His to Protect (6 page)

"How long were you a sub?" Adrian
asked absently, not really questioning his assumption. There had been a few
hints over the past couple of days, but Tyler's automatic, and seemingly
unconscious, use of the word "Sir" made it seem obvious.

"Only a few weeks."

"Why only a few
weeks?"
Adrian asked in surprise. It often
took months to build up the trust required between a Dom and a sub. Even after
the initial training process it was a never ending flow of give and take and
adjustment to circumstances—just like any other relationship. To give up after
only a few weeks seemed strange.

"I used my safe word too often and my
Dom felt that I wasn't truly a submissive." Tyler shrugged, carelessly,
but thanks to his heightened senses Adrian knew he wasn't as relaxed about it
as he made out. "He was probably right. I don't really like being told
what to do all the time."

"Did he try to find you a new Dom? One
better suited to your needs?"

"A new Dom?"
Tyler asked, sounding as if he'd never considered the possibility. "Um…no
he just broke off our relationship."

"Then he was an idiot. Any Dom with
half a brain can see that you're a natural submissive." Adrian carefully
licked over the sore spots, watched with satisfaction as they started to heal,
and then moved to lift Tyler onto his lap.

"You think so?" Tyler asked
speculatively. "I'm not so sure I agree with you. To be honest, being 'punished'
for not doing things his way kind of got on my nerves."

Adrian nodded his understanding. He'd seen a
lot of bullies pretending to be Doms in his time in fetish clubs. Adrian and
his siblings tried their best to weed them out of Santutegia but it wasn't
always obvious to other Doms. Often they didn't learn of a Dom's inappropriate
behavior until a sub broke off the relationship and found the courage to speak
up. Very few bullies were brave enough to act that way inside the club in front
of people who could stop them. If nothing else, the Alateeka brothers were a
very daunting group of men. Hell even their sister Lilly, both the youngest and
the only female of his siblings, was capable of intimidating even the most
confident of men.

"Building something as complex as a
Dom/sub relationship takes time." Adrian couldn't stop himself from
running his fingers through Tyler's hair. He'd tried to ignore the attraction
he felt for the pretty human, but learning that he'd been a submissive—and a
poorly treated one at that—undermined Adrian's determination to keep his
distance. "Tyler, if you felt the need to use your safe word, it just
proves that your Dom didn't take the time to earn your trust. Your Dom was at fault,
not you."

"Thank you," Tyler whispered as
his eyes filled with tears. "All this time…"

"It's okay, sweetheart. I won't make
the same mistakes."

"You want me?" Tyler asked, again
sounding surprised.

"Of course I want you. What do you
think this"—he moved Tyler slightly so that he could feel Adrian's hard
cock pressed against his bottom—"is all about?"

Tyler shrugged. "I know what I'm hoping
it is, but considering the trauma of the past few days I would have settled for
fun and sex."

Adrian tried really hard to hold back the
growl that threatened to leave his throat. "I can train you," he
said, a little surprised by his own vehemence. He hadn't been looking for a
relationship. He sure as hell hadn't considered taking a sub in a long time,
but it seemed fate had determined to throw Tyler into his path anyway. The fact
Tyler was similarly attracted to Adrian as well was an amazing gift. He didn't
know Tyler well yet, but he planned to change that as soon as he could. With
Gavin currently looking after Logan it was very tempting to rush things right
now.

"What's it like being a wolf?"
Tyler asked shyly, cuddling deeper into Adrian's embrace as he leaned against
the headboard so that they could both relax.

"Technically I'm a lycanthrope. Both
man and wolf."

"You mean kind of like a werewolf?"

"Yeah, kind of like a werewolf,"
Adrian said, trying to read his sub's emotions as he absorbed what he was
telling him. Adrian was more than just another werewolf. Much more, but a part
of him didn't want to overwhelm Tyler with details.

"So the full moon—"

"No," Adrian said quickly, cutting
off whatever Tyler was going to say. It was the worst part about being a modern
werewolf. There was so much information out there, mostly untrue, that he
constantly felt the need to correct people's assumptions. It was kind of hard
to do considering that his family's more unusual traits were well-guarded
secrets.

Few modern paranormals knew of the Alateeka family
and their power, but legend obscured most of the truth. These days Alateeka
Protection Services sold security systems and protection to humans all over the
country, but that wasn't really what Adrian and his brothers did. Most of their
time was spent dealing with the fallout after a paranormal was attacked or, on
very rare occasions, when a paranormal attacked humans. To have the murders
happening right now in their tiny little town was too much of a coincidence.

It seemed pretty clear to Adrian that
someone was trying to get their attention. They just had no explanation why.
Even having lived here for many, many years, few people around them understood
just how powerful their family traits really were. The
Alateekas
weren't "ordinary" paranormals.

