Rise to Submit [Rise of the Changelings, Book 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (6 page)

Rick slid his arm over Dorian’s shoulder, nudging his mate closer, kissing his temple. “I’m not sure. But whatever happens, we’ll take care of him. He’s family,” he said gently against Dorian’s hair, wishing he could give his mate the answers he seemed desperate to have.

“But even if we take care of him”—Dorian pulled away from Rick, his eyes turning dark—“that still won’t stop him from his perversions.”

“They’re not perversions,” Mason snapped from the side of the bed.

“What do you know?” Dorian asked in a clipped tone. “You don’t even know him.”

Mason’s eyes flickered down to Ian, his jaw setting. “No, I don’t. But I’m beginning to understand him.”

“What’s there to understand?” Dorian argued. “He’s addicted to vampires biting him and he likes to get beaten up. How in the hell can anyone understand that?”

“Take this discussion elsewhere,” Freedman said evenly, but with force. “Right now Ian needs rest and time to heal. He doesn’t need to wake up hearing what his brother thinks of him.”

“Maybe he does,” Dorian shot back. “Maybe he needs to know this”—he waved a hand at Ian’s prone body—“isn’t normal.”

Freedman gazed at Rick for help. Mason just stood there staring at Dorian with anger-filled eyes. Rick would do anything to protect his mate, to defend him in any matter, but Freedman was right. Dorian shouldn’t be in here right now.

“Let’s go,
gatito
. We’ll debate the moral standing of this situation later.” Much later if Rick could help it.

Dorian glanced at each of them and turned, storming from the room. Rick watched him go and wondered how he was going to help his mate in this delicate situation.

“Mason,” Rick said as he walked toward the bedroom door, “can you look after Ian while he heals?” He would have asked Freedman, but for one, he needed Freedman. Rick, Sasha, and the human soldier had plans to make.

Two, it seemed Mason wasn’t leaving Ian’s side. He had a feeling Mason would be the perfect caretaker.

“Yeah.” Mason nodded. “I got it.”

Rick left to find his mate. He knew Dorian wasn’t a close-minded person, but this situation involved his younger brother and he knew Dorian was having a hard time coming to grips with what was going on.

But if Dorian didn’t to try and at least open his mind to what Ian was going through, he was going to lose his brother.

Rick found Dorian in their bedroom, staring out of the window. His hands were clasped behind his back, his eyes focused on whatever was outside.

He moved closer, pulling Dorian into his arms. His mate was stiff at first, but then he wrapped his arms around Rick’s waist, holding on to him tightly. “I love him, Rick. But I can’t comprehend why he likes being beaten.”

Tilting his mate’s head back, Rick stared down into his gorgeous eyes. “It will take time. Trust me. Just because you don’t understand him, doesn’t make him a bad person.”

Dorian looked as if he were truly struggling with what Rick had just said. He cupped both sides of Dorian’s face, giving him a gentle smile. “Just don’t be too hard on him.”

Sighing, Dorian pulled from Rick’s hand and rested his head against Rick’s chest. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all anyone can ask.” Rick ran his hand over Dorian’s head, hoping that he and his brother could work out their problems. Ian was going through enough and Rick knew how much Dorian loved his brother.

Hell, he had shot a vampire and went up against a master vampire to rescue Ian.

Dorian just had a problem understanding what Ian needed.

His mate ran his hands up Rick’s sides, tilting his head back and giving him a knowing look. It was a look Rick was all too familiar with now.

Rick bent his head and grazed his lips over his mate’s, inhaling his woodsy scent. Rick kissed him without warning, taking his time with those full, bitable lips that always managed to drive him crazy.

When Dorian tried to pull back, Rick grabbed him by the nape of his neck and held him in place. Dorian glanced up at him, his eyes filled with hesitancy.

“Give yourself to me,
gatito
. Don’t pull away.”

Dorian gave a slight nod, pushing back into Rick’s arms. He gathered Dorian to him, pulling the man up into his arms.

