Conrad, p.5
Conrad, page 5
He roared again as he cornered the two shifters while Conrad’s body rippled with more animals. The scent of the shifters gave them away. They smelled like reptiles to Conrad’s animals.
Two men wore matching smug expressions as Conrad came closer, his animal’s rage gathering momentum. The gun they’d used on Kylo sat in the hands of a larger man with a barrel chest. The smugness disappeared once Conrad opened his mouth, and fire consumed the guy.
His screams filled the air as he dropped the melting gun, his arms alight as he plunged to the ground, rolling as if to put the fire out. That was not happening.
More fire rained down on him until the dragon was finally satisfied. Only then did the powerful creature recede, letting Conrad shift into his human form. However the dragon was just first in a long line of animals looking for revenge. Conrad was barely firm on two feet again before he let his python take control of his arm, and it snaked around the other man. The idiot hadn’t had the wherewithal to run as he’d watched his friend burn with wide-eyed horror.
Conrad squeezed his snake around the guy’s upper torso, trapping his arms to his chest, holding him hostage easily and ignoring the man whose screams were becoming less as the fire consumed him, on the ground.
Naked and angrier than he could ever recall being, Conrad checked where he’d left Kylo. Seeing the large cat still with eyes shut, Conrad returned his attention to the red-faced guy he was squeezing. “So, how are we doing this? Hard?” Conrad gave a squeeze that crushed a couple of ribs. “Or easy?” He eased off, giving the guy some breathing room, not that it helped the man much—the whole crushing aspect. That couldn’t be helped.
“Fuck you,” the guy gasped. Only he failed to deliver quite the right level of disregard as his eyes wheeled and repeatedly went to the house behind them.
“Is that the best you got?” Conrad’s free arm came up, and he considered which animal would like to come and play. “Did you know that a brown recluse spider can cause skin necrosis, a fever that makes you feel like you’re burning alive?” Conrad nodded to the now pile of blackened bones and ash. “Like your friend over there. Oh, yes, and let’s not forget kidney failure. I’m told none of those sensations feel good.”
Eyes the size of plates moved from the ashes to Conrad, then to the house behind them.
Conrad moved to bring the dude with him as he faced the house. “What is it that has you so interested in the house?” Conrad took a stab in the dark. “Are you expecting whoever is inside hiding behind magic to come and save you?” His chuckle was full of malice. “They can’t, unfortunately. Though I’ll do a deal with you, if you spill your guts, I’ll consider letting you go in one piece.”
Conrad was a man of his word. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t make the fucker suffer first, so the guy didn’t consider coming after them again.
“You don’t know who you are dealing with.” The voice that came out of the guy’s mouth was female and, for a second, threw Conrad, while it also confirmed his suspicions about who was hiding inside the house.
“I know I’m dealing with a crazy bitch who has daddy issues. Didn’t he want you?” His mind working through all the information he had, Conrad went with his gut. “You poor baby. Were you left alone because you were mute and a girl instead of a boy? Did daddy ignore you ‘cause you didn’t have a dick?”
The scream was unholy before the guy wrapped in his snake burst like a balloon, popping with such force, that blood, body parts, and guts rained all over Conrad’s naked body. “Gross,” he muttered, swiping at his face after shifting his arm back and shaking off the remnants still clinging to his skin.
“You will pay,” the same female voice said inside his mind with an insane wickedness that caused all the hairs on Conrad’s body to lift.
He spun around, searching for Kylo, for any threat to his healing mate. The sun low in the sky cast shadows over where Kylo lay in the tree line where he’d left him. Conrad breathed a little easier, but his dragon did not. The shift was fast and a moment later, knocking two trees down to get to Kylo, they were in the air, soaring over the house and towards the direction of Kylo’s home.
Folks will see us! Conrad complained, though it was all for show. He wanted away from that house, away from the madness, he felt coming from Selina, at least until Kylo had healed fully and they could decide what to do next.
Claim him.
