“Yes, and exactly how did that happen?”
Be convincing. “One of the guards had just taken me to the bathroom when the other called him in to see something on television. The guard tied me, but not very tight, because he was distracted, I suppose. He left the room, and I wiggled out of my bonds. I sneaked up on them in the small room where the television was, kicked one man and punched the other. I was successful in grabbing one of the guns and getting them tied up.”
“The gunshot to the man’s thigh?”
Lindsey stared at him levelly. “He tried to get my gun and I shot him.”
“Your clothes?”
“They took them off and ripped them up, I suppose to make me feel more vulnerable.”
“They haven’t done that to any of the other victims.”
Lindsey stared at Partridge levelly. “I’m unique.”
Seth laughed. “You certainly are.”
“Lindsey!” The voice burst out from the hall. Lindsey looked up to see Jazz racing in from the entry at top speed. Lindsey stood just in time to catch the flying Jazz missile. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh God, I was so scared.”
Lindsey held the boy tight, pushing back the tears that threatened to splash. “I’m fine, Jazz. Just fine. How on earth did you get here? It’s the middle of the night.” He held Jazz out at arm’s length.
The boy stared at the floor. “I sneaked out and hitchhiked here.”
“But how did you know there was something wrong?”
He glanced at Partridge and Seth. Seth gave him a grin back, so he must have felt emboldened. “One of the guys hacked into the police department computer.”
Lindsey laughed. “Ever resourceful.” He turned to Pop-Pop and his mother. “I’d like you to meet Jasper Harding, the young man I’ve told you so much about.”
His mom immediately sprang to the boy’s defense. “Lindsey, Seth, I’m sure Jasper would never have taken advantage of the police information if he hadn’t thought Lindsey was in danger.” She put a hand on Jazz’s shoulder. “Now, young man, we’re going to go call your foster family and tell them where you are. Then we’re going to make arrangements for you to stay here with us.”
His eyes widened. “Really? I can stay here tonight?”
“I was rather thinking something more permanent. Come with me.”
Jazz flashed a huge smile at Lindsey and Seth as he walked out of the room with Lindsey’s mother. Lindsey chuckled and looked at his grandfather. “I believe she has a new mission.”
“Do you approve?”
“Entirely. I was going to approach you both about it.”
“Even better if your mother thinks it’s her own idea.”
Partridge cleared his throat. Lindsey looked at him. “Yes, Mr. Partridge, I’ll continue, but sadly, I don’t think I have any good leads on the men behind this ring of kidnappers. They seem to have a willing supply of muscle, since we’ve now taken out several of their guards and they appear to have more.”
Partridge looked at him coolly. “We? We’ve taken out?”
He grinned. “Well, I contributed the two tonight. I think that counts as ‘we.’” He wouldn’t mention that the others had his stamp as well. He leaned forward and started talking again.
It took another hour before the police and FBI finally left. It was late before he and Seth climbed the stairs.
Seth went to Lindsey’s suite while Lindsey went to the other wing of the house to check on Jazz, then walked back toward his own rooms—slowly. How scary was it to have sex with a human on the full moon? He’d been lucky so far. Seth seemed to revel in Lindsey’s dominant streak, and their mating had been incredible. But tonight? Even Cole had warned him about not fucking humans on the full moon, and the alphanta didn’t even know about Lindsey’s violent nature. Should he beg off? Seth would probably understand if he said he was tired, needed to sleep. He grinned. But would his own dick? The very energy that made it dangerous to have sex made him want it desperately. Already half-hard, his cock throbbed, and his blood fizzed like champagne.
He opened the door to the suite and stopped. Only one cure for full moon fever, and he was sitting pretty as you please in front of the fire, looking delicious.
What did the kids say? YOLO. Of course, if Lindsey couldn’t control himself, the one life he got to live could be pretty damned short. “You look comfortable.”
“Did you check on Jazz?”
He walked over and sat on the arm of Seth’s chair. “Yes. I looked in. Mom has him ensconced in his own room in the other wing, and I imagine that will be a permanent situation if Jazz wants it. He fell asleep so fast, I doubt we’ll see him until tomorrow noon.”
“Do you mind if he knows I’m sleeping with you?”
Lindsey shook his head. “If he is gay, he needs some homosexual role models.”
“God, I never thought I’d be a role model.”
“Or wanted to be, I imagine.” He twisted his finger in Seth’s curls.
“You must be tired.”
“A little, but also kind of wired.” Understatement.
“Sounds promising.”
Lindsey stood and walked toward the bed, tossing clothes as he went. “Fuck me to sleep.”
That got Seth’s attention. “Now that sounds like my idea of a bedtime story.”
As long as that story has a happy ending. “I’m going to brush my teeth. Want your own toothbrush?”
“That would be great.”
After fishing a new toothbrush from his cabinet and pulling on a silk robe, Lindsey smiled into the mirror, looking at Seth brushing away at the second sink. Don’t get domestic, idiot. He thinks you’re human. Tonight, he’s pretty far from the truth.
Seth finished first, washed up, and paused in the bathroom door. Obviously the domesticity was catching. He leaned against the jamb. “Don’t take too long, dear.” He chuckled and returned to the bedroom.
Lindsey smoothed lotion into his hands and took deep breaths. Quit stalling. His cock certainly knew what it wanted. It was practically dragging Lindsey toward the bed. He could do this. Surely he could. He wanted to so very much.
Inhale and let it out slowly. He turned off the lights in the bathroom and stepped into the large bedroom. All the lights were off except for a bedside lamp—just enough illumination to show Seth, stark naked, slowly stroking his highly upright cock. A bottle of lube and a box of condoms sat conspicuously on the table next to him.
As Lindsey walked toward the bed, he opened the robe, slid it from his shoulders, and dropped it on the chair. Seth made a low humming sound of appreciation. Sounded a lot like a growl, and Lindsey’s back shuddered as if it was ruffling his fur. Whoa.
His throbbing cock led him to the bed. He took a deep breath, flipped off the lamp, and slid under the covers with his back to Seth. Inhale. Let it out slowly.
Seth snuggled against his back. “Umm, such a shy, demure little Lindsey tonight. Not grabbing me by the throat and humping me like a tiger.”
Wolf. That would be wolf.
“I like you both ways. So you just rest and let me take care of you, okay?” He reached over Lindsey’s hip and found the hard and fast evidence of Lindsey’s interest. He chuckled. “Umm, I see too much persuasion won’t be required.”