A Cold Winter's Day 25 (15 page)

Luke’s head nodded rapidly as he knelt there on the bed. He could see his mate’s arms shaking. Malcolm dipped his head once more, letting his tongue slide over his mate’s wrinkled sac. His mate’s skin was salty and sweet as he nipped one inner thigh and then the other.

His hand snaked forward, his fingers trailing up and down Luke’s hard cock as his tongue twirled around his mate’s balls and then up, back toward his mate’s hole again.

His tongue delved into the tight star as he groaned, licking and nipping. Malcolm placed his hands on Luke’s hips, bringing him back as his tongue sank deeper into perfection. A finger joined in the play, Malcolm licking all around it.

“Pa–papa bear,” Luke stuttered.

Malcolm slipped another finger in as his tongue continued to bathe his mate’s hole. His mate tasted like the sweetest nectar, the most fragrant honey. Malcolm couldn’t get enough. When a third finger fit with no resistance, Malcolm pulled free and leaned back, lining his cock up and plunging deeply into his mate’s welcoming body.

He shivered at the tightness around his cock.

Luke’s body had to be made just for him. His own personal playground.

Laying his hand between Luke’s shoulder blades, Malcolm pressed the elf’s shoulders into the mattress as he grabbed his hips, pulling so far back that only the head remained, and then slammed forward.

Luke cried out, pushing his ass back to meet Malcolm’s forward thrusts. Malcolm lifted Luke higher, taking away his ability to move as he jetted into him. The feel of his mate wrapped around his cock was exquisite.

Malcolm could feel the tingling claw up his spine as it wrapped around his hips. He pulled free before he came and flipped Luke over, swallowing his mate’s cock. Luke’s legs fell apart as he fucked Malcolm’s mouth with quick bursts.

Trying his best to keep his canines from hurting his mate, Malcolm laved his tongue around Luke’s cock as he felt his mate’s cum hit the back of his throat. Luke shouted, his hips snapping rapidly as Malcolm swallowed his seed.

Malcolm reared back and plunged back into Luke’s soft body as his cock exploded, bright lights swimming in his eyes as every muscle in his body convulsed.

He dropped forward, onto his arms, as he cupped his calloused hands around Luke’s face. “I love you, Luke.”

Luke stared up at him, his chocolate-brown eyes swimming with tears. “I love you, too, papa bear.”

Malcolm chuckled at the term. He would perish the day Luke stopped calling him that. He pulled his mate close, his cock still buried deep as he dozed off to sleep.

* * * *

Luke bent at the waist as he pulled Cole’s clothes from the dryer. Folding them nice and neat, he laid the tiny items in the basket. Luke couldn’t believe the stuff Curtis had brought here for Cole.

There were three trash bags full of clothes, a high chair, Jumperoo, toys, car seat, and a crib. Cole wanted for nothing now. Hell, he had more clothes now than he did when they lived with Luke’s tribe.

He was grateful to Curtis for bringing the items and he was grateful to whoever had donated them. It was a blessing. Running with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a diaper bag hadn’t been the smartest move, but when faced with the real possibility of losing his son, Luke hadn’t cared.

He smiled as he thought about Cole. The baby was a true gift to him. Curtis was upstairs right now with Cole so Luke could get some cleaning done. The bears weren’t that messy, but he liked to earn his keep around here.

Malcolm had turned the small adjoining room that was off of their bedroom into a nursery. The room had been used as a storage space, but cleaning the room out hadn’t been that difficult. Luke loved how he and his son were so accepted into the Lakelands’ home—except for Riley, but Luke tried not to let that bother him.

His hand stilled when a dark and ominous feeling washed over him. Luke stood up straight, wondering why he was feeling this way. But no matter how much he tried to shake the feeling, it only became stronger, making his guts tighten with panic.

Shimmering out of the laundry room, Luke appeared in Cole’s nursery. No one was there. Curtis should have been in here with Cole. Luke ran from the room, checking the entire house, but his son and Curtis were nowhere to be found.

His heart ceased to beat in his chest as his breathing became labored. Luke crumpled to his knees as he cried out.

Cole was gone.

Luke’s anguish turned to rage, mounting and building, coursing through his veins until all he saw was Shanta’s head on a fucking platter. He never in his life wanted someone dead, until now.

“What’s wrong?” Malcolm asked as he rushed into the living room.

Luke slowly raised his head, hot, wet tears streaming down his face. “Cole is gone,” he growled between clenched teeth and then shimmered to his tribe.

* * * *

Malcolm stood there gaping for half a second before murderous thoughts began to plague him. He shouted for his sons, telling them to gather their mates. He wanted the ones who couldn’t defend themselves to go to the Den while he and his boys went in search of Luke and Cole.

Shanta was going to pay for messing with the Lakelands.

“Curtis is missing,” Chauncey shouted as he ran down the steps. “He was in the nursery with Cole. Now he’s gone. They are both gone.”

Malcolm cursed as Chauncey shot out of the front door. He ran after his son, trying to stop him, but Malcolm knew that was a fruitless task. Chauncey had shifted and was heading into the woods.

“Call Maverick,” he shouted to Riley.

