Hyacinth, Scarlet - Werewolf's Way [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Read online

  The cargo plane didn’t have seats, of course. There were only boxes, most stamped with either the words “caution” or “fragile.” Graham knew better than to ask what they contained. Philip dealt with all sorts of business, some legal, most, not so much. It wasn’t just mercenary tasks either. He had his fingers in every pie, somehow managing to get involved in anything from smuggling to spying.

  The rest of the prisoners must have realized it wouldn’t be smart to ask any questions. Quickly and efficiently, everyone sat down on the floor. Graham picked a spot as well and plopped down, pulling his mate with him.

  “All right then,” Philip called out. “Brace yourselves for takeoff.”

  As if in response to Philip’s words, the plane’s engines roared to life. The noise was so loud it threatened to deafen Graham, his sensitive hearing protesting the abuse. Caelyn didn’t seem too happy about it either, but Graham pulled him close and caressed his hair, murmuring soft words that Caelyn likely couldn’t hear.

  Even so, the sprite relaxed in his embrace. As the plane started to move, they held onto each other, simply enjoying the closeness.

  Under different circumstances, Graham would have been more than a little aroused at his mate’s proximity. And really, even now, his body responded to Caelyn. His dick hardened as it nudged his angel’s crease. The silk of Caelyn’s robes sensually teased him, making Graham revise his opinion of sprite fashion.

  Sadly, the situation didn’t allow him to really enjoy it. The plane’s takeoff sent boxes flying all over the place. Some of them opened, little blue pills spilling over unfortunate passengers. In some places, weaponry followed the Viagra, guns of different shapes and sizes crashing onto the floor.

  Still on his feet, Philip cursed. “I thought you said you secured that stuff,” he shouted at another feline. Not waiting for the man’s reply, he added, “Come on. Help me gather this shit.”

  In spite of the way the plane rocked, Philip somehow managed to go through with his plan. Of course, he was a feline, and nothing could really unbalance him. Sadly, Graham was not so lucky. He did, however, manage to protect his mate from any flying items, and he counted himself lucky for that. Beneath them, loud explosions sounded as the jeeps that had carried them here were reduced to smithereens.

  At last, after what seemed like forever, the plane stabilized at a reasonable altitude. Once its flight smoothed out, the discomfort of the temperature started to settle in. It was cold, and many of the people here wore very little or nothing at all after having shifted during the battle. Graham was used to low temperatures. Caelyn, however, didn’t seem to be, and the silk of his robes provided very little protection from the chill. He shivered in Graham’s arms, his teeth chattering.

  Graham rubbed his hands up and down Caelyn’s arms, trying to heat his mate up. To a certain extent, it worked. Caelyn curled closer to him, practically ending up in a small ball wrapped in Graham’s arms. Still, his discomfort remained more than clear.

  Thankfully, Philip seemed to have anticipated this, as well. He and his men walked around the plane, giving blankets and clothing to the former prisoners. Philip himself offered Graham a thick quilt, two pairs of jeans, sweaters, and boots.

  Graham glanced at the items and then threw a look Philip’s way. “Thanks, Lip,” he told his friend.

  “No problem. Take care, okay? Up here it’s just going to get colder. As a personal piece of advice, it’s far more practical to heat up the old-fashioned way.”

  “The o–old-fashioned w–way?” Caelyn stammered.

  “He means I should shift in my wolf form and you should take your clothes off,” Graham explained. “My fur and the heat of my body would keep you warm.”

  Caelyn’s eyes widened. His blush returned with a vengeance, but his dick twitched against Graham’s stomach. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Graham whispered huskily.

  Chuckling, Philip walked away, possibly to check up on his crew or the cargo. At this point, Graham honestly couldn’t care less. He was completely focused on his mate, Caelyn’s sweet arousal trickling into him, heating him up from the inside out. “Do you like the idea of your naked body next to mine? Maybe before I shift into a wolf, we can play a little game.”