Adrian was so lost in his own thoughts that
it took a moment to realize Tyler was watching him worriedly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend
you."

"No, sweetheart, I'm the one who's
sorry. I'm not offended. I'm just not used to talking about this stuff."

"We don't have to talk about it,"
Tyler said quickly. "I don't mind."

Adrian turned Tyler in his arms and took his
mouth in a passionate kiss, quickly sparking back to life the incredible
attraction he felt for this human.

"I mind," Adrian said when he
finally came up for air. He couldn't resist rubbing his hard cock against Tyler's
ass as he tried to explain what he was thinking. "I want you to know who I
am." He did, he really did, and that in itself was saying something. He
and his brothers and sister had been alone for so long he'd resigned himself to
believing that being single was probably part of the plan. How could they
fulfill the sacred duties assigned to them if they were tied down with a
relationship of their own? But goddess, right now he wanted it more than ever.
He said the words that were on his mind, ignoring the small pang of worry that
he'd have to explain himself one day. "We can't start a Dom/sub
relationship without knowing all about each other."

"I promise to try and be a good sub,
Sir," Tyler said immediately, a wide smile on his face. Adrian was so
relieved by his immediate response and obvious enthusiasm that he almost missed
Tyler's next whispered words. "And I won't make the mistake of using my
safe word too often."

Adrian moved back slightly so that he could
see Tyler's face more clearly. "Let's get one thing straight right now.
You will use your safe word, and you will use it as often as you need. If I
find that you're not using it when you should, I can guarantee you won't like
the result. Are we clear?"

"But he said—"

"It doesn't matter what
he
said," Adrian practically
growled as jealousy wormed through him. "My sub will use his safe word as
often as he needs." Adrian took a deep breath, trying to drag his emotions
back under control. Damn, he'd never felt this level of desire for anyone. "Tyler,
it takes time to learn what we each need from the other. Using your safe word
when you're being pushed too far helps us to establish limits. If I can't trust
you to tell me when something is wrong, how will I ever learn what you need
from me?"

"I'm sorry," Tyler said.

"Don't be sorry, sweetheart,"
Adrian said, leaning in to steal another quick kiss. "Just remember that I'm
not him. We play by my rules now."

"Yes, Sir."

"Perfect," Adrian said, trying to
stifle the groan of regret as he lifted the man off his hard cock. He climbed
to his feet and then held out a hand to help Tyler up.
"Bed
time for you, little sub."

Tyler glanced around the room, and gave him
a sexy smile.

"No," Adrian said with an
indulgent grin. Could the man be more perfect for him? "Now go take a
shower and get ready for bed."

"You could shower with me. You
know…conserve water and all that."

"Don't tempt me," Adrian said,
only half joking. If the hardness of his cock had anything to do with it, he
was going to have a difficult time sleeping tonight. "If I climb into that
shower with you there is no way I would be able to resist bending you over and
making you mine."

"Why resist?" Tyler asked with a
sassy smile.

"Because it'll be our first time
together and I want things to last longer than a rushed handful of minutes."
He leaned into Tyler, whispering in his ear as he wrapped his arm around his
waist and pulled him closer. "Because I want you to have time to think
about everything you've learned about paranormals and werewolves and vampires."
He licked Tyler's earlobe¸ drawing the soft flesh into his mouth momentarily.
Tyler's moan of need was very satisfying to hear. "And most definitely,"
he continued as his cock became even harder, "because I want to spank you
to orgasm before fucking you into the mattress."

Chapter Six

Tyler laughed softly at Adrian's suggestion,
even as his lower body throbbed in response. Fuck, could his cock get any
harder without causing him permanent damage? Unlike his only other experience
being spanked, Tyler felt confident that he would actually enjoy it with this
man. Tyler's ex had used spanking for what he'd called "a correction
technique" but all it had done was make Tyler physically uncomfortable and
emotionally uncontrolled. On their final day together Tyler had actually used
the type of language he discouraged teenagers from using to tell his ex exactly
what he thought of his methods. When his Dom had taken a step toward him, he'd
held up his hand, used his safe word several times, and then fled to his room
to pack. It hadn't helped that the "room" the Dom had assigned to him
had been barely more than a cupboard. It had made him feel unimportant,
unwanted, and unnecessary, and had been nothing at all what he'd hoped for when
he'd moved in.

After that Tyler had simply assumed that he
was not submissive by nature.

But apparently Adrian saw something
different.

Tyler stepped into the shower, moaning
softly as the warm water pummeled his tired muscles. It certainly felt natural
to submit to Adrian's authority. But then again, nothing he'd been through in
the past four days was familiar to him, so acquiescing to a more knowledgeable
authority was probably a sensible and normal thing to do.

Maybe Adrian was only seeing the part of Tyler
that had always acknowledged a sensible course of action. What would happen
when he really got to know him and realized—as his ex had—that he simply wasn't
submissive?

