach of the kelbit, and straightened, gaze shifting nervously between Todd and the kelbit. Calmly the Chancellor adjusted his suit and turned to face Todd, but standing so Nick was still in its sights. There was no way Nick could attack or even get to his knife without being seen. “I trust he‟ll get to his assignment safely?” The Chancellor moved across the room like oil over water. He stopped shoulder to shoulder with Todd, meeting Todd‟s deadpan stare with one of his own. A muscle in Todd‟s jaw jumped. He nodded and folded both hands in front of him. “He‟ll be perfectly safe with me.” Todd‟s voice was deadly calm, his demeanor nothing but professional. His skittish behavior of earlier was gone, and he looked far more himself than when Nick had last seen him. Even when the Chancellor leaned in, inhaling deeply near Todd, and said in a low voice, “My wife will know nothing,” Todd didn‟t so much as flinch. There was nothing about him showing outwardly the anger and hate seething beneath the surface. Nick saw it plainly, but Nick knew Todd better than anyone, and Todd was plenty pissed off. The second the Chancellor was out the door and walking down the hall and away from the classroom, Todd kicked the door shut, viciously twisting the lock into place. He crossed the room so quickly Nick wasn‟t sure what was going to happen. He took an involuntary step back and used the desk as a brace. “Nicky, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Todd had both hands around Nick‟s neck, just under his jaw. His grip was firm and gentle. Concern and maybe a bit of guilt were the only things he saw in Todd‟s eyes and heard in his voice. “I should have never left you here alone. This is my fault.” “I‟m sorry.” Nick blurted the words out. “What? Sorry for what?” As Todd spoke he moved closer to Nick and stepped so his thigh was between Nick‟s legs. There was no way now Nick could hide anything. A simple shift of a fraction of an inch, and Todd‟s thigh brushed against Nick‟s groin, his shame out in the open now. Todd‟s gaze dipped down for a few seconds before
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coming back to meet Nick‟s. Realization spread across Todd‟s face. “Aw, Nicky, is that what has you so upset?” Nick felt like he was going to pass out. All he could do was stand there and stare at Todd through wide eyes. Letting go of Nick and stepping back, Todd pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. He sighed heavily. “This is my fault. Nick, it‟s okay, it‟s natural. We‟re men, and if there is one universal fact, it‟s that men are pigs.” “Huh?” “Nick, someone touches you or you see someone who you find attractive, and that”—Todd waved in the vicinity of Nick‟s crotch— “happens. It happens to every guy at one point or another.” “I don‟t want him touching me, and he‟s ugly,” Nick burst out. “It doesn‟t happen to you!” Todd chuckled. “Yeah, it does. You”—he tapped the end of Nick‟s nose—“have reaped the benefits.” Todd‟s hands fell onto Nick‟s shoulders, rubbing up and down softly. “But, Todd, there‟s… it‟s not just—” Todd‟s features clouded over. “Nick, has he hurt you?” “N-no, not really, just threatened and touched….” “I‟m sorry, Nick. I wasn‟t here to protect you, and I promised you that sort of thing wouldn‟t happen.” “It‟s not your fault. We had no choice. But, Todd, I need to tell you—” Todd placed two fingers over Nick‟s lips, silencing him. “We‟ll talk later, when we‟re safe. Right now this thing is out of control. You said it yourself this morning. I‟m out of control. I don‟t know what this thing is doing to us, and I don‟t know about you, but I can‟t take much more. We‟re ending this. Now.” Taking Nick‟s arm, Todd headed to the door, unlocked it, and pulled Nick from the room. “We‟ll have a few hours before the reception. I‟m going to the armory and getting our guns.”
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They crossed the yards to the employee building and went straight for Todd‟s rooms. “I‟ll go with you,” Nick said as Todd opened the door and they stepped inside. “You can‟t. No slave is allowed in there, and having you come with me could cause problems and call attention to us. It already knows you‟re a sentry. It may or may not suspect me, so let‟s keep it guessing. I want you to be sure we have what we need here and are prepared.” Todd reached out and pulled Nick closer to him, holding him tightly for a few minutes. “I‟ll be back soon.” Nick‟s head was pulled down, and Todd pressed a kiss to his forehead, then was gone. As he had been asked, Nick made sure they were prepared for their confrontation with the kelbit. He checked and double-checked their knives and the extra rounds of ammunition Todd had tucked away, wondering why it was permitted to have those in his rooms and not firearms. Flopping down backward on the bed, Nick rubbed at his eyes. The effects of the venom were wearing off, and he was so very tired. His vision grayed from the edges, and his eyelids drooped. All he wanted to do was sleep. He would be so happy when they left here and he could rest up and think clearly. One minute Todd was shoving him away, telling Nick to keep his distance, but Nick was unsure why. In the next Todd acted like himself, and Nick‟s fears of rejection seemed unfounded. He felt like his brain had been taken out, scrambled, and put back inside his skull. Still, Nick couldn‟t help the voice niggling at him from some dark place of his mind—his master would never forgive his indiscretions. His thoughts bounced back and forth. One second Nick was preparing himself to be cast aside; the next his inner voice convinced him there was nothing to worry over. Arms and legs getting heavier, Nick relaxed minutely on the mattress. The fact Todd hadn‟t come back within a few minutes didn‟t surprise Nick; he was, after all, “on duty,” and Nick knew Todd had to keep up the pretense of the job he used as cover. Nick had the fleeting thought Todd might go after the creature alone, but dismissed it; the bulk of their supplies was here in
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the room with Nick. Since Nick had come to live with Todd, his master had never hunted any of the supernatural beings they tracked alone. In fact the only things Todd had gone after by himself had been the men who branded Nick. The sound of the lock being turned and the door opening, then closing, made Nick start and open his eyes with a gasp. The room was drenched in darkening shadows; he must have fallen asleep. Rubbing his eyes, he rolled to his side and started to sit up. “Todd?” “Yeah. Got everything.” The mattress dipped, making Nick roll slightly toward the added weight. Todd shimmied across the bed and put one arm around Nick‟s shoulders, pulling him close. “C‟mere. You‟re worn out, and we need to wait for complete nightfall when it goes back to its nest.” Nick was urged closer, and Todd tucked Nick‟s head against his thigh, fingertips stroking through Nick‟s hair. Nodding, Nick settled against Todd‟s leg, happy for the closeness and contact. He inhaled deeply, wanting to fill himself with the scent of Todd. Opening his eyes, he scanned the room. Bracing one hand, palm open, against the bed, Nick straightened his arm and pushed away from Todd‟s leg. He looked at Todd, stared at him. Todd gazed back placidly, cocked his head to one side, and smiled. Sucking in a fast breath, Nick shoved away until he was balanced on the end of the bed, sitting back on his heels. “Something wrong, Nicky?” “You‟re not Todd.”
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Chapter Ten
TODD couldn‟t open his eyes. He was barely able to pry his mouth open. Lips opening and closing, he soundlessly sucked in quick, aching breaths. Hazy light filtered through his eyelids, but they were covered with some sort of sticky goo. He tried to raise his hands to brush it away but couldn‟t; they were glued to his sides. Twisting his body from side to side caused hundreds of points of sharp, stinging pain to spread throughout his arms, legs, and torso, up his neck and down his spine. Clenching his jaw so tightly it caused more pain to shoot along his head and neck, Todd screamed through his teeth and forced deep breaths into his lungs. Puffing out blew the glop away long enough he could get another deep breath, but the air he pulled in tasted stale and stung his throat. A sharp burn snaked its way down his throat and filled his chest. Ignoring how splinters of hot, prickly pain lanced through him with every move, Todd continued working his arms up and down and his hands from side to side. He had no idea how long it took, but eventually the webbing loosened and his cocoon started to slough away from his skin. The miniscule attachments began pulling out, leaving angry, red welts. After what felt like an eternity, he managed to work one hand free. Every muscle along his forearms and biceps howled its protest. Nerve endings along his shoulder and back screamed at the intensity of sensation coursing from fingertips to scapula only to flow down his side. Eyes shutting against the tears, Todd moved his hand far enough to hook his fingers in the cocoon‟s material.
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Wiggling his fingers back and forth, he worked open a tear in the cocoon and got his hand free. Gripping the edge of the gash, he straightened his arm and shoved the webbing strands away from him. Chest heaving, Todd dragged gulps of air in and panted them out again, trying to block out the pain. Another wordless shout, and Todd jerked the upper half of his body to the side and up, rolling through the growing rip in the cocoon. Landing hard on his side, Todd rolled away onto his back. Blood trickled from dozens of small cuts. Grabbing a fistful of the strands still stuck to his face, Todd yanked and pulled them free. The muscles of his back jerked with powerful enough spasms he arched off the ground and another harsh shout ripped from his throat. Heels scraping along the ground, Todd pushed along, still on his back, away from the cocoon. Sparks of black and white danced along the edges of his vision, and the small space he was in spun in slow, sickening waves. Carefully he brought one hand up and covered his eyes, fingers gingerly rubbing across his eyebrows. Sharp, sour bile rose from his stomach and pooled at the back of his mouth. He coughed and spit, getting one foot under him and using it to push far enough to the side that he wouldn‟t asphyxiate. Spitting the yellow-tinged liquid out to shimmer on the ground, he gagged and wiped one hand across his mouth. Twisting farther, Todd got to his knees and slowly eased off the ground, spittle dripping in long strands from his lips. He stayed like that on all fours for another couple of minutes, simply breathing in and out. Nick. He had to get to Nick. Todd knew what had happened after he‟d left his quarters; his memory of the kelbit‟s attack was fresh and vivid. He‟d seen the kelbit in its true form just prior to its transformation into a likeness of himself. His mate was a big, strong fighter of a young man. Nick was tough and had become an incredibly capable sentry, but this creature was too much for one man to handle alone. It had drugged and abused Nick, beaten him down and weakened his defenses, mental and physical.
