Haven 5: Invincible (18 page)

The voices in his head raged and screamed, thrashing about and throwing themselves at the cages he’d locked around his mind. Paying them no attention, Aslan attacked Torren’s clothes, stripping his lover with sure, quick fingers. “Can’t stop,” he warned.

Luckily, Torren understood, because he whispered the same words he’d used the night before, though instead of stretching Aslan wide, Aslan plunged three fingers into the slicked and loosened hole of his mate’s ass. The muscles gripped him, sucked him in, and massaged his digits.

Too far gone for even that bit of foreplay, Aslan pushed his jeans down his hips until his aching cock sprang free, the crown a deep purple, engorged, and dripping an extraordinary amount of pre-cum.

Lining the tip up with Torren’s entrance, Aslan tried to beg forgiveness with his eyes as he slammed forward, seating himself in one jarring thrust.

Torren’s back arched up off the ground, his cock leaked liberally against his abs, and the most magnificent cry of pleasure exploded from his lips and into the night. Around them the fires burned, people shouted, and the war waged on, but none of that mattered. It was background noise, a distant rumble that barely registered as Aslan’s entire world, his whole reason for being, centered to the point where his cock plunged into Torren’s hot, tight, willing body.

He didn’t know what was happening to him or why he felt the absurd need to possess his mate, dominate him, own him, but the need was there, uncontrollable as he slammed into Torren hard enough to make his own teeth rattle. The ground trembled beneath him, thunder rolled overhead, and flames danced around them, the orange light flittering across his lover’s sweat-soaked skin, making him glow like some Egyptian sun god.

As his climax rose over him like the swell of the ocean, words he’d heard only once before in a language he’d never spoken came spilling through his panting lips. “
Datum gratis. Duo corda sicut
unum. Obligo me ad vos. Offer totum, quod sum et pignus amoris mei
aeterna
.”

The orgasm that tore through him left him blind and deaf, tired and feeble as a newborn kitten as he pumped ropes of seed into Torren’s convulsing channel. His mate roared out into the night, sticky streams of cum shooting from his cock to cover his chest, abs, and even his neck.

Falling forward, unable to hold himself up for even another moment, Aslan sighed when his lover caught him in his warm embrace. “I’ve got you,” Torren whispered into his hair. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“What the hell just happened?”

He could feel Torren’s lips stretch into a wide grin. “You finally accepted me as your mate. Even if you didn’t realize it, there was some part of yourself that you were holding back, too afraid to let yourself be loved. When you let go of that, accepted who we are and that we’re meant to be together, it kind of just exploded.”

“I didn’t hurt you did I?” He’d never forgive himself if he’d hurt Torren.

“I have never experienced anything so amazing. And when you claimed me, holy fuck. It was like the sun exploded inside my chest.” Aslan chuckled breathlessly. “That’s exactly what I thought when you claimed me. What were those words I said? I know what they meant, but I don’t know the exact wording.”

“Given freely. Two hearts as one. I bind myself to you. Offer all that I am and the pledge of my eternal love.”

“That’s beautiful. I like that.” It was only then that he noticed the night around them was silent. Lifting his head from Torren’s naked shoulder, Aslan scanned the clearing, his hand going to his mouth when he noticed the multitude of fierce-looking animals, their pale coats glimmering in the moonlight. “Are they…” He trailed off when he noticed the two mangled bodies on the ground. “Who are they?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” Stavion grimaced as he sauntered up to them, holding out a hand to pull Torren to his feet.

“Two got away, two are dead, and two others are being escorted to a nice holding cell.” He looked Torren up and down, and then turned his gaze on Aslan. “Nice show by the way.” Aslan’s face went up in flames as he quickly stuffed his limp cock back into his jeans. “Torren, do something.”

His lover threw his head back and laughed, the sound coming straight from his belly. “You started this,
caro.
” He relented, however, picking his pants up from the ground and pulling them on.

“So, is it over?”

“Hardly.” Torren’s smile fell from his handsome face. “They’ll regroup, maybe recruit more, and be back, but we bought some time to reinforce our defenses.”

They had won this round, but there would be others. Aslan understood what Torren was trying to tell him, but he felt confident that as long as they stuck together they could face anything that came their way. “Let’s get Wren and go home.”

* * * *

“Thane is the only one who can pull Mikko out of Purgatory.” Torren scrubbed at his face, his eyes itching with sleep deprivation.

He’d been awake for nearly twenty-eight hours, doing what he could to help ensure the welfare of Haven. Once they’d talked about security improvements—even adding several new Enforcers with Ridley’s announcement that he wanted to move some of his pack to Haven—the topic moved on to finding his brothers.

He had an idea of where to look for Thane, but he was leery of speaking his suspicions to Stavion. The vampire was either going to be pissed or devastated. Torren wasn’t looking forward to either reaction. “From what Aslan tells me, the place he was held before he came here was close by, a short drive to be exact. I think that’s the best place to start looking for Thane.”

“Did you say it was a vampire coven?” Raith asked. He looked haggard, slumping in his chair in the library of Stavion’s mansion.

Torren worried about him, but had no idea how to help his brother yet.

Raith’s question made him realize that maybe he didn’t need to unload the information, but could possibly lead Stavion to the answer.

“Yes, a vampire coven near here.”

“The only coven that’s close by is the Snake River Coven.” Stavion shook his head, a frown on his face. Torren saw the exact moment that understanding hit him. Stavion’s head popped up from its bowed position, and his eyes bored into Torren’s. “No.”

