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Psychic Docs 5

Now and Forever

Doctor Jacinto Alvarez is a man who knows what he wants, and
his heart is set on spell caster James Caldwell.

James is drawn to the sexy doctor, but he knows Jake’s coven is in
the middle of a nasty war and is determined to keep his distance.
However, James doesn’t count on Jake’s determination to be his

one and only or his own powerful feelings to be with Jake.

As the showdown with Dark Spear grows closer, three of Jake’s

brothers decide they want out of the brotherhood, and Jake’s
mate becomes the next target in the deadly game.

As the dominants plot to destroy the enemy, it is their mates who
come up with a plan to ensure the coven’s immortality. With

James’s spells, the plan is set, but unless James can overcome
that shadow of doubt about Jacinto’s feelings for him, the men will
never become immortal.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Interracial, Paranormal
Length: 50,625 words

NOW AND FOREVER

Psychic Docs 5

E.A. Reynolds

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

NOW AND FOREVER
Copyright © 2013 by E.A. Reynolds
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-751-2

First E-book Publication: March 2013

Cover design by Christine Kirchoff
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
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Letter to Readers

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Reynolds from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you.
Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

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NOW AND FOREVER

Psychic Docs 5

E.A. REYNOLDS

Prologue

Jacinto Alvarez moved through the shadows of the park

unconcerned with the faint noises of twigs breaking. He knew who
was coming, and he knew damned well he should be worried about
what could happen. The man approaching him was one of his coven
leaders as well as the leader of the dark Psy coven planning to destroy
him and his fellow coven members as soon as Jacinto and his mate
had accepted their bond.

He was playing a dangerous game with two very dangerous

adversaries. Both Carlin and Lucan had proven how willing they were
to kill over the last few months. Both had killed their mates by every
indication, and both had likely had a hand in the annihilation of the
Misty Willows and Sleepy Pines colonies. Carlin, under the guise of
Aero, had led Misty Willows for years while his lover Lucan, in the
guise of Clay, had led Sleepy Pines.

Both men had ensured their colonies remained nonviolent, and the

Beorc brothers they led stayed true to an outdated heritage. Following
the old tenets of their Beorc brotherhood left them ignorant and
vulnerable to attack.

He came to a stop next to a tree and caressed the cool bark as

memories washed over him. In other lifetimes as well as this one,

Now and Forever

he’d lost friends at these men’s hands, and he had no intentions of
losing another friend to this war.

“Jacinto.”
He took his time turning around to face the dark-skinned Carlin

Maskon. The man was ruthless, but his lover Lucan was even more
so. The more dangerous of the two was Lucan on any given day
merely because his temper could be quicker than Carlin’s. However,
these days Carlin was keeping his lover well controlled. Destroying
Lucan wasn’t his first order of business. The destruction of something
more precious to Carlin was, and that hand was already in play.

“Took your time about getting here,” Jacinto retorted as his gaze

slithered over the man who was as tall as he was at six foot two. They
were nearly the same age at one hundred and five. Carlin had two
years on him at one hundred and seven, but they both wore it well. He
doubted if anyone of the brothers knew how old Carlin was, let alone
how old he was. They had both handled the brothers expertly well
over the last years.

In fact, each of them had kept their true motives so secret it had

taken an attack by one of their now-dead brothers to make them aware
that all wasn’t as it seemed.

“Why are we here?” Jacinto demanded. “We could have done this

at your place. Mason’s not there anymore, and I doubt Clay plans to
just drop by with Xi.”

“Take a look around, Jacinto,” he ordered softly.
“What am I looking at, man?” he asked coolly. “Your empire

hasn’t been built yet.”

“Such sarcasm,” he retorted. “Bitter sarcasm.”
“I have plans with that cute little spell creator you want me to

seduce,” he said. “I can’t get his ass to write the damned spells you
want if I’m playing around with you. We both have plans for our
lives, and neither plan includes sitting around waiting for grass to
grow under our feet.”

“I know he’s your mate, so you have to have some animosity over

E.A. Reynolds

deceiving him.”

“He’ll know what he needs to know when it’s time,” Jacinto

answered him coolly.

Carlin gave him a pensive look before calmly asking, “How are

your brothers these days?”

Jacinto cocked a brow. “You called me here for that?” he

demanded in a hard tone. “We could have shot the breeze over the
phone.”

“What is Matt up to?”
“I wouldn’t know,” he answered. “I suppose he’s trying to make a

life with his mate.”

A spell came hurdling at him, and the only indication he had was

the prickling at the back of his neck. Jacinto turned in time to see the
green-tailed spell and deflected it, sending it at Carlin, who
extinguished it quickly before it damaged his hand.

“The next time your bitch does something like that, I will bury his

ass six plus feet deep headless,” Jacinto told him coldly.

“Just try it,” Lucan said, a chill in his voice as he joined them.

“How are things coming with your mate? I heard he dumped you.”

“He did, and that’s why I’m trying to get to see him tonight,

jackass.”

Lucan gave him a hard stare before moving behind Carlin and

crossing his arms over his chest.

Jacinto was ready. He knew the short fuse Lucan was on lately.

They’d lost friends and colleagues due to strikes against their coven
as well as the coven of their allies. It had to be hard to be leader of a
tempest, even for a Psy. The Psy mob was little known and rarely
considered in the violence that plagued the streets of both mortal and
supernatural areas.

“Get me the spells by the dark of the moon, which is in two

weeks,” Carlin said. “I need to begin the ritual by then. I don’t care
how you have to do it, Jacinto, but you damn well better have what I
need.”

Now and Forever

“Or what?” he asked in a mocking tone. “It’s not like you’re going

to kill me yet.”

“I told you I’d spare you and your mate,” Carlin said. “You’ll be

no threat to me.”

Jacinto gave him a cool smile. He would always be a danger to

this man as long as he was alive. They were mortal enemies, and he
was sure Carlin knew it as well as he did. As a result, the man would
not let him or his mate live. If he did let him live, he’d kill his mate as
he had done before in other lifetimes.

But this time there would be no fatal betrayal or killing of his

mate, Jacinto vowed. This had to be the last time he travelled this road
with Carlin.

“Why am I here?” he demanded of Carlin then turned a hard gaze

on Lucan, who was watching him with a calculated expression. Lucan
had a quick mind that was always working, and he knew even as he
stood there the man was making plans to act against him or his mate.
Something that wouldn’t kill but badly wound.

“I want to give you a home here,” Carlin said. “I want to offer you

a place in Dark Spear when this is over. You can lead the medical
team.”

Carlin was laying a trap him. Probably trying to draw him in,

convince him he was a member of the team. Once Carlin had his trust
he’d likely go after his mate before turning on him. That was enough
to refuse, but that wasn’t the way gains were made. He looked around
instead trying to appear curious rather than overly suspicious. “What
do I have to do for it? Who do I have to draw in?”

“I want to know what they’re really up to,” Carlin said. “Someone

is trying to destroy my organization. I want to know if they’ve
suddenly grown a collective set or if it’s someone else.”

“The boys aren’t sharing lately?” he mocked. He knew damn well

they weren’t. Trace wasn’t in a sharing mood. Hell, he hadn’t said a
thing to him about that slaughterhouse of a massacre that had killed
twenty-five people over a week and half ago.

E.A. Reynolds

The events had effectively crippled part of Carlin’s operation.

Lucan had been scrambling to put some things together to keep a few
deals from falling through. Carlin was playing it cool as he tried to
ferret out the culprit. It was almost comical. He’d played the boys for
patsies for so long he hadn’t expected them to ever put two and two
together.

“Why don’t you just ask Carter?” Jacinto asked coolly.
“You know Carter doesn’t share like he used to,” Carlin muttered,

giving him a cutting stare.

Jacinto sighed. “You’re a man. Do what you have to,” he said and

shook his head. “I’m out of here. I’ve got a job of my own to do, but
I’ll try to get an invite to Dillan’s and see if he’s your guy. After all,
you did say Old Guard was evil.”

Lucan threw a punch at him, caught him off guard, and knocked

him on his ass. Jacinto cast a spell that threw Lucan back several
steps. He landed on his ass, and Carlin was yanking Jacinto up before
he could recover. Jacinto took the punch to the jaw and winced at the
sting before delivering a punch to the other man’s stomach that had
him wincing. He used a spell to shock Carlin into turning him loose.

“Bastard.” Lucan threw a spell that Jacinto knew would have put

him out for days but it went off course, and Lucan landed facedown in
the dirt.

Carlin jerked around. “Lucan?”
“I’m fine,” he growled, rolling onto his back. “Bastard was

quicker than I thought.”

“Keep fucking with me, Carlin, and I’ll stab your ass in the back

and hand them Lucan on a silver platter,” he snarled as he gave Carlin
a shove. “They already suspect you’re not as you seem.” Carlin
backhanded him and split his lip. “If you say a word, I’ll gut your toy
with my bare hands.”

“And you will die, but after you watch Lucan lose his head,” he

threw back acerbically.

Carlin shoved him back. “This fighting is useless. Just do as

Now and Forever

you’re told and you’ll be rewarded.”

“Right. I’ll call you when I know something.” He backed away

from the pair, refusing to turn his back on them even though he knew
someone out there was watching out for him. It was probably Trace
himself. He had the makings of a good leader.

* * * *

“What did you see?” Carter asked Trace after he joined him in the

car they’d rented for the night.

“Jake kissing up to Aero.” He sighed. “Clay nearly laid Jake out.”
“He’s playing his part well,” Carter retorted.
“He has his own agenda,” Trace said quietly. “And I think it’ll

work with ours. Once this thing is over, we might just be able to keep
him in the coven, but Riley predicts we’ll lose Miller and Juniper.
They’ll be moving on.”

“This thing is changing us all, making us all a little bitter,” Carter

said.

Trace sighed. “I’m not bitter, Carter. I’m angry that it’s taken me

so long to see what Clay was. Our brotherhood was important to us in
the dawn of our lives, but times have changed and so have we and our
reasons for being together.”

“You want to end it?”
“No. I want those who want to stay in to stay,” he said. “Those

who want to cut ties, to walk away.”

“I think if they want to cut ties, we need to block them when it’s

time,” Carter said. “There is no reason they should share in our
immortality.”

“That might not be possible, so we should turn our back on our

brothers only if they’re a threat,” he said grimly.

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter One

Two evenings later, James Caldwell shut down his computer with

a sigh. He was under a great deal of pressure to produce some new
spells since the new Minister of Enforcement had been appointed. The
man was almost as bad as the old one, with cameras spying on them
and the new rules that prevented some of them from having clearance
to levels they once had been allowed to access.

He understood the need for tighter security with the dark Psy

rising within the Council and light ones trying to combat the problem
quietly. The battle between them was a quiet one at the moment but
bound to turn into something nasty as time went on. For that reason,
James was thinking of leaving and going to work at a school.
Teaching would be a whole lot less dangerous than being right in the
middle of politics and power. After all, men had killed for less. And
with so much power at stake, there was bound to be a shitload of
manipulating to go with the mass murders likely to come with either
faction’s rise to power.

“Caldwell.”
He looked up at the sound of his supervisor. He’d always despised

Wells. The man sent cold chills down his spine every time he had to
look at him. There was something dark about him that left him
wanting to cringe away from the man.

“Mr. Wells.” He leaned back in his chair. Wells had given him an

assignment to come up with a blocking spell series that could shield
an inspector across various distances. He’d come up with a few
working spells, but they were all short distances. Besides that, he had
no intentions of helping him arm crooked cops with powerful spells

Now and Forever

that could be linked in to their psychic skills.

“Did you come up with anything today?”
“I’m still working on it,” he said evenly. He was on the verge of a

breakthrough, but he wasn’t about to share it. He’d trained under one
of the best spell creators around. She’d been a crafty female who’d
taught him everything she’d known, although some of it she hadn’t
been aware of teaching. He’d watched and learned. James was sure
that was the only reason he’d been put in the special projects section.

“Your record says you’re better than that, but your production has

dropped in the last three months.”

That was true if you only counted the spells he turned in. In his

personal grimoire lived several spells, as well as pages of research
and spells he’d worked on with his mentor.

“I’d like to see your book,” he said as he started around the desk

in the small office.

James’s energy rebelled against the man being too close to him.

He wanted to use one of those blade spells he’d made a few changes
to. Instead, he tried not to show the telltale signs of discomfort that
assailed him whenever anyone was too close to him except his ex.

He had no idea what that was about. But the man’s energy seemed

the only energy that resonated well with his own lately.

“What about the mirror spell?” Wells demanded. “Have you made

any progress on it? I’d like to use it for a sting.”

“Actually, I’m in the process of making some changes to it,” he

said. “I found a few copies of Amy’s work on the process, but I had to
tweak it a little. You have to install the spell in person, and there’s an
energetic residue that allows it to be noticed at the right angle. And it
also allows the person it’s being used against to do a send back, which
can be real nasty for the caster of the mirror spell.” None of that was a
lie. Amy, his mentor and creator of the spell, had gotten pepper
sprayed when she’d used the spell.

Studying her notes, James realized that she’d created the spell for

a dark Psy group.

E.A. Reynolds

“Really?” he asked with a frown. “Amy never mentioned that.”
He wasn’t surprised. She hadn’t mentioned it to the person she’d

created it for either. She’d been afraid she’d get an ass-kicking of a
lifetime for her failure. The spell had cost the dark side several lives
from what he understood, including the last Minister of Enforcement.

“It’s in her notes as well as mine,” he said, fighting the urge to

lash out at the man. He was standing too close to him. His energy had
a darkness that was stifling. Besides that, the man had a penchant for
touching him inappropriately and trying to pin him up against walls to
grind against him. His little innuendos about black men and big dicks
had worn on him weeks ago, as had his insinuations of wanting to be
sucked off by James.

The man had started this four months ago, and keeping his

boyfriend from finding out had been a chore. He’d needed to talk to
someone, and his lover was the obvious choice, but he hadn’t wanted
to bring him into it. Since the breakup, though, Wells’s attacks had
only escalated to the point James felt he was on the verge of being
raped some afternoons. To make matters worse, his request for a
transfer had been denied yesterday. Again. His only real recourse
would be to quit or go over his head to the Minister of the Council
himself.

“Let me see the notes,” Wells said as he put a hand on James’s

back and stroked it down a short ways.

The touch made him want to attack, but he only tensed and looked

up into Wells’s eyes. He felt a subtle attempt to penetrate his mind
with a fascination spell. He’d created a few of those himself. He knew
how they worked with a telepathic mind, and he quickly scrambled to
throw up a stronger mental shield in order to prevent his mind from
being scanned and then invaded.

“It’s just a precaution—you understand?” He leaned down closer

to him and ran a hand down his back.

His voice was low, and it had a seductive quality to it that allowed

him to slip right past the first layer of James’s mental shields.

Now and Forever

“What are you hiding from me, Jamie boy?” he asked softly. “I

know you worked with Amy and her sister. I know you saw the spells.
I bet you have a copy of them, lying little bitch.”

He lost the battle before he even had a chance, and his mind went

lax. He was in a trance. His mind was nowhere. He didn’t see or hear
anything. He merely awaited Wells’s question.

Wells reached out and ran a finger down James’s jaw. “You’re

such a pretty boy,” he murmured. “I’ve never really been much into
black boys, but you’re a pretty one with your curly hair and slim little
nose. Your mother must be white for you to have such pretty eyes. Is
she?”

“No.”
“I love your little mouth, too. Your lips are so perfect, just full

enough to enjoy seeing wrapping around my dick.” He made a sound
of excitement. “I bet your ass is tight as a glove. Stand up, James.”

James got to his feet.
“I think we’ll find out, but first I want my dick sucked real good.”

He reached between James’s legs and cupped his limp dick. “Let’s get
that nice and hard for a little playtime.”

“Do you want to be castrated here or just have your throat cut?”

Jacinto demanded in a soft tone that was at odds with the chill of it.
Quiet rage soaked into him as he watched this man with his hands on
his mate. He would kill him if so much as a thought process was out
of place in James’s mind. “If you touch what’s mine, ever, I will kill
you, Wells.” Jacinto strode into the room as Wells jerked around.

The shock on his face was almost humorous, but Jacinto wasn’t

amused by the man’s invasion of his mate’s mind knowing he could
crush his mind if he choose, leave him a drooling infant.

“How’d you get past security?” Wells snapped.
“Walked,” Jacinto said moments before he knocked Wells’s hand

away from James and hit him hard enough to cause him to stumble
backward toward the wall.

Wells recovered quickly and conjured a dark-green-tailed spell

E.A. Reynolds

and sent it hurdling toward Jacinto. “Son of a bitch,” he snarled. “I do
whatever the fuck I want with him.”

Jacinto blocked the spell with a shield spell and cast one of his

own. The yellow-tail had the lively movement of a good fast back and
dipped into a low curve. Wells moved in an effort to avoid the spell,
but the yellow-tail was a heat-seeking spell that followed the other
man’s movement and smashed into his side.

“Shit.” Wells winced and arched to his side from the pain as the

spell ripped a gash in his side before fizzling out.

“That’s mine,” Jacinto growled in a low tone as he rushed the

other man, slamming him into the wall. “The next time you invade his
mind, I will consider it a personal assault against me.” He drove his
fist into the man’s side, and it hardened to the consistency of rock
with the granite fist spell Jacinto conjured.

Wells cried out and sank his fingers into Jacinto’s arm. Before he

could conjure his bear claw spell, Jacinto drove his fist into the man’s
gut, forcing him to lose his focus. This blow carried an electric shock
that was just enough to make Wells jerk his hand back.

“Do you understand me, Wells? Am I clear?”
He jerked his head in a nod. The shock left his nerves on edge, but

not rubbery.

Jacinto released him, and Wells took a swing at him. Jacinto

sidestepped it and then backhanded him before grabbing him by the
collar of his silk shirt. He put his palm on Wells’s chest, sending
another shock into him. Jacinto’s body was still tight with rage, and
he wanted to kill Wells for having his hands on James and invading
his mind. Wells cried out and collapsed to the floor. Jacinto kicked
him. “Do not make him kill your ass right here,” he snapped. “You’re
not the Minister, just his patsy.” Hell, he’d kill the Minister of
Defense if he laid a finger on James.

Wells groaned as he looked up at him. Jacinto kicked him again.
“Get the fuck out,” Jacinto snapped. “Now.”
Wells struggled up, and Jacinto reached down and grabbed his

Now and Forever

collar and helped him up.

“Don’t,” James said in a steely tone.
Jacinto gritted his teeth as he struggled against the urge to put a

harder hurt on Wells. Instead, he gave him a hard shove toward the
door. “If he so much as looks like you’ve touched him wrong, stood
too close, or even said anything remotely resembling sexual
harassment, this will look like a skirmish between two-year-olds.”

Wells gave him a hard stare then hobbled out of the room with his

hand on his stomach. Jacinto followed and closed the door after him
and locked it, using a spell to prevent any entry.

“You can’t beat up my supervisor, Jacinto.” James glared at his

ex-lover caustically, but even through that anger, James was relieved
that he’d saved him.

“He could have broken you,” Jacinto said, his tone vibrating with

rage.

“I know he’s a powerful telepath,” he said as that old familiar

flare of desire crept through him with a quickness he couldn’t deny.
He looked away from Jacinto’s intense gaze, trying to stay focused on
the violence and anger of the situation.

“I’m not letting that prick touch you in any way,” he retorted

harshly. He crossed the room to stand behind the younger male who
was gathering his things with shaking hands.

“And I appreciate it,” he said sincerely, bringing his gaze back to

Jacinto’s.

“Did he hurt you when he got into your head?”
“No.” He shook his head. God, it was growing so fast, that hunger

and that happiness to see him that James had to fight everything in
him to stay in place. He had missed him so much it hurt. It had only
been two weeks since he broke it off, but they had been two of the
loneliest weeks of his life.

He clenched his eyes tight, and all he got for his effort was

memories strong and intense of his brief time with Jacinto. He opened
them and blew out a soft breath. He had to put some distance between

E.A. Reynolds

them or he’d be begging the man to kiss him. He put a hand to his
forehead and then rubbed his eyes.

“I’m tired, Jacinto, and I don’t want to rehash things with you. It’s

over, and I meant it.” He had meant it when he broke up with him. At
least, part of him had. The part that was terrified he’d end up caught
in a war that would get him killed or used as a pawn against the man.

The rest of him wanted nothing to do with that idea of putting

distance between himself and the man who’d stolen his heart in two
short months. He hadn’t even realized what had been missing in his
life until he met Jacinto in that doughnut shop that morning. Just
looking at him had turned him into a raging mass of sexual greed.
Logically, he’d known that this could never work, or he’d told himself
that every second of that day when Jacinto’s gorgeous smile and hard
body came to his mind.

He’d lost that battle that night. He’d jerked off to thoughts of this

gorgeous dark-olive-skinned man being the one to touch him, to get
him off. He’d known then if he saw him again, he’d make some move
and hope the man didn’t kick his ass because he wasn’t gay.

And now, here he was back in that same place where they’d

started. Him lusting after the man and becoming a raging mess of
sexual need.

“All I heard you say was you needed space, sweet thing,” he

murmured. “And I gave you some. Two damned weeks of it. Now it’s
time we worked this out.”

James’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he jerked his head from his

hand and turned to meet Jacinto’s mocha-brown eyes with his
incredulous stare. “Are you crazy?”

Jacinto’s lips quirked. “Could be said, especially when I’m around

you, and it must be said, you have the tightest ass I’ve ever had.
Makes me insane with need.” He caressed James’s cheek.

James made a sound of frustration as he pushed Jacinto’s hand

away. “Damn it, Jacinto, stop touching me. Stop saving me.”

“I can’t,” he said with a shrug. “You’re mine to save and to

Now and Forever

touch.”

Damn him. He felt the same way, especially about the touching.

He wanted to be touched by him, to be set on fire and burned up. He
wanted to be taken right here and right now.

“I broke up with you, and that means I’m yours to stay away

from,” he muttered, but his tone was too husky and the anger sounded
too much like the halfhearted protest it was.

“Right,” Jacinto said, lifting a mocking brow.
Damn him to hell and back for hearing the lie in his voice.
James swallowed tightly as the battle to push the man away raged

inside him. Logic and desire fought like hellhounds, and the look in
Jacinto’s mocha eyes told him he wasn’t going to just storm out of
here like a pissed off twenty-year-old. So, he decided to change his
tactics. When he did, James knew logic was the loser and desire was a
bad boy on a mission.

“Okay, listen,” he said and felt that bad boy surge to life inside

him, turning him into a wanton whore. Logic tried to make a
comeback, but desire punched it in the face. James took that step
toward Jacinto and reached out to stroke his hand over the other
man’s arm. His long-sleeved shirt prevented skin-to-skin contact, but
that could be put off a moment longer, the devil of desire whispered
in his ear.

“Okay?”
“Yeah, I just was trying to say thanks for saving me from that

prick,” he said softly and moved into Jacinto’s body. He knew what
he was going to do. His craving and that bad-boy desire was egging
him on. Logic tried to pull him back one more time, but this time
desire smashed it in the jaw.

James reached up to stroke his finger along the back of Jacinto’s

neck.

It was a knockout.
Logic was down for the count, and James pulled Jacinto’s head

down to his. Their eyes met. Mocha washed over hazel green, and the

E.A. Reynolds

hunger inside James amped up by a thousand degrees. He claimed
what he wanted without a single thought to the moments that would
follow. In fact, he knew what was going to happen in those moments.
It was the moments after those moments that he shoved to the
background along with his knocked-out buddy, logic.

* * * *

Jacinto was stunned. The first brush of lips against soft lips was a

heat rush. James’s little pink tongue pushed into his mouth with an
almost insistent hunger echoing in him, and his arms came around the
younger man, crushing James against him. Jacinto groaned as the
kid’s kiss seared his soul.

This was what he’d been missing in the last two weeks. Soft lips,

hot kisses, and this hard little body against his like this. Oh yeah, this
was so good. He glided his hands up James’s back, pressing him
closer and then down to cup his tight little ass.

James trembled against him and pushed his fingers into Jacinto’s

thick black hair. The man’s touch was possessive, and his kiss was a
sensual seduction that was going to get him everywhere he wanted to
go in that moment.

“That was just a thank-you,” he said. “I’m glad you saved me.”
“Say it again,” Jacinto murmured. “I didn’t quite catch it.” He

pushed his thigh between James’s legs and jerked his hips forward.

“Fuck.” He groaned. “No.”
“Just one more time, baby,” he said in a sexy, low tone that made

James shiver against him. “A little louder.”

James kissed him again, but Jacinto took control of the kiss this

time. James rubbed against him, caressing Jacinto’s hard body with
wicked intent as he humped against his thigh.

Jacinto squeezed his ass, urging James to ride his thigh, to get

hotter for him. He was burning out of control, and there was only one
way to put the fire out.

Now and Forever

Jacinto glided his hands from ass to hips then to the belt buckle

holding his ex-lover’s pants in place. He worked it free as he fucked
his tongue into James’s mouth.

James moaned. “We we have to stop. Too hot.”
For an answer, Jacinto trailed kissed along the smooth skin of his

golden throat as he undid the button of his pants and then dragged the
zipper down slowly. He licked along the column of his throat as he
pushed his hand inside James’s pants.

James pulled Jacinto’s shirt free of his jeans and pushed his hand

beneath to scrape against the tough flesh. He knew what this man
liked. Rough touches and soft kisses, and he wasn’t disappointed.
Jacinto moaned at the same time he pushed his hand past the barrier
of James’s briefs to palm his erect flesh.

James hissed and thrust into the big hand. He wanted that big hand

doing more delicious things to him, and then it was. He cried out as
Jacinto’s fingers wrapped around the girth of him and began lightly
stroking him. A little lube would make the job go easier, and he had
just the thing in his desk drawer. He wasn’t a telekinetic, but he did
know a lot of spells.

He mentally recited one and opened his hand. The small bottle of

lotion from his desk drawer appeared on his palm. That old devil
desire had him flipping the cap and squeezing some right into the
loose hold.

Jacinto got the message without breaking his stride. He opened his

hand and worked the small amount of lotion into James’s erection as
he pumped him. James groaned, sitting the bottle on the desk. The
man had nice hands. Warm, big, hands that drove him crazy with his
expert touch.

Jacinto’s thumb stroked over the sensitive tip of him, and James

almost screamed as his hips jerked. Oh yeah, he loved it.

He hissed as the wicked thumb stroked down the tip slowly and

massaged that birthmark on his cock. The tomahawk. “Oh, fuck
yeah.” That just sent jolts of pleasure right through him, making him

E.A. Reynolds

clench his ass. Each little stroke of that mark had him getting hotter
and hungrier.

“Oh, baby,” James said. Jacinto swirled his tongue in the hollow

at the base of his throat before lifting his head to look down into the
younger man’s face. His desire was a fiery thing burning in his eyes.

“Yes!” He was going to come, and all Jacinto had done was work

that mark. It had become an erogenous zone since he’d met this man.
It came to life at a mere look from him. A touch—well, a touch turned
him into a throbbing lava pool of desire. “Fuck me, please.” Yeah,
that mark made him too horny not to beg.

Jacinto kissed him, and frustration lashed him. James wanted that

big cock up his ass now. He raked the older man’s back harder in
demand to have his way.

Jacinto laughed against his lips. “Little prince,” he teased.
“Give your prince wants he wants,” he commanded in a voice

rough from desire.

Jacinto stepped back and turned him around. He pulled James’s

pants down, dragging the briefs with them before striking him across
his ass.

“Oh, that makes me harder,” he murmured. James loved that edge

of pain from a spanking or even a whip or paddle. It made him
mindless with lust. “Do it again.”

Jacinto gave him a harder tap, and James moaned and pushed his

ass up in an erotic fashion.

Jacinto undid his own pants and reached for the lotion. He pulled

his cock free and used the lotion to lube up. After that, he grasped his
flesh and stroked the tip over the puckered hole of James’s anus, and
James made a soft sound of pleasure.

“It’s going to be good,” he said as Jacinto pushed the tip of his

cock into the tight space. James shivered when Jacinto pushed past
that guardian ring of tight muscle. He closed his eyes and tipped his
head back as he savored the bite of pain that accompanied Jacinto’s
surge into the tight tunnel of his ass.

Now and Forever

This was the last time. The breakup sex would get him past that

need, and he’d be good. He’d be able to move on. He pushed his hips
back, and the big hand on his hip stopped him from taking that big
cock deeper. “Stop,” he protested. “I want it all, now.”

Jacinto chuckled and nipped the back of James’s neck. “Take it

easy, little lover. I’ll give it all to you.”

And he did, but he took his own time, James thought as the last

few inches filled his ass to overfull. He clenched on the hard muscle
and smiled when Jacinto groaned. He did it again.

Jacinto pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in. James

made a soft noise as the thick dick rasped over the tight tissues of his
ass. The burn was heaven and the pain was pleasure. Jacinto began to
thrust into him with a steady rhythm that had them both groaning,
breath coming hard.

Harder. That was how he liked it, and Jacinto gave it to him. He

thrust into him hard and deep, riding him rough as he pulled his cock.
James thrust back against him, lost in the hard rhythm that set him on
fire.

“Oh, fuck, yes!” Jacinto hissed out.
He took him harder, and James leaned forward on the desk. His

ass would be sore, but he didn’t care. He loved it, every inch of the
man shuttling deep into his ass.

“God, yes,” he cried out. His body tightened, and the fire turned

him into an ashy mess as he screamed out his release.

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Two

James lay boneless on his desk moments later, panting hard. He

didn’t protest as Jacinto pulled him up and back into his arms. He was
always like this after. So damned sated he could laze about for hours.
Unfortunately, his lover always had other plans. Another hard ride.

“Jay,” Jacinto murmured at his ear, and then he pulled James’s

pants up.

James turned around to face him. He took the kiss he wanted. “I

really have to get home, Jacinto,” he said in a lazy tone.

“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Jacinto—”
“Don’t leave any of your files,” he ordered telepathically.
“The system is monitored. If I log back in, they’ll know and ask

about it. I didn’t work on anything of importance on that computer
anyway.”

“Let’s go then.”
“I really did mean it. What just happened changes nothing.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Jacinto answered.
“There is such a thing as stalking,” he said coolly in an attempt to

get his bearings back. He needed to put as much emotional distance
between himself and this man as he could. If he didn’t, he’d be
allowing him right back into his life, and that was the last thing he
needed. He just hadn’t counted on seeing him tonight any more than
he counted on his need for Jacinto overwhelming him.

“You’re about to find out the meaning,” he retorted with a

determined gleam in his eyes that made James tremble.

He swore it wasn’t in anticipation.

Now and Forever

“Let’s go. I’m starving as much for food as I am for more of you.”
James’s body started to heat at the memory of just how ravenous

the man could be for him. He was getting hard all over again. He was
damned, and he knew it. The way he felt about the man made it hard
for him to resist him, and the overwhelming desire to be with him was
something he couldn’t fight.

He fixed his clothes and then said, “Fine, walk me to my car.” He

finished gathering his things. “But do not ever hit my boss again. He’s
going to be on my ass tomorrow.”

“Wrong choice of words unless you intend to have me kick his ass

again,” Jacinto said calmly.

James rolled his eyes. “I broke up with you, Jacinto. Why are you

even here?” he demanded, leveling a curious look at him. He hadn’t
heard from or seen him in two weeks. So why now?