  He slipped his hand underneath his angel’s robes. There seemed to be a million layers of silk separating him from Caelyn’s skin, all very flimsy and likely to tear at one hard yank. Graham was very much tempted to get rid of the frustrating barrier, but instead, he worked his way slowly through them, until he finally hit skin. His mate’s underwear was practically nonexistent, a skimpy thong-like scrap of material that barely managed to keep Caelyn’s bits from waving around. Yes, definitely, sprites had gotten their fashion right.

  Unable to hold back, Graham slipped a finger beneath Caelyn’s excuse for underwear. Spreading his mate’s ass cheeks, he rubbed the tiny opening hidden beneath. Oh, how he craved the treasures of Caelyn’s body. His wolf howled inside him, demanding that he claim the beautiful sprite.

  But then, Caelyn tensed. Graham felt it in every inch of his body. He removed his hand and struggled to control his errant dick.

  He must not have been doing a very good job, because Caelyn released a low whimper. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I just… I’ve never been with anyone.”

  Graham’s mind nearly short-circuited as he tried to process that. His mate was a virgin? How could it be possible? It almost seemed too good to be true. But Graham believed Caelyn. He could sense the honesty in Caelyn’s words, but also feel his mate’s innocence.

  Possessiveness roared through him, and impossibly, his cock hardened even more. Caelyn released another small sound, and Graham leashed his wolf. “It’s okay,” he whispered in Caelyn’s ear. “We don’t have to do anything right now.”

  “But… You want to.” Caelyn sounded a little lost and confused. His small hand reached between their bodies and cupped Graham’s hard prick. “I’m not an idiot.”

  At his mate’s hesitant touch, Graham couldn’t help but groan. Gods, the grip of those delicate fingers was driving him wild. His cock was practically begging, “Come on, you fuck. Just a hand job. He’s right there.”

  Sadly, Graham knew he could never stop if Caelyn continued to touch him. Mutual masturbation would never suffice. He’d lose himself and fuck Caelyn. No matter how much he craved that, Caelyn deserved better.

  Especially since Caelyn was a virgin, Graham couldn’t make his mate’s first time in a crowded cargo plane filled with people who likely hated their guts. Caelyn was like a priceless jewel, a gift more precious than anything Graham had ever been granted before. Graham refused to treat his angel poorly. At the very least, they needed privacy.

  Decision made, Graham removed his mate’s hand off his dick. “It can wait.”

  “Graham…” Caelyn’s bright-blue eyes fixed on Graham’s face, glowing with uncertainty, but also desire. “I want to as well.”

  Hearing his name in that beautiful, melodious voice nearly shattered Graham’s composure. “Angel, don’t force yourself. We have all the time in the world. I want you to be completely comfortable with this, with me.” He brushed his thumb over Caelyn’s lower lip. Automatically, Caelyn leaned into the caress. He was so beautiful Graham’s heart hurt, along with his throbbing prick, of course. “This is still so new for you,” he continued nevertheless. “I don’t want you to rush into something you’re not ready for.”

  His mate nodded, but didn’t seem fully convinced. Of course, that made sense, given Graham’s enduring erection. Still, the last thing Graham wanted was for his mate to feel inadequate.

  In the end, Graham decided to show Caelyn what he felt through actions, not words. Slowly, gently, he pressed his lips to Caelyn’s. The sprite gasped and wrapped his arms around Graham’s neck, surrendering to Graham’s dominance.

  Graham didn’t even know what kind of instinct had urged him to kiss Caelyn. He’d never liked kissing much. It had always seemed like a waste of time, and for a shi
fter of the ninth caste, time was a luxury he didn’t have. His usual sex partners tended to agree, and even Philip, who had a different perspective, never had much interest in it. But with Caelyn, it was different. With Caelyn, everything was new and exciting.

  Caelyn’s flavor assaulted his taste buds, making Graham dizzy with lust. His tongue met Graham’s shyly, fueling the fires of their passion. Oh, he was sweet, just like Graham had known he would be. Graham couldn’t get enough of him.

  Greedily, Graham explored Caelyn’s wet cavern, everything inside him begging and itching for the sprite. He sought to quench his thirst for Caelyn in their kiss, the need for his mate more powerful than even the urge to breathe. Every second that passed chipped away at his resolve to respect his mate’s innocence. In the end, a little thing like location didn’t matter, or so Graham’s wolf slyly pointed out. He and Caelyn were mates. They could couple wherever they wanted to, and it would be just perfect.

