The Coolest Prince of Cats [Milson Valley 3] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 7
“I would simply move to another suite.” A tall, slender creature with slicked-back dark blond hair and dark blue eyes strode into the room. “Congratulations, brother. Now we have another vampire in the family.”
Dom grabbed his other littermate, Emile, and hugged tight. Emile returned the hug, briefly, and stepped back.
“Yeah, Misha has already said that’s enough vampires for us, and he’s real pissed off about Archie being here. Apparently, the kid has caused a ruckus through the vamp world by not fulfilling duties while chasing his brother around from coven to coven, resulting in Misha having to do some negotiating only to lose the kid to us.” Drake gave a big grin. “I love getting one over on that vamp. You know he still tries to keep Xavier at the vamp coven?”
“Yeah, Misha doesn’t like his family to be away from him.” Dom shooed his brothers out of the room and closed the door quietly. “I need to get things organized for when Chane wakes up. Thanks for coming back, brother.”
Emile shrugged. “I did not return due to your mating, Dominic. I have a meeting in an hour at your clinic.”
Dom growled at Emile’s retreating back, Drake rolling his eyes and patted Dom’s shoulder.
“Wait till he finds his mate. Then he’ll understand,” Dom muttered.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to that.” Drake grinned. “I have a feeling he’s not going to get some young, sweet thing that’ll do whatever he says.”
Drake’s “feelings” were known to be very accurate. That had Dom smiling. Their brother needed someone who could come in and grab Emile’s attention and couldn’t be shuffled to the side. Dom worried for Emile, and yeah, he really wanted to see his uptight, prestigious brother all ruffled.
“Right, time to get busy,” Drake ordered.
It took a few hours, a lot of promises that Dom would respect housekeeping, and yes, he had to bribe them with chocolate and muffin baskets, but finally staff came up with gloves, buckets, large bottles of disinfectant, and gas masks.
“Oh, haha,” Dom grumbled and got out of their way quickly.
While Chane slept in the guest room, Dom set himself at the table in there and worked on shifting appointments and meetings around so he would have time with his new mate. He also spent a lot of time gazing at his vampire.
While vampires were called cold creatures, it was often a persona. They ran hot and cold like anyone else, and Dom was very much enjoying all his vampire’s idiosyncrasies, his nuances and nature. He loved that Chane was older than him. It added to their relationship. He couldn’t wait to hear of Chane’s life. He was sure they’d have a lot in common, and a lot of differences that would always keep him fascinated and challenged.
That was Dom. He liked depth and enjoyed life to the fullest. He wouldn’t have cared if his mate were young and inexperienced, as long as he was keen to explore and try things.
His mate was an exotic beauty, that was for sure. With the mix of Asian and Caucasian, the slight almond shape of eyes, the long black lashes, the straight dark hair that was a mix of brown and black, and pale complexion, Dominic found himself studying every inch of Chane, memorizing. And wondering. At just over five hundred years, having lived a long life, and yes, the first few hundred years as a celibate monk, there were still a lot of years after. Dominic needed to spend time with Chane, real quality time, and learn about his mate, from his mate, not just from a dossier and bio.
There was more to Chane than being an ex-monk, a highly regarded herbalist, though the creature denied it, and a little bit of a cold vampire. Yeah, because a cold vamp didn’t usually get angry pissy—they went cold pissy. And as an amplifier—a gift that could be used to boost the individual’s own skills and abilities, as well as others—Chane must have been in high demand by coven leaders, yet there was no mention of it in any of the documents Dominic had read.
A light knock at the door had him glancing over and sniffing, immediately picking up on another vampire’s scent.
“Come in, Archie.”
Archie shuffled in, hands deep in pockets of baggy jeans. The young vampire stopped beside the table, gaze locked on Chane.
“Sooo, you didn’t bond fully. Why?”
Dom could see clearly with his gift that Archie required a bit of reassurance, support, and guidance. His mother sounded like she was more interested in her wants, and Archie had probably relied on Chane for stability, only then to have that torn away from him, and Chane shutting him out was making the young man worried.
“Sit, little brother.”
