Heart of the Warrior (14 page)

Most of the time, when a vampire mated to another, the other
vampire mated back. Sure, Micah had been an anomaly when he had mated to Jackson
last year but Jackson hadn’t returned the favor, but that was rare. Leave it to
Micah to be the oddball and take a mate that didn't requite.

But now Micah had Sam, so it had all worked out for the guy
in the end. He just hoped it worked out between himself and Ari, too.

Sev slipped on his boxer briefs and stripped the bed then
grabbed fresh sheets out of the linen closet. His mind drifted back to Micah
and Sam in Four Alarm and the way she had been able to calm him and direct his
attention. He and Ari would be able to do that for each other now, wouldn't
they? As mates, they would be able to bring balance to each other’s emotions
and keep each other focused. Sev secured the fitted sheet to the mattress and
looked at the bathroom door. His mate was in there. Shit! Wow! He listened to
the shower water splash against the tiled floor as if Ari was sweeping it off
his body as he rinsed.

He hated even this meager separation. He hated that he
couldn’t see Ari and make sure he was safe and protected. He had to physically
resist the pull to go into the bathroom and get into the shower with him simply
so there was no distance between them. Thank the
calling
for that.

The
calling
was what he had in store for him as their
link to one another deepened. In reality, it had already started. The drive for
constant sex was already tugging at Sev to go in there and make love to Ari
again. He couldn't really call it fucking, though, because there was too much
emotion behind it.

And those were all signs of the bond that was forming to
connect him to Ari on a deeper level than just friends or lovers. The
calling:
The ache in his chest when Arion wasn't near; the moodiness; the carnal need to
be on and in his lover 24/7. These were all signs of the mating link
strengthening to bind them to one another forever.

Mates.

Sev blinked back tears of shocked surprise. This was what
he'd always wanted but never thought he would find. For some reason, he thought
that since he was gay, the mating call would pass him over. Which was ridiculous
since plenty of gay couples mated to one another, but he thought his dreck
blood would prohibit it.

Oh God. That posed another problem, though. He would have to
eventually tell Ari who and what he was, wouldn’t he? After what had happened
with Gabe and his sister, he had decided that if he ever took another
boyfriend, he would be honest with him. And being that Ari was his mate and not
just a boyfriend, there was no question. He had to tell him everything. Even if
it meant Ari might reject him for it. But then again, Ari couldn't reject him
if he was mating to him, too.

Still, Sev wouldn’t put another person in danger without
letting them know up front what they could be in for, and with the imminence of
Gabe's sis hunting him down, Ari needed to know.

The shower shut off, and he quickly tucked in the sheet and
unfolded a fresh bedspread. He was smoothing it over the mattress when Ari
opened the bathroom door and stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist.
He was combing his fingers through his short, wet hair, and looked magnificent.
Ari's body was amazing. Tall, ripped, with the sexiest tattoo sleeve running
the length of his left arm. Sev just wanted to kneel in front of him and
outline his six-pack abs with his tongue.

"You okay, Sev?"

He lifted his gaze to Ari’s topaz eyes to find the male
smiling at him as if he was on the verge of laughter.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just the way you were looking at me. You
looked…hypnotized or something."

Sev walked around the bed and slid his arms around Ari’s
waist. "I
was
hypnotized. You do that to me." He kissed him
sweetly and patted his ass. "I’ll meet you upstairs."

He knew if he didn’t pull away now they would end up on the
bed again. Not that that was a bad thing, but they did need to eat and a break
in the action would be good to get their strength up.

Breaking away, Sev hustled up the stairs and returned to the
kitchen. The pizza box still sat on the counter, and the TV was still on in the
living room. He snagged a cold slice of pizza and took a bite. It tasted fine,
just needed to be heated up.

He shoved a few slices in the toaster oven, and a couple
minutes later Ari walked in wearing boxers. He looked somber.

"You okay?"

Ari nodded. "Yep, just got a lot on my mind."

"Such as?" Sev hoped he hadn’t misread the sitch
downstairs.

"Just stuff." Ari was being evasive and that made
Sev nervous.

"Are you having second thoughts about all this?"
Sev motioned back and forth between them.

