Keaton's Lessons [Brac Village 6] (12 page)

Keaton stirred, turning his head toward Kade, giving him that easy smile. “Hey.”

Kade brushed his fingers over Keaton’s face, memorizing every line, every dip, and getting lost in those sapphire eyes. “How do you feel?” He next brushed his fingers over the bite wound. His cock began to thicken as he stared at where he had bitten his mate.

“Sore,” Keaton admitted, his smile never wavering. “But good,” he added. His mate stretched, yawned, and then cuddled in closer. Kade really wasn’t used to having anyone resting in his arms. He tightened them around Keaton, luxuriating in the feel of the warm body next to his.

He thought about the cops and knew he needed to get that cleared up, but right now Kade loathed to leave the comfort Keaton brought him.

“Move in with me,” Keaton murmured into his neck as he placed a soft kiss on Kade’s skin. “Please.”

Kade hadn’t been expecting Keaton to ask him. He really hadn’t thought about it. With everything else going on, he just came and went from Bishop’s. “Is that what you really want?” he asked as he stroked his hand down his mate’s naked back, playing with the slim lines of his body.

Keaton wiggled until he was straddling Kade’s lap. The man had no clue how much Kade wanted to take his mate again. He was playing with fire. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want you to.”

Placing his hands on his mate’s hips, Kade stared up into stark beauty. Keaton looked damn good perched on top of him. He wrapped his hand around the back of Keaton’s neck, pulling his mate down toward him. “Then I’ll move in with you, but only if I pay half the bills and my name goes on the mortgage note.”

“Deal,” Keaton said before he pressed his lips to Kade’s mouth. The guy had said he was sore, and Kade didn’t want to bring him any discomfort, but it was Keaton who was initiating this, so Kade took the lead, plunging his tongue deep inside his mate’s mouth.

He reached behind Keaton, grabbing the base of his cock as his mate lifted his hips and sank down onto his shaft. They both sighed into each other’s mouth. Kade took it slow this time, moving his hips at a leisurely pace, letting Keaton set the tone.

God, he could live inside this man. Keaton fit him perfectly. Grabbing his mate’s hair into a tight fist, Kade matched his tongue with his thrusts, fucking both Keaton’s mouth, and his ass.

His mate pulled back, grinning at him. “You are a control freak, aren’t you?”

“Only in sex, baby.” Kade flipped, placing Keaton under him. “What can I say, I’m a predator.” Kade nipped Keaton’s shoulder, giving a soft chuckle. Fuck, it felt good to have that morose feeling finally gone. He had felt as if he were drowning in depression before that hell hound was killed. The emotions in him now were nothing short of…happy.

“I love that.”

“What?” Kade asked as he nipped his mate’s shoulder again.

“Well, I like that, but I was talking about the sound of your laugh. It’s beautiful.” Keaton ground his ass onto Kade’s cock. “I want to hear more of it.” His mate grunted as his head lolled to the side. “I want to see you smiling more often, too. It’s gorgeous.”

Kade was transfixed by the angel lying under him. The sight was ethereal. He knew that Keaton could ask him for the world and Kade would find a way to give it to him. He would rope the moon if that was what his mate wanted.

He could feel a part of him healing. Some dark place inside of him that had been festering with resentment for years was being torn to shreds, replaced by the bright light of his mate’s smile.

It was as if his mate was teaching him how to live again. Keaton wrapped his legs around Kade’s waist, yanking him closer with a devil-may-care smile. “Harder.”

Kade gave the man what he wanted—although he had to add some saliva into the mix. They didn’t have any lube on hand. The spittle wasn’t as good as the clear gel, but it did in a pinch.

Keaton threw his hands over his head, his eyes fluttering closed as his lips parted. His body writhed under Kade, letting him know that his mate was loving everything that Kade was doing to his body. His heart went wild and blood rushed hot through his veins.

Glancing down, Kade watched as his cock moved in and out of his mate’s ass, fascinated at the sight. He palmed Keaton’s balls, massaging them as he drove deeper.

“
Kide
,” Keaton cried out, his seed splashing across his chest. The scent and sight drove Kade over the edge. He pounded into his mate’s ass, shouting as his orgasm tore through him.