“Because I miss you, baby,” he responded softly. “And I’m tired

of wondering how you are. I thought it was time to stop the games.”

He frowned. “What about ‘it’s over’ is confusing for you?”
“The part where I don’t see you anymore and that’s all that I

want,” he answered. “I can’t get through the day without thinking of
telepathing you and then having to stop myself because you needed
some space. Well, I’ve given you all I can take.”

He sighed. “We aren’t going to fight about this,” James told him.

“You aren’t going to stalk me.” He reached for his bag, and Jacinto
picked it up. James didn’t try to take it because he knew it would be
useless.

He headed out first and led the way to the elevators. They rode

down in silence, though James’s mind was working a mile a minute.
He had no idea how he was going to get rid of the man when he didn’t
even want to. He understood exactly what Jacinto had been talking
about. He thought about him a million times a day, too. He’d almost
called him more than once, but instead he’d tried to pretend he was
glad it was over.

Once they stepped off the elevator, James led the way past

E.A. Reynolds

security and out into the underground parking garage. He nodded to
the night guard, who gave him a wave, and Jacinto put his hand to the
small of his back. James threw him an annoyed look but had to admit
he felt anything but annoyed. The slight touch was a familiar gesture
that he had thought was a sign to every other man that they were both
taken.

And he had loved being taken by this man.
“Keys.”
James handed his keys over at his car. His bag was put in the

backseat, and the passenger side door was unlocked and pulled open
for him. He turned to stare at the man from the driver’s side of his
four-door.

“Jacinto, what are you doing?” he asked carefully.
“Come on, baby. I’m starving, and you know how grouchy I get

when I’m hungry.”

James rounded the car to look up at him, and his brown-green

gaze was snapping with mounting irritation. He put one hand on his
hip as he said, “Don’t make a scene.”

“I’m not making a scene,” Jacinto retorted. “I’m doing what any

other man would do.”

James gave him an incredulous stare. “What does that mean? You

show up after two weeks, deciding you want me back. It’s like you
woke up and decided you were too lonely, and I was better than
nothing.”

“You make it sound like we were constantly fighting or

something,” he said, exasperated. “Hell, you just dumped me out of
the blue. I thought we were right where we should be. Two guys
falling in love.”

“Stop. It.” He reached for his keys.
“No,” Jacinto said with a shake of his head. “You started getting

scared, Jay, and decided to put the brakes on. Well, news flash. I am
not allowing it to happen. You had your space, so I hope you used it
to get your damned head together.”

Now and Forever

James let out a frustrated growl. But part of him was doing

backflips. The damned devil lost in desire part of him. The logical
part was perplexed. Why did this man want him so bad? He was
nothing special.

He held his hand out for his keys again. “Go get yourself another

playmate.”

“Hey, man,” Matt said, strolling over to them. “What’s up?” His

gaze went to James. “James.”

“Hi, Matt,” James said with a bit of tension in his tone. “What are

you still doing here?”

“Clearing up some paperwork,” he said then threw a curious look

to Jacinto. “What’s up, man?”

“Hey,” Jacinto said, barely giving him a look.
“Can you help me get my keys?” James asked. “He won’t give

them up.”

Matt looked at Jacinto then back to James. He laughed.
“Shut up, Matt,” Jacinto ordered tightly.
“You know each other?” James demanded then made a face.

“Course you do. All you pricks know each other.”

Matt laughed, and Jacinto gave him a cold stare. “He’s so prissy.

He and Devon will get along great.”

“Who is Devon—never mind. Just give me my keys, jackass.”
“James, Matt is one of my brothers.”
James went still. He knew Jacinto belonged to the Beorc

brotherhood. Amy had told him a great deal about them. Not much of
it had been good. Amy had told him they wanted to use him for his
spell-creation abilities. The fact that Jacinto hadn’t bothered to
introduce him to his brothers made him think she was right.

“Great. I guess Devon is Jacinto’s boyfriend.” The very thought of

another man touching him made James want to kill. It also cut him
across his heart with a viciousness that had him grimacing.

“Naw,” Matt denied. “Devon is Carter’s boy. Jake here will have

to bring you around now that I know about you.” He slapped Jacinto

Now and Forever

Chapter Three

Jacinto pulled into James’s driveway, and James reached for the

remote to the garage he kept clipped to the visor and pressed the
button to open the garage. The door slid up, dim light flooded the
garage, and Jacinto pulled in and cut the engine. He climbed out of
the car and reached into the back for James’s bag while he climbed
out on the passenger side.

“Okay, what’s this about? Really?” James demanded, putting a

hand on the roof of his car as Jacinto straightened on the other side.
He was riveted by his stunning good looks. His long, sooty lashes and
thick black hair gave him sex appeal along with his strong angular
jaw, but his full lips were a sensual weapon. His dark-olive skin
stretched taut over his beautiful face, and he had a long, lean, hard
body that made James’s mouth water.

Jacinto had been born in Spain to Spanish parents. He had the

barest hint of an accent, but James had never heard him speak
Spanish. Jacinto had said his life in Spain had been a world away.

“I told you,” he said.
“No.” James shook his head. “You didn’t just get lonely for me,”

he answered. “So what is it? Why didn’t you want me to leave
anything of importance on my computer?” Maybe he would give him
the decency of being honest with him for a change.

Jacinto closed the door and walked around to James’s side of the

car. “I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted you back, but you’re right. I
do need to talk to you about something.”

James shrugged. “Tell me.”
“Let’s go inside.”

E.A. Reynolds

James laughed. “No. We both know what’s going to happen once

we do,” he said, truly amused. “We have a beer, you touch me, do me
on the counter or the couch, and—”

“I’m hungry,” he cut in.
James crossed his arms over his chest. “You made that clear, so

tell me what you need so you can go grab something to eat.”

“I’ll be good.”
James laughed again. “You are good, but you won’t behave, so

spill it.”

Jacinto chuckled. “Baby,” he said. “This isn’t going away, so tell

me why you really broke up with me.”

“I wasn’t a part of the Separatist Community until I started going

out with you,” he began. “When you took me to the country club and
told me I could go there as your guest for tennis and stuff, I started
hearing things about the Beorc brotherhood. How you guys are into
treating your men like women and making them obey you.”

“We don’t do that,” he said with a frown. “And you broke up with

me for that?”

“Not just that,” he retorted. “I heard you were in the middle of a

war with dark Beorc and you were dangerous. You were using me.”

“Our lives are being threatened, so we have to protect ourselves,

but I’m not using you.”

“On top of that, you need your mates to become immortal, and I

don’t want to be someone you’re with just to become immortal. If that
can even be done.”

Jacinto nodded, studying him. “Who told you all this?”
“I heard it.”
Jacinto closed his eyes. He wanted to lie to him, and it was on the

tip of his tongue to do it. However, that wasn’t the way he wanted his
relationship with James to be. He wanted his mate to know what he
was getting into and make his choice based on the truth, not a lie that
would only come back to haunt them both. He opened his eyes again,
fixing them on his mate. He had beautiful dark-golden skin the color

Now and Forever

of brown sugar. His skin was soft and smooth and supple. With that
curly hair, he was a pretty boy with finely drawn features. “You
couldn’t just ask me?” Jacinto demanded calmly.

“So you could deny it?”
“I am Beorc. We are in the middle of a conflict, but only a dark

Beorc would tell you that,” he said. He had a good idea of just who
had now that he thought about it.

James was the protégé of a powerful but dead spell creator. Amy

had been the sister of Raina, Carlin’s chief seer and spell creator.
When she’d been killed, some of the spells Carlin had hoped to gain
had been lost or stolen. However, it would make sense that Raina
would give them to her fraternal twin, Amy, for safekeeping. Since
Amy had been James’s mentor, Carlin believed James could be a
valuable asset in recreating the spells he’d lost. He had no idea what
those spells were, but he was sure they would be detrimental to him
and his brothers.

Carlin had asked him to seduce James because he’d be a good

addition to his coven. His job had been to convince James to leave
Council Enforcement and go to work for Dark Spear. He had never
planned to do that and made all kinds of excuses why he hadn’t been
successful. The main reason had been the sexy little boy had
captivated him with those pretty hazel eyes. Learning James was his
mate had assured he’d never turn him over to Carlin.

Now that Raina was dead and his spells were missing, Jacinto was

certain Carlin had his people in Enforcement riding James to
reproduce those or similar spells. He could tell the man was getting
antsy, and Jacinto worried Carlin might kidnap James if he didn’t
produce soon.

“I’m worried you’re in danger because of Amy,” he said. “She

was working for a dark Beorc brotherhood. They’re a tempest mob.”

“I suspected,” he said. “I heard Amy and her boyfriend talking

about it at work. I never saw all of the new spells, but she had them
ready. She made me believe your brotherhood was darker and

E.A. Reynolds

deadlier.”

Jacinto grimaced. That was surprising. Amy and her boyfriend

must have been part of the Knights organization that wanted from
under Carlin’s thumb. Escalating the conflict between the two Beorc
brotherhoods would be a great distraction as they firmly pulled away
from Dark Spear.

“What were the spells for?” Jacinto asked.
“The ones I saw were a mirror spell to spy on someone.” He told

him what he’d told Wells about the spell. “Then there was one to
ensure a link between two people remained viable,” he said. “It
involved the use of blood or hair. The spell has many uses, but I think
Amy was designing it for the primary purpose of doing two things.
First to blind a seer, which would stop the visions. Second, the seer’s
visions would be rerouted to an appointed source.”

Damn it.
“Could you create a spell to counteract that spell if necessary?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “I can link it to a spell I’ve been working

on that creates an illusion that what one wants is what one is seeing.”

“I’ll let you know if we need you to,” Jacinto said.
“That’s why Wells was trying to get into my mind,” James

confessed. “He thinks I have the spells.”

“Those spells are important to the dark Beorc who are trying to

kill us,” he confessed. “The people who want our immortality are
going to kill us when they get it,” he said. “Us and our mates. I’m
worried that you’ll be kidnapped or hurt over this.”

James sighed softly. “What’s more important to you? Me or your

immortality?”

“Let me back into your life, and you’ll find out,” he urged softly.

“Find out what Beorc men do and don’t do with their boys.”

Where else did he want to be?
Jacinto was all he thought about since he’d met him. He missed

him so much he was surprised he wasn’t all over him right now
begging him to come in, to stay the night. Gods knew he wanted the

Now and Forever

man back in his life and his bed. On the other hand, there was the
danger of Amy being right, of him being just a means to an end. Hell,
he could easily lose himself to this man and give away all of his
power and free will just to be with him only to wake up find Jacinto
didn’t care about him at all.

He would do anything for this man just for the chance to be close

to him. So it wasn’t like he was going to refuse to help him. He
shrugged. “I’ll help you.” And he prayed it wasn’t a mistake.

“Good. I’ll move in tomorrow and stay here tonight.”
“Call a cab,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * * *

Jacinto took a cab back to his car downtown. He was glad he’d

told him the truth and not just because it got him back where he
wanted to be. Close to his mate. He was already in love with James,
and he hadn’t realized just how much until he’d seen him with Wells
attempting to invade his mind and rape him. He would have killed
him if James hadn’t stopped him. His mate’s voice had been a balm to
his anger, but he would kill anyone who attempted to harm James.

He already loved so much about him. James was a kind man. He

gave his time as well as his money to charities. He tutored children a
couple of days a week, too. He knew what he wanted, and he didn’t
mind speaking his mind, which was something Jacinto was thankful
for. He didn’t like guessing games or hot-and-cold males. If he knew
what the man wanted and needed, he could give it to him or get out of
dodge.

On top of that, they had the same goals for their future and had the

same vision of what a family was supposed to be. James wanted to be
a stay-at-home dad, and Jacinto wanted that of his mate. James also
wanted to continue his charity work once he was a stay-at-home
parent, and that was something Jacinto approved of.

He was practical, but he was a romantic, he thought as he pulled

E.A. Reynolds

into the driveway of the home Trace and his mate shared with Carter
and his mate. He knew Trace was talking about buying an apartment
complex for them. Nothing fancy, but something they could fix up.
He wasn’t opposed to that because they’d all be living close enough
to protect each other’s mates if need be.

He parked in the driveway and headed up to the front porch and

knocked. While he waited, Jacinto cast a look around to see if any
stray cars were cruising by. Carlin had him followed on occasion, still
trying to ascertain if he was conspiring against him or doing as he’d
been told. He allowed him to have his illusions. It made his plans
easier.

“Hey.” Trace motioned him in. “Drink?”
“No, I’m going to grab something to eat when I leave here.”
“Let’s go in the kitchen,” Trace suggested. “Carter made a pizza

for you. Riley said you’d be coming over. It’s in the oven now.”

He smiled. “I’ll have to thank him. His clairvoyance is getting

stronger.”

“Yeah, it’s not just limited to our past anymore,” he said. “He’s

been warning me that you’re up to something.”

“Nothing you need to be concerned about,” he answered. “But I’m

sure if you thought it was, you’d have let Lucan’s spell hit me.”

Trace shrugged. “No reason to assume you’re a problem at the

moment.”

“Thanks anyway. I have a few tidbits to share.”
“I’m all ears,” Trace said and then slapped Jacinto on the back

before nodding toward the kitchen. “You handled yourself well to say
you were in a shark tank.”

Jacinto shrugged. “Show fear, and Carlin and Lucan will eat me

alive,” he said as they stepped into the midsized kitchen of the four-
bedroom, single-story home. The yellow was paired with green and
dark wood. The eat-in area had a table set with a plate and napkins for
him.

“Yeah, I know.”

Now and Forever

“Carlin asked me and Miller to spy on you guys,” Jacinto

confessed. “I think he’s holding something over Miller. That’s why
Miller is so eager to get away from the brotherhood when he can. The
feeling of powerlessness is more than he can stand that’s why he left
the CIA. He’s talking about buying a ranch in Montana or something
and living a quiet, anonymous life.”

Trace shrugged. “What do you think he’s holding over him?

Could he have gotten to Singh?”

“I don’t know if he’s using his mate against him or not,” he said

and moved to the kitchen sink to wash up before moving to the table
at Trace’s urging. “He keeps to himself a lot these days. Have you
blooded Miller in yet?”

“No,” he said. “Riley’s skeptical.”
“Good. Save it for the last minute,” Jacinto urged.
“Actually, I’m not sure I’ll do it at all,” he said. “It’s time we went

in a new direction with our brotherhood. We’ve just followed our
books for so long that we’ve allowed ourselves to be put in this
position. I’m thinking that since he wants to go his own way, he
should. Riley said something that got me believing we can use the
brotherhood energy but clamp it off so that those who want to be on
their own won’t be joined to us anymore.”

“What about immortality?”
“They will likely have it, but the ties to us just will no longer

exist.” Trace set the pizza on the table on a trivet. “I’m willing to lead
this brotherhood, but some more changes will have to be made for us
to function better.”

“You’re right, but we need some kind of plan for handling other

groups like ours as well as people like Miller,” Jacinto said.

“I know, and we’ll develop protocols for it as we go along,” he

agreed. “So I’ll find out what Carlin has on Miller. If we can help, I’ll
offer my help and protection. When this thing is over, then he’ll be
able to walk, and so will anyone else who wants to do so.”

“Juniper. He wants to get Kerry as far from us and the danger

E.A. Reynolds

being Beorc represents. He doesn’t think it’ll ever be over, even after
we defeat Carlin,” Jacinto informed him.

“Then he can have out,” Trace stated matter-of-factly. “Matt

called me just a few minutes before you arrived to tell me word is the
missing spells turned up.”

“Who?”
“A guy named Abrams,” he answered. “He’s an inspector and was

one of Callum’s flunkies. He was dating a chick named Amy.”

“Amy’s dead, but her work is missing,” he said. “Her protégé is

very much alive, and Carlin wants to force him to work on some
spells, but with the ones he needs turning up he won’t really need
him.” Carlin would have no compunctions about attempting to use
James to keep him in line now. His lips thinned as he swallowed back
his rising rage.

“This guy isn’t a creator,” Trace said. “We took out their main

creator.”

“And her twin,” Jacinto told him. “But the protégé is my mate.”
“You’re moving in with him or moving him in with you?”
“Yes,” he answered. Jacinto told him what James had told him

about the spells. “My mate is willing to help, but he’s afraid I’m using
him.”

“Explain?”
“Amy must have told him about us,” he said. “He thinks I want to

control him or turn him into a housewife, which, by the way, he wants
to be anyway.”

Trace snorted. “Rye was the same,” he said. “You’ll have to win

his heart and his trust.”

He sighed. “You know, the boy has me by the heart, Trace,” he

said. “How do I convince him of that?”

Trace smiled. “I don’t know, but Rye tried to push me away,” he

said. “I knew he was mine and refused to let him go. Carter and
Dillan, on the other hand, were all about playing footsies and allowing
their fears to control them.”

Now and Forever

“That’s not an issue here. He’s mine,” Jacinto said firmly. “He

doesn’t get to walk away without a fight.”

“I want to meet him soon,” Trace said in a tone that sounded more

like an order to Jacinto.

“You will.” He picked up a slice of the hot pizza and took a bite.
Trace retrieved a beer and a bottle of tea. “Has Carlin found out

anything about the massacre?”

“No, he’s looking,” Jacinto admitted and then flashed him a grin.

“He’s pissed, and so is Lucan. They’re wondering if it’s us.” He
smirked and so did Trace. “Is there anything to tie you to it? We
should remain as anonymous as possible to prevent any attacks on our
mates. They may not kill us, but Lucan will certainly make our lives
hell through our mates.”

“No,” Trace denied with a smile.
“I’ll get my boy to put together a spell to protect our privacy in

case he finds someone comparable to Raina.”

“Especially your privacy and secrets.”
“Nothing I’m doing has anything to do with you,” he reminded

Trace coldly.

“I want you to be one of my advisors. Carter is great, but we both

know you and Matt are the oldest of our coven,” Trace informed him.
“Which means you need to be careful that your plans don’t get us all
killed.”

Jacinto shrugged. “What I have in mind is beneficial to us all,” he

said. “I know Carter is your main advisor, but I’ll accept,” he said
with a smile then lifted the pizza in a toast.

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Four

“Okay.” Riley stepped into the quiet room of the garage apartment

that was often used for his and Trace’s lab research work. The living
room was small but big enough for four with the galley kitchen just
across the room. “Were you able to get everything done?”

“Yes.” Camden was sitting on the wood floor on a rug with the

components he needed in a small wood box. “Matt will be here to
pick me up in about an hour, so we should have time to do this
without interruption.”

“Don’t you need to do it at midnight on a full moon?” Riley asked

with raised brows.

Camden frowned. “You watch too much TV. Besides, I performed

most of the spell on the full moon two weeks ago. All we need to do
tonight is to put the hair into your hair.” Camden held up the strands
of hair. “The brothers are all energetically tied together, right?”

“But we’re tied to them.”
“Vaguely,” Camden said. “So Sagan and I changed our vibration.

He said we played our own part in the little immortal saga. We are the
real light that allows it to happen. So, he thought we could change our
vibrational patterns without creating any ripples. We’re joined to the
brotherhood’s bond through our mates, but only our mates are joined
to us until they’re fully mated.”

“We’re a separate power the brotherhood can’t draw from?”
“Our mates can share our energy,” Camden said.
“Okay, so?” Riley asked.
“I’m using the force of our magick to protect you from the

attempts to get to your mind,” Camden told him. “Why haven’t you

Now and Forever

told Trace someone’s been trying to access your mind?”

Riley gave his friend a wan smile. He really was tired from the

increase in the visions that came as dreams. Some of those dreams
were nightmares that tried to pull him onto the astral plane where he
would be more vulnerable since he had no idea how his abilities
worked on that plane. He would also be alone, making him easy prey.
If he told Trace, his mate would only worry and never give him a
moment’s peace.

There was just too much at stake for Trace to be that distracted.

He needed to focus on becoming the leader he was meant to be.

“He has enough to worry about,” Riley replied. “Besides, Carlin

fears what I might enable Trace to become. He doesn’t want us
connected, but we’re at the center of the brotherhood’s connection.”

“You and Sagan give Trace and Dillan their strength,” Camden

said. “Trace, Carter, and Dillan are the center that has to hold. Matt
and Jacinto are the guards, and Niall is the watcher. So using those
concepts, we changed the vibrations of the dociles and charged our
hair. We braid it into your hair and create an impenetrable force.”

“No telepathic attacks?”
“None. They can’t even get to you on the astral plane or pull you

into dreams. I even rigged it to work with your ability to use emotion
as a kinetic force as well as Sagan’s,” he explained. “First they have
to find you, and then if they attack they’ll get a painful dose of rage.
That rage will eventually kill them because it will act like a poison.”

“You tapped into Trace’s poison magick?”
“Through his energetic connection to you, except I changed the

frequency of it so it operates to the beat of your energy combined with
ours.”

“The force of five as one,” Riley said with a smile.
“Exactly. Now, all you have to do is let me braid the hair in and

say the spell. Then you’ll lie down in the crystal cross, and the spell
will be activated,” he said. “The crystals will charge you up with the
right vibrations so the spell will work.”

E.A. Reynolds

“Did you write it all down?” Riley asked.
“Yep, and I’ll give you a copy for your book,” he said.
“Maybe you should just write it all in since it’s your brainchild,

and I might leave out something important.”

Camden rolled his eyes. “Lazy,” he teased.
“I’m just saying.” He held up his hands in a placating gesture.

“Anyway, I think that since you’re the only Psy-witch among us, you
should be in charge of our grimoire. Trace can hash out who takes
care of the coven grimoire.”

“Fine. Lazy.” They both laughed. “Now, let’s finish it.”

* * * *

Across town…

“Are these spells viable?” Carlin asked the female seer he’d

promoted after Raina’s death. Raina had been training her at his
command. The new clairvoyant wasn’t as good as Raina, and her
clairvoyant energy wasn’t mingled with her magick, but she would
suffice.

The redhead nodded. “Yes, they’re all perfectly usable,” she said.

“In fact, I can cast the new mirror spell Raina created for you the day
before she died. It will allow you to know what they know. I’ll have
to wait until tomorrow, though, to get a few things I need. Then at
midnight I’ll cast.”

“Midnight?”
“Has to be then,” she said. “Raina wrote the spell to tap into the

darkest energies. The power of darkness will cloak the spell from
Riley. He’ll be sleeping likely, but—”

“Can’t you blind him?”
“Yes, she wrote a spell for just that,” the redhead said. “Raina

thought it would allow her to receive his visions instead, and then she
could reflect back to him only what you wanted him to think.”

Now and Forever

“Cast that one first,” he said. “I think that will work better for my

purposes. And then cast the other.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “I still need midnight to do the spell, as well

as a little of his blood.”

“I’m energetically tied to Trace. Isn’t that enough?”
“No, I need his blood. Otherwise, the spell will affect you, too.”
“I’ll get it,” he said with a gleam in his eyes. “Dismissed.”
She nodded and left the sitting room of the spacious house he used

as his base.

“Juniper or Jacinto?” Lucan asked. “Miller won’t be able to get

close enough without suspicion, and I’m not sure I really trust
Jacinto.”

“Let’s test him,” he said. “If he fails, his mate will vanish.”
“What if they bonded?” Lucan asked. “We can’t afford to risk it.”
“He can be put into a coma only our people can bring him out of,”

he said. “And that will prompt Jacinto to do as he’s told.”

“Maybe Miller’s mate’s condition should be made known to him,”

Lucan said. “To drive home the point of what will happen if he
crosses us.”

“He is going to die either way,” Carlin said with a smile. “So leak

the information. I want him to know how little pleasure his last days
with his mate could be if he doesn’t cooperate.”

“It might just force him to turn on us,” Lucan mused. “He knows

we can’t just kill the boy.”

“He knows, he but doesn’t want his mate in pain either.”
Lucan shrugged. “Once we’ve cast the spells, it should be smooth

sailing.”

“Exactly.”

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Five

James opened his front door the next morning with a frown.

“You’re early,” he said. “I thought you weren’t moving in until
tonight.”

“I was staying at a motel, so I don’t have that much,” Jacinto said.

“Plus, I want to drive you to work.” He stepped inside and closed the
door behind him.

“I don’t like that idea,” he retorted. “It leaves me stranded if I

want to leave early or if you get held up.”

“You won’t be stranded. Just call, and I’ll be there.”
“I don’t want to be dependent on you, Jacinto,” James said

calmly. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, baby, but I don’t want you driving by yourself,”

he retorted. “Remember what we talked about last night?”

“I remember, but I can’t go acting like I need my boyfriend to

hold my hand,” he said. “Besides, I’m a powerful enough witch to
hold my own.”

Jacinto gave him a smile that made James’s insides quiver. He

loved his smile.

“Humor your boyfriend,” Jacinto said in a pleading tone. “I need

to keep you safe.”

“For your immortality.” His tone held a hint of resigned hurt.
“Don’t do that.” He reached out and curled his fingers around

James’s arm and drew him into his arms. “You’re important to me.”
He backed James up against the wall in his entryway and crowded
him against it.

James shivered at the feel of Jacinto. He’d tried not to think about

Now and Forever

living with him in such close quarters as his small rent house, but he
hadn’t been able to stop. He’d fallen asleep with a monster hard-on,
and he’d woken up with one just thinking of the opportunities he’d
have to be close to him.

“Jacinto,” he said in a husky tone. He raised his hands to the other

man’s broad shoulders. “Let’s not fight. I have work, and so do you.”

Jacinto lowered his head and captured James’s lips. James wanted

to push him away. No, he didn’t. That devil named desire surged
through him and refused to let him go. One hand curled around
Jacinto’s neck, fingers pushing into the short hair at his nape while the
other hand crawled around his waist as Jacinto plundered his mouth.
Jacinto pulled him away from the wall and turned, putting his own
back to it, and James was practically crawling all over him. His hands
were stroking, caressing, and his mouth was a willing victim to the
sweet assault of Jacinto’s tongue. He glided his hand down between
the older man’s thighs to cup the more-than-ample bulge.

He loved the size and girth of that. He loved the feel of it inside of

him, too. He pulled Jacinto’s shirt free of his pants and pushed his
hands beneath it. He loved the feel of the solid, warm muscles
beneath, so he worked the buttons free and pulled the white T-shirt up
and raked his short nails over the tough skin.

James broke the kiss and pushed Jacinto’s shirt and T-shirt up. He

lowered his head and skimmed kisses across his chest. He swirled his
tongue around one dark areola before raking it with his teeth. He bit
down and heard the sharp intake of breath and felt the shiver go
through Jacinto. He liked that about him, too. He liked to play rough.

He bit him again before sucking the nipple into his mouth. With

his free hand, he pinched the other nipple.

“Oh, yeah, baby.” Jacinto groaned. “Suck it hard.”
He lifted his head. “I want to suck your dick hard,” James told

him and smiled at the smoldering look in Jacinto’s eyes.

“What’s stopping you?”
He grinned and lowered his head to lash the other nipple with his

E.A. Reynolds

tongue before licking. He sucked the flat disc into his hot mouth and
then claimed Jacinto’s mouth as he worked the buckle of his belt free
and then undid the button.

“Mmm,” James moaned. Jacinto smiled and stroked his hand over

the back of James’s head. “Go down on me,” he ordered softly. “I
love to watch you suck my cock. Your sweet lips stretching over me
and taking me into your hot mouth drives me crazy.”

James kissed a path down his chest and over his stomach as he

sank to his knees. He swirled his tongue around the outturned belly
button before nipping it and then licking over it and teasing it with the
point of his tongue.

Jacinto chuckled, and James smiled before kissing a little lower.

He held Jacinto’s gaze as he dragged the zipper of his pants down and
pushed them open. He inhaled the scent of man and soap before
reaching into Jacinto’s bikini briefs and pulling his thick cock free.
He swirled his tongue over the head before drawing it into his mouth.
He sucked lightly then drew him deeper into his mouth.

Jacinto shuddered. “Yes, baby, suck my dick.” He tilted his head

back, and the muscles of his neck stood out in sharp relief. The
pleasure of the warm mouth sank into him, ramping up the desire
already aglow inside him. James sucked him to the back of his throat,
and Jacinto lost his breath.

Shit, it was good. Too damn good. He couldn’t control the jerk of

his hips. He sank into the hot and humid cavern slowly, drawing out
and sinking back in. His breathing grew harsh as pleasure shivered
through him.

“Love your sweet mouth, Jay.” He groaned as James sucked him

harder. He liked it rough. He always had.

James let the thick flesh pop free and licked down the hard ridge

of the shaft as if he were licking a favored treat. His tongue laved over
the ball sac before sucking one and then the other. While he laved the
orb, he wrapped his fingers around the proudly jutting cock and
tugged it with firm strokes. All the while he kept his eyes on Jacinto

Now and Forever

who watched him with hot-burning mocha eyes.

Jacinto fucked into his hand, and James tightened his grip and

worked the thick flesh and watched his man burn brighter.

“Gods, I’m on fire, baby. Suck me.”
James licked up the shaft and closed his lips over the tip. His head

bobbed up and down as he drew Jacinto to the brink of release, only
to squeeze the base of his cock and take him slowly toward that peak
again.

He sucked his lover to the back of his throat, and his head bobbed

up. He licked around the crown, and Jacinto yanked him to his feet.

James kicked off his slippers and leaped into his arms, wrapping

his arms around his neck. He took Jacinto’s mouth, laying claim to it
quickly. He stroked his tongue in and out of his mouth in a slow,
sensual kiss.

Jacinto turned, putting James against the wall. He ground against

him, and James pushed his hand beneath Jacinto’s shirts. He scraped
his back, marking him as their mouths mated.

Jacinto stepped back from the wall, and James slid to his feet.

Jacinto yanked the lounge pants the younger male wore down his
long, lean legs, taking the briefs with them, and then he used a bit of
magick to rip the T-shirt. He tore it away and stroked his big hands
over James’s chest before kissing a path over his shoulder down to his
chest. His tongue skated around the dark disc of flesh before spearing
the tiny beaded nipple.

“Jake.” James panted hard. Pleasure lighted through him setting

him ablaze inside. Why hadn’t he been able to resist him?

Just one look and he was like a bitch in heat. He craved the dark

edges of sex that made him hotter and harder. They made him hungry
for more.

Jacinto scraped one nipple and tugged the other. He lashed it with

his tongue before drawing it into his mouth.

A moment later, James closed his eyes as Jacinto traced kisses

down his chest. His mouth was hot and sweet as it moved unerringly

E.A. Reynolds

to the place where he wanted it. His hard, pulsing cock. Jacinto sank
his mouth down on the hard flesh, and James gasped. He didn’t suck
it, he lifted his head to lash at the birthmark that started at the side of
the tip of his cock and spilled down the shaft.

His hips jerked, and he cried out. The mark was sensitive, a

pleasure center that had him fisting his hands in Jacinto’s thick hair as
his tongue tip stabbed at the tomahawk. He feathered kisses over the
delicate flesh before sucking it into his mouth.

Immediately James fucked into his mouth, eager to have the moist

heat around his dick. It was liquid heat that turned his blood to lava.
God, he swore he was going to combust any second.

He mewled as Jacinto’s head bobbed up and down, sucking and

licking this cock and sending red-hot sensations coursing through his
body. He was going to lose his mind, James decided, and then Jacinto
took him down his throat, and he lost his load instead with a hard cry.

