Unexpected Taydelaan Read online

  * * * *

  Luke squeezed his lover tighter as he felt him nod against his chest. A small part of him wanted to rage at Declan’s lack of faith in him, but a larger part understood where the insecurity came from. It had taken almost a year for Declan to tell him about his previous boyfriend, and when he finally did Luke had wanted to track the bastard down and teach him a lesson he’d never forget.

  Declan’s first and only other lover had been a married man. He’d told Declan that his marriage was a sham, a cover, to hide his homosexual lifestyle. Declan had believed him right up to the day his lover beat the crap out of him, blaming Declan for making him gay and for causing his marriage to fail. The asshole had dumped Declan on the emergency drive-through at the hospital and hadn’t been seen or heard from since.

  But like a cloud with a silver lining, it was the worst day of Declan’s life that made him realize that his family loved him—gay, straight, or purple with polka dots, it didn’t matter. Of course it wouldn’t have been an issue at all if his parents had only told him and April the truth of their origins. Luke released a sigh. But what mattered most in the end was that when Declan needed his family, they’d all been there to help him through.

  Luke wished his own experience had the same positive outcome, but his father had obviously lived on Earth far too long. He’d picked up some of the human prejudices against same-sex couples and had expected his son to take a wife and then find a female Taydelaan and somehow deny the women any physical contact—just as his father had done. Luke’s parents weren’t exactly miserable together, but he knew that their sleeping arrangements weren’t normal for Sesturians either.

  Finding one of his mates—a male at that—while broken down on a dusty highway in the middle of nowhere hadn’t been what Luke expected, but the moment he’d touched Declan he’d known they were destined for each other. The fact that his mate hadn’t known he was an alien on this planet had made the situation a little absurd at first, but eventually, after shocked reactions and upset words, Declan’s parents had finally explained the circumstances of his birth.

  Unfortunately, they still kept that information from April.

  It still bothered Luke that he and Declan were yet to develop any sort of mating link, but with the unusual circumstances of Declan’s upbringing it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

  Declan wriggled closer, his hard cock rubbing against Luke’s hip.

  He smiled. Why was he worrying about the past when he held his future in his arms—his gorgeous, well-endowed, very aroused future?

  Luke slid his hand lower, rubbing his thumb lightly over the velvety soft skin of his lover’s erection.

  “This looks painful,” he said with a broad grin on his face.

  “Maybe I can do something to help.” Luke tried to sit up, intending to suck Declan’s cock until the man’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and his cum exploded from him like hot lava, but a firm hand in the middle of his chest held him to the bed.

  “I have a better idea,” Declan said as he leaned up and nibbled Luke’s bottom lip. “I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk straight.” Heat burst through Luke’s veins. Declan didn’t top very often, and Luke even suspected the reason for it today, but, wow, Declan wanting to possess him this way always set his nerve endings on fire. And the idea of still feeling the effects of his lover’s possession days later took his breath away. He loved this man with all his heart and knew he was loved wholeheartedly in return.

  “Hands and knees, lover,” Declan whispered with a wicked smile.

  Luke was quick to follow instructions, the muscles in his arms shaking with his excitement even as he tried to hold up his own weight.

  He jumped at the first cool touch of lube against his puckered hole but soon squirmed with excitement when two fingers pressed deep into his ass. His cock pulsed with renewed life as Declan fucked him with his fingers, setting a frantic pace as he reached under Luke’s abdomen and gripped his hardening cock.

  Intense pleasure sliced through him as Declan synchronized his pulls on his cock with the thrusts of his fingers. Luke was on the verge of exploding, gasping for breath, wriggling with excitement, but then everything stopped. He groaned as Declan slapped his ass playfully but ceased all noise when he felt his lover’s cock press against the puckered opening of his ass.

  A single, breath-stealing thrust pushed his lover’s cock deep into his body. They both held still as they adjusted to the sensation. “Don’t move,” Declan said in a strained voice. “You always feel so amazing.

