CHAPTER THREE
Cal could not resist a moment longer. The sadness and hope that kept trading places in Tarek's eyes were driving him quickly over the edge.
He needed this man in his arms. Tarek needed to fully understand that he was no longer alone.
His heart went out to his beloved, and he wanted to give him everything he needed and everything he wanted.
Cal just ached for him every touch, driving home just how much this man meant to him.
The kiss went on as Cal explored every inch of his mouth and lips and then trailed across Tarek's jaw just to return to those thick red lips and devour them once again.
His hands held him fast, marveling at the sensations that coursed through him whenever flesh met flesh.
He was so soft and warm, and he smelled like cedar and sunshine, so fragrant and invigorating.
The kiss eased, and hearts were pounding.
The tension in the room had ramped up considerably, but it was a good kind: anticipation.
Cal could sense that Tarek was tired; his day had been filled with calamity and danger, and his body needed rest. He'd let go of his fear, and now exhaustion was starting to take him.
Cal held him and placed Tarek's head on his shoulder.
"You need to rest, Tarek." He told him Tarek agreed.
He eased him onto the couch and let him stretch out.
He found a couple of throw blankets, tucked them around him, and placed a pillow under his head.
Cal crouched down and kissed him softly on the cheek before standing and watching him for a few minutes.
It wasn't long before the handsome man was fast asleep.
Cal didn't take him to the bedroom upstairs because he didn't want him out of his sight.
A fair amount of mystery and intrigue still revolved around the small man, and Cal wasn't going to take chances with his safety.
Tarek would remain close so that Cal could keep an eye on him at all times.
He went to the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee, and sat down.
His beloved was a complicated man, but his heart was good, and his instincts tended toward the ethical, so what he'd heard about relic brokers did not apply to his amazing beloved.
They'd gotten a bad reputation over the past century, as their objective tended to be getting the highest payout at any cost. They had caused unimaginable damage to individuals, communities, and the planet. The way they peddled magic and talismans was criminal and negligent.
Cal wondered what had transpired that made Tarek turn his back on his family and leave the family business. Then his mind focused on the Severine Codex and the fact that his beloved had found it, trapped it, and was prepared to deliver it to a kindred of witches.
None of that spoke to ethics or integrity, but he didn't give it to the witches; he brought it to Master DuCane. His beloved had a limit, a line he would not cross, and that was important.
There came a brief firm knock at his door. “Cal.” He recognized the voice as being Tate. They hadn’t been working together for long and weren’t close, but they were building a friendship. Cal appreciated Tate checking in.
"Come in." He said as he opened the door and stepped back. Tate had wisely chosen the side door, which was the kitchen entrance. He sat at the table across from Cal and took the offered cup of coffee.
"Tarek is asleep on the couch in the living room," Cal stated, and Tate nodded and took a long sip of his coffee.
"How are you?" Tate asked the question. Cal smiled, and it was a true smile because the question was easy.
"He's my beloved, Tate, he's the man I've waited for, and here he is all messy and chaotic and beautiful, and it is fantastic." He finished with a wonderful laugh. "I thought I was losing my mind at first. Then I touched him and smelled the sweet scent of cedar, and everything was instantly clear.”
"I'm happy for you, Cal, jealous as hell but happy for you." Tate chuckled. "I'm a lot older than you." He reminded. "This beloved should have been mine."
“Maybe the next man that charges the gates screaming for help will belong to you.” Cal teased.
"I should be so lucky." They chatted lightly for a few minutes, and then Cal asked about the Codex. It was at the heart of the problem and would not be forgotten by those who had hired Tarek to retrieve it. His beloved would remain in danger until the issue was dealt with.
"Silas and that team of mystics locked it down and transported it to a facility the Master has at the Palace. It's secure, but I hear that the Master is looking into having it taken somewhere else, somewhere even more secure." Tate told him.
"It's a dangerous relic, and I agree with the Master, it probably needs to be somewhere more isolated."