Fuck, he loved when the man said his name.

Pulling his cock free, Kade placed a kiss on Keaton’s lips. “We should shower and find out what’s going on with the cops.”

“Oh, god.” Keaton’s eyes rounded. “How in the hell did I forget about—” Keaton’s face contorted into pain as he grabbed his stomach. “Oh, oh, this hurts.”

Kade quickly jumped from the couch and yanked his jeans on. He tore to the door and raced down the steps, finding Cody in his office. “I need your help.” Kade normally wouldn’t ask anyone for help with his mate, but he had no clue what to do. Keaton was being converted, and Kade felt panicked.

“What’s wrong?” Cody asked as he hurried up the back steps behind Kade.

“Keaton is converting into a snow leopard.” He could hear the wolf cursing behind him as Kade reentered the apartment. Keaton was on the couch, curled into a tight ball. He hadn’t thought about covering Keaton up before he had run to get help. Kade grabbed his shirt and threw it over his mate’s waist.

“Trust me, his jewels are the last thing on my mind,” Cody said as he pulled his phone out. “I’m calling the doc.”

“He wants out!” Keaton shouted as he rolled to his stomach and crawled from the couch. “I don’t know what to do.” His voice was strained, panicked, and Kade felt helpless. He knew his mate was referring to his leopard, but Kade didn’t know how to get the leopard out without hurting Keaton.

Cody hung up, walking closer and squatting down on front of Keaton. “Doc is tied up at the clinic. He’s says to coax Keaton’s cat out. Since this is his first shift, if he keeps fighting it, his cat will accidently kill him to get out.”

Kade ran his hands over his head, staring down at his writhing mate. “Can you leave us alone?” For Kade, this was a very private, very intimate experience. Now that he knew what he had to do, he didn’t want an audience.

Cody gave a firm nod, giving Kade’s shoulder a quick pat. “Shout if you need me, bro. I’ll be right downstairs.”

Kade waited until the door was closed before he stripped his pants back off and knelt at Keaton’s head. He placed his hands on his mate’s cheeks and made Keaton look up at him. He could see the sweat pouring off of Keaton. “You can feel him, right?” Kade could see how badly his hands were shaking as he waited for Keaton to answer him.

His mate swallowed hard, grunted, and then nodded his head.

“Can you see him?”

Again, Keaton nodded.

“Look at him, Keaton. He is you. See how beautiful he is, his fur as pure as snow, his body sleek and compact, and his eyes…wow—” Kade couldn’t see Keaton’s leopard, but he knew it was going to have sapphire eyes, just like his mate. “Those eyes, they’re yours.”

Keaton bowed his back, screaming as he flopped out of Kade’s hands, hitting the floor as he squirmed around in pain.

Kade quickly covered his mate, straddling his body and pinning his wrists down above his head. He was not going to lose his mate. Keaton was too damn precious to Kade to let him slip away. “Listen to me, Keaton.” Kade leaned in, biting Keaton on his bottom lip to get his attention.

“Caress him, run your fucking hand down his fur and get to know your leopard. He is you, Keaton. You are looking at yourself. Your leopard is a newborn, Keaton.” Kade rubbed his cheek against his mate’s, inhaling his scent. “He’s scared. Help him, baby.”

“K–Kade.” Keaton began to shake on the floor.

“I’m right here, baby. I’m not leaving your side. You are irrevocably stuck with me.” He kissed Keaton’s temple, suddenly feeling a fine coat of fur under his hands. Kade looked down, utterly astonished as he watched the white fur begin to sprout all over Keaton’s body.

Kade quickly moved off of Keaton, giving him room. Keaton’s claws shot out and then receded, only to spring forth again. His face contorted, taking on the shape of a snow leopard. Kade gasped when Keaton opened his eyes. He knew his mate would still have those magnificent dark-blue eyes!

Chuckling, Kade watched as Keaton tried to stand, his legs wobbled, and then he fell back to the floor with a harrumph. “It’ll take some getting used to.” Kade moved closer. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

Keaton batted a paw at Kade, showing his canines.

