A Prideless Man (7 page)

“Ahh.” For the first time James thought about living as a shifter. Would he need lots of clothes to replace things as they tore? Would he be constantly replacing his clothing? With the sheriff as his mate would he even care?

Without looking, he tossed the shirt pieces over his shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Dropping his cane, he pounced on the sheriff, sending the laughing man flat on his back onto the couch.

Smiling down into his mate’s laughing eyes, he dared to imagine the other man as his.

His mate.

The lion inside growled approvingly. It liked the idea of the other man belonging to him. “You are mine.”

Lou gave him a delighted smile. “Yes, I know.” Another ripping sound dispensed of James clothes. “Hey, I don’t have extra.”

“Oops.” Lou tried for an innocent smile but failed completely. It didn’t help when he gave James’ pants the same treatment.

“Hey.”

“I’m just a clumsy bear.”

“Uh, huh. That would explain it then.”

“It’s nice to have such an understanding mate.” James gave a snort of laughter.

Lou’s expression became serious. “I’ve waited years to find you. Now that I have, you’re more than I could’ve hoped for.”

“Yeah, because everyone wants a messed up shifter who’s a drug addict.”

“I do.” Lou kissed his nose. “Besides, you’re only a temporary addict. We’re going to get you fixed up right and then you’ll be the baddest white lion shifter on the block.”

“I’m the only white lion on the block.”

“Then you’ll definitely win the contest.”

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“Oh, I think I’ve won more than that. Strip.” Lou set James gently to the side before standing up and removing his remaining clothing. Nerves jangling, James looked at his first up-close naked man. His eyes widened as he took in his mate’s large size. The man was big everywhere!

“Don’t worry, honey, I’ll make sure it fits.” The smile he got was more wolfish than bear-like.

“Uh-huh.” He glanced at his mate’s cock. “I have doubts that thing is ever going to fit.”

“You could fuck me instead.”

James almost came from that thought alone. “You’d let me?” Lou nodded. “Why not? That way I don’t have to worry about harming you. You aren’t shifter-tough yet.”

It never occurred to James to be on top. The novelty must have shown in his eyes because Lou gave a laugh.

“Where do you want me, handsome?”

It took him about a second to decide how he wanted his lover. “Across the back of the couch.”

“You wicked, wicked boy,” Lou teased, bringing a blush to James’ face. Without another word the big shifter kneeled on the couch, presenting himself beautifully. “The lube is in the drawer of the end table.”

Fury rose hard, fast and unexpected. “Have a lot of couch sex?” Lou shook his head. “Jack off a lot watching porn while waiting for my mate.” James leaned over, kissing the back of Lou’s neck in a silent apology. He shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but who wouldn’t want to pounce on the sexy bear shifter?

Shaking nervously, James grabbed the lube. He opened the tube and squeezed it a little too hard, squirting clear liquid everywhere.

“Damn,” he cursed softly.

“Problem, love?” Lou’s voice shook with laughter.

“Shut up.” James snickered.

“A little less force and a little lower would help greatly.”

“Thanks for the advice,” James said in a sarcastic voice. This time he squeezed the tube slower, covering his index finger thoroughly with liquid. As much as he yearned to A PRIDELESS MAN

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plunge into his lover, he would rather gnaw off his arm than hurt his mate. The lion rose in him, wanting to protect the other man from even him. With care he circled his wet finger around Lou’s rosy hole, slowly moistening the pink pucker.

“Push it in.”

“Are you sure?”

“If you don’t I’m going to finish without you.”

“Hey, no fair.” James smiled. “You have to wait for me.” Despite their banter, his cock was still hard and dripping, eager to get inside while the rest of him worried about hurting the other man.

When Lou started moving against him, James slid in a second finger, twisting them around to loosen his lover up. The scent of desire rose in the air, a tempting aroma, luring its lover closer like a siren call to a sailor at sea. James moved closer to nip and lip his way up Lou’s spine, ending at his neck where he couldn’t stop nipping.

“Ohh, yeah, right there,” Lou sighed.