That all the voices said it together made Conrad chuff, smoke puffing out his snout. You guys do not get to decide. Remember, I’m in charge.
Their laughter made him roll his eyes. It was always the same. I’m the boss of you guys, not the other way around. So behave!
Would they listen?
A guy could always hope, right?
Chapter Eight
Kylo
Kylo came to with an ache in his chest, the smell of smoke in his nostrils, and… he was naked. Memories hit him like a bomb—sitting with Conrad, the shot, and the pain. I must’ve shifted to heal. It wasn’t easy to see, but he got the impression of his brothers, and realized Conrad must’ve taken him back to the house. What was more annoying than his eyes was Felix, who was yelling something about a damn dragon.
“Hush, damn it. A man can’t hear themselves think.” Kylo waved his hand in what he hoped was his brother’s direction. His eyesight was still blurry.
“You’d be yelling too if I was the one who turned up in the arms of a huge assed dragon, naked, and smelling of blood,” Felix yelled.
There’s an actual dragon? Tilting his head carefully to one side, Kylo could see the arch of a long, thick neck and scales. Now he was more aware, he realized he was being held in a powerful arm that wasn’t human, his feet dangling clear of the ground. Definitely scales involved. “Hmm. Nice form.” He patted Conrad’s neck. “Very sturdy. Is there a reason you haven’t shifted back? Only, you know, they might be loud, fortunately I’m related to these guys. You’re safe here.”
“They have weapons trained on us.” The voice was deeper than Conrad’s, a lot deeper, and it sounded raspy, as if barely used. “Eight guns between four men. Twelve knives in various pockets of three of the men who believe they are being clever in keeping them hidden. One of them has shooting stars in his cargo pants pocket, while the silent one has a machete strapped to his back.”
You’re protecting me. The idea awed Kylo. Admittedly, Conrad shouldn’t feel the need to protect him from his own brothers, yet there was a secret part of Kylo who was thrilled.
“There’s been a misunderstanding,” he said, making sure his brothers could hear him, too. “You should shift. We need to find clothes. What happened to the people who shot at us…? How the hell did I heal so quickly?” he added, touching his chest. It was grubby, with streaks of drying blood trailing over his torso, thankfully there was no sign of any wound or scar. “Did the bullet go right through? I only felt it on my back.”
“Put some pants on,” Nori said, as a pair of sweatpants fell across Kylo’s face. “And get your damn dragon to shift back. People are going to talk, and he’s that damn heavy he’s leaving divots in the grass. Mom will have a fit.”
“You’d better have pants for him, too.” Kylo tried to wiggle in the hold Conrad had on him. “Er… I should put pants on,” he added to the dragon, “and for that, I need my feet on the ground.”
“Not until the weapons are put away.”
Great. My mate is a stubborn dragon. “Guys, put the guns down before I tear them from your hands myself. This magnificent creature is Conrad. He’s a hybrid shifter and the assassin I sent for.” Kylo swallowed and then added. “He’s also my fated mate, so this is your last warning. Put the damn guns away, or Mom will be the least of your problems.”
The yelling got louder as all four brothers chimed in on what they thought about that bit of news. The hold on Kylo changed from scales to skin. Conrad was shifting.
Guess they got rid of the guns.
~/~/~/~
It took an hour before the brothers were calm enough for Kylo to drag Conrad off to a quiet sitting room, one usually used by his mom. He could understand his brothers’ reservations, but a mate was a mate was a mate. Felix and the others would just have to deal with it.
At least he and Conrad had a chance to get clean and have some food, thanks to Felix’s cooking while he and Conrad showered separately—and that was more difficult than it should’ve been. All the time he was under the shower spray, Kylo kept wondering if Conrad would join him to scrub his back… and other places. But that didn’t happen.
Kylo had mixed feelings about what had happened to his attackers. On the one hand, it was hot that Conrad had tried to question one of the men concerned—and he only killed one man, not both of them. The magic angle was worrying Kylo, especially when it was being used to protect the men from sight. For all his shit, Devil never used magic—to Kylo’s knowledge—although now Kylo was wondering how many other times he’d been near potential killers and not known about it.
