Page 7

CHAPTER 6

T en minutes later, they waved Rance goodbye as a Silver drove him to the pack house, telling him they needed time to get to know each other. Kat wasn’t sure how this would work out, but finding a mate should be celebrated, not sandwiched between crises.

Kat turned away from the sight of the car driving off. “Hello, mate.”

Xavier’s mouth quirked up on one side. “Hello.”

“Take me home.”

“Bossy little thing, aren’t you?” Xavier’s smile grew wider, proving he didn’t mind, and Kat had to grab tight on his self-control to stop from pouncing. If he kissed Xavier now, they would fornicate on the forest floor as Kat’s inner cat wanted. Luckily, his human half was resolved to wait for a more comfortable location.

“I can be bossier if you’d like.” He batted his eyes at Xavier.

Xavier’s grin was a sly, wicked thing. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.” He would crack jokes all day if it would keep his mate smiling. From their brief conversations, Xavier appeared to be a rather serious person. “Let’s go home.”

Xavier didn’t correct him about whose home they were visiting. Instead, they got into his car, and he followed Kat’s directions.

“This is cute.” Xavier pulled into the driveway.

“Thanks. I just moved in. It’s small, but it’s big enough for me.” Kat paused midstep. “It would also be big enough for two.”

“I thought it already had two. Isn’t Rance staying here?” A dimple appeared on Xavier’s right cheek.

“For now, until we decide where he wants to go permanently. I don’t like the sound of the Grove’s dynamics. Even if they need him to grow their Grove, I don’t trust them to treat him right. Sometimes, subtle psychological abuse is more insidious than outright beatings.”

Xavier scowled. “Know that from personal experience?”

Kat shrugged. “No one lives the perfect life. Don’t worry about Rance; I’ll happily share my bed.”

He didn’t want to go into his childhood trauma. He wanted Xavier madly in love with him before sharing all the emotional baggage he lugged around in his mental steamer trunk.

They were barely inside the front door before Kat was pressed against the wall with Xavier’s hot mouth and hotter hands all over his body. He gave a little hop, high enough to wrap his legs around Xavier’s trim waist and lock his ankles together. The wall supported more than the building for uncountable minutes while he explored his mate’s lips with his own.

When Xavier finally pulled away, Kat had to flex his thighs to prevent him from falling into a pile of goo at his feet. “You’re an amazing kisser.”

“Thank you.” A blush dusted Xavier’s amazing cheekbones.

“Get a lot of practice?” He was pushing; he knew it, but his inner cat yowled at the thought of anyone else pressed against this hard body and enjoying those lush lips.

“Not often. It’s hard to get out, and anyone in the know avoids Blood Mages. I need to go places I’m not recognized if I want to have any fun.”

“I don’t care if you’re a Blood Mage as long as you’re mine,” he admitted. From the brief interaction between Xavier and Oliver, it appeared that even assassins had better reputations than Blood Mages.

“Technically, I’m only an apprentice. I won’t be an official mage until Melcori signs off on my project next month. He better sign off,” he ended in a whisper.

“Do you think he won’t?”

Xavier shook his head. “Not really, I’m just naturally wary. Melcori isn’t known for doing what’s expected, but being known as the Master for the youngest titled Blood Mage is more valuable than any benefit he could get from holding me back.”

Kat unwrapped his legs and dropped to the ground. “You’re saying he’d pass you not because it’s the right thing to promote you but because you’d have more worth?” The more he heard about Melcori, the less he liked him.

Xavier’s sigh was long and sorrowful. “Most Blood Mages lack empathy. They assign values to both things and people and as long as you weigh in on the right side of the scale, they’re willing to work with you.”

“And are you on the right side?”

“For now.” Xavier raked a hand through his hair, tugging the strands. “I’m sorry I can’t help with the dryads, but I can’t go against my master. I’ll have to tell Melcori what I know.”

Kat winced. He had hoped to keep Rance a secret for a bit longer. “I understand. I don’t have to like it, but I understand.” He flicked his claws in and out a few times to regain control when he secretly wanted to claw Melcori’s face off. “Does it bother you that you can’t help?”

