Page 20

Aodhan didn’t know why, but he was in a piss poor mood Monday morning.

No, that wasn’t true.

He knew exactly why.

It’d been four days since the last time he’d touched their Third, let alone fucked him.

Mercy insisted on this plan of his, refusing to allow either of them to break the rules despite how stir crazy it was making them both.

He could tell too, could tell in the way the director held him down every night and screwed him senseless almost until the sun rose in the sky.

It was the energy. Feeling another person that matched them so perfectly, so close, and being unable to connect with them…Aodhan could feel that physical struggle coming from Mercy through their bond.

Thank the gods he hadn’t been born a Connect. What a troublesome thing to be. Always forced to seek out solace in another being—two other beings, even. If not for Mercy, Aodhan would have been more than happy to remain alone for the rest of his days.

And yet, here he was, brooding because he desperately wanted someone but had to wait.

They’d made progress at least. Cal had admitted he’d figured out they wanted him to complete their pod. He’d brought up nothing about the topic to Aodhan personally, but he didn’t flinch away when he came to talk.

That was all he’d done. All Aodhan was allowed to do.

Talk.

Mercy took care of everything else. Bathing, clothing, food…Considering the guy had started all this by starving Cal, it was kind of ironic that he was now in charge of his everyday needs.

But it had to be that way. Calix had already developed some form of attachment to Aodhan. He needed to form one with Mercy next.

He was still attached too, even if he hated it.

For Cal, Aodhan would always be the first person who accepted his darker proclivities.

The first to openly explore them with him.

That kind of acceptance after a lifetime of rejection wasn’t easy to shake, not for someone who cared about that sort of thing.

For someone who cared what other people thought of them.

Calix cared a lot. He cared about how he was perceived.

Aodhan was fairly certain all they had to do to get him into line was threaten to expose him to the planet. The thought of everyone seeing him spread his thighs for Aodhan, seeing him beg to be sliced by Aodhan’s scalpel…That would be enough to make Calix accept them. He wasn’t above blackmail.

But apparently Mercy was.

“Fuck me,” Aodhan growled as he entered the elevator at the hospital and jabbed the button to the sixth floor with more force than necessary. He shifted on his feet as he waited for the doors to close, his ass smarting from how hard Mercy had pounded him over the breakfast table.

At least Aodhan got to be as loud as he wanted so they could tease the detective upstairs.

Was Cal as horny as he was?

“Hold the lift!” A pale arm slammed through the doors just as they were about to shut, and Aodhan almost cursed again when they opened to reveal Mitri Meadows. He bowed his head and stepped inside, hitting the button for the mortuary. “Good morning, Doctor.”

What an absolute nightmare.

“Morning.” Aodhan slapped the most welcoming smile he had in his arsenal on and turned to beam it Mitri’s way. “How’ve you been? I heard there was a pile-up on Sky Route four yesterday that kept everyone pretty busy.”

“Don’t even bring that up,” Mitri groaned. “The station is short-staffed and everything is falling apart without the chief around.”

He made a sympathetic sound in the back of his throat. “They still haven’t hired a replacement?”

“No, and with everyone capable on the hunt for Amory, it seems unlikely they’ll get around to it any time soon.

Truthfully, no one is really qualified. Too many Emergents are joining the Academy straight out of high school.

We aren’t getting enough new recruits here.

” Mitri’s look altered, and for a moment, he seemed hesitant.

Why the hell was this elevator moving so slowly today?

“If there’s anything I can help you with, please feel free to ask,” Aodhan said, keeping his chipper tone despite picturing what the other man’s brains might look like splattered all over the shiny metallic walls.

“Well,” he adjusted his glasses awkwardly, “I was wondering if you’ve been in contact with Detective Valimir? I’ve tried to get a hold of him myself, but his multi-slate seems to be off every time I try, and he hasn’t responded to any of my messages.”

The bastard had been contacting Cal?