Jacinto was on his feet after a last lick of James’s cock. James was

almost boneless, but he reached up to tug Jacinto’s head down to his.
Their lips met, and his older lover took control of the kiss that set him
on fire again.

James was lost in the kiss, and the vague sounds of paper tearing

didn’t make a dent in his consciousness. A second later, a slick finger
was forging into his tight ass. He groaned and pushed against it. He
ached for a thicker intrusion, but this slim, long finger made him
catch his breath as it sank deeper into him.

“Oh, yeah. You’re ready, aren’t you, baby?” Jacinto murmured.

He withdrew his finger and turned James around and pushed him
against the wall before rubbing his cock against his ass. Then, he
gripped the thick length and tucked the head into the opening of the
tight cavern.

“Don’t tease,” James growled. “Give it to me, damn it.”
“How bad do you need it, sweet thing?” he teased with just a hint

of his Spanish accent.

“I’m so hot for you.”

Now and Forever

“You want me to fill your tight little place? Your secret garden?”

he whispered at his ear.

“Fuck me, yes,” he cried out.
Jacinto pushed into him another inch, moving past that guardian

ring of muscle, and James groaned. He hissed when Jacinto forged
deeper into him. The burn had his eyes closing as he got drunk off the
pleasure. His cock seemed to tighten against the wall and leak pre-
cum.

Jacinto filled him two strokes later, and James groaned and arched

back into him. He draped an arm around his lover’s neck. Jacinto
began to thrust in and out of him with an easy pace that quickly
became a rough tattoo that had them grunting. Their breathing became
like a scream in the otherwise silent entryway.

James pushed back, meeting each thrust with a hunger that

matched his lover’s while he used one hand to brace himself against
the wall as Jacinto fucked him hard.

“Fuck!” James groaned.
Jacinto’s rough groan followed. He hammered into James as

passion surged through them both, and with a scream, James’s orgasm
washed over him, gripping him so tight he could barely draw air to his
lungs.

Two minutes later, James stumbled when Jacinto’s heavy weight

eased from him. He had been practically flattened against the wall. He
let himself go as warm, corded arms came around him and lifted him.

“Oh, God,” he moaned against the side of Jacinto’s neck. At five

foot eight, he was always amazed at his lover’s ease at sweeping him
into his strong arms, but he always curled against him, enjoying the
intimacy. “I swore to myself last night this would not be happening
again.”

“You knew that was a lie,” he answered and laughed when James

bit the side of his neck. His laughter turned to a groan with the hard
suck. “Baby, you’re going to be late if you don’t stop.”

“That is why I got the guest room ready for you.”

E.A. Reynolds

“I’m not sleeping in the damned guest room, so forget it,” he told

him softly.

“Jacinto—”
“You’re mine, and I intend to lie next to you.” He dumped James

on the firm mattress in the master bedroom and moved over the
smaller male.

James’s arms came around his neck instantly, and he spread his

legs. He reveled in the feel of Jacinto’s cock against his. He moaned
harshly as Jacinto ground his latex-covered cock against him. “Jake,
take off the condom.”

“I’m doing you bareback,” he warned him.
“Just like last night,” he murmured. “I loved it like that. I could

feel every vein in that beautiful dick.”

Jacinto rolled off him long enough to open the bedside table

drawer and grab lube. James climbed onto him and kissed his chest
before biting him hard enough to leave a mark. His lover groaned, and
James sucked his neck while Jacinto slicked his cock.

James laughed when he was flipped onto his back. Jacinto came

over him again. He sat back on his heels and dragged James up onto
his lap before sliding his thick shaft half in.

“Yeah,” James groaned as he was taken slowly. He loved it. The

rasp of the shaft over nerve endings and tight tissues was a burn, an
intense pleasure that he savored.

Jacinto pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in, seating

himself fully. He looked down into his lover’s face. The glow of
desire filled James’s eyes. “Damn you’re beautiful.”

“So, it’s my good looks that keep you coming back,” he teased as

he stroked his fingers down the seam of Jacinto’s taut ass.

“That and your tight ass.”
James laughed. “Show me how good I am to you,” he urged, and

that was all it took for Jacinto to take him with slow strokes.

James glided his hands up the older man’s back as he began to

ride him harder. He scraped him with his nails. The harder the ride the

Now and Forever

harder the scratches that turned into long red welts that went from ass
to the base of Jacinto neck. James cried out his name as the pleasure
built and mounted in him. And Jacinto hammered into him, pushing
them both higher. James nipped at the hard shoulder, and Jacinto’s
hips jerked, sending him deep into the tight clasp around his cock.
James tried to scream, but his breath lodged in his throat. His nails
locked in the hard muscle of his man’s back.

“Oh, fuck!” Jake cried.

* * * *

Five minutes later, when their breathing was even, James lay

draped over Jacinto’s body, stroking his chest. He knew he was going
to be late, but he didn’t give a fat rat’s butt. He was too sated to think
about the stress of the job, and it had been stressful lately. If Jacinto
had been around, he’d have had some outlet for it with sex and
laughter.

Sex was certainly never a problem between them. They both could

do it anytime and almost anyplace. And the man could kiss. He set
him on fire with each stroke of his tongue.

“You okay?” Jacinto asked.
“You always wring me out,” he murmured.
“That’s because you’re insatiable,” Jacinto teased and grinned

when James’s hand brushed over his cock. “Ohh, baby, you’re going
to get us both in trouble if you start that.”

James laughed and climbed on top of him. He brushed his

hardening penis against Jacinto’s. “Your fault for picking on a
younger man.”

He sat up. “I can handle your moves, sweetheart, and I can

certainly outlast you.” He kissed him.

“Yeah, for a hundred-year-old dude you do have unspeakable

stamina,” James said. “Sure you’re not using Viagra?”

Jacinto bit his shoulder, and he laughed. He flipped James onto his

E.A. Reynolds

back. “Does this feel like Viagra?”

“Fuck me again,” he said, and he dragged Jacinto’s head down for

a kiss.

“Naw. Your tender ass will really be sore.” He dropped a kiss on

James’s nose. “We better get you to work unless you want to call in
and laze about in bed with your man all day.”

James smiled. He would love nothing better than that. However,

now wasn’t the time. Uncertainty about his lover’s motives still
nibbled at him. He needed to be wanted for himself, not some
mysterious connection that would give Jacinto and his brothers
immortality.

He had to admit he liked the idea of immortality. He just wanted

this to be about seduction for the sake of claiming him, not about
using him.

“I can’t, and neither can you,” he said wistfully. “But you can

fuck me one more time then we can shower.” Maybe sometime in the
future they would stay in bed all day just making love as committed
partners. He knew that was a fantasy, but that didn’t put his libido in
check.

Jacinto grinned down at him and rolled them over. “Take it.”
“Not a problem.”

Now and Forever

Chapter Six

“You didn’t have to walk me in,” James said as they rode up in

the elevator to his office.

“I wanted to,” Jacinto returned. “I want to make sure Wells

realizes how serious I am.”

“Promise me you won’t just go after him,” James commanded. “I

need my job.”

“You don’t need this job,” Jacinto contradicted calmly. “You’re

the best. You can teach or even go to work for the True Psy Council.”

“I know that, but I want to decide when I leave my job.” He

looked at him. “So, promise.”

“I—” he started to reply when the elevator doors swung open and

two males and a female climbed in.

“Morning, James,” the woman greeted with a smile before turning

her gaze on Jacinto.

James glared at her. She was fairly licking her lips as she took

open stock of him.

“Hi,” she said to Jacinto. “I haven’t seen you here before.”
“One of the new hires?” one of the males asked conversationally.
“Actually, no,” Jacinto answered.
“You’re too well dressed to be a messenger,” the female said.
“He’s my boyfriend, Rose, so back off,” James said coldly and

moved closer to Jacinto, who slipped an arm around his waist.

“Oh,” she said. “You’re too hot for him,” the blonde female said

with a disdainful look to James. She stuck out her hand. “I’m Rose.
Ouch.” She looked at her fingernail, which had been broken.

The elevator came to a stop, and James bumped her shoulder as he

E.A. Reynolds

stepped off past her and stalked to his office with Jacinto on his heels.
He felt a little off balance, a little territorial. He’d wanted to do far
more to her and had barely restrained himself.

“Bitch.”
Jacinto cocked a mocking brow at him. “You’re—”
“I can’t believe you were going to let that slut touch you,” he cut

in angrily.

“I wasn’t going to touch her,” Jacinto answered patiently.
He frowned as his attitude and actions hit him hard. “I never get

jealous,” he said and turned away from Jacinto. “I don’t understand
why I had such an intense anger about her touching you. I wanted to
freeze her brain.”

Jacinto grinned behind his boy’s back. “That’s part of the

mating,” he told him blandly.

James’s stare was bleak brown. He ran his hand over his short

sand-gold hair. “What else is going to happen to me?”

“I’ll tell you over lunch,” he replied.
“Fine, you better not lie to me,” James said. “Or I’ll castrate you.”
“You won’t,” Jacinto responded with a grin as he drew the

younger male into his arms. “You won’t be able to use me as your
personal dildo if you do.”

A little smile teased at his lips. “True, and I do love how big you

are, so I’ll make you sleep in the guest room.”

“Not happening,” he said with a dark look. “I’ve been away from

you—”

“Two weeks,” James jumped in an exasperated tone. “Ass-

whipped alpha.”

Jacinto chuckled. “Totally,” he agreed. “So, I’ll pick you up at

twelve.”

“On the dot,” he said. Jacinto was right. Two weeks had been a

long time. He hated to be away from him, but a little distance was
probably a good thing. He knew he was jumping into something that
might get him a broken heart, but now that he’d agreed to allow the

Now and Forever

man back into his life, he had to see it through.

“On the dot,” Jacinto agreed, stroking his fingers over James’s

cheek. “I’ll come up for you.”

James turned his head to the caress. The light stroke was almost

possessive, but that was one of the things he loved about Jacinto.
Each touch was a brand, a quiet statement of ownership. “I’ll come
down,” James argued in a breathless tone. “I mean it.” He kissed
Jacinto’s jaw. “If you’re my man, then do this my way.”

“Don’t try to manipulate me, baby. Just ask for what you want or

need,” he said softly. “I am your man, and making you happy is one
of my goals, but I will kill Wells if he hurts you.”

He knew that. He’d seen the rage that had tautened Jacinto’s body

last night. He’d almost let him kill, but he didn’t think it was right.

“Then don’t make me ask you again not to come up,” James said.
“I won’t.” He kissed James’s lips softly then left.

* * * *

Jacinto made rounds at Cross-Rose Hospital, where he worked,

before stopping in Trace’s office. He’d called him as soon as Carlin
had called him. He suspected there was only one reason Carlin could
want the blood, and he knew it was a test. A test he couldn’t afford to
fail. That was why he’d gotten his own sample of Riley’s blood. He’d
asked him to take a look at a patient he thought might have a deeply
embedded spell in the left shoulder.

He knew what had been wrong with the man, but getting Riley in

a position that would allow him to inflict even the minutest of wounds
would be difficult otherwise. Trace didn’t allow him to be around any
dominants, other than Carter and Dillan, too long by himself with all
that was going on.

“Why does he want the blood?” Trace demanded.
“Has he found the spells?” Dillan demanded from his position by

the window in Trace’s office.

E.A. Reynolds

“Yes, and one of them might require blood or hair to make it

effective,” he admitted. “He’s not going to trust me unless I bring him
a real sample.”

“I can’t give you that,” Trace denied empathically. “You’ll have

to come up with some excuse.”

Jacinto sighed roughly. “What do you think he’s going to buy,

Trace, hmm?” he demanded, pushing his hands into the pockets of his
pants. He didn’t blame Trace. He wouldn’t be giving up a sample of
his mate’s blood either, but that didn’t change anything. To continue
to keep suspicion off them, he needed to supply the sample, and they
needed to be prepared to deal with the fallout.

It was a hard choice, but it needed to be made.
“You think he’ll believe I’m not trying to cross him? He’s

threatened to go after my mate if I do.”

“But Riley has been having nightmares, and someone’s trying to

access his mind,” Trace said coldly. “He won’t tell me, but I know. I
can tell by the headaches he’s been having and the sleepless nights.
How do you think I feel not being able to stop this? I can’t keep him
locked in my mental shields.”

“It’ll take away his independence, but his psychic skills are the

only real defense he has,” Trace continued, anger in his tone. “He’s
not a witch. He knows about magick, and he can even do a few spells,
but he’s not capable of defending against one of us.”

“There is mention in the book Matt received from Mason about

hobbling Riley’s ability,” Dillan told him. “So he can’t get the visions
that will let us know what they’re up to. That could be what he’s up
to.”

Jacinto swallowed tightly. “So my mate be damned?”
“We’ll have to find a way to protect them both,” Dillan said

grimly.

“In the meantime, the sacrifice is too great to us as a whole,”

Trace said. “Riley is a threat because of his growing clairvoyance, and
being near Sagan only makes it stronger.”

Now and Forever

“So, you have your agenda—”
“I’m trying to do what’s best for all of us!” Trace snapped. “He’s

not going to kill your mate.”

“He could hurt him,” Jacinto protested, rage quietly seeping into

him as he considered the possibilities.

“But that would be counterproductive,” Dillan retorted calmly.
“Really?” Jacinto demanded. “Leave him comatose and what I

feel is just the tip of what I’m going to feel for him. I would go out of
my mind if I lost him. It scares the hell out of me as it is to even admit
to him that I care deeply for him.”“Whiner,” Trace muttered.

Dillan snorted. “We can’t all be brave like you, Trace,” he chided.

“Look, Jake,” Dillan began. “I know how you feel. The fear can leave
you paralyzed emotionally.”

“Shut up,” Jacinto growled. “I thought those were pants you’re

wearing, but it must be a goddamned skirt ’cause you’re spouting
woman shit.”

Trace snickered and then sobered. “Put him off a day. We’ll come

up with something.”

Jacinto frowned at his phone’s alarm going off. He yanked it from

his lab coat pocket and took a look at it. “Shit, I forgot.” He
sometimes got so caught up in his work that he forgot he had a date
with James, so he’d started setting his alarm to remind him.

“Forgot what?” Dillan asked casually.
Jacinto looked up at him and sensed his suspicion. Well, he

admitted the man had a right to be suspicious. He was willing to play
the son of a bitch if he had to. He’d give Carlin the blood he’d taken if
it would keep him off James’s ass for a little while longer.

“I have a date,” he said.
“Lunch?” Trace asked carefully.
He suspected, too. He wasn’t surprised. Too much had happened

for them to blindly trust again. “Yeah, I’m taking off the rest of the
day,” he said. “I have plans. I’ll be out of touch most of the day, so if
anything important happens, text or leave me a message.”

E.A. Reynolds

“Where are you going?” Trace asked.
“None of your damn business,” he retorted. “If you come up with

a way to keep my mate safe as well as your own, telepath.” He turned
and hurried from the office. He didn’t want to be late as he sometimes
was, especially with Wells so near.

The man might be smarting from last night and thinking on

getting a little revenge.

* * * *

James glanced at his watch. The meeting had run long, which

made him fifteen minutes late. He pushed back his chair in a hurry to
get to his office before heading out to the parking lot. He knew if he
was late, Jacinto would come up, and he didn’t want to risk him
running into Wells after last night.

“Caldwell, I need to see you,” Wells said coolly.
“Yes, sir,” he said and then dropped back into his chair.
When everyone was gone, Wells stood in the conference room

and strode to where James was sitting at the other end of the long
table in the windowless room. Wells stroked his hand over James’s
shoulder and squeezed lightly.

“I’m not angry about last night,” he began. “I know how

boyfriends can be. But you and I can still work things out. I know you
want to make it up to me.”

That arrogance on his face, that almost hard set of his thin lips

told James this was going to be one of those days where he barely
escaped being raped by his boss. And it made him mad.

“Make what up to you?” he asked, barely keeping his tone civil.
“The fact that your boyfriend jumped the gun,” he said, rubbing

his shoulder. “I mean if I report the incident, you’d be sanctioned, but
we can work something out.” He smiled down at him.

James wanted to hit him, and then it got worse. Wells stroked his

jaw. “What do you want me to do?” He fought the icy psychic energy

Now and Forever

of his cryokinesis as it rushed forward. The skill was one he rarely
used against people because it tended to be near fatal. At the moment,
the chill inside him promised a fatality if the man didn’t back off.

“Nothing complicated,” he said. “No long hours. I just want you

on your knees sucking my dick.”

James pushed his hand off his face as revulsion raced through

him. The guy wasn’t bad looking, and he had a nice build, but the idea
of intimacy with anyone other than Jacinto made him see red.

He tried to get to his feet only to be shoved back down. Wells

fisted his hand in his short hair and yanked his head back.

“Little whore, you’re going to suck me off,” he gritted out as he

reached down with his other hand to tear open his belt. “And then
you’re going to bend over this table and take me up your cute little
ass.” His fingers tightened in James’s hair.

James cried out, and the ice got away from him. The cold shot

through Wells’s fingers, and the man jerked his hand back and
backhanded him hard enough to knock him to the floor.

Wells moved quickly to him, and James used a spell to push him

back far enough for him to stand, and he got to his feet. He rubbed his
jaw. “Son of bitch,” James said coldly. The bruise would piss Jacinto
off, and he was more than inclined to allow his man to kick this
prick’s ass. However, Jacinto had said he’d kill him, not just beat him
up.

“I’ll have to suspend you for five days. Maybe six,” Wells

drawled. “Course, you could make it up to me by bending over the
table and letting me fuck you.”

“Or I could just call Jacinto and let him kick your ass,” he

sneered.

“Bitch,” he snapped and lashed out, intending to slap him, but

James blocked it.

He stepped out of reach, breathing hard. “The next time you touch

me, I’ll report you for sexual harassment.”

“The next time I touch you, I’m going to rape you and then cut

E.A. Reynolds

your fucking throat,” he snapped.

“I’ll be sure to let Jacinto know,” he retorted, certain Wells meant

every word. “He’ll kill your ass first.”

“Get out and stay gone until I call you,” he snarled. “And a

reprimand will be in your file.”

“Are you serious?” James demanded. “You’ve been all over me

for weeks—”

“Prove it,” he said with a sneer. “No one would believe that. So

get your ass out, and leave all the projects you’ve been working on.”

“Right,” he snapped back then headed out of the conference room.

He knew exactly what Wells was after, but he wasn’t getting it. He
stomped back to his office, fists clenched the whole way. “Son of a
bitch.” He blew out a harsh breath as he closed the door and then
came to an abrupt halt midway through the room.

The flowers on his desk were a bold and unusual sight that drew

him closer like a moth to a flame. He plucked the card from the desk
next to the vase and pulled it from its envelope.

I saw these and thought of you.

He smiled, and some of the tension drained from him

immediately. Only Jacinto would have sent him flowers. That was
another thing he loved about the man. Jacinto wasn’t too manly to
send flowers for no reason or take him out to dinner just because. The
man wasn’t much of a lunch date on any given day, but he was a hell
of a dinner companion.

“Do you like them?”
James jerked around and found Jacinto standing behind him. He

always liked them. “You know I do.” He was supposed to wait in the
truck.

Jacinto moved up behind him when James turned his back to him.

He lowered his head and nipped the sensitive skin of the younger
male’s neck and then kissed over the sting.

Now and Forever

James closed his eyes as Jacinto’s arm came around his waist, and

he drew him back against his solid body. He needed this. He needed
his man’s comfort. “Thank you, but I asked you not to come up.” He
turned to face him again. “Why?”

“Took too long,” Jacinto said with a frown. “So, I came up to see

if you wanted to cancel. I was going to bring lunch to you.”

James blinked in surprise. “You were?”
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked softly. “You’re hiding something

from me.”

“Get out of my head, Jacinto,” he muttered. “I’m not a child to be

spied on.”

“That jackass—what did he do?” he asked in a tone vibrating with

violence.

James pushed out a sigh. “He suspended me,” he admitted. “I

think it’s just to get to my computer. If I’m in the office, he has no
reason to raid my files, but if I’m suspended, then he has every right.”

“He came on to you,” Jacinto said in a cold tone. He stroked the

reddened skin of James’s cheek. “He hit you.”

“Jake.” He put a hand on his arm and gave him an imploring stare.

“No. Let it go this time, just because I’m asking you to.” He watched
the muscle in Jacinto’s jaw work. The rage in his eyes was chilling,
and if it had been aimed at him, he’d actually be afraid.

He could imagine what Jacinto would do if he told him Wells had

been sexually harassing him for weeks. He feared he’d have to peel
Wells’s brain off the ceiling if he confessed the man’s threat to rape
him and kill him. “I handled it. Please, just take me to lunch.”

“Wait here for me.” Jacinto put James away from him, and James

grabbed his arm.

“No! Jacinto.”
Jacinto met his gaze, and James cupped his face. “I can’t just let

him get away with this.”

“It’s over.” James caressed the ticking muscle in Jacinto’s jaw. He

watched the chill in his eyes gradually subside and was glad. If last

E.A. Reynolds

night’s reaction had been any indication, Jacinto would kill Wells in
the mood he was in.

Wells’s arrogance and stupidity would be big contributors to his

death.

Jacinto sighed roughly. “Fine. Get your bag, and let’s get out of

here before I kill him.”

He nodded. “Good idea.” James rounded his desk and saw that

one of the desk drawers was slightly ajar. His work computer screen
had been turned just the barest inch away from the window. He turned
on the screen to find the file he’d been working on had been closed.
He sat down and opened his list of files. They were all gone.

“Damn it.” He opened the desk drawer and noticed it had been

looked through. The paper clip he’d left on top wasn’t there. The flash
drive was gone. Luckily he’d left the original at home.

“What were they looking for?”
“Amy’s spells,” he said. “I created some of them with her, and she

knew about a few I’d created alone. She wanted me to sell them to her
for her sister to give to her boss. I said no, but she kept after me right
up to the last day I saw her.”

“What were they?”
“Mirror spells, ice spells that could be used as bombs, bombs, and

ice traps that can kill or merely maim.” He got to his feet and grabbed
his laptop bag from the bottom drawer. “I brought a few with me
today to work on for you.” He crossed to the bookshelf where he kept
his personal laptop. He had used a spell to make it look like one of the
boring classics.

“Can you counter them?”
“Yes.” He pulled the book out and turned it back into his laptop

and shoved it into the bag. “That’s part of what I was working on.
Amy and I created a few of those spells together, and I just tweaked
them into something new. So, I was working out a couple of defenses
against the spells,” he said. “That’s why you really came to see me.
You wanted me to create some spells.” He prayed Jacinto said no. A

Now and Forever

yes would seriously put a crimp in their relationship.

“No, sweet baby, don’t even get worked up about that,” he said

and pressed a kiss to his lips. “As I said last night, I’d like your help,
but I want you back. I want us back, James.”

He searched his mocha chocolate eyes hoping for something more

concrete, more telling than the hope in Jacinto’s stare. He sighed,
deciding he’d have to be content with what he saw.

“I hope you aren’t lying to me, Jake,” he murmured with an edge

of fear in his voice. “You’re like an addiction, and coming down from
you this time is going to be a hell of a crash.”

“It’s not a lie, Jay,” he said softly. “I promise.” He kissed him

softly and then moved to pick up James’s bag.

He held Jacinto’s gaze, feeling exposed and vulnerable and then

warmed by the sincerity in his eyes. “They might be able to use the
spells against you.”

“But you can teach us how to counteract the spell?”
“Yes.” He nodded slowly.
“Never doubt that I care about you, Jay,” Jacinto said quietly.

“This war can mix things up, but the truth and reality are that I would
walk away from immortality for you. However, I still have to help my
brothers.”

The corners of James’s mouth turned up slightly. His loyalty

wasn’t a surprise. In fact, he was glad to hear it. If he could be that
loyal to his brothers, then he might be that loyal to his lover. “I
understand that,” he said. He grabbed the flowers in their vase and led
the way to the elevator.

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Seven

The elevator was empty when they stepped on it and rode down in

silence. It came to a stop, and they climbed off and strolled out to the
parking lot. After climbing in, Jacinto started the truck and backed
out.

“Why are you at war with the dark Beorc?” James asked casually.
“Well, it’s almost as simple as them wanting our immortal

energy,” he answered. “But the truth is, the conflict between us and
them has been raging for centuries. Each lifetime more bad blood
developed between us until now.”

“In this lifetime, they want our immortal energy so they can

become immortal,” he explained. “They have to wait for us all to
mate first and then our energy bond will be complete, and we’ll
become immortal. Once our bond is complete, we’ll be more
powerful. Our magic and psychic skills will be stronger.”

“Did Amy work for this brotherhood that wants your energy?”
“I can’t be sure,” he admitted. “Her sister did.”
“If you need to be mated to me for them to succeed, why would

Amy try to break us up?” James asked. “They run the risk of us not
getting back together, and we don’t mate.”

“I wasn’t planning to let you go,” Jacinto answered.
“Because of your immortality?” he asked, even though Jacinto

had assured him already that wasn’t the issue, but how could he even
be sure. He might lie to become immortal. The thought of eternal life
and eternal youth was more than a little seductive.

“Because of my feelings for you,” he corrected. “To us, me, and

my brothers, our love for our mates supersedes all else including our

Now and Forever

immortality. Without our mates, the love of our mates, we have
nothing, and immortality would be nothing without that.”

James turned a contemplative gaze out of the passenger-side

window. He was scared but intrigued. The idea of having this man for
eternity made him want to cast those fears aside, but he couldn’t.
Reason demanded he didn’t. Loving someone didn’t always mean that
the person you loved would take care of your heart.

He’d had enough heartache as a child that he’d decided to never

willingly subject himself to it as an adult. He stayed in control of his
life, never allowing a lover enough power over him to truly break his
heart or make him dependent on him for anything. This relationship
with Jacinto would change that a little because he already cared for
the man and was willing to give him more of himself than he’d ever
given another lover.

“How does that work?” he asked. “The energy bond thing? Am I

bonded to them?” He needed to learn as much as he could about this
mating ritual and how it would change him and his life. He’d have to
rely on his head to make the right decision because his heart wasn’t
reliable where this man was concerned.

“You will be once we’ve all mated, but your bond to them will be

through me. You’ll be bonded energetically to the other mates as well.
Even before our bond is fully formed, your bond with the mates may
become fully formed. It depends on how quickly you accept them. We
don’t know how that works—only our mates can figure that out.
You’d have to ask them. I suspect they know a great deal more than
they share with us. ”

“I’m joined to them?” He cast a curious glance over at him. He

did feel different to a degree. His magick seemed a little stretched, as
if it were being drawn on by another.

“Yes.”
“What happens after we mate?” That was more important to him

than what changes he might go through because of the mating. He
didn’t mind being possessive of this man. Who wouldn’t be? He was

E.A. Reynolds

sexy and gorgeous and smart. He was confident and extremely
desirable.

“What do you mean?”
“Will you be able to take other mates?” he asked. He didn’t want

to share this man, and if he could take other mates, did that mean he
was bonded only to Jacinto while Jacinto could dick around all over
town if he wanted to?

“No,” Jacinto said, throwing him a frown. “This is my soul

joining to yours. One soul to one soul. I’m sure there are people out
there with more than one soul mate, but not us.”

“But you can still see other people if you want?” he asked. “It’s

not like being tied to just me.”

Jacinto gave him an angry look as he pulled to a stop at a red

light. “I don’t want another man. We are joined forever once our bond
snaps into place. As the years go by, we’ll meet with normal
relationship challenges, but we’ll just have to figure out how to keep
our relationship strong, our passion alive, and our love sweet.

“I’m not afraid of the work, are you?”
James blinked at him. There was a quiet anger in his eyes. He

didn’t know why he’d be angry. He wasn’t the one flying blind. “No,
but I need to know what’s in store for my future with you before I
allow myself to be taken on an immortal ride,” he answered coolly.
“So you won’t be able to have sex outside of me?”

“I won’t be able to,” he retorted coldly. “But I don’t want to now,

and don’t suspect I will then. Things get hard, but when you really
love someone you make time for your relationship. Even if some of
that time is spent fighting about stuff.”

He didn’t really know about that. He hadn’t met many couples

who attempted to work out the differences that destroyed their
relationship.

“I just needed to know.”
“Now you do,” Jacinto answered. “But only time will prove to

you how strong real love can be.”

Now and Forever

* * * *

Jacinto pulled into the parking lot of the Seventh Street restaurant.

The restaurant was near a motel that provided excellent amenities and
discreet service. The restaurant was owned by the same man who was
a member of the Separatist Community. He pulled into a parking
space and cut the engine.

“Where are we?” James asked, glancing out of the window.
“Restaurant,” he answered. “There is a motel back there. The

owner owns both. The restaurant is frequented by gay men and
bisexuals mostly. Some lesbians and straights dine here on occasion
as well.”

“Oh,” he said and looked up at the restaurant, thinking how

deserted it looked in spite of the cars in the parking lot.

Jacinto climbed out of the truck and quickly rounded to James’s

side and opened his door for him.

James stepped out. “Thanks.” He was used to the man opening his

doors for him now, but once he’d been startled by it. Men did that for
women, not other men. It seemed so out of place for a man to show
such courtesy and chivalry to another man. On the other hand, some
things like consideration, courtesy, and manners were still important
in any relationship. The expression was different, but the sentiment
was still the same. He had missed these little kindnesses in the last
two weeks as much as he’d missed having someone to talk to and
listen and soothe away those little stresses of his day that got him
down.

Jacinto caught James’s hand as they started toward the building,

and James looked at him. Jacinto smiled faintly, that sexy little smile
he loved. Yeah, James decided. He wanted his man back. What he felt
for Jacinto made the risks worth taking.

Once inside, they were seated away from the windows, and a

waiter clad in black jeans and a white T-shirt took their order.

E.A. Reynolds

“Nice place.”
Jacinto nodded. “Yeah, I like it,” he agreed. “We can relax and be

ourselves instead of wondering what straights are thinking when they
look our way.”

James smiled. “Guilty as charged,” he said. “I hate it when they

stare, but I hate it even more when they act like being gay is the worst
thing that man can be.”

Jacinto gave him a faint smile. “It’s hard, but I don’t pretend I’m

anything other than what I am.”

“Neither do I, but it’s not like we’re mass murders,” he said. “I

mean come on, how many times have you heard about gay men going
on some killing rampage.” He shook his head.

His companion snickered. “You’ve got plenty of axes to grind,

baby.”

“You never complain about your coworkers, white or black,” he

said with a frown. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, Jay,” he admitted. “The ones I like, I

like. The ones I don’t, I don’t really give a damn what they think or
do so long as they don’t harm me, anyone that I care about, or the
patients.”

He nodded. “You seem to care for your patients, and I think that’s

one of the things I love about you.”

Jacinto smiled. “I became a doctor to help people, to stop pain.”
“One of your parents was a doctor?”
“No. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a lawyer,”

he said with a fond smile. It had been so long ago that his parents had
lived. They had been Psy-witches who did not believe in immortality
and chastised him for ever having that thought.

His parents had known about the Beorc, and they had known he

was meant to be one of them. While they had encouraged him to learn
about the Beorc culture and heritage, they had never truly approved of
it. They had hoped he would choose another path for his life.

“They were good parents?” James asked, noting the smile.

Now and Forever

“Yes. Very good. They were understanding and liberal minded,

but they believed some aspects of the Beorc culture were wrong.
Especially immortality. What about your family?”

