Smoke & Mirrors

  “Those lips are going to look so fucking hot wrapped around my dick,” the guy said with a leer.

  “Try it, and I promise you, I’ll make you regret ever having laid eyes on him.”

  The guy charged him, and Sloane grinned. So fucking cocky. As soon as he was close enough Sloane threw his arms around the guy’s waist, lifted him, and slammed him down onto the dance floor, using his own weight to increase the force of the impact. The jaguar Therian gasped for breath as Sloane landed on him. Sloane rolled off and grabbed a fistful of the guy’s T-shirt before punching him in the face. A cougar Therian landed on the floor next to Sloane with a groan. Sloane shot his head up to find Dex standing there, the top two buttons of his shirt torn off. His face was flushed, and his chest rose and fell from the exertion.

  “Hi, babe.”

  Sloane was breathless. “Hi.” He was about to ask Dex if he was okay when he caught movement behind Dex. Before he could utter a word, Dex ducked and turned, landing a right hook into a guy’s ribs. The Therian crashed to the floor. Sloane stared at his partner.

  Dex straightened and reached into his back pocket. He whipped his ID out and held it up before shouting across the floor. “THIRDS! Everyone back the fuck up!”

  The music stopped, and everything came to a screeching halt.

  “Agent Daley, Defense agent for the THIRDS. Don’t move.” He looked around him at the stunned Therians, their chests heaving from the brawl. Some were bloodied, some covered in food or drink stains. Dex addressed the group, his piercing blue gaze challenging anyone to make one wrong move. “Yes, I’m marked. Yes, I’m Human. No, you don’t get to challenge my mate for me. You don’t get to touch me without my permission. You don’t get to ignore me when I say no because I decided to have a beer in a bar with Therians. You don’t get to say I’m asking for it, because I don’t give a fuck what your feral half wants. This country is ruled by Human laws. You want to act like an animal? I will throw your ass in jail, and you’ll be sent to the Zoo. You can be as feral as you want there.”

  A jaguar Therian took a step forward, coming to a halt when Sloane stood behind Dex. His narrowed gaze moved from Sloane back to Dex. “It’s not our fault. It’s in our DNA.”

  “Bullshit,” Dex spat. He thrust a finger at the Therian next to the man. “If that guy there tries to fuck you without your consent, what does that make him?”

  The two Therians looked at each other before turning their attention back to Dex. The jaguar Therian frowned at Dex.

  “That’s different.”

  “Why? Because I’m Human? Because you’re a Therian and your feral half says it’s okay, it’s the law of the wild, nature and all that bullshit? That makes it okay? No, it makes you a fucking rapist. I don’t give a shit what society says. I’m an officer of the law, and the law says you try to force yourself on someone, that’s sexual assault, and I will get your ass prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Think on that, because if any of you ever end up in the back of my team’s truck, you’ll be the one who gets fucked.” Dex slapped his ID wallet shut, then stuck it back in his jeans. He turned and held his hand out to Sloane.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Sloane nodded. He was too stunned to speak, so he allowed Dex to lead him out of the bar, aware of Ash and Cael following close behind. Outside, Dex turned and gave Sloane’s cheek a kiss.

  “I’m gonna call us a cab.”

  Sloane couldn’t seem to bring himself to do anything other than nod. Ash stepped up to him and patted his shoulder. He looked a little dumbfounded himself.

  “I, uh, I think you guys will be okay.”

  “Yeah.” Sloane watched as Dex flagged down a cab. He looked like he’d been in a bar fight. His shirt was torn, his knuckles bruised, and he had dirt smudges on his clothes. Damn, he was something else.

  “That was, uh, kind of intense,” Ash added. “Also, I have no idea what the fuck happened back there, but it was fucking scary, Sloane. You need to talk to someone about that.”

  Sloane promised he’d look into it. He thanked Ash for having his back and gave Cael a hug good-night, assuring him they’d be fine and he’d look after Dex. Whatever Ash thought it was, there was no way it was Dex releasing pheromones. There were those who believed it was possible for Humans, but Sloane didn’t buy it. Dex hadn’t smelled any different. If he had, Sloane would have been the first to notice.