Archie looked surprised. “Brother? And, dude, I’m not that little!”
“Yeah, you’re short, and yes, my brother. Chane and I are mates, and as you said, shifters believe their mate’s family is theirs also. So sit.”
Archie sat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Chane wouldn’t say no to bonding. He understands how sacred mates are.”
“Archie, your brother is already very precious to me. Right now, he requires rest and feeding. Once he’s well fed and has taken his medicines, hopefully he will be up for bonding. Now, I think you need to be set up properly so you can settle in.” Dom tapped a few icons on a tablet, waited for the screen to come up, and then turned and passed it across the table to the vampire. “I have been making arrangements with Misha, well, one of his many assistants, and we have implemented a plan.”
Dominic fell quiet, providing time for Archie to read over the plan and schedules, going back to rearranging his schedule, signing a few electronic agreement forms and other necessary and important pride matters.
“So I’ll have a suite here, and at the Durand coven? Why are you doing this?”
“Family is most important. I can see you feel the same. You want to be with your brother; he’s family. So am I and my family now. You are also gifted and will want to spend time with your own kind, and I am told you enjoy working. This will resolve the issues. I am sure Chane will like you being close to him.”
Archie snickered. “Yeah, right! He thinks we don’t have anything in common! We do, but it’s fun stirring him.”
“You admire him.”
“I always worshipped Chane.” Archie shrugged, not concerned by that admission. “He’s real cool. I love when he gets all irritated and pissy, but most of the time, he’s just Zen and goes about his business.”
“Why was there no record he has the amplifying gift?”
Shrugging, Archie popped some grapes in his mouth and chewed. Once he finished, he glanced over at Chane, who was still flat on his back asleep.
“All hush-hush. That sort of gift would have the Renegades salivating. Doesn’t matter so much these days as he’s too weak to really use it. Want me to tell you about him?”
Dom smiled. “Thanks, but I’ve read the dossier and other documents. Now it’s time I found out more about my mate from him.”
“That’s cool.” Archie grinned. “So can I do training, too?”
“Sure, we can schedule that in. You should know how to defend yourself.”
“Chane taught me how to defend myself years ago. I’m pretty good. Baron took me to see the training arena. I’d like to do some real training…and maybe with Linc? Would he, ah…is he available?”
Dom blinked and jerked back. “Oh hell no, cub. Linc’s way off limits!” Dom winced at Archie’s dejected expression. “Okay, I didn’t mean it that way. What I mean is, Linc is my brother—”
“He’s not blood related.” Archie frowned.
“Yeah, you can probably smell that with your vamp senses, but that means nothing to us felines. Same with wolves. We take a creature in, make them family, that’s it.”
“Oh! So you’re saying he’s family, and now I’m family and that’d just be wrong?”
“Yep.” Dom winked. “And wouldn’t it be awkward if you ended up mated to someone in the pride and still saw Linc after being intimate?”
“Ugh, right. Okay, that’s something you and Chane have in common. He has all these moral rules and shit
I never got. Must be a monk thing. Except when he’s having some fun, then he’s all— I’ll shut up now.”
Dom glared at the young vampire. “What?”
“Nothing! Nothing! Besides, I heard you are a player.”
Laughing, Dom cuffed Archie’s arm. “I’ll be watching you, little brother. Now, we clear about family and not sniffing after one?”
“Fine, I’ll be his friend instead, but man, he’s so scorching hot I just want to—”
“Yeah, none of that.” Dom wagged his finger, cutting the vamp off before he had to rinse his ears out. “Brothers, remember. Speaking of which, yours is waking.”
There was another knock at the door followed immediately by its opening.
“Medicines have arrived.” Ryder, Dom’s younger brother, strode in carrying an ice box. “Linc’s around if you need him to go through this lot with you.”
“I know them all. Chane had stopped taking them, so I used to spike his drinks and food.” Archie gazed at Ryder, eyes filling with awe and a lot of lust. “Brother?”
“Yes, Ryder is now your brother, Archie.”
“Shit! I’m so frigging frustrated! Do you know what it’s like trying to keep Chane medicated, do my stupid job, and chase him around the world?! I don’t get laid, man! It’s been years! I need—”
“Archer,” Chane quietly interrupted his brother, groggily sitting up.