“My birth father was a Navy SEAL who died in the line of duty

when I was young,” he said with a smile. “My mom said I looked just
like him. He was blond with hazel eyes, and he was good-looking. He
used to spend time with me when he was home, but his family hated
me because my mother was black. They thought she just wanted to
hook a middle-class white boy who happened to be a Navy SEAL.”

“So, they didn’t see you when he died?”
“I didn’t exist to them,” he said. “But my mom married a son of a

bitch who hated whites and thought psychic skills were the devil’s
work. He was a minister’s son who became a minister.”

“Had to be an interesting life,” Jacinto commented, but he

couldn’t imagine the hell it must have been for a boy born of three
things a Christian found fault with. Witches, psychic skills, and a
homosexual.

“He didn’t like me because I looked so much like my father, and

my cryokinesis got me in trouble until I learned to control it.”

“We all go through that,” he said with a smile. “Was your mother

the psy or your father?”

“My father was the witch,” James said. “My mom loved her

husband, so she was willing to pretend not to be the strong telekinetic
she is, and my sister tried, but she is strong like my mother. My
brother is highly telepathic, but he hated it. He wanted to be normal,
so he only used it to communicate with me and my sister and my
mom when he wasn’t near a phone.

“My sister and I both got kicked out as evil witches,” James said

with a shake of his head. “She was sent away to a Catholic boarding
school that really raked her over the coals. She was rebellious for a
while, but she grew out it. She doesn’t speak to her father, but she and
I stay in touch.”

“Where is she now?” Jacinto asked.

E.A. Reynolds

“Switzerland. My brother is a minister like his father. We keep in

touch, but we’re not close. She and I both learned to be pretty
independent at an early age since we didn’t get much support from
our family.”

“That’s too bad,” Jacinto said.
“What about your siblings?”
“My family has passed on,” he said. “My parents and sister died

in a train accident years ago.”

James reached across the table to touch Jacinto’s hand. “I’m

sorry.”

“No, don’t be,” he said, touched by this man’s empathy. “I loved

them and miss them still, but it was a long time ago.”

The waiter brought their meal as he started to speak. He asked if

they needed anything else then departed.

They finished their meal, Jacinto paid the ticket, and they headed

out.

“So.” Jacinto took James’s hand. “What do you want to do? I

cleared the rest of my schedule to spend the day with you.”

James was surprised, but Jacinto had done that a few times when

they first started dating. “I don’t know.” James stopped halfway to the
truck and faced Jacinto. “Just talking to you has been the highlight of
the day so far. I mean, we never talked like that.”

“I know, and it was nice,” Jacinto said, reaching out to touch

James’s face. “I really want to be with you, James, and I want to
know everything about you. I was taking things too slowly, thinking
we had time to learn each other. That was my mistake. I should have
just been open with you.”

“Telling me we’re mates, and we could become immortal can’t

roll that easily off the tongue.”

“No, but I should have made it clear to you once I realized how I

felt that I wanted us,” he answered.

“It’s not all your fault,” he retorted. “I didn’t tell you how I felt

either, but I don’t want to leave it to chance this time. I’m in love with

Now and Forever

you, and I want you back.”

“You already have me,” he murmured.
James smiled and moved closer to him. “You mean that?”
He nodded. “Yes.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips over

the younger man’s soft pink lips.

Just as Jacinto’s lips touched his, a vision flashed on the inner

screen of his mind. An attack, spells, near-fatal spells at his spine. His
precognitive skills were erratic at best and barely reliable, but this
vision sent chills tearing through him.

Since he’d started dating Jacinto, he’d been having occasional

visions of the past. He knew them for what they were. They had been
flashes of his past life or, more accurately, his past deaths. He always
snapped out of the vision before he saw the man he heard screaming
for him. But this vision was the future.

Jacinto’s sharp intake of breath jerked him back to the present.
“Shit.” Jacinto blocked a spell coming at them then spun them out

of the way of an oncoming spell.

James moved out of his arms and turned so his back was to the

action Jacinto was dealing with to see if any attackers were coming up
behind them. He was glad he did. Two men were advancing on them.
He widened his stance and made ready for the attack.

One of the men smirked at him as he threw a spell. James sneered

at him as he thrust his fist down. He opened his hand and sent a spell
crawling across the smooth cement of the parking lot.

The spell flared up and out with gray ribbons and sparkles before

crashing into one of the witches. The ribbons sliced across one foot
while the sparkles rained down on him icily. The ice began to freeze
him instantly. The other man moved out of the way just in time to
avoid the sprinkles of ice.

James pulled his hand down sharply as he focused on the

remaining witch, who was advancing on him again. He was gathering
his energy. James didn’t bother waiting. He threw his own magick.
The horntail cut across the man’s shoulder, and he cried out, losing

E.A. Reynolds

his focus. James hit him with another spell and was pushed just
slightly aside telekinetically.

He ducked and thanked goodness Jacinto had seen the spell

coming. He cried out as a chain spell curled around his knee. Steel
spikes grew out of the chain and bit into his knee.

Jacinto lashed the caster with a spell, and the witch howled in

pain. Jacinto hit him with a telekinetic blast in the chest, and the witch
screamed as he went down.

“Come on,” Jacinto ordered, reaching for James’s hand.
A spell smashed into Jacinto’s hand, and he jerked it back. Blood

pooled from a gash caused by the spell as Jacinto turned to locate the
caster. As he turned, another witch threw a spell that hit James in the
knee. He staggered and went to his knees a second later when a spell
crashed into his back right in the middle of his spine. His eyes
widened, and the vision of four faceless men surrounding him assailed
him, blinding him to his attackers. He was surrounded by a rainbow
of energy that sparked with tremendous life and power.

“Welcome, James,” one of the faceless men said. “We’ve been

waiting for you.”

Then, energy flared strong and gray inside him, coursing down his

spine with the speed of light. He arched as it anchored deep in his root
chakra and bloomed. It was all his energy. The hum of powerful
psychic energy exploded inside him and the strength of Psy-witch
energy kissed him hard. He cried out as it fused with his own.

He was hit again, snapping him out of the vision. He fell forward

and collapsed on the ground. Pain ranged up his spine from the point
of contact up to the base of his neck. The blinding pain brought stars
to his vision.

A kick to the shoulder had him crying out.
“We don’t want you dead,” a smooth male voice said. “We’re just

sending your boyfriend a message.” The male bent down, and James
struggled to see his face. He was punched, and his head was shoved
down, cheek pressed into the pavement.

Now and Forever

James screamed as the spell hit the back of his neck. It burned

clear to his bone, and he jerked. He was released and rolled onto his
back. He looked up and his body seemed to lock. His eyes met a pair
of laughing blue ones, and he lost his breath at the vision of the man’s
death that rushed him. A breath later, his body began to jerk, yanking
him from the vision.

Jacinto took the last man down just as someone came running

from the restaurant. He saw the back of a retreating figure as he
leaped into the back of a pickup truck, and flying out behind it was
threads of too-familiar blond hair.

He gritted his teeth in rage. He hadn’t expected Carlin to track

him, let alone send out a team to show his lack of appreciation for the
refusal to give him the blood just yet. He sighed, and that’s when it hit
him. Jacinto jerked around looking for James and found him several
steps away from where they had been attacked. He raced to him,
finding him rigid and hot to the touch. His shoulder was bleeding, and
so was his lip. He went down on his knees.

“Jay,” he murmured. “Come on, baby.”
“I’ve called for help,” a male told him as he came up behind him.

“I got the license number.”

“Thanks.” He swallowed tightly as he telepathed to Carter Cross,

one of his brothers and co-owner of Cross-Rose Hospital. He was
already going cold as he felt the dark, cold energy of the spells lodged
in James’s body. He was sweating, and his pulse was weak. His
breathing was harsh, as if something was lodged in the chest.

He held his hand over the chest, and James began to wheeze.
“Damn it, Carter,” he cried telepathically. “He’s dying.”
Two teleporters appeared on his left, and Jacinto moved away

from James quickly, though it tore him up to do so. The second
teleporter put a hand on his shoulder, and they were gone.

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Eight

Jacinto took a step forward in the emergency room of the

toxicology-and-dark-spell clinic. Dillan rushed forward, along with
Camden, Matt’s mate.

“Trace is on his way,” Camden told him. “In the meantime, let us

take care of him.”

Jacinto stepped back, his face set in grim lines as he fought back

tears. He clenched his fists, and a jagged tear opened in a nearby wall.

“Chill.” Carter put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get you checked

out.”

“I’m fine,” he snarled, jerking away.
“Yeah, well, you’ve been hit. “We need to check if it’s poison or

not.”

“I was just grazed.” He pushed Carter’s hand away. His touch was

sting that burned through his shirt. Once the mating started, another’s
touch was often painful, though not unbearable, until the energetic
bond between mates had formed completely.

“Jake, chill out,” Trace ordered, stepping into the emergency

waiting room. “Here, let me see quickly.” Trace did a quick scan by
running his hand just over Jacinto’s auric field. “He’s got a simple
tear in the shoulder, Carter.”

“Come on,” Carter said. “Let’s take care of it before it ruptures

and causes you some real pain.”

“No, let Avery handle it,” Trace said. “It has a nasty airy bite-

back.”

An airy bite-back would eventually cause him a great deal of pain,

Jacinto mused. If left untreated it would slice through muscle and

Now and Forever

bone and burn like hell. So, he’d have treatment and come right back
here.

“What are we looking at, Dillan?” Trace demanded after washing

his hands and stepping into the OR.

“Doctor,” the telepathic scanner greeted him coolly. “The patient

presents with a spell series called the spine whip. Whips are lodged
deep in the spine. Broken back, broken shoulder, broken jaw, but no
head injuries.”

“Midback to neck,” Camden said. “The series is laced with a trig

series. It’s a booby trap series that usually releases a poison that
causes seizures as well as respiratory distress that can be fatal when
an attempt is made to remove the spells. A patient can live with it for
up to four months. They even feel pretty good some days while others
they aren’t even able to move. I’ve stabilized the breathing for now
with blue lung intubation. It will also keep the lung from collapsing
while we work on him.”

“Okay,” Trace said. “I need to get in and remove the poison, and

then, Dillan, you take care of the rest. Camden—”

“Shit,” Dillan said. “We need a thermo. This boy is not going to

make it.”

“It’s the poison,” Camden told him. “It’s probably seeping out

into the circulatory system to paralyze his nervous system. These
kinds of spells usually can’t be removed without fatalities.”

“Damn it,” Dillan snarled.
“They are generally deeply embedded in the root chakra system or

the heart which makes them fatal, but this one isn’t attached to the
heart chakra and the root attachment isn’t bonded with the chakra, just
lodged in it.”

“Can it be removed?” Dillan demanded tersely.
“Yes.”
“Who’s on call, Ms. Marks?” Trace asked the female nurse.
“Collins, Wright, and Saldana-Ellsworth,” she retorted.
“Page Saldana-Ellsworth and Collins,” he said.

E.A. Reynolds

“Why?” Dillan demanded.
“Riley can function as the thermo, but they can both see the booby

traps and some poisons I can’t,” Trace informed him. “They’ll have to
work together since Riley can’t handle the poison, but Sagan can.”

“Right.” Dillan nodded.
“Sagan will have to filter poison out while you and I put this boy

back together.”

“Damn, he’s going to seize out on us,” Dillan muttered. “His temp

is too high.”

Camden put his hand over James’s chest and sent a splash of blue

energy into his body. “We need to get the poison out. It’s what’s
driving the temp up. I’d burn it out, but it would trigger a booby.”

“I’ll begin working on those,” Trace said. “Turn him over.”
They used telekinesis to turn him over and remove his shirt. The

damage to the spine reflected in the skin. The scraps and tearing on
the surface were indicative of the depth of the damage.

Trace held his hand over the spine and focused his third eye. With

it, he saw deep into the spine where the spells were lodged. “I can’t
see the traps.”

“Good thing I’m here,” Riley said, moving up beside him. “Give

me a second. Hey, guys.”

The others greeted him quietly. “First booby is lodged in the root

chakra. It’s red-and-black with cacti-like fingers attached.”

“Poison?”
“Yes. It’s got a green center.”
“Not too bad,” Dillan said.
“No, but the poison and boobies are located from the chakra up to

just beneath the skin,” Riley said.

“Put him on ice,” Trace ordered. “And let’s get to work.”
“Doctors.” Sagan joined them. “What are we doing?”
He was quickly briefed by the OR nurse, and Sagan held his hand

over the spine.

“I’ll take care of the traps,” Dillan said. “Trace, can you pull out

Now and Forever

the spell?”

“Yeah, and the poison. Sagan, tell me if I leave anything behind.”
“I will.”
Dillan stared into the root chakra, finding the spell easily. With his

mind, he went into the spell and telekinetically deactivated the trap
attached to the spell. It was slow going, as the trap was attached to the
spine and he didn’t want to damage it. He first severed the spindly
fingers from the root charka and then severed it with a hard burst of
fire-red energy from the spine.

While he was doing that, Camden stabilized the chakra and Trace

removed the poison and began healing the damage to the spine.

Dillan moved up to the next trap. It was attached to the third

chakra. The work was a little time consuming, and it took him twenty
minutes, as the spindly fingers of the spell had begun to infect the
circulatory system. The bone was already beginning to lose valuable
nutrients and starting to decay.

“Damn, Trace, hold back,” he said.
“What is it?”
“Necrotic,” Sagan said. “Bone’s decaying. Someone meant to

fuck him up bad.”

“Someone did fuck him up bad,” Dillan corrected. “Who is he?”
“He came in with Jake,” Camden said. “Parking lot attack.”
“Be careful with that,” Dillan warned.
“I recall,” Trace drawled dryly as he worked carefully. “Sagan,

deaden the site.”

Sagan did as he was commanded, using freezing indigo.
The men worked at a steady pace for two hours until all of the

spells had been removed and the respiratory and circulatory systems
were healed and stable. And then the scars were partially healed,
which meant he’d have some scarring from the attack.

“Put him on a violet drip,” Trace said. “The blue filters should

keep him pain free.”

Sagan went to prepare the room with the colored light, leaving the

E.A. Reynolds

others to go discuss things with Jacinto.

* * * *

“Are you okay?” Carter asked Jacinto as he put a hand on his arm.
“No, Carter,” he retorted, brushing Carters hand away.
“Who is he?” Carter pressed. “It’s not like Carlin to just attack

some random body in a parking lot.”

“James is a spell creator,” he said tightly. “He’s—” He broke off

as the door of the OR swung open and Trace and Dillan came striding
out. He rushed to them halfway. “What took so long?”

Dillan rolled his eyes, and Trace pushed out a heavy sigh. “He

was badly damaged, Jake,” Trace told him. “He’s going to need
another surgery. Devon will have to finish putting him back together.
Camden did a good job on his spine.”

“The spells tore him up bad,” Dillan added. “I’d have said he

wasn’t going to walk again, but the boys do good work together.”

Jacinto was already tuning them out. He’d pretty much heard all

he’d needed to hear. This was Carlin’s work because he hadn’t given
him the blood. Lucan had been the man he’d seen hurrying away from
James.

He clenched his hands at his sides so hard the nails pierced his

palms. Jacinto wrestled his emotions under control even as his
psychic abilities threatened to cause havoc on the walls around him.

“Who is this kid?” Dillan asked. “Why would Carlin want him

dead?”

“More accurately, incapacitated and in pain,” Trace corrected.

“Carlin knew we’d be able to stabilize him. His death would be slow
and a few months or so down the road.”

Jacinto turned his gaze on Trace, and the fury simmering within

him rose again. “Why do you care, Trace?” he asked, keeping his tone
low and cold. “He’s not your fucking mate, so I’m sure you don’t
really give a damn what Carlin wants from him.”

Now and Forever

* * * *

Riley stepped into the recovery room, after James had been taken

in, to find Sagan turning on the ceiling projector to shower James in
violet light. The nurse moved to the bed, and Sagan turned to her.

“He’s okay for now,” he said.
“He won’t be for long,” she said and then produced a syringe.

“You and your friends won’t be able to pull him back from this so
easily.”

Riley’s eyes widened, and he watched as Sagan leveled a psychic

attack at her. It was only strong enough to knock the syringe form her
hand. He telepathed Trace to alert him of the attack then rushed up
behind her and caught her in a choke hold. His arm and hand went
cold around her neck, and she struggled against him.

She broke free, coughing, and kicked Riley in the groin. He

groaned and tried to focus his energy to hit her with another wave of
cold. Before he could do anything, Sagan hit her with a hard blast that
had her crying out in pain. He magnified the hit, and she screamed
and lurched at Sagan. An empath, Sagan tended to be sensitive to
others emotions and pain. As a result, it hurt him to cause others pain,
but Sagan hit her with another dose of emotion, and Riley magnified
that.

She stumbled as Sagan got out of reach, and fell against the wall

before sinking to the floor. She clenched at her chest and made a
harsh sound before going limp. Sagan panted hard, and Dillan burst
into the room with the others on his heels and ran to him.

“Come here, sweet.” Dillan brought Sagan up against him.
“She’s dead,” Carter said. “What the hell happened?”
“She attacked,” Riley said as Trace put an arm around his waist to

draw him close to his side. “She had a syringe.”

“Damn Carlin,” Trace snapped, turning his gaze on Jacinto, who

was sitting on the bed next to James.

E.A. Reynolds

He got to his feet. “I warned you Carlin wouldn’t take the refusal

well, but there’s nothing you can do for him, is there, Trace?”

“I won’t sacrifice our brotherhood,” Trace answered coldly.
“What does he want the blood for?” Carter asked.
“A spell.”
“Whose blood?” Riley asked Trace as he looked up at him.
“Yours,” he said grimly. “But that is not happening.”
“Give it,” Camden said quietly from the doorway.
“Step in,” Trace ordered. When he’d done so, Trace cast a

soundproofing spell to prevent the conversation from being heard by
anyone else close enough to hear. “I can’t do that.”

“You said you wouldn’t sacrifice the brotherhood,” Riley said.

“He’s Jake’s mate.”

“He probably wants to use that blinding spell to prevent Riley

from having visions,” Sagan said.

“All the more reason why we can’t give up the blood,” Carter

said. “That will destroy everything.”

“It’s a gamble,” Sagan began. “But I think we should take it.”
“What are you talking about?” Dillan asked.
“Camden and I did a spell last night,” Riley said. “Based on our

own intuition and research.”

“In the book, someone notes that they’re worried Riley’s abilities

are growing and will be magnified when Riley and I come into
contact with a third seer,” Sagan explained.

“James has the ability,” Jacinto admitted quietly.
“Someone, let’s presume it was Carlin’s seer,” Camden began.

“Someone believed me or your mate would complete the seer circle.”

“What seer circle?” Trace asked carefully, stroking Riley’s back.
“It’s as much about us as seers as it is about our energy making us

as your mates strong,” Camden said.

“Thing is,” Sagan said. “We dociles have our own resonance,

which is separate from you dominants. That can’t be tapped into by
anyone but us until after you’re all mated, and even then only to a

Now and Forever

small degree can Carlin even reach it.”

“That’s the energy his seer was worried would be a problem for

him,” Camden added. “It’s the energy we used to create a spell to
prevent Riley from being used against the brotherhood.”

“Carlin’s spell shouldn’t work,” Riley said.
“I think we should take the gamble,” Sagan said, looking to Dillan

for support. “We can hold our end up if you guys let us.”

“James can reinforce the spell when he’s well,” Jacinto said.

“He’s a powerful spell caster, so his energy should help.”

Trace sighed harshly and looked to Carter then to Dillan.
“Baby, trust us,” Riley pleaded. “Let us do our part in this fight.”
“What the hell,” Dillan said. “Jake’s mate won’t be out for more

than a few hours. Jake can take the blood over, and we’ll keep his
mate safe.”

Trace nodded, the expression on his face taut. “Okay.”

E.A. Reynolds

Chapter Nine

Jacinto pulled his truck to a stop in the parking lot of the big park.

He cut the engine and climbed out. He engaged a spell on his truck
that cloaked it from sight before starting toward the meet area Carlin
had specified. Taking a slight detour, he was able to skirt the lookout
Carlin had posted. He avoided the second man, using an invisibility
spell, and strolled around to the lake where Juniper, one of his coven
brothers, had asked him to meet him.

He created a deer from a spell and sent it strolling out toward

Juniper. Juniper noticed just as it faded and strolled back to the trees
Jacinto was using for cover.

“What’s up?” Jacinto asked quietly. Juniper was a dark-skinned

male with a shaved head. He was his height as well as his equal in
age.

“Miller came by my shop last night after closing.”
“What’s up with him?” Miller was the one brother who’d not yet

been brought into the Oak Waters coven. The new coven excluded
their two leaders, Clay and Aero, who had been determined to be the
enemies who planned to steal their immortal energy.

“He said Carlin’s using him like he’s using you, only he has a

hold on him that he doesn’t have on you.”

“Singh?”
“Yeah, he made him sick, and he’s promising to cure him once

this is all over and let them go.”

“He won’t let them go,” Jacinto told him grimly. “Any more than

he’s going to allow me to live.”

“Yeah, well, the difference between you and him is strength and

Now and Forever

power,” he said. “Miller doesn’t have the power you have. He’s a
mediocre witch at best, and Singh isn’t much better.”

“I know.” Jacinto looked into the treetops.
“My spell’s holding,” he said. “No one can track us or hear us.”
“Well, someone tracked me today,” he said. “Lucan attacked my

mate and would have left him paralyzed and in pain.”

“No matter how this turns out, they’re making us pay a heavy

price for it,” Juniper said with a rueful smile. “When it’s over, I’m
going to find a nice quiet corner of the world and live a normal life.”

Jacinto frowned. “This is our normal.”
“No.” Juniper shook his head. “I never intended this for myself or

my love. He deserves better, and so do I.”

Jacinto sighed. “So?”
“So Miller passed off some information we can use to take back

the coven stead.”

“What information?”
“Files that will allow us to get the land back,” Juniper said with a

grin. “He was able to manipulate the right minds to get them to sign
away their rights to Misty Willows. Sleepy Pines is locked up too
tight, but the Knights have Misty Willows. The lake is beautiful, and
you guys will have a stronger sense of autonomy from both the
mortals and the Psy.”

“And it’s certain we’ll have all rights?” Jacinto asked, hopeful.

They didn’t need the Separatist Council swooping down on them and
attempting to take the property back.

“One hundred percent free and clear,” he said with a grin. “The

Separatist Council won’t be able to take it back, thanks to Baker. Matt
presented him with the documentation this morning, and he signed it.”

“Who wrote it up?”
“That lawyer, Greenly. Devon’s brother’s friend.”
“Why would he help us?” Jacinto asked skeptically. “The Oaklyns

hate gays.”

“Greenly’s bi, and his only stipulation was to be able to buy land

E.A. Reynolds

there for him and his family when he’s ready,” he said. “Matt insisted
the land reverts to us if he decides to move, or when he dies. He can
in no way sell the rights, or give any part of his land away except to
one of us.”

“Sounds good. You have those papers?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Got everything here.” He removed an SD

card. “All the paperwork’s locked up for you guys in triplicate.”

“So, what’s Miller doing it for?”
“He wants Singh healed, and he wants to be let go with no strings.

He sent a few samples of blood for you docs to take a look at.” He
removed the vials from his pants pocket.

“I don’t foresee that being a problem,” Jacinto retorted blandly.

He couldn’t imagine Trace wanting to hold someone that didn’t want
to be part of their coven. Miller and Singh would be a liability rather
than an asset.

“Singh isn’t in a hospital because he’s functional, but he will die

at some point if he doesn’t get the right treatment.”

He nodded. “We’ll get to him soon. In the meantime, I need to

meet Carlin.” Jacinto left Juniper and retraced his steps, making sure
he got the notice of the guards this time. He slowed his steps at the
sound of voices.

“It’s probably going to be a trick,” Lucan said. “We need that

blood for the spell to work.”

“It won’t be a trick,” Carlin said. “I told him I’d tell him how to

remove the booby traps so his mate can be healed.”

“You aren’t going to do that yet?” he demanded. “The spell will

allow us to prevent Riley from having the visions, but it might not
give us the two-way radio effect.”

“We won’t know until the spell is done,” he answered. “But no,

the information will remove the traps but activate the virus,” Carlin
told him. “It’s similar to the one we’re using in Singh, except James
will experience more pain, more frequently.”

“Good. That slick bastard thinks he’s smarter than us.”

Now and Forever

“Course he does,” he said. Carlin turned as he heard Jacinto snap

some twigs as he approached them. “Enough for now.”

Jacinto strolled out to the clearing. “Boys.”
“How’s your mate?” Lucan asked then sneered at him. “He’s good

with a spell. Quick, too, but not quick enough.”

Jacinto punched Lucan in the face, and Carlin shoved him back.
“Son of a bitch,” Lucan growled then wiped blood from his nose.
“Not now, Lucan,” Carlin warned. “I warned you not to fuck with

me.”

“Do you have any idea how closely guarded Riley generally is?”

he asked incredulously. “He spends a good deal of time with Sagan
and Camden, which means there is almost always someone around
him.”

“How’d you get it then?” Lucan demanded.
He shrugged and smiled a sly smile. “I asked him to check out a

patient for me, and I deadened the spot and took the blood.” He
shrugged.

“He didn’t notice?”
“We’re called some of the best for a reason,” he said, wondering

if they’d pick up that subtle message.

“If you’re so damned good, why is your mate still sick?” Lucan

taunted.

“Give me the spell,” Jacinto ordered Carlin. “Or I’ll drink the

damned blood.”

Carlin held out the slip of paper, and Jacinto held out the vial of

blood.

“If you disappoint me again, you and your mate will regret it.”
“You won’t kill us yet,” Jacinto said with a mocking smile. “I’ll

have time to figure a way out of whatever you plan to do after you get
our energy.”

“If you cross me, nothing will stop me from killing you or him,”

Carlin warned him.

Jacinto backed away. “That’s not going to be an issue,” he said.

E.A. Reynolds

No, it wasn’t. Because Carlin and Lucan were going to die.

* * * *

James took in the faces with the names he’d been given as the

men crowed into the room with him. Riley seemed like the leader of
the small, friendly group, but he was keeping an eye on Devon. Matt
had mentioned they would get along, but James needed some
confirmation that this Devon was in no way keeping company with
Jacinto before he truly relaxed.

“How long have you been seeing Jacinto?” Riley asked.
“We had been seeing each other for about two months, but we

broke up.”

Riley laughed. “Broke up.”
“Shut up, Rye,” Devon said with a grin.
“Most of these guys don’t actually do breakup well,” Camden

warned with a smile.

“Because of the immortality thing,” James accused mildly and had

to blink when they all chuckled. Why did they find it amusing? Was
the immortality thing just a line Jacinto was using to lure him in?

“That is nothing without your love,” Devon told him. “If you two

don’t click emotionally, there is no immortality.”

“And love is something you can’t fake or rush,” Sagan said. “But

they don’t let go because there is always that sliver of an emotional
connection. Even when they’re hiding it from themselves.”

“And you do what for a living?” Camden asked.
“I’m a spell creator.”
“Terrific,” Camden said. “Sagan helped me design our last spell,

but I had to work so hard. My magick is good, but Sagan is no witch.”

Sagan rolled his eyes. “He is right though. It’ll be nice to have a

caster in the family.”

The family? They were accepting him just like that? Course they

were. They wanted to become immortal. He closed his eyes against an

Now and Forever

onslaught of fear. He could like these men. They all seemed warm
and friendly, including Devon, who was watching him intensely. On
the other hand, he didn’t know if he was ready to truly trust any of
them, including Jacinto.

“How are you in the kitchen?” Devon asked.
He frowned. “The kitchen?”
“Camden and I are the real cooks of this family,” Devon said.

“And Trace and my baby, Carter. Riley is good with a salad, and
Sagan makes a mean iced tea.”

“Oh yeah?” James asked with a grin against his will. “I think we’ll

have to see about that. I make a mean smoothie and a milk shake.”

“I like him,” Riley exclaimed.
“I think we all do,” Camden agreed with a laugh.
“You like to shop?” Riley asked.
“Not so much,” James admitted.
“I think we’re going to have to teach this one a thing a two,” Riley

said in a teasing tone.

“You’re in trouble now,” Devon warned, and they laughed.
James smiled, feeling his guard drop a little. “Do you have

visions?” Riley asked in a serious tone.

“I’m a precog.” James noticed the men share a look. “What?

Why?”

They all smiled. “Nothing,” Riley said. “Just that you’re right

where you belong.”

* * * *

Jacinto made it back to the hospital to find James in a private

room with Riley, Sagan, Devon, and Camden keeping him company.
He was surprised, but he supposed he shouldn’t have been. With
Sagan came the guards that would keep James safe.

“Hello, boys,” he said as he stepped into the room carrying two

bags. His gaze went to James. His color was starting to return. “How

E.A. Reynolds

do you feel?” He came to a stop at the side of the bed.

“Okay.” A rush of warmth slid through him. “Uh—Devon said I

had to have more surgery.”

“Yeah, the bones need to be properly mended, but you will have

some scars unfortunately,” Camden said. “The magick used on you
really tore you up.”

“Yeah, I felt it,” he said.
“Well, we’ll leave you two alone,” Riley said. “I’ll have Trace

give you a call if anything happens.”

Jacinto went to Riley. “Thanks for this,” he said earnestly. “To all

you guys.”

Riley shrugged. “If the situation was reversed, I’m sure the

outcome would still be the same.”

“You guys underestimate us, always have,” Sagan said. “But

we’re finding our ability to fight just like you.”

“You could be wrong, and this could be a big sacrifice,” Jacinto

answered, pushing away the fear he felt.

“Well, we’ll go back to the drawing board with your mate to help

Camden and Sagan,” Riley said with a shrug. “We’ll see you later,
James.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Camden called. “We’ll all get together

when you’re better.”

“This weekend,” Sagan said with a smile. “My place.”
“Will you tell Trace and Dillan I need to see them before they

leave?” Jacinto asked. “It’s important.”

“Will do,” Riley agreed, and the small group drifted out of the

room.

Now and Forever

Chapter Ten

Jacinto closed the door and crossed to the chair and the small table

not too far from the bed. He picked up one of the bags he’d brought
with him. “Are you hungry?”

“Actually, I am,” James said.
“I’m surprised they didn’t try to ply you with food.” He smiled.
“They offered, but I don’t know them,” he replied. “Waking up

and finding strange men watching me and then acting like I was part
of their circle was a little disconcerting.”

“You didn’t trust them,” Jacinto said in an understanding tone.
“No—I’m sure they are very nice,” he said, giving him an

uncomfortable look.

Jacinto smiled. “Mates,” he said. “All of my brothers are mated.

Riley is the leader more or less because his mate is leader. He’s the
head boy.”

“I expected them to be all white,” he admitted as Jacinto moved

the over-the-bed table next to the bed.

“Color isn’t important to us,” he answered. “We like to mix it up.

I’m going to go wash up, and then I’ll put the food out.” Jacinto
washed up and returned to find Trace in the room with Dillan. “Give
me a second,” he said and then laid out the meal and said, “Give me a
few minutes with my brothers, okay?”