His mate smiled, wrapping his legs around Rick’s waist as Rick walked them to the bed. Once he had Dorian on his back, Rick devoured Dorian’s lips, tasting, teasing, and drinking in Dorian’s unique flavor.

“God, I need you,” Dorian said as he pulled back from the kiss, yanking on the end of Rick’s shirt.

Rick leaned back and pulled his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor as Dorian removed his. His body felt like it was on fire when their bare chests smoothed against each other.

“It feels like forever since I had you,” Rick said as he unsnapped Dorian’s pants and slid them down his mate’s body. His mouth watered when he saw how hard Dorian’s cock was.

Leaning forward, Rick mouthed his mate through his underwear. Dorian groaned and bucked, pushing his fabric-covered shaft further into Rick’s mouth.

Rick grinned, bit down with just a small bit of force, and then shoved his fingers in the waistband, relieving his mate of his clothing.

“Please tell me you plan on sucking my cock,” Dorian said as he writhed on the bed.

Rick slipped from the bed, shoving his jeans from his body. “I plan on sucking
and
fucking you.” Rick felt his heart race when Dorian palmed his cock, giving it a nice stroking as his eyes raked over Rick’s body.

Climbing back onto the bed, Rick braced his hands on either side of Dorian’s head, gazing down his mate’s slim and sexy body. He licked his lips, his mouth actually aching to suck Dorian off.

“What are you waiting on?”

Rick raised his head, staring right at his mate. “I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate what fate has given me.”

Dorian blushed, which was so rare for the man that Rick could only smile. But it was the stark truth. Dorian was breathtakingly beautiful in his eyes. No man could hold a candle to his mate.

Dorian’s eyes turned to liquid night as he slowly moved down his mate’s body, drinking in the man’s skin with his lips. He kissed his way down, feeling his mate slightly tremble with every touch, every kiss, and every nip.

Glancing up, Rick saw that Dorian’s eyes had fluttered closed, his lips slightly parting as his chest began to rise and fall in small pants. Using his tongue, Rick teased the flesh around his mate’s navel, feeling the muscles in Dorian’s stomach quiver.

The flat planes felt smooth under Rick’s tongue as he traced the small freckles his mate had dotting his flesh.

Dorian groaned, lifting his hips as his hands raked through Rick’s hair, giving the strands a slight tug.

Dorian’s eyes flashed open and they looked like smoldering flames of dark copper. Rick sucked in his breath at the beauty his mate presented and then swiftly engulfed the man’s cock. The taste of pre-cum exploded on Rick’s tongue and he became ravenous. He swallowed Dorian’s cock to the root, using his tongue to trace the veins as he reached up and massaged his mate’s sac.

The heels of Dorian’s feet pressed into Rick’s back, his mate’s hips gyrating as Rick sucked the hard cock in and out of his mouth. Slipping a finger inside his mouth, Rick used his saliva to soak the digit before easing it into Dorian’s ass.

His mate jerked, pulling harder at Rick’s hair. Dorian’s length pistoned inside Rick’s mouth, fucking it hard as Rick stretched the man’s ass, readying it for his cock.

Dorian’s back bowed as he damn near ripped Rick’s hair out, hot cum shooting to the back of Rick’s throat. He licked and sucked until he had consumed every drop, and then he removed his fingers from Dorian’s ass.

Rick slid his fingers over Dorian’s thighs and then pushed them back before spearing his mate’s ass.

“What have I told you about doing that!” Dorian shouted.

Rick chuckled. “Just keeping you on your toes.”

Dorian glared at him, but the expression soon turned to desire as Rick began to move inside his mate. He thrust deep and long, watching the place where his cock stretched his mate’s ass. It was such a beautiful sight. One he would never tire of.

Grabbing Dorian’s legs, Rick tossed them over his shoulders as he scooted the man closer, driving his cock deeper.

“Oh, hell,” Dorian cried out as his hands scrambled to grab the blankets.

Rick bit his bottom lip as he grabbed Dorian’s hips and began to pound into his mate’s tight ass. Dorian tossed his head back, moaning loud and long.