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Fine job of protecting his mate Todd had done this time. Promises he‟d made to Nick certainly hadn‟t been kept. He didn‟t know how he‟d ever win back Nick‟s trust and love. If he had to, Todd would spend the rest of his life trying. Todd completely understood the brutality of the previous attacks in the Estate. The kelbit without disguise was wider than both Todd and Nick put together and then some. Its arms and legs were lined with multiple rows of scales going against the grain of its skin that rose and fell at what looked to be the creature‟s will. Todd understood at once what they were for: grabbing and holding its victim still. A small amount of liquid beaded near the scales, another method of administering its venom, no doubt. Drugged with venom and overpowered, Nick would be at its mercy. Todd had promised to protect Nick, his mate, from assault, and he‟d practically delivered Nick right to the monster. Nick wasn‟t supposed to be bait or some sacrificial lamb, and he‟d become both. Staggering to his feet, Todd took a better look around. The decayed shell of the Chancellor‟s cocoon was a few feet away, split open, his body crumpled and gray. Todd gagged and shuffled backward, away from the thing and its horrible stench. Clamping one wrist against his nose, Todd made his way to the entrance and struggled to the surface. He‟d left Nick in his quarters across the compound. Battling hard to move normally, Todd was outside the slave dorms before he managed a smoother gait and steadier pace. Stumbling, he went down, sliding on his knees and lurching forward onto his hands. Skin from his palms scraped away, but Todd was able to push off the ground, legs pumping to a run before he was completely upright. Charging into the employee complex, Todd didn‟t have time to get weapons. He‟d have to use what was in his quarters. There were at least two knives. Killing the kelbit required taking its head off. Even if Todd hadn‟t read that in the literature he‟d found, he‟d know that was the method. Every type of shifter died when its head was removed from its body. The knives he had were thinner and more for stabbing, not decapitating, but he‟d have to make it work.
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He heard the commotion inside his room when he got to the door. He heard Nick cry out and knew at once by the strangled quality of his voice he was in pain, terrorized, and fighting for his life. Todd didn‟t hesitate. He backed up a step, got a good start, and landed a solid kick to the door.
NICK backed up until his feet slid over the end of the bed. He glared at the thing wearing his master‟s face, brain whirring while he frantically tried to picture where the knives were he could defend himself with, and formulate a plan. Crawling at him, the kelbit curled its lips into an evil smile. “A sentry and his mate.” It swung off the bed as Nick‟s feet hit the ground and he stood to his full height. His head swam and his vision blurred. Stomach churning, Nick realized it was the effects of the venom the kelbit had been feeding him for days now. Knowing those facts didn‟t help him right now, however. “I know what you‟re thinking. You‟ll turn me in. But who is going to believe you, a slave? No one. You‟re mine. Such a fine, fine specimen I have for a slave. I can go anywhere, do anything, and no one will ever question me. I‟m a sentry. Your master, he‟s far stronger and more virile than that pathetic old man.” The kelbit stalked around the bed. “I‟ll be able to feed from him and use you for months.” A low, sharp laugh. “Maybe even years.” “You‟ll never get away with it. I won‟t let you,” Nick spat. He dodged for the bag with the knives. The kelbit was fast, faster than Nick, faster than any human. It was in Nick‟s space so rapidly he never clearly saw it move. It snarled, and its tongue snaked out, spitting venom into Nick‟s face before he could twist away. The effects were immediate. Nick‟s skin tightened down, and blood rushed through his veins, in his ears, and along every nerve, igniting each path with white-hot, burning desire.
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Roaring, Nick clapped both hands together and brought them up, channeling the unwanted passion into rage. He swung as hard as he could, combined fists smashing against the kelbit‟s face. Caught off guard, the creature flipped sideways and went down on one knee. Nick dove for the bag and knife. Just as his fingers brushed the hilt, he was grabbed by the hair and jerked backward with such power he landed hard on his ass. The kelbit was on him, straddling him and standing over him in a flash. Nick was hauled to his feet, and the creature‟s face thrust close to his, tongue swiping over his neck and face, smearing him with more venom. Ears ringing, Nick brought one knee up and slammed it into the kelbit‟s middle at the same time he cranked back one arm and let fly another solid punch, breaking the creature‟s hold on him. Nick stumbled back as the kelbit staggered in the opposite direction. Laughing, the kelbit pulled the shirt he wore away from his body. “Well, well, you like it rough, huh? Me too.” Nick edged away, his back connecting with the wall. He tried sidestepping out of reach, but again he was trapped by the kelbit. He barely registered the sound and feeling of his tunic being ripped away and how his pants legs were shredded. Claws digging into his shoulders, the kelbit pulled Nick away from the wall and slammed him into it again, sending sparks of white dancing across his vision. Grabbing a fistful of Nick‟s hair, the kelbit forced his head to the side, and Nick felt stabbing pain along his arm when the creature‟s teeth sank into the meat of his shoulder. Screaming, Nick tried pushing away, but the kelbit‟s arms bent at the elbow and clamped down on Nick‟s arms. He felt something move between them. Razorsharp lines rose off the kelbit‟s skin and dug into Nick‟s flesh, trapping him. Throbbing set up almost at once along the path of the wounds and strung down his arms. The kelbit pulled Nick against its chest, widened its stance, and spent all of a few seconds getting its belt loose and jeans shed. It shoved Nick so his legs were between the kelbit‟s thighs. More sharp points of agony blossomed along the outer parts of Nick‟s thighs. He was held firm in the creature‟s grasp with no way of escape. Any
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sudden or violent movement on his part would shred flesh and muscle completely away from bone, most likely causing Nick to bleed out and die in minutes. Nick wasn‟t dying until this thing did. It was his only chance of saving Todd and freeing him before his body reached a point it wouldn‟t heal. There was no way to know for sure, of course, but Nick reasoned if he could get Todd out of the cocoon within a few hours, there wouldn‟t be more damage than couldn‟t be fixed. Freeing Todd required the kelbit to die and the cocoon to be removed. Without warning he was free, the kelbit stepping away. Dropping to his hands and knees, Nick fought to focus his vision and bring his swimming head back into line. The room flipped and flopped, nearly turning over on itself. The area grayed out for a few seconds, only to sharpen back to vibrant color after a few slow blinks of Nick‟s eyes. He gulped in a huge breath and forced himself to stand. Reeling forward, Nick swung again. The kelbit grabbed his arm and spun him around, this time latching onto Nick from behind. “You‟re both mine.” The thing hissed in Nick‟s ear and forced him down. Gagging when the kelbit‟s tongue forced between his lips, and more venom was dripped over his tongue and drizzled down the back of his throat, Nick shuddered. Tingling along the points of contact from the scales gripping his flesh intensified. An odd, biting warmth started in the wounds and spread across his arms and legs. It made him woozy and uncoordinated. Anger welled up in Nick‟s chest. Was this what the rest of his life would be, an unwilling partnership with this creature? It wasn‟t really much of an issue, since Nick fully expected both their lives to end shortly. The kelbit bent its knees, pressing more of its slimy flesh against Nick. Its hot, fetid breath threatened to smother him. Nick tried turning his face away, but strong fingers gripped his head and held him in place. Gritting his teeth, Nick steeled himself and prepared to tolerate the invasion he knew was about to come. Survive and wait for
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his chance. The thing had to sleep sometime. It was the best he could hope for at the moment. Sounds from across the room filtered through his ears and into his mind. The sharp rattle of the door, then the louder, sharper sound of it hitting the wall and bouncing off filled the room. Heavy footsteps hit the floor, and an enraged voice shouted, “Get the hell away from him.”
HOLDING one arm up to keep the door from coming back and slamming into him, Todd didn‟t miss a step. He kicked and was running into his quarters in the same movement. The sight that met him nearly froze him in his tracks. Nick, naked from the waist up, was pinned by the kelbit against the wall. He was barely standing, his legs bent more into a kneeling position and held off the floor by the kelbit‟s short talon-like scales digging into his arms and thighs. The pants he was wearing were in tatters from mid-thigh down but otherwise intact. Todd realized that wouldn‟t be the case for long. Mind flooding with dozens of what-ifs and possibilities, Todd pushed thoughts away of his kindhearted mate being brutalized and abused in such a way, and right under Todd‟s nose. Stride lengthening to a run, Todd crossed the room and grabbed the kelbit‟s shoulders with both hands. Spinning the thing around, Todd jerked back a step when he came face to face with himself. One quick inhale brought everything back to focus. Letting go of the kelbit with one hand, Todd pulled his arm back and smashed his fist into the creature‟s face with every ounce of strength he had in him. Caught off guard and probably not expecting Todd or his attack, the kelbit reeled away. It would have crashed to the floor had Todd not been holding it with his other hand, gripping its shoulder. Todd hit it again, and a third time, each punch driving the thing farther away from Nick. Hitting the ground, the kelbit rolled, throwing its body into Todd‟s legs and bowling him over. The kelbit knew his moves. Todd
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was in a fight for not only his life, but Nick‟s as well, with an opponent he couldn‟t trick—himself. His complete equal. Like all shape-shifters, it acquired its victim‟s thoughts and emotions when it assumed a new identity. It knew how Todd fought, how he reacted and what he‟d do. Dropping to one side, Todd avoided being pinned by the thing. It might have appeared to have his height and build, but in reality the kelbit was far heavier than Todd. Just as the creature reached out to grasp his legs, trying to take him down, Todd kicked. He landed a hard, solid hit with one foot to the kelbit‟s middle. Smirking, he ground out, “That surprised you, didn‟t it?” Grunting, the kelbit inched away, pushed off the floor, and charged Todd. Standing his ground, Todd met him head-on, hands coming up and fingers winding around the kelbit‟s neck. “No one, sentry or not, has bested me yet,” The kelbit snarled. “You and your boy are mine now.” Somewhere at the edges of his vision, Todd saw Nick drop to all fours and stretch along the floor, reaching out with one arm. Crawling forward one inch at a time, Todd caught a glimpse of Nick‟s fingers winding around the duffel. The kelbit threw its weight forward. Knocking Todd off balance, they stumbled backward until Todd‟s back hit the dresser. He was pressed down, spine painfully bent backward over the hard wood. The kelbit‟s fingers found their way to Todd‟s jaw and neck, pushing against both, trying to break Todd‟s death grip on it. “Ni-iick.” Todd barely ground the word out of his constricting throat. Looking over the kelbit‟s shoulder, Todd saw movement. Nick crept closer, then stood, a dark figure looming behind the kelbit. Wiggling his legs, Todd got a knee bent and drove it into the kelbit‟s ribs, shoving it away. Shouting, Nick lunged forward and caught the kelbit, one arm wrapped around its shoulders. The other hand clenched a knife and brought it to the kelbit‟s neck. Twisting, the kelbit stomped on Nick‟s foot and wedged one elbow into his side. It turned far enough to spit venom all over Nick‟s face. Letting go of the kelbit‟s shoulders, Nick staggered back,
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rubbing the liquid from his eyes. The sting from the venom showed on Nick‟s pinched face and in the way his shoulders stiffened and hunched. Todd shoved away from the dresser and hollered. The kelbit turned away from Nick and toward him. Todd was ready. He brought both fists up and slammed them into the kelbit‟s face. The creature stumbled back, but not before catching Todd‟s legs with its own, taking him down. Nick shouted something, but Todd only heard the noise, not the words. Nick hit the kelbit broadside, knocking the creature sideways. It hit the ground and rolled to get both hands under its body and off the floor. Nick pounced, flattening the kelbit facedown. Gripping the knife in both hands, he drove it down and into the creature‟s neck. Jerking both hands up to pull the knife out, Nick repeated the action as the kelbit‟s hands scrabbled at Nick‟s knees. Saliva dripped from Nick‟s mouth as he rammed the knife through the kelbit‟s neck over and over, shouting with each powerful blow. The kelbit screamed a few times, then went still. Nick didn‟t quit. Arms pumping like pistons, he pummeled the thing‟s neck with the knife blade, severing its spinal cord completely. The head— “Todd‟s” head—rolled away to one side. “Nick,” Todd rasped out. Struggling to his feet, hand holding his throat, he stumbled to his mate. Dropping to his knees behind Nick, Todd wound one arm around his waist. “Nicky, stop.” Nick wasn‟t listening or probably even hearing Todd; he was simply reacting. Bracketing Nick with his arms and legs, Todd pulled Nick back against his chest. His free hand got around Nick‟s wrist, stopping his attack. “It‟s dead.” He slid his hand down Nick‟s arm until he covered Nick‟s shaking hand with his own and reached for the knife. “It‟s dead. It‟s over.” Taking the knife from Nick, Todd tossed it to the side. Nick slumped back against him. Holding him tight, Todd rocked them. The hand he‟d taken the knife with moved to Nick‟s forehead,
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pressing him even more tightly to Todd. Nick‟s deranged shouts softened to harsh sobs. “It‟s dead, Nicky,” Todd whispered in Nick‟s ear, holding him as tightly as possible. Resting his chin on the top of Nick‟s head, Todd clutched his mate to him, rocking him gently and repeating softly spoken reassurances in his ear that the kelbit was dead. They were safe. The words of comfort finally got through, and Nick‟s sobs eventually turned to broken whimpers. Todd‟s arms cramped and his legs felt like lead, but still he held on. He held on tight.
