NERO HATED lying. He’d been glib with his lies as a kid. Damned good at them, in fact. But ever since he became an alpha, every dishonest word bothered him. Most of the time he and his team were working with less than the full facts. The idea of purposely giving false intel set his teeth on edge. That he was lying to Josh made him sick to his stomach, but it was the only way to bring him into the fold. They needed him, and the world needed Wulf, Inc. So it was all for the greater good. And most important, Nero needed him to figure out magical fire.
Too bad his head didn’t care. It felt like it was held in a vise. He’d feel better after he slept, but for now he had a job to do, and that meant initiating Josh to the werewolf facts of life.
“The center of werewolf life is the kitchen. Sounds obvious, but we werewolves like to eat. You’ll take turns with kitchen cleanup, but unless you’re a gourmet chef, I’ll do most of the cooking. I try to make it healthy. You know, with vegetables and stuff. But we like our meats. Don’t know what we’ll do for Aine. I’ve never thought about gluten, but I guess I’ll have to research that soon.”
“Is that the redhead?” Josh asked.
“Yeah. But let her tell you that. She’s got a gaming name that she usually goes by. Straw—Strat—”
“Stratos?” There was shock in the word.
Nero looked hard at his newest charge. “Yeah. How’d you know that?”
“Because she’s infamous. In the gaming community, at least.” His tone was layered with “how could you not know this?” attitude. “She’s a kickass player with gorgeous looks. The whole package.” He looked back at the door to the basement. “That was her?”
“Yeah,” Nero said slowly. “So why is she infamous?”
“Because she’ll do whatever it takes to win. She’ll wear a push-up bra with drawn-on nipples, she’ll flirt outrageously with the opponents and promise the judges dates, and then when she feels like it, she’ll go all goth and tell everyone to keep the fuck away. She’s the definition of female attitude. Gamers hate her because they can’t stop watching, even when she gives them the finger. Especially when she gives it to them.”
Nero snorted. “Sounds like a female werewolf to me.”
“Seriously?”
Nero shrugged. “I was infected by a female wolf. I’m a traditional lycanthrope, like in the old movies. She bit me, and I got infected. She told me later it was because she wanted someone to be a bitch to.” He held up his hands. “Her words, not mine. And then she pranced around naked to see if I would get it up.”
“Did you?”
He looked away as he palmed the security reader on the way into the main floor of the west wing. “When I first changed, yes. At least I think so, it’s kind of fuzzy now.” Thank God. “But by the time she got around to explaining what had happened, I was traumatized and starving. I wouldn’t have gotten it up for a Playboy Bunny. Unless she was a real bunny—then I probably would have eaten her.” It was too soon to mention that he’d already figured out he was gay by then. Josh, on the other hand, had completely surprised him in that department. Something about the way the guy had gone thermonuclear meltdown in his attack turned him on like nothing else. No holds barred, full-on destroy, take out everyone and everything in his path. That was apparently the way to Nero’s heart. It didn’t make sense, but then he’d learned that nothing about sexuality made sense, so he should go with his gut. Or his dick. After all, a lycanthrope like him didn’t have many options. And he hadn’t missed the woody that Josh had sported when he’d been pinned. The guy hated Nero right now. He sure as hell didn’t trust him. But that hadn’t stopped the old dick from rearing its head.
Fortunately Nero was in better control. He knew not to play with the trainee. So he stepped back far enough to give Josh room to set his hand on the reader.
“Palm it. You’re already in the system, so the door will open for you.”
Josh frowned. “It already opened for you.”
“Yeah. Palm it anyway, okay? There are holes in our security system, so it’s best to be sure. Maybe you guys can help us out with that.”
Josh nodded and did what he was told. The reader scanned his handprint and beeped the okay, unlocking the already unlocked door.
“So I’m free to go?” Josh asked as he stepped through the door.
No. “Sure. But we’re hoping you’ll stay around long enough to hear what’s going on. You’re a werewolf now. There are precautions you have to take for your own safety and everyone else’s.”
“Like chaining myself up every full moon?”
