Chasing Seth (8 page)

Kasey’s lips flattened. “No. Not only is your body still recovering from a broken leg, but you’re obviously exhausted. And we are going to talk as soon as you are able. I want to know what the hell that was all about. And I know it wasn’t because the sight of blood makes you sick.” He didn’t give Seth a chance to respond and merely stalked out of the room.

Seth lay there, drifting between sleeping and awake. He hadn’t expended so much energy in a long time. With not having truly practiced as a vet in two years, his body wasn’t used to how much it took to repair such injuries. He kept his eyes closed when he heard Kasey enter the room. “I know you’re not sleeping, Seth. I can hear your heartbeat,” the sheriff said sardonically.

Sighing, Seth opened his eyes to stare at the older wolf.

“At least now you can’t run away from me,” Kasey added while pulling up a chair to straddle next to where the doctor lay. “So what the hell was that all about back there?”

Seth rubbed a hand over his face, debating what to tell him. He supposed it wouldn’t do any harm to tell him. His lips twisted in a sarcastic smile. “Remember how you said I knew nothing about treating animals, Sheriff?”

“It’s Kasey, and yes, I remember,” he replied flatly.

“If all I know about animals had been a rattlesnake, it would have bitten you in the ass. I was born with an ability that allows me to heal. I’ve always had an affinity for animals, which is the reason I became a veterinarian. But healing them does not come without a price.” Seth’s voice grew rougher as he spoke. “When I heal them, I take the negative energy into my body. It weakens me, and I am forced to release them, or they will send me into a coma. I discovered this in a very real way one day when I was a teenager.”

Kasey stared at his mate with an expression of awe on his face. His mate could heal? “So that’s how you fixed Samantha’s heart,” he murmured.

“Samantha?” It took Seth a moment to understand who Kasey was referring to. “Oh, the poodle. Yeah. Her heart was defective. She would have been dead within six months to a year.” He yawned tiredly, snuggling into the pillow that he lay against. He could barely keep his eyes open.

A low chuckle issued near his ear, and Kasey said softly, “All right, pup. You get a reprieve for now, but soon you and I will talk.”

Seth was so far gone that he couldn’t do more than sigh when he felt a warm heat against his forehead. He slipped into darkness, letting it swallow him in its comforting embrace.

Kasey watched his mate sleeping. It’d been a long time since the man had been taken care of by anyone other than himself. The way he didn’t seem to know how to slow down when exhausted made it obvious. Kasey’s lips turned up in wonder at his mate being able to heal. But it did come with a heavy price. He’d felt helpless as he’d watched the delicate form of his mate shuddering beneath his hands and the way the black liquid rushed from his body.

Kasey was astonished to find such a gift existed, despite the illness it seemed to cause Seth afterward. None of the other wolves in his pack could heal. Charlie had the ability to bring peace among their pack during a fight. Others were able to communicate merely by thought with their mate or with the Alpha of the pack if the Alpha wished it. Seth’s gift of healing gave their story an unexpected twist, one he’d never have believed if he hadn’t witnessed it with his own eyes.

Over the next few hours, while Seth slept, Kasey had a lot of time to think. His mind shied away from the brutal way he’d treated the smaller wolf earlier. He didn’t blame Seth for being mad at him or frightened of him. He hadn’t exactly kept his promise. His fingers stroked gently over one pale cheek in a light caress. The vet let out a soft sigh and leaned into it, bringing a smile to Kasey’s face. Despite the pup’s attempts to deny it, his unconscious self recognized he was in fact Kasey’s mate.

His body sang out, demanding he claim Seth, and it left him knowing without a doubt the stubborn, feisty veterinarian was his mate. You didn’t get another one. It wasn’t like walking into a dating agency and picking a new one. Seth had time to come to terms with it, but Kasey would have this slender, infuriating man in his life no matter how long it took his mind to accept what his heart already did.

He’d already accepted that Seth had told the truth about being born as a werewolf. The only matter at hand still troubling him was Seth’s skin color. The whole reason he’d always despised the white men of this world wasn’t because of how they’d treated his ancestors, though that would have been a very valid reason, but because they cared nothing for other living beings. Money. They raped forests and destroyed the lands and homes of those animals all for the sake of greed and progress. At the rate they were spreading over the earth, there’d be nothing left in another millennium.