Feeling more confident, James added a third finger, pleased with his lover’s encouraging moans.

“I’m ready. Fuck me, now!”

“You’re kind of bossy for someone not in charge.” Lou looked at James over his shoulder. “Please.” He batted his eyelashes in a ridiculously flirtation manner.

James slid out his fingers. He almost entered before a stray thought whipped through his head. “Condoms.”

Lou shook his head. “Shifters can’t get diseases.”

“Huh, convenient.” James pushed at the tight ring, letting out a sigh as he slid easily inside until he bottomed out.

“That’s it, honey. Fuck me like you mean it.”

“Oh, I mean it,” James said, pumping in and out. There was nothing he meant more.

He wanted to hear his lover’s moans. Focusing on his lover, he adjusted his movements to the sounds of his man.

“There, right there.” Lou reached around in front only to have James slap at his fingers.

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“Mine.” To prove his point, James slammed inside while wrapping his fingers around Lou with a firm grip.

“Yesss,” the bear shifter hissed.

Something inside James changed.

Mine
, a soft whisper said inside his head.

Fangs sliced through his gums, and without thought he plunged them into his mate’s neck.

Lou roared, liquid pumping out of his cock, spraying the back of the leather couch.

James felt something pass through his fangs. After a moment the freaky teeth retracted.

He licked the spot, enamoured with the taste, smell and feel of his lover. In a cloud of lust he finished inside his lover’s ass. Sated, he collapsed against the larger shifter’s back.

“I hate to object to being your resting spot but this isn’t the best position.”

“Oh, sorry.” James slid off the couch. As he got to his feet his muscles locked and he started to fall.

“Gotcha.” A large hand clamped on his arm, preventing his inelegant tumble to the floor.

“Thanks.” He gave the bear a bashful smile. “I guess I used up all my energy.” Lou smiled. “Let’s take a shower. You can lean against me.” It was the best invitation he’d ever had.

Lou’s shower was a study in decadence. James had never seen a rain shower before and the places those side showerheads sprayed were positively indecent.

“You don’t need a boyfriend with all of these,” he teased.

True to his word, after washing both of their fronts, Lou rested James against his big muscular chest, carefully washing James’ back, sliding his fingers through his hair.

Hell, he might never leave this watery paradise.

“I’ll consider you a supplemental bonus.”

James snickered. Rubbing against the big guy caused other things to renew interest.

“Oh, no, you don’t. My ass needs a rest. Let’s finish up and we can discuss what we are going to do about you. Do you need to take your pills?” A PRIDELESS MAN

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James shook his head. “I took some this morning and I’m not due until tonight. I need to go back to my apartment and talk to my landlady. I don’t want her to think I’m a drug addict.”

Lou held him a little away so he could look into his eyes. “You are a drug addict, honey. Just because it’s a drug to help you doesn’t mean you’re not addicted. Painkillers can be some of the most addictive medication. We’re going to get you through this.”

“And then what? I’m going to be the mystical magical white lion shifter. What am I going to do with my life?”

Lou gave him a tight hug and if James hung on a little tighter, the bear shifter didn’t comment.

Tears filled James’ eyes.

“I’m a mess,” he confessed as if it were news to the other man.

Lou laughed, the sound echoing beneath James’ ear where it rested on his chest. “Yes, but you’re my mess.” He slid his fingers into James’ hair, forcing his head back. “You can do whatever you want. I’d like you to move in with me and for us to decide together. Now that you marked me, I’m your mate.”

“Marked you?”

Lou frowned. “When you put your fangs in me while you pounded me into the couch.

You bound us together.”

“Shit.”

Hurt entered his lover’s eyes. “Don’t you want to be with me?”

“No! I mean yes, I do, but I didn’t know I bonded with you. It’s instinct. I had to bite you.”

Lou’s big hand petted James’ head. “That’s because we belong together and your beast knows this.”

“Maybe,” he allowed. “I don’t know if that means I’m ready to move in with you, Lou.

We haven’t known each other very long and our one luncheon date and sex does not a relationship make.”