  A cab pulled up to the curb, and Sloane joined Dex inside. On the ride home, Sloane thought he was going to lose his mind. All he could think about was Dex, the way he’d moved against Sloane’s body, the softness of his skin, the feel of his hair, the warmth of his breath, and the taste of his lips. Dex laced his fingers with Sloane’s, giving his hand a squeeze. When Sloane looked over, their eyes met. Dex’s pupils were dilated, the heat and want in his gaze unmistakable.

  The ride seemed to take forever. When it was finally over, Sloane handed the driver some money, told him to keep the change, and ran up the front steps where Dex stood at the top, opening the door. Sloane hauled him inside, slammed the door behind them, and pounced. He kissed Dex ravenously while divesting him of his clothes. Buttons popped, clothes were torn, but Sloane couldn’t care less. All he could think about was being inside Dex, of claiming his mate. His.

  “You’re mine,” Sloane hissed, cupping the back of Dex’s neck and bringing him in for an ardent kiss. Dex pressed himself up against Sloane, his fingers digging into Sloane, as if he feared Sloane would slip away.

  “Yes. In every way, yes.”

  Dex helped Sloane remove the rest of his clothes, and once Sloane was naked, he pushed Dex onto the couch, groaning when Dex fell back onto it, his face flushed, smooth tanned skin begging to be spoiled by Sloane. He grabbed the bottle of lube from the end table drawer and stalked Dex, his grin feral as Dex drew his knees up and palmed his erection. His hair was a mess, his lips swollen from Sloane’s kisses, and he was putting on a show for Sloane.

  Sloane bit down on his bottom lip to keep himself from moaning at Dex’s provocative behavior, challenging Sloane not to lose what little control he clung to. Dex lay back on the couch, his eyes never leaving Sloane’s as he stroked his cock with one hand, his other hand sliding up his torso. He arched his back and gyrated his hips.

  “You like to watch me,” Dex said, his voice low and husky.

  Sloane nodded. Fuck yeah. He loved to see the pleasure on Dex’s face. Loved seeing the way those plump lips parted in ecstasy, how his skin turned pink, the sweat beaded on his brow, how he lost himself at Sloane’s hands.

  “I bought something for you, while you were at work.” Dex pointed behind him to the end table. “In the drawer.”

  Sloane could barely contain his curiosity or his excitement. He opened the drawer and found a long white box. His pulse sped up when he found a dildo nestled inside the red velvet. He licked his bottom lip and removed it from the box, unable to take his eyes off it.

  “I want you to fuck me with it,” Dex purred.

  A shiver went through Sloane, and he quickly grabbed the lube off the coffee table where he’d left it. He poured a generous amount onto the flesh-colored sex toy. Just the thought of what he was about to do had him painfully hard, his cock jutted up against his stomach leaking precome. He took one of the throw pillows off the couch, and Dex lifted his hips so Sloane could slide it under him.

  “I want you to look at me,” Sloane ordered as he knelt on the couch. He pressed the tip of the dildo in his hand to Dex’s entrance, watching as Dex’s lips parted in anticipation. Slowly, he breached Dex’s hole; his grip on his feral half was tentative at best, especially when Dex grabbed the back of his knees and drew them closer to his chest. Sloane couldn’t help taking hold of his own cock and stroking. He groaned at the noises coming from Dex. His beautiful face was flushed, and he writhed as Sloane pulled out slightly before pushing the rest of the way in until the dildo was buried deep inside him.

  Sloane had never seen anythi
ng more decadent than Dex spreading wide for him, a cock stuck up his ass. Unable to help himself, Sloane stopped to get on his stomach, his elbows hooked under Dex’s knees as he licked from Dex’s hole up to his cock. He sucked and nibbled at Dex’s inner thigh before drawing Dex’s cock into his mouth. He took Dex down deep, loving the way Dex shivered underneath him, how he begged Sloane. The dildo moved, and Sloane popped off Dex with a low growl.