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Chapter Eleven
LARRY WITZE dug the keys to the armory from his desk drawer. His newly hired second-in-command had disappeared, as had the Chancellor. Now there were reports of a huge disturbance in the employee quarters, same floor as one missing Tyler McCabe‟s room. Why was it Witze simply didn‟t believe this guy was really who he‟d claimed to be anymore? Not to mention he was fairly sure he was going to find out the missing McCabe and the missing Chancellor had connections to one another. There was far more going on here than was evident on the surface, and Witze completely intended to get to the covered-up secrets at the bottom of everything. As he straightened, keys in hand, his gaze dropped to the box delivered that morning for McCabe. It was long and narrow, and Witze had a burning desire to know what had come in such a box and why it had been delivered to McCabe via his office. He needed to find the missing McCabe and probably that slave kid McCabe had taken such a liking to. He had a very strong suspicion he‟d find a lot of answers with the two men. He‟d taken no more than a few steps and was still behind the big desk when his office door crashed open and a very bloody and beaten Tyler McCabe stalked through. Right behind him was the slave kid, Nick, looking even bloodier and more beaten, if that was even possible. He no longer wore the state-issued slave outfit, but jeans and a T-shirt. Tiny points of red dotted the sleeves of the shirt, and cuts on his arms showed under their edges. The only bits of him that looked like any of the orphans living here were his bare feet. His eyes had an odd, glazed look to them, and his skin had patches of something
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faintly darker than his skin and with a slight sheen. Witze‟s first thought was that the boy was coming off the effects of some drug. McCabe snapped his thumb and middle finger together once. The boy dropped to his knees, gaze glued to McCabe‟s back. McCabe sidestepped a few paces so he was directly in front of the kid and stared straight into Witze‟s eyes. It was difficult to tell if the man was angry with him or some situation. Witze dearly hoped he was not the subject of McCabe‟s wrath; the fact that he was a dangerous man exuded from his pores like sweat. “McCabe, what—” “Ruger.” A small leather folder was dropped onto Witze‟s desk. “My name is Todd Ruger. This is Nick. He‟s not an orphan slave. He‟s my slave as well as my mate. I‟m a sentry, and Mr. Witze, you‟ve got a big problem that is right now dead in my quarters.” Witze stared at the two men for a few seconds, completely dumbfounded. He pulled the folder to him and opened it. Within were indeed papers for both men, verifying they were in fact exactly who this Todd said they were. His mind spun; he needed a few minutes to process. “What are you hunting?” “Were. It‟s dead. There has been a predator here for months. It is called a kelbit and was responsible for the attacks on the slaves. This thing can take on whatever form it wants and assume anyone‟s identity. In this case, it chose Chancellor Shaffer.” “What?” “You told me yourself the Chancellor had been acting oddly.” Witze nodded. His gaze shifted to the boy behind Todd Ruger. He, like his master, was splattered with blood and some other yellowish, shiny substance that looked like it should be liquid but seemed stuck to their skin. The kid watched them with wide eyes. He didn‟t look good at all, Witze decided. “Where is… Shaffer, is he alive?” “No. I‟m sorry. He‟s not.” Todd glanced back at Nick, met his gaze for a split second before focusing on Witze again. “I can take you to his remains. The kelbit‟s nest was in those caverns we found under the slave dorms. Its body is in my quarters. It realized Nick and
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I are sentries. We were its next victims.” Todd held up his hands, the backs facing Witze. Witze saw dozens of tiny red pinprick marks covering the man‟s skin. “It did that to you?” Todd nodded. “When it decided to become me.” “Are you all right? Both of you?” He looked first at Todd, then around him to the boy. Another nod from Todd. “How do I know you are really not it?” “I can tell the difference and see it in its true form,” Nick said softly, shrugging slightly. “I can see evil creatures, sometimes see it in humans.” “This… uh… this came for you this morning.” Witze picked up the box and held it out. It was sort of a stupid thing to do and say, but he needed a moment to collect his thoughts. Besides, he really wanted to see what was in it and why it was so important as to be delivered by special courier and not the regular mail system. Stepping forward, Todd took the box and stared down at it, rubbing his thumbs gently over the wrapping. “Todd.” The boy‟s voice was so soft it was more of an exhale. Turning away, Todd ripped open the covering and opened the box. Witze expected a weapon to come from its interior, certainly not what he saw Todd extract. Smiling softly, Todd held out the object for Nick to see. Tired eyes looked up at the man from under long, shaggy bangs. “Better than new, just like I promised.” Todd crouched down in front of Nick. “They even fixed the catch. No more frayed ends. And all the stains are gone, see?” Nodding, Nick said, “Yes, sir.” Witze saw a flicker of hurt cross Todd‟s face. It lasted no more than a second or two, but it was long enough to tell Witze this man wasn‟t accustomed to being called sir by his slave. Nor was it something he particularly wanted.
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Todd held a collar, not like the simple ones the slaves were issued here at the compound, but one much nicer. It was dark-brown braided leather with a silver catch and loop. A matching strip of flat leather was under the braiding. Todd laid it over his knee and reached out, hands going behind Nick‟s neck. Nick bent his head a bit. Todd unbuckled the collar Nick had been issued before arriving at the Estate and flung it across the room. He replaced it with the braided one. Smiling, he brushed one hand through Nick‟s bangs. “Better?” Nick nodded. “Much.” “That‟s my boy.” Todd moved his hand around and cupped the back of Nick‟s head, pulling him closer and pressing a soft kiss to Nick‟s forehead. “Get those things off your wrists.” Witze had heard of the sorts of bonds shared by master and slave, but he‟d only seen the results of one of them being left behind. He‟d never seen it in action, and it warmed him. Nick slowly unbuckled the wristbands and let them drop to the floor beside his knees. His gaze skittered from Todd to Witze and back again. “It‟ll be okay. I promise.” Todd‟s voice was raspy and low. It struck Witze like a bolt of lightning: there was still more going on here. “Which one of you killed this…?” “Kelbit. It‟s a very ancient type of shape-shifter.” Todd stood and turned on his heel, facing Witze fully again. “They don‟t die easy. You have to use a special silver-edged knife and sever its spinal cord.” When Witze frowned, Todd sighed and shrugged. “Cut off its head.” Witze dragged his gaze from Todd and landed it on Nick. “Which one of you killed it?” Todd shifted from one foot to the other. “I‟m a sentry. There was nothing illegal done. Vice Chancellor Clarke hired us and set up our cover. Check with him.” “I will.” Witze looked at Todd, then back to Nick. “You killed it, didn‟t you, son?”
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Nick didn‟t answer, simply looked up at his master and swallowed hard. It was all the answer Witze really needed. A slave even remotely involved with the death of the Chancellor would have little defense against the act, and everyone in this room knew it. Any slave who admitted to killing another person, even in self-defense, was treated as sternly as the law permitted. “All the proof you‟ll need is down in those caverns and in my quarters.” Todd‟s voice was steady despite how he looked. Witze nodded. “Show me.” He motioned them to the door. Nick looked up at Todd again. The older man nodded, and Nick slowly stood up and stepped closer to his master. Todd moved to the side, allowing Witze to walk by and to the door. Stopping long enough to be sure the two men were indeed behind him, Witze led the way to the slave dorms. He stole glances at the sentry and his slave as they walked. It was obvious they‟d been through an ordeal, but the way the kid was slow to focus and take in his surroundings worried Witze. Once they were in the dorms and heading down to the caverns, he noticed how Nick seemed to zone out for a few seconds every couple of minutes. Witze thought he‟d prepared himself for whatever was waiting in the cavern, but he was wrong. The smell hit first. It was sickly sweet, some combination of decaying flesh and an odor he‟d never experienced before. Panting quick breaths in through his mouth and out his nose to keep from gagging, Witze took a good look at the body. Kneeling in front of the cocoon, Witze peered closely at the human remains inside the broken and cracked skeletal cocoon. The grayish, heavy strands were interwoven and split down the middle like a cracked egg. What was left of the Chancellor was withered and pasty gray that matched the twines encasing him. The eye sockets were empty and lips nonexistent. The once robust, slightly overweight man had been reduced to little more than a skeleton with brittle skin pulled over it. Witze couldn‟t help the grimace and sharp inhale.
