Unexpected Taydelaan Read online

  Unexpected Taydelaan

  Declan loves Luke.

  Born on Earth, Declan spent most of his life believing he was human—and gay. Luke is Sesturian and happy to explain the mating practices of their people. But learning they have another mate out there—a woman who might one day come between them—has always overshadowed Declan’s happiness.

  Until they meet Keira.

  Keira thinks she’s falling in love with a gay couple. She knows it’s silly but can’t seem to pull back the emotional attachment to the two men. Obviously it’s her fevered imagination playing tricks on her. She cannot possibly be developing a mental link with Luke’s thoughts and emotions—no matter how many times Luke explains his alien status. But even if that were true, what about Declan?

  What happens if he learns of the intimate mating link he doesn’t share?

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Science Fiction Length: 20,668 words

  UNEXPECTED TAYDELAAN

  Rachel Clark

  MENAGE AMOUR

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

  UNEXPECTED TAYDEELAN

  Copyright © 2011 by Rachel Clark

  E-book ISBN: 1-61034-755-2

  First E-book Publication: August 2011

  Cover design by Jinger Heaston

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Unexpected Taydelaan by Rachel Clark from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you.

  Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Rachel Clark’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Clark’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  DEDICATION

  For my Aunt Trich

  UNEXPECTED TAYDELAAN

  RACHEL CLARK

  Copyright © 2011

  Prologue

  Five years ago…

  Luke glared at the steam rising from under the hood of his truck.

  The vehicle had been in perfect working order before he’d left home, but of course that had been nearly fifteen hundred miles ago. The worst part was that Luke wasn’t even certain why he was traveling.

  Something inside him said “go west,” and so he did.

  It wasn’t like him to do something on a whim, but his father had slapped him on the back and told him to bring his woman home once he’d found her. Having lived on Earth most of his life, the instincts and mating rituals of his own people were vague fairy tales rather than solid fact in his mind, so Luke still felt kind of silly driving aimlessly across the country.

  But considering that he was sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with his truck overheating and probably ready to fall apart, he wasn’t feeling so confident that his Sesturian mating instinct had been correct in the first place.

  The nearest town was about an hour’s drive back the way he’d come, and he had no idea how far it was to the next one. He didn’t fancy walking sixty miles in this heat, so he levered the seat back and settled in to wait. Finally a vehicle came into view, and he stepped out of the truck to wave them down. It irked him to ask for help from a stranger, but it was pretty much his only choice.

  The vehicle slowed and came to a stop not far from where Luke stood. The man who climbed out wore a friendly smile, a battered cowboy hat, and dusty work clothes. He was quite good looking, and Luke stared at him so long that the man was practically standing in front of him before Luke realized he was being rude.

  “Do you need some help?” the man asked with a grin.

  Luke nodded and reached over to shake hands with the handsome stranger, but the moment their hands touched sensation forked through him like lightning. The other man seemed shocked by the contact and tried to pull away, but Luke dragged the man into his embrace and held on tight.

  “Who are you?” the man asked, his voice filled with wonder as he gave up trying to pull away and instead snuggled into Luke’s arms.

  “I’m the man you’ve been waiting for,” Luke said. Okay, it sounded really stupid when he said it like that, but he hadn’t been expecting the question. He could sense the man was Sesturian, so the confusion he was displaying seemed quite strange. “What’s your name?”

  “Declan,” the man answered, sounding content, even if he was unsure why he was cuddling a stranger.

  “I’m Luke.” He ran his hand up and down Declan’s spine and tried to decide how to proceed. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected when he found his mates, but he was fairly certain this wasn’t it. If Declan had been human Luke could understand why he’d be confused, but Luke knew for certain that the man he held in his arms was most definitely Sesturian.

  Was Declan unaware of his heritage? Had he lived on Earth so long he’d forgotten? Or maybe he thought he was human. Hell, considering Luke’s own nontraditional upbringing, he supposed anything was possible.

  But then the realization that he’d really found one of his mates washed through him, and suddenly none of his questions or Declan’s confusion meant anything important. They’d found each other, and they had a lifetime to work out the details.

  Now they just needed to find their Taydelaan.