Lou turned off the water. “Come on, let’s get dry and I can explain to you about mates.”

James wasn’t sure he liked the bear’s tone but he wasn’t going to turn down more information. He was stumbling in the dark about their relationship and he didn’t like the A PRIDELESS MAN

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sensation. The one thing he’d always had while his body failed him was his intellect. Being the clueless one in the room didn’t suit him.

After quickly drying, he tied a towel around his waist and headed for the living room.

“Well, look what I’ve found.”

James’ heart froze. Melinda stood in the middle of Lou’s living room with two large men holding guns.

“Melinda. What are you doing here?” He was afraid he knew but he hoped to buy time for his lover to escape.

She gave him a cold smile. It didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ve wanted to study you for years. Unfortunately my relationship with your father prevented that. Now, however, we’re through, which makes you fair game.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Lou’s growly voice sounded behind James.

Shit!

He needed to get these psychos away from his man.

“Let me go and get some clothes on.”

Melinda’s eyes traced over James’ body in an expression so lustful he now knew what people meant when they said their skin crawled.

“Go get dressed,” one of the men said. “We’ll keep your man until you do.” James fled the room, clenching his teeth as his legs threatened to buckle. His hands shook as he rifled through his lover’s clothing. An oversized shirt fell to his thighs and he rolled up the legs of a pair of sweats, pulling the drawstring in tight. He looked like a homeless orphan, but he was covered.

Hobbling back into the room he searched for his cane only to see his lover unconscious on the floor.

“What the fuck did you do?” he screamed, falling to his knees beside his mate.

“You didn’t think we’d get out of here safely with your lover awake. Don’t worry, he’s only tranquilised. If you come with us quietly I won’t kill him.” She used the same tone as if she were discussing the weather or a trip to the park.

James had never wanted to kill someone so badly in his life. His beast growled beneath his skin. He limped over to his cane, ignoring the trio watching his every step.

“Let’s go.”

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Chapter Five

After twenty-three years, James thought he’d experienced all the possible shades of pain. The slivers of agony stabbing into his skull when the medication ran out, the dull aching pain when he was fully loaded up on meds, and the aching, deep in his bones, when he first woke up.

He was wrong.

This pain reached entire new levels. Levels he hoped to never reach again. Ants crawled through his veins in an irritating buzz, little bites of pain and annoyance, covering his entire body. The sound filled his ears, reverberated his bones and sent bits of fire through his body like a billion fire ants covering his skin. Unable to keep it inside he let out his inner suffering with a scream.

It came out as a roar.

Opening his eyes, he looked down at the furry white paws before him.

He’d shifted. Whether from the separation from Lou or the lack of medication, he was now a cat.

“Look at you. I can’t believe Andrew deprived you of this for so long.” He narrowed his eyes at the female sitting beside him.

“You might not believe me but I’ve wanted to help you for a long time, to free you of the medication locking up your inner beast. There are buyers who’ll pay a lot for a rare shifter such as yourself. I’ve never got my hands on a white lion before.” He could almost taste her jugular as he yearned to rip out her throat.

“Oooh, the pretty kitty is upset. I’m doing you a favour. I’m freeing you from your human form. All I have to do is purge your body of those nasty drugs and you’ll be the perfect shifter. What good are you as a limpy human when you can be a powerful cat? I have some mercenaries who are looking for new shifters to join—they pay top dollar. They might even enjoy that bear of yours.”

James gave a low growl. The beast hungered to kill. To maim the woman who dared to speak of his mate, much less harm him.

They had his bear.

They would die.

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He let out a low growl. First he’d kill this woman.

Pain ratcheted through his body, reminding him he wasn’t free of his medication yet.

Planning her death, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep. In the background, as he sank into slumber, he heard her say,

“That’s right. Sleep. We’ll discuss your future tomorrow. We’ll get you better and out of here before your father shows up. I would’ve taken you elsewhere but I don’t have another facility that can contain a shifter going through detox.” As he faded back into sleep James decided if he shifted he was going to kill her first.