Kade immediately shifted, knowing exactly what he was going to have to do. He towered over Keaton, yowling down at him. Keaton tried once more to stand, yowling in return. The sound was music to Kade’s ears.

When Keaton fell again, Kade opened his mouth wide, clamping it over Keaton’s neck. Not to harm him. But to show Keaton that Kade was the dominant of the two. Keaton whimpered and Kade released him, sufficiently establishing the hierarchy between them.

Now it was time to have fun. Kade backed up, yowling low in his throat. Keaton pushed to his feet, moving closer to Kade. He was shocked when Keaton began to lick his face. It was a very welcome feeling.

Kade jerked when Keaton butted his head against him and then ran around the back of the couch. He inwardly smiled as he stalked after his mate, moving along the side of the couch and then behind it. Keaton jumped at him and then took off running toward the back of the apartment.

Kade’s heart sped up at the chase. He raced after Keaton, both bumping into furniture and knocking things over. A small lamp crashed to the floor, making Keaton skitter to a stop and glance behind him. That gave Kade his chance to pounce, taking Keaton down. They rolled together, Kade landing on top.

As much fun as he was having with Keaton, Kade knew they had to shift and go find out what was going on with the cops. Kade backed off and returned to his human form. “Come on, Keaton, we have things to take care of.”

Keaton gave a small yowl, backing away.

“Don’t make me come after you,” Kade warned. “You can shift back to your cat when we get home tonight.” The word
home
sounded so foreign to Kade. Although he had been living with Bishop, it wasn’t really his home. His childhood home was no more, and prison had been his shelter for a very long time.

A stirring in his gut happened when Kade thought about making a home with Keaton. He never knew how badly he had wanted a place to call his own until Keaton had asked Kade to move in with him. Now he couldn’t wait to pack his shit and leave his brother’s.

Not that Bishop was a bad guy, quite the opposite. He was what any younger brother would want for an older sibling. It was just time for Kade to move on.

“Think of your human form, baby,” Kade said to Keaton.

He watched as Keaton shifted and then collapsed to the floor. Kade chuckled. “Like I said, it’ll take some getting used to.” Without another word, Kade picked Keaton up from the floor and held the man in his arms as he carried him to the bathroom and showered.

“That was so freaking cool!” Keaton laughed as Kade washed him down. “A lot scary, but cool.”

Kade smiled as he finished washing them and then grabbed some towels. “You did just fine.”

Keaton’s forehead crinkled as he gazed into Kade’s eyes. “Do you think the cops will arrest us?”

Kade stood, tossing the towels in a hamper by the sink. “I sure as shit hope not. But we can’t stay on the run. Bonnie and Clyde we are not, so let’s go straighten everything out.” Kade swatted Keaton on his tight little ass as they exited the bathroom.

He spoke to Keaton with confidence, but a part of Kade prayed they weren’t in trouble. He never wanted to see bars again for as long as he lived.

Oliver sat on the steps of the rec center, his elbows resting on his legs, staring off into the parking lot. He had needed time to himself, to work things out in his mind. Spending time with Blair earlier was good for him, but right now Oliver needed to be alone.

He had thought that after all these years he’d put his past behind him, buried it deep and forgotten about it. Thoughts of years long ago hardly ever came to mind.

But, what Blair had told him had rocked him to his very foundation. It wasn’t the fact that his father was a monster. Oliver knew this. He had lived it, had known his entire life what sort of man the guy was. He had further proof the night his father had stumbled drunk into his bedroom, after he had kicked Blair out, and had forced himself on Oliver.

His hands balled into fists.

Stomach clenched.

Heart hurt.

He wiped at his eyes, pushing away the falling tears.

No, what shocked him was the fact that his father had held someone at gunpoint and raped him. Hadn’t his mother seen what kind of man he was before she married him? Hadn’t she known? Had he hid it so well that his father had fooled his mother?

Oliver would never know because she had run off with her boss, leaving them to live a nightmare until fate finally intervened.

Oliver knew that Micah was right inside the woods, watching him. Instead of being irritated about the intrusion, Oliver was thankful. Micah had always been there for him, had helped him through his nightmares when he first came to Brac Village.