  “Don’t you fucking move. Keep it there until I’m done.”

  “Sloane,” Dex whined. “Please. I can’t.”

  “You can, and you will.”

  Sloane went back to driving Dex crazy with his mouth, circling his tongue around Dex’s cock, pressing the tip down against his slit. Dex whimpered, his fingers slipping into Sloane’s hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. Sloane groaned in the back of his throat, loving the way Dex tugged at his hair. He swallowed Dex down to the root before pressing his lips hard around Dex and moving back up.

  “Sloane,” Dex warned.

  Sloane pulled off Dex, gave his nipple a tweak, before he sat back on his heels. He slowly removed the dildo and replaced it with his cock. He buried himself inch by inch until he was settled against Dex’s ass. Taking hold of Dex’s legs, Sloane began to move, pumping into Dex, his groin slapping against Dex’s ass. The couch moved beneath them, but Dex held on tight as Sloane pounded into him.

  “Oh fuck! Oh God, oh God, oh fuck!”

  Dex cried out, his back arching up off the couch, his cock spurting come across his chest, with some landing on his neck and chin. Sloane bent over Dex, grabbing his shoulders, jerking Dex toward him as he drove into him. His hair fell over his face, sweat dripping down his neck as he fucked Dex wildly, his hips losing all rhythm. White heat spread through Sloane, exploding in front of his eyes as his orgasm barreled through him. His muscles tensed, and he pumped into Dex even harder as he spilled himself inside Dex’s hole. It seemed to go on forever, until Sloane was sore and collapsed on top of Dex.

  Sloane lay on Dex, attempting to catch his breath. Beneath him, Dex’s soft panting soon leveled out. The room smelled of sweat and sex. Sloane wanted to move, but he couldn’t. The best he could manage was to roll himself off Dex, landing on the couch on his side. He wrapped an arm around Dex and nuzzled his hair.

  “I love you,” Sloane breathed.

  “I love you too,” Dex replied quietly.

  A CHILL woke Sloane, and as lazy as he felt, he knew they should get up. They’d already had sex twice more. Dex’s appetite seemed insatiable. Not that Sloane was complaining. He planted a kiss on Dex’s shoulders, his hands caressing Dex’s stomach.

  “Babe.”

  Dex stirred. “Hm.”

  “Let’s go to bed.”

  “Sleep here,” Dex murmured, wrapping his arm around Sloane’s and lacing their fingers together. Seconds later, he declared he had to pee.

  “Okay,” Sloane said with a chuckle, releasing him. He must have fallen back asleep because he woke up when Dex kissed him.

  “Come on, handsome. My ass is getting cold.”

  Sloane got up with a groan. He had to pee anyway. Dex had washed up, because Sloane could smell the flowery soap from their bathroom upstairs. Once he was done, he pulled on a T-shirt and pajama bottoms, and once Dex had done the same, they climbed into bed and snuggled close together.

  “Sloane,” Dex mumbled sleepily.

  “Yeah.”

  “Turn off the lamp.”

  Sloane turned to reach for the lamp and frowned. “It is off.” He blinked the sleep from his eyes and turned back to Dex, freaked out when Dex bolted upright. “Dex, what’s wrong?”

  “Why’s it so bright in here?”

  Sloane quickly scrambled and turned on the bedside lamp. He knelt beside Dex, checking him over, noticing how Dex was squinting, as if the lamplight was blinding.

  “Tell me what you’re feeling. Talk to me.” Something was wrong. Dex’s skin was burning up, and his pupils were dilated. He winced, his hand going to his chest.

  “Fuck.”

  “Dex, talk to me. You’re scaring the shit out of me.”

  “I feel weird.”

  Before Sloane could ask how he felt weird, Dex’s eyes went wide and he fell back onto the bed. His back arched up, his body seizing painfully before a fierce, almost inhuman cry tore from his lips.

  “Dex!”