  Chapter One

  “I knew I was going to hear from you today, little sister. I woke with an incredible pain in my neck,” Declan said on a laugh. “What major favor are you going to ask us for now, April?”

  “Not major, well, okay, maybe major, but important
,” she said with a smile in her voice, but he knew that tone too well. This was the part where she told him some sob story and he ended up donating large sums of money or taking in an unwanted horse or cow or pig or some other stray that no one else wanted. His little sister sure could be counted on to find the lame ducks and bring them home. Luckily he lived on the family ranch and had plenty of room.

  “It better not be another horse,” he said only half joking. The last one he’d taken in had been so cantankerous he’d had trouble getting any of his horse-loving friends to even consider taking the spirited filly. He’d replaced more than one fence thanks to his little sister’s kind heart.

  “Did you say horse?” Luke walked through the back door stripping off dusty clothes as he waited for an answer. Declan laughed at his lover’s exaggerated annoyance and signaled for him to come closer.

  “No, babe, I was just getting to the no horses part.”

  “It’s not a horse.” His sister sounded more concerned over this favor than the others. Shit. Was it something bigger than a horse?

  “Well get to the point, sweetheart,” Luke said as he switched the phone onto speaker. “We both have a much deserved, well-earned appointment with the shower. What humungous favor do you want from us now?” Declan smiled. The words might sound aggrieved, but he knew that Luke adored April as much as he did.

  “Well, I was hoping you could offer sanctuary to a friend of mine.”

  “And how many legs does this friend have?”

  “Only two,” she said, sounding far more nervous than she usually did when she asked a favor. “Actually, she really needs somewhere to stay for a little while, and I thought, well, the ranch has plenty of room and Lord knows you two could use a housekeeper. I swear you are the laziest housekeepers I know—I always thought gay guys were neat and tidy housekeepers, but you two prove the cliché wrong—so I figured that she could help with your problem while you helped her with hers.”

  Declan chewed on his lip, wondering what the right thing would be in this situation. He’d never turned down his little sister before, but taking in a neglected horse or an overgrown pet pig was a far cry from inviting a stranger into their home.

  “Of course, sweetheart,” Luke answered for him. “When should we expect our new roommate?”

  “As soon as the doctor releases her I’ll pack her in the car and head straight to the ranch.”

  “Doctor? What happened?”

  “She broke her leg falling down the stairs. It’s not a bad break, but, well, it happened on the same day that she moved out of her boyfriend’s apartment.” April took a deep breath, her voice sounding strained as she said her next words. “She said it was an accident, and I want to believe her, but she seemed just a little too relieved when I suggested you might need a housekeeper.”

  “Okay, little sister,” Declan said quietly. “Bring her here and we’ll keep an eye on her.”

  “Thank you for doing this. I know it’s a lot to ask, but you won’t regret it. I promise.”

  “Maybe you can take a few days off and visit for a while to help her get settled. It’s been a long time since you made it home.” He could almost see her rolling her eyes at his comment. “Yes, big brother,” she said with a laugh in her voice. They spoke for a few more moments about work and the ranch and their parents. Declan eventually ended the call but not before extracting a promise from April that she would definitely visit more often. Everyone here was proud of her nursing job in the big city, but it kept her so busy she rarely found time for more than a quick visit. He knew she was a sensible young woman, but he worried for her. She worked crazy hours, some shifts beginning or ending in the dead of night, and he wouldn’t be a very good big brother if he didn’t at least try to ensure her safety.

  He followed the trail of dirty clothes into the bathroom where Luke was washing under cold water. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the hot water to come through, but water was such a scarce commodity at the moment that showers were a hurried daily necessity rather than a luxurious cleansing routine. He often wondered if that was the city’s biggest appeal to April. His little sister loved a long, hot shower and fit right in with the water-wasting city folk.

  After a quick shower, Declan grabbed his towel, dried his hair with rough swipes, and then wrapped it around his hips. He entered the bedroom just in time to see Luke drop his damp towel to the floor.

  April hadn’t been kidding when she’d said they needed a housekeeper. Plain and simple, Luke was a slob. But then Declan wasn’t much better when it came to more than the most basic of household duties.