James nodded. “Sure.”
“Dillan, Trace, this is James,” Jacinto said.
Both men came over and greeted him before walking to the other

side of the room to wait for Jacinto to join them. Jacinto grabbed his
phone from the black-cloth click-clack couch and headed across the

E.A. Reynolds

room where the two stood next to the window.

Jacinto held out his phone as he told them what Carlin had told

him and then told him what Juniper had said.

“I figured it had to be something,” Trace said. “Carter said

Miller’s been avoiding him for days now.”

“He sent vials of blood to be tested,” Jacinto announced and

produced them.

Dillan took them. “I still have his information on file.”
“These are the documents,” Jacinto said, holding out the SD card.

“Matt has hard copies. I think we should go for it.”

“So do I,” Trace agreed. “I’ll talk it over with Carter, though, and

see what he thinks.”

“Will you be willing to ally with Phantom?” Dillan asked Trace.

“Sam is willing to ally with you, especially given that Oak Waters
must hold this city to prevent dark Beorc from claiming it. He’s
willing to stay at our backs eternally.”

“I can do that, but I need to meet with him first,” he said. “Carter,

Jake, and I will discuss terms of the alliance, and see what we all
agree on.” Trace gave Jacinto a look.

Jacinto was surprised Trace still wanted to include him. He’d be

skeptical, certain Trace harbored some ill-will toward him given his
mate had nearly been killed. But he had no ill no feelings. He
understood the man’s sentiments. He felt the same about his mate and
would do anything to protect him. However, he was certain there
might only be so much he could do. That attack left him with the stark
realization of his own limitations.

“I’ll talk to Sam about setting up a meeting,” Dillan said.
“And I’ll contact Matt for a look at the paper contracts,” Trace

stated. “In the meantime, we’ll leave you two alone.”

Jacinto nodded. “I’ll see you guys later.” After they left, he moved

the chair close to the bed and sat down.

“I’m surprised you didn’t use a silencer spell,” James said,

reaching for his soda.

Now and Forever

“You’re a mate,” he said. “You’re trusted.” He trusted James with

his life. He’d proven he’d watch his back in a fight, so he assumed
that applied other situations in life as well.

James gave him a stunned look. “You don’t know me,” he said. “I

could betray you.”

Jacinto snorted. “Your life is on the line, baby, I don’t expect that

you’re going to go telling anyone anything,” he contradicted.
“Besides that, I trust what you feel for me to keep your mouth
closed.”

James frowned. “Being in love with you is incentive enough not

to say anything,” he agreed. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Jacinto felt his heart warm with emotion. “I do care for you,

James. I would die for you,” he said. “There is not one thing about
you that I don’t like.”

James sighed. “I’m supposed to eat all this food by myself?” He

gave Jacinto a little smile. When this was over, he’d take some more
time with his mate. James needed to know his was loved and nothing
was more important to him. Words wouldn’t prove his love or his
loyalty. Only actions and time could do that. He just hoped he got the
chance to prove himself true.

Jacinto reached for one of the burgers. “I’m going to keep you

safe, James,” he said. “I failed at that this time, but I won’t let you
down again.”

“You didn’t let me down,” James said with a note of irritation in

his tone. “We fought as a team, and that’s the way our relationship
will have to be. I’m your equal, Jake, not your little man who needs
you to protect him.”

Jacinto smiled, and a sense of pride in James’s confidence filled

him. He had hoped his mate would be strong, a fighter he could count
on to be his partner, rather than his needy significant other. Finding
that in James made his heart swell with joy.

“I like that you can hold your own,” Jacinto admitted. “I don’t

want a weak man, but I need you to understand I need to be the

E.A. Reynolds

protector.”

“You can be,” James assured him, reaching to put a hand on

Jacinto’s arm. “Just not all the time. I need to be able to fight my own
battles. I need to know that when I need you, you’ll be at my back
ready to help or to hold me, not to take over.”

Jacinto sighed. That would be hard, but he would honor James’s

manhood and allow him to fight. “I will be there for you, Jay,” he
assured him, allowing the warmth he felt for his mate into his eyes.
The only thing he truly feared was losing him before they had a
chance to explore the depth of their feelings for each other.

James smiled. “Thanks for the food, Jake.”
“I brought you some clothes and stuff, too.”
James leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thanks.”
James ended up spending two more days in the hospital. While he

was bed bound, he worked on some spells. Devon, Camden, and
Sagan dropped in on him often, but it was Riley who spent the most
time with him. During their visits, Riley talked to him about what was
expected of him as a Beorc mate.

Nothing of what he heard from Riley sounded similar to Amy’s

description of the men. According to Riley, they had changed a few
things and were in the midst of changing other things as well to
accommodate the change in times.

“So what are you working on?” Camden asked the day James was

due to be released.

His appearance was unexpected to James since the man never

came to see him alone. “Just looking at a spell I’ve been working on.”

“What kind of spell?” Camden asked curiously.
“It’s a mirror spell,” he said. “It has multiple uses.”
“Can it be used as a shield?”
“If you wanted to,” he agreed. “I mean, I created one with a nasty

fire kickback.”

“I’m a pyro,” he said. “Can I see it?”
James was hesitant, and then he said, “Sure.” He picked up his

Now and Forever

laptop and held it out to him.

Camden took it. “Is it on this page?”
“No, page four.”
He went to page four. Camden read the spell and grinned. “Oh,

this is wicked nasty. It’s almost like the spell we used to protect our
seer.”

“Who is your seer?”
“Riley,” he said. “But Sagan has some visions, too, sometimes.

His are way too erratic to be considered useful, though.”

“Tell me about your spell,” James invited.
Camden told them about the spell, and James grinned.
“Oh, yeah that is good,” he said. “Whose idea was that?”
“Mine, but that was after I realized what I had to work with.”
“Changing the vibrations was a good idea, and magnifying the

effect was an awesome idea. Jacinto wanted me to reinforce it, but I’d
only throw it off. How’s it working?”

“So far so good,” he said with a shrug.
“Terrific.”
“I’m the only other witch among the mates, so I guess you and I

will have to use our witch magick to help our men,” he said. “Like
Riley said, we’re as much a part of this fight as they are.”

“Jacinto said the mates have some kind of energetic tie to each

other.” James broached the subject with as much care as he could.

“We do,” Camden told him. “There’s a collective energy of the

brotherhood which is all of us, and then there’s the brothers energetic
tie to each other. Third is our energetic tie to each other. Our tie is
powerful enough to protect us from the brotherhood if we use it just
right.”

“Don’t we have to accept each other as brothers or something?”
“No,” he shook his head. “Sagan and I have been reading through

some old books Sagan’s uncle kept in his library, and we’ve found
that our energetic power is activated the moment we meet our mates.”

“Just activated?”

E.A. Reynolds

“Once we reach out to each other mentally or emotionally whether

we’ve met or not, the energy locks in place,” Camden confessed.
“Riley had a vision of you before your attack. That’s why I was in
emergency when you came in. We knew you were coming.”

“You told your mates?”
“No,” he said. “Riley told Trace there would be a patient coming

in who’s been poisoned. But when he had the vision of you, he said
he held out a psychic hand to you and you took it. That locked our
bond in place, and it kept the spell series against you from killing you.

“The series is usually fatal, but our combined energy prevented

the spell from attaching to your root chakra and poisoning your
system. You would have lived for maybe six months.”

James nodded, taking it all in. He’d felt the power surge inside

him, shield him. “Did you all will the energy to me or did it just
happen?”

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Camden told him. “So the energy

came to you because we let it. You’ll have to write down what you
felt when the lock occurred. We’re all keeping journals, but you and I
will be keeping our book of shadows.”

James smiled faintly. They had chosen to accept him sight unseen

just like an older brother with a newborn sibling. Maybe they were his
new family.

“Matt did mention he’s Jake’s mate,” Camden said. “I guess he

didn’t tell everyone.”

“Mathias Roseland?”
Camden nodded. “You know my mate?”
“Pretty well,” he admitted. “He used to work in homicide, and I

wrote some spells for him and taught him how to use them. He’s in
missing persons now, and I tried to get transferred to the unit, but no
dice.”

“Maybe you’ll get your transfer,” he said with a smile. “In the

meantime, let’s see what other goodies you’ve got here.”

Now and Forever

* * * *

Jacinto sat in his office while Camden was visiting James. He was

eager to finish up some work some he could leave early today. James
had been a little restless when he’d checked on him an hour ago, so he
finished up a report before turning his attention to another patient’s
file.

He studied the scans of his patient’s stomach, noting the inflamed

areas before taking a look at the colon. The guy was full of shit, plus
he had an ulcer. He opened his chart and made notes and
recommended him to Camden, who was a color-healing specialist.
The patient would benefit more from the color therapy than a quick
heal because the ulcer was a sore that needed a slower hand, while the
bowels merely needed cleaning out.

He’d put him on a monthly colonic in addition to an immediate

detox program to go with his color treatment.

He moved on to the next file. The patient was waiting for him, so

he did a quick look at the file and then headed into the exam room.
The thirty-year-old male was sitting on the table looking at his phone
when Jacinto stepped into his exam room.

“Hello, Mr. Woods. How are you?” he greeted as he moved to the

sink in the spacious room to wash his hands.

“I’m good,” he said with a nod. “I haven’t had any more pain. “I

think those tablets you put me on are working.”

“Let’s take a look at what’s going on inside,” he said. Acid reflux

with esophageal erosion was his main problem, but there had been
signs of an ulcer developing as well.

“Okay.” He removed his shirt and lay back on the reclining table.
Jacinto held his hands over the man’s stomach. He could see as

deep as the lining of the stomach and into the intestines. He stroked
his hands up to the man’s throat and down over the chest. There was
no sign of an ulcer, and the damage to the esophagus was healing
well. “You’re healing well, Mr. Woods, so I’d like to change the

E.A. Reynolds

medication and put you on a color tab to make sure the esophagus
continues to heal well.”

“Okay.”
“I’ll leave you on the acid reducer for another three weeks and

then take you off.”

“All right,” he said with a nod.
“If you have any more problems, come in and see me.”
“Thanks, Doc,” he said.
“I’m going to write you a script for violet tabs,” Jacinto told him.

“The violet tabs will continue the healing process. The blue will heal,
and the slight red in the purple will stimulate the healing without
overstimulating the body. It will have a slight effect on the throat
chakra, which will aid in faster healing.”

“I understand,” he said with a nod.
Jacinto wrote out the prescription and faxed it to the hospital’s

pharmacy and sent his patient off to collect his medicine. He saw four
more patients then went into his office to do reports. That was where
he found his mate lounging on the couch reading a book on Jacinto’s
Kindle. He smiled.

“Hey.” James smiled back at him. “Hard day?”
“No, just been real busy,” he said as he crossed the room to the

couch. He sat on the edge, and James immediately moved into his
arms for a kiss. “Devon said he gave you clean bill of health.”

“Yeah. Everything’s nice and healed.” He smiled as he pushed his

hand into Jacinto’s hair. The short strands fell to the tops of his ears.

“You look better.” He cupped James’s face. “I don’t know what I

would have done if I’d have lost you.”

James smiled softly, touched to the depths of his soul. “I love you

for that.”

Jacinto kissed him. “I have a nice dinner planned for you tonight,

so allow me to do all the work.”

James’s smile widened. “Okay, but I have to warn you that

pampering me might not be a good idea,” he said. “I might get spoiled

Now and Forever

and lazy.”

Jacinto grinned that grin that made James’s stomach flutter.

“Consider it practice for when you decide to be a stay-at-home dad,”
he said.

“Mmm, trying to tell me you’re going to be a sensitive husband?”

he asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “I want my boy happy in every way.”
“Well.” He kissed the older man. “I think we’re off to a good

start, but I have to ask you something first.”

“What is it?”
“Forgive me for breaking up with you?” he asked. “The whole

thing—what Amy said just got to me. I was scared of what you might
try to turn me into as well as this war your coven is in.”

Jacinto caressed James’s cheek. “I don’t blame you for being

afraid, but I don’t understand why you didn’t come to me.”

He shook his head, and a helpless look crossed his face. “I didn’t

want you to trick me into helping you gain your immortality and then
throwing me away.” He held Jacinto’s stunned gaze a moment then
looked away.

“You didn’t think that?” His fingers closed around James’s chin

and forced him to meet his gaze. “Jay, what about my behavior led
you to believe I’d trick you into anything?”

“Nothing, but—Jake, I’m sorry,” he said imploringly. “I trust you.

I just—I was wrong. That’s why I’m asking for forgiveness.”

Jacinto searched his gaze and then sighed. “You’re forgiven,” he

said softly and dropped a kiss on James’s forehead. “Now, I have to
write these reports if we’re going to have that romantic evening.” He
put James away from him and started to get up, only to have James
stop him. His gaze was filled with fear.

“Jake, I want to be with you,” he said. “I meant it when I said I

loved you.”

Jacinto’s long fingers glided over James’s jaw tenderly. “I believe

you.”

Now and Forever

Chapter Eleven

Jacinto pulled into James’s garage almost two hours later and cut

the engine. They climbed out and headed for the garage door. James
made sure his wards were still intact before unlocking the door and
leading the way inside.

“I want to take a shower before I start dinner,” Jacinto announced

as they headed to the bedroom.

“That’s fine,” James said, taking Jacinto’s hand. “I’ll come in and

wash your back.”

He smiled. “That’s a good idea.”
James kicked off his shoes, and Jacinto put his laptop bag as well

as James’s on the chair across from the bed. “I’m using the guest
bedroom as an office, so you can put your laptop there.”

“I’ll do it later,” he said. “I just want to have a shower and get

dinner on.”

“I can’t wait to see what you’re making.” He pulled his shirt over

his head. “Hamper’s in the bathroom.” He headed into the medium-
sized bedroom and tossed the shirt into the hamper before turning on
the shower.

Jacinto stepped into the bathroom behind him in time to watch

James undress. He loved his golden skin and sand-gold hair. He had a
nice lean body with defined muscles. James finished undressing and
stepped into the shower.

Jacinto undressed and dumped his clothes in the wicker hamper

and followed James into the shower.

James turned to face him and smiled. He reached for a sponge and

squeezed a bit of body wash into it before scrubbing it over Jacinto’s

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E.A. Reynolds

chest.

“Hey, I was going to do that for you.”
“You’re the one who worked all day,” James said with a smile and

then kissed him. “Turn around. Let me wash your back.”

He turned around, and James soaped him up and set the sponge

aside to massage his shoulders before rinsing him off and kissing the
base of his neck. He slid his hands up Jacinto’s chest. “You have the
most perfect ass I’ve ever seen.”

“You’re not fucking it,” he said.
“One day you’ll let me give you all the pleasure you give me,” he

murmured, and Jacinto turned to face him.

“Sweetheart, you give me plenty of pleasure.” He pulled James

against him and lowered his head for a slow kiss.

James melted into him, his arms going around his neck. He loved

being in Jacinto’s arms. It felt so right he couldn’t imagine being with
anyone else.

Jacinto stroked the back of James’s head, letting his hand glide

down his back. James strained against him, caressing his arms. He
broke the kiss and turned his back to Jacinto, who lowered his head to
kiss the side of his neck. James reached up and smoothed a hand over
the broad shoulder of the older man and up to caress the back of his
neck. At the same time, James angled his own head to one side as his
lover nibbled the side of his neck.

“Ahh,” he sighed. He stroked his hand over his man’s hip, trailing

his fingers down the back of his hard thigh. James leaned forward
when Jacinto began to slowly rub his erection against his ass. He
shivered as the thick cock slid between the seam of his ass.

Jacinto curved his arms around James’s waist, drawing him tighter

against him as he sucked the side of his neck. The younger male
moaned and raked his nails over tough, damp skin, and his lover made
a soft sound of encouragement.

Jacinto’s hand slid over his stomach and up his chest to pinch his

nipple. He tugged at the sensitive flesh and teased it with the tip of his

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101

short, blunt nail. At the same time, he scraped his boy’s neck with
sharp teeth and then bit down.

The sharp bite sent a rush of pleasure through him. He liked rough

sex. He liked sex games, but he loved it when his lover was like this.
A little rough and a little tender. It made the sex all the more sensual
and hot.

He tilted his head up, and Jacinto kissed him softly and then

nuzzled the side of his neck as his hand did a slow canvas down
James’s body to his groin. His fingers moved over the crisp, dark hair
to the thick cock jutting out. The younger man hissed and pushed his
ass into his lover’s groin.

His head dropped back onto Jacinto’s shoulder and rolled as sure

fingers gave his cock a tug. He wanted him desperately, but the
foreplay was delicious.

“Oooh.” It was always too good when Jacinto stroked that

tomahawk on his cock. He groaned and worked his rear end against
the thick cock pressed against it. He curved his arm around his man’s
neck as his eyes closed against the pleasure storm taking him over.

James thrust into the big hand as the lean fingers began to tug at

his cock. “God, I want you, Jake.”

Jacinto reached for the soap and slicked his cock with one hand,

never breaking his hold on James’s dick. He guided the bloated head
to the tight entrance and pushed the tip in before gripping James’s hip.
He pushed in another inch and groaned.

Damn, he was tight. He gritted his teeth as he fought not to slam

home. Jacinto pushed into him and felt James shudder. He thrust in,
claiming the last few inches of tight sweet heaven. He hissed when his
lover clenched on him. His breathing was harsh as he held himself
still, moving his hand up on his boy’s dick.

“Jay,” he groaned a rough sound.
James put one hand on the cool tile when Jacinto moved in him.

Jacinto drew almost all the way out and thrust back in. The thrust was
a shallow tease that had his lover groaning in pleasure. Jacinto knew

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how he felt. This man was the best he’d ever had in bed and out. He
would never let him go.

“Baby,” James said breathlessly.
He thrust into him again and then shifted his hand from James’s

cock to travel over his stomach to his chest. He thrust into him harder
as he pinched his nipple.

“Oooh.”
His desire rose to a harder thrum as James began moving with

him. He wanted it to last, to be sweet the way James loved it, but he
couldn’t hold back too long. He fought it, giving him deep, long
strokes until it was too much. The tight grip around his cock, the feel
of James’s warm, moist skin caressing his, pushed him too far. He
began to ride him hard.

* * * *

James pressed both hands to the tile as his man pounded his ass.

His breathing was harsh, the heat and fire of desire scorching him
inside out. He threw his head back as he met each thrust.

“Gods, it’s too much,” he cried as Jacinto slammed into him.

“Baby, yes.”

Jacinto thrust into him again and again. He gave one nipple a hard

pull, and James’s breath lodged in his chest as his release detonated
through him with an unexpected force.

Jacinto thrust into him and threw back his head as his own release

washed over him.

James caressed the tile as his breathing slowly came back to

normal. The water sprinkling over them was starting to cool. He
laughed. “I don’t think my legs are going to hold out much longer.”

Jacinto laughed. “Let’s clean up a little, and then I’ll make us

dinner while you relax.”

“Umm, sounds good.” He shifted, and Jacinto eased away from

him so he could turn around. James wrapped his arms around his

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103

man’s waist and kissed him softly and then looked up at him. “I
missed you, so we have to make this work. I don’t want to live
without you.”

* * * *

Jacinto was still as stunned as he’d been fifteen minutes ago when

James had said he didn’t want to live without him. He knew how he
felt about James, and that feeling grew more each day. There was still
so much to learn about James and how they’d work as a couple, but
he knew he didn’t want to live without him either. That was why
Carlin had to die. There would be no peace for him, no safety for his
mate as long as Carlin was alive.

He cast James a look to find him lounging on the bed, a cute,

sated boy. A smile tugged at his lips, and warmth filled his soul. He
grinned then headed to the kitchen. He’d done some of the prep work
for dinner last night.

James stepped into the kitchen fifteen minutes later and shuffled

barefoot over to counter where Jacinto was pouring pot pie filling into
glass ramekins. He leaned against the counter and inhaled the
delicious scent.

“Pot pie?” James asked as he reached for Jacinto’s wineglass and

took a sip.

“Lobster pot pie.”
“Mmm, sounds good,” James said. “You must have made this part

last night when you left.”

“I didn’t want to spend too long in the kitchen tonight,” he

admitted and then put the pies into the oven.

“I’m impressed.” He smiled. “I was under the impression that not

all of you guys cooked.”

“We all cook,” he admonished. “We’re all single men living on

our own.”

“Takeout.”

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“That works when you’re successful, but when you’re just getting

by, that’s a killer.”

“That’s a good point, so who taught you to cook? The school of

life and necessity?”

“Cooking school.” He smiled.
“Me, too,” James said with grin. “I might never cook again,

though, with you around.”

Jacinto crossed the room to him and relieved James of his glass.

He swallowed some of the red wine. “You’ll have to once you quit
work, or I’m never fucking you again.”

“Liar.” James chuckled. “Baby, you can’t get enough of this.”
Jacinto chuckled and took another drink of wine.
James’s expression sobered as he watched him. “How can I help

you against them?”

Jacinto was surprised by the question. James had already agreed to

write any spells they needed him to. He didn’t expect him want to be
any more involved. “By doing what you do best,” he answered.
“Loving me and writing spells.”

“The two might be a dangerous thang.” He joked and put his hand

on Jacinto’s side. “How I feel about you is already so strong it can
drive a spell to overload.”

Jacinto smiled and stroked his cheek. “You’re going to be one

dangerous weapon then.” He kissed him.

“Camden said your brothers are the ones doing this?” he asked.

“What did he mean?”

“Two of them now.” He shrugged. “A few months ago we were

two separate covens who almost never interacted. Then Carter,
Devon’s mate’s coven, which was Misty Willows, was attacked by
one their brothers. The attack drew in my coven, which was Sleepy
Pines.”

“What kind of attack?”
“Poison,” he said. “Both covens were brought together during that

crisis, and we learned that we used to be a single coven.” He sighed

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105

softly. “Then we learned there were only meant to be eight of us,
which meant four of us didn’t belong in the coven after all.”

“Which brought you hard and fast to this point?” James asked, his

brow furrowed.

Jacinto nodded. “Yeah, everything we thought we knew about our

brotherhood was a lie.”

“Before Camden left me today, he also mentioned something

called the Apprentice Key? He said your brothers gave them to your
mates.”

Jacinto saw the questions in his eyes and knew where he was

going with that. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Did he tell you we’d made
changes?”

James nodded. “Riley told me. Why haven’t you given me the

book if it’s about our past lives together?” he asked. “I had visions
about my past lives when we first met. I never saw you though. I saw
double axes but never your face.”

“I—”
“One of the visions really got to me,” he cut in softly. “I was on a

ship. I was happy, but some guy with a fang tattoo attacked me, and
my lover found me—dying.” He shook his head. “He was in a rage
after I died. My spirit lingered a while because he didn’t want to let
go.”

The sadness in voice and the lonely ache in his eyes made

Jacinto’s gut clench in memory. That was one of his most horrific
past-life visions. He’d felt the rage tearing through him as if the event
were just happening. The need for vengeance had been a bitter taste in
his mouth it had taken days to wash out.

“That was us?” he asked in a whisper.
Jacinto pulled James into his arms and hugged him close. “Yeah.”
“That’s who’s behind this?” he asked, hugging him back.
“Yep.” His tone was tight with renewed rage. “He and his lover,

who was my coven leader. We were surprised when we found out
because the coven was built on honor and brotherhood. To have it

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shattered has changed us all. We are good and nonviolent men
who’ve had to resort to violence and dark thinking just to survive a
war that will have far reaching consequences,” Jacinto went on. “Not
to mention that no matter how this thing ends, we’re likely to be
fighting in one way or another for the rest of our lives.”

“But you have to take these guys down first?” James asked,

pulling back to look at him.

“That’s the goal, but to tell you the truth, we’re just getting in the

game good.”

“And those spells could be the key to turning the tide against

you?” James asked, searching his face.

“We have some of them, and we’ve taken out some of their heavy

hitters,” he said, looking past James. “But it just might not be enough.
We might end up splitting and going into hiding and fighting this
guerilla style.”

“Doesn’t matter which way you fight it,” James said. “Just matters

how effective you can be. So I’ll write all the spells, and tomorrow we
pool our magick.”

“Dillan’s land has a lot of magick in it, a century or better’s worth,

and the land that we’re going to build our covenstead on has some
magick in it as well, I imagine. It would likely be dark magick as well
as gray magick and light.”

James frowned and then brightened. “Good.” He nodded. “We tap

into that magick. We combine the energies of both lands,” he said.
“And if any of you are tied to this other land you mentioned, so much
the better. It makes the spell that much easier.”

“You can do a spell to combine the energies of the land to what

end?

“The combined energies of the land will make you guys more

powerful,” James told him. “You can use that power to keep them
from getting your immortal energy—maybe.”

Jacinto frowned. “We aren’t even sure it can be done since we’re

connected energetically.”

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“For minutes the connection can be blocked.”
“Yeah, but we can’t know when our bond will snap completely

into place,” Jacinto said evenly. “There is no way to know what will
trigger your final acceptance of me.”

James touched his fingers to his lips and averted his gaze

momentarily. “I love you, Jake, I do—” He broke off when Jacinto
held up his hand.

“I’m not angry or blaming you for anything,” Jacinto told him

quietly. “I know this is a lot to take in. You have doubts and fears that
can’t be resolved just because we love each other. Love isn’t always
enough. Sometimes only time can bring down the barriers that hold us
back.”

James released a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. “I do

love you, and I don’t want to live without you. I can’t get it out of my
head that you might change your mind once you become immortal.”

“I—”
“I know what you said,” he broke in quickly. “If you don’t

become immortal, you can’t change your mind and leave me.” He
looked away and rubbed his bare arms against an imaginary chill.
“I’m sorry.”

Jacinto cupped his face and forced James’s eyes back to his. “Hey,

sweet boy,” he crooned and gave him a soft smile. “I’m not going to
abandon you.”

“I’m sorry,” he said again in a mournful tone. “I know I’m an

asshole, and if I knew how I was holding the bond back, I’d stop. I
know you want to be immortal.”

Jacinto laughed and kissed his lips. “Sweetheart, just take your

time.” He hugged James again. “Your fears buy us time, and when
you come to the realization that you have me, we’ll be ready to up our
game against them. In the meantime, it gives me more time to just
love you.”

James looked up at him. “Aren’t you mad?”
“No, I want you one hundred and ten percent certain of me. So,

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you can combine the energies of the land?”

James nodded. “I think Camden and I can work with that. Riley is

a catalyst. He must be able to magnify the energy. Once I have all the
facts, I can make this work.”

“Carlin already considers you the perfect weapon to keep me in

line,” Jacinto told him. “He won’t stop coming after you.”

He shrugged. “Leaving you won’t change that,” he said. “So I’ll

take the risk.”

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Chapter Twelve

“Have you found a new creator, Lucan?”
“Yes,” he said, giving Carlin a look. “He’s already working on the

spells he stole from the boy’s office a few days ago. I think we should
allow Wells to play with him once this is over. He’s doing an
exceptional job.”

“No, he’s an asshole,” Carlin replied, pulling Lucan’s hair back

and kissing his neck. “He dies along with Travers. Both are too much
of a threat to us.”

“How?” Lucan demanded. “Travers—”
“Travers and Baker are cousins,” he cut in. “I doubt he’ll be able

to pull the trigger when the time comes.” He grimaced at the thought.
“Baker has bigger balls. He’s making it hard to get to him, and we run
the risk of him becoming a threat for us in the Council when we take
over.”

“He’s the Council Minister, so he should have big balls, but I

don’t see him as an immediate threat,” Lucan objected.

“I think he killed Callum,” he answered.
“Why would he want the Minister of Enforcement dead?” Lucan

demanded. “Baker didn’t know what was going on.”

“I don’t know what went wrong there,” Carlin admitted. “But

Callum was getting to be a problem. He was organizing a faction of
the Knights against us.”

“You think his people were up at that cabin having a meeting?”

Lucan asked with furrowed brows.

“Mason was using that cabin as a meeting place,” Carlin told him.

“He used it to meet his lover, as well as Callum’s lover, Jessie. So,

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Callum was probably up there waiting for him. He had to want
whatever information Mason had as badly as I did.”

“Well, I haven’t found anything on who’s attacking us,” he said.

“Which is a problem, because they’ve taken Misty Willows from the
Knights.”

“Son of a bitch!” He jerked away from Lucan.
“If there is anybody out there who knows anything, they’re

keeping it close to the vest. Hell, they’re keeping it in an underground
storage locker.”

“No forensics evidence?”
“No fingerprints or anything like that,” he answered. “And no

energetic residue, no magickal fingerprints at any of the sites. Nada.”

“That is impossible,” Carlin growled.
“We have a special cleaning crew that leaves no trace,” Lucan

responded. “So it makes sense they do, too. Mason must have given
them way more—”

“Mason, Jessie, Harlan, and Paul,” he cut in. “They tag-teamed us.

There is no telling who they handed information off to. The damned
Veiled Shadows could be moving against us for all I know.”

“They know better,” Lucan muttered.
“Maybe they used to, but our people in the Middle East are getting

ready to take the light Beorc coven in Turkey. We’ve been invited to
share in the energy. We’ll only be partially immortal, though.”

“We have this,” Lucan said.
“I’m not sure I want to take the chance,” Carlin said. “Juniper and

Miller are no threat. They just want out, but Jacinto is another story.
He remembers something, and he wants revenge.”

Lucan shrugged. “That’s not a surprise, but I know you’re not

worried about him.”

“No. Trace has always been my Achilles’ heel.”
“But we stopped the phoenix, clipped his wings,” Lucan said.
“I thought I did, but I’m thinking only the phoenix could be

behind this,” he said. “Vaughn was a good a seer. My spells kept him

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111

blinded until that one moment…” He trailed off. “We could lose this
fight if the pieces have fallen into place again. If they’ve aligned just
right, we will lose.”

“We’ll share in their immortality.”
“Yes, always my plan, but I’m no fool, Luc,” Carlin said with a

grimace. “The best-laid plans—”

“Is the spell working?”
He shrugged. “The seer says it is, but I’m not feelin’ it,” he said.

“Something is off about it, and with Jacinto’s mate being the creator
he is, I see problems.”

Lucan sighed. “Too many mistakes this time, but I don’t want to

tuck tail and run.”

“Oh, we won’t be. There is still too much at stake. Even if I can’t

kill them, there is still my destiny to fulfill.”

“I’ll get the ball rolling.”
“I will talk to Miller to see exactly what he’s done behind my

back. He’s the weakest link if they’re the ones moving against us.”

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Chapter Thirteen

“Hello, guys,” Sagan greeted them at the front door the next

evening wearing a smile. “Glad to see you’re well, James.”

“Thanks,” he said with a smile. He held out the pastry box.

“Dessert.”

“Great,” Sagan said. “Come in. Jacinto, the brothers are in

Dillan’s office. You, come with me, James.”

“Okay.” James gave Jacinto a look.
Jacinto gave him a smile before striding away.
“You don’t need him to hold your hand,” Sagan said, a touch of

humor in his tone. “We’ve been waiting for you.” He jerked his head
toward the kitchen. “C’mon.”

James followed him to the kitchen, noting the spaciousness of the

hallway and the warmth of the house’s aura. Good people. Strong, old
energy. “How long have you lived here?”

“Practically my whole life. Why?” Sagan responded.
“The energy is strong and pleasant.”
“Ah,” he said. “The magick of the land is centuries old.”
“I can tell,” he said. “And Jacinto mentioned it last night.”
“Guys, look who’s here,” Sagan said as he entered the kitchen.
The men greeted James, and he was instructed to wash up and was

put to work on chopping veggies for the salad.