Archie dived on his brother and hugged him. “I’m so happy, Chane. I’m not going to lose you.”
Chane sighed and hugged his brother in return. “No, you will not lose me, nor I you, my brother. We must find your mate. In the meantime, I will take you to one of the local clubs for a bit of fun and relief.”
Ryder bit his lip. “I can show you around if you like.”
“Hey, hey, there will be no going to clubs.” Dominic decided to squash that idea straight away. “It’s far too dangerous with that psycho Sandstone out there gunning for Chane.”
“When can we go? How about tonight?” Archie waved distractedly at Dom, dismissing him. “You can feed, take your medicines, and we can go dancing! You know how much you like to dance and, man, I’m just hanging for some hot piece of—”
Dominic whistled. Loudly. The two vamps hissed at him—vamps had extra sensitive hearing—while Ryder winced and rubbed his left ear.
“Now that I have your attention. There are rules we need to go over, and we will, thoroughly, so both of you understand what they are. For now, I’ll make it very clear there will be no clubbing—no matter how sexually frustrated you may be, Archie—there will be no taking off by yourselves, nothing that will place either of you in danger. Now I am going to take my mate to our freshly cleaned suite. I will feed him and make sure he takes his medicines. While I do that, Ryder, you will take Archie to the family room, get him mingling, and settle him in. If he gives you any trouble, sic Kirsten on him.”
Ryder looked so relieved Dom had to give his younger brother a hug. Ryder was not a fighter. He had a huge heart, was a vet and scientist, and was emotionally and mentally wounded if he thought he harmed another. While Archie was cheeky and fun, full of life, and probably could be great friends with Ryder, right now, he’d probably pull a stunt, and Ryder just wasn’t authoritative.
“You take him down, I’ll call Kirsten.”
In the end, he had to order Archie out as a big bossy brother would, he rang Kirsten, who would quickly rush to her twin’s aid, and then went through the medicines with his mate, who was not forthcoming. Dom didn’t bother arguing or trying to persuade. Taking Chane’s hand, he led his vampire into his suite, their suite now. As Chane was only in his little boxer shorts, and too tempting that it was causing Dom’s mating heat to rise, he took Chane directly to the main bedroom where his mate wanted to shower.
While Chane showered and changed into clothes that the Durand coven had packed up and sent to the compound, and housekeeping here had unpacked and put away, Dominic called Linc to come help him with the medication.
He also reminded Linc to discourage anything but brotherly friendship with Archie, who probably did need to get laid and everything to settle down a bit, so he could catch his breath. Linc gaped at Dom, flushed, and stammered. Yeah, Linc was a little shy and got embarrassed with attention from others. He had a lot of admirers in the valley and was well protected, as was Ryder, both having private bodyguards.
“Your mate will need to feed first before he can have these medicines.” Linc held up two containers. “These are strong on the stomach and will make him nauseous.” The gorgeous mountain lion flushed a little and put the containers back in the ice box. “W-why don’t you j-just mate and bond fully? Then your mate is immortal and healthy?”
Dom ruffled his brother’s hair affectionately. “I plan to do all that real soon, cub. First, I want him comfortable and happy to mate. I also don’t want him too weak to mate.”
“Oh, yes, I didn’t think of that.”
Dom glanced up from where he was seated with Linc in the lounge room as Chane gracefully walked. The vampire wore black silken lounging pants and a matching long tunic and exuded grace and sensuality, his exotic features fine and with a beauty that bordered on feminine. Dom immediately forgot his adoptive brother, rising from the sofa and striding to his mate, his tiger purring at the first touch.
“I… Bye!” Linc bolted.
Chapter Five
“My mate.”
Chane looked up at the tiger beneath his long lashes. “Yes. I feel our connection. I must claim you and bond.”
“Yesss.” The big tiger picked Chane up and strode toward the bedroom that Chane had just exited. Unfortunately, he stopped after only three steps. “Shit. Your medicines—”
“You are now my medicine.” Chane cupped his mate’s face between his hands as he was held above the ground. “You are a beautiful man, Dominic Sanchez. Take me to bed and mate me.”