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“I wouldn‟t touch that stuff without gloves.” Todd poked at the decimated cocoon with a toe. “The thing hunts using pheromones and venom. I have no idea what that crap will do to you.” Turning far enough to glance back at Todd, Witze nodded. Standing, he backed away from the thing. Another cocoon made of the same heavy strands of material was nearby. That one was shimmering and a more opalescent color that led Witze to believe it was fresher. It had a jagged rip down the center with smaller bits of it dangling loose in the vacant cavity. With a flick of his wrist at the cocoon, he asked, “This is where you were?” Todd nodded silently. Witze couldn‟t help the shiver. He could only imagine what it had been like for the man, being trapped inside this odd, suffocating enclosure. It had to have been claustrophobic at the least and terrifying at most. Witze was familiar with sentries, of course. He‟d met some in passing and even dealt with one or two before, but never to this extent and never with one undercover in his facility. They went in silence back to the security building. Witze organized a detail to secure the caverns and clean up the remains. He spent a few minutes issuing strict orders that anyone talking about what they‟d see in anything other than an official manner would find themselves in jail—permanently. With Todd, Nick, and a second crew in tow, they went to Todd‟s quarters. Witze went through the door first and stopped short. If what he‟d seen inside the caverns was bad, this was hideous. The entire suite was in shambles. Blood splattered the walls and floors. Someone had put up a hell of a fight. A quick glance back at the two men gave Witze his answer: Nick had taken the brunt of the attack. There was a body, and as Todd had said, it looked like him. Exactly like him. The only real difference was the fact the neck had been run through by a knife—multiple times, by the look of it—until head and body were separated. The head had rolled away and was positioned so the face was turned up. Bits of the same oddly colored substance that speckled Nick‟s skin, but more gelatinous, were scattered in a fan shape across the floor between body and head.
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People flooded the small room, beginning the task of clearing away the body. Todd glared down at the remains for a few seconds before turning to the others in the room. “Wear gloves, don‟t get any of the residue on you.” A soft choking noise made Witze turn and look at the sentry, then past him to his slave. The kid was staring at the head, eyes wide, skin pale and clammy-looking. Witze squinted at him. He was trembling, fine jitters that ran continuously along his limbs and down his sides. Witze was barely able to imagine what it would be like to kill something that looked like his master and mate. His heart went out to the boy. He‟d witnessed a short time ago the bond between Todd and Nick. It was deep, powerful, and incredibly loving. Simply seeing the body and face would be enough to give Witze nightmares for years, let alone having to confront and battle this thing to the death. Reaching out, he tapped Todd‟s arm gently and nodded beyond him to the slave. “Are you sure you want him here?” “He stays with me,” Todd responded, harshly, Witze thought. He realized Todd didn‟t understand what Witze was getting at. Nick swayed on his feet, his chest rising and falling more rapidly with every taken breath. “I didn‟t mean… you really don‟t want him here.” Stepping to the side, Witze started moving around Todd to his slave. The man immediately jerked sideways a step, mouth opening. “Todd.” Nick‟s voice was breathless and shaky. “I can‟t breathe very well….” Eyes getting wider, Todd froze for a second, staring at Witze. In the next instant he was turning on his heels and moving at his slave. “Nicky.” Nick‟s head dropped, and his hands twitched at his sides. His mouth opened, gulping in breaths, and his chest shuddered with the effort. In the next instant his knees bent slowly, and he started a slow crumple toward the floor. “Oh, no, no, no.” Todd‟s arms thrust forward in a jerky, odd type of action. The rest of him followed, and he caught the kid before
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he hit the floor and scooped him up, held tightly to his chest. “He needs a doctor.” “Yeah.” Witze grabbed the arm of the closest person, a young woman. “You, and you”—he took a few steps and addressed a man— “help him get this boy to the clinic.” “We‟ll need a wagon, sir. The slave clinic is on the other side of the Estate.” The woman looked from Witze to the two young men. “That‟s too far,” Witze snapped. “Take him to the clinic in the security building.” “But, sir—” Meeting Todd‟s eyes, Witze barked out, “Now!” Todd started to follow the two security officers. He stopped and turned back. “Thank you.” “Be sure the medical staff know they‟re under my orders to treat these two.” Witze moved forward, hand coming to rest on Todd‟s shoulder as he ushered the man to the door. “I‟ll come by and check on you both as soon as I can. Now, go get your boy taken care of.”
THEIR arrival caused more than a small stir in the employee clinic. Two nurses and a doctor rushed forward with a gurney when Witze‟s orders were repeated to the staff. Todd gratefully deposited his cargo onto it. Nick might have been long and lean, but he was still heavy, and after carrying him the distance between the quarters and the clinic, Todd‟s arms felt like lead. “What happened?” The doctor was speaking to Todd but already examining Nick. “H-he was attacked by an animal, I‟m not sure what. He was bitten.” Todd put a hand on Nick‟s shoulder and rolled him far enough he could expose the kelbit‟s bite wound there. Straightening, the doctor gasped. “What the—?” He gave Todd a hard stare. “I‟ve never seen an animal bite like this.”
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“I can‟t tell you any more.” “Look, I need to know what did this.” “He was attacked and ingested venom. There may have been some in the wounds too, I don‟t know. It‟s that.” Todd pointed to the dried bits of kelbit saliva on Nick‟s skin. “There.” The doctor nodded and focused on one of the nurses. He started issuing orders. Todd‟s head spun; the guy was talking about getting samples and starting IVs, cleaning and dressing wounds. The next thing he knew, Nick was being whisked away from him. When he scrambled to keep up, the doctor stepped between Todd and the gurney with Nick sprawled across it. “Mr.…?” The doctor‟s hands landed on his shoulders. He shook Todd gently. The man was nearly as tall as Todd and about the same age. “Ruger.” “Mr. Ruger. I‟m not sure what‟s going on here, but for Larry Witze to order you both be treated here, it must be pretty out of the ordinary. You own him, I got that. We‟ll take good care of him and you. But right now I need you to sit down, let the nurse check you over.” He turned and pointed to a door. “What‟s your slave‟s name?” “Nick… that‟s Nick.” “That door, see?” Todd nodded. The doctor smiled and continued, talking slowly, maintaining eye contact with Todd the entire time. “I‟m taking Nick in there. We just need to get his wounds cleaned up and get some fluids into him. Then I‟m going to take a look at that stuff all over him. We can‟t do our job with you in the way. An hour, I promise, and he‟ll be with you.” Swallowing roughly, Todd looked from the doctor to Nick and nodded again. He let one of the nurses lead him to a regular hospital room not too far down the hall. She had him strip to the waist, hold his arms up, and turn in a circle so she could examine his collection of cuts and abrasions.
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“There is a shower through there. Make sure you scrub those cuts good. You shouldn‟t need sutures in any of them. I‟ll bandage them up when you‟re done. While you‟re in there, I‟ll send someone back for your clothes.” “And Nick‟s.” She nodded and smiled, then slipped out the door, closing it softly behind her. When Todd was done in the shower, properly scrubbed as directed, he found all his duffels and possessions sitting in a corner of the room. He‟d just finished dressing—the clean clothes more welcome than he‟d have thought—when there was a soft knock on the door. He crossed the room, surprised to find the doorknob had been locked from the inside. Opening it, he found the nurse standing in the hall. She smiled kindly at him. “Ready for a roommate?” Todd let out a huge breath of relief. “Yeah. Hell yeah, I am.” Nick was still out, but it was obvious he‟d been cleaned up. He sported a few bandages, and when two orderlies hefted him from the gurney and onto the bed, Todd saw the roundish bite wound was covered with a large, white gauze pad taped securely in place. The doctor trailed behind and motioned Todd to sit. Waiting until they had Nick settled in the bed, Todd perched on the edge, one hand resting on Nick‟s arm. “We gave him some fluids and started him on antibiotics. That bite wound on his shoulder is nasty and starting to get infected. I think that‟s where most of his trouble is coming from. He‟s got a bit of a low-grade fever, but that should clear up in the next twelve hours or so. Mostly exhaustion and whatever the venom is. I took the samples we got off him to the lab. So far it‟s interesting but not deadly. I think if it was a fatal venom, we wouldn‟t be sitting here talking about it.” “So he‟s going to be okay?” “A few days‟ rest, plenty of fluids to flush his system out, and yes, I think so.” The doctor nodded curtly. “Mr. Witze has instructed you both to stay here until Nick is awake; then he‟s got some better accommodations for you.”
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“He won‟t have to be moved to the slave clinic?” “No. If you need anything, let the nurses know.” Todd smiled; he was tired, so it was a huge effort. “Thanks.” With that, he and Nick were alone in the room. Todd wiped one hand over his face, stood, and stretched, twisting his torso from side to side and getting a few satisfying pops from his spine. He paced across the small room before returning to the bed. Grabbing a chair, he pulled it close. After a while—Todd wasn‟t sure how long, but he had the sense quite a few hours had gone by—there was a soft knock again. “Come in.” Todd shifted from the chair to the edge of Nick‟s bed. The same nurse as before came in, pulling a small cart behind her. “How‟s he doing?” “Not bad.” Todd glanced back at his mate, his face immediately pulling into a broad smile when he saw soft, almond-shaped hazel eyes tracking every move. “And awake.” Brushing one hand through Nick‟s bangs, Todd asked, “How you feeling?” “Tired. Sore.” Nick yawned and pushed farther up the bed so he was sitting. The nurse held up a thermometer. “Temperature check. Then you get to drink this container of water. Need to get those toxins flushed out.” “Yes, ma‟am.” Nick obediently opened his mouth, landing a put-out look on Todd. Todd shifted down the bed, out of her way, letting his hand curl around Nick‟s hip. “I have to say, you‟re probably the politest patient I‟ve had in a long while.” She pulled the thermometer away and looked at it. “Back to normal. I bet you guys get sprung tomorrow. Hungry?” Glancing back at Nick, Todd lifted his eyebrows and grinned when Nick nodded. “He‟s always hungry.” “You too.” Nick poked his side.
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After their meal was brought in and they were alone again, Todd slid one arm around Nick‟s shoulders, pulling him forward. “Can I see?” Nick nodded against him, “Todd, I‟m sorry.” “For what? This?” Todd gingerly lifted the bandaging over the kelbit‟s bite. Satisfied the wound had been properly cared for, he smoothed the gauze back into place. “I‟m the one who needs to apologize. I‟m supposed to protect you, and I left you completely open to that thing, Nicky.” “No, you don‟t understand, Todd….” Todd nudged Nick back down against the pillows. “Later. Once we‟re out of here, we‟ll have plenty of time to talk later, okay? First I want you to rest and get better.” “What about the Chancellor and the kelbit?” “I‟ll take care of all that. You just get better for me. Please?” Nick nodded but said nothing. Todd couldn‟t do this now. He‟d screwed up and done so royally, but his first priority was getting Nick out of here safely. That was going to be a lot easier with his mate healthy and mobile. Drawing in a deep breath, he looked down at Nick. His mate looked so utterly lost and alone, and how could Todd honestly blame him? He must have been feeling that way for days. Shifting around on the bed so he could sit Nick up again, Todd slipped between him and the headboard, settling Nick against his chest. At once Nick nuzzled in close, giving Todd hope that what they had could be resurrected and saved. Wrapping both arms around Nick, he rested his chin on Nick‟s head and kissed his hair. “Get some sleep, Nicky.” Arms tightening, Todd murmured, “That‟s my boy, that‟s my good boy.”