“You think this is to do with Selina, don’t you?” Kylo asked as soon as he and Conrad were alone. He didn’t trust himself just yet to talk in front of his brothers. He was still processing the secret that Devil was still alive. “You think she’s been staying at the death house?”
“That was my first assumption, but I could be wrong. Maybe you have a dozen female magic users who live in abandoned mansions scattered around the jungle, and I don’t know about them. Do you?”
“No, just the one, thank goodness. You’re sure it was a female voice you heard through the man’s voice box? Sorry, forget I asked that. Of course you’re sure, or you wouldn’t have mentioned it.” Kylo inhaled and then exhaled slowly. “So Selina has gone from looking to this family for help and to support her finding her missing father, to shooting at us.”
“She didn’t shoot at you. She was aiming for me.” Conrad had sprawled across the chair Kylo’s father usually used. Visually he appeared relaxed, but when Kylo looked closer, he could see his mate was hanging onto his control by a thread. His shoulders were vibrating with tension. “She was trying to kill me.”
“She must know I called for another assassin.” Kylo frowned. “But it doesn’t make sense that she’d try to kill you.”
“Maybe she’s holding a grudge because Duron killed her brothers,” Conrad offered.
“I’m starting to think she’s got a screw loose,” Kylo muttered.
Conrad sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve only been in Paraguay a few times before, usually passing through. What’s the story here now? There’s a criminal leadership vacuum with Devil not coming back. Selina’s brothers are dead, too. Would she try to take over his operations?”
Kylo’s first instinct was to shake his head, but he stopped himself. “If you’d asked me that two days ago, I’d have laughed that idea out of the water. She has no voice. I believed she had limited means of being able to communicate with anyone, and as I’m sure you know from your training, effective communication—even if it’s fear-inducing communication—is still crucial to keeping control of the people beneath you. I struggle to believe Selina could do that.”
“Duron said, when he and Beaumont were making their way to the death house, that a group of ninja assassins attacked them.” Conrad’s voice gave nothing away. “Apparently, one of them said that the witch had sent them. I assume they meant Selina.”
Kylo didn’t know about that. “If Selina does want to take over what her father was doing, then why is she so insistent we find him?” Kylo leaned forward, too, mimicking Conrad’s pose. He ached to feel his mate’s capable hands on his body. Being responsible and searching for answers was getting more difficult by the minute when all he could scent now was his mate.
“Because her magic is letting her down in that regard. I really don’t know.” Conrad’s eyes met his. Kylo felt a shift in his soul, and the air between them felt electric. “I can see the need in your eyes, mate. I feel it, too. You have been through a lot today—more than a lesser man could stand. It was only a matter of hours before you accused me of stripping you of who you are. Are you ready for me to strip you physically now, or do you need more time? You have to use your words because I will not assume with you. Not for our first time.”
“I have no idea what I want.” Kylo wanted to look down at his hands, or at the wall, or anywhere else except Conrad’s intense stare. By the same token, he didn’t want to ever lose Conrad’s regard. “I’ve never been in this position before. I’ve always instigated, been in control, but this… this is more. Different. Intense.”
“Which is why you have to use your words.” Conrad’s tone deepened, and Kylo shivered, but it was with anticipation, not fear. “Tell me what you want.”
Kylo blinked slowly and then opened his mouth. “I want you to take me apart into a million pieces, and then I want you to take as long as you need to put all of those pieces back together, so I can live with myself, and you, and feel whole again. I can’t remember the last time I felt whole. That’s what I want. Can you deliver?”
The grin was slow and verging on feral. “Challenge accepted.”
Chapter Nine
Conrad
Kylo’s concerns were obvious to a trained observer such as Conrad. He considered the turmoil going on inside his mate, along with what Kylo saw as betrayal with him holding back where Wyatt was. He sensed that was there, too, tugging on Kylo’s mind.