Nero shook his head. That was the curse of humans who caught a specific strain of the lycanthropy virus. Not him, thank God, though he had his full moon moments, but some of his wolf-kin were really screwed when it came to the lunar cycle. “As far as we know, you should be fine on full moons. None of your ancestors were ruled by it. But we can never be sure until you live through one, so don’t go running off. If you do, I’ll probably be assigned to watch you until after the full moon, just to be sure. Don’t make me do that. I haven’t slept in….” A week. “…my own bed in forever.”
Josh looked at him, his eyes narrowing. “I can tell when you’re lying. You know that, right?”
“What? I’m not—”
“Your voice changes. It’s not as compelling as when you’re being honest.”
Nero felt his jaw drop and made an effort to snap it closed. He didn’t know where to examine that statement first. That he had compulsion in his voice or that it went out when he was lying. Or that Josh could tell one from the other. It wasn’t possible, but then again, this was a new day and age. All the normal rules—what few there were—seemed to be on their head right now.
“Josh—”
“Save it. I’m going to assume I’m a prisoner, what with the cages and all. So, are you going to feed me, or do I make a break for the nearest McDonald’s?”
“It’d be a long, cold walk. Nearest one is thirty miles away.”
“So where’s the kitchen?”
“This way.” Nero walked ahead of him, knowing he was on borrowed time. Eventually Josh was going to make a break for it. It was his job to start laying out the breadcrumbs and making sure that Josh gobbled them up. But first things first. They made it to the large kitchen with a center island and long dining room table. Waiting in the oven was a massive dish of shepherd’s pie. It had everything the new werewolf could want: meat, meat, and more meat layered over with cheesy mashed potatoes. He pulled it out and dished up a huge plate, which he kept for himself. He pushed the remainder of the casserole straight at Josh. Given the rumbling in the guy’s stomach, it was a miracle he’d waited long enough to grab silverware.
Josh ate with speed. That was part of the glory of shepherd’s pie. You didn’t really even need to chew. Water from the filtered tap was next, as well as a dish of green beans. All of it went down Josh’s gullet, which wasn’t a surprise.
What did surprise Nero was the way he seemed to be taking in all his surroundings even while he was shoveling food in his mouth. The guy’s eyes were never still, and he even picked up his dish to eat while walking around. Nero followed, fighting the urge to sit and let the guy run for it. Nero was drooping with fatigue, and frankly he doubted Josh could make it out of the estate, past the gate, and out into the world. But it wasn’t worth the risk, so he dug deep and tried to be persuasive.
“So while you’re checking out the mansion, how about I go through who we are and what we want you to do for us?” It was a rhetorical question, but Josh nodded anyway. “The company’s called Wulf, Inc. We’re all werewolves, except for Gelpack. We fight paranormal baddies. That’s mostly demons, but there are rogue vampires, evil fairies, and shifters who can’t control who and what they are.”
Josh gave him a wide-eyed look, but he didn’t stop eating. And when Nero paused to finish his own meal, Josh tried to slide open a glass door to the back lawn. It didn’t work, of course. It was locked and the glass was bulletproof.
“You might take note of what I said,” Nero said. “If you don’t stay here long enough to learn how to control your new abilities, it’ll be my job to hunt you down and force you through our training course.”
“And if I refuse?”
“We have permanent cages at a different facility. Sorry, but it’s for your own safety and everyone else’s.” He set down his plate. “But we’re hoping you’ll pick up the basics pretty fast and then help us out with a problem we have.”
Josh tilted his head as if he were listening closer, but Nero suspected he was looking out of the corner of his eye to their entertainment setup. The lounge was right beyond the kitchen, and it included a widescreen TV, couches, and several gaming systems. It was pretty sweet, and he wondered if Josh was tempted to forget everything and lose himself in video games. Nero certainly had been, especially lately.
Nero let himself wallow in yearning for a moment. Grief was still his constant companion, but work helped. As would video games, if he had the time. But his whole focus was on finding a way to defeat the plasma fire so he could go back in time and kill the demon bastard. That meant bringing Josh and the others up to speed. Surely one of them could figure it out, but they’d have to work fast. The fairy mulligan was available for seven weeks, and the clock was ticking.