  Hell, I’m on the edge already. Don’t move.” Luke wanted to move. He wanted to feel his lover possessing him in the most elemental of ways. He wanted everything, all of it, nothing held back, but he stayed still and waited for the man he loved to regain his control.

  Declan draped himself over Luke’s back and wrapped his arms tightly around him. Gentle kisses and sharp nips alternated against the skin of Luke’s shoulders, tempting him to move, tempting him to demand more.

  Slowly Declan withdrew almost all of the way and then slammed back in. He held still a moment and then started again. Luke whimpered at the slow retreat, anticipating the next deep thrust, squirming under his lover’s grip, trying to increase the pace.

  “Luke, I love you.” Declan grunted the words as he grabbed Luke’s hips in an unbreakable grip and began pounding him hard.

  Luke’s cock bounced against his own stomach, leaking pre-cum as the violent thrusts jarred his entire body. Harder, faster, deeper his lover plowed into his ass, breathing harshly, shaking with excitement.

  Declan stilled, his cock rammed deep in Luke’s ass, as he came, jolting and twitching, pushing deeper as he emptied his seed into Luke’s hot passage.

  Declan leaned forward, again wrapping his arms around Luke and grabbing his hard cock. “Come for me,” he said as he massaged the engorged flesh. The touch was so comforting, the sensation so exquisite, the emotions so raw Luke could do little else but follow his lover’s order. With barely another breath, cum burst from his cock, coating his stomach and Declan’s hand in pearly white streams.

  “I love you,” Declan said again as he turned them both onto their sides and cuddled Luke close.

  Chapter Two

  “April, thank you for organizing this.”

  “Not a problem,” April said as she smiled happily. “I haven’t been home in ages. Having you around will keep them from giving me the third degree.”

  “Still, I’m sorry to drag you into this.” She wanted to say more but didn’t have a clue where to start. April was an amazing person to do this for anyone, let alone a near stranger, but Keira was also fairly certain that trying to thank her guardian angel more than she already had would only cause embarrassment. And right now, right at this moment, Keira didn’t want to be the cause of anything else unpleasant.

  They pulled into the car park of what looked to be a restaurant and bar. It was very dimly lit, but before they even had a chance to consider stepping out of the car, April pointed to two men leaning against a battered old truck.

  “There they are.” The relief in April’s tone was hard to miss, and she blushed when she turned to Keira to explain. “It’s a little sister thing. I always feel safer when I have my big brother around.” Keira followed April’s pointing finger to the two men standing beside the pick-up truck. “That’s Declan on the left, Luke on the right.” The car had barely pulled into the parking spot when the door flew open and Declan hauled his little sister into a tight embrace.

  Keira thought she heard a relieved chuckle but startled as the door beside her opened. Even though Luke moved slowly she found herself pulling away from him. Hell, Luke was bigger, broader, and more muscular than her ex-boyfriend by far, and a part of her cringed in fear at having this stranger so close.

  “Hi,” he said in a soft, low tone. “I’m Luke Davies.”

  “Keira Watson,” she said, holding her hand out and adopting the tone she used when first meetin
g new business contacts. Whenever she got nervous or felt out of her depth, somehow, from somewhere, came this elitist-sounding, snobbish voice. Internally she yelled at herself to relax, but it didn’t seem to help.

  He shook her hand, his expression cautious as he wrapped his warm fingers around her icy cold ones.

  “Come on,” he said with a slightly bemused smile on his face. He glanced at the cast on her ankle. “Let’s get some dinner and then we can show you your new home.” Warmth slivered down her spine at his welcoming words, and a small part of her supposed that it was because he was gay, because she knew there would be nothing but friendship in their future, that he was safe.

  She wriggled in the seat, still unsure where or how to move to get herself out of the car. Strong, capable hands brushed hers aside as she fumbled with the seatbelt and then undid the clasp for her. “Do you have crutches?”