Olsen came downstairs with Steven, Alex, Tater, and D. The two vampires shrank back at the morning light, but within seconds Carter was there. He shimmered the mates out.

“Maverick is sending Carter for the mates and he and some of his men are on their way,” Riley said as he ran back into the living room. “Pa…”

Malcolm looked at his oldest, seeing the sincerity in his grey eyes. “It’s not that I don’t like Luke. It’s just that…” He trailed off once again.

Malcolm walked over to Riley and cupped his face, tilting his son’s head back so he could look him in the eyes. “No one will ever take me from any of you. I may be mated now, but things between you and I haven’t changed. You’re still my number one on the ranch and will always be my number one son.”

“How touching,” Chance said as he walked past them. “Now if Riley is over his fucking insecurities, can we go get our pa and brother back? Not to mention Curtis.”

Malcolm knew Chance had a bond with Chauncey’s mate. He and his twin were as close as twin brothers could be. But Chance had killed for Curtis. A bond like that was forged when blood was spilled.

Malcolm walked away, feeling a blinding emptiness so deep, his soul bled from it. He wanted Luke back in his arms, in his home. Maverick pulled up, as well as another truck. Malcolm, along with his sons, climbed in.

Not a word was said as they raced to the land Maverick had given the wood elves when they were on the run from the shadow elves. How ironic that it was the same elves out to kill his mate and use his son for something unknown.

Malcolm sat back, deep in thought as they drove at a breakneck speed to rescue those that they loved.

The truck stopped about a mile from the tribe’s land.

“We’re going to shift and go in on foot. Watch out for exploding huts,” Maverick said as he and his men climbed from the truck.

“Exploding huts?” Chance quirked a brow as he, too, exited the vehicle. “This sounds like fun.”

* * * *

Luke held on to his sanity by a thin string as he secretly searched the village. He shimmered in and out when he knew no one was looking. Cole and Curtis could be anywhere, but he prayed Shanta was egotistical enough to bring them here.

If he hadn’t, Luke wasn’t sure where to find them.

He would search for the two until the end of time if he had to. There was no way in hell he was giving up. He couldn’t. Losing Cole was like losing a part of his soul. That little boy was a part of him that Luke refused to let go of.

Luke could feel the heated tears behind his eyes as he continued to search. Just when he had thought his life had taken a turn for the worst, fate had sent him Malcolm. Luke had thought that things were going to change, that Malcolm’s strong presence in his life was some sort of sign.

But here he was, searching for his son that the rank leader bastard had taken.

Luke had never really been a fighter. All his life he had tried to solve his problems by working them out. His mother had taught him that words were more powerful than fists. But today he was going to use more than his fists. He was going to fight Shanta to the bitter end to get Cole back into his arms where he belonged.

“You won’t find him.”

Luke spun around to see Shanta standing behind him. He stood tall and proud, refusing to react to the leader’s statement. “What do you want with him?” he asked as he moved a step away. He wasn’t going to allow the vile man anywhere near him. Luke wasn’t going to be tricked into wearing another bracelet.

Shanta gave a tight shrug as he leaned back against the wall. Luke wanted to jam his fist into the smug bastard’s face. “At his last exam, it was discovered that he has a very rare blood type. We have been trying to find a cure for the drug Liquid Wrath.”

Luke had no idea that Shanta had been trying to find a cure. Had his humanity returned? “What does Cole have to do with any of it?”

“Think,” Shanta almost shouted as he stood. “Use your damn brain and open your eyes. Your son’s blood
is
the cure. Do you know how many people can be saved?”

Luke gaped at Shanta. His son’s blood was the cure? Anger filled him at the thought of Cole being someone’s experiment. Had all the children’s blood of their tribe been tested? He started feeling guilty—guilt that he wouldn’t allow Cole to be used that way. His son’s blood might save the lives of many, but Luke wasn’t willing to let Cole be hooked up to a damn IV and drained.

He started to look at Shanta in a whole new light. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as Luke thought he was, just desperate to save many.

And then Shanta opened his mouth.

“Do you know how much money I could make selling that cure? We would be rich, you and me, ruling the paranormal community together.”

Really?

“Are you serious?” Luke shouted. “You want to use my son as a damn cash cow? You have to be out of your fucking mind!” His anger mounted as he stood there, imagining his hands wrapped around Shanta’s neck. “I won’t allow it.”

“How will you stop me? You have no idea where Cole is.”

Curtis groaned as he rubbed his head. His vision was blurred, and his head was pounding loudly in his ears.

“It’s about time you woke up.”

Curtis rolled from the bed he had been lying on, hitting the floor hard. He shot straight to his feet, ready to take on whoever was there. He was disoriented, feeling a bit woozy, and his stomach rolled as the need to vomit hit him hard, but Curtis managed to fight all of it off.

To his surprise, the guy looked as harmless as a damn kitten. It was a grown man. He could tell by the shadow of a beard on the guy’s chin, but the innocence in the man’s eyes made him relax, slightly.

Looks could sometimes be deceiving.

“Who are you?”

“That’s not important. The important thing is to get you and the child out of here before Shanta returns. Not all of us agree with what that madman is doing.”