“So, James, tell us about your family,” Riley said. “Are you

close?”

“Uh, no.” He shook his head and told them his story.
“That’s sad,” Riley said. “Devon is the only one of us mates who

still has family who lives here in the city.”

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“We’re your family now,” Devon said. “All the brothers you

never wanted.”

There was a round of laughter.
“How did you and Jacinto meet?” Cash, Niall’s mate, asked.
“We met at a doughnut shop,” James told them. “I was getting

pastries and hot chocolate, and Jake bumped into me. I thought he
was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.”

“And?”
“And he asked for my number.” James grinned. “I was a little

freaked at first. He was aggressive, and I’d never dated a Spanish guy
before. I was worried how it would be.”

“How is it?” Camden asked.
James laughed. “I fell hard in just a month,” he admitted. “He’s

sweet and sexy and funny.”

“I think that’s something that comes hardwired into them,” Devon

said. “The being hot and sweet.”

“Seems like it,” Riley agreed with a smile. “A month?”
“Yeah,” James said with a grin. “I was terrified that he didn’t

remotely feel the same way. Is it a lie? I mean, are they just concerned
with their immortality?”

“You’re going to have to get past that,” Cash said.
“Yeah,” Camden agreed. “I don’t know Jake that well, but I know

he’s crazy about you.”

“He wouldn’t be with you if he wasn’t,” Riley added.

* * * *

“Everything is set,” Trace said. “The land is ours. The papers are

all in order.”

“Course they are,” Matt admonished. “I wouldn’t have passed

them off if they weren’t.”

“I’ve checked out the blood along with Riley,” Trace said. “As I

told Miller last night, there is no way to cure Singh until we become

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immortal. They’re using a spell I can’t do anything with.”

“I can remove it,” Dillan said. “But it might kill him. There is no

way to neutralize it. It’s similar to the one used on your boy, except
this one the virus is a faster-acting one and possibly the virus is
anchored fully in the root chakra.”

“Miller’s agreed to find time a way to get him in to see us,” Trace

said. “We won’t know anything for sure until we’ve examined him.”

“When this is over, I’m moving on, too,” Niall said. “Juni and I

are in agreement that the brotherhood has been good, but it’s because
of it that we’ve got poison inside of us waiting to go active.”

A virus had been used against those of the Misty Willows coven.

Trace had been able to transmute the disease into a benign form, but it
could become a deadly killer again under the right conditions, so
Jacinto didn’t blame them for being worried about that. However, he
didn’t understand their decision to leave.

“Immortality will cure it,” Trace said. “Even partial immortality

will fix it.”

“We’re hoping, but either way, we’re done. I’m willing to turn my

archive over to Dillan. He’s seen most of my files on our past
anyway,” Niall said.

“Why?” Dillan demanded. “It seems sudden.”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Niall said. “Cash expressed a desire

to move on since Kerry and Juni are, and I’d never deny him. Besides,
even after this, the fight won’t be over. It’ll just be getting started, and
I don’t want to spend the rest of my life fighting.”

Trace and Carter shared a look. “You want to sever your link with

the brotherhood?” Trace asked carefully.

“Yes.” Niall nodded solemnly.
Trace drew in a long breath and released it. His expression was

pensive and then he said, “Okay.”

“I know you’ll be a little short-handed against whatever comes

after Carlin, but I think Dillan and his brothers and his ally should
offset the loss.”

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115

“You’re our brothers,” Carter said in a hard tone. “Nothing can

offset losing you.”

“Time to move on, Carter,” Niall said. “It’s a vicious cycle I don’t

want to repeat.”

“What did Carlin say when he asked you to walk away, Niall?”

Jacinto asked coldly. “That he’d let you live? Or is this plain all Juni’s
idea.”

“Juni and I have had each other’s back for years, even before the

brotherhood,” he answered in a tone just as cold. “Nothing changes
that.”

“Carlin’s lying to you, but you’ll find that out when he’s stabbing

you in the back,” Jacinto said. He got to his feet. “Or maybe you’ll
realize that when you find your mate dead.”

“You have no right to judge me,” Niall snapped. “And there is

nothing you can say that will make me change my mind. I’m out.”

“Coward,” Jacinto snapped and stomped out of the room.
“I think Cash and I should leave,” Niall said. “I am still in this

until you bring them down.”

“I understand,” Trace assured him. “You have to think about your

mate first.” He got to his feet as well. He stuck his hand out to Niall.
“We’ll figure out how to cut our bond after the ascension.”

Niall nodded. “I’ll see you guys.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Dillan said.
“Anyone else want out?” Trace asked.
“We’re in this,” Carter said. “To the bitter end.”

* * * *

“That is why we didn’t use their energy,” Riley said. “Singh,

Cash, and Kerry aren’t family anymore.”

“That is unfortunate,” Devon said. “But I think we can manage

with the five of us.”

“We’ll have to,” Riley said and then smiled. “But the truth is, the

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fight is almost over. At least, this part of it, and we get on with our
lives.”

“You’re saying we can beat them?” Sagan asked.
“Course we can if we play our cards right.”
“Well, we may as well eat,” Camden said. “I’m starving.”
“I’ll get the guys,” Sagan said.

* * * *

They sat down to dinner five minutes later, and James was

amazed that in spite of the gravity of the situation, everyone seemed
to be enjoying themselves. They laughed and joked as if nothing more
dangerous than the possibility of a tornado loomed ahead.

After dinner, the dishes were loaded into the dishwasher, pots

washed, and they retired to the living room.

“So what are we going to do about those three?” Dillan asked.

“There is almost no way to keep them from sharing in our immortality
fully.”

“Knowing it will kill Singh if we don’t let them in is something I

couldn’t live with,” Trace added, dropping onto a couch.

“Has to be a way to separate them without separating them,”

Carter said.

“We’ll have to find a way to work it out or live with it,” Dillan

said. “In the meantime, Sagan has something he wants to share with
you guys.” He looked up at his mate, who was sitting on the arm of
the chair Dillan had chosen.

“Misty Willows’s property forms part of a triangle with this land

and Phantom’s,” Sagan began. “My uncle tried to get Aero to ally
with Old Guard weeks before Misty Willows was attacked to take
advantage of the power. According to his journal, he had been in
contact with Aero for two months before the attack. He kept strict
records of his communications with him and Clay. He was in touch
with Clay, too, before the attacks on Misty Willows. He said he

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117

warned them about Dark Claw, and they both blew him off.

“Then he realized they didn’t want an alliance with him,” Sagan

went on. “He had pictures of Aero with Dark Claw leaders, which he
took from inside Dark Claw headquarters.”

“He was undercover?” Carter asked.
“According to the journal,” he said. “It looks like the journal was

a record of that time, and there’s a list in there on key members of
both Dark Claw and the Knights. Some of the Knights on the list are
still alive. He talks about their connection to Dark Spear and Carlin.
He knew who Carlin was, but he hadn’t figured out Lucan’s identity.
He suspected it was Clay, and he made a note that he wanted to get
you away from him before it was too late.” He looked at Dillan. “He
loved you so much.”

“I know,” Dillan said. “I felt the same way about him.” He gave

Sagan a smile.

“Why are we just finding out about this?” Matt asked with a

frown.

“I just found the journal,” Sagan said. “It was in the library, and I

hadn’t been in there since before I left, but lately Camden and I have
been going through the books.”

“What did your uncle say about Misty Willows?” James asked.

“Other than the obvious.”

“What’s the obvious?” Jacinto asked him, curious.
“For over a century, the land was owned by the Willows coven,”

James told him. “They were strong gray and light witches of over one
hundred and fifty witches. Powerful gray and light magick is infused
in the land.”

“That’s what my uncle said, too,” Sagan said. “He said he knew

those witches and suspected Aero had gotten to someone inside who
helped him kill one of the owners so he could have the land.”

“If it had that much power in it, why would he allow the Knights

to have it?” Devon asked with a perplexed look on his face.

“He probably didn’t know,” Carter said. “He never would have

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allowed the Council to take it in the first place.”

“The Knights were given the land as a reward,” Matt told them.

“A guy named Bane was the titleholder. He was Torque’s cousin, and
he was as highly considered as Torque was. He inherited Torque’s
share in the dealership Lucan still runs.”

“My sources say he’s a shrewd guy,” Dillan commented. “He was

already making plans to harvest the power in the land.”

“He might have been planning to pull away from Carlin and Dark

Spear,” Trace mused.

“That’s the consensus,” Dillan stated. “He could still be a problem

in his own right.”

“Sleepy Pines is a known power spot as well,” Sagan told them.
“We didn’t know,” Trace admitted in a flat tone.
“Clay probably did. He was the one who secured the land,”

Jacinto said.

“But Misty Willows has older, more powerful magick just like

this land,” Sagan said. “That’s why Dark Claw wanted it. This land,
Misty Willows, and Phantom’s lands form a power trine, and when
the lands are joined, all of the power can be tapped into at once.”

“If we join the lands, what kinds of impact will that have on our

ascension and our immortal energy?” Trace asked. “I don’t want to tie
more people to us.”

“It shouldn’t affect our ascension,” Camden said. “We tap into the

energy with the right spell we can use it to activate the vibrations of
the mated pairs. Once it’s activated, our energy symbols will do what
they were meant to do, but we need to ensure nothing is thrown out of
balance.”

“I can do it,” James said. “On Ostara would be a good time for

that kind of a new beginning. We connect the allies as an outer ring.
The outer ring will act as guards. Their energy will shield the mates as
they become immortal. And we can construct a second ring of your
brothers who want out. That ring will be partially immortal because
they’re joined to you, but I can create a knot that will sever your

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119

energetic ties to them forever at the same time.”

“They become partially immortal,” Jacinto said. “What about the

outer ring or third ring?”

“They will be very long-lived, but not tied to you,” James told

him.

“Just as we were going to do with Misty Willows,” Carter said.

“Aero had it all worked out. None of us really knew how that energy
would work.”

“We’ll use colors as markers,” James said. “Each ring will have

its own color and vibration. We keep the vibrations separate so no one
is tied to your brotherhood. The colors will act like a filter to allow
energy to filter down to them to allow for partial immortality.”

“How will the energy know what to do?” Devon asked.
“I’ll program them,” he said. “At the same time, the spell will be

written so that while it activates the outer rings, it activates those
symbols you mentioned, too.”

“What about the energy of the lands?” Trace asked.
“The spell will activate that first,” James explained. “It’s like the

glue, the key part of the spell. Getting that part just right will be the
tricky part, but it can be done.”

“We all need a copy of the spell,” Dillan said. “So none of us will

ever be left in the dark as to how this will work.”

“I agree,” Trace said.
“I say we do it,” Matt said. “They no longer want to be tied to us.

Let’s untie them.”

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Chapter Fourteen

“I’m getting together with Sagan and Camden tomorrow to work

on the spells we’ll need,” James said quietly as they drove to his
home later that evening.

“Do you think you can handle it?” Jacinto asked. “I mean, the

spell seems complicated.”

“It’s going to be, considering Trace doesn’t want three of your

brothers tied to him energetically anymore, but I can do it.”

“They’re leaving because they want to live like mortals,” Jacinto

said angrily.

“What about their mates?” James asked. “Don’t you think they

have a right to live in peace?”

“We started this fight together, all of us,” he said. “Mates and all.

Our karma is tied together on this. So—”

“Maybe you all just thought it was,” James said as he reached

across the console of the truck and put his hand on Jacinto’s thigh.
“Anyway, I think you’re being a little hard on them.”

“I know you do,” he said. “But the fact is, there is a chance that

Carlin and Lucan might decide it’s not worth the trouble and just start
picking us off. Then we’re back at this, and because of the changes
we’ve made we lose most of what we’ve found.”

James sighed. “I’m sorry, baby,” he said and squeezed Jacinto’s

thigh. “I don’t know how to feel or even how to help you. I’m too late
to the party to do anything but what I’m going to do, which is help
you however I can.”

“It’s an old fight,” he answered and sighed roughly. “We’ve lost

some valuable insights, and we’re just coming to the truth about some

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of our brothers. Not only that, but I think we’re all realizing this
brotherhood was in place to serve one function. Help Carlin and
Lucan become immortal. They are our leaders. They’ve provided so
much of the insight that our journals didn’t.

“So we were never really working with a full deck.”
“Maybe that’s because in your past lives you learned a little more

each time, and you made a few more changes each time,” James said.
“Each time you made changes you created a different record, and
those records were lost.”

Jacinto contemplated the words and knew them for the sweet

pearls of wisdom they were. He’d found so many pages in his journal
that weren’t dated. To that, Dillan and Niall had more on their last
lifetime than any of them.

“Maybe this Carlin and Lucan planted new books,” James said.

“The ones that you’ve been working with in this lifetime.”

Jacinto threw him a startled glance. That was possible. Lucan and

Carlin were the oldest of both groups. They might have known where
all the books were kept except Niall and Dillan’s. The history keepers
always tried to keep important bits about their past separate from their
actual day-to-day coven lives. They both had more than one book.
They called their journals the archives. Maybe their archives hadn’t
been tampered with, unlike the regular journals. “That’s a good
point,” he said finally.

“Why didn’t you give me a book?” James asked. “The Apprentice

Key?”

“My books were burned when our covenstead, Sleepy Pines, was

attacked with fire-bomb spells.”

“Oh.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes,” James admitted. “I think I might get to be good friends

with some of them.”

“That will be nice,” Jacinto answered and put his hand on

James’s. He pulled into James’s driveway. “Check the wards before

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we go into the garage.”

“I’m already doing it,” he admitted.
Jacinto gave him a few minutes. “Okay?”
“Everything is still intact, but I felt a cold spot.”
Jacinto gave the wards a check. He’d helped with one layer of

them and found nothing out of the ordinary until he got to the second
layer. “Someone’s tried to penetrate the wards,” he said. “Once we’re
inside, we can reinforce them.” He pulled into the garage, and the
door slid closed after them. Jacinto climbed out and motioned for
James to stay put. He opened his mind to search for intruders and
found nothing out of the ordinary. A cold spot would mean an
intruder had slipped past the wards.

It wasn’t impossible to do so, and he expected Carlin to bring in

ward-breakers once he decided to make another attempt at harming
James. He rounded the truck and pulled James’s door open.

James climbed out and put a hand on Jacinto’s hard-packed abs.

“Everything okay?” he asked with a worried look. “Any intruders?”

“No, but I expect him to attempt to break the wards,” he

answered.

“We need a backup plan,” James retorted. “I don’t want to have to

stay out in the cold.”

“No, we’ll get a motel for that night and then find someplace to

rent soon after,” he said. “We have to be careful about who we put in
danger. If Carlin attacks, it’ll be because he’s desperate, especially
once he realizes I’m not coming to him to undo the spell he used
against you.”

“What about your place?”
“It won’t be secure enough,” Jacinto said. “I’ll talk to Trace about

when we’re going to start building on Misty Willows. We’ll have to
cloak our actions until after we’ve brought them down.”

“In the meantime.” He put his hands on Jacinto’s hips. “Let’s go

inside.” James leaned into him and kissed him.

Jacinto smiled. “Feeling a little playful?” he teased as he stroked

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his hands down James’s arms.

“A little bit.” He grinned and then backed away from Jacinto.

“Let’s go inside.”

Jacinto followed, and when they reached James’s car, he reached

for and captured the younger male’s hand and dragged him back to
him. James looked up at him, and Jacinto kissed him slowly.

“Mmm.” James sank against him and wound his arms around

Jacinto’s neck. He let his lover control the kiss, content to be the
submissive. Pushing his fingers into the back of Jacinto’s hair, he
moved closer against him eager for the feel of his muscular warmth.
He smiled when his man lifted his head and looked down at him.

Jacinto ripped James’s button-front shirt open and lowered his

head to trail kisses over his chest. “Kick off your shoes,” he
murmured against his warm chest. He nipped James’s shoulder as he
kicked off his shoes.

Jacinto swirled his tongue over one nipple while pinching the

other.

“Ahh,” James groaned softly. He closed his eyes as his lover

grazed the tender peak with sharp teeth before sucking it. He stroked
his hands down Jacinto’s back, raking and rubbing until they came to
the taut ass, and then he gripped his glutes and ground against him.

“Jake,” he cried as warm moist tongue swirled around the other

nipple. This was so good it just made him hungry for more. It made
him crave that rough, deep penetration he was so addicted to.

Jacinto sank to his knees as he kissed a path down James’s

stomach. He stopped to bite, to lick, and to tease even, as he worked
the button of the younger man’s jeans free. With a nip at the inturned
navel, he dragged the zipper down before lifting his head to look up at
his boy. “You’re so hot, baby boy,” he said and then dragged the
jeans and briefs down narrow hips and pushed them to his ankles.
“Step out.”

James did as he was told, heart pounding, breathing harsh. He

held Jacinto’s gaze as he flicked his tongue over the head of his cock.

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He shuddered and hissed when Jacinto took his cock into his mouth.
He stroked Jacinto’s jaw before sinking his fingers into his hair and
fucking his mouth.

“Oh, yeah,” James said softly. “That’s good.”
Jacinto caressed the backs of his thighs before gripping his hips

and taking him to the back of his throat. James closed his eyes, and
his head rolled back on his shoulders. “Jake.”

Jacinto stroked one hand over James’s firm ass before gliding his

fingers down the seam. With his other hand, he dug into his pants
pocket for a tube of petroleum lip balm. He brought it out and used
telekinesis to unscrew the cap and squeeze some into his hands. He
used his other hand to grip the base of James’s cock and licked down
the hard shaft to the tight orbs at the base. He licked over one then the
other before licking back up the shaft and getting to his feet.

Jacinto wrapped one arm around James’s waist and pulled him

close as he pushed a fingertip into his anus. James groaned and arched
into his lover, and Jacinto pushed his thigh between the slim, long
legs, and the younger male immediately rubbed against it.

“Oh,” he moaned. “Jake.” He panted.
“Are you ready for me?”
“Yes,” he said on a whimper as Jacinto fucked him harder with his

finger. “Oh, yeah, I’m ready. So ready.”

Jacinto pulled his finger free and turned James around. He draped

himself over the hood of his car and waited impatiently. His lover
squeezed more lip balm into his hand and massaged it onto his stiff
dick.

James sighed a minute later as the thick cock slowly impaled him.

“God, you’re one thick bastard.” He groaned.

“But you like that, don’t you, baby boy?” Jacinto murmured at his

ear.

“Every inch of it,” he agreed roughly.
“Yeah?” Jake slapped James’s ass.
“Yeah.” He whimpered.

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125

“Mmmm.” Jacinto drew almost all the way out and then thrust

back in. “Damn. Sweetest little ass I’ve ever had.”

He thrust into him again. His strokes kept coming, easy at first

then deep and hard as his own hunger pushed him to the brink of
control.

James cried out his name as his man took him with abandon. “Oh,

fuck, yes!” He was on fire and nothing was going to stop him from
combusting this time.

A whack of his ass, a hard thrust had James coming with a scream

he couldn’t control. Jacinto whacked his ass again and thrust into him
once before coming with a hard cry.

“Jake, I love you.”
He kissed the back of James’s neck. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“Will you die if you say you love me?” James asked when Jacinto

pulled out of him. He turned to face him. “I know you do, Jake. It’s
the only reason I let you stay in my bed.”

Jacinto cupped James’s face. “You’re everything I want, Jay, and

I will kill anyone who tries to take you away from me.” He pressed a
kiss to his forehead. “Let’s go inside.”

James started to pick up his pants, but Jacinto did that, so he

headed into the house ahead of him. “So, you love me.” He smiled.

“Yes.” Jacinto wrapped his arms around James’s waist. “Now and

forever.”

James smiled. “When you say it, you better have a ring.”
He laughed. “Why?”
“Because you’re making me wait to hear what we both know you

feel.”

“You know what?” Jacinto asked.
“What?” He turned to look at him, propping a hand on his hip.
“When I say those three little words, I just might pop the

question,” he said and grinned.

James laughed.

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Chapter Fifteen

After changing, James found Jacinto on his computer in the spare

bedroom he used as a guest room and office. He kissed the top of
Jacinto’s head. “What are you doing?”

“Checking my e-mail.”
He dropped onto the bed and reached for his tablet. “I think I’ll

work on the spell for a while.”

“Okay,” Jacinto said and picked up his ringing cell phone. He

glanced at the display and smiled as he checked his account. He typed
in an amount and hit the transfer button.

“Hello, Carlin,” he said and leaned back in the chair. “What is it?”
“How’s your mate?”
“Oh, he’s fine,” he answered. “How’s yours? Waiting for another

ass kicking?”

Carlin chuckled. “You’re bold.”
“Just not taking shit from you,” he retorted coldly. “Why are you

calling me?”

“I’m curious. How did you heal him?”
“None of your damn business,” he retorted. “So what do you

want?”

“What is Trace up to?” he asked. “I’m hearing whispers that he’s

formed a new coven with just you boys.”

He frowned. Miller wouldn’t dare say a word with the possibility

of his mate being helped in the works. “I didn’t know he was up to
anything,” he said. “He invited us over tonight because he wanted to
meet James. We both know the coven as we know it no longer exists,
but Trace and I are still friends.”

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127

“Did Trace ask him to write any spells?” Carlin pressed.
“No. Why would he?” he said coolly. “If he had, I’d have vetoed

the idea. I want to walk away with his and my life intact. Getting
involved in the politics isn’t going to get me that.”

“I think you’re lying,” Carlin drawled. “We need to meet tonight.”
“I’m not crazy, Carlin,” he retorted. “I’m not leaving him alone so

you can attack him again, and I’m not bringing him along. If Lucan
breathes hard on him, I’m going to kill him.”

Carlin chuckled. “I don’t want him dead,” he said.
“I’m not taking any chances,” Jacinto told him coldly. Carlin just

wanted James hurt or badly incapacitated to the point that Jacinto
would do whatever Carlin wanted just for a dram of relief for James
from his pain.

“I need you to find out if Trace has found a way to pick up Misty

Willows,” he said. “I also need you to find out if he’s behind the
attacks on some of my men.”

He snorted. “Do you seriously think he’d move against you?” he

demanded. “He has no reason to at the moment, nor does he have the
means or power. However, I’ll find out. I’m going over there
tomorrow.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he snapped. “Even if we can’t steal your

energy, we will be sharing it, and that will get your mate killed.”

“You keep saying that, which leads me to believe you’re not so

certain your plan is going to work,” Jacinto told him. “Either way, I
have to go. I’ll let you know what, if anything, I find out.” He
disconnected.

“How is he blackmailing you into helping him?”
“He’s not,” Jacinto answered. “Not completely. He thinks he has

me, but I volunteered for this stint just like Juniper did. He said he’d
found a way to reverse things so they would be immortal and we’d be
mortal.”

“Amy and Raina came up with an energetic reversal spell,” James

said. “It was a success. I’m glad you told me because it’s something

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we’ll have to plan for. Their spell is really good. All it requires is an
energetic or emotional bond to make it work. The links have to be old
and strong.”

“Centuries old?”
“Something that old isn’t easily exploited, except in people,” he

said. “With karma we’re constantly tied to those from our past, but if
you cut it just right they won’t be able to relink to you.”

“But they’ll know when it’s cut,” Jacinto said.
“Yep, that is the problem,” he said. “They created a lock-latch,

which is a spell to prevent you from cutting the link. The spell I’m
planning to do will put them outside of the main portal of energy,
which means there’s no need to cut the link.”

“They won’t be immortal?”
“No,” he said. “Partially, yes, but Sagan has some good ideas that

I should be able to use to prevent even that. I mean, the spell they
used on Riley is ingenious. I want to incorporate the principle into my
spell.”

“Their spell is working?”
“Yes,” he said. “They changed the vibrations, and that’s

something I want to do, too. I want to be able to draw in the marks
Riley was telling me about that you guys have.”

“They’re supposed to help us ascend.”
“I’m going to talk to the guys a little more about it when me and

Camden put everything together,” he said. “The vibration alteration
will be the most important part aside from the rings of power that will
be used like clamps to prevent your immortal energy from being
completely shared by anyone outside your immediate brotherhood.”
Jacinto gave him a smile. “I know you can make this work, and that is
why I’m bent on keeping you safe from him.”

“You can’t lock me up, but I will let you help me protect me.” He

smiled.

Jacinto shook his head. “You’re going to be a handful.”
“You’ll get past it. Eventually.”

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129

“I’m going to watch TV.”
“Help yourself,” James answered.
When James strolled to his room two hours later, Jacinto was

sound asleep. He was gorgeous even in sleep. There wasn’t a single
gray hair in his black hair or wrinkle in his beautiful face. His full lips
were pink and kissable. The man didn’t look a day over thirty, he
mused.

He smiled. Jacinto had left the lamp on for him. The man was so

thoughtful, and he was a fool. How could he still have any lingering
doubt? This man loved him. They would be together forever. All the
mates believed it, and they must believe it because their mates assured
them it would be so.

Could they all be lying to get what they wanted?
Trace seemed a little intense, but the man didn’t strike him as a

liar, and Riley seemed more than in love with him and certain of him.
And Dillan didn’t seem like he’d lie to Sagan. The love he felt for him
was so clear, anyone who thought different would have to be blind.

So, why was he still not completely convinced there was an out

clause and Jacinto would take it one day? A shrink would probably
say it was because his mother had always chosen her husband over
him, especially when he’d needed her support the most. And James
thought it might be true. He couldn’t walk away because he didn’t
know how, and he couldn’t let Jacinto go. He’d come back to him so
he was his to keep for a while.

He moved around to his side of the bed and stepped out of his

slippers and climbed in. He leaned over Jacinto and lightly kissed his
cheek then brushed a lock of hair off his forehead.

“You’re my dream come to life,” he murmured and then turned

off the lamp and lay down, putting his head on Jacinto’s shoulder.
“Good night, my love.”

* * * *

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The next morning, Jacinto woke to find himself curled around

James, who lay on his side. His head was on his pillow, and he had
one leg thrown over the younger man’s legs. His hand rested at his
hip. A smile tugged at his lips. Here he was with his man, and it felt
so right. So perfect. He wanted to just stay here curled around him
and let the world outside go to hell.

Unfortunately that wasn’t an option today. He had to meet with

Trace and Carter at their place to talk about the terms of alliance with
Phantom. From what he knew about them, he thought it would be a
good idea. They were a strongly bisexual colony of about two
hundred or three hundred, and Sam Wildwind was a known
businessman throughout the South and West, where he had excellent
contacts and several smaller colonies of both Psy and Psy-witches as
allies. Sam was also a respected individual as a witch and
businessman. He was known to be a fair but sometimes hard leader.

That was only to say in his mind that the man made the hard

choices when necessary. He liked that. It took guts to be hard when
you loved someone or when it came to causing someone pain. Sam
had some doctors among his people, but their skills weren’t as varied
as those of his coven. They were five doctors now with the others
wanting out. Their mates were doctors, which gave them quite a range
of healing skills.

They would be a good addition for Sam, as he would be for them.

With the Separatist Council falling apart, they’d need their own
support in the days to come.

“Morning, baby,” James murmured. He moved against him.

“You’re hard.”

He laughed. “Your ass is right on my dick.”
“Umm-hmm.” He moved said ass against aforementioned dick,

and Jacinto groaned. “Your fault for being plastered all over me like a
blanket.”

“You’re objecting.” He nuzzled James’s neck.

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131

James grinned. “Never.” He laughed when Jacinto nipped his ear.

He moved his foot to caress his lover’s leg.

“You have the softest feet,” he said, kissing James’s neck.
“Glad you approve.”
“I approve of this, too.” He cupped the male’s cock.
“Well, you should let me show you how good it would feel to

have me inside you.”

“I don’t doubt it, but it’s not happening,” he said. “Not soon

anyway.”

“Someday when you’re two hundred?” James asked with a teasing

grin. “And you want to shake things up in bed?”

“Maybe.” Jacinto nipped his neck again. “You want go for a run?”
“Love to.” James stretched against him.
“We’re keeping lube under the pillow from now on,” Jacinto said.

“Make it easy for me to take you first thing.”

Then James laughed and twisted in his arms to face him. He

pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. “You want
some, just say so.” He nipped Jacinto’s bottom lip. “We can go for a
run after.” He shifted his hips, moving his erection against Jacinto’s.
“That feels so damn good,” he said in husky tone.

“Umm-hmm,” Jacinto agreed, gripping his hips.
James reached between them and pushed his hand into Jacinto’s

boxers to pull the thick stalk from his pants. “Look at that. My baby’s
so hard.” He released him to lick his hand and then wrapped his
fingers around his man’s cock again. He began to stroke slowly.
“Such a big dick,” he murmured.

“Oh, yeah.” Jacinto moaned. “Stroke me, baby.”
James gave his cock another tug then released him to lean over

and grab a bottle of lube from the bedside table drawer. He squeezed
some in his hand and gripped Jacinto’s erection again. He worked the
hard flesh with firm strokes as he held the other man’s gaze.

“You have nice hands.” He squeezed James’s hips. “Soft.”

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“I hope that’s not a problem.” He reached down with his other

hand to pull his own cock from his briefs.

Jacinto’s hand glided from hip to firm ass. He grabbed the lube

and peeled the briefs back. “Yeah, I like soft hands,” he said. He
squeezed the lube down the seam of James’s rear, and James yelped.

“Jerk.” He nipped Jacinto’s shoulder and then groaned as a long

finger penetrated him. “Mmm.” He rubbed their cocks together.
“Mmm. Your dick feels good.” He shifted and pushed back against
the finger invading him and then thrust his penis against Jacinto’s.

Jacinto pulled his finger free and added more lube before pushing

two into the tight channel. James captured his lips as he thrust against
him. Jacinto fucked his fingers slowly in and out of James as they
kissed.

James broke the kiss and looked down at Jacinto as he braced his

hands on the bed on either side of his man’s shoulders. He lifted
himself slightly and ground down on him. He rubbed slowly and
moved his hips in an erotic fashion.

“That feels amazingly good,” Jacinto said, using his other hand to

grip his hip tighter. He arched up to bite James’s shoulder before
licking over the column of his throat.

James made a sound of pleasure. He thrust back against the

fingers inside him and rubbed firmly against his lover’s penis and
shuddered. He was catching fire, and he could see the fire burning in
his lover’s gaze, too. That he could arouse him so easily gave James a
feeling of power. He picked up the rhythm, rocking forward and
backward harder with firmer grinds as he began to dry-hump Jacinto
with fervor.

“Damn that’s good,” Jacinto said on a ragged breath. He fucked

him harder with his fingers, and James stroked harder against him.

Jacinto drew his fingers out and shifted into a sitting position.

James wrapped his arms around him and lifted his hips for the
penetration he hoped was to come. And then he felt it. Jacinto was
gliding into him. The thick cock took quick possession of the tight

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133

end. He shuddered and began to move on him. He was almost there.
He bounced up and down, driving himself onto the hard prick.

Jacinto held him tight as James rode him hard, arching into him

and kissing him.

“Oh, fuck.” James breathed out roughly as he came. He lifted his

hips and slammed down on Jacinto one more time and felt the hot jets
of semen fill him as his man groaned against his ear. “I want to fuck
like this again.”

Jacinto smiled. “This position or—”
“All of it,” he cut in lazily. “It was hot.”
Jacinto chuckled. “Whatever you want.” He kissed him then lay

back, taking James with him.