  “In the backseat, but I can walk on it, sort of,” she said quickly.

  He frowned at her answer, so she found herself babbling the explanation. “It’s only a hairline fracture. The cast is light and waterproof and has a base that I can balance to walk on.” Luke looked a little dubious yet stood back as she swung her feet out of the car and placed them on the ground, but the fact that her ribs also hurt made everything more difficult. She grasped the hand he offered, nodding gratefully when he held still and let her pull herself to an upright position at her own pace.

  Finally standing on her own two feet—well, almost—felt like the biggest thing she’d accomplished all day. A little, hysterical-sounding giggle escaped her lips, and she felt her face flame with color as he smiled at her silly reaction.

  “It’s been a strange day, huh?” She nodded, pleased that he didn’t ask her if she was okay. All day the doctors, nurses, and anyone else who’d stepped foot near her had asked probing questions. It didn’t matter how many times she explained her own clumsiness, it seemed none of them really believed her. It probably hadn’t helped that she’d fallen down the stairs while trying to move out of her boyfriend’s place. He’d insisted she leave today—even though she had nowhere to go—and it must’ve looked really suspicious when he dumped her and her possessions in the hospital emergency room and left without a backward glance.

  Her ex had acted like she’d fallen on purpose—and some small part of her worried it was true—but the callous way he’d left her homeless and injured had quelled any lingering feelings she might have still harbored for him.

  April stepped up beside them, slid an arm around her waist, like she’d done five hours ago to get her into the car, and as a group they headed into the restaurant.

  * * * *

  Shit.

  He should be overjoyed. The fates had somehow delivered their Taydelaan very literally to their door. But not only was the woman human, she was injured, tired, and maybe a little spooked, and Luke found that he wanted to find her ex and give the pathetic human a taste of alien justice. April had said Keira denied being pushed, but any asshole who could stand by and watch impassively as a woman he’d once claimed to care for lay in pain was someone who deserved a smack upside the head.

  “Do you mind if I drive with April and Keira?” Luke asked Declan quietly after they finished their meal. Declan gave him a worried look—had he also realized who Keira was?—but answered almost immediately.

  “Good idea. April looks exhausted. What time did your shift start today, squirt?”

  April grimaced, glanced at Keira, and shrugged, obviously unwilling to answer.

  “Luke’s driving.” April didn’t seem impressed by Declan’s high-handed announcement, but she did hand over the keys.

  “I’ll follow you,” Declan said seriously as they left the restaurant.

  Luke nodded to his lover, stepped closer, and pulled his mate into his arms for a reassuring hug.

  As he pulled away Declan winked at him, almost as if he read his mind. And maybe he did. Even without the Sesturian mate link, they’d been together long enough to know what the other felt in most situations. He guessed that Declan was probably feeling insecure.

  Considering that they’d discussed this exact same subject a few weeks ago, Luke was loathe to leave his lover while he protected their Taydelaan, but with the April looking so tired, he didn’t want her driving this late at night. It was at least an hour’s drive back to the ranch.

  He hesitated, considered leaving the truck behind and squeezing the four of them into April’s little car, but then his lover sent him the sexiest, most suggestive grin he’d ever seen and Luke realized that it would be okay.

  Once April and Keira were buckled in, he started the car and backed out of the parking spot. He waited to be sure Declan was right behind them and then pulled onto the main road and headed toward the ranch.

  They drove for several miles in silence. A quick glance in the rearview mirror confirmed that April had fallen asleep, and a soft snore escaped her lips a moment later.

  “I’m sorry,” Keira said quietly. “I hope you don’t mind me staying with you for a while. I might look a little banged up, but I assure you I’m capable of doing your housework.”

  Luke glanced over to see Keira swipe angrily at the tear that rolled down her cheek. She’d been so calm, so relaxed at dinner that he’d actually wondered if the woman was in shock. The urge to pull the car over and take her in his arms was almost overwhelming. He kept his eyes on the road as he spoke.