  Sloane tried to examine Dex, but he was thrashing so much it was hard for Sloane to keep a hold on him. Dex gritted his teeth, his face turning deep red and his neck muscles straining as he fought against the pain he was so obviously in. His body twisted and contorted as if he were possessed, his fingers grabbing fistfuls of the bedsheets. Unable to help, Sloane turned to grab his phone, but it wasn’t on the nightstand where he’d left it.

  “It was right there.” He always placed his phone on his nightstand in case of emergency. Where the fuck was his phone?

  “He’ll be fine.”

  The familiar voice startled Sloane, and he peered into the shadows at the end of the room. Austen emerged, his expression sympathetic as he watched Dex. What the hell was Austen doing here?

  “Austen? You need to help me. We need to call emergency services.”

  Austen shook his head. “You need to let this play out.”

  “Are you out of your mind?” Sloane thrust a hand in Dex’s direction. “Look at him!” This was fucking ridiculous. Dex’s phone! Sloane ran over to Dex’s side of the bed, stunned to find Dex’s phone was gone. His head shot up, and he stared at Austen.

  “You took them.”

  “It’s a seizure,” Austen said gently. “Sort of. He’s had one before. You need to let it play out.”

  “What?” Sloane shook his head. “That’s not possible. I would have known if this had happened before.” He quickly returned to Dex’s side, Austen joining him. “Dex would have told me.” Something this serious, Dex would have said something. They were done keeping secrets.

  “He didn’t tell you because he couldn’t remember.”

  “Explain,” Sloane growled.

  “The other day, when you called him from work and he told you he must have fallen asleep. He’d had a similar episode. TIN was immediately on the scene, and Sparks was called in. They took care of him.”

  “Why wasn’t I told?”

  Dex’s anguished cry startled Sloane, and he climbed back onto the bed, kneeling beside him and running a hand over his head. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You can get through this. I’m right here with you.”

  Tears streamed down the side of Dex’s face. He looked so scared, but he couldn’t talk. Sloane’s heart was breaking, and he felt helpless. How could he sit here and do nothing while the man he loved was in so much agony?

  “There has to be something I can do.”

  “All you can do is comfort him. It’ll pass.”

  “And if it doesn’t?” Sloane growled, his eyes meeting Austen’s. “I can’t just—”

  “It will pass, Sloane. You’ll put him in more danger if you send him to the hospital.”

  “Austen….”

  Austen gently put his palm to Dex’s brow, smiling warmly down at him. “You can do this, Dex.” He looked up at Sloane, his expression grave. “I would never lie to you, Sloane.”

  Sloane was beside himself. “What do I do?” In these kind of situations, his job would be to administer first aid, to get the victim help, but this was like nothing he’d ever seen. He trusted Austen, but Austen worked for TIN.

  “Sloane. Trust me.”

  Sloane looked up. The sincerity in Austen’s voice and the promise in his eyes had Sloane taking a chance he wouldn’t have taken on anyone else.

  “Let him know you’re here.”

  Sloane did his best to soothe Dex. He ran his hand over Dex’s head, his words soft as he spoke. “It’s okay. You’ll be okay, sweetheart. I’m here. I’m right here with you.”

  Dex’s chest rose and fell with short, rapid breaths, his pupils blown, and his
terrified gaze on Sloane. Oh God, it was like he was dying. Tears pooled in Sloane’s eyes, and he brought Dex’s fingers to his lips for a kiss.

  “If you’re wrong,” Sloane choked out, his eyes on Dex as he addressed Austen, “I’ll never forgive you.”

  Austen’s words came out a whisper. “I know.”

  “Dex, I’m here. You’ll be okay. You can do this.”

  Dex gasped, clawing at the sheets as his back arched again. Another cry tore from his lips, and Sloane grabbed hold of him so he wouldn’t roll off the bed. He held on to Dex, shutting his eyes tight as Dex screamed again. Then he went limp in Sloane’s arms.