He shivered as he imagined all of the fun
they could have before then. Heaven help him, just the thought of sharing such
intimacies with Adrian Alateeka heated Tyler's arousal to boiling point. His
cock filled involuntarily in response. He couldn't stop the soft moan as he
slid his hand down his stomach, caressing the taut skin, imagining Adrian's
hand. The first soft graze over his hard cock made his knees weak. He closed
his eyes as his fingers slid up and down his shaft again and again.

"My subs get punished for such bratty
behavior."

Tyler gasped at the unexpected voice, his
eyes flying open to find the man who owned it standing not three feet away. Tyler
was fairly certain he wore a full body blush, but decided to brazen out his
behavior anyway.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not your
sub yet, isn't it?"

"Is that truly what you think?"
Adrian asked as he took a step closer.

Tyler bit his lips, his gaze dropping away
from Adrian's. He'd said they were playing by his rules now, but Tyler hadn't
truly realized that Adrian considered himself his Dom right from that moment. Adrian
had told him to think about everything he'd learned about him, so a part of
Tyler had been expecting some sort of formality to signal the beginning of
their Dom/sub relationship. Hell, his ex had negotiated every detail, the
process going on for several weeks before he'd even considered taking Tyler on
as his submissive. The transition from independently negotiating their
agreement to suddenly not having the right to an opinion had been very
difficult for Tyler.

"Is that truly what you think? That I'm
not your Dom?" Adrian asked again in a voice that compelled Tyler to
answer quickly, very, very quickly.

"No, Sir," Tyler said
breathlessly, "that's not really what I think."

Adrian nodded. "Turn around and brace
yourself with your hands on the tiles."

The six smacks weren't very hard yet the
sting was enough to reinforce that Adrian considered himself Tyler's Dom. But
it was the hand that slid between his thighs and cupped his balls that had him
whimpering with arousal.

"Who do these belong to, Tyler?"

"You, Sir," he replied almost
soundlessly.

Adrian pressed a bite to the back of his
neck, his possessiveness leaving Tyler's knees shaking violently. "Your
orgasms are
mine
now, brat." Adrian's voice was
rough and deep and so delicious that Tyler could imagine climaxing just from
listening. "Can I trust you not to try this again?"

"I d–don't think so," he said
honestly. Hell, he was so turned on right now he couldn't guarantee that just
trying to dry himself with the towel wouldn't tip him over the edge.

Tyler yelped as Adrian stepped into the
shower, flattening Tyler's chest and face against the cold tiles as he pressed
his whole body against him.

"Fuck, Tyler, you could tempt a saint."
Adrian ground his denim covered cock against Tyler's ass. He pushed back,
wanting Adrian more than he'd ever wanted a man before. The temptation to turn
and drop to his knees so that he could free that hard cock from its wet denim
confines and then take it into his mouth was overwhelming. Tyler tried to do
just that, but Adrian pressed him harder against the tiles, trapping him in
place.

Adrian's fingers wriggled over his balls,
his wrist pressing hard against the cheeks of Tyler's ass as he drove his
arousal even higher. Fuck.

"Who does this body belong to?" Adrian
asked in a voice so rough he sounded dangerous.

"You, Sir," Tyler said again,
whimpering as his arousal spiraled tighter.

"Who gets to touch it?"

"You, S–Sir.
Only you."

Adrian laughed, the sound grating, almost
pain-filled.

"Come for me, Tyler."

He was so surprised by the order that he
stiffened momentarily, but when Adrian forced a thick finger straight into his ass
he practically screamed as orgasm pounded through him. Adrian bit the top of
his shoulder, holding his flesh between his teeth as Tyler shook violently,
his
knees unable to hold him up as wild sensations ran
through him.

Thank fuck Adrian was there. Tyler was still
panting, still shivering, still pulsing from aftershocks when Adrian lifted him
onto his toes, his finger still buried in his ass, his knee now pressed against
Tyler's right thigh holding him up, his other hand sliding around his middle.

Tyler's eyes flew open as Adrian's fingers
found his cock, the swollen appendage oversensitive,
Adrian's
touch almost painful. "Come again," he growled in his ear. Tyler
shook his head, not meaning to disobey, but unable to process the overwhelming
sensations. The harsh slap against his cock had him gasping for air at the same
time Adrian forced a second finger inside him. He kept thrusting inside Tyler's
ass, kept playing with his cock,
kept
biting his
shoulder, forcing his dick to grow hard.

As the shaking grew, his wild orgasm of a
moment ago barely a memory, Adrian did it again, slapping his ass so hard Tyler
felt the sensation all the way to his toes.

"Again," Adrian demanded.