“Yeah, having it here among so many doesn't feel right." Tate then asked about its origin and its power. "Did Tarek say where he found it or what it's capable of doing?"
"We haven't had a chance to do much talking.
He was pretty tired by the time we got here.
" Cal said and offered him a refill on his coffee, which Tate accepted.
He also passed him a plate of cookies he had found on the counter.
The cottage had been prepared for them, although there were a few things he would need to get from his quarters in the Palace.
Once he was seated again, he shared the rest of what he knew.
"The Codex is wrapped in the skin of a jackal.
That jackal, along with other evil beasts, has its soul trapped within its pages.
It's used as a sort of foul and malevolent charger, adding juice and force to the wicked power of whoever wields it.”
“I’m so glad your beloved did not give it to that kindred of witches. I don’t want to think about what they might have gotten up to around here.”
“They will most certainly try to retrieve it; they're not going to willingly let a prize like that slip through their fingers."
"The Master already has people on it. He's not waiting for them to act he's going after them.
" Cal was pleased with the news. He feared for his beloved's safety and worried about the abilities of the kindred he was dealing with.
Witches were the worst of the magics, in Cal's opinion; they were just a filthy bunch of fiends.
“Good, good.” He responded.
"Master DuCane has a patrol assigned to this cottage just in case something happens, or you need assistance." Cal assumed there would be guards, and it did not bother him. They would step in if needed, but would also honor his bond.
"I've joined them, so if you need anything, just call me, I'll be close." Tate was standing up for him and Tarek. Cal wouldn't forget this.
"Thank you," Cal said with considerable sincerity. There came a noise from the living room indicating that Tarek was waking up. Both Cal and Tate stood.
"Good luck, Cal." He said and patted him on the shoulder. "He's complicated, but he's worth it." He smiled, and Cal reciprocated.
“Yes, he is.”
****
“He made it to the coven.” Malfane listened as one of his minions reported back. “Those chasing him were destroyed. I made sure they were incinerated with a combustion spell before the vampires could capture their remains.”
"It doesn't matter since they have Azar and the Codex.
DuCane is no one's fool; he will know who we are and what we are after.
" Malfane paced his room. "We must get the Codex.
I can feel it calling to me. DuCane is binding it under layers of charms and restraints, but its essence is still reaching out to me. "
"Azar is the only person who can get it.
" The man stated, and Malfane began to consider that fact.
"There appeared to be a particular regard between Azar and one of the guards at the gate.
They seemed to know one another, and that guard went to great lengths to protect him.
" What he thought would be failure was starting to take on a new shape.
“Tarek Azar has someone he cares about. Well, that is interesting.” He chuckled. “Maybe we can convince him to finish the job we hired him to do.” He laughed. "If we have the right leverage, all things are possible."
“The coven is locked down tight. We don’t have any means of access.”
“Things are never as tight or secure as one may think.” Malfane pulled up some of his contacts, a list of horrible people, mystics with unspeakable powers.
These were individuals outside the kindred who toyed with their own mystical interests.
Money opened so many doors, and Malfane had plenty of money.
He would find someone with the means to get inside someone who could get him what he wanted.
****
Tarek woke feeling restored, but still a bit tense, as the events of the day came back to him. It was probably a consequence of being so close to the Codex for an extended period of time. Negative objects like the Codex tended to produce lingering effects like anxiety and tension.
Thankfully, the proximity of his beloved counteracted those effects otherwise, the outcome could have been worse and long lasting. Even with the binding spell, the power of the Codex managed to seep through. Without Cal channeling strength and protection, Tarek could have been laid up for months.
Cal made it possible for him to sleep. The man was a blessing, a gorgeous, sexy blessing. Tarek looked around, sensing that Cal was near, and then he heard him talking with someone in the other room.
The sound of his voice was peaceful and calming, but also exciting, bringing back the memory of the emotionally packed kiss they shared. A tremor passed over his flesh as the thought of repeating that sensory overload. Cal was an amazing kisser, and he wanted more . . a lot more.