Seth didn’t appear to be like the white men Kasey had met. Seeing the ability his mate possessed and how drained it left him made him realize that if Seth were in fact evil or greedy, then he wouldn’t hurt himself to help the animals he treated. Kasey warred internally over accepting his mate. His pride raged against the destiny of being bound to the vet, but his heart held more power over his will. The resolve he’d felt in the cabin to claim his mate, to protect him from whatever demons haunted him, came back in full force. Even if it took ten years, he’d find a way to complete the binding of their souls into one. To earn the heart of his mate.

The sun had long since sunk behind the horizon before Kasey switched on a lamp, and its dull glow illuminated the room. He could hear Seth’s breathing become uneven as he stirred. The steady, slow pulse of his heart sped up in equal fashion. Seth carefully sat up, lifting a hand to his head. “Headache?” Kasey asked.

Seth jumped slightly before croaking, “Yes. I always get one after.”

A frown twisted Kasey’s lips. Did the healing actually harm his mate? The tremble in Seth’s hand twisted his gut sharply. “Are you certain you aren’t causing your body damage by healing?”

“I’m a werewolf, Sheriff. I have accelerated healing abilities, and we don’t get diseases, so I highly doubt it does more harm to me than a white throne session and a massive hangover afterward.” Seth debated standing but thought better of it and carefully leaned back against the couch.

“Kasey,” the sheriff insisted.

“What?” Seth gave him a confused look.

Kasey pushed himself up from the doctor’s desk chair and slowly stalked around the edge of the desk toward the couch. “My name is Kasey.”

Seth swallowed hard at the husky tone and the strange gleam in those dark eyes.

Kasey sank down on the couch next to him, one hand coming out to touch Seth’s face lightly. “You keep calling me Sheriff,” he explained further, as Seth still looked confused. “Call me Kasey.”

He watched as Seth shook his head at his request. The tip of a small pink tongue sliding across his mate’s perfect lips drew his gaze. He almost started in shock at his thoughts. Perfect lips? He could feel the heat coming from Seth’s body and knew his closeness affected the other male. “Say my name,” he whispered silkily, his breath dusting over those same rosy red lips.

Seth sighed his name just a split second before Kasey’s mouth claimed Seth’s. His hand slipped around to cup the back of Seth’s head, not exerting pressure, keeping it light to keep from scaring his skittish mate. Kasey followed the line of Seth’s lips, requesting access to the warm recesses. Seth’s lips parted on a small sound in his throat, and Kasey’s tongue immediately flooded the smaller male’s mouth. A low moan rumbled in his tanned throat. Seth tasted like sunshine and cinnamon, like the musky scent of rain that clung to the earth after a thunderstorm. Kasey’s cock hardened, screaming at him to take his mate.

Seth
had only been able to watch as the tall, virile Cheyenne walked toward the couch.
No, make that stalked
, he thought. His mouth went dry when Kasey sat down next to him. It took every ounce of control he had not to lean into the gentle touch on his cheek. Suddenly, he’d found himself giving in to the man’s request. “Kasey,” he whispered.

Pure heat spiraled through his body at the brush of the sheriff’s lips on his. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they clutched at the older male’s strong forearms. Kasey tasted of such sweet fire and spice. Fire flickered along Seth’s skin like a burst of power and left him gasping for more. Everything else fell away from the two of them. Seth forgot his dislike and fear of the other shifter. He became nothing more than a mouth, a tongue, and the hard throbbing between his thighs. He moved slightly, moaning against Kasey’s mouth when the movement caused his legs to squeeze his stiff flesh.

Reality crashed back in, though, when he felt Kasey’s hand gliding along his thigh. He stiffened and yanked himself away, panting. “No, stop.”

Kasey stilled, immediately pulling his hand back from the supple leg he’d been exploring. He collapsed back against the couch with a sigh. His fingers itched to return to touching his mate, to push higher and feel Seth’s straining length through his jeans. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean for it to go that far.”

“It shouldn’t have even started,” Seth said roughly. He gathered the little energy he had and moved to the other side of the room. Bracing himself against one of the bookshelves, he leaned his forehead against his arm. He could feel those dark eyes boring into his back but didn’t turn around.

“You know you can feel it, pup,” Kasey said, his seductive voice rolling over Seth and sending a shudder down his spine.