  “Dex?” Sloane gently laid him back down on the bed. His eyes were closed, and it didn’t look like he was breathing. “Dex? Baby, please!” Sloane felt for a pulse. There was nothing. “Dex!” He jumped off the bed and ran to the closet where his medical bag was.

  Dex gasped, and Sloane turned, rushing back to Dex’s side. He cupped Dex’s face, never happier to see those pools of pale blue gazing up at him. “Oh, thank God.” He climbed onto the bed and drew Dex into his arms, running a hand down his back as Dex cried against his shoulder. Sloane couldn’t help the tears that fell. He’d never been more terrified in his life. He closed his eyes tight, feeling when the covers were pulled snugly around them. When Sloane opened his eyes, he knew Austen was gone. Not so much because he couldn’t see Austen anymore, but because he could feel it.

  Sloane rocked with Dex cradled in his arms, afraid to let him go. What the hell was going on? Why was Dex having seizures? Sloane had witnessed plenty of episodes in his time. Hell, as a Therian, he was all too familiar with the experience, but he’d never seen anything like this. That it was happening to Dex, a man who’d never suffered from anything worse than a bad cold, was even more frightening. Why would taking Dex to the hospital put him in danger? Did TIN just expect them to carry on as if nothing had happened? Dex had fought through it this time, but what about the next? No, they had to get some professional medical advice.

  “Sloane?”

  Dex’s voice was so low that Sloane wouldn’t have heard him if the room hadn’t been silent.

  “I’m here, sweetheart.” Sloane’s voice was hoarse, his eyes hurt, and his chest burned, but he was relieved. Dex trembled in his arms, and Sloane wrapped his legs around him, drawing him in closer against him, offering his body heat. Before he’d been burning up; now he was cold.

  Dex looked up at him, but it was as if he couldn’t see Sloane. As if he were in some kind of daze. Sloane’s hand was shaking when he placed it to Dex’s cheek. His body temperature appeared to be getting back to normal, and quickly.

  “What did I say about those gray hairs?” Sloane tried to smile, but Dex’s weak laugh almost broke him. He buried his face in Dex’s hair and tried to find strength in the man he loved. Dex needed him to be strong.

  “Tired,” Dex said weakly.

  “I know.” Sloane kissed Dex’s cheek. “Close your eyes. I’ve got you.”

  “Don’t let go.”

  “I promise.”

  Dex smiled, and Sloane waited, holding him until his breath steadied, and even then he held Dex some more. He didn’t want to move, afraid if he did Dex might slip away. Dex slept peacefully, his cheeks flushed, but otherwise he looked as he always did. When he could bring himself to move, he laid Dex in the middle of the bed, covering him with the duvet. He checked Dex’s pulse and his breathing. When he was content everything was as it should be, he went to the closet and got out his THIRDS medical bag. It had everything from epinephrine to a portable defibrillator. He placed it on the floor by his side of the bed. When he straightened, his smartphone was on the nightstand.

  He needed answers, and he needed them now.

  Grabbing his phone, he walked to the bathroom, leaving the door open just enough to keep an eye on Dex. He pressed his thumb to the screen, and when it unlocked, he brought up his contacts. He scrolled through until he found the one he wanted. He was about to press the little green phone button when his phone buzzed in his hand, an unknown number calling. With a frown, he answered, his voice quiet so he wouldn’t wake Dex up.

  “Hello?”

  “You were about to call,” Sparks replied.

  Sloane really hated how she did that. Damn TIN and their surveillance. “I really don’t appreciate being watched or listened to.”

  “If we weren’t keeping surveillance on you, we wouldn’t have been there to help Dex when he had his first seizure.”

  “Where the hell was your surveillance when Dex was kidnapped? Or when Wolf broke into our home a second time? If your operatives are on it, if they’re so damned good, why does Wolf keep getting to us?”

  “I’m looking into it.”

  “Bullshit! You’re telling me TIN can’t keep us safe? That they can’t keep track of one guy?”

  “Is that why you called?”

  Sloane let out a humorless laugh. “Wow, okay. You’re not even going to bother