Chapter One #2
The guard didn’t open the door right away, however, but regarded Aric for a moment.
Aric tried to keep his cool. His heart was beating so fast, he was sure the guard could hear it.
Finally, the guard nodded. “I guess you’ll be safe enough.
He can’t shift, and while he might give some pretty impressive glares, they won’t harm you.
” He opened the door, and Aric went inside.
Fielding sat in the same office chair, his ankles and wrists secured with rope.
He glanced at Aric with disdain, his lips curled into a sneer.
“Well, if it isn’t the kitty cat again. Come to inflict more damage?
” There were four Steri-Strips on his forehead and cheeks, and his hands were all scratched up.
Fielding peered at the tray and shuddered.
“What muck are they giving me now? It should come with a health warning.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Aric’s voice shook.
“Food’s going to be the least of your worries.
” He put down the kit and the tray, then approached Fielding’s chair.
His fingers trembled as he unfastened the rope around Fielding’s ankles, then his wrists.
Aric stepped back quickly and pulled the handgun from its hiding place, pointing it at Fielding with as steady a grip as he could manage.
“Why have you cut me loose? And what are you doing with that?” Fielding seemed almost amused.
Aric raised the gun a bit higher. “Taking back my fucking dignity. Taking it back for all of us who you hurt, tortured, and killed. You can’t be allowed to live.”
Fielding sneered again. “You? You don’t have the guts. You’re a weak, pathetic little thing. The only reason we kept you was because we wanted Seth to comply.” His smile was cruel. “If it wasn’t for him, you would have been one of the first to be culled.”
“Well, this weak, pathetic little thing is going to end you.” Aric spoke clearly, not bothering to mask his thoughts.
Come on, Brick. I need you.
Aric pulled the trigger and the gun clicked. He did it again with the same result.
Fielding smirked. “See? Pathetic.” And before Aric could take a breath, Fielding lurched out of the chair and grabbed the gun, knocking Aric to the floor.
“Are you so stupid you didn’t realize the safety was on?
” He moved his thumb and smiled. “But it’s off now, not that I need it to finish you.
I can do that with one hand, but I’m not going to waste time killing you.
Especially since you might have some use after all—as a shield.
” He grabbed Aric around the throat and squeezed.
“How many guards outside?” He released his grip a little, and Aric coughed.
“One,” he croaked. “Everyone else is inside.”
Now would be a good time, Brick.
Fielding nodded. “Armed, of course.” He dragged Aric to the door and opened it a crack, the gun raised. Then he shoved Aric through the doorway, aiming at the guard, pulling the trigger—
And nothing happened. Fielding’s shocked expression was almost comical.
Then a ferocious roar shattered the silence, and Aric scrambled to his feet, his heart thumping. Somewhere, Seth cried out, “Don’t shoot him!”
A solid mass of white fur crossed Aric’s field of vision, barreled into Fielding, and shoved him out of sight, accompanied by Fielding’s shriek. Thunderous noises filled the air as heavy paws slammed the ground, and Aric winced at the sound of Brick’s deafening roar as he hurtled after Fielding.
I have to see.
He turned in time to watch Brick slam a hefty paw into the side of Fielding’s face with enough force to snap his neck.
Fielding dropped like a stone, but Brick wasn’t done.
The air was filled with noises that curdled Aric’s blood: The scream that was cut off, the gurgle of blood, and the crunch as Brick bit through bone and cartilage.
He closed his jaws around Fielding’s throat, and by the time he was through, Fielding’s head was hanging by its tendons.
Aric jumped when arms encircled him.
Easy, baby. Only me.
Aric turned away from the sight of blood staining Brick’s maw and buried his face in Seth’s chest. Seth held on to Aric, his hand on Aric’s nape. Trust me, you don’t need to see any more.
“Hey!” Brick yelled. “Can I get some help here? Got some trash that needs scraping off the tarmac.”
Then there was the sound of boots thudding on concrete and raised voices.
“What the fuck?” That was Crank.
“Here.” That was Horvan. “Wipe yourself off with this.” A pause. “Good thing we found out everything we needed, huh?”
“He was going to kill Aric!” Brick retorted. “And the world’s a better place without that fucker. What’s going to happen to him? What’s left of him, at any rate.”
“Aelryn will find a deep, dark hole to bury the POS in, where no one will ever find him. That’s one grave that won’t get a marker.”
Aric. Turn around.
There was no way Aric could ignore Brick.
He turned to be greeted by the sight of a naked Brick, a bloodied towel in his hand .
Brick was glaring.
“Why would you go after him with my gun? And I know it was loaded.”
“Yeah, it was.” Aric reached into his pocket and withdrew the bullets. “Now you can put them back.”
Seth gasped. “You set him up. You knew Fielding would go for the gun, and you made sure we knew what you were doing.”
“Of course.” Aric glanced at the tarp-covered lump on the ground.
“Fielding haunted Brick’s dreams. I wanted to give Brick the chance to kill him, to rid us of him forever.
” What surprised him was how the memory of what he’d seen only moments ago, what he’d heard, was fading with every second, as if his mind didn’t want to hold on to it a moment longer and was already into the process of expelling it.
Aric was fine with that.
Brick pulled Aric to him. “I’ve already talked to you about putting yourself in danger. What the hell do I have to do? Put you over my knee and swat your ass as a reminder?”
Seth coughed. “Uh, Brick?”
Brick’s head snapped toward him. “What?”
“Okay, so this isn’t the time, but ixnay ethay unishmentpay alktay. Aric likes a little pain with his pleasure, so you’re not exactly helping.”