“WHY can‟t I go with you?” Nick sat in a chair, watching Todd‟s every move. It was odd, the way he seemed to be studying Todd, as if he was expecting Todd to vanish at any minute.
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They‟d been released from the hospital the day before, and true to his word, Witze had had them moved to another suite in the employee building. “I don‟t know, Nick, but this is pretty clear. I come alone.” Todd held out the message they‟d received earlier that afternoon signed by Clarke and a few others. Some Todd recognized as higher members of Parliament and the new Vice Chancellor, Victor Raleigh. Larry Witze‟s name was not among them and that worried Todd. “What I do know is, we‟re leaving.” He moved away from Nick and to the closet. “Your boots and clothes are in here. While I‟m gone I want you to pack our stuff. Remember where those tunnels were by the train yard?” “Yeah, sure, of course I do.” “Take what you can carry and go there. If I don‟t meet you in twenty-four hours, I want you to go to Jimmy and get me some help.” “Todd, you need to listen to me, please.” “Nicky, I will. When we‟re out of here, we‟ll have nothing but time to talk. We will. But first we need to get away. I‟m not sure they‟re not going to let us walk out of here. The rumors about war being declared are too rampant. I‟ve heard other rumors, and I know you have, too, about members of Parliament wanting certain….” He shrugged, groping for the word he wanted. “…Special slaves. I don‟t know why Clarke wants to see me, and see me alone, but I‟ve got a bad feeling his request and those rumors are connected. Please, I need to know you‟re safe. I know I screwed up on this one, but—” “You didn‟t screw anything up. Todd, that‟s what I‟ve been—” He cut Nick off, voice rougher than he‟d intended. “First things first. We get out. Then we take care of us.” Todd glanced at his watch. “I‟ve got to go. You wait till it‟s safe, then get going. I‟ll be there as soon as I can.” Todd ducked out the door before Nick could say any more. He hated doing it, leaving Nick like that, upset and alone, but he couldn‟t afford pissing off the new Chancellor. Clarke had been decent with them so far, but who knew how long that would last. Nick had a much better chance of getting away alone than they did together. If he was
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arrested and Nick was still on the Estate, sitting waiting in a room for them to come and take him, Nick would have no defense or chance. This way at least Nick was away from the Estate and anyone wanting to imprison or harm him. He was able to run if he had to, even if he‟d be out there alone. There‟d been talk—Todd had heard it again while they were in the hospital—of coming war and how the slave population would be best used, particularly “special” slaves. Nick was special and not simply to Todd. Rumors of the Chancellor‟s assassination were on everyone‟s lips, and talk of slaves with special abilities that would be useful to the war effort was heard at every turn. Todd was scared. He could admit it to himself but not to his mate. Nick needed him to be strong and sure. Once Nick was out of the Estate compound, Todd could do whatever he needed to do and not have his mate further implicated in any way. Going directly to the Chancellor‟s mansion, Todd stopped at the reception desk. The governmental offices were on the upper floors, and he needed to wait for an escort to take him up. A few minutes later Todd was following two large men who didn‟t respond to his small talk up three flights of stairs and down a hall to double doors with a plaque reading Chancellor Clarke. Todd was escorted through the outer waiting room and into the inner office. The two men took up positions on either side of the Chancellor‟s desk and behind where he was seated. A second door on the wall to the right was closed. Clarke stood up and smiled, reaching over the desk to extend his hand to Todd. “Thank you for coming.” Todd reached out, gave the Chancellor‟s hand one quick shake, then straightened and stood, watching Clarke fidget on the other side of the desk. “A little difficult to turn down a request from the Chancellor.” “Not how I wanted that title, I assure you.” “We did what you asked. I‟m sorry we couldn‟t get to Shaffer in time.”
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Clarke drew in a deep breath and folded his hands in front of him. “I appreciate all you and Nick did. This could have been more of a mess than it is without you both.” “Then we‟re free to go?” Todd met the Chancellor‟s gaze steadily, keeping his face neutral and his voice even. “You are, yes.” Todd had to make a conscious effort to keep from clenching his jaw tight. “I am?” “Todd, late last night Parliament voted a declaration of war against West Caldera. This is in response to one we received early the day before. I‟m not sure how slaves will be used, if they‟ll stay with their owners if those owners are drafted or enlisted.” He shrugged a bit. “We‟ve simply never had to face these types of questions before. What I do know is, Nick has a special and unique gift. One that we, the other members of government and myself, feel is very valuable and has great potential for future use.” “What exactly do you want from us?” “Please understand, we can‟t allow Nick to leave. He‟s simply too much of an asset. As for sentries in general, the plan is to offer them positions as officers in the army. As a group you have a great deal of knowledge and experience, a huge benefit and asset.” He slid a thick envelope across the desk to Todd. “Compensation for Nick. I believe you‟ll find it more than a fair amount. It was all I could do for the both of you, I‟m sorry.” “He won‟t do what you say; he‟ll never cooperate. Nick might be a slave, but he‟s not weak.” “Nick needs to understand this is his role now. I asked you to come here alone so you could tell him however you decide to. However, the simple fact is, Nick is a slave and deeply involved in the death of Chancellor Shaffer.” “You can‟t do that.” Clarke straightened. His gaze dropped for a few seconds to the envelope. “I can. I don‟t like it, but I will. There is a committee
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meeting tomorrow evening to decide how best to put Nick‟s, and a few others‟, talents to use.” “Can I go with him? He‟ll be a lot more cooperative with me. He‟s not going to take orders from just anyone.” “That‟s something that will be discussed at the meeting tomorrow night.” Fingers reaching out, Todd pulled the envelope closer and opened it, eyebrows shooting up. “There is enough here to buy three slaves.” Nodding once, Clarke continued. “You of course may spend the remainder of the time here with Nick, if you wish.” Todd carefully placed the envelope in the pocket on the inside of his jacket. “Maybe I‟ll go shopping. You‟ve got a fine selection here; I‟m sure I can find something that fits my needs.” “I have also taken the liberty of alerting the sentry overseer, Mr. Cantor, to the change of Nick‟s status.” One side of his mouth turning up in a sarcastic smile, Todd snorted. “Well, that was mighty considerate of you.” Turning, Todd headed toward the door. “Todd.” He stopped and turned his head. “What?” “I‟m sorry. I truly am.” Without further comment, Todd left the office. It was completely dark by the time Todd reached the series of tunnels alongside the train yard. They were likely leftovers from a much older transit system and now were used to house equipment under repair. He had no idea which one Nick would be in, other than a tunnel that looked more unused than the others. In the third tunnel he scouted, he finally saw the bags Nick had taken. Dropping the ones he carried, Todd headed farther down the tunnel. Nick was too good a sentry to be seen before he wanted to be. Todd turned and squinted into the dark. The only warning he had was a blur of movement, and then he had his arms full of Nick.
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Allowing himself the luxury of simply holding onto his mate, Todd squeezed tightly, one hand cupping the back of Nick‟s head as he pressed his face to Todd‟s shoulder. Nick took a shuddering breath and melted even more into Todd‟s grip and against his chest. Todd steeled himself. Knowing what he had to do and that it was their only course of action didn‟t make it any easier. Stepping away, he held Nick at arm‟s length. “Sit down, Nicky. We have to talk.”
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Chapter Twelve
AS SOON as Witze heard the door to the outer office close, he left the small room off the main one and crossed to where Clarke was standing, staring out of the window. The two security guards had been dismissed; it was just the two of them in the office. “Why did you tell him about the meeting and that it wasn‟t until tomorrow?” Witze stood beside the Chancellor, hands in pockets, and watched with Clarke as Todd Ruger crossed the Estate to the employee quarters. “You all but told him how much of a head start they‟d have.” Not that Witze disagreed. He liked Todd and didn‟t like the fact at all that the man and his slave were being treated this way after they‟d brought down a creature that could have ended their entire government. “Now he‟s got more than twenty-four hours to get that kid away from here?” Clarke snorted a laugh. “Are you kidding me? I doubt the boy was even on the grounds when Ruger came in for our meeting.” Clarke pulled a cord, closing the blinds. “You purposely let them go?” “Yes, I did. And I gave them enough money to last them for a while, if they‟re smart about it.” “I don‟t get it. If that slave kid is so damn important. and Ruger was the obstacle, what was the purpose of turning them loose?” Clarke smiled. “Call me a hopeless romantic, but separating them was wrong.” “And?” Witze prompted. There was more, he knew it.
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Laughing, Clarke clapped his shoulder and crossed the room to the desk. Dropping into the chair behind it, he opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle and two glasses, pouring one for himself and another that he pushed across the desk to Witze. “Tell me, Mr. Witze, what would you rather have? Two angry, resentful young men with a lot of useful skills who would do their best to be uncooperative and could possibly be dangerous? Or two highly skilled men who are now in your debt who understand you helped them? They‟d make excellent covert agents if the need arises. It‟s what sentries are taught to do, after all.” “So you let them go and gave Ruger all the information he needed?” “I did. Now instead of resentful men, I have powerful allies. If I require their help, they‟ll give it. This war is going to get ugly, and I don‟t see it being short. West Caldera has too many resources. We‟ll need all the help we can get. If I need to contact them, I can, and they‟ll answer because they trust me, or at least feel they owe me. You forget my father was a slave. There is no way that kid would even remotely cooperate. You‟ve been around slaves for the last twenty years, you know they‟re not mindless drones, and most will generally obey one and only one owner until death separates them. Unfortunately convincing some of my fellow politicians who don‟t understand an owner-slave bond, especially if they have mated, is damn near impossible.” “That‟s all well and good, but now they‟re fugitives.” Witze wasn‟t sure if he liked the Chancellor‟s thinking or not. “They‟re young and tough, they‟ll find somewhere to live and blend in. It‟s what sentries and slaves do.” Witze knew Clarke was right. Two men free were far more valuable allies than two men forced apart and into roles they despised, spending all their energy on escape and reunion.