“Goddess Divine.” James stretched out on him.

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Chapter Sixteen

After their run, they took a quick shower and had breakfast.

Jacinto had to check on a patient at the hospital, so they headed there.
He left James in his office behind a wall of wards while he checked
on his patient and saw a couple of walk-ins in emergency. Nothing
major, just a few spell accidents.

After two hours there, they headed to Carter and Trace’s for the

meeting. Jacinto uneasily noticed his tail but didn’t call any attention
to it.

“Are we being followed?” James asked, glancing in the rearview

mirror then to Jacinto.

“Looks like it.” Damn, the boy was picking up on his uneasiness.

The bond must be a little stronger than he thought, or he was more
transparent than he wanted to be.

“I guess Carlin will be calling you up later to see what you talked

about,” James said. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Course not,” he admonished. “I’ll give him a few crumbs.”
“Something he’ll buy?”
Jacinto shrugged. “Hopefully,” he said. He turned and cruised

down the street and took a sharp turn. He pulled into a parking lot and
cast a spell that immediately hid his car from those following him.

He pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the street to the

bad neighborhood where he’d earned respect from a simple act of
saving a mortal child’s life in a park. He’d added to that by endowing
a recreation center to the neighborhood and ensuring the children who
frequented it were safe, provided with snacks they could take home if
they liked, a meal on Saturdays, and tutoring. The center provided a

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135

range of indoor and outdoor activities for children between five and
eighteen.

There was no gang violence, guns, or real danger once they

stepped through those doors. It was a safe place to play and learn.

He pulled to a stop in front of a wood-frame house. “Stay put,” he

said as he opened the door. “Use a veil.”

“Right.”
He strode a few steps away from his truck into a front yard that

was mostly dirt where a six-foot-two black male stood in jeans and a
jacket. His bald head was barely covered by the cap he wore.

“Derrick.”
“Yo’ boys are on the move,” he said. “They took a romantic trip

out of town, but Lucan left his secretary in charge. Boy’s moved
twenty men in around yo’ homeboy Trace’s place. And word is he’s
got a new seer and a new caster. Caster’s called Lo. He’s the shit, too,
but he ain’t got the skills Raina had.”

“What about the seer?”
“Same thang,” he said. “He’s got his shit together. Carlin’s got the

caster working on something, but I don’t know what it is yet.”

“What about the Knights?”
He shook his head. “Trouble in paradise. They got a little division

going on. Carlin killed one of they faves for looking wrong at Lucan,
and since then, it’s been a little bit treacherous.”

“Who got killed?”
“Dude named Bo Kix. He was a top lieutenant ’til the dumb shit

cut his eyes at Lucan and start talkin’ about getting him some of that.”
He laughed. “Hell, Lucan woulda cut his throat, but there’s a hit out
on some dude name Baker.”

“You sure?”
“Positive, and word is a hit’s going out on yo’ boy Matt next

Monday ’cause seer say y’all becoming immortal next Sunday.” He
shook his head. “That’d be some shit if it could happen. What you
say?”

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He smiled. “I say that’s some shit.” He pulled out his wallet and

removed some cash and a card. “Thanks, man.”

“Not a problem. When yo’ boys take out Lucan and Carlin—”
“Call that number,” he said. “He’s got a job for you and your

brother and two other people you recommend. He’ll hold yours until
after this is over.” Derrick was a mediocre witch who worked for
Lucan.

“You shitting me?” he asked suspiciously.
“Not even close.” He gave the man’s shoulder a slap and turned to

leave.

“If something happens to me helping you?”
He turned back to him. “Your family will be taken care of.”
“How long?”
“Until your daughter’s out of college, and your wife will get

enough to make ends meet until she dies.”

He nodded. “Then I’ll see it through.”
Jacinto gave him a nod then headed back to his truck.
“Everything go okay?” James asked.
“Yeah.” He flashed him a smile. “He works for Lucan.”
“Oh,” he said. “You think he’s reliable?”
“Yeah,” Jacinto admitted. “I saved his kid’s life and bailed his son

out of jail when he got arrested for being an ass.”

“You bought his loyalty,” James said in a disapproving tone as

Jacinto headed out of the neighborhood.

Jacinto gave him a bland look. He’d done what was necessary, but

the community center had been a gift from his heart. “Maybe, but I’ve
done things for this neighborhood that demand nothing of the people
but that they enjoy it,” he said and told him about the community
center and what it did for the kids. “Some of these people are like us,
too, James. Lost ones, the True Psy call them. One parent is a Psy and
never knew. The kids are gifted and stuck in a mortal world that
doesn’t understand them.

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137

“So I help them. As a result of what Cross-Rose provides for

them, their siblings get benefits of a good meal and a private school
education, and some of their parents get better jobs because they are
Psy, and Psy businesses hire them.”

“What about the neighborhood as a whole?” James pressed.
Jacinto understood his mate’s concern, but the truth was the

children were the building blocks of the future. They would run this
country, and they would be responsible for the ending or expansion of
their heritage as Psy and witches. If they weren’t properly educated,
then the future was going to be a bigger mess than the present.

“We have a food bank that takes care of food needs. We pay some

bills, provide clothes through our clothing bank, and we help get these
people jobs when we can,” Jacinto said.

“By we, do you mean the foundation or you?”
“The food bank is me and Trace, but the rest is the foundation,” he

said. “I help out where I can with whatever I can.”

“You connected the center to the foundation?”
“Carter did, and it’s been a plus for them,” he said. “I’m the face

they know, and they respect what I’ve done for them over the last
three years.”

“More to you than I knew,” James said in an approving tone.

“What about medical attention?”

“I don’t treat mortals per se,” he admitted. “But the Psy and Psy-

witches comes to hospital. However, there are a few doctors affiliated
with Cross-Rose that treat on a regular basis. I back them up when
necessary.”

“My man the philanthropist.” James’s tone was teasing yet

brimming with pride.

“Shut up,” Jacinto said with a shy look at him, and James laughed.

* * * *

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E.A. Reynolds

Jacinto pulled into Trace and Carter’s driveway twenty minutes

later and cut the engine with a look out to the street. His tail had
picked him up again.

“Yeah, they’re back there.” James unbuckled his seat belt and

turned to face Jacinto. Are you going to tell me what he said, or is it
for your brothers’ ears only?”

Jacinto reached across the seat and stoked his knuckles over

James’s cheek. “You have such soft skin. You really take of
yourself.”

“We men do that nowadays, too.” He touched Jacinto’s hand with

warm fingers. “I’m here for you no matter what, so be honest with
me.”

He gave him a faint smile. “Jay, I know the reality is I could lose

you in the blink of an eye right now, and it scares me.”

“You’re preaching to the choir.” He leaned toward Jacinto. “We

both have a lot to lose here, so that’s a cop-out.”

“I’m not copping out,” he returned and withdrew his hand. Jacinto

leaned back against the seat.

“Yeah, you are,” he argued. “A mate is a partner, an equal, not a

child.”

“Damn, I love you, boy,” Jacinto said quietly. The hurt in James’s

tone was nearly undetectable, but he heard it. It scraped at his heart to
be the one to have caused it.

“No, baby, that doesn’t get you out of it,” James answered tautly.

“Because I know you love me. Now, answer me, Jacinto.”

Jacinto chuckled at the steely tone and the order his voice. He

wasn’t going to be able to get away with much, but he looked forward
to the challenge.

“Fine. Sleep on the couch tonight with your secrets.” He climbed

out.

Jacinto followed and hurried after him. He caught James halfway

to the door. James gave him a pointed look and then said, “Don’t
manhandle me, Jake, and put the wards on the truck.”

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139

“Wait,” he said, a pleading note in his tone. He didn’t want James

to doubt his commitment to their relationship any more than he
already seemed to. This had nothing to do with how he felt about him,
and everything to do with what Carlin might find in James’s mind if
he managed to take him.

And if Carlin couldn’t inflict harm on him indirectly, taking James

would be his next step.

James gave him a questioning look brows raised. “What?” He put

a hand on his hip and gave him a cold stare.

“I was going to tell you,” he said. “Wait for me to put the wards

on the truck.”

He folded his arms over his chest and waited. Jacinto put the

wards in place then went back to James and told him what he’d been
told.

“What was the big secret in that?” James demanded.
“Nothing.” He frowned. “I was going to tell you—eventually,” he

said, telling a bit of a lie.

James sighed. “Don’t be so dramatic next time,” he advised,

humor in his eyes, and he said, “I know you’re lying. You weren’t
going to tell me, so why not?”

“Jay,” Jacinto said in a pained tone. “Damn—”
“Jay what?” James mocked. “Give you some room to lie to me.

Hell no. I’m your partner. Don’t try to shield me because you’re
afraid something might happen to me.”

“J—”
“It might,” he cut in again. “Something might happen to you, and

I won’t have a clue why or where to start or even where to tell your
brothers where to start. So, man up and be honest with me. Trust that I
can handle this—” He gestured with his hand. “And let me be your
helpmate, not helpless.” He gave Jacinto an acidic look then turned to
finish his trek to the door.

“You guys worked it out?” Riley asked after opening the door.

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“Course,” James said, rolling his eyes. “Alphas are such

dickheads.”

Riley grinned at him. “Let’s leave them to it.”
Jacinto closed the front door of the duplex the four men were

renting, thinking how right James was. Their relationship wasn’t
going to thrive if he didn’t trust his mate’s ability to be a full partner,
mentally and emotionally. He made no excuse for his stupidity as he
headed to the kitchen. He found Trace and Carter at the stove, and his
stomach growled covetously. “What’s up?”

“Hey, man.” Trace gave him a nod. “Everything okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been hanging outside for a minute,” Trace said. “What’s

going on with you two?”

“Nothing,” Jacinto said in a dismissive tone. “My boy was

reminding me who was in charge.”

“They do have a way of doing that.” Trace grinned. “Well, Devon

and Carter are two good old boys. They never fight, they never
disagree, and Devon never threatens to withhold the—”

“Shut up,” Carter muttered and then laughed. “Everyone can’t

have it so good.”

Trace grunted. “So boring,” he said. “Hell, what’s life without a

little conflict?”

“We’ve got enough of that without taking it to the bedroom,”

Carter answered, making a face. “I asked Dev if he wanted to leave
the brotherhood, and he said he’d do what I wanted.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Trace muttered, humor lighting his grass-

green eyes. “With yo’ boring ass.”

Jacinto chuckled when Carter punched Trace’s arm lightly.
“I should kick your jealous ass,” Carter said, smiling.
“Go for it,” Trace returned as he set the pan on the stove. “Hot.”
“That’s what you get for being so jealous-hearted,” Carter taunted.

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141

“There is nothing wrong with my man,” Riley said as the three

other males entered the kitchen. “James is making milk shakes to go
with the burgers.”

“And salad,” Carter teased, and Trace punched him playfully.
“Riley eats like a rabbit,” Carter taunted good-naturedly.
“Stop teasing him, Carter,” Devon said as he went to give him a

kiss. “He can’t help it if he’s bulimic.”

“I am not,” Riley muttered. “Trace, you know I’m not.”
“Course not, baby.” He dropped a kiss on Riley’s nose. “You boys

go ahead, and I’ll finish up the fries.”

Riley gave him a smile. “I love you, Tray.”
“I love you more,” he said with a grin and threw Carter a look

when he made gagging sound.

“You guys are ridiculous,” Jacinto said.
James washed his hands and looked over his shoulder at the

foursome. The camaraderie was warming and inviting. He felt like he
was around family, and he wanted the same warmth in his own home
someday soon.

“Don’t worry,” Carter said with his eyes on James. “We’ll ferret

out your secrets soon enough, cutie.”

James smiled shyly. “I don’t have any secrets.”
“Yeah, we will,” Trace assured him with a grin. “Salad or

burger?”

“Burger,” James said firmly.
Trace and Carter laughed. “Good man,” Trace said.
They ate in the living room, and the younger males cleared away

the remains before heading to the garage apartment.

“Carter and I have been talking, and we’ve checked out

Phantom,” Trace began. “Being connected with them would be a plus
for us in so many ways.”

“I agree,” Jacinto said. “Wildwind and his top five lieutenants

have great business contacts, not to mention the others in his colony.

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They only have two doctors in the bunch, which provides an
opportunity for us to cement our bond with some service trades.”

“Doable,” Carter agreed. “Investment help for medical care.”
“Exactly, but aside from that, Wildwind’s known as a tough but

fair leader,” Jacinto continued. “I’ve hung out with a few of his boys
and find them easy to get along with.”

“You mean played,” Trace said with a smirk.
“That, too, but let’s be real. This an opportunity we can’t pass

up,” he said. “Wildwind has numbers where we’re a party of five
dominants.”

“Which might be problematic at times,” Carter agreed. “That’s

why Trace and I think it’ll be a good idea.”

“I think we’re going to have to decide about Dillan as well,” Trace

said.

“Without him there are only four of us,” Jacinto said carefully.
“I know,” Trace said heavily. “We’re outmanned and

outnumbered against all enemies right at the moment. That’s why
we’ll keep the alliance with Dillan. He’s in the same boat with six
brothers and no colony at his back. I’d like to expand to a colony of
thirty in time, and he’s feeling the same way.

“So this alliance with Old Guard will be important,” he said. “He

and I are hashing out the details. As for the colony, I’m not looking to
build it until this is over, and then we’ll have to be careful.”

“We can’t afford another fiasco like the one we’re dealing with

right now,” Jacinto said.

“Exactly my point,” Trace agreed. “However, I have been in

contact with Seleste of the lesbian colony Angelic. They’re twenty
women and five children. They have a coven of nine, and they’re
interested in joining with us. All they’re asking for is a small section
and to be able to fight with us. Carlin has been taking them through
the ringer, too.”

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143

“I trust Seleste,” Jacinto said. “She and I have been friends for

years. On top of that, she’s got kick ass magick and a top seer in her
colony that Riley could work with.”

Trace nodded. “Riley said the same. He approves of her. Seleste

has been courting us for weeks now.”

“She’s a toxicology specialist, too,” Carter said. “She works in

mental medicine, though. She’s like Riley. She can’t hold her
poison.” He threw Trace a teasing smile.

“And that is one of the things that makes them a good bet. We

have medicine in common,” Trace said, thumping the air.

“Damn fool,” Carter said when Trace’s energy slapped his nose.
“They have two women in Enforcement, too,” Trace added. “So,

what do you two think?”

“I don’t have a problem with her,” Jacinto said. “They’ll fight

hard.”

“Okay,” Carter agreed.
“I have some news,” Jacinto told them. He told them what he’d

just found out and then said, “Carlin is pushing me to get him
information on your activities. I think he might be starting to suspect
us.”

“His seer is probably picking up something,” Carter said.
“The spell he used to prevent Riley’s visions or to share them

probably isn’t working,” Jacinto said.

“Either that or the seer has seen our ascension,” Trace said. “And

Riley predicts Sunday will be the day.”

“She has, so we get ready to fight this out,” Jacinto said. “Are you

bringing the Angelic into this?”

“No,” he said. “I’m waiting until after our ascension.”
“Makes sense,” Carter said. “We don’t need them tied to us.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Trace said. “I’ll talk to Dillan

about the meeting with Wildwind, and I’ll tell Seleste it’s a go.”

* * * *

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“Changing the vibrations won’t be hard,” James said. “We can do

that minutes before the ascension. That will connect us all as one and
activate the symbols.”

“Our suns will shield us long enough for the Phoenix to rise,”

Riley said. “Once that happens, we should gain immortality
instantly.”

“I’ll write the spell so that once the energy starts to expand, it will

be trapped only within the sphere of our vibrations,” James said.
“Which means only the brotherhood will become immortal. The
others outside the sphere will become partially immortal.”

“Singh will be healed,” Riley said. “And all the brothers will be

healed of the virus.”

“We’ll need to draw in the energy of black to cloak our energies,”

James told them.

“Since we’re the triggers, our power centers, the chakra where our

power seat lies, need to be ready for changes and increased energy
flow,” Riley suggested.

“True,” James agreed. “That’s something we can do on Saturday.

We’ll also need to decide who gets to stand on the power points.”

“We already know Sagan stands on his and Dillan’s property,”

Devon said. “What about Sam Wildwind’s and Misty Willows’s?”

The men all shared looks before James said, “Well, Riley will

magnify the energies, so he stands on Misty Willows. It’s where Oak
Waters will be putting down roots, and he is the coven leader’s mate.”

“Makes sense,” Devon agreed. “And it makes sense that you take

Sam’s point. You’re the catalyst to seer trine, Sagan mentioned. So,
all three seers should take point.”

“I agree,” James said. “And we three will control the clamps. The

amount of immortal energy the others receive will have to come
through you.”

“What about the colors?” Riley asked.

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145

“Right,” James agreed. “I have decided which colors to use for

each ring. Purple, gold, and blue.”

“Which colors for which groups?” Devon asked.
“We’ll use gold is for Phantom,” James said. “It’s for the strength

it’s going to take them to stand with us in all fights. It’ll give them
longer life, as well as excellent health. Blue is for the other brothers.
The blue will heal them of the virus you guys are worried about, and
it will wash away their ties to the coven as well as give them partial
immortality. Purple is for us. It’s the pure power and will.”

“Who controls which?” Riley asked.
“You’re purple,” Devon said. “Being the Phoenix’s mate and all.”
“Sagan can take gold,” James said. “We’ll each do a few lines that

activate each ring. The rings will snap in place quickly, and things
will move fast from there, so be ready. We can’t know how the
energy will affect us until it happens.”

“So, we’ve got the basics,” Devon said. “The rest is up to you and

Camden.”

“Okay, I’ll have the spell done in a few days, and you guys can

take a look,” James said. “Camden can come by Jake’s office when he
has time, and we can work on some of it together.”

“We’ll all come by Jake’s office and check in with you,” Riley

told him.

James nodded. “The company will be welcome.”
“Unless it’s not,” Devon said with a grin.
Riley laughed. “We know how that goes, don’t we, Dev?”
Devon laughed, too. “Definitely.”
James smiled. It felt good to belong, and he hoped these men

would become his friends. Not just members in a group.

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Chapter Seventeen

“Riley and Devon are great guys,” James said as they sped along

that evening. “Devon isn’t as reserved as I thought he was.”

“I’m glad you’re settling in,” Jacinto answered.
“My family life was less than ideal, but they were mine,” James

said. “At most I thought I’d meet a man, fall in love, and we’d adopt a
couple of kids and raise a family. I never thought I’d become part of a
family like this.”

“None of us did at first,” Jacinto informed him. “We’ve got all the

components for the spell worked out,” James told him.

“That’s good.” He pulled into the driveway and began a telepathic

scan for signs of danger. The ward had a colder spot tonight.

“Cold spots,” James said. “I’m picking up a hole in my wards.”
Jacinto heard him, but he also heard the buzz of telepathic energy.

“We’ve got company. Do you need to get your spell book from the
house?”

“No, I brought it with me so I could have them while I worked on

the spell today,” he answered. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t want to risk going in,” he said. “I just don’t trust it.”
James nodded. “Where to?”
“I’ll call Dillan, see if he can put us up,” he answered as he

backed out of the driveway.

Something smashed into the passenger side window, and James

let out a startled cry. Another spell hit the window, and this one flared
ice blue.

“Damn.” Jacinto grimaced. “What are you doing?” he demanded

when James went to let down the window.

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147

“Trying not to end up with a messed up face or—”
“Use a shield on the glass,” Jacinto ordered.
“That’s no good,” he said, flinching when an ice-blue spell hit the

windshield. “That’s an ice-chisel spell. It’s designed to go through
glass, and when it hits, the blue tail sparks and shatters the shield. The
tail flares wide at the bottom and glass goes everywhere. It lodges into
the surface of whatever is there, and it immediately begins to burrow
in and freezes.”Jacinto gave him a wide-eyed stare and grunted when
something hit the back of the truck.

“Amy and I did together. It’s called an ice chisel with a flare-in,”

James told him.

“Are you kidding?”
“It will make you wish you were dead,” James said. “Best thing is

to open the window to prevent this glass from hitting me. Plus, I can’t
do my ice bomb flare through the window.” He let down the window
even as Jacinto started to protest. He knew how dangerous the spell
was because he’d seen the effects firsthand.

A spell flew in, and Jacinto deflected it, sending the orange light

back out the window.

James leaned out of the window and threw a bomb spell at the

vehicle parked at the curb of his home. The spell hit the mailbox, and
Jacinto pulled him back as a spell came through the driver’s side
window.

“Damn it,” Jacinto growled. “You’re going to get your ass killed.”
“There’s a veil to keep the neighbors from noticing anything,”

James warned.

“At least the sons of bitches took precautions.” Jacinto backed up,

and a van pulled up behind him, blocking his escape.

James leaned out of the window and leveled a spell at the truck. It

hit the side and smashed a dent in it.

Jacinto hit the gas, backing into the truck and pushing it out of the

way. He headed back the way he came, or started to, when a man

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jumped out into the middle of the street. Jacinto sped up, and the man
threw a spell.

James leaned out of the window to block, and Jacinto held his

hand out of the window to throw the man aside telekinetically. He
noticed a car speeding after them.

“It’s time we lost them,” James said and leaned out of the

window. He threw a spell that hit the road and was yanked back
inside just in time to miss being hit in the head with a spell. He
struggled out of Jacinto’s hold and leaned back of the window. He
leveled another spell at the car on their tail. This one hit the front tire,
causing it to go out.

“Good go,” Jacinto congratulated him.
“Thanks,” James said with a smile. His eyes were bright with

exhilaration. “See what happens when we work together?”

“Don’t be a smart-ass,” he retorted with a grin. “Do the cloaking

spell.”

“Yes, Master.” He clasped his hands together in front of him,

prayer style, and jerked his head in a single nod.

Jacinto rolled his eyes. “Dillan?”He initiated the telepathic

contact after a brief telepathic page.

“Jake?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s up?”
“I need a place to crash. Me and my mate were just attacked.”
“Sure, come on over. Do you need backup or help?”
“No, we’re good. See you in a few.”
“We have to stop for clothes and stuff,” James insisted.
Jacinto almost laughed. He was worried about an overnight bag

rather than the home he might never be able to return to. He’d been
pissed when he lost home, and a change of clothes had been the last
thing on his mind with his sanctuary having been destroyed. It was all
material things, but the peace he’d found inside those walls had been
irreplaceable.

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149

“Sure.”
Jacinto took the chance and drove to the department store where

they could pick up some clothes and toiletries. Afterward, he drove
them to Dillan’s. Dillan greeted them at the door, and Jacinto told
them what had happened.

“Are you two okay?” Dillan asked.
“Yeah,” Jacinto said, his expression grim.
Dillan nodded and his gaze went to James. “Are you?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. We just had to fight our way out, that’s all.”
“I sent out someone to check things out, and your place was on

fire,” Dillan told him.

“Son of a bitch,” James muttered. “Good thing I brought my spell

books.”

Jacinto gave him a curious look.
“I was renting,” he said. “The stuff’s just stuff.”
“Okay then,” Jacinto said dryly.
Dillan shrugged. “I hear ya, man,” he said. “I’ll get you two

settled into one of the cottages, and you can stay as long as you like.
Sagan will be glad to have a brother around.” He smiled. “He’s out at
the cottage getting it ready now. Come on.”

Dillan helped Jacinto with the bags and then led out to the cottage.

James walked ahead of them, knowing the two wanted to talk. He had
sensed it as they grabbed the bags and whispered behind his back. He
was only slightly offended and wondered if Jacinto would tell him
what they had discussed. No doubt most of it was about revenge or
something like it.

He wouldn’t try to discourage him, but he wouldn’t encourage it,

either. This Carlin that Jacinto was playing games with was probably
pissed off that he wasn’t dead and wanted to send Jacinto a message.
In his experience, guys like that got pissed when their control was
thwarted. Retaliation would only make things worse.

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“Hey,” Sagan said to James when he stepped into the sitting room

of the cottage ahead of the two other men. “Are you okay?” He went
to him but didn’t touch him.

“Yeah, it wasn’t really that bad,” he said. “Someone just attacked

us.”

“Probably Carlin,” Jacinto said. “I don’t understand why he’d

engineer an attack while he’s out of town.”

“Maybe he didn’t,” Dillan said. “Maybe it was that faction of the

Knights that are moving against him. If we’re out of the picture, even
one of us, then no immortality for Carlin and Lucan.”

“That would make it easier to take them down,” Jacinto said. “If

this was them, they obviously don’t have the power to take him
down.”

“Then they should be trying to help us take them down,” Sagan

said. “Then, the Councils can take care of them.”

“Would be nice,” Jacinto said. “Except that would make us a

problem for them in their minds. They don’t realize we don’t give a
damn about the politics.”

“No,” Sagan agreed. “You guys just need to prevent Dark Spear

from becoming and then your job is done until the next dark Beorc
brotherhood comes gunning for you.”

Dillan and Jacinto grunted.
“Well, we’ll let you two get settled,” Dillan said. “You need to

eat?”

“No, we ate plenty at Trace and Carter’s,” Jacinto said with a

smile.

Dillan laughed. “They do love their food over there.”
“I would get so fat if I had to be around them all the time,” Sagan

said with an amused smile.

“So would I,” James agreed.
“Oh, baby, you’d still be perfect,” Dillan said, kissing Sagan.
“You are such a sweet liar,” he crooned. “But thanks.”

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151

James smirked and watched the two head out the door. “They’re a

cute couple, too.”

“They all are,” Jacinto said, locking up. “That’s because it’s love

of each other, not immortality anticipation.”

James gave him a smile. “I was half in love with you the first time

I saw you. Call me a romantic, though. I believe in love at first sight
and toe-curling kisses.”

Jacinto chuckled. “I hope I’m living up to your romantic

expectations.”

“Course you are, silly,” he said and leaned up to plant a kiss on

Jacinto’s cheek.

“Let’s take these things to the bedroom. There’s a washer in the

hall. We can use it to wash them.”

“Great,” James said. “I cannot wear anything that hasn’t been

washed.”

“I know,” Jacinto said with a smile. “So I’ll toss this stuff in the

wash, and we can hang out for a while.

“Sounds good.” He looked around the bedroom while Jacinto

opened the bags and sorted through the items they’d bought. He
moved back out to the sitting room where Dillan had left the bags
he’d carried in. He carried the bags of food into the small kitchen,
finding a fridge and stove, a space-saver microwave, and a note on the
counter.

Pantry is well stocked. Breakfast items in the fridge. We’ll take

care of the shopping tomorrow.

He smiled and unloaded the food they’d bought. It was enough for

a week. Maybe two. Once he was done, James sat down on the couch
and picked up his bag and removed his tablet. He turned it on and
began working on the spell he hoped would save his new family.

Jacinto finished loading the washer and strolled into the sitting

room and dropped onto a chair. He removed his phone and checked
his messages. His patients were doing fine, and there was a new
message from Carlin. He opened it.

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You are skating on thin ice.

Jacinto dialed his number. “What the hell did you mean by

attacking us?” he demanded when Carlin picked up.

“I didn’t order any attack on you, and neither did Lucan,” Carlin

answered coolly. “We’re out of the city at the moment enjoying some
downtime.”

“Then who did?” he demanded, getting to his feet. “I’m not doing

this with you anymore, Carlin. You’re going to kill me anyway, so get
whatever it is you’re really after on your own.”

“I told you I didn’t engineer any fucking attack you this evening,”

Carlin snapped. “I can find out who did.”

“Like you give a shit,” Jacinto muttered.

“I do because whoever did it is messing with my plans,” he shot
back. “If you pull out on me now, I will kill your mate in the most
painful way imaginable and make you watch.”

“Guess what?” Jacinto said coldly. “You have to get our

immortality first. I’ll lock his ass away somewhere far away from me,
so I can never set eyes on him again. And you’ll die before you
become immortal.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he challenged coldly.
“Keep pushing me and find out,” he said. “I haven’t had him in all

this time. I can keep living without him. He’s just a thorn in my ass
that you’ll just keep trying to hold over my head.”

“Don’t even think it, you wily son of a bitch,” Carlin snarled.

“You cannot beat me, and neither can Trace. The only thing that is
going to happen if you do is start a fucking war you can’t win even
with the help of Dillan and his boys.”

“Maybe not, but you won’t get what you’re after in this lifetime,”

he snapped back.

“I assume then Trace has formed his own coven and is behind

those sneaky-ass attacks,” he said. “That proves you can’t take me

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153

head-on and that boy can’t write a spell to undo what I’ve done, so
don’t be a shit,” Carlin muttered. “Take the deal.”

“Yeah, some deal,” he said in a hard tone. “You tried to

incapacitate him, as if that would prove your sincerity. You don’t
know shit about good faith, and violence won’t do it here and neither
will threats.”

“You just fucked yourself,” Carlin snapped. “You want a war,

fine. I won’t kill you as soon as I get your immortal energy. I’m going
to toy with you and make you fucking suffer!”

“Bring it.” He hung up.
“Why taunt him?” James asked with a frown.
“I’m tired of playing games with him,” he said.
“He’s going to come after you sooner,” he said.
“No, he won’t. Not until after Ostara. He’ll back off until then.”

Jacinto exhaled softly as he thought of his plan for Carlin. There
would be no war of attrition after their immortality was gained. Not
for Carlin.

“No pressure,” James said tightly. “I have to get this right, don’t

I?”

“And you will,” he said. “I have faith in you, sweetheart. I trust

your skills. Don’t forget I’ve seen your work.”

“I know, but I’m just scared I’ll let you down.”
“You won’t,” Jacinto said with a smile. He went to kneel in front

of James. “You are the best at spell creations.”

“Now that the very best is dead,” he said. “And truthfully, there

are—” Jacinto cut off his rant with a kiss.

“Trust yourself, as I do.” He pressed a kiss to his forehead and got

to his feet. He wiped his hand over his mouth as he paced to the
window. His mind was raging with thought, with fears. He knew there
was a chance things might not go according to plan, and he had no
real contingencies in case. His chances of killing Carlin were slim,
especially with the resources Carlin had at his disposal.

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However, he couldn’t back down, even in the face of possible

defeat. He stroked his fingers over the ring on his hand. It was a
reminder of his determination to end Carlin permanently. The ring’s
top contained symbols meant for containing a spirit. Once the top was
opened, the spirit would be drawn inside and held there for eternity
unless Jacinto released him.

That would be Carlin’s fate. Lucan, well, he was Trace’s problem.

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155

Chapter Eighteen

Sunday morning, the four men had brunch together, and Jacinto

told Dillan about his conversation with Carlin the night before. After
brunch, Trace and Carter came over with their mates, and Matt came
over with his. They needed to make plans in case Carlin decided to
make a move on them now that he was certain they were the ones
behind the deadly attacks against his people.

“I love it out here, Sagan,” Camden said as he and Sagan walked

ahead of the others.

“Me, too,” he said. “What do you think of James?”
“He seems fine.” Camden shrugged. “Why?”
“I just wondered what you thought,” Sagan said. “He seems a

little quiet.”

“Well, he doesn’t know us yet,” Camden replied. “You and I were

friends. Riley is easy to get along with, and so is Dev.”

“Riley seems to like him a lot,” Sagan retorted. “But I guess they

have that seer thing going for them.”

“You don’t like him? Or trust him?”
“I don’t get bad vibes from him,” he answered. “I’m just not sure

what I think.”