A sound interrupted his thoughts, and he came back to the present with a lurch.
Holy shit, Josh was gagging. It began as a small cough but quickly progressed. Nero got to his side in a second, but it was too late. Josh’s body was rejecting the food. The guy was about to projectile hurl.
He half dragged, half carried Josh to the kitchen sink. They barely made it in time before Josh started heaving. His body convulsed and his hands gripped the counter until his fingers were white. Nero turned on the water and the garbage disposal, but beyond that, there was nothing he could do. He held the man, supporting his slender shoulders while his body rejected every bit of food he’d consumed. And he’d consumed a lot.
“You’re okay,” Nero murmured. “This happens sometimes. Let it go. You just need to get grounded a different way. Coming back to human is always hard, especially the first time.” He kept speaking like that. Soothing bullshit. The truth was that some wolves had trouble every time, but it did no good to tell Josh that now. He held the man while Josh’s body wrung itself out. And when it was done, Nero handed the man a glass of water and a paper towel, supporting Josh’s weight as the man rinsed, spit, and shuddered with revulsion.
“What. The. Hell,” Josh finally said. He was leaning heavily against the side of the sink, and his skin looked wan and dotted with sweat. Nero had a pretty good idea what was going on, but before he answered, he tried an experiment.
He rubbed his hand up and down Josh’s back in a soothing caress. The man shuddered and closed his eyes, clearly appreciating the touch.
Yeah, Josh was one of those, and it was going to be fucking hell on his own psyche to do what came next, but Josh was the important one here.
“Come on, let’s get you onto the couch.” He’d rather get the guy to bed, but that was too far away, and Josh needed care ASAP. “So look,” he said as he guided Josh in tiny steps to the nearest game room couch. Thank God it was the middle of the night and no one else was around. This could be really embarrassing for them both otherwise. “When you shift from human to wolf or back, you go through an energy state. Not everyone does, but most of us do, including you. Everyone has to learn how to settle into the body again afterwards. I think the Earth helps in the wolf state. There’s something about being an animal that connects you closer to Mother Earth. Don’t roll your eyes at me like that. I don’t fucking understand the details. I just know that no one has trouble grounding in their wolf state. In fact, many prefer being lupine instead of human.”
They’d made it to the couch, and Josh half sat, half collapsed onto it. Nero joined him there, keeping a hand on his arm as he settled in as close to the man as possible without full-on embracing. That would have to come next.
“Grounding back in your human form is harder. Wiz thinks it’s because we’re so much in our heads that we don’t really know our bodies that well. At least not the way we should. So coming back to human form requires some form of grounding.”
He pulled his hand away from Josh, watching closely for the effect. The guy visibly paled, wavering in his seat. Nero quickly returned to him, not only stroking his arm, but twisting him slightly on the couch so that he could fall more fully against Nero’s chest.
“For me,” Nero continued, “I eat a lot of food. The more meat, the better. I love food in every way, shape, or form, so for me, going human means eating. Obviously that doesn’t work for you.”
Josh released a low moan. “Obviously.”
“That’s because you’re all about touch. That’s why your clothes are so old, right? Because they’re soft. New stuff doesn’t feel right, and you have to wash them like ten times before you like them.”
Josh twisted enough to shoot him a startled look. “How’d you know that?”
“Because I’m not as stupid as I look,” he said. Then he adjusted on the couch, lifting a leg and slipping it between the back of the couch and Josh, effectively putting the man between his legs. “Now don’t freak out by this. You need it, and if you don’t get it, bad things will happen.”
He felt the man stiffen. “What bad things?”
“You never fully ground into your body. You start to sicken and die. This is your first shift, so it’s the most dangerous. We need to get you grounded back into your human form right away.”
Josh swallowed. “How?”