NICK backed up and sat on the pile of duffels. Something was wrong, really wrong. Todd looked horrible, worried and scared. For a minute
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Nick thought maybe he was still under the effects of the kelbit. When Todd avoided looking at him and started to pace, Nick‟s gut twisted. “Todd, what‟s wrong?” “Look, Nicky, I know I should have talked to you first, explained things, but I didn‟t have time. I needed to make a decision, and I did.” “Todd, what are you talking about?” Reaching into his inner jacket pocket, Todd pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to Nick. Sucking in a surprised breath, Nick didn‟t expect to see it filled with money. A lot of money. “Apparently, that‟s what Clarke feels you‟re worth.” Todd stopped pacing and looked down at Nick. He was trembling. That scared Nick; he‟d never seen Todd tremble and shake from fear, and this was from fear. Nick‟s hands shook. He wasn‟t sure he was hearing correctly. He‟d tried to tell Todd everything and hadn‟t been able to; he didn‟t understand. “You sold me to them?” He‟d expected to be resigned to the role of strictly slave, but sold? Nick had never imagined Todd would sell him. Todd was pacing again. “My first job was when I was sixteen, and from then on I saved every penny I could so when you were old enough to leave the village I‟d be able to give you a good home, and plenty of food and clothes. Now it‟s all gone, and all we have is in that envelope. I saw what your life was like in that village, and I didn‟t want it to be that way once you left.” He stopped and stared at Nick. Obviously Nick‟s question had finally registered. “Sell you?!” Todd shouted. “No, I‟d never sell you. What I did was take their money for you and walk out of that Estate. What I did, Nicky, was make us fugitives. I‟m sorry. I didn‟t see any other way.” “Todd, I don‟t get it.” Nick stood up and took a few steps toward him. Taking a few deep breaths, Todd swallowed and wiped one hand over his face. “Nick, I‟ve screwed this up beginning to end, and I‟m sorry. They… someone, maybe Clarke, or someone else, I‟m not sure, in our government seems to think your abilities are valuable
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because of the war. I was supposed to protect you from exactly what happened. I‟m sorry. I took everything away from you, but I couldn‟t let them have you.” Before Nick could say anything, Todd was grabbing bags off the ground. “We‟ve gotta get out of here. There is a town not too far, we‟ll buy some horses there and meet up with Jimmy.” “How will Jimmy know where to find us?” Nick shouldered a few of the packs and duffels. He had to jog a few steps to catch up to Todd. “Clarke sent word to him that you‟d be confiscated by the government and I‟d be drafted into the army. Jimmy will have gone to our apartment and packed the Conestoga. There‟s a road that runs along the train route. He‟ll be on that.” They‟d walked a few miles in silence before Todd told Nick more. “They let me walk out of the compound, Nick. Clarke let us go and gave us this money knowing we‟d be out on our own.” “Why?” “That‟s the part I can‟t figure out.” It was just after dawn when they came to the town. They stashed their bags in some woods just outside of town. Todd took them straight to the town livery. Nick couldn‟t help but think that Todd‟s decision to run would be regretted when Todd discovered what Nick had done. He followed when Todd pushed through the livery office door and went to the counter. An older man was there. He nodded politely to them. “What can I help ya with, young fella?” “We‟re looking to buy two saddle horses.” The man nodded. “Need the saddles?” “Yes. And the biggest saddlebags you have, one set for each horse.” “Got a few out back.” The man motioned to a window behind the counter. Todd walked over and looked out, shielding his eyes
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against the rising sun and the glare through the dirty, streaked window. “The black and the buckskin.” Todd pulled the envelope of money out of his jacket and moved away from the window to stand with Nick once more. The man nodded. “You want one for the slave?” Todd smiled and shrugged. “My money, my choice. How much? Or do you have a problem with that?” Nick bit down on his lower lip to keep from smiling. That was his Todd. “Nope.” The man pulled out a pad and wrote on it for a few minutes before giving Todd a total. “I hear there is a slave from the Governor‟s Estate on the loose. Escaped sometime yesterday.” “Hmm.” Todd started pulling bills from the envelope. “Yeah, real good-looking kid, dark hair, sort of exotic features. From the south. Where you from, boy?” “We‟re from New Colorado City. What‟s the total?” Todd sidestepped until he was planted firmly between Nick and the man. The man turned the paper around so Todd could see. The money was slapped down on the counter. “There‟s a shed next to this building. Pick out your saddles and bags from there.” “What are the horses‟ names?” Nick asked. The man chuckled. “The black and the buckskin.” Todd nodded, glanced back at Nick, and smiled at Nick‟s eyeroll when the man wasn‟t looking. They headed outside and walked around the building. “So, Nicky, seems you‟re exotic.” After catching and saddling the horses, they headed to the town store and bought a few supplies and then were on their way back to where they‟d stashed their duffels. Once they had things loaded onto the horses, Todd insisted they eat on the road and set off at a good clip. There was no way Nick was able to talk to him.
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The sun was near zenith when they saw a wagon in the distance. When they stopped beside the large wagon, the same one they‟d left Nick‟s village in a year and a half ago, Todd waved and smiled at Jimmy. It was the first true smile Nick had seen from him in far too long. Jimmy hopped down from the wagon and greeted them. “You boys okay?” “Yeah, we‟re….” Todd swung off his horse. “Yeah.” He took the reins of Nick‟s horse after Nick dismounted, and tied them to the back of the wagon. “Will you grab the maps?” “Sure.” Nick climbed into the wagon and immediately felt a rush of joy. He found the box they kept the maps in; beside it was one of Nick‟s trunks. He lifted the lid and gazed down at the contents through swimming vision. The little bear Todd had bought and given him during their first days was on top of his clothes. Nick reached in and ran a finger over it, squeezing his eyes shut. He had to try to make things right. Secured along the side of the wagon was the drawing Nick had sent to Todd so many years ago and Todd had had framed. It sank in then: this was their home now. Nick scooted out of the wagon and handed the maps off to Todd. His master rifled through them for a minute before finding the one he wanted. Others were handed back to Nick. Unrolling it, Todd crouched down and spread the map on the ground. “New Colorado goes from the caldera all the way south to the Gulf. I‟ve never been east. We can‟t go south or west.” Todd jabbed at a point on the map, turned, and looked up at Nick. “How about we go north? Stick to the Rockies, plenty of food to hunt, the land is easier to defend.” “There‟re a few towns just over the border; you can stick closer that way,” Jimmy added. “That was my thinking too.” Todd stood and rolled the map up, handing it back to Nick. “Plenty of places to get lost in.” He turned back to Jimmy. “Thanks for grabbing our gear.” “No worries. You two just be sure I hear from you soon.” “Yes, sir.” Todd nodded to him and untied the horse Jimmy had brought with him, saddled him, and held him.
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Jimmy patted Nick‟s shoulder on his way by to his horse. “You be sure to keep him out of trouble.” “I‟ll try.” Nick ducked his head and smiled shyly. Swinging up onto the horse, Jimmy pointed a finger at Todd and gave him a stern look. “No bullshit, boy. Every week I want a message, got it?” Todd smiled. “Got it. As soon as we‟re settled somewhere.” Nick busied himself taking care of their horses, unsaddling and storing the saddles and saddlebags while Todd replaced the maps. Twenty minutes later they were driving the wagon north. His mind drifted back to when he‟d woken in the hospital, how caring and protective Todd had been. How Todd had drawn him against his chest to sleep, and then later in the tunnel when Todd had simply held him tight for a few minutes. Nick had literally soaked up the attention. He‟d missed it so much. Now all he could do was cling to those moments and hope Todd might someday be that way again. Right now Nick was afraid to do anything other than try and blend into the background.
TODD tried to relax as he drove the wagon, but it was nearly impossible. Nick sat huddled in on himself on the other side of the bench seat. He acted as if he was afraid of Todd, not that Todd blamed the poor guy. He‟d been acting like some sort of lunatic the past few days. Now he‟d gone and made everything worse by destroying their lives and taking everything he‟d worked so hard to give Nick away from him. He‟d turned an innocent man into a wanted fugitive. Glancing sideways, Todd caught how Nick‟s gaze slipped to him every few seconds, but his mate made no attempt at any sort of physical contact. That was what bothered Todd the most. Nick was very tactile, at least with Todd. When most stressed out, Nick preferred sitting at Todd‟s feet and wedging himself between Todd‟s knees. He adored being touched and held and often actively sought out those gestures from Todd.
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Now, however, Nick sat a foot away, hands folded together and tucked against his body, shoulders drooped. Since meeting up with Nick at the train depot, there‟d been nothing more physical between them than their initial hug. He knew Nick wanted to tell him something, but honestly Todd wasn‟t able to deal with anything more than one thing at a time right now. Getting them out and to a reasonably safe distance was all he could work on. The questions from the man he‟d bought the horses from had completely thrown Todd. He hadn‟t expected word to get around so fast, and it sent icy chills through him. He was terrified someone would recognize Nick as the “escaped” slave and take action. If people knew Nick‟s general description, how much longer until there were pictures of him, or a more detailed description? Todd‟s only thought right now was to run, run far and run fast. “Is it okay if I go in the back?” Nick‟s soft, tentative voice drew Todd‟s attention to him. Nodding, shocked that Nick would ask and caught off guard, Todd simply stopped the wagon and said, “Sure.” Watching Nick climb slowly down, giving Todd an odd look— maybe as if he were expecting Todd to stop him—then feeling the wagon shift when Nick climbed into the back tore at Todd‟s insides. They‟d never traveled like this. If one of them was hurt or sick, he would sometimes ride in the back. Nick was especially difficult to coax into the back of the wagon even then. He was always too interested in what he‟d miss along the road, too curious to see what was coming up to, as he would say, be cooped up in the stuffy back of the wagon. Todd spent some time trying to convince himself it was still the kelbit venom. Maybe Nick really didn‟t feel well or was so tired he simply wanted to be able to stretch out and nap. The simple fact was, Todd felt as if he‟d lost Nick, and that was losing everything. No matter what he did to try and convince himself it was nothing and there was no hidden meaning to Nick‟s wanting to be alone in the back of the wagon, it didn‟t work. As the sun sank, so did Todd‟s heart. Biting down on his lower lip, he held the reins in one hand and pinched his nose with the fingers of the other, trying to
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force back his guilt and tears. Finally he was unable to hold either at bay. Finding a decent spot to camp for the night, Todd unhitched the team and went to check on his mate. Peeking in, Nick was indeed asleep. For now, at least, Todd could convince himself he‟d simply overreacted. He decided the best course of action was to make some dinner; then he‟d get a few things from inside the wagon and sleep outside, giving Nick a bit of privacy. They were on side roads and getting into a more unsettled, remote area. New Colorado City was still ten or so miles north and east, but for now it was unlikely they‟d be found. Todd had planned a route that would take them around the city and then north. Starting to feel more relaxed and safe, Todd figured in the morning, after they were both a bit more rested and less frazzled, he‟d find out what Nick had been trying to tell him. Whatever it was, Todd was quite sure they‟d get it sorted out in no time. Smells of food didn‟t draw Nick out of the wagon, so Todd left him alone, deciding he probably needed the sleep. Nick rarely skipped a meal and was in little danger of starving between now and morning. If he woke up later and was hungry, he‟d see the food Todd left for him. He cautiously lifted the flaps along the back of the wagon, inched inside slowly, and pulled out some clothes to sleep in and a book, all the while being very careful not to wake his mate. Nick‟s color was fine and his breathing steady. Todd chalked the entire thing up to exhaustion and stress. The night was warm; there wasn‟t really a need for a fire for anything other than light to read by, so Todd‟s fire was a small one. Settling himself a few feet from the wagon, he read for a bit, then rolled over and away from the flames and dropped off to sleep. The sky was cloudy and the stars had moved halfway across the sky when he realized his eyes were open and he was awake, lying on his back and staring up. Todd blinked a few times, then pushed up onto his elbows, looking around. Something had woken him, but he couldn‟t figure out what. The horses were snoozing, so no predator was around. The distant rumble of thunder made him decide he should move inside the
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wagon. Kicking dirt over the fire, Todd gathered his stuff and quietly crept inside, freezing the second his eyes adjusted. Nick was gone. Pushing down his panic, Todd reached out and felt the spot where Nick should have been sleeping. Possibly his mate had simply gone out to relieve himself, or get a snack, or something completely reasonable. Todd‟s fingers touched cold bedding. “What the—” Back outside, Todd scrambled to the ground and searched the entire campsite and the area around it. Nothing. Gone. Nick was gone.