Ari’s head swung around. "No. No, that’s not the
problem."

Relief relaxed Sev’s body and he breathed more easily.
"Okay, so what is?"

Ari went to the fridge and grabbed two cold beers and handed
one to Sev then leaned back against the counter and twisted the cap off his.
After taking a drink, he shrugged. "Where do I start, Sev? Io. My parents.
My life. My job."

Sev held up his hand. "Whoa, slow down." He joined
Ari and leaned back against the counter beside him. "Maybe you should
start at the beginning."

"I don’t want to dump all my problems on you,
Sev."

But Sev wanted him to dump his problems on him. That’s what
mates did for each other. "You’re not dumping anything on me, babe. You’ve
obviously got something on your mind – something that’s bothering you. You’ll
feel better if you get it out."

"Or not."

Sev gently nudged him and the corner of his mouth turned up.
"You won’t know until you try."

The timer on the toaster oven dinged and Ari grabbed them a
couple of plates and held them out while Sev placed two slices of pizza on
each.

"Okay, I’ll try," Ari said.

They went to the living room, turned off the TV, and sat
down on the couch.

They ate in silence for a couple of minutes, and Sev could
tell Ari was trying to figure out where to start.

Then suddenly, Ari said, "My parents. They’re pretty
old world conservative." He kept his eyes down. "My dad, well, he
used to be a member of the king’s personal guard."

Sev’s jaw dropped. "No shit."

So that's where the rumors of Ari's strong bloodlines came
from.

Ari frowned as if he was uncomfortable or ashamed.
"Yes. So, he’s a close friend of the king, right? And I was expected to
follow in my father’s footsteps and all that shit."

Sev wasn’t sure where this was going, but he was intrigued.

Ari looked up and caught Sev’s eye. "Sev, what I’m
about to tell you stays between us, okay?"

Sev nodded. "Sure, babe. I can keep my mouth
shut."

Wasn’t that the truth? He had kept his own family secrets
locked up for decades.

Ari took a deep breath and blew it out between pursed lips.
He was obviously nervous and uncomfortable.

"Hey, Ari, are you sure you want to be telling me
this?"

Ari gave a brisk nod. "Yes. I’ve just…well, I’ve just
never told this to anyone before. I think it’s harder to admit it to myself
more than anything. I mean, the minute I say it out loud, it’s real, you
know?"

Sev wondered what was so important that Ari would keep it a
secret from everyone to the point he struggled to finally reveal it to him.
"Just take your time, babe. I’m not going anywhere." He shoved in his
last bite of pizza and sat quietly, waiting for Ari to work up the courage to
speak.

Minutes passed and Ari finished his own pizza, set down his
plate next to Sev’s on the coffee table, then turned to Sev. "I never
wanted to be an enforcer."

Sev frowned. Was that it? Was that the big secret?
"Okay."

Ari shook his head as if he could hear how lame his
statement was. "I know it sounds like no big deal, but you have to
understand my dad."

"You became an enforcer because of your father?"

Ari nodded. "My course was set before I was born. It
didn’t matter what I wanted to do with my life. My mind wasn’t mine to make my
own decisions. I’ve always done what my father expected of me. I’ve always put
my own feelings and my own desires second."

"If you don’t want to be an enforcer, then what do you
want to be, Ari?" He took Ari’s hand in both of his, turning toward him.

The hard lines on Ari's face softened. The tension around
his eyes eased. He smiled softly. "A musician. That’s what I want to
be."

"Then do it."

The hard edges and tension returned. "I can’t."

"Why not?"

"You don’t understand the influence my dad has on me,
Sev. I can’t defy him like that."

"It’s your life, Ari, not his."

"I know. Shit, I know, but it’s hard."

"Nothing worth having in life is ever easy, Ari."

Ari looked up at him and Sev got the feeling there was more.
A chill of dread wrangled his spine. He didn’t have to wait long for the hammer
to drop.

"My dad is also homophobic. So is my mom. As in,
I-am-so-dead-if-they-find-out-I'm-gay homophobic." Ari paused. "They
can't know I'm gay."