“I told you. Touch. Human touch.” He pulled Josh back against his chest, surrounded him with his arms, and pulled him into a big bear hug. He stroked the man’s bare arms, up and down, and though he could tell Josh didn’t trust him enough to accept this easily, he didn’t fight it either.
“The woman on my team was like you. We called her Mother. It was short for ‘I’m not your mother,’ but that’s a different story. She had to be touched after every shift. Not necessarily an orgasm, though that worked the best.” He swallowed, trying to talk impersonally about something so very personal. “It’s about taking care of a teammate, and it kept her healthy.”
He put his head next to Josh’s, smelling the scent of the man, sort of sweet and earthy—like cherry pie eaten in the jungle. It was a weird image, but Nero often categorized things by food. And he loved cherry pie.
“I’m going to touch you now. I’ll stop if you want someone else or if you want to do it yourself, but you need to climax. It’s the only way to keep you alive.” He slipped his hands under Josh’s T-shirt, stroking his right hand across the man’s belly. His skin was soft, the hair was minimal, and Josh exhaled as if he had been waiting for a very long time for this sensation.
“I could try eating something else,” Josh said quietly. “Go slow. Get a Gatorade or something.”
“We could, and it might have worked thirty minutes ago, but not now.” Nero stroked his hand up Josh’s chest. The hair was amazingly soft, and the guy was too thin. His ribs were noticeable bumps along his path. Damn it, he should have seen that earlier. No one this thin was into food. “Really think, Josh. Do you want something in your stomach now?”
The man shuddered in revulsion. “No.”
“Then trust that.” He slid his other hand under the shirt, pulling it up and gently maneuvering it off. And now that Josh was naked from the waist up, Nero could see—and feel—the attractive details of the man’s body. There was muscle definition here. Strong pecs, tight abs, maybe 6 percent body fat. He must work out some, or maybe he was naturally sculpted like a thin Michelangelo statue. Either way, he had the right body to send Nero’s libido into overdrive. There wasn’t any distance between Josh’s glutes and Nero’s dick. Nothing except Josh’s old jeans and Nero’s easily ripped khakis. Nero’s cock began to thicken and pulse with hunger.
Just another mission.
Meanwhile, he continued rubbing Josh’s chest. Up and down the silky, smooth skin while he felt the man breathe. Every inhale pushed into Nero’s hands, and every exhale dropped Josh closer, tighter against him.
“I should have realized this before. That woody you had when I tackled you, that was because of this. It was your body telling you you need this.”
“I didn’t…. I wasn’t attracted to you,” Josh muttered. “It happens sometimes.”
“Of course it does. Because this is what you need. It settles you.” And before Josh could object further, Nero pinched his right nipple.
Josh gasped, his body arching in surprise, but Nero didn’t let him escape. “This will ground you back in your body,” he argued. Then he pinched the other nipple. Josh’s reaction wasn’t startled this time, but his response was surprising. Instead of pulling away, he sank deeper into Nero’s embrace. He let Nero stroke him, pinch him, and arouse him. And Nero was all too willing to comply.
And didn’t that set off alarms everywhere? Nero reluctantly pulled his hands off of Josh’s body. He’d already proved to Josh that it was necessary. “I’ll stop now so you can finish it. The process has started, but you need to orgasm. You can do it yourself or—”
“You can.” The words came out husky and filled with need. Josh didn’t want to want this, but he obviously did.
“You want me to jerk you off? You need to say it out loud.” His lips quirked, though Josh couldn’t see it. “We do have ethics, though I’m sure they’re not obvious to you right now.”
“I…. Yes. Please… jerk me off.”
Yes.
Nero didn’t examine the surge of lust that rushed through him at Josh’s words. He simply returned to stroking the man. Josh’s earthy scent was growing stronger—muskier—as his body flushed with heat and arousal. He let his head drop back onto Nero’s shoulder, and Nero watched their reflection in the dark TV as Josh’s eyes drifted shut.
“That’s the way,” Nero encouraged. “Just go with it.”