The sound set Rick’s blood to racing. He loved seeing Dorian in the throes of passion. The man was stunning as hell.

Dorian grabbed his bobbing cock, jacking it quickly as the man’s balls drew close to his body. Rick was close as well. Feeling his mate’s tight ass around his cock was throwing him closer and closer toward the edge.

Rick watched in fascination as Dorian’s cock exploded once more, but this time his pearly-white seed landed on his chest and chin. The scent of his mate’s release filled Rick’s lungs, making his canines elongate.

He wanted to bite.

He wanted to claim.

Leaning down, Rick sank his teeth into Dorian’s shoulder as his body exploded in orgasm. Thrusting his hips harder, Rick release Dorian’s flesh, feeling his body grow tired.

Dorian reached up and ran his hands through Rick’s sweat-soaked hair, smiling at him. “Thanks for trying to make me forget.”

Rick nuzzled into Dorian’s hand, kissing the palm. “I love you,
gatito
,
and would protect you with my life. But you have to give Ian a break.”

Dorian’s hand slid free as he swallowed. “Again, I’ll try.”

Ian lay perfectly still as the man introduced to him as Freedman finished cleaning his wounded back. His hands were tucked under his head, his eyes wandering over the room until he spotted Mason standing off to the side, watching. “I thought you were bringing me to Dorian?” Ian asked Mason, his eyes taking in the man’s large and muscular form.

He caught the quick glance Mason gave Freedman before he nodded. “I did. He’s downstairs with Rick.”

Ian may be a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. Dorian didn’t want to see him. It was clear on Mason’s face that Dorian had said something about Ian. What did he care? He knew months ago his brother didn’t want him around. Hadn’t the man dumped him on strangers?

He loved Dorian to death, but Ian didn’t need his brother’s censure right now. He could stay away.

“Every wound is cleaned and treated.” Freedman took his latex gloves off and tossed them aside. “I need you to stay on your stomach until the injuries are healed. You don’t need them reopening.”

The was the last thing Ian wanted. He hated Newman with every breath he took for placing them on his backside in the first place. The man was evil incarnate, but Ian had allowed the abuse in order to get his fix.

He pushed the thought aside as he studied Mason. The man was handsome. Ian would admit that much. There was just something about him that had him gazing openly at the man. When Mason turned his eyes toward Ian, studying him just as intently, he didn't look away.

Normally, Ian wouldn’t dare ogle a dominant male in such a manner, but for the life of him, Ian couldn’t rip his eyes away. It was as if Mason’s strength was calling to him.

Blue eyes locked together, Mason staring at Ian as if he wanted something, or if he wanted to ask something. Ian wasn’t sure, but he felt his heart beating a little faster at the way Mason’s eyes seemed to have the same inherent strength as his body.

“What about antibiotics for infection?” Mason asked as he broke the eye contact and looked over at Freedman.

Ian felt the loss immediately and looked up at Freedman. He hadn't considered infection. The thought scared Ian as he waited for Freedman to answer.

“Those are going to be hard to come by.” Freedman gave Ian a hard stare. “What were you injured with? That will tell me if we need to hunt down antibiotics or not.”

Ian turned his head away, remembering what Newman had used as shame washed over him. There was no way he was going to tell anyone the depravities he had lived through. He may be attracted to Mason, but sharing what had happened to him was not an option. “I don’t need the antibiotics.”

He wished they would hurry up and leave him alone. It was bad enough they were treating his wounds. Ian didn’t want them prying into things he himself would rather forget about. Not only did he not want these people to know what he had allowed the vampires to do to him, but just thinking about Newman made Ian’s stomach cramp.

Mason moved closer to the bed, a hard gleam in his eyes. “Leave us, Freedman.”

Ian wanted to ask why Mason was telling the man to leave, but kept his question to himself. He didn’t want Mason to stay. Ian wanted both men to leave.

Freedman backed away from the bed, giving Mason a nod. “I’ll be downstairs.”

Ian listened as Freedman exited the bedroom and closed the door behind him.