“I’m not saying it’s true, but it’s where we need to start.” Gods, he didn’t want to see the look of hurt and betrayal on his friend’s face. It hadn’t been that long since Stavion had been an Enforcer for the Snake River Coven before taking over the leadership role of Haven.

“I’m sorry, Stavion.”

Stavion held a hand up to halt him. “We’ll do what needs to be done. I trust you and I trust Aslan. So, Snake River is where we’ll start.” He pointed to two of his Enforcers. “Varik, Demos, you’ll leave tomorrow night.”

“I’d like Lynk to go with them.”

Stavion dipped his head. “Good idea.” A soft grunt drew his attention, and Torren smiled down at Aslan where the man curled in his lap, sleeping soundly against his chest.

“He’s not going to have an easy life. The voices will always be with him.”

“Then you teach him how to control them,” Jory said from Stavion’s side. “Give him something to fight for and a place to feel safe when it becomes too much.”

“I’d give him the world if I could. He won’t be in this alone.” The library door opened, and Raven stepped inside, grinning from ear to ear with a bouncing little boy balanced on his hip. “Look what I found.”

Aslan jerked awake at Wren’s laughter, rubbing at his eyes and moving off of Torren’s lap to sit upright, holding his arms out just in time to catch the little pixie as he sprinted to them. “Hey, you. Did you have a good nap?”

Wren bobbed his head energetically. “Yep, but now I’m hungry. Can I have waffles?”

“Yes!” Jory said enthusiastically. “I love waffles!” The room erupted into laughter at his outburst, and Torren decided that happy felt damn good. “Did you find out anything?” he asked Raven as the Enforcer moved farther into the room and perched on the arm of one of the sofas.

“Yes.” He looked pointedly at Wren. “I’ll fill you in later, but let’s just say that it won’t be a problem. There is no one left to fight you for custody. Congratulations, man.”

Torren had asked Raven to see what he could dig up on Wren’s biological family. He’d even given him permission to use whatever brand of interrogation he wanted on the werewolf alpha that had been holding Wren captive. If Torren understood him correctly, all of Wren’s family was dead, probably at the hands of that same alpha.

He’d find out later what Raven had learned, but just then his heart was about to burst out of his chest.

“Hey, little monster, come here.” He lifted Wren into his lap and looked him in the eye, hoping the boy would understand what he was about to ask. “Do you remember when you asked if you could stay with me and Aslan and your uncles?”

Wren bobbed his little head, his hair flopping around in his face.

Torren pushed the locks back and cradled his soft cheeks. “Do you want to be part of our family, Wren?” The child looked at him in confusion, but Aslan took his small hand and drew his attention. “What Torren is trying to ask you is if you’d like for him to be your daddy.”

“And you?” Aslan nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Wren looked like Santa Claus himself had walked into the room and dumped a whole sleigh full of toys at his feet. “Yes, yes, yes!” He squeezed Aslan around the neck and rocked back and forth. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Aslan closed his eyes tight and hugged Wren fiercely before letting him go, smiling so brightly that it almost hurt to look at him.

Then Wren turned his attention on Torren, holding onto his neck as he buried his face in his throat. “Does Mr. Pokey get to stay, too?” Petting his silky curls, Torren smiled and kissed the top of Wren’s head. “Absolutely. And we’ll even get you that puppy.” Wren nodded, squeezing Torren a little tighter. “I love you, Daddy.”

Torren doubted there was a dry eye in the room after that. The big, bad Enforcers coughed or cleared their throats, and all found something very interesting to look at that conveniently hid their faces.

His own eyes flooded, making his vision blurry, but he didn’t care who saw them.

He didn’t deserve them, not Wren or Aslan, but he would work every day to be worthy of their love. Holding his child—
his
child—in his arms, he curled his other hand around the back of Aslan’s neck and pulled him close to kiss his lips gently. “It’s always been you, and it always will be. I love you, Aslan.” His mate looked too choked up to get any words out, but that was okay. Torren saw it, felt it, every time Aslan looked at him, touched him, or sighed contentedly as he slept in Torren’s arms at night. Aslan was the sturdy one, the foundation that held up their relationship.

Torren was a powerful witch, but he couldn’t hold a candle to the magic inside Aslan’s heart.

Hard times waited for them, but they would face whatever came.

Aslan had opened his heart, torn down his walls, and given him a family in return. Maybe he’d never trust anyone as much as he did Aslan, but maybe that’s the way it was supposed to be. He’d failed to keep his mate safe before because he’d refused to reach out for help.

Looking at the men gathered around him, the men who had fought by his side to protect what mattered most to him, Torren knew he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Individually they were strong.

Together…they were invincible.

THE END

WWW.GABRIELLEEVANS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gabrielle Evans grew up in a small town in southern Oklahoma.

We are talking one red light that may or may not work depending on the day of the week. She married her high school sweetheart and the rest is pretty much history. They have two very active boys and one high-strung wiener dog that keeps her constantly on the go. For now, she parks her car in central Indiana, but who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Gabrielle believes in love at first sight, falling hard and fast, taking chances, and grabbing your happy-ever-after with both hands.

Most importantly, she believes that a great cup of coffee can cure anything.

Also by Gabrielle Evans

Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 1:

Caution: Contents Under Pressure

Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 2:
Faith, Trust, and Stardust
Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 3:
Forgotten Sins
Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 4:
Back Roads

For all other titles, please visit

www.BookStrand.com/Gabrielle-Evans

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com