Brick narrowed his eyes. “What the hell does that mean?” he demanded, his deep voice reverberating through Aric.
Seth sighed. “I swear, no one remembers classic pig Latin anymore. I had to teach Aric so we could talk in the camp when I was too tired to show him my thoughts.” He met Brick’s gaze.
“It means exactly what it sounded like. Aric likes a little pain with his pleasure, so threatening to spank him? That isn’t a deterrent. ”
Brick’s mouth fell open. “He… what?” Then he frowned. “Wait. I thought you two haven’t—”
“That’s right, we haven’t. That doesn’t mean I didn’t get to see something in Aric’s head once when we were jerking off. And we did share fantasies.”
“Hey, will you quit giving away all my secrets?” Aric growled. He had to admit, the conversation helped ease his tremors, even if it was the most surreal thing ever with Fielding’s remains only feet away from them.
He’d been Aric’s definition of a bad guy while he lived, and dead, he was fast becoming nothing but a bad dream .
Right on cue, a couple of guys appeared, and Aric didn’t break eye contact with Brick, because that was way better than watching them clear away what was left of Fielding.
Brick bit his lip. “Fantasies? Okay, that’s hot. Still….” He ran a thumb over Aric’s face. “You’re going to look so beautiful in our bed, all spread out, needy for me. For us.” His voice cracked.
Aric smiled. “We can’t wait to be there with you. Although….”
Brick stilled. “Although? There’s an although ?”
Aric glanced at Seth, who nodded.
Time to tell it like it is. And talking about what lay in their future was way better than thinking about what had happened minutes earlier.
“Well, you see…. Seth and I? Zero interest in topping, which means basically we’re going to work you to death in bed, because it’ll be up to you to satisfy us both.
” Aric smiled again. “Don’t worry, though.
I’ve been stocking up on multivitamins to give you energy.
” When Brick arched his eyebrows, Aric nodded.
“Seriously. I gave Crank my shopping list. He thought it was hilarious.”
Brick laughed, something Aric hadn’t heard much of, but what he sensed in Brick was even better. He’d seen it all: the fear, the crippling loneliness, the pain at the loss of his parents. It was as if that bright laughter had broken the chains holding Brick’s heart hostage.
What flowed from Brick was love.
Then Brick’s arms closed around him. “Don’t worry. I’ll fuck you both into a coma every day, and that’s a promise.”
Seth snickered. “He doesn’t know a lot about cats, does he?”
“Apparently not, but now we’re together again? There’s plenty of time for us to learn.”
Brick raised Aric’s chin with his fingers. “But if I can be serious for a minute? This is the last time you pull a stunt like this, kitty. Got me?”
Aric knew what that meant.
He craned his neck to look Brick in the eye. “If it helped you to move on? I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Brick chuckled. “What do I always say? Never underestimate the kitty. And I’m deadly serious.”
“You’re deadly, I won’t argue with that,” Seth murmured.
Brick towered over Aric. “You will be doing therapy.”
It wasn’t a request .
Aric stuck his chin out. “I don’t need it. I’m fine.” See me? You just ripped Fielding apart and I’m still here. I’m not cowering under my blanket.
He was made of strong stuff.
Brick scowled. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. And it’s no use you arguing. This is nonnegotiable.”
“Listen to him.” Seth’s voice was gentle. “You’ll need someone to talk to.”
Brick stared at him. “Excuse me? This involves you too. Both of you will be seeing someone.”
“But we don’t need to talk to anyone,” Aric protested. “We can talk to you.”
“What he said,” Seth added.
Brick pulled him closer. “Sweetheart, you’re more than welcome to talk to me. Anytime. But I’m not a professional. I’m more of a kill first, ask questions later kinda guy. You need someone who can empathize with you. And I’m not big on empathy.”
“This is such bullshit,” Aric muttered. “I won’t need therapy.”
“And yet you’re gonna do it, and you’ll go into it with an open mind.”
“Why?” he demanded.
Brick slid a finger over Aric’s cheek. “Honestly? Because I think the real you is hidden beneath all this stuff you’ve been dealing with.” He kissed the tip of Aric’s nose. “I love you, and I’ll love you even more once the rest of you shines through.”
Aric knew when to give up a fight. Then he realized he could play this game as well as Brick could. “Then you’re going with us.” He folded his arms. “And like you said, this is nonnegotiable.”
Brick smirked. “Or what?”
Aric gave him what he hoped was a suitably smug smile. “Or we won’t put out.”
“Considering we have yet to do anything, that sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.” Brick drew himself up to his full—and very impressive—height. “Don’t forget who’s in charge here.”
Aric could fight dirty too.
“And don’t you forget you’re not alone. We need you, just like you need us. It’s ridiculous for you to think you can get through this alone.” He batted his eyes. “Please, Brick? Do it for us?”
“Please, Brick,” Seth added .
Aric could sense the battle of emotions taking place inside his mate. Finally Brick sighed. “Fine. But if I agree to this, what’s in it for me?”
Aric arched his eyebrows. “Two very happy mates. What more do you need?”
He could see the moment Brick relented. Brick pulled them both close. “Okay, but I want sex. Lots of it.”
Aric grinned. “Whenever, wherever. Just say the word.”
Brick gave a satisfied smile. “Then we’ll go together. How does that sound?”
Seth chuckled. “Like I want to be home to collect on a blowjob reward. When do we leave this place?”
Aric closed his eyes and breathed in the heavenly scent of his mate. Then he caught the tail end of a thought.
“Wait a minute. You said Horvan and Aelryn had a mission to plan. What mission?”