“In some ways. In others, it relieves me of the responsibility of going against my master. He might not be completely moral, but Melcori’s the only reason I didn’t end up in a ditch somewhere. He can be cold and uncaring to others, but he’s done right by me, and I can’t turn on him in the final days of my apprenticeship after everything.”

“I understand.” He kissed Xavier’s cheek. He might not like it, but he could understand divided loyalties. He wouldn’t make Xavier choose between them, not for this. “I want to seal our mating.” Kat winced as the words spilled out of his mouth straight from his soul. After all these years, you’d think he’d learn self-control.

You’d be wrong.

“Are you sure?” Xavier’s anxious expression only enforced Kat’s decision.

“Whether we have sex or not, we’re mates, and I’m not letting you get away.” There was no sense in letting Xavier get the impression that Kat would let him escape. He’d dreamed of having a mate since he’d heard of them as a child.

“And me being a Blood Mage doesn’t bother you?”

“A bit,” Kat admitted. “But I don’t know what you do other than what I’ve learned from rumors and books, and I doubt they were accurate.”

“Probably not. I’ve never eaten a child nor drained a town of people to power my runes.”

“Hmm. Disappointing. I guess it’s true that reality never lives up to the legend.”

“I’ll try to live up to your expectations in other ways.” Xavier’s voice dipped deeper.

Xavier tossed Kat over his shoulder.

Kat squealed. “You’re stronger than you look.”

Xavier slapped his ass. “That’s for insinuating I look weak.”

“Mean,” he pouted. “It’s the door on the right.” He poked Xavier’s right butt cheek.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking for firmness.”

Xavier’s laugh vibrated delightfully against his stomach. “And what did you decide?”

“Perfect.” Kat sighed.

Another laugh. His goal to keep Xavier happy and laughing was coming along nicely.

“I’m glad you enjoy my ass’s firmness.”

“Me too.” Kat poked Xavier’s left butt cheek.

“Dare I ask what you are doing now?”

“Checking for consistency.”

“It’s time for me to do a little checking of my own.”

Before Kat could ask what Xavier planned to check, his world flipped right side up, and he was in free fall. Luckily, he hit the mattress before he could freak out.

“You could’ve warned me.” He looked up at Xavier through his lashes.

“Yes, I could’ve.” Xavier’s wide grin caught his breath.

Damn, his mate was beautiful, not in the cover model, too shiny and perfect way, but in the living embodiment of everything he wanted in one person way. Instead of giving in to his urge to stare at his mate for hours, he waved regally. “You may commence undressing,” he announced in his loftiest tone.

“Yes, Your Highness, thank you, Your Highness.”

“You’re welcome, peasant.” Kat scooted back and kicked off his shoes to prevent them from messing up the bed. “Now strip.”

Xavier’s amused huff warmed Kat’s soul. Then Xavier removed his shirt, and Kat had another reason to forget to breathe.

He’d expected muscles after being pressed against Xavier’s body. He hadn’t expected the runes burned into Xavier’s skin. Some of them must have been seared onto his body as a child because they were stretched as if they’d grown along with him.

“Wow, that had to have hurt.”

“It did, but they were necessary.” He crawled onto the bed until he crouched over Kat, where he could better see the marks.

“Why?”

Xavier sighed. “I don’t want to scare you away so soon, but it’s best you know what you’re getting into. The runes prevent my magic from eating my body. I‘ve always had a lot of power, even as a child. Blood Mages aren’t just mages that use blood. The strongest ones have magical blood. Although I can use outside blood to power my magic, I must use up a percentage of my own every month if I don’t want cracks to form in my skin from magical buildup.”

The horrifying images those words created killed Kat’s building desire. He swallowed back the bile rising in his throat. “And those runes keep it in?” He raised a shaking hand to trace the runes with his fingertips. Only the warmth of Xavier’s skin kept him grounded from an imminent panic attack.

