the words and Cain smiled a little. “What?”
“You’re such a goddamned Dire.”
“I’m hoping that’s a compliment.”
“It is,” Cain assured her.
“And you’re in love with Angus Young, by the way,” she said softly.
“The guy from AC/DC?” he asked and she smiled a little.
“I hope he loves you back.”
“Me too,” he muttered.
Chapter 31
Cain and Vice walked out of the penthouse together after Jinx had come for Gillian. Cain was drained after his discussion with her, but helping the Dire was necessary.
“You were good with her,” Vice said.
“I like her.”
“Don’t say that in front of Jinx,” Vice warned. “You need a ride home?”
“No.”
“You shouldn’t be running alone, wolf.”
“I’m staying in the apartment tonight,” he admitted. “I just figured I’d walk you out.”
“My bodyguard,” Vice said sarcastically. “I guess we’re going to your apartment to talk.”
“I actually was going to call Jinx about this.”
“Is this a twin thing?”
“It’s a mate thing.”
“I know a little something about that.” The Dire wouldn’t take no for an answer so Cain didn’t bother trying. Angus was meeting him later, but if the human walked in while they were there . . .
Turned out he didn’t have to tell Vice shit. Even though Cain was able to hide his scent on Angus, he could do nothing about Angus’s scent in the apartment.
“It’s on you, too. Faint, but it’s there,” Vice told him as he sprawled out on the couch and Cain locked the door behind them. “I figured it was just from when you spoke to him in the woods. Turns out, I was wrong.”
“He’s been here, yes.”
“You’ve been playing with fire, wolf.” Vice’s eyes glowed.
“That might be why it’s been so good.”
Vice gave a soft laugh and Cain hung his head. “He’s my mate, Vice.”
“Get the hell outta town.”
“Yeah, that too. I’m supposed to, with Liam.”
Vice sat down next to him, handed him a silver flask and lit himself a hand roll, which Cain took from his hand and inhaled. Strong shit. He took another toke and then a few long swallows of the strong whiskey that burned going down.
“You’re sure about the mate thing?”
“He told me I goddamned glow.”
“I hate to say this, Cain, but he’s a hunter. Maybe he heard the lore—”
“How would he know what I was? He saw me glow long before he was a hunter. He’s got nothing to gain with that shit. Makes it even worse for him.”
“Did you protect him?”
“I had to.”
“You did. You’re right.” Vice lay down onto his back, blew smoke rings as he considered the situation. “Jinx would come talk to you if you called him. You know that, true?”
Cain did. But Jinx appeared to have more than enough problems. “I haven’t even told Cyd any of this. I tell him everything. But this was all kinds of sacred.”
“So you decided I was the right person for sacred?” He and Vice both laughed at the Dire’s words, but the truth was, in some odd way, Vice was sacred.
“Vice, what am I going to do? I’m mated to a human.”
“One you happen to have fallen hard for.” Vice stared at him. “And dude, I’m the last one you should be asking for advice on your love life.”
Cain decided he needed to tell Angus before he did anything else. After Vice left, he paced again with the window wide open until he scented the human. And blood. He had the irrepressible urge to lock the man in the apartment again and never let him out.
Because that went over so well the first time . . .
He practically dragged Angus into the apartment, stripping him down to check him as Angus said over and over, “It’s not my blood, Cain—I’m fine.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” His mating instincts were in full force. They wouldn’t be as bad as Rifter’s . . . but they’d be tough to handle for a human.
He’d have to be. He stared for a long moment at the handsome brown-haired man who was a couple of inches taller than he was and then dragged his eyes along the lanky chest, nearly growling at the old scars. His wolf wanted to scar Angus, but in the good way.
Once he had Angus naked and was convinced that no part of him was bleeding, Cain threw the clothing in the washing machine and dragged the man into the showers. “Don’t want you smelling like anyone but me.”
Angus didn’t say anything, but his stance was calm. He stroked his hands through Cain’s hair as they stood under the spray, Cain still fully clothed. He didn’t protest when Cain spun him around and barked, “Hands on the tile.”
The human shuddered a little but he did as requested. Cain soaped his hands and spread them along Angus’s back and shoulders, watched as the tension bled out of him at the gentle touch. He moved a little closer and soaped the man’s chest, then moved lower to circle his cock with a soapy hand.
Angus jumped and Cain asked, “Want me to stop? I will.”
“I know. And no, don’t.” Angus’s eyes were screwed shut and his breath came fast and Cain knew it wouldn’t take long. The man was rock hard.
He stroked gently even as he kept his body from touching Angus, so the man wouldn’t feel boxed in. There was just Cain’s hand and Angus’s soft moans and he cried out Cain’s name as he spilled onto Cain’s fingers.
He pressed his forehead to the tile and Cain released him. The man shook and Cain realized it was in relief, not panic.
“Come on, Angus—let me finish,” he said quietly, his wolf calmer now. Angus let him wash him down completely and then dry him. He wore a pair of Cain’s sweats and Cain stripped off his wet clothes, which landed with a heavy thump on the tiled floor, before drying and dressing himself in a similar fashion.
Angus looked relaxed, like he could fall asleep. He also deserved an explanation. “Come on—I’ve got to talk to you.”
“Okay.” Angus let Cain tug him out to the couch, where he sat calmly, but Cain smelled the fear rising again. And fuck it all, he was nervous too. “If this is bad news—”
“It’s not. Not exactly. Fuck.” He slid a hand through his hair. “I don’t think it is. But it’s . . . unexpected.”
“Cain, if you don’t start telling me what it is—”
Cain held up a hand. “Okay, look, the other night you mentioned the glowing thing. And the mating thing.”
“And you told me I had the wrong information.”
“What if I told you that you didn’t?”
Angus blinked. “I was right?”