He glanced at the room, getting up in a measured way so as not to spook the man opposite him. He held out his hand. “Take me to your bedroom.” He used a deep, commanding voice enjoying how Kylo’s hand trembled as it took his.
Conrad had a moment of regret that the bag of toys that could be fun to use on Kylo was so far away. Voices carried up the stairs from below as Kylo’s brothers all had their say at once.
Inside the room, Kylo’s fingers held his a little more tightly as he flicked a switch, and a lamp illuminated the masculine space, revealing Kylo’s anxiety. Conrad waited for him to close the door, needing this to be Kylo’s decision.
His lips curled at the edges when the door closed and blocked the voices.
One squeeze of Kylo’s hand and Conrad let go. He came closer until there was no space between them. Their chests brushed together as they both breathed deeply. The scent of body wash and desire warmed the air surrounding them.
Conrad’s finger went under Kylo’s chin so their gazes could meet. What he saw made his heart swell. “Strip off and lie in the middle of the bed, face down. Your arms and legs, spread them to the four corners of the mattress,” he crooned, adding a little of his dragon’s heat to his breath.
Kylo licked his lips and jerkily took a step back to do as Conrad requested.
Conrad admired the hard body. The sinewy muscles that rippled and flexed as Kylo placed a knee on the bed without looking at him to lay face down, his head turned away as he spread his limbs out. Red slashed over his exposed cheekbone, his eyes hooded.
As a reward, Conrad went to the edge of the bed and stroked his fingers up the back of Kylo’s honey-colored skin. The small, hissed curse made Conrad smile although Kylo remained still. He bent and whispered in Kylo’s ear. “You are not to move. I want you to imagine silk binds wrapped around your wrists and ankles, tethering you. Can you do that for me?”
Another curse, only this one came with a shiver. The tiny hairs on Kylo’s body rose under Conrad’s light, trailing fingers.
“Yes,” Kylo replied breathlessly.
“Good.” He got closer, his lips close enough to feel the heat coming from his mate. “I’m going to show you how beautiful you are to me as you submit to me.” He brushed his mouth over the shell of his ear. Licking, then blowing gently at the curve and getting another shiver.
Conrad stood back and wasn’t disappointed when Kylo’s jaw clenched, as if to stop whatever he wanted to say to himself. “I’m in charge. You gave up your control to me to do as I wish with it.” He stripped as he spoke, staying in Kylo’s eyeline.
His mate had seen him naked and covered in blood. This time he’d see Conrad’s arousal. How it excited him to give this to his mate. To reveal this part of him to another and understand the universe had picked him for Conrad, meaning they were perfect for each other.
Naked, he swaggered back to the bed. “Do you have any body oils?”
Kylo’s head popped off the mattress and Conrad gave him a stare that could ignite wood from a hundred feet away. “Did I say you could lift your head?” He added a little bite to his words, before he trailed his hand over the hard buttock and pinched hard enough to leave a red mark.
Kylo’s head hit the mattress with a strangled moan. The sound tempted Conrad to get Kylo to roll over so he could see the effect his touch had on him.
“Oil?”
“There might be a box-set thingy in the chest over there. Mom gave it to me for Christmas.”
In the chest there were several boxsets revealing that one parent wanted their son to relax, judging by the scented oils in the boxes. Juniper, a favorite of Conrad’s, got torn from a box and he returned to the bed, eager to start.
On the bed, kneeling between Kylo’s spread legs. Conrad opened the bottle. “If you feel uncomfortable or need me to stop at any point, you need to come up with a word that will make me listen. Saying no, or stop, won’t work ‘cause you’ll say those words and not mean them.”
“Seriously!” he snapped, although his head remained on the covers.
“Yes, now pick a word.”
“Tembo’i.”
There was humor in his voice as he said it making Conrad suspicious as to its meaning. “What does it mean?”
“It’s an insult no man wants, as it refers to small male genitals.”
Conrad coughed out a laugh. “Being cheeky could earn you another punishment if you’re not careful.”
