9. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
B ennett rolled his eyes the second he saw his brother, Forrest, come through the door of his garage. He could tell Forrest wanted something as soon as he walked in. He always got a sheepish grin on his face whenever he was getting ready to talk Bennett into something.
“Whatever it is, the answer is no.” Bennett got back to his job, dismissing Forrest. He was in the zone with the boat motor and didn’t welcome an interruption.
Forest walked closer and leaned against the boat. When he did, Bennett smelled something completely delicious. “You don’t even know what I was…going… Why are you looking at me like that?”
Bennett came closer and sniffed. He jumped down next to Forrest, getting a good whiff of his hair and clothing. “You smell good.” Bennett’s cock got hard and he backed up, away from Forrest. “Why do you smell like that? Who have you been around?”
“New renter is all. It’s why I’m here actually.” His brother bounced around on the balls of his feet .
Bennett frowned and dismissed the wonderful smell. It was easy to do, especially when he moved away. “Whatever it is, I said no.”
“But he needs a job and you need help. It looks like rag city threw up around here.”
The smell drifted to him again, but it didn’t come second hand from Forrest. He turned and saw the most beautiful man standing just inside the door.
Bennett’s cock hardened in his coverall and his eyes changed.
His dragon was pacing, wanting closer to their mate.
Bennett stalked around Forrest, taking in deep breaths as he drew closer.
The cute little witch took a step away from him, and his eyes widened. “Forrest,” the man said his brother’s name in a panic, which pissed Bennett’s dragon off.
Bennett growled out a warning to his brother to stay away from his mate.
“What is he? Oh, God, get him away from me before I freak the fuck out and lose my shit.” He held a hand up.
“Seriously, dude. I don’t know what your problem is but I don’t always have control when I’m scared.
Kinda like now. I don’t want to hurt you.
I’m sure you’re a perfectly nice guy who just so happens to be looking at me like I’m a cheeseburger. ”
Forrest took a step closer to Bennett, grabbing his arm. Bennett turned and growled, making Forrest back up a step. Forrest tilted his head to the side, which placated Bennett’s dragon enough to keep him from ripping Forrest’s head off.
He turned back to the guy, instinctively holding out both of his hands.
He didn’t even know why he did it. He just knew the man was a witch and would want to read him.
All witches did. Reading a person provided comfort to most witches.
His mother had said once that knowing who a person was, made her feel safe.
Giving himself over to the witch was the equivalence of submitting the way Forrest had done.
Something he would never do under normal circumstances.
Hell, Bennett hadn’t even let his mom read him since he had been a teenager.
He didn’t submit to anyone but his alpha.
Bennett was Ramsey’s beta, so nobody fucked with him. He was also the guy who enforced the clan rules, which meant most of the clan members looked at him with a fearful respect.
Forrest sucked in a breath. “Holy crap. My brother never submits to anyone but Ramsey, Lucas. Take his hand and read him. He’s letting you.”
Bennett turned and scowled at Forrest, not understanding why he felt the need to butt his nose into Bennett’s mating.
Forrest seemed to read his mind. He explained, “He doesn’t know about paranormals, man. He didn’t grow up knowing he was a witch. He needs you to tell him shit like this.”
Bennett nodded once and turned back around.
Lucas’ surprise was clear to see. Still, he hesitated before taking Bennett’s hands. His skin was soft, but cool against Bennett’s. It made Bennett want to draw him to his body so that he could warm him, but he held back, letting Lucas do what he had to do to be at ease with him.
“His name is Lucas,” Forrest said from behind him.
“You just called him by that name. I’m not stupid, Forrest,” Bennett said and rolled his eyes. He smiled at Lucas, but with his dragon eyes, Bennett worried about the weirdness. It’s not as if he could help it, though.
Lucas smiled back.
He ran the name through his mind over and over again. Lucas was his mate. Lucas, with his blond hair and his torn sweater, was the man who’d gone into the grocery store, he realized all at once. No wonder Bennett had had an urge to follow him around that day .
Lucas watched him with fear and lust all swirling together in those blue eyes. Bennett couldn’t do anything about Lucas’ fear. Until he actually held him in his arms, his dragon was going to be close to the surface. He breathed out, trying to calm himself some, but it was no use.
He knew the instant Lucas started reading him. He could feel him in his mind. Bennett could also hear everything Lucas was thinking as if he was saying it out loud. Please don’t eat me. Please don’t eat me.
Bennett scowled.
Lucas stared right at Bennett and said, “Cassie said I’d find protection.
I didn’t really believe her until just now.
And you’re supposed to be my lover—” Lucas’ eyes widened, and Bennett knew in that moment he understood they were mates.
“I feel what you feel. It’s never been like this with anyone before… Oh, fuck.”
Bennett drew Lucas to him then. Lucas’ eyes rolled to the back of his head and his hips canted forward. Bennett felt Lucas’ hard cock against his thigh, and he pushed into it.
“Get out, Forrest,” Bennett growled.
“What the fuck is happening? What did you do to him?”
Forrest tried to come around, but Bennett pulled Lucas to him, burying his face against Bennett’s chest. “Mine.” Bennet growled low in his throat and his teeth extended. He flashed them at Forrest.
“Oh…oh, shit. Right, sorry man. I didn’t get it right away.” Forrest walked out after that.
“Shh, Lucas. I’ve got you,” Bennett whispered. He bent forward and sniffed his neck. He smelled delicious. Bennett wanted to roll in that scent.
Lucas grunted. His hard cock pressed into Bennett’s thigh and stayed there.
Lucas shuddered and clung to Bennett as he came.
Bennett pulled back, wanting to watch his little mate.
Lucas was beautiful with those full lips open and those blue eyes wide, taking up most of his face right before they closed. Then he went limp in Bennett’s arms.
Bennett lifted him off his feet, holding him close to his chest. Bennett could feel the panic rise in his chest, burning like fire in his throat. “Call Mom,” Bennett yelled and walked out of the garage with Lucas.
“What the fuck just happened?” Forrest asked, standing in the driveway.
“Call Mom, Forrest. Now.”
“Fine. God. What am I supposed to tell her? You got weird and made Lucas pass out.”
Bennett entered his house through the back door. When he came to the living room, he sat on the couch with Lucas. He didn’t even know Forrest followed him inside until he heard him on the phone.
“I’m putting you on speaker, Mom,” Forrest said and held up the phone so Bennett could hear their mother.
“Tell me what’s going on, Bennett,” His mother said through the phone. Her voice was calm and hearing it made Bennett feel a little bit better.
“He’s my mate. I let him read me because I was scaring him. It was…intense. My dragon was close. I think he felt my intensity.”
“Reading you, honey? Only witches read people.”
“Yeah. I know, Mom.”
“Your mate is male?”
“Yeah.”
“That can’t be, Bennett. You must be mistaken. Are you sure he’s not a warlock.”
“Yes. I’m positive. Warlocks smell like smoke and sulfur. Lucas smells earthy. Like pine.” And roses.
His mother sucked in a breath. “That’s amazing. He’s the only one of his kind. The last one died a long time ago. ”
Bennett held Lucas closer and growled.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’d like to talk to him when he wakes up.”
“What’s wrong with him? Is he going to be all right?” Forrest asked.
“He shouldn’t have read Bennett without mating with him first. It was too much…attraction all at once.”
“Wait, you mean he got so horny he passed out?” Forrest asked.
“Essentially. He’ll be okay. Just give him time.”