Camden shrugged. “Nothing says you can’t reserve judgment,

which is what it seems like he’s doing.”

“You’re right,” Sagan agreed, linking his arm through Camden’s.

“He has to be slightly overwhelmed by the situation he’s found
himself in.”

“Yeah, he’s found himself in a tough situation,” Camden said.

“But I’m more concerned about Sunday than I am about James. He

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seems to have his head on straight. If we can pull this off, Carlin
won’t be a problem, but if he’s partially immortal, that will still mean
a fight for us.”

“Yeah, I worry about that, too,” Sagan admitted. “But I think the

guys are gearing up for that. Dillan is.”

“Matt says the Council is in trouble. The dark Beorc and dark Psy

are trying to take over, and they’re trying to use people like James to
help them build a strong spell arsenal against light Psy.”

“I’m not surprised,” Sagan answered.
“What are you guys talking about?” Riley asked, coming up

behind them with the other two men.”

“The war that’s coming,” Camden said. “Matt’s certain that no

matter what happens, the Knights are going to end up being a problem
unto themselves. They’re trying to take over the Council along with
Dark Spear, but the Knights have their own vision separate from
Carlin’s.”

“They are,” James said. “I’ve seen the signs.”
“Well, that will be the Council’s problem,” Riley said. “We’ll be

out of this mess once Carlin is defeated.”

“The Minister of the Separatist Council is forming a taskforce,

and he wants Matt to be on it,” Camden said. “It’s a promotion and
more money. I think he’ll take it. He’ll be back in the thick of the
action.” He shrugged. “I think he misses catching bad guys.”

“He was good,” James murmured. “Never took a bribe.”
“That’ll be good for you guys,” Sagan said.
“Yeah, but I make good money,” Camden said with a shrug. “We

don’t need more money. I need my man home at night. Not out
chasing badasses.”

“You two will work it out,” Riley said in a soothing tone.
“How’s the spell coming, James?” Camden asked.
“Good,” he said. “I think I can do what I need to do. I’ll charge

the crystals we’ll need on the full moon.”

“Who will be handling the crystals?” Devon asked.

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157

“Misty Willows is the strong focal point of witch and psychic

magick between the three lands. Riley will stand in the center. Devon,
you’ll take east, the direction of the rising sun, Sagan will take the
north direction of earth, and Camden, you will take the west, direction
of the setting sun. I will take the south, the direction of spirit and
fire,” James said. “These positions are based on the symbols each of
you have.”

“That’s sounds about right,” Camden said.
James nodded. “We’ll each have a crystal,” he answered. “Devon,

your point will be the first to come alive and start the eclipse. From
there it’ll be Camden then me and then you, Sagan, and finally Riley.”

“So, what else do you need from us?” Devon asked.
“I’ll need each of you to have a piece of the crystal embedded

beneath your skin at the appropriate chakra point along the spine,”
James said. “After I charge it.”

“When will that be?” Camden asked.
“Saturday night,” James answered.
“Okay, we’ll meet here and do it,” Sagan suggested.
“I can insert them,” Camden said. “I’ll have to talk you guys

through getting mine in.”

“Then it’s set,” Devon said. “All we need is the spell.”
“And it’ll be done in a few days,” James promised. “We won’t

need anything else. Since we’re all here, I think we should work on
the spell some today.”

“Sounds good,” Camden retorted.

* * * *

The younger males strode back to the house to find their men in

the kitchen chatting and making dinner. They left them to it and went
to the living room to turn on some music and work on the spell while
they waited on dinner.

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Dinner was a boisterous affair with loud talking and laughing.

After dinner, the younger males did the dishes while the older ones
lounged in the living room.

“Did you guys work out the spell?” Trace asked when the younger

males joined them.

“It’s all set,” Riley said, sitting on his lap.”
“What do you need from us?” Matt asked.
“Nothing, until Ostara,” James said. He sat down on a cushion

next to Jacinto on the floor. “I’ll have everything laid out Saturday.”

Riley told them the plan.
“Sounds perfect,” Carter said. “Will we be able to pull it off

without Carlin seeing or knowing, though?”

“We will,” James assured him. “All I have to do is make sure I get

the wording just right.”

“You will, Jay,” Jacinto assured him.
James looked at him, and his heart warmed at the warmth in

Jacinto’s eyes. Trust lay just beneath that, making him more certain
than before that he could do this.

“So, we’ll meet here Saturday and get ready,” Dillan said. “You

guys can all sleep here if you like. What time will we need to start?”

“Early morning to make use of Ostara’s energy,” James answered.

“We’ll need to start just before they would start so they won’t be able
to get to the point in their spell that would block ours.”

“We don’t want him siphoning our energy as our energies are

joining,” Trace said.

“It will be a good idea to just stay over,” Matt agreed. “We need

to all be on the lookout for any tricks they might pull to distract us.”

“Right,” Carter agreed. “Aero is very wily and knowing that we’re

untied against him will make him want that much more determined.”

“We’ll meet with Sam Tuesday,” Dillan said. “Soon enough?”
“Perfect,” Trace answered. “You think he’d be willing to give us

some backup on Sunday in case Carlin sends in a few teams to attack
us?”

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“I’ll ask.”
“Oh, they’ll have to stay beyond the magickal perimeter,” James

warned. “And your other brothers will need to be present,” James
said. “I think it’s going to be the only way to ensure they don’t get
blocked from the energy you want them to have, and so does this guy
Wildwind.”

“I’ll arrange things with Sam,” Dillan said.
“I’ll take care of the others,” Trace announced.

* * * *

The rest of the week seemed to drag by to James. He spent a good

part of every day in Jacinto’s office working on the spell sequence.
The evenings were spent relaxing with his man. They took a few
walks around Dillan and Sagan’s property and a walk around Misty
Willows twice so James could get a feel for the land’s energies and so
he could decided where to put the center for what would essentially
be a pentagram. He had decided not to draw it out, just to place
markers where each man would stand in order to take advantage of
the triangle of power the lands formed.

The closer Saturday came, the more nervous James was. But

Saturday morning he charged the crystals at the height of the full
moon, and they were inserted into their backs. Having walked the
Misty Willows land, he’d decided it would be best to do the entire
ritual there rather than have parts of it done on all three sites.

“Why the change?” Devon asked, clearly perplexed. “I thought we

were going to stand on a point on each of the lands.”

“The energy will be too spread out, and the spell won’t be

effective. Besides, Oak Waters covenstead will be at Misty Willows.”

“Polarity reversal, too,” Riley said, leaning against Trace.
“Explain,” Trace said. “I had a dream last night. Carlin’s spell

caster is going to do a reversal spell that will siphon all our energy

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because we were going to stretch it too thin. They will become
immortal, not us.”

“So we’ll do it here,” Matt said.
“And we each stand at the designated points,” James said. “We

don’t need the trine’s energy after all. We just need the brotherhood’s
energy. Misty Willows has enough power for us to draw on and
standing at the right points we’ll be able to activate the trine energy
anyway.”

“I concur,” Camden said with a nod.
“Is it settled?” Dillan asked.
James nodded. “Yep. Will your other brothers be here?”
“Yeah,” Trace said with a sharp nod.
“How did things go with Sam?” Jacinto asked as he moved behind

James and wrapped his arms around him in the late winter sunshine.

“Great,” Trace said. “He agreed to all of our terms, including

allowing the Angelic to be part of our alliance.”

“What did the Angelic say?” Matt asked.
“They’re fine with the alliance,” Trace answered. “So we’re all set

for the ascension. Any last minute changes of heart?”

“I think we all know the answer to that,” Dillan said.
The men had dinner together that night and retired to their

sleeping quarters early to be alone with their mates.

James looked up when Jacinto stepped into the bedroom clad in

only boxer shorts. His gaze roved over his lover’s body with greedy
attention.

“You okay?” Jacinto asked.
“Yeah,” James answered as he watched Jacinto retrieve something

from a dresser drawer before coming to bed. His gaze darted to the
small black box Jacinto held out to him.

“What’s this?”
“Open it,” he said with a smile.
“When did you have time to get me something?”
“When I did,” he said with a smile.

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161

James gave him a skeptical look. “What is it?”
“Open it.”
He did as he was commanded and stared down at the simple gold

band. On its face was a rune with a double axe in the center. He
looked up at Jacinto to find him kneeling next to the bed.

“Jake?”
Jacinto plucked the ring from the velvet box and reached for

James’s hand. He pushed the ring onto this finger. “James, when I
first saw you, I knew you were mine, but I didn’t want to rush it. I
wanted to savor things with you, to get to know you. So I took my
time and I started falling in love with you before I knew it.”

“Jake—”
“I was crazy about you, and now I’m in love with you,” he cut in

gently. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you hand-
fast with me?”

James’s eyes widened. Fear shone bright in his eyes. “I—Jacinto,

I don’t think—”

“Love isn’t about thinking, Jay. It’s about feeling, and a man as in

touch with his feelings as you are should know that,” he broke in
again. “So will you be mine forever?”

James smiled a tentatively. “Are you sure?” he asked. “I am

totally in love with you. I want nothing more than to wake up with
you every morning and fall asleep with you every night. I want to
come home to you every day.”

Jacinto swallowed over the lump of emotion in his throat. He

cupped James’s face. “Is that a yes?”

James laughed. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.” He threw his arms

around Jacinto and hugged him tight and then kissed him. “What if
something happens tomorrow and you don’t become immortal? What
if I can’t let it happen?”

“Then we’ll get hand-fasted and do whatever it takes to survive,”

he said with a smile. “There is no place on earth I’d rather be than

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Chapter Nineteen

The next morning just before sunrise, the men gathered in the

kitchen. The mood was somber as they had coffee and juice.

“Usually, we have a small ceremony to honor the Maiden,” Trace

said and looked around the room at the men he’d known for a long
time, and the man he’d grown to be good friends with and their mates,
before bringing his gaze to rest on his own mate. “This morning,
because of the ritual ahead of us, I’ve decided to move the ritual to
later in the morning or afternoon.”

“Good thinking,” Dillan agreed.
“But I would like to take this time to say a few words to you all,”

he said. “No matter what comes this morning, I am glad you’ve all
accepted me as your leader, and I plan go after Carlin and Lucan.
They both must die. I would love to say I’d understand if you don’t
want in on this, but by partaking of immortality together, you agree to
give yourselves to this fight, to do whatever it takes to take Carlin and
Lucan down.” He looked around the room again, finding
determination on the faces of his brothers. “It was believed that we
must protect this city against the dark Beorc and will do just that.”

Dillan raised his glass of juice. “To the brotherhood.”
Jacinto and Carter followed suit, with Matt doing the same. The

mates all lifted their mugs and glasses and said as one, “To the
brotherhood.”

Trace nodded, feeling a sense of pride in his brothers and their

mates. “Let’s get started before Carlin does.”

“Does everyone remember where they’re supposed to be?” James

asked. He squeezed Jacinto’s hand tight.

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They agreed that they did, and they left for Misty Willows. Once

there, they were joined by Miller, Juniper, Niall, and their mates as
well as Sam. A small crew of Sam’s men and Dillan’s brothers joined
them to provide security for them in case of an unforeseen attack. The
men separated, each heading for their power point.

“Goddess, I’m nervous,” James said. “I’ve planned everything

down to the last detail, but I’m scared.”

“Relax,” Jacinto murmured looking down at him as they came to a

stop at the southern point. He turned James to face him and stroked
his jaw. “I love you, Jay. Everything will happen the way it’s
supposed to.” He kissed him slowly, and James wrapped his arms
around Jacinto’s neck and clung to him.

Jacinto broke the kiss and gave James an encouraging smile. “Get

them into place and let them know what’s going to happen.”

He frowned. “Nothing happens. All they need to do is stand there,

and wait for the energy to wash over them. What are you going to
do?”

“I just need a few minutes to focus,” he said with a smile then

walked away. Jacinto watched as James told Juniper and Kerry where
to stand. Juniper was asking questions, and he wasn’t surprised. The
man probably thought he’d be double-crossed. The only person who
would be harmed today was Carlin.

“What is going to happen?” Juniper asked.
“Nothing,” James told him. “Just some blue energy is going to

wash over you guys. The one significant thing that is going to happen
is your tie to the brotherhood will be severed.”

“Before or after we become immortal?” Juniper turned to look at

Jacinto, who strode over to join them. “This better not be some lame-
ass trick to deprive us of immortality.”

“No tricks,” Jacinto told him with a clap on the back. “You want

to walk away with no ties, and we’ve assured that. You’ll never be
bound to us again.”

“Good, bu—”

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165

“And you’ll be cured of the virus,” he jumped in. “Everybody

walks away with what they want.”

Juniper nodded. “Fine, but what do you guys get out of it?”
“That’s Carlin’s MO, not ours,” Jacinto told him grimly.
Juniper studied him skeptically for long moments then nodded

slowly. “Okay.”

Jacinto went to James. “Now, what?”
James walked toward the southern point on the invisible

pentagram. “You stand on the circle behind me. It keeps you on the
inner ring.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “Just focus. I’m here.” He went to stand

several steps behind James and turned his thoughts inward to
contemplate his own plan.

James closed his eyes. He had to be ready and calm. Devon would

go first. His part of the spell activated the power symbols of each
mated pair. Devon and Carter’s symbols were the suns, and they
would provide a dark spot. The color black had been woven into
Devon’s energy to allow him to be their anchor and cloak their spell
from discovery.

Devon stood on the eastern point, having finished up his part of

the spell. The sun seemed to flare all around him in a blinding glare
that was both beauty and pain, and then brightness became like an
eclipse, and he gasped as visions assailed him.

Carter was standing not far from him, and his eyes flared wide as

the purple rays seemed to descend from the sky and curl around
Devon. Gold-and-blue energy swam out from the purple.

“Oh, God,” Carter breathed. “No!” He rushed forward, and a

purple ribbon of energy struck him, knocking him back. He lost his
breath as he lay on his back, his eyes on Devon. His body seemed to
tighten and then seize as the color filtered through him.

Miller stared at the colors, and fear flitted through him. They had

double-crossed him. Trace was pissed because he wanted to walk
away. So he was going to deprive him of his immortality.

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He grimaced as the anger raged through him. He started toward

Carter with every intention of attacking him. The purple split and blue
energy began to wind toward him. Miller stopped and started to back
up as Carter collapsed to the ground.

“We have to get out of here,” Miller ordered Singh, but blue

ribbons lashed out at them and hit them both as they turned to escape.

* * * *

James stood at the southern power point. He felt the exact moment

Devon finished his part of the spell and immediately began his. The
words came to his mind so quickly, he had to remind himself to slow
down. He didn’t want to get anything out of sequence. With each
word that flowed through his mind, he felt the sweep of energy course
through him. The tomahawk on his cock pulsed and tingled as the
symbol came to life.

He let the power flow through him and made a gesture with his

left hand. He’d written the spell to be performed counterclockwise in
order to sever the ties of the dark brothers. He felt a jagged rush of
energy and knew the cords that bound were cut. He finished up his
chant and felt the power of the land beneath his feet. He was assaulted
by a vision that turned into a series of visions of the past. His shared
past with the Beorc men of Oak Waters.

Purple, gold, and blue energy flared, and Jacinto’s eyes widened

as the energy glowed and gyrated. It filtered through James, and he
began to shake as if he were having a seizure.

“No,” he whispered. “James!” Jacinto screamed and started

forward.

What was happening? Jacinto couldn’t imagine anything going

wrong moments ago as he watched James perform the chant. And
now with the energy flaring out, all he could think was that Carlin had
managed to tap into their energy and it was killing James.

“James!” He screamed his name again as he reached the edge of

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167

the rings of energy drifting out from his mate. His gut clenched, and
he felt as if his heart was being squeezed in his chest. He fought to
breathe as the anguish of fear ripped through him.

Jacinto took another step and stopped, gripping his chest as a

jagged edge of pain cut through him. He felt James’s heart stop, and
his own failed. He collapsed onto the moist grass.

Juniper took a step toward him, and gold energy threw him to the

ground, knocking him out cold.

“Juni,” Kerry dropped to his knees and jerked as a golden thread

slapped him. He dropped over Juniper’s fallen form.

* * * *

Camden finished up his chant, feeling the strong current of energy

as it vibrated through him. The visions rushed him and took him over
even as he fought not to get lost in them. His past with these men he
was being tied to was vivid and clear. He saw them all in a time so far
removed from this one. They were gathered around a table. He sat
next to his mate, looking around the table at the laughing men. His
eyes met the twinkling gaze of a man he recognized as Sagan, but he
was Alex. They shared a grin before his gaze drifted to a man who
bore little resemblance to Riley, but he recognized his contagious
smile on the man’s face. Steven was his name.

He turned his head, and his stare fell on Jonas, who had Devon’s

eyes. The man grinned at him and he grinned back before turning his
attention to the last man who sat on the other side of the table from
him. James, but he was called Marco.

The time was 1225, and they were in England. Two slaves, lovers

of their masters while the rest of them were free men, English with
one Spaniard. They were happy, and this was Ostara eve, the day
before they were to ascend.

The colors of purple and gold rose up from the ground in the form

of water and swallowed Camden. He could feel it wash over him. The

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blue energy crawled out and away from him.

* * * *

Matt frowned as the powerful current of the land’s energy jerked

Camden off the ground. He paled and slammed into a wall of purple
energy as he took two more steps.

“Cam!” Matt screamed as fear penetrated his mind. He’d just

found him. He couldn’t lose him now. The purple fingers curled
around him. The waters were too much. He felt as if he were choking.
He could hear Camden’s struggle to breathe, feel it as his own lungs
refused to move air.

He tried to turn to warn Niall and Cash to leave them, but he sank

soundlessly to the damp ground.

“Matt?” Niall called and took a tentative step forward. “Mathias?”
“Niall,” his mate, Cash, cried.
Niall took a single step and was lashed with blue energy. He

gasped as the energy washed over him like water. He cried out as his
lungs seemed to fail and he fell unconscious. His mate fell beside
him.

* * * *

Sagan stood at the westernmost point of the land. He finished his

part of the spell and was assailed by a vision of three men two
centuries ago doing this exact ritual, only one of them was shot in the
back before he could complete it. He tried to jerk out of the vision.
The dead man was James. He wanted to warn Riley, but he couldn’t
get out. The energy of the land seemed to activate, and the purple
threads of energy pulled him into its grip.

* * * *

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169

Dillan started as the glow of the land engulfed Sagan and lifted

him in the air.

“Sagan!” Dillan shouted and sprinted the short distance to the

pentagram. He couldn’t allow anything to happen to his mate. He
tried to cross the barrier of the neatly drawn lines he could barely see,
only to be thrown back by the waves of purple energy tinged with
hues of royal blue and gold.

Sam Wildwind, the leader of Phantom, took a step and stopped as

Dillan was struck by a purple thread of energy and fell to the ground,
seemingly unconscious. He shook off the shock and hurried to him. A
gold wave washed over him, and his knees gave out. He collapsed
unconscious to the ground.

* * * *

In the center point of the pentagram that had been drawn in the

middle of Misty Willows, Riley stood, arms outstretched as he
finished his chant. Visions assailed him in rapid succession, and he
struggled to breathe as they grabbed at him. Pain, happiness, sorrow,
and joy were his to experience. He fought against it but was yanked
into the future. His friends were gathered in a large room. They were
all smiling and happy. He was holding a baby boy in his arms, and
Trace was standing at his side. On the carpeted floor, a little girl sat
on a blanket with her twin sister playing with blocks. They belonged
to James and Jacinto, and the boy throwing a ball at them was Sagan
and Dillan’s rowdy four-year-old.

He gasped as he tried to pull air into his lungs. He felt the ground

fall away beneath his feet as he was lifted off the ground. He felt the
energy of the brotherhood snap into place with a harsh clack.

His body shook as he was lifted and held six feet off the ground.
“Gods,” Trace whispered as he watched the man he loved being

invaded by fingers of purple, gold, and blue. Fear raced through him,
and he knew there was no way to get to Riley, so he stared, thinking

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that if Riley died, he would kill Jacinto and his traitorous mate.

He didn’t have time to begin to plan his revenge. A hard lash of

energy crashed into him, knocking him cold.

* * * *

Across town, Carlin stared at the seer in the ritual room that had

been especially prepared for this day. He had taken care for every
precaution, but he’d had a bad feeling for days now that things were
not going to go as planned. After years of planning, he was going to
fail at his primary goal of becoming immortal and his destiny to
destroy Jacinto and permanently magically cripple Trace would be
doomed.

“It’s happening,” the seer said. “Jacinto and his mate’s souls are

joining.”

“Are you certain?” Lucan looked to Carlin.
“I am certain.”
“Now,” Carlin said to the spell caster. “Finish it.” The seer had

only to reverse the connection. He and Lucan were still tied to the
brothers, and that connection could be reversed to prevent the boys
from partaking of their immortal energy. Instead, he and Lucan would
be the ones becoming immortal.

And then, he would kill them slowly. He’d start with James and

make his death the most painful of them all while Jacinto watched
helplessly.

From him and Lucan, the immortal energy would flow to the men

gathered in the room with them. The seven other men in the room
stood in the semi-circle with Carlin in the center and Lucan and the
head of the circle. Carlin waited to feel the power filter through him.
It started in a wave of blue that built to purple. The energy coursed
through him, and he sucked on it hard, drawing more of it to him.

“God, Carlin, I can feel it,” Lucan whispered.
Yes, Carlin agreed to himself. It felt orgasmic. The power was

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171

astounding. Their energy was his at last. It made him breathless and
giddy at once.

He threw his head back as the energy filtered through him. He

exhaled roughly and then the energy stung, burned. It felt as if he
were suffocating. Someone was pulling it back.

“No!” Carlin screamed. “Damn him!” How had Trace done this?

How had had he hidden it from him?

Then, he was face-to-face with Jacinto in a desert. “Son of a

bitch,” he growled. “How did you bring me here?”

“It wasn’t hard,” Jacinto said. “I took a page out of your book and

used a simple reversal spell.”

“What are you—” Carlin trailed off as realization dawned on him.

“You used the power to lure me and then reversed the poles and
pulled me here.”

Jacinto tapped a finger to his temple. “I’ve been planning this

moment since the first time you approached me with what you had.”
He sneered at him as he moved past the cactus to stand in front of
him. “I knew what I would do to you, and how.”

Carlin prepared a spell and threw it at him. Jacinto blocked it and

threw one of his own. It missed, and Carlin spread his legs wider and
cast a spell with a steel-gray tail.

“Carlin, where are we?” Lucan demanded. Lucan cried out as a

spell tagged his shoulder.

“Jake, he’s mine,” Trace snapped. “You can have Lucan.”
“No.” He blocked Carlin’s spell. “You take Lucan. This ends

now.”

“And that is why we switch,” Trace ordered him and blocked

Lucan’s spell, deflecting it to a rock.

Lucan moved closer to Carlin, and Trace threw a spell at him to

keep him from getting closer. Carlin blocked, and Jacinto moved
quickly, separating the two men. Trace threw a spell at Lucan, who
was trying to back away from the fight.

“This is not going to end well for you,” Carlin told Jacinto and

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threw a spell at him that sliced across his shoulder.

Jacinto grimaced but didn’t stop his advance. He blocked the next

spell and leveled a spell at Carlin’s knee that knocked it from under
him. Jacinto advanced on him and threw a spell from James’s spell
book that broke Carlin’s arm.

“Shit,” Carlin grimaced and threw a tornado spell that Trace

quickly took charge of, deflecting it to Lucan, who screamed in rage
as he dismissed it amidst flying sand.

Lucan leveled a spell at Trace that drew a cry from him as the

spear stabbed through his shoulder. Lucan advanced quickly, flicking
his wrist and tossing Trace a few feet away before gathering energy
and smashing rocks. The rock chips flew at Trace, slicing into his
skin.

Trace cried out and drew the rock from the wounds and directed it

to Lucan. His poison blood would kill the other man within seconds
of infection. Lucan managed to avoid the first wave of rock, but not
the switch-blade spell Trace used to cut his throat. He cried out as the
cut started across his skin and fought to push Trace back.

He let out a howl of rage as he muscled Trace back. Trace ran at

him, blocking the spell thrown at him. He punched Lucan in the
stomach and felt all the power of the men he knew and loved
throbbing inside him. He gritted his teeth and drew back to backhand
Lucan, who stumbled back from the power of the blow.

Trace grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and drove his fist into

his solar plexus and used telekinesis to reach deep into Lucan’s power
seat. Lucan’s blue eyes widened. “Damn you, Clay,” Trace said
coldly. “You were a good man once.”

“Fuck you,” he muttered and shifted his hand. The blade spell

drove deep into Trace’s shoulder, hitting bone. Trace tightened his
grip as his fingers flexed against Lucan’s stomach.

Lucan cried out. His face paled, and his breath caught. “How?”
“The power of my men,” he said. He pushed his fist deeper into

the core of Lucan’s power seat, and Lucan howled in pain. His eyes

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173

paled, and life began to drain from him. “Carlin, love.” He fell to his
knees.

* * * *

Carlin’s mind shifted with the loss of Lucan. He jerked his head in

his direction, and Jacinto drove his fist into Carlin’s chest. Carlin
cried out as he tried to push the other man back. Jacinto’s eyes
darkened with the pent-up rage against Carlin, and he pushed back
against him.

He had tried to harm his mate, to take him from him. Carlin would

kill James, his beloved, if Jacinto allowed him to live. The fight
would never end. And it had to end here.

“No,” Carlin cried out. “Lucan!”
“Join him, son of a bitch.” Jacinto drove his fist deep into Carlin’s

power seat and closed his mental fingers around it. He flooded him
with rage, and Carlin screamed as a spell bomb was pushed inside
him. The energy filled him with deadly intent.

He screamed as it cut him up inside and tore his power seat apart.

His blood spattered Jacinto’s arm and lower body.

“I’ll get you next time!”
“Draw back, Jake,” Trace ordered.
Jacinto held on, sending another spell bomb into him. His entire

body exploded from the inside out. The force threw Jacinto to the
ground, and he rolled onto his back, reaching out to hold Carlin to
him. He uttered a spell and flipped the top on the ring he wore on his
right hand.

Carlin’s spirit was drawn into the ring, and it slammed shut.

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Epilogue

Jacinto came to on the ground with the sun shining sweetly down

on him. He rolled onto his back to find James kneeling next to him
with tears in his eyes. “Baby, why are you crying?”

James kissed him. “I thought you were dead,” he said in a teary

voice. “You weren’t moving, and your heartbeat was so slow. I
wanted to die, too.”

He sighed roughly. “Sweetheart.” He pulled him down on top of

him. “I felt your love for me.”

“I never realized just how much I loved you until I saw you lying

there, and I was willing to do anything to get you back,” he said.
Another tear coursed down his cheek. “I love you, Jake, and I don’t
ever want to lose you.”

Jacinto smiled. He pulled James down on top of him for a long

kiss. “You won’t. I love you with every part of me, James.”

“I don’t think we made it,” Juniper said. “I guess it wasn’t our

time.”

“It’s okay,” Kerry said. “We’re free now.”
Juniper nodded. “Carlin is still going to come after us.”
“He won’t,” Jacinto told him. “He’s dead, and so is Lucan. The

organization will just move on without them, but that’s someone
else’s problem.”

“Not ours,” Juniper said and extended a hand to Jacinto.
James took the hand Kerry held out to him, and the men got to

their feet.

“Thanks,” Jacinto said and slapped Juniper’s shoulder. “I’ll see

you around, man.”

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175

“Maybe,” he agreed. He gave him a nod. “We’ll say goodbye to

the others and then be on our way.”

* * * *

Two hours later, the five brothers were gathered in Dillan’s office

while their mates rested. Trace told the others what happened on that
desert on the astral plane.

“So he’s gone,” Matt said.
“Yeah,” Trace said.
“So, this is what immortality feels like,” Carter said.
“And we’re joined for life,” Dillan commented. “But it’s just us

this time.”

“The real brotherhood,” Trace said. “The original. Riley had a

vision that showed just us five starting the brotherhood in 1225.”

“And here we are again,” Carter said. “This time, we keep it this

way.”

“Agreed,” Trace said. “I did a cursory exam of Singh. He appears

to be healing fine.”

“And we learn some of those kick-ass spells James has,” Matt said

with a grin. “Not that I want to blow anyone up from the inside out.”

They all chuckled.
“We were meant to stop Carlin from becoming immortal and

taking over the city and then the region. We did that. However, the
problem isn’t over. Dark Spear will probably continue its reign of
terror once a new leader steps up and the Knights—”

“Actually, the brotherhood itself, which consisted of nine men, is

dead,” Dillan cut in. “Alex found there covenstead, and Sam sent a
crew to take care of them. The female seer is in custody, but the caster
is toast, too.”

“So, our job with them is done,” Trace said with a nod.

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E.A. Reynolds

“Just as Ricardo intended when he asked me to take over if he

died,” Dillan said with a hint of sadness in his tone. “The Knights that
might have reformed Dark Spear are dead.”

“The Knights were never our problem, so we’re free to live as we

choose,” Trace said.

“Sam has volunteered to take on the Knights,” Dillan said.

“They’re the Council’s problem, but it might affect us. We back him
up if he asks, but we’re out.”

Trace shrugged. “I have no problems with that,” he said. “Riley

wants a baby, and I’m more than willing to help him find a
surrogate.”

“You better or he might refuse to give up any love,” Carter teased,

and they all laughed.

“Baker offered me a promotion to head a taskforce that will be in

charge of ousting the Knights, but I’m not taking it,” Matt informed
them. “I’d rather be home by six.”

Jacinto smiled. He understood exactly what he meant. Now that

the biggest threat was gone, they were all free to live their lives
knowing there was a happily ever after for them. He was going to
spend the first five years of it showing James how much he loved
him. He suspected he’d fall even deeper in love with him along the
way.

“Well, I am going to go hold Devon for a while,” Carter said. “No

babies in our immediate future.”

“I’m going to start rebuilding in three weeks,” Trace told them.

“So we can get on with our lives.”

“Now that that’s settled”—Jacinto got to his feet—“I’ll see you

boys later. I’d like to spend some time just getting lost in my mate.”
He left them and headed to his cottage. James looked up when he
entered the bedroom.

“Hey.” James smiled. “That didn’t take long.”
“No. We all wanted to be with our mates and revel in our

immortal love.”

Now and Forever

177

“Good,” James said as he watched Jacinto undress and climb into

bed. “I’ve decided to quit my job at the Council and find a teaching
position.”

“Fine,” Jacinto said. “Take your time.” Jacinto moved over James

and kissed him and rolled onto his back, taking James with him.
“Maybe later I’ll let you fuck me.”

James grinned and straddled him. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Jacinto sat up, wrapped his arms around his mate, and pulled him

close. “I love you, Jay. Now and forever.” He kissed him.

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E.A. Reynolds is a daydreamer who loves to read and write

romance that arouses. She can be found taking walks in the park to
flesh out characters and listening to music to make sexy scenes come
alive. She’s an avid reader of both romance and paranormal novels.

E.A. is also fond of cooking and thinks the kitchen is a good place

to develop bondage and sex scenes because food, she says, can be as
sexy as music when it comes to sex and the sex drive.

Like all artists she can be a little temperamental when it comes to

people reading her work before it’s finished.

For all titles by E.A. Reynolds, please visit