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Chapter Twelve
NICK pulled his knees up and scooted closer to his fire. He was high up in the mountains, and even this late in the summer the nights were chilly without a blanket. The distant rumble of thunder was closing in; the wind was picking up and the temperature dropping. The small fire offered Nick a tiny amount of comfort. He was against an escarpment but had no real shelter against the coming storm. He was seriously starting to rethink his actions and plans. When Todd had come into the wagon only long enough to gather some clothes and then slipped back out again, it had been too much. Nick‟s whispered “You‟re leaving me alone here” had either gone unheard or ignored. Nick preferred to think it was the former, but it had been the last straw. He couldn‟t take any more, and he didn‟t know how to face Todd after literally destroying his master‟s life. So Nick had taken the few things he considered truly his possessions and run. Pulling on the sweatshirt Todd gave him the night after Todd had come to the village for Nick, and stuffing the hunting knife he‟d sent him for his sixteenth birthday and the small carved bear Todd had given him into the pockets, Nick crept away from the wagon and into the night. He‟d never steal from a stranger, let alone the man he loved and worshiped. He could hunt and build a shelter; he had the skills. A gun was something he was forbidden by law to carry unless with his master, so the knife was useful as well as having an emotional value. Tomorrow he‟d find a better place deeper in the wilderness to live. For now, it
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was this meager fire and hoping the storm blowing up wouldn‟t drench him too badly, that the escarpment offered enough protection. The sound of someone with unfamiliar footsteps approaching set Nick on edge and on guard. A man stepped out of the woods. He had a pack slung over one shoulder and carried a rifle in his hand, as well as several smaller handguns and a knife on various parts of his legs. “Where‟s your owner, boy? Runaway, eh?” Nick shook his head and groaned inwardly. He knew he should have taken off his collar, but it was the last tie to Todd. He may not have felt he deserved Todd‟s love anymore, but he wasn‟t ready to sever his only remaining link to Todd. “No, sir. He told me to stay here and wait for him.” This guy didn‟t look too smart; Nick hoped he could pull this off. The man snorted. “Well, finders, keepers.” Definitely a real genius. “I need to wait here for him.” Nick turned on the most innocent expression and tone he could muster. Pulling a handgun from one of the holsters on his leg, the man paced around Nick, keeping it pointed at him. “You‟re a fine, strapping kid. Bet you can do a good day‟s work. Pull a plow, haul equipment. Let‟s go.” Nick shook his head but froze when the man cocked the gun. This was the type of person Todd kept him very protected and sheltered from, so Nick‟s experience in dealing with someone like this was sorely limited. The sound of horse‟s hooves reached Nick‟s ears a split second before the sound of a gun being fired made him start. Hands fisting against his pants, he looked up. Swinging toward the sound of the gunshot, the man lowered his weapon. “He said he was ordered to stay here, and he was. You plan on stealing my property?” Todd snapped. “Last I checked, stealing a slave could get a man hanged.” “You got proof he‟s yours, mister?”
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Todd held up Nick‟s papers in one hand so the man could see them. He pulled his shirt away from his chest, exposing his tattoo. “Show him your brand, Nick.” Silently, Nick did as Todd instructed. The man looked from one to the other, nodding slowly. “Sorry for the misunderstanding. You shouldn‟t leave him alone like that.” “You shouldn‟t want to try and steal slaves. Now, if you know what is good for you, you‟ll get out of my sight and never get into it again.” Tipping his hat and nodding to Todd, the man mumbled another apology and turned on his heels, jogging back through the woods. “What are you doing, Nick?” Todd holstered his handgun but stayed mounted on the horse. He‟d obviously left in a hurry. He was riding bareback and had brought nothing other than what he could carry. Nick looked up and dropped his gaze to the ground almost at once. Todd looked absolutely shattered. “I disobeyed you. I ruined your life. Everything you‟ve ever worked for is gone because of me.” “Nick, you disobey me daily.” Nick flinched; did Todd honestly think Nick was so horrible he was constantly rebellious and untrustworthy? Todd sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. He slid from the horse and took a few steps forward, crouching on the opposite side of the fire, almost as if he was afraid Nick would bolt away. “It was a joke. You used to laugh at my stupid jokes, and two weeks ago you would have laughed at that one.” He took a few deep breaths and spoke softly. “Look, Nick, you‟re my mate, you‟ll always be my mate.” Todd‟s words choked off, and he looked away from Nick and at the trees for a few seconds. “But I‟m not an asshole. You‟re not happy, and you want to go, you‟re free to go. I‟d never force you to stay, and you‟re always welcome back.” He stood abruptly, wiping at his face. “But for Pete‟s sake, come back to camp and get your clothes, take two of the horses or the wagon if you want.” Todd
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waved one hand in Nick‟s direction, adding roughly, “You might want to take off that stupid collar.” Lifting his head, Nick looked at him again. “What?” he said, startled, hands going instinctively to the band around his throat, suddenly shaking. “Take it off, Nick,” Todd ground out. He held his hand out, fingers jerking in a “give it here” movement. Sniffing, Nick let his fingertips brush over the soft leather he loved so dearly, slowly pulling it around so that he could unbuckle it. He couldn‟t do it. Maybe he was unwanted, but he didn‟t want to give this up too. He let his hands drop to rest on his lap. He couldn‟t take off Todd‟s collar. After a moment Todd‟s hand dropped, and he spoke in a low, desperate voice. “The only person whose life here was ruined was yours, Nick. I turned you into a fugitive. You never did anything wrong. I have nothing left to give you, no home, nothing but what's in that wagon—” Todd broke off, voice thickening, then continued in a hoarse whisper. “What the hell did you do that you think is so bad compared to that?” Wiping the back of one hand over his nose, Nick stared at the ground as he spoke. “I—he—the kelbit, I tried not to… but he…. You told me I wasn‟t to have pleasure unless you said I could… and—” “And what, Nick?” Todd‟s voice was tired; he closed his eyes. “What did he do? Was it something you wanted to happen?” “No!” Nick barked at once. “But you let him anyway?” Todd‟s voice was like a hard-edged knife. “Is that it?” “NO! It wasn‟t like that!” Nick felt tears spill down his cheeks. “He forced me!” “He what?” Todd spat. “He forced me!” Nick didn‟t mean for it to come out as a shout.
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“Yeah, Nicky, he forced you.” Todd‟s face and voice softened, and he hunkered down beside the fire again. “He forced you. That‟s my fault, Nick, because I wasn‟t there to stop it or protect you.” Shaking his head, Nick said, “No, there wasn‟t anything you could have done. It‟s not your fault, nothing is your fault.” “Nothing is yours either,” Todd said quietly. “And for the record, if it‟s the choice between your life and a sexual favor or two, dude, fuck them blind, for all I care, as long as you come out okay.” Todd sighed and stood, brushing the dirt from his jeans. "One more thing, Nick. The only thing I have that I really worry about losing and care about keeping is sitting in the dirt next to this measly fire.” Todd waited a few seconds more, then turned and walked slowly back to his horse. Grasping the horse‟s thick mane, he swung himself astride in one smooth, fluid motion, settling himself on the horse‟s back once more. Looking back at Nick, Todd held out his hand and said softly, “Please, Nick….” Nick glanced at the fire for a few seconds. Turning back, he looked up at Todd. His master‟s face was open and unmasked. Todd looked scared, unsure, and hopeful all at once. It hit Nick hard in the gut: Todd was expecting his rejection, for Nick to decide to strike out on his own. The last place Nick wanted to be was out on his own. Getting to his feet, Nick made his way over to where Todd sat on the horse. Looking up at his master, his mate, he rested his hand on Todd‟s leg, drawing in a trembling breath. “The only home I care about is the one with you.” Todd closed his eyes, releasing a deep breath, stroking his fingertips over Nick‟s cheek. Nick leaned into the touch. “And it‟s not stupid,” Nick added. “What?” Todd exhaled. “My collar, it‟s not stupid.” Leaning down, Todd let his hand slide around to the back of Nick‟s head, fingers winding in his hair and tugging gently up.
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Rocking up on his toes, Nick met Todd halfway. The first press of their lips sent a zing of excitement through Nick. When Todd‟s tongue slipped into his mouth, Nick gasped and reached up, pressing his hand to the small of Todd‟s back. Todd pulled back far enough that when he spoke, Nick felt breath against his cheek. “Are you going to put out that fire and get on this horse, or”—Todd glanced at the sky—“do you want to spend the rest of the night out here with a storm on the way?” Lips pulled into a slow smile, Nick said, “Low blow.” “All‟s fair and all.” Todd waited patiently while Nick threw some dirt over the fire. The thunder was getting louder, the lightning brighter. It would be raining soon; that would take care of putting the fire out properly. He sprinted to the horse and grasped Todd‟s outstretched hand, swinging onto the horse and settling behind his master. Wrapping both arms around Todd‟s waist, Nick rested his chin on Todd‟s shoulder and kissed his neck. “You should probably punish me.” Todd chuckled and turned his head, tipping it to the side to look at Nick. “Yeah, you‟re probably right.” Reaching back, he patted Nick‟s thigh. “No coffee for a week.” “What?!” Nick couldn‟t help how his voice cracked and he sort of sputtered. “That‟s a bit harsh, don‟t you think?” Laughing outright, Todd grasped Nick‟s chin and gave it a gentle shake. “It‟s supposed to be something you don’t like.” “But no coffee? That‟s… that‟s… sort of inhumane.” “Hmm.” Todd shifted so he was pressing hard in the V of Nick‟s crotch. “And I‟ll make sure to sip mine very slowly in the morning, probably have some with lunch and dinner too. Don‟t forget after dinner.” “You wouldn‟t.” When thunder cracked close by, Nick tightened his grip and turned his head so his face was pressed to Todd‟s neck.