Chane pressed his lips to his mate’s, brushing over lightly. Dominic tasted divine, so masculine. Lifting his legs, he wrapped them around his tiger’s waist and pressed close, his cock hard and throbbing. Being claimed had brought on Chane’s own need to claim and mate, his body not quite as strong and healthy as he had once been, but it was alive with needs and demanding they complete their mateship right this moment.
Dom cupped Chane’s ass, squeezing tight, with one large hand, holding the back of his head with his other. Dark eyes studied Chane deeply, not letting him escape.
“I need you healthy, Chane.” The tiger changed direction and returned to the lounge where he sat, pulling Chane down on his lap. “Talk to me, baby.”
Moving so his knees were on either side of the bigger man’s thighs, Chane leaned forward and sniffed the creature’s neck. He scented mate, faintly, tiger shifter, and all male. His body suddenly lost energy, thighs holding him shook, and he sunk down, leaning his forehead against Dominic’s chest.
The tiger grunted. “Blood. Medicines. Fucking and bonding.”
“Non, fuck and bond.”
With a deep growl, Dominic gripped the front of Chane’s tunic, pulling him forward so they were nose to nose.
“Lots of fucking. First, you feed.” The man tilted his head to the side, exposing his lovely neck.
Chane’s fangs immediately dropped down. It was a deep, instinctual response. This was his mate providing for him, and Chane didn’t resist, sinking his fangs in and tasting delicious, hot, rich blood.
Groaning, he sucked the rich nourishment, pressing closer, lapping, sucking, and feeling warm wetness and his mate’s cock pulse between them. His body was hard and needing, aching for release, the shifter’s heat and blood absorbing quickly, making him feel stronger and hungrier, just in a different way than for blood.
The hand on his ass moved beneath his silken pants, caressing, stroking over first one cheek, across his crack, and to the other side. Chane thrust against the man’s muscular stomach, the friction of that and the silk of his pants providing enough stimulation
to give him pleasure. Don moved the hand on his ass between his cheeks and rubbed across his hole.
“Oui! Oui!” Chane pressed against that finger and then forward as his cock shot stream after stream of cum.
He dived back to his mate’s throat and sucked more of that delicious blood, the tiger groaning and holding tight, the finger sinking inside him. Chane rode it for three more sucks before closing his claiming bite and settling on his mate’s lap.
Dominic purred and nuzzled Chane’s hair and his cheek, and stroked his back. They stayed in that position for quite some time, neither speaking, both quiet and thinking.
Finding his mate brought on a mix of feelings for Chane. He was excited and elated, to a paranormal a mate was the most cherished, precious creature in their world. They were soul mates, fated loves, perfect just for one another. They were drawn quickly together, the attraction intense and dynamic, unlike anything they could have ever felt before. At just over five hundred years, Chane could attest to this and that the pull was overwhelming, taking away inhabitations and reservations, the needs too much to withstand. And to have that one person, the one meant just for you, was an amazing feeling.
It was a driving need in paranormals to mate. It was extremely rare they fought the drive; most wouldn’t even consider doing something such as that. For Chane, he understood they were mates, meant to be together, were the other half of each other. From what he had seen of this creature that was his, he’d enjoy every moment together with him.
He was mostly pleased…but not entirely. For a number of years, he had known of his demise and was prepared, had lived a long and happy life, had done many things that were good, and strove to adhere to life’s ways. Now, though, his entire life was forever changed, and it jolted him, made him slightly uncomfortable, and a touch…annoyed.
Annoyed because he had to rethink, make new plans, and he had not achieved his one last goal. Capture Carlo and protect his brother and others. It was foolish to be annoyed, of course, considering all that he was given in exchange. A mate, so different from what Chane could ever have imagined. Strong, caring, and with a happy disposition that Chane was finding he wished to respond to, to smile in return. There hadn’t been much to smile over in the last few years, what with being in demise and discovering his ex was sneaking around killing others, but there was a time Chane would try new things, would laugh with friends, and enjoyed every aspect of life.