“They also protect me from magical backlash from rituals and other people using my blood against me. These are for magical protection.” He pointed his finger at a few stretched ones that looked older than the rest.

“Why brand them instead of tattooing?” Kat had seen magical tattoos a few times. They would have been less traumatic to the body, especially for a child.

Xavier’s bitter laugh broke Kat’s fixation on the brands. “Would you believe it was because some idiot do-gooder passed a law that stated magical children can’t be tattooed? If I had waited until my majority, I would’ve combusted from the buildup. Blood magic is one of the few branches that need runes to protect you, so no one cares if the children suffer. It serves them right for being born evil.”

“That’s disgusting. Your officials are assholes.”

“They are.” Xavier traced Kat’s cheekbone with one slightly callused finger. “I’m glad you don’t share their opinion. I’ve always worried any lover would reject me because of my magic.”

Kat shivered beneath Xavier’s intense regard. “Why would you think that?” Mates were chosen by fate. In Kat’s opinion, only a complete psychopath would deny his mate.

Xavier searched Kat’s face for a moment before replying. “My parents rejected me because of my magic, even though it must’ve come from one of their ancestors. They’d rather toss me away and live in denial than admit there were Blood Mages in our family tree.”

Kat growled. “Your parents are even bigger idiots than your ruling party.”

“Yes, they are. Or they were. They denounced me and no longer claim me as one of theirs. I suspect my brother or sister filled in the gap caused by my banishment.”

“Have you talked to them since?” His grandmother’s death had crushed Kat, and while he didn’t talk to his cousin often, he couldn’t imagine having siblings and not being in touch with them.

Xavier’s harsh laugh answered Kat’s question before he spoke. “No. I was forbidden to contact them. I doubt they remember me. They were only five and ten when I left, and my mother is skilled with memory charms.”

“If they weren’t charmed, then they don’t deserve you,” Kat decided. “You’re wonderful, and I’m happy to have you as my mate.”

Xavier’s eyes crinkled in the corners as he examined Kat as if he were an interesting experiment. “How do you know I’m wonderful? Maybe Lady Fate is just fucking with you.”

A laugh burst from Kat. He kissed Xavier’s dimpled cheek. “If you weren’t nice, you would’ve grabbed Rance and dragged him to your master. I don’t doubt you have ways to take him that we couldn’t have countered.”

“Hmm, possibly,” Xavier teased, not stating what he could’ve done. “Now that I’ve killed the mood let’s get this bonding back on track if you’re still interested.” He ended the sentence with a quirked eyebrow.

“I’m not like your awful family or those other mages. You’re mine, and I plan to keep you for a long, long time.”

A beautiful smile brightened Xavier’s stern features. “Good.”

Before Kat could say anything more, Xavier kissed him, and Kat forgot everything dancing about in his busy mind. Usually, he would have to exhaust himself to quiet his thoughts, but Xavier’s lips were doing a fantastic job.

His mate made short work of their clothes with his dexterous fingers. Xavier’s calluses caught Kat’s attention again. “What caused these?” he asked, tracing the rough skin.

“Weapon practice.”

“Why would you have weapon practice?”

“Because people like to kill Blood Mages. There are entire orders set to eradicate us. Melcori had me in training since I was little to protect myself in any way possible.”

“But you don’t carry a weapon, do you?” Kat hadn’t seen anything when Xavier stripped down, and he had looked thoroughly.

“I keep my weapons in a blood-locked interdimensional pouch.”

“How do you get them in an emergency?”

“A drop of blood on a rune brings them out.” Xavier’s kiss distracted him for several minutes. “Now, can we move on to more important things?”

“Absolutely. The lube is in the side drawer.” He pointed to the nightstand to his left.

“I’m glad you have your priorities right.”

Kat laughed.

Xavier ignored the lube’s location as he ran his fingers slowly down Kat’s body, examining every dip and curve as if he would be tested later with a blindfold, and he planned to ace the exam.