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“If you don‟t stop your nonsense about ruining my life, I sure as hell will. You are my life, Nicky.” Todd nudged the horse to a canter as the wind kicked up even more. “You‟re not angry?” Nick asked shyly as they came to a stop a few yards from their wagon. Todd twisted and poked at Nick, nudging him off the horse. Reaching out, he wiped his fingers through Nick‟s bangs. “Yes, Nicky, I‟m very angry. I‟m angry that happened to you and I didn‟t stop it, I‟m angry there are things in the world that treat people the way it treated you, and I‟m really angry that we‟ve been tossed out in the cold after what we did to help. But what I‟m not angry with is you.” He pressed a soft kiss to Nick‟s forehead, then turned and started leading the horse to where he‟d bedded them down. “And if you know what‟s good for you, you‟ll get your ass into that wagon and be completely naked when I get there.” Lightning streaked the sky, making Nick and the horses restless. Darting forward, Nick grabbed Todd‟s arm. “Come inside, please.” Todd smiled and patted Nick‟s hand before removing it from his arm. “I‟m just going to get this horse settled and I‟ll be right there, I promise.” “But the lightning—” “Still a few miles away.” Todd led the horse away, then called over his shoulder, “And I taught you how to cover your tracks far better than you did. Yes, I noticed.” Nick felt his cheeks burn red. He hadn‟t bothered, thinking he wouldn‟t be followed, and on the off chance he was, he wanted to be sure there was a trail to follow. Todd had taught him how to completely obliterate his trail. If Nick hadn‟t wanted to be unfound, Todd wouldn‟t have found him so quickly or easily, or at all, and they both knew it. Convinced something horrible was going to happen and not wanting to be alone in the wagon right now, Nick sat on his heels on the steps of the wagon, watching Todd care for the horses.
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When Todd turned and arched an eyebrow, pointing to the wagon, he grinned and started jogging at the wagon. Laughing, Nick was up and diving into the wagon in no time. All of his clothes weren‟t quite off when Todd tackled him to the bed inside the wagon. Wrapping both legs around Todd‟s waist and tugging him close, Nick immediately decided that had been a bad move. His shirt, boots, and socks were off, not his jeans, and Todd was fully clothed. The buckle of his belt dug into the tender skin of Nick‟s abdomen as Todd‟s mouth covered his and his weight dropped onto Nick. “Ow, ow, ow… belt.” Nick pressed his head back far enough to break the kiss. Pushing up on his forearms, Todd grinned before swiping a path with his tongue from Nick‟s jaw to his navel. He pulled at the button on Nick‟s jeans. “I said be naked when I got here. This, off, now. See, always disobeying me.” He undid Nick‟s jeans and pulled at them as Nick kicked his way free. Todd‟s mouth, tongue, and hands worked over him until Nick was a quivering mass of want begging for release. Giving him a truly wicked smile, Todd slithered along the length of Nick‟s body until he was nibbling along Nick‟s jaw and ear, whispering, “Nope, you will obey me. Somewhere along the way—Nick wasn‟t exactly sure when— Todd had shed not only the offending belt and buckle but the rest of his clothes too. Flipping Nick over, Todd gave him a few good cracks to his ass, making Nick squirm. The entire world narrowed down to the sensations between his legs, Todd‟s fingers working him open and hitting his prostate, sending jolts up and down Nick‟s spine. He was so hard he thought he‟d literally explode, yet Todd kept at him, teasing him, then backing off just shy of allowing Nick his release. Finally, when he thought he could take no more, Todd flipped him onto his back. Nick brought both legs up to wrap around his master‟s torso, kneeing him in the stomach in the process, eliciting a hearty oommppfff from Todd.
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“Sor-sor-sorry,” Nick panted out, fingers digging into the beefy part of Todd‟s back, drawing him closer. Todd chuckled and rubbed one hand through Nick‟s hair before using the same hand to press Nick tightly against the pillow, holding him in place. “We definitely make finding a bigger place a priority.” The small laugh building in Nick‟s chest turned to a gasp when Todd‟s mouth pressed down on his windpipe and Todd‟s cock slid deep inside him. It barely took any time before Todd‟s thrusts faltered and he was throbbing and pumping hard into Nick, biting along his neck and gasping out Nick‟s name. When Todd pulled free of Nick‟s body, Nick twisted around, trying to get some friction against his master‟s rock-hard belly. “Something you want?” Todd drawled, hand skimming lightly over Nick‟s side and between his legs, fingertips barely brushing over Nick‟s hard, dripping cock. Nick‟s response came out as more of a whimper. Todd chuckled, fingers gliding through Nick‟s slit, rubbing in the fluid pooling for a few seconds before it oozed along the veins of Nick‟s cock. “You‟re the one so damn worried about it.” He fisted Nick‟s cock, rubbed his thumb along the rim of his very oversensitized head, and kissed a path along Nick‟s neck. “I never was.” Groaning, Nick gasped and tried to thrust up into Todd‟s fist but was held in place by Todd‟s other arm wrapped around his middle. All Nick could do was grip Todd‟s shoulders and alternately knead at his ass. Shifting so he was more on top of Nick than beside him, Todd stroked Nick faster, twisting and pulling, grip tightening. Todd licked along Nick‟s lower lip for a few seconds before his tongue wormed inside Nick‟s mouth, entwining with and caressing Nick‟s tongue, swallowing Nick‟s moans. The sensation of the sheets against his back, the feel of Todd covering him, the sheer need coursing through him were the only things Nick could process. Todd pulled away, turned his head, and licked along the shell of Nick‟s ear, whispering, “Cum, now.”
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Nick‟s body bucked up, every nerve and muscle firing at once. Todd continued stroking, twisting, and tugging on his cock until Nick lay panting in huge breaths, sweat plastering his bangs to his forehead, and he was completely spent. He didn‟t even have the energy to move when Todd shifted around, grabbed a towel to wipe them down, and pressed a soft kiss to Nick‟s forehead as he slipped his arms under Nick and pulled him tight against his side. “You never even noticed the storm,” Todd murmured against Nick‟s temple. Nodding slowly, Nick smiled but didn‟t bother opening his eyes. “All proud of yourself, aren‟t you?” His words were drawn out and slurred, and he wasn‟t even completely sure he‟d finished speaking them. He realized he must have when Todd replied, “Sure am. Go to sleep, Nicky.” Wrapping arms and legs around Todd, nuzzling closer when Todd‟s strong arms tightened down on him, and tucking his head under Todd‟s chin, Nick sighed and nodded. He‟d obey that order too.
“WE CAN‟T even stop at Jimmy‟s for a day?” Nick asked. He was riding behind Todd. They were both on the black horse Nick had named Obi, short for Obsidian. Todd decided his mate really did have a thing for rocks, especially the volcanic kind. Three days had gone by since he‟d found Nick missing and chased after him, and Nick hadn‟t let Todd go farther than an arm‟s length, which was fine by Todd. He‟d learned long ago a stressed Nick equaled a clingy Nick. It would scale back eventually, but right now Nick needed to be close to Todd and Todd needed to keep him close. It was something Nick had to work through for himself. All Todd could do was let him hang on as tightly as he wanted and be there for his young mate.
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They were scouting some of the trails, having left the other horses and wagon hidden in the woods. It was easier this way, though it had been Nick‟s idea to ride one horse. Todd decided he gave in to him far too much some days. Yet the feel of Nick‟s solid body behind him gave Todd a large dose of pleasure and comfort. Maybe it was really himself he was giving in to and not Nick. They‟d gotten into the habit of checking the roads and trails on foot or horseback before driving through, just in case. “No, not now. Maybe by next year, but if anyone is watching, they‟ll watch there. Not only bad for us but would cause too much trouble for Jimmy. We can write, though.” That seemed to please Nick. He relaxed against Todd‟s back and let his chin rest on Todd‟s shoulder. The sun was warm, Nick against his back was even warmer, and Obi plodded along at a leisurely pace. Todd could actually get used to this. “What‟s that?” Nick straightening and pointing in the direction of the main road put Todd more on alert. Turning the horse in that direction and nudging him to a faster walk, Todd leaned forward and squinted through the trees. He brought the horse to a stop near the edge of one of the caldera ridges. It gave them a clear view for miles of the land below the caldera, including New Colorado City. Pops and cracks filtered up from the city, as did countless plumes of thick, black smoke. The distinct sound of cannon and highpowered weapons being fired came a minute later. “Holy crap. We lucked out, Nicky.” Nick tightened his grip on Todd‟s middle and pulled himself closer, looking over Todd‟s shoulder. When he spoke, his voice sounded small. “Everyone we know. Everything, the whole town, it‟s being burnt to the ground?” Todd nodded. What had once been their home was now a battlefield. War had come to rest in New Colorado City. He turned the horse away abruptly and squeezed his legs against Obi‟s sides, urging him to a canter. “We‟ll keep heading north. Get as
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much distance covered as we can every day until we find somewhere to live. I don‟t know about you, but sleeping and whatnot in that wagon is getting old. I need room to stretch. It‟ll be getting colder in a month or two. I want to be in some kind of building, even if it isn‟t permanent.” Nick nodded and hugged him even tighter, if that was possible. War might have come to New Colorado, but the Rugers, Todd decided, were staying out of it and getting as far away as possible. They were sentries; they‟d always have work, especially now. They‟d make a new life somewhere secluded and safe. Todd didn‟t care where. He had Nick. That was all he ever really needed or wanted. They were forever and always together bound.
About the Author
ELIZABETH NOBLE started telling stories before she actually knew how to write, and her family was very happy when she learned to put words on a page. Those words turned into fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M romance fiction. Being able to share her works with Dreamspinner is really a dream come true. She has a real love for all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural and a bit of an unnatural interest in a super-volcano in Wyoming. Elizabeth has three grown children and is now happily owned by three mutts, a foster mutt, and two cats. She lives in her native northeast Ohio. When she‟s not writing, she‟s working as a veterinary nurse, so don‟t be surprised to see her men with a pet or three. When at work she meets all sorts of interesting characters who often find their way into some story or another. Visit her at http://www.elizabeth-noble.com, her Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=10000202165 2720, and her blog at http://e-noble.livejournal.com/. You can contact her at
[email protected].
Don‟t miss the beginning of Todd & Nick‟s story
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