Tyler jolted away, trying to escape the overwhelming
sensations, trying to call a halt to the delicious things this man was doing to
him. Fuck, he wanted more. He wanted Adrian's cock. He wanted his domination,
but he wasn't sure he had the ability to come again so quickly. He whimpered as
Adrian slapped his ass over and over forcing Tyler to come once more. Fuck, he'd
been sure that wasn't even possible. He didn't ejaculate as much, but somehow
the sensation was even more overwhelming. Electrical pulses flashed through him
again and again, leaving him completely breathless.

He moaned, undulating in Adrian's hold, his
body feeling boneless, the rippling aftershocks jolting through him almost
painfully.

Adrian pulled Tyler back under the water,
rinsing him off as he finally removed his finger from his ass and turned him
around. His touch was gentle now, but he was still caressing Tyler's
over-sensitized cock.

"Who does this cock belong to,
sweetheart?" he asked in a deep, soothing tone.

"You, Sir," Tyler whispered before
exhaustion took him and he nearly collapsed in Adrian's arms.

~*~

Adrian couldn't hide the satisfaction
rolling through him. He hadn't actually meant to start anything between them
tonight, but when he'd smelled Tyler's arousal increase he hadn't owned the
strength to hold himself back.

His intention had been only to stop Tyler,
to make him know that climaxing without his permission was a punishable offense,
but Tyler had taken his slaps so beautifully that Adrian hadn't been able to
resist. When Tyler had come that first time Adrian had realized that if he didn't
do something drastic he was going to carry Tyler to his bed and make love to
him all night long. Exhausting his sub seemed the safest idea.

Tyler had seemed surprised that his body was
capable of having two intense orgasms so quickly which just proved that the
supposed Dom he'd been involved with hadn't known a goddamn thing.

Adrian managed to wrap a towel around Tyler's
beautiful body, without waking him, and then turned to carry him toward the
guest room. At the last moment he changed his mind and doubled back to his own bedroom.
He removed the wet towel and tucked Tyler under the covers before stepping back
and watching the man sleep. It wasn't until that very moment that Adrian
realized his own discomfort. Hell, not only did he have the hard-on of his
life, but he was standing there in soaking wet denim. Getting his jeans off was
going to be one very uncomfortable process.

"Goddess, what did you do to me?"
he whispered breathlessly as he stepped away from Tyler and turned back to the
bathroom.

"You called?" Anaedra asked as she
appeared in his way.

"No, I didn't." Annoyance stole
through him. Her timing couldn't have been worse.

"I could have sworn I heard you call my
name," she said with a wide smile and a wicked giggle.

"What do you want, Anaedra?"
Adrian asked quietly. Tyler might not be able to see or hear the woman but his
sub would probably wake to Adrian's voice if he truly let himself show his
exasperation.

"Can't a goddess just drop by to say
hello once in a while?"

"You tell me," Tyler said,
stepping out of the bedroom and forcing the woman to follow him. "You've
never dropped by without wanting something."

"I'm hurt," she said with a mew of
disappointment. Adrian shook his head and continued walking. Anaedra could stop
him anytime she liked, but she seemed amused by his protective behavior over
the man currently sleeping in his bed.

"If you're capable of basic human
emotions, Anaedra, I've never seen any evidence."

She pouted, her perfect red lips showing her
annoyance as she tilted her head in the direction of Adrian's bedroom.

"He's certainly very loud,"
Anaedra said with an exaggerated attempt to stop her ears from supposedly
ringing.

Adrian growled and led her into the kitchen,
the room farthest away from where Tyler was sleeping. "Get to the point,
Anaedra. I've got a lot of work to do, and I would like to get some sleep
tonight."

She looked as if she was going to say
something else about Tyler, so Adrian gave her a hard look, crossed his arms,
and waited. Uncharacteristically, Anaedra seemed to interpret his anger
correctly and changed the subject instead.

"I want to know who killed William
Danker."

"We don't know yet," Adrian said
not giving Anaedra any more information than he had to. They were watching
several possible suspects, but until they knew something for sure he wasn't
telling her anything. Anaedra was a volatile personality. With so much power,
she was liable to do something Adrian would regret.

"Well maybe if you spent less time
fucking around…"

Anaedra disappeared before he could respond
to that unfair accusation so he was left with angry words and no one to yell
them at. She'd probably hear him if he uttered them, but without being able to
see her it felt too much like talking to himself. And of course, Anaedra knew
that. She'd been pushing his buttons for a very long time. There was zero
chance she would give up her games now.

Adrian rubbed at the headache forming behind
his eyes. Hell, his brother had been right the other day. He'd been so busy
working that he'd forgotten how to have fun. Having Anaedra interrupt the only
down time he'd taken in months was fucking annoying. Perversely he wanted to go
and do exactly what Anaedra had accused him of.

Enjoying Tyler all night long seemed like a
very good way to start.

He was almost to the point of blowing off
his responsibilities when reality intruded and his cell phone rang.