A cold hand came from nowhere and hooked his neck, tugging him almost off his feet and into the lee of the wall where the older castle building joined the more modern stonework. Gethin didn’t fight back but only because the scent of his assailant was immediately familiar.
“Fuck’s sake! You dickhead. I could have hurt you.” He spun in Sorley’s grip to face him. “You really are a berk.”I think I’m in love with you.
Sorley cackled. “So sweet, to think you could hurt me, wolf man. I’d like to see you try.” He pulled Gethin down until he could feel the vampire’s cool sweet breath against his lips. “Kiss me?”
The kiss turned dirty within seconds, the flames of Gethin’s lust propelling him to wrench at Sorley’s flies for access to his cock. Against the vampire’s probing mouth, he mumbled, “Wish you could fuck me right now.” He suddenly ached with the need to be filled.
Sorley flicked his tongue over Gethin’s canines. “Big downside of not being a vampire, pet.”
“Huh?” It was difficult to think when Sorley’s free hand was doing interesting things inside Gethin’s suit trousers.
“We lack most bodily functions.” Sorley nipped at Gethin’s lower lip with his extended fangs, the scrape raising goosebumps down Gethin’s spine. “Makes me the ideal bottom at all times.” He smirked. “Wolves are losers.” He raked his fangs lower, over Gethin’s neck, which he’d helpfully tilted for better access. “But you can fuck me instead, if you can make it a quickie. Be a tad rude to be late back to the meeting when it’s all about little old me.”
But Gethin resisted, protesting that having no lube would make the remainder of the meeting uncomfortable for Sorley. Instead, ignoring the potential damage to both their suits from the rough stone, they brought each other off with their hands, fast and frantic, mostly hidden in the shelter of the castle’s ancient walls, but uncaring if they were seen because who gave a shit when the high was this sweet?
Sneaking into the house via the old servants’ quarters meant Sorley knew where they could wash their hands and straighten up undetected. Gethin pulled a face at his reflection in the mirror above the sink. “Damn, I look freshly fucked.”
“You are,” Sorley said tartly. “Are you ashamed of me?”
Gethin, retucking his crumpled shirt into his trousers, shot him a horrified glance. “Of course not! Why would you say that?”
“You tell me. Everyone in that room knows we’re fucking. What’s the differencewhenwe do it?” His scent changed, insecurity bleeding through his usual insouciance.
Gethin took Sorley’s hands and tugged at them until the vampire met his eyes. “I am not ashamed of you,” he insisted hotly. “It’s just a big deal for me, coming to terms with my sexuality, meeting you, liking you” — He gulped — “quite a lot, knowing that other people know that I like you. I’m used to hiding my true thoughts and feelings. You wear them on your sleeve. I’m trying not to be so stiff.”
“Bad choice of words, sweetie. I love it when you’re stiff.” Sorley reached on tiptoes to place a surprisingly chaste kiss on Gethin’s cheek. His smile was sunny for once, without any trace of cynicism or sarcasm. “Thank you, for trying. Sorry I accused you of being ashamed of me. Shall we?” He twisted out of Gethin’s embrace to open the door, then turned back and held out one hand. “Together?”
Gethin followed, gripping onto Sorley tightly, his pulse hammering but his heart light. No matter what lay ahead, they could enjoy the present, couldn’t they?
26
SORLEY
Relaxed from hisorgasm and feeling less anxious that his earlier lack of tact had ruined whatever it was he had with Gethin, it was now easier for Sorley to feel all eyes on him as he said what had been swirling around in his mind.
“Two things. Firstly, why did whoever it is that’s after me not, I dunno, kidnap me or something if they’re so bothered about me being theirs? Why dope or enchant me, then let me go? And secondly, how do we catch them? I’m not as bothered about my safety now I’m alert to the possible dangers, as I am about there potentially being another death. Humans are kind of puny—” He cast an apologetic glance at Eleanor and the witches. “—but being snuffed out in your prime isn’t something I’d wish on anyone. I want this arsehole eliminated.”
“We all want him caught,” Volik said with an edge of menace that suggested he’d not be averse to participating in any punishment the Council deemed appropriate. Sorley was gratified to know the Faerie king was onside. To his knowledge they had no victims in this mess, although he guessed that could change. He didn’t ask to see the family tree of anyone he fucked. Like Charley there were bound to be mixed-blood Fae wandering the planet, some or even many of them oblivious to their heritage.
Everyone nodded and murmured their assent to the king’s words. There was a burble of low-voiced discussion for a few moments, then Trace, the male witch, spoke up.
“He wants you to suffer.” At Sorley’s cocked eyebrows, he expounded his theory. “You hurt his feelings, wounded his pride. He can’t merely kill you. It would be too quick, and then where would he get his satisfaction? A momentary buzz from seeing you at his mercy and then — poof!” He made a starburst motion with the fingers of one hand. “Nah, his intention is to get and keep your attention. How long he decides to play cat and mouse before he attempts to set a final trap though, that’s up for debate.”
Gethin scowled. “So we sit and wait for this arsehole to make another move? Can’t we pre-empt him and lure him somewhere?”
Dalziel echoed Gethin’s frown. “It won’t be easy. It’s not like any mage worth his or her salt wouldn’t be aware of a group of supernaturals lurking in the shadows of a club or bar. So we can’t go in mob-handed.”
“How d’you think this mage is managing to target so many men without being recognised?” Eleanor looked shocked that she’d spoken, but Justin tipped his head towards her with a smile.
“We should direct this to Marlowe.”
Marlowe squirmed, but kept his head up. “It’s not particularly hard to change one’s appearance a little, or even a lot, if your powers lean that way. Small details like hair and eye colour are easy, and when you combine that with clothing and then whatever is in this…supernatural date rape drug, I can’t imagine any of our victims have the first clue who attacked them.” His earnest gaze found Sorley. “I presume I am right and you don’t remember?”
Sorley forced himself not to shudder as the recollection of the time he’d spent reeling and in pain made nausea roil in his stomach area. He shook his head. “I don’t have the first idea who I was even with that night. Baxter couldn’t find anything obvious on the club’s tapes either. Literally nothing.”
“Maybe the mage didn’t enter the club,” Gethin offered. “If they knew you did, then maybe they hung about outside.”
“We’re going round in circles,” Luc said out of the blue. Everyone swivelled their attention his way. His golden skin flushed, but he seemed determined as he said, “How this person attackedthenis less important than deciding how to get them where we want themnow.”
