“Get out of here, Abe,” Bryce shouted.
“I’m not leaving you.”
The poor little guy had already proven that he sucked at shimmering. Bryce had found out that the younger a fey was, the more apt he was to shimmer himself inside a brick wall. Bryce was not about to become a part of the house structure on the ranch.
But he also didn’t want Abe to be hurt if he stayed here.
Just as two of the rogues jumped him, almost taking him down, he heard fighting behind him. Bryce was confused. Abe was standing in front of him.
“I think your mate is pissed,” Abe said as he stared wide-eyed at something behind Bryce.
Just great.
That was all he needed was Ahm to get involved.
The weight was pulled from Bryce’s back as the Shadow elf leader fought with honed precision and grace. Bryce hated to admit it, but he was beyond impressed. Ahm took a stance, one arm stretched behind him as he glanced at his opponents. He reminded Bryce of an ancient warrior.
No, he was not going to be enamored with Ahm’s agility and lethal expression. Nope, not a fucking chance.
“I don’t need your help,” Bryce bit out as he turned to look at his enemies. The rogues were no longer looking at him with hunger in their eyes. They were staring at Ahm with something close to fear.
This was not what Bryce had in mind when he thought of his mate standing by his side.
Before he could blink his eyes, Ahm grabbed him and Abe, shimmering them to the ranch. Damn it, now he was going to have to hitch a ride to the city to get his truck. Bryce shoved Ahm away from him, no matter how good it felt to be in his arms. “I didn’t ask you to rescue me.”
Abe glanced between the two, his eyes unsure. Ahm glared at Abe and then raised his arm, pointing toward the house. Abe gave Bryce an apologetic look before he took off toward the back door.
“You are fully aware of how dangerous these times are and you chose to walk the streets?” Ahm asked, his pale-white nostrils flaring. “I thought you smarter than that.”
Bryce growled, shoving the palm of his hands into Ahm’s chest, hard. “What do you know about me? Shit, that’s what. Until you learn who I am and what I’m about, keep your damn observations to yourself.”
Ahm glared at Bryce, his dark-blue eyes almost glowing with rage. “I will not have you risking your life, Bryce.”
Hearing his name on Ahm’s lips was almost his undoing—that and the man’s long, beautiful snow-white hair. Bryce curled his fingers in to stop himself from grabbing a handful. It fell over Ahm’s shoulders and down his back. But the top was pulled back in an old-fashioned leather thong.
The man was simply gorgeous.
And a moody bastard.
“What the hell do you care, Ahm? You have hidden who you are from me for years. What’s with the sudden concern?” Bryce wanted to punch Ahm and kiss him at the same time. His cock was thickening as he stared at the stunning man, but Bryce pushed the building need out of his mind.
Ahm didn’t want him and Bryce was not about to throw himself at the asshole. He did have his pride.
“What’s with the sudden dangerous behavior?” Ahm countered. The elf had sufficiently evaded Bryce’s other question. “I am part of the Ultionem. Push me and I will ensure that you are never without a guard again.”
Bryce felt his anger explode as he charged after the Shadow elf. He tackled Ahm, taking him down to the grass. Ahm didn’t fight him. He lay there matching Bryce’s hard stare. “And what did you hope to accomplish with this?”
Laying a hand on either side of Ahm’s head, Bryce leaned in close, their noses almost touching. “I want you to leave me the hell alone, elf. I want you to stay out of my life since you refuse to be a permanent part of it. You will not dictate to me or threaten me again.”
Bryce was shocked down to his toes when Ahm easily flipped them, Bryce landing on his back, the air whooshing from his lungs. Ahm straddled Bryce’s body, his snow-white hair creating an intimate veil as he leaned down toward Bryce. “You will keep yourself safe or I will take over the responsibility for you, bear.”
As much as Bryce wanted to knock Ahm off of him, he lay there soaking in his mate’s heat. His mind took on a life of its own as images of the two in this same position, but naked, began to play in front of him.
Bryce was rock hard.
He was panting heavily.
His throat dried out as he stared up into Ahm’s heart-stopping blue eyes. When Ahm closed the distance and devoured Bryce’s lips, he thought he was going to come in his jeans. There was no hesitancy, no tenderness. The kiss was brutal, possessive, and forced a moan from Bryce’s throat.
This was their first kiss and it stole Bryce’s very breath.