Nero pressed his lips to Josh’s neck, tasting the salt of sweat and feeling the throb of the man’s pulse. And then he opened his mouth and ran his teeth along Josh’s skin. Josh moaned, and Nero’s own dick stiffened to painful. Anything he touched with his teeth and tongue was burned into his memory. Food and lovers, both held a cherished spot in his mind, never forgotten. Josh was there now, and Nero knew the taste of this man would haunt him. Even if this was the only time, whenever Nero smelled cherry pie, he would think of this moment.
So he did it again. And again. Letting his tongue and his teeth scrape across Josh’s skin, rubbing and tasting as if Josh were a fine meal to be savored, a delicate dessert to be enjoyed, or a special lover to be pleasured in a slow, sensuous exploration of taste and texture.
He slid his hands down to Josh’s jeans. He didn’t fumble with the button or the zipper, but he stilled when Josh gripped his wrist.
“You swear this isn’t some sick kind of game?”
If it was, then Nero was going to be the loser. He was going to live with this memory every night while he jerked himself off in a frenzy.
“Check yourself, Josh,” he said. “If I stopped right here, right now—”
“No.”
“See. Your body wants this, but you can do it yourself. I can leave you alone—”
“No. This is okay.” Josh released Nero’s wrist. He even shifted his hips enough to allow Nero to shove jeans and boxers down. And the very impressive erection that sprang free all but leaped into Nero’s hand.
“Damn,” Nero murmured appreciatively. “Are all the men your family this big?” Nero had a large hand, and it didn’t come close to covering the full length of Josh’s swollen cock.
“I never looked,” Josh said, though his voice held a note of pride.
“Bullshit,” Nero answered. “All boys look.”
Josh exhaled in relief as Nero began to stroke him. Strong, solid pulls while Josh gripped Nero’s thighs.
“Okay,” Josh confessed, “I did look. And I’m special, at least between my cousins and me. And I’m definitely bigger than my brother.”
Figured. And yes, the man’s cock was just the right size. Thick, hard, and with a nicely shaped mushroom head. Nero watched that head, seeing the color shift darker, feeling the pulse in the stalk, and loving the rhythmic tightening of Josh’s ass as he thrust. It was torture, that movement against Nero’s cock. And it was all he could do to prevent himself from thrusting up in tandem, from pushing himself against the sweet peach of Josh’s ass.
Just another mission.
It took a while for Josh to near the end. It was a measure of how close he’d come to not settling into his body, and it reassured Nero that what he was doing was absolutely necessary. Josh’s life was at stake, and he was doing what was right and proper for the new werewolf.
He continued to stroke Josh’s erection, roving his spare hand across Josh’s chest and belly. He pinched the man’s nipples, loving the sound of Josh’s gasps. And when Josh’s breath finally became erratic, when his hips were moving hard as he thrust into Nero’s hand, that’s when Nero lost his own control for a moment.
He shoved himself against Josh’s tight ass. He flexed his hips and ground against Josh. And in his mind was a steady litany of mine, mine, mine.
Josh wasn’t his. He was a temporary charge, a mission to get tech support and an answer for the plasma fire problem. This was business.
Except his body didn’t feel that way. And the scent of Josh’s musk, the feel of that huge dick, took a piece of Nero’s sanity with every breath.
It’s a mission.
Mine, mine, mine.
Josh gripped Nero’s thighs. He threw his head back onto Nero’s shoulder, and he thrust hard. Nero gripped him, squeezing with all his strength. And then one last hard pull, and it was done.
Josh cried out, exploding hot cum all over his chest and Nero’s hand. His body shuddered with the release, pushing more and more out with every beat. And Josh was a man in his prime with a strong dick. The force of the first release pushed his cum high enough to catch a drop on Nero’s mouth. A hot wet drop that fell on the lower curve of Nero’s lip. He licked it off instinctively, tasting the salt, knowing the texture of it on his tongue, and locking it permanently in his sense memory. Josh’s seed. Josh’s intimate release.
Josh. Josh. Josh.
Nero exploded in his khakis. Hot, hard, and with all the force of a man with his lover.
A mission.
Oh hell, he was well and truly fucked.