Riley’s Downfall(20)

Riley set the plate on the only table in the hut and walked over to Sterling, bending down to take his mate’s shoes off. He tossed them aside and then glanced up at the pig. There was no way Riley was sleeping with a pig in the bed. He rifled through his bags and came away with a blanket.

Making a small bed next to theirs, Riley gently pulled the animal from Sterling’s neck and tucked it into the blanket. Sterling would be devastated if Bacon wasn’t properly cared for. Riley could not believe he was making sure a farm animal was tucked in, but he did.

He slid one arm under Sterling’s neck, the other under his mate’s knees, and then lifted Sterling from the floor.

“I’m right here, big boy,” Sterling mumbled as he sighed.

Riley raised a brow. What in the world was the man dreaming about? He carried his mate over to the bed, laid him down, and then as gently as he could, pulled Sterling’s shirt from his chest. Riley kept his eyes averted.

Next he unsnapped Sterling’s pants and slid them down, folding the jeans and setting them, along with the shirt, on top of his bags. There wasn’t a washer here, so he wanted to keep the clothes as clean as possible.

Riley undressed, keeping his boxers on, and then slid into the bed. It was late, and he was bushed. After talking with Eagle and Max, Riley had grabbed Sterling some dinner, but it seemed Sterling was just as tired.

He lay there for the longest time, watching Sterling sleep. His mate seemed so quiet now that he wasn’t bouncing on his heels and talking a mile a minute. His features were serene. Riley scooted closer and slid one arm over Sterling’s waist, breathing in his mate as he closed his eyes.

Damn if this didn’t feel right.



* * * *



Riley’s eyes flew open and immediately saw that it was still dark out, only the glow of the moon shining into the small hut. He lay still, glancing around the darkness. He had a keen sense of hearing, and something had woken him.

A small whimpering noise broke the silence surrounding him. Riley’s eyes flew to his mate, but the man was sound asleep, only he had burrowed into Riley’s side. Riley ran a hand over Sterling’s hair, waiting to hear the sound again.

And there it was.

As much as he hated to leave the warmth of his mate’s body, Riley was sent here to help the fey, and that included late-night whimpering.

He slowly slid from the bed, careful not to wake his mate, and then tucked the covers back around Sterling. He glanced over at the pig, seeing that Bacon was fast asleep as well.

Riley rolled his eyes as he grabbed his jeans and pulled them up his legs. Was he really checking on a pig?

He walked toward the hut entrance. He stayed just inside the door, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. He caught movement across the way and saw Eagle standing just inside his hut door.

They nodded at each other and then glanced around.

The whimpering continued, off to Riley’s left. He signaled for Eagle to circle around the back of his hut as Riley did the same. He crept around the circular structure, his steps quiet and measured as he neared the front, catching the low growl when he saw two men off in the shadows.

Riley’s eyes snapped up when Eagle joined him at his side. He hadn’t seen or heard the man approach. He was good. Eagle tapped Riley’s shoulder and nodded toward a dirt path running alongside Riley’s hut.

They moved quickly, soundlessly, toward the shadowed pair.

“You smell so damn sweet.”

Riley cocked his head, hearing the underlying intentions in those words. They were not a pretty invitation to sex. The words were more of a prelude to something the other man truly didn’t want. Not from the whimpering sounds he was making.

Eagle moved faster than lightning, placing a choke hold on one man while Riley grabbed the other, doing the same. He wasn’t sure who was the bad guy here, and he wasn’t taking any chance.

“What’s going on here?” he asked as he tightened his hold on the squirming man.

“H–He’s a vampire,” the man in Riley’s arms squeaked.

Eagle growled when the man he was holding began to fight to get free. Riley saw the pointy ears on his captive and let the man go. “Get back to your hut.”

The man nodded quickly and took off, making a beeline back to his residence. Riley turned his attention toward the vampire struggling in Eagle’s arms. He swung his arm, his fist slamming into the vampire’s gut.

“You come to prey on the weak?” he asked when the man howled out in pain. He could see Eagle tightening his hold, one hand locked over the opposite arm.

“I could snap your neck with my bare hands, bitch,” Eagle snarled into the man’s ear. The expression on the wolf’s face gave Riley pause. It was cold, deadly, and Riley knew Eagle would do just that. “Try me. I’ve learned very inventive ways to bring a person pain. I was taught by the best.”