Carnal Discipline Page 9

  Though relations had smoothed between the Vampire and Werewolf nations, new threats had begun cropping up. Gangs of zealot wolves and Vampires had formed and acted out, each believing their race superior and protesting equality. Random attacks had increased of late. Tribal and pack leaders gathered at the palace this week to discuss possible solutions to the problem. Tomorrow would be the last day of meetings and Julian could scarcely wait for it to end. These new issues put extra pressure on him since he needed to be present at the meetings, acting as a buffer between the Vampire and wolf leaders and advising Lady Altah.

  Tonight he had managed to get a few hours to himself. He’d hoped to spend the time with Vesta. Curt was nearly as busy as Julian since palace security was tighter than ever due to the meetings.

  Vesta always seemed to know how to get Julian out of a bad mood and at the moment he needed a pep talk. Unfortunately Vesta was attending Lady Altah and unavailable. Julian considered having a workout to rid himself of tension, but he was emotionally exhausted from the meetings and wanted nothing more than to relax. That would only be possible if he could forget the issues at hand and he knew there was little chance of that.

  He stepped into his chamber and, sighing deeply, flopped on the couch. The door opened and Curt walked in. The trio had exchanged keys to each other’s chambers and entered at will, yet he had to admit he was surprised to see the Captain.

  “I thought you were on duty,” Julian said.

  “I had some time off between shifts and heard you had a couple of hours, too, so I thought -- what’s wrong?”

  “The damn meetings,” Julian growled. “Sometimes I think there will never be peace. For ages Vampires and werewolves shared a smooth relationship. Now everything is crazy.”

  “It’s not crazy. Change can be good.”

  “But this senseless violence isn’t.”

  Curt stood behind the couch and placed his hands on Julian’s shoulders, massaging firmly. The Captain’s rough touch felt good and Julian closed his eyes to better enjoy the sensations.

  “You say I’m too devoted to duty,” Curt snorted. “You have time off so you should be enjoying yourself. You’ll be back at the meetings soon enough.”

  “It’s hard not to think about it.”

  “I can help.” Curt walked around to the front of the couch and pulled Julian to his feet.

  “What?” Julian asked. “When I have issues on my mind, nothing can… make… me… “ His voice faded as Curt unbuckled his belt, unzipped his trousers and tugged them down.

  Julian rarely wore underpants so his cock sprang free. Curt curled his fist around it and stroked with the perfect pressure.

  “This isn’t fair,” Julian murmured, his pulse quickening with desire. His cock stiffened and ached pleasurably in Curt’s grasp.

  Curt growled softly, an invitation rather than a warning. After several moments of the delicious stroking, Curt guided Julian to the bed and pushed him onto it. He pulled off Julian’s shoes and trousers then settled between his legs, grasped his cock and took the bulging head between his lips.

  Julian grasped Curt’s head and gasped with pleasure, letting his mind go blank. All he could do was revel in the fantastic sensation of Curt’s warm, wet mouth on his cock head and his rough hand on his shaft.

  “You’re not going to make me wait, are you?” Julian breathed.

  “No.” Curt spoke so close to his cock head that his warm breath teased the sensitive flesh. “I think you need a quick release.”

  “Yes. Oh gods,” Julian groaned and clutched his lover’s head harder.

  The Captain began sucking in a fast, steady rhythm that hurled Julian into an orgasm so long and hard that his eyes rolled back in his head and his heart nearly leapt through his chest.

  When he finally came back to realty, Curt was stretched out beside him on the bed. He opened the buttons on Julian’s shirt and stroked his chest -- a most pleasant sensation.

  “Feel better?” Curt asked.

  “Yeah.” Julian smiled. “Much.”

  “Sometimes a good, hard cock-suck is all it takes.”

  Julian chuckled. “Never heard it put that way, but I can’t argue with the logic.”

  Their gazes locked and Curt smiled, a teasing gleam in his usually serious eyes.

  * * *

  About a week after the meetings at the palace ended, Julian was called away on duty. He traveled to the Wingedpaw Pack’s territory for a meeting with Leader Temple and his advisor, Ransom.

  Just a few days after he left, several gangs of zealot wolves attacked the Vampire capital city, mimicking last year’s rebellion. Unlike the rebels from last year, these wolves didn’t merely want fair treatment, but wished to destroy all Vampires. For safety purposes, the palace as well as most parts of the city were evacuated. Curt and the guards surrounded the city to fight off the gangs. Unfortunately, several of the gangs were backed by wolf packs and far better armed and trained than average criminals.

  Worried for Curt’s safety, Vesta waited with her Lady in a hideout secured by Rex and Kyros.

  Though the Vampire tribes were prepared to send reinforcements, it was up to Curt and his guard to protect the city. Only if they failed could the tribal armies take over.

  Reporters who had chosen to