Thud.
That was the sound of Sev’s heart falling. If
Ari couldn’t go against his father when it came to his occupation, it stood to
reason he couldn’t oppose him about his sexuality, either. And where did that
leave Sev? Hopefully not outside standing in the cold rain without an umbrella.

"What are you saying, Ari? That this has to end right
now before it even begins?"

"God no!" Ari gripped his hand.

"Then what? How is this supposed to work if you can’t
even admit to your own parents you’re gay and that we're," he almost said
mates but quickly corrected himself, "…together?"

"I don’t know. But it has to."

"Why?" Sev wondered again if Ari was feeling the
truth of what was really happening between them.

"Because…" Ari’s gaze dropped. "Because I
can’t lose you now that I just found you."

Well, that was something. Sev would have preferred to hear
because
you’re my mate,
or even
because I love you,
but under the
circumstances, this was better than nothing.

"I don’t want to lose you either, Ari, but sooner or
later you’ll have to tell your parents about me. Io, too."

Ari flopped his head against the back of the couch and
stared up at the ceiling as he blew out a heavy breath. "You heard him
tonight, Sev." Ari rolled his head and glanced at him. "You heard
what he called you."

"Yeah, so? Like I said earlier, I’ve heard worse."

"Io would make our lives together a living hell."

"Only if we let him, and I know I won’t." Sev gave
Ari a hard look, challenging him.

"He’s my best friend, Sev."

"And what am I?"

Ari gazed at him then looked down shamefully, clearly
understanding what he meant by the question. In a way, Sev felt he was being
unfair to Ari, because he had known Io a lot longer than him. But shit, Ari and
Io had never engaged in sex, and Ari certainly hadn't been honest with the guy.
Otherwise, Io would have known Ari was gay and Ari would have told him that he
never wanted to be an enforcer. So, obviously Ari already trusted Sev a lot
more than he trusted Io.

Does he realize we're mates?

"Look, Ari. If Io really is your best friend then he’ll
understand this. He’ll support our relationship. That is, if you want a
relationship with me. Do you?"

Ari lifted his hand and kissed it. "More than anything.
I’ve never been this happy with someone, Sev. I’ve never wanted anyone the way
I want you."

He caressed Ari’s cheek. "Me neither, babe, but I don’t
want to be just another one of your secrets."

Ari turned his face into Sev’s palm and kissed it before
turning to look at him again. "I know. I don’t want you to be, either, but
I need to work through this. Just be patient with me, okay?"

How could he resist anything his mate asked of him? "Of
course I will, babe. But please don’t make me wait forever."

Ari paused. "I won’t. I promise."

"Once everyone sees how happy you are, they’ll
understand. Everything will be fine."

"I hope you’re right, because I want this. I want
you."

Sev scooted closer and kissed his cheek, right by his ear.
"I can’t say I’m sorry that your dad made you be an enforcer, though. I
wouldn’t have met you otherwise."

"I know," Ari said. "At least one good thing
came out of it."

"You’re a good enforcer, if it’s any consolation."
He kissed him, just once, a slow and simple kiss.

"Sure, I’m good at it, but I don’t love it. Not like
you do." The mood in the room eased in one respect, but ramped up in another
as Ari pressed nearer and licked Sev's neck.

Sev grinned and scooped Ari onto his lap with one arm.
"I was born to fight. I was made to fight." He thought about the iron
skin his mixed blood had given him. If he hadn’t been built to fight, then he didn’t
know who was.

"Not me." Ari stole another taste of Sev’s neck as
he tugged him by the hair to grant better access.

He loved that. Ari gripping his hair and pulling was the
most mind-bending turn-on.

"What were you made to do?" Sev settled under him.

"Besides music?" Ari nipped his neck.

"Mmm, yes. Besides music. What were you made to do,
Ari?"

Ari purred and Sev's toes curled from the erotic sound.
"Make love to you," Ari said. "I was made to make love to
you."

Sweet Jesus. That was what he wanted to hear.

Their hands worked together to push Sev’s boxers down to
reveal his erection.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking about last
night when I was kissing that woman at Four Alarm?" Ari said.

The way Ari asked with a secret smile on his face made Sev
grin.