“No,” Seth forced out. He would never admit to it. He couldn’t admit to it even though a strange urge inside him wanted him to turn around and go back to the large male sitting behind him. It seemed like a living essence in his stomach, his soul, screaming at him to take what was his. Sweat beaded along his upper lip, and he licked at the salty liquid.

“Yes,” Kasey breathed hotly against his ear. Seth nearly screamed as his body tightened with need. He’d been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he hadn’t even heard the other shifter approach him. He quivered when he felt Kasey’s hands settle on his hips, gently pulling him back against his chest.

“Stop,” he pleaded on a whimper, his eyes squeezed shut tightly at the feel of those firm lips on the nape of his neck. “You don’t even wa-want me,” Seth said, stumbling over his words as his body fought to deny the control his mind had over it.

“No?” Kasey intoned, thrusting his hips forward, grinding his cock into Seth. “You see, Seth, it’s as I told you. Despite my stubborn, bullheaded reaction before, you are my mate. That means I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone else.” He scraped his teeth along the delicate skin of Seth’s bared throat.

A small keening sound came from Seth, but he forced his body to remain still, not to push into the hot, stiff flesh nudging his lower back or to tilt his head to the side and allow the other male to dominate him. “You… only want me because you think I’m your mate,” he gasped out, his nails digging into the wood of the cabinet he held onto for dear life. “Not because you truly want me.”

“I don’t think you are my mate, pup. I know you are. My body craves you like sustenance. My mind craves to hear your sweet voice like the oceans lapping at the shores. My hands need to feel your skin beneath them.” Kasey carefully turned Seth to look at him, locking their eyes together. He traced the line of Seth’s lips with one finger as he spoke. “I can only imagine what brought you to where you are now, pup, so afraid and unable to recognize me as your mate. I will bide my time, Seth, and woo you at every chance I get, but one day I will claim you.”

Seth bit his lip as he strained his body away from Kasey’s. The damned bastard made him feel things he’d never felt with anyone. The slightest touch of the sheriff’s fingers drifting over his skin made Seth’s stomach muscles clench; his heart began to pound inside his chest at just a simple look from those amazingly dark eyes. The gentle treatment left him confused and torn. Taggart had never treated him so carefully. A small sound of dismay broke free at the thought of that name. He’d learned not to think of him, to lock those thoughts deep inside his mind, because they made him feel ashamed, weak, and useless.

It was taking every ounce of control Kasey had not to ignore the little voice in his head demanding he go slowly with the slender male in front of him. He could feel and smell his mate’s desire for him. He knew if he pressed he could override the smaller wolf’s objections, but he wanted Seth to come to him willingly, to want to be claimed by him. There would be no sweeter reward than to see Seth submit to him without fear or reservation.

A sound from the vet distracted him from his thoughts. “What is it?” he asked softly.

“N-nothing,” Seth stuttered, seeming to withdraw into himself.

Reluctantly, Kasey stepped away from the smaller form, knowing he was crowding the other wolf. He reached down and gently took Seth’s hand in his. “Come on, pup. I’ll walk you to your car and follow you to make sure you get home all right.”

“I’ll be fine,” Seth insisted, but Kasey just ignored him.

It pleased Kasey when Seth didn’t draw away from him. He waited patiently for the blue-eyed doctor to lock up the clinic before capturing Seth’s hand in his again. A light rain began to mist down to the dry ground during the short walk to the car. When they reached Seth’s small sedan, Kasey found himself hard-pressed to let him go. He lifted Seth’s hand to his mouth, brushing his lips over the backs of his knuckles. Lust slammed into him when he saw the most becoming blush flood his sexy mate’s cheeks. Stifling a groan, Kasey released him and opened the car door for him.

“Good night, pup,” Kasey said huskily as he shut the door once Seth slipped into the front seat. He jogged over to his truck and started it, following his mate from the parking lot. The drive didn’t take long, and he pulled up to the curb, watching as Seth hurried into the house. It brought one corner of his lip up into a soft smile when he saw his gorgeous mate glance at him one last time before closing the door.

Rain trickled down the front windshield in rivulets, growing harder with each passing mile that Kasey drove toward the station. A deep-seated instinct told Kasey that there were many dark secrets in Seth’s past, secrets that he needed to know to keep his mate safe, and the only way to do that was to know the details of what had caused so much pain.