  He’d have undoubtedly gone through with it had a wolf whistle not sounded right behind him. Caelyn gasped, and Graham broke the kiss, turning toward the source of the sound while instinctively shielding his mate’s body with his own.

  Ironically, the culprit wasn’t a werewolf at all, but a vampire. In fact, if Graham wasn’t mistaken, it was the exact same vampire who’d commented on Caelyn’s presence when they’d boarded. He wiggled his brows at Graham. “So that’s how it is,” he said. “I guess I might have been wrong in my assessment.”

  “Caelyn is the only reason why you’re free now in the first place,” Graham shot back, frowning. “You’d better apologize properly.”

  “It’s all right,” Caelyn murmured. “He was right to be angry.”

  Ignoring the vampire, Graham focused on his mate once again. “This isn’t something we’ll solve today,” he said, caressing Caelyn’s hair, “and it’s not your fault. Go on. Get some sleep. You’re exhausted.”

  As he spoke, he carefully covered both of them with the quilt and helped Caelyn out of his silken robes. Caelyn shyly helped him, guiding him and wiggling out of the garments with the ease of practice.

  Seeing Caelyn naked was like a dream come true. If it had been hard to hold back his nature before, now it became pure sensual torment. Remaining mindful of his mate’s needs and desires, he melted into his wolf form.

  In this shape, his instincts were even stronger, so much so that if Caelyn had been a wolf, Graham would have undoubtedly mounted him. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the disparity in their shapes didn’t allow the natural desire between them to translate into real actions.

  In spite of this, though, Caelyn’s presence and his sweet scent still comforted Graham beyond measure. He nuzzled close to his mate, providing his angel with the heat Caelyn had needed. Similarly, the sprite buried his face in Graham’s fur and relaxed.

  Slowly, Caelyn drifted into slumber. Graham remained awake, watching over his angel. He didn’t know what else awaited them from this point on, but whatever came, he’d make sure Caelyn was safe.

  * * * *

  Philip quietly watched as Graham and the little sprite who’d turned out to be the wolf’s mate curled together and fell asleep. Or, at least, the famous Caelyn did. Predictably, Graham remained awake, watching over his little mate.

  They made a strange couple, those two. Philip had never expected a sprite, out of all things, to be Graham’s other half, but life never ceased surprising him.

  “Does it bother you?” his friend, Cal, inquired. “I know you and the wolf had history.”

  Philip chuckled, although in his heart, he was grateful for still wearing the mask he’d put on for the purpose of the attack. “Graham and I make better friends than lovers. We both knew we weren’t mates. I’m happy for him.”

  All of that was true, but he hadn’t really answered Cal’s question. It did bother him a little, but not because he wanted Graham for himself. He wanted what Graham and Caelyn had. All these people here might not realize it, but a true mate connection was priceless. Caelyn might not have been able to save Graham on his own, but that wasn’t the most relevant thing here. The sprite had risked everything for Graham, and had left behind his family, his friends, his whole world. He looked so frail and small now, and Philip wondered if Caelyn would one day come to regret his choice.

  Shaking himself, Philip moved toward the back of the plane. “I’ll be right back,” he told Cal. “Need to make sure we get paid.”

  Cal nodded and returned to watch over the group of ex-prisoners. Meanwhile, Philip retrieved the tiny pearl he’d kept close to him ever since he’d received it. After careful consideration, he pulled off his mask. When he spoke to this particular person, it was useless anyway.

  Leaning against a box, Philip studied the flawless surface of the pearl. It was always strange for him to contact someone like this, but his employers had insisted, and Philip had to admit that, this time around, it was much more practical than a cell phone, especially since, up here, he likely couldn’t have gotten reception. Wanting to get it over with, he brushed his thumb over the surface of the pearl and willed it to contact its creator.

  Instantly, the tiny sphere began to glow and grew larger. A lovely woman appeared, the gem adorning her forehead shining so brightly Philip winced.

  “Congratulations on your success,” she said. “My son is most pleased.”

  “Thank you, Your Holiness. It was not easy, but we managed to escape with minimal casualties.”