“Get on with it,” Kat hissed. Each reverent touch set his skin tingling. He didn’t want gentle. He wanted to be wrecked.

“I will.” A kiss on his ribs, a nibble on his hip bone. “In time.”

Kat’s back bowed at an angle he could only reach due to his shifter heritage, and the groan-hiss pulled from his soul conveyed his deep need. “Touch me,” he growled.

“I am.” Xavier’s calm voice did nothing to dampen Kat’s hormones. He grabbed at Xavier, only for him to snatch both of his wrists and pin them over his head in one hand.

Kat moaned. “So sexy.”

“Keep your hands there, kitty cat, and I’ll reward you.”

He melted against the pillows. Xavier must be made of fire because each time his warm mouth brushed across Kat’s body, it was as if flames were licking across his skin.

It took all his resolve to keep his hands where requested when Xavier grabbed his thighs and spread them farther apart. Kat almost came from that possessive touch alone.

“Just a little longer,” Xavier crooned.

Kat would do anything for that silky, enticing tone.

He purred.

Xavier’s head snapped up. “I didn’t know mountain lions purred.”

Kat blushed. “We can’t roar. They are mutually exclusive.”

“Huh.” Xavier appeared speechless.

“Could you go back to, you know…”

From Xavier’s grin, Kat knew he wouldn’t get away with not finishing that sentence.

“What?” He licked a line from Kat’s inside thigh to his hip.

“Put your mouth on my cock,” Kat growled.

Xavier pressed a quick kiss to Kat’s erection. “Like that.”

“No, not like that.” He lifted a hand to take care of things on his own when an invisible force pushed them back in place over his head. “How did you do that?”

“People forget that just because you specialize in one type of magic doesn’t mean you can’t do anything else.”

Kat had thought it meant that. The amount of information he had about wizards could fit under a house cat’s paw. “What else can you do?”

Xavier ran his warm hands up and down Kat’s thighs. “If I told you everything, little cat, you wouldn’t have any surprises. We can’t have that.”

“But I want to know everything about you.” He didn’t whine. He didn’t.

“You will, eventually. We have all the time in the world to learn about each other. Some things like a good blow job can’t be rushed.”

Then he proceeded to show how he could give an excellent blow job. Kat arched into the hot mouth surrounding him. This wasn’t the first time anyone sucked him off, or even the twentieth. He wasn’t promiscuous, but he enjoyed sex. None of his previous hookups compared to having Xavier’s mouth on him. He didn’t know if it was Xavier’s skill or the fact that it was his mate’s mouth, but Kat had never come so hard in his life.

Xavier’s pleased expression only enhanced Kat’s enjoyment. “Having fun?”

He kissed Kat’s hip. “I’m more concerned if you are.”

“If the screaming didn’t tip you off, you’ll never crack my code.”

Xavier laughed—Kat’s new favorite sound.

“It is a difficult one.”

“It is.” Kat grinned, pleased his mate was willing to play along. His first impression of Xavier being a serious person had faded somewhat. Although his mate had a stern demeanor, it didn’t preclude him from having a sense of humor, and Kat could work with that. “Want me to return the favor?”

“No. I want to hold you right now.”

“Sounds perfect after you brush your teeth. There are extra toothbrushes under the counter.”

“Expecting a lot of guests.” The chilly edge to Xavier’s voice caught him off guard.

“No. I just have them out of habit. I did a lot of healing at my last place, and sometimes people needed to spend the night.” He kept his voice as calm and confident as possible. “I’m not claiming to be a saint, but I don’t have a revolving bedroom door either.”

Xavier flushed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to come across as stupidly possessive after one blow job.”

“As long as you don’t accuse me of things I didn’t do, you can be as possessive as you like. I'm scratching their eyes out if I find you with anyone else.”

Xavier’s shoulders relaxed from their tense stance. “As long as we have an understanding.”

“We do.”

He didn’t say anything else as he turned to leave the room and brush his teeth, giving Kat an excellent view of his firm ass.

“Damn, someone up there is looking out for queer cats,” he whispered.