"Oh. Who are they?" he asked as he watched Grady knock heavily on the door.
Gordon smiled. "Declan is the local head of the park rangers. Lark is a doctor at Cedar Creek Memorial. They're both good men. You'll be safe here." Drake could hear the respect in Gordon's voice, which impressed him. It also surprised him that so many gay men were in such open relationships. He wouldn't have thought that, considering the rural area. Maybe they were only open about their relationship in front of other men they knew to be gay.
The door opening caught his attention, the shaft of light from the doorway illuminating the face of a short, blond man. Drake couldn't keep his brows from lifting as he watched the man speak quietly with Grady. The blond had short, spiky hair, obviously colored, and sported a lithe, muscular frame. All in all, Drake would classify the man as an incredibly cute twink. Of course, he'd never say that to his host's face. He may not be too good in social situations, but he knew it wouldn't be polite to say that for fear of insult.
Seconds later, Grady gave a shout, drawing their attention and motioning them forward. His arm still around his brother, Drake encouraged Dagus forward while telling him there were three steps. Once within the circle of light, he got his first good look at one of his hosts, and there was no mistaking the man's sexuality. The man screamed gay from every pore of his eye-linered and lip-glossed face. But he pulled the look off well!
The man reached a hand out. Drake took it automatically 32
and returned the man's surprisingly firm grip. "Hey. I'm Lark. I understand you've had some trouble with Grady's scientists. Come on in and make yourself at home."
"Thank you. This is my brother, Dagus. He's blind, so if you could show us to our rooms, I'd like to take a few minutes to give him the layout. Then I'll get our things and settle him for the night."
He wasn't usually so forward, but he had to think of his brother's comfort.
Lark's eyes widened slightly, before he motioned them inside the lodge. "Of course. Look around. Take your time.
Count out steps if you need to. Whatever's necessary." Drake nodded. "Thank you." It surprised him that the man seemed to understand his brother's needs, but he didn't question it. He followed Lark through the house to a staircase. He told his brother that there were sixteen stairs, and then Lark pointed at the doors.
"The first door on the right is mine and Declan's daughter's room, Sara. She's a heavy sleeper, but please still try to keep it down," he murmured. "Your rooms are the first and second on the left." His blue eyes warmed as he smiled at them. "Take your time deciding. I'll have Grady bring your things to the top of the stairs." He pointed at another door. "The second door on the right is a bathroom.
I'm afraid you'll have to share it with Sara, but it's the school season, so she'll be done with it by seven most mornings.
She has to be at school by eight-ten and Declan normally drives her." He patted Drake's shoulder gently. "Take your time. We'll be in the front room. Just join us when you're ready, okay?"
Drake nodded, though he didn't know why he agreed. It was already after midnight, and all he really wanted to do was go to sleep.
Fifteen minutes later, both he and Dagus wore sleep pants 33
and t-shirts. Drake had explained the layout of the top floor, stairway, kitchen, and dining room to his brother, and now the other man slept, he hoped peacefully. Drake paused in the doorway, verifying that his brother's breaths came slow and even, before he headed down toward the front room.
He stopped in the doorway, listening to a stranger's Irish lilt mutter, "Ah, love. Of course I won't give them a hard time. I only want to … "
He held his breath as the man stopped talking.
A soft murmur of voices he couldn't make out sounded before the Irish accented voice called, "Come in, Drake. I know ye're in the doorway, so ye'd best come into the room."
Hearing the amusement in the man's voice did far more to set Drake's mind at ease than the man's earlier words. He stepped into the room and tried to hide his shock. Lark's small frame was curled up on the lap of a massive black man, his skin far darker than Drake's own brown skin. The man's broad shoulders and muscular arms held Lark close to his chest. Drake wondered what that would feel like, to be held, but he imagined lightly bronzed arms, honey-brown eyes, and thick black hair.
Deep brown eyes pinned him in place for several long seconds before a smile curved the African American's lips.
"Come in, Drake. I won't keep ye long. It's late, and we all should be to bed soon. I just wanted to introduce meself and let ye know mine and Lark's schedules." Drake nodded, easing into a large leather chair that quickly swallowed his skinny frame. He curled his feet under him and tried not to pick at a loose thread on his pants. "Thank you for taking us in on such short notice," he murmured.
"Yer welcome. Now why don't ye tell me how we can make ye and Dagus's stay more comfortable? Does yer 34
brother have any special needs we should be aware of?" Drake smiled slightly, pleased by the man's surprising consideration.
35
Chapter Four
ilean turned his Audi A6 into the heavily wooded A driveway, his headlights bouncing as he carefully navigated the potholes caused by last winter's snow. He managed to avoid most of them, remembering their location after a BBQ he'd attended nearly three weeks ago.
It hadn't been long after that that Lyle had been kidnapped. He thought of his patient, still sleeping in the hospital. He'd given him a mild sedative to keep him asleep while healing, letting Todd know that it'd be at least three days before he'd allow Lyle to wake. With all the chemicals floating in the man's blood, it'd be far easier for him to go through detox while unconscious.
He felt for the small wolf shifter. He couldn't imagine the pain Todd went through, even though technically the man hadn't met Lyle yet. If Ailean had stumbled across Drake's prone form in the hospital, he'd do exactly as Todd did.
He'd camp out in his mate's room until he woke. As it was, that was pretty much exactly what he planned. Knowing his mate was in danger, Ailean couldn't stay away from him.
After parking the car, he grabbed his overnight bag and hurried to the door. The bell wasn't even halfway through its chimes when someone pulled it open. He grimaced up at Declan. "Hey," he murmured. "How is he?" The big man motioned him inside, not speaking until the 36
door clicked shut behind Ailean. "Yer mate is fine," Declan assured. "They're upstairs, the first and second door on the left. I'm not sure which room Drake is in," he admitted, shrugging. "When I spoke to him, it's not like I could ask which room he'd put his brother in, aye?"
"His brother?" Ailean hadn't known anyone else had joined Drake at Declan's home.
"Aye," Declan replied, sounding amused. "Although I've not met him, Lark told me that Drake's brother, Dagus, is upstairs as well. He's a blind author, from what Drake says." The alpha gave him a cheeky grin. "Be careful when ye enter a room, I wouldn't want to have to slice ye open for hittin'
on Sara."
Ailean chuckled softly, following Declan toward the stairs. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to sniff the room before I enter," he assured. Sobering, he leveled an even stare at the alpha wolf. "Thank you for taking in my mate. I know you didn't have to."
Declan shook his head, rolling his eyes in the process.
"Ah, Ailean. Still ye don't understand. Ye may not be pack, but I still consider ye family. So if he's yer mate, I'll do everything in me power to protect him." Nodding, he smiled warmly. "And for that I thank you."
"What are friends for," Declan stated, slapping him on the shoulder.
The blow sent him forward a step, and he grunted in amusement. "Fair enough." He followed the big man's pointed finger and headed up the stairs, keeping his tread light. He sniffed at the first door on the left, and although he smelled his mate, he smelled someone else, too. A darker, muskier scent than the light sweetness he recognized as Drake. Moving on, he inhaled deeply at the second door and nearly groaned. My mate smells so damn good! The idea that every shifter probably felt that way about their mate made 37
him grin.
He carefully slipped into the room, setting his bag down on the floor near the foot of the bed. He allowed his eyes to change to his cat, giving him nearly perfect vision in the dark, and stared at Drake. His mate wore a white t-shirt that contrasted sharply with his mocha skin. His dark hair was cropped close to his scalp and Ailean barely resisted the urge to rub his palm over it and feel if it was soft or rough.