  There had been several injured, but no dead, so on the whole, Philip was satisfied with the way the operation had gone. “Very good,” she said. “I expect I don’t have to stress again the importance of secrecy in this matter.”

  “No, Your Holiness,” he replied. He found himself swirling his tongue over the stud in his lower lip, like he always did when he was deep in thought or worried about something. This was the habit that had earned him the nickname “Lip” from Graham, although he didn’t really like being called that. Immediately stopping himself, he added, “I understand entirely. Besides, that’s why you hired us. Because we can keep our mouths shut.”

  She laughed lightly. “No, I hired you because I knew you’d want to help. I might be paying you, Mr. Strange, but you’d have never risked an incursion on a draechen property if your friend hadn’t been involved.”

  Philip might have tried to deny it, but there was no point. She could see right through him. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want my payment,” he shot back.

  She smiled again, but ended up providing a serious reply. “It’ll be waiting for you when you land in New York. Raul will meet with you. Thank you again, Mr. Strange.”

  With a jolt of panic, Philip realized he was being dismissed. Mentally, he cursed himself and his abruptness. This was a unique chance. The High Priestess of Jenarra was perhaps one of the most hidden figures in the entire paranormal world. She could answer the question burning in his heart. He just knew it.

  “Wait,” he said. “I need… Could you answer one question?”

  The priestess arched a perfectly defined brow. “Tell me.”

  After throwing a brief glance toward Graham and Caelyn, Philip dared to speak once more. “Will I ever find my mate?”

  “I’m not an oracle, Mr. Strange,” the priestess replied. “I don’t know the future.”

  Was that a no? Philip couldn’t tell. “But you see many things.”

  “I see what Jenarra shows me,” she answered sternly. “We mortal creatures aren’t supposed to know everything the future holds.”

  She was probably right, but Philip tried one more time. “Can you tell me nothing at all?”

  The priestess frowned, and for a moment, her expression went curiously blank. The instant passed in a flash, and she smiled. “Be patient, Mr. Strange. Your mate will come to you when the time is right.”

  Philip opened his mouth to thank her, but he didn’t get the chance. The priestess’s figure vanished, the sphere dissipating into thin air. The pearl was also gone
without a trace.

  “Fae,” Philip mumbled, exasperated. “Why do I even bother?”

  Or so he said, but in his heart, hope had reemerged. Perhaps he had a chance to find what Graham had after all.

  Chapter Five

  “Whatever you think you saw in that wolf is a lie. Remember your position. If you don’t, your life will be forfeit.”

  Karein glowered at Caelyn, squeezing his wrists in an unbreakable hold. “You’re not getting out of this so easily.”

  Caelyn tried to tell him he was mistaken. The words wouldn’t come. “I’m not the one you need to fear,” the draechen prince insisted.

  Caelyn fought him, attempting to free himself from the iron-like vise. He probably wouldn’t have had a chance, but out of the blue, Karein released him. Rubbing his wrists, Caelyn tried to find a way to escape, but it was so dark. He couldn’t see anything around him. And then, Karein simply vanished. In front of him, a huge dragon stood, pinning him with baleful eyes.

  Caelyn froze, terrified. There was such cold hatred in that gaze that he simply couldn’t move a muscle. An image floated in front of him, more horrifying than the death he saw in the draechen’s gaze. He spotted his mate in shifted form, lying in a pool of blood. With a cry, he tried to rush toward his other half, but the world around him seemed to collapse upon itself. A whirlpool of darkness swallowed him whole, separating him from the man he craved so much.

  And then, a beam of light passed through the darkness, and a voice reached out to him. “Angel… Caelyn, can you hear me?”

  The shadow of the draechen vanished, and Caelyn opened his eyes, only to find himself facing his concerned-looking mate. Instantly, Caelyn wrapped his arms around Graham’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Oh, thank Jenarra. You’re all right.”

  “I’m just fine, angel,” Graham said, caressing his hair. “It was just a dream.”

  Just a dream. Yes, of course. It hadn’t felt like only a dream, though. Shaking himself, Caelyn reluctantly broke the embrace. “Where are we?”