Aodhan slid his hands into the pockets of his white coat to keep Mitri from seeing the way he clenched his fists. “I haven’t spoken to him today. Why?”

“Oh.” He deflated. “It’s the hire-ups. Everyone knows that Calix quit the I.P.F. They’re hoping he’ll come back to Emergence and take Bruce’s place.”

Huh.

That wasn’t an entirely bad idea…

“An ex-detective would be the best candidate,” he agreed.

“My thoughts exactly.” Mitri sighed. “Unfortunately, none of us can get in touch with him.”

“Tell you what,” Aodhan said as they finally made it to his floor, “I’ll give it a shot later.”

“Yeah? Do you think he’ll pick up for you?”

“What are you implying? My own boyfriend won’t pick up my calls?” He flashed him a smile and pressed a palm to the center of his chest as though wounded. “Ouch. It hurts you think that low of me.”

Mitri’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t realize the two of you were dating…You said—”

“I haven’t spoken to him today ,” he pointed out before the guy could finish. His hand shot out to catch the doors just as they started closing. “Looks like I have to go. I’ll let him know you’ve been trying to contact him.”

Like fucking hell he would.

If Mercy weren’t so strict about his kills, Aodhan would make the forensic scientist his next target. Cut out his heart and tear off the pieces the bastard had wrongly dedicated to Calix.

As soon as he’d stepped out and the doors closed, he turned on his heel and headed toward his office, selecting a number on his multi-slate as he shoved the earbud into place.

“Plan a party,” he snapped as soon as the line connected, not bothering with pleasantries. He couldn’t stop thinking about Mitri’s expression just now. He’d looked at him like he didn’t believe he and Cal were together.

Did he think he’d be a better candidate?

Over his dead body—Mitri’s, not Aodhan’s, because no matter what Mercy said about lying low, if the forensic scientist tried anything with Calix, Aodhan would kill him.

He should have already, when the guy had jokingly gone along with Bruce’s suggestion the two of them date.

They were all lucky that had never come to fruition, otherwise heads would be rolling.

Again.

“Good morning, Nyxian. How are you, Nyxian? I miss you, Nyxian,” a smooth voice trickled into his ear from the earbud. “Is that so hard to say, friend?”

“Should I tell Mercy you’re hitting on me and try to call again later?

” he practically growled, entering his office and slamming the door behind him in frustration.

He didn’t like this. Didn’t like feeling so chaotic and out of control.

Sure, he was impulsive by nature, but he’d mastered control eons ago. But now…

It was the same feeling he’d gotten at the last party, when he’d called off their plans and sent Calix home without consulting with either Mercy or Nyxian. Aodhan didn’t like to share his things, but what's more, he didn’t like the idea of Calix falsely believing he could ever turn to someone else.

If he got loose now, would he go to Mitri? Probably. The forensic scientist was the only other person on planet whom Cal had some sort of relation to now that Bruce and Amory were dead. Troya had left the same day they’d captured the detective, so he wasn’t here to aid him in escape either.

No, if Cal slipped free, he’d go straight to Mitri for sure.

Aodhan needed to teach him how useless that would be. How bad of a decision it was to involve anyone else in this thing between them.

“It’s too early for threats,” Nyxian drawled, the soft sound of whimpers accompanying his voice this time.

He paused by his desk, listening more closely for a few seconds before asking, “Are you fucking right now?”

“Just be grateful I picked up your call despite being in the middle of something.”

“Is it the merman?”

“He has a name, you know.”

“He also has legs,” Aodhan quipped. “So?”

“Harbor,” Nyxian’s tone gentled, and it was clear he was no longer speaking to him, “wake up. Don’t pass out on me again. We’re getting to the good part.”

Aodhan plopped down in his chair and adjusted his tie, wishing he could rip the damn thing off. “Plan the party, Xian. Nothing too crazy. We’ll be bringing our Third.”

“Claimed him already, did you?”

His lips pressed into a thin line, irritation only growing when his friend barked out a mocking laugh.