  “Why don’t you just rest for a couple days and we’ll figure out the details later?”

  “Thanks. I’m still sorry to have involved you in my troubles. I barely know April—she’s friends with a woman I used to work with—but the moment she realized I had nowhere to go she started getting things organized.”

  “The way I see it,” he answered carefully, “we’re getting the better end of the bargain. Although, you may rethink your plans when you discover just how lousy we really are at housekeeping.”

  “I’m kind of glad to hear it actually.”

  “What, that we’re slobs?”

  She smiled briefly and turned to face him. “At least that way I’ll feel like I’m contributing. I have no idea what I would’ve done if April hadn’t set this up.”

  Luke tried not to tighten his knuckles around the steering wheel.

  He glanced in the rearview mirror at Declan’s little sister and mentally thanked her for being a pushy, bossy, pain-in-the-ass, caring, loving woman willing to help a near stranger simply because it was needed.

  Chapter Three

  “She’s our Taydelaan, isn’t she?”

  The words were calm, spoken quietly, and Luke really wished for the mate link so that he could interpret the emotions behind them.

  Keira had been here for over two months, and Luke was beginning to wonder if Declan had missed his reactions to the woman. Apparently not. He nodded to Declan and then waited.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  Luke ran a hand through his hair. Even though he’d been expecting this question, he still wasn’t sure how to answer it. “It never seemed the right time. She was injured and…and you’re…” He trailed off, not really wanting to throw Declan’s fears in his face.

  “And I’m a scared, insecure fool who can’t understand the mating habits of his own species.” Luke glanced sharply at his lover but couldn’t quite discern whether the sentence was a question Declan expected an answer to or if he was acknowledging his own fears. “It’s okay,” Declan said as he moved into Luke’s arms. “I’m sorry that I’ve made this so hard for you.”

  “Oh, babe, there’s no need to apologize for the way you feel.” Luke held his mate close to his heart, his love for this man growing with every breath.

  “But if she’s our Taydelaan isn’t this the only chance we’ll ever get to have a family?”

  “I don’t think so,” Luke answered honestly. “A Taydelaan is rare and often hard to find, but there is usually more than one. We’re both still young. We have plenty of t
ime.”

  Luke couldn’t deny the attraction he felt for Keira, but he loved Declan with all his heart and would certainly never do anything to hurt him. Even if that meant denying a future filled with offspring.

  “But what about Keira?”

  Luke tried to shrug with a nonchalance he wasn’t really feeling.

  “She’s human. Maybe one day she’ll find a man who deserves her.”

  “What if I want us to be that man…men?” Luke’s heart skipped into overdrive. Did he hear his lover’s words correctly? “I’d like that very much,” he said as a mixture of anticipation and dread swelled through his veins. “But I don’t want you to feel like this is something you have to do. Like I said, we’re young, we still have plenty of time to find a Taydelaan and maybe start a family.”

  “But I want Keira,” Declan said with a brilliant smile. Luke grinned and crushed his mate to him.

  “I love you,” he said quietly.

  * * * *

  Keira looked around the now clean house. It wasn’t an overly large cottage, but there was plenty of room for the three of them, and she’d been happier here than she could remember in a long, long time.

  She glanced at her hands, her nails now cut short and her skin looking a little red. In the beginning it had taken far longer to do anything with her broken leg and tender ribs, but the sense of satisfaction it gave her to be able to contribute to the household chores was well worth the extra effort.

  Declan and Luke had been wonderful. Somehow, over the last two months, they’d realized her determination to not be a burden and had actually let her take over anything she felt up to doing. Luke had growled only once that she should rest, but considering she’d been standing on a wobbly stool at the time she felt he’d been rather restrained. Of course, once she’d realized just how stupidly dangerous it was to try and ignore her injuries at the risk of causing more, she’d made better choices.