  He bent to retrieve the damp towel but found himself face to groin with his lover. The penis close to his mouth grew harder and longer, and Luke’s groan reached his ears a moment before calloused hands threaded through his hair and urged him closer. Dropping to his knees, Declan happily obliged, wrapping his fist around the base of that stiff cock and swiping the flat of his tongue over the red-purple head. He loved the way Luke’s cum tasted on his tongue and the way his lover’s knees wobbled as he slowly sucked and licked the tip.

  He hummed against the sensitive flesh, thrilled when Luke’s legs gave out and he fell backward onto the bed. Shuffling forward, he braced his elbows on Luke’s thighs and set to work driving his lover insane.

  Luke gripped Declan’s hair harder at the same time his hips lifted, forcing his cock deeper into Declan’s throat. He swallowed around the thick erection and then braced himself for what he knew would follow. Luke could never resist him when he did that. The hands in his hair tightened almost painfully, Luke’s hips pistoning his cock into and out of Declan’s mouth, harder, faster, deeper, loud groans filling the otherwise silent house.

  “Oh, Declan, babe, your mouth is incredible,” Luke groaned as his cock swelled and orgasm took him. Declan swallowed the cum as it hit the back of his throat, Luke’s grip forcing him to take it all. Luke fell back onto the bed, his hands pulling Declan’s face closer for a moment before the grip lessened and he let him move away.

  Declan’s knees wobbled as he lifted himself onto the bed and cuddled into his lover’s waiting arms.

  “No matter how many times you do that it just keeps getting better.” Declan blushed hoping that Luke would mistake his heated face as a sign of too much sun and not the emotional response to his compliment. It still didn’t feel real some days—even after five incredible years together.

  Luke was everything Declan wanted in a partner, both for work and life, but the small niggle of self-doubt that Declan still carried from a lifetime of feeling different, feeling left out, made him wonder how long their happiness could last. They weren’t exactly your average ranching couple.

  And, quite honestly, Declan still couldn’t believe Luke had found him.

  Being born here, in this small town, had isolated Declan and his sister from the culture their parents had left behind. But against all odds Luke had found him. It had been a huge shock to learn there was an actual reason for Declan feeling like he didn’t belong.

  “Now, tell me what the phone call was about.” Luke shifted so that he could watch Declan’s face as he answered.

  “You know what it was about. You heard April.”

  “Yes, and I heard you pause. Why? You’ve never failed to get involved with April’s causes. Why would you hesitate to help this woman?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted honestly. Sure, there’d been a moment when bad memories flooded him and he’d wondered if taking in a woman on the run from a possibly violent ex-boyfriend was such a good idea. But he’d quickly shaken off the fear and decided they were more than ready for any trouble that may follow her. The woman needed help, he and Luke were in a position to provide it, and so there really was no problem there.

  No, Declan’s hesitation had come from a much deeper fear.

  “Is it because of our Taydelaan?” The question, asked so quietly, hit Declan hard. His heart hammered loudly in his ears, and he truly hoped he’d mis
heard. “Babe?” Luke prompted when Declan didn’t answer.

  “Maybe a little,” Declan admitted. Ever since Luke had explained about the mating habits of their people Declan had felt off balance.

  He’d always thought of himself as human and gay, so learning that he had a second mate—a female one at that—out there somewhere was a little unnerving. Luke had always assured him that living and working here with him, loving him every day, was more than enough, that he was committed to their relationship and didn’t need a Taydelaan to feel whole.

  But, selfishly, Declan had held onto the fact that there were no women nearby as a reassurance that their future would never be changed. Now they’d invited a woman into their home and Declan’s solid little world felt shaken. What if he ended up the third wheel, the odd one out? “I’m sorry,” he mumbled into Luke’s shoulder. Declan felt about three inches tall. Luke had never given him any reason to believe he wouldn’t love him wholeheartedly when they found their Taydelaan, yet Declan’s own insecurities were rising up to bite him on the ass.

  “Declan,” Luke said softly as he held him tighter. “I love you. A woman in the house is not going to change that. Not ever. You’re stuck with me, okay?” Declan nodded again, tightening his grip on the man he loved. “And besides,” Luke said with a laugh, “the chances of this woman being our Taydelaan are about a billion to one.”