“Getting ahead of yourself, as always. All right, A. I’ll set a date, pick a theme, and send over the details,” he growled, but that sound wasn’t for Aodhan either, “as soon as I’ve bred my vilec.”

Aodhan scowled at his device when the call was cut. “What the hell is up with everyone and the sudden breed kink?”

Children?

Hard pass.

Unless…

Shit. Did Calix want kids? He fucking hoped not. Connects tended to be pansexual, but Mercy had pretty much decided on his fate when he’d chosen not one, but two men of species who didn’t have males capable of birthing offspring.

“Can male mermaids get pregnant?” Damn it. Why was he thinking about this?

He clicked his number one contact, skin feeling like it was buzzing as he waited for the call to be accepted.

“Have you made it to work without maiming anyone, little killer?” Mercy asked by way of greeting, sounding like he’d just woken up despite having made coffee and kissed Aodhan out the door this morning.

“And what have you been up to?”

“Calix is still sleeping,” he said, “so I took a nap.”

“With him?”

“Where else?”

Not. Fair.

He kicked at the bottom of his desk, the loud sound echoing around him.

“Don’t pout,” Mercy told him, but he sounded pleased with himself nonetheless.

“Nyxian’s putting something together. I’m bringing Cal.”

There was a pause and then the sound of rustling, no doubt Mercy getting up and leaving Calix’s room in case they woke him. Sure enough, the soft clicking of the door shutting came a second later, followed by a deep, disapproving sigh.

“That isn’t sticking to plan,” Mercy pointed out.

“I’m speeding things up.”

“That’s not wise.”

“I bagged you, didn’t I? I think I know how to handle the detective.”

“Aodhan.”

“He’s been cooped up in that room for almost a week now with nothing to do,” he reminded. “I think we’ve bored him half to death already. He’s itching for some excitement.”

Cal really was. Aodhan had caught him staring at his mouth last night at dinner, and the hungry look in his eyes he hadn’t been able to mask in time wasn’t for the food set out on the desk in his bedroom.

“He’ll be begging for one of us to touch him soon anyway,” Aodhan continued. “I’m merely suggesting we give him the best setting to do so.”

“We can’t touch him until he realizes he wants us,” Mercy said. “We need him begging first.”

“Just use your ability. The party is the perfect place.”

“Physically forcing the issue isn’t always the solution,” he disagreed. “I can only release certain pheromones in the air for so long. We’re not trying for something temporary, we’re trying for something lasting. Something real.”

“I don’t care if it’s real,” he stated. “I only care about getting what I want.”

And what he wanted was Calix, on his knees, those pink lips stretched around his cock, a pool of blood—

“Get yourself together, little killer,” Mercy warned. “Or I’ll do it for you. I let you get away with a lot, but I won’t allow you to jeopardize this.”

He blew out a breath and willed those images of taking Cal in someone else's entrails aside. “I’m not suggesting we deviate from the plan. We stick to it. I’m just saying we give him that final shove now instead of later.

He’s close, Mercy. I can feel it. He’ll break for us.

You’re the one who said he needs to be the one to discover all his pieces. ”

“He can’t accept who he is,” he said. “That makes it impossible for him to accept us.”

Personally, Aodhan didn’t think Calix was doing too bad of a job at that. After learning that he was a murderer, he hadn’t freaked out or anything of the like. In fact, he treated Aodhan no differently. Kind of like how he’d reacted to Mercy after watching him shoot Amory.

Cal was angry with them, of course, and for good reason.

But…

“He doesn’t hate us.” There was a knock on his door. “We’re doing this, Mercy. Trust me. I always get what I want.”

“So you keep saying.” Still, the older man made another annoyed sound and then hummed. “Fine. Get back to work so you can come home and I can spank that ass for not listening to me. Again.”

Aodhan perked up at the thought, ignoring the knocking when it came again.

The damn nurses could wait.

“Will you edge me?” he asked.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Mercy practically purred. “You always get what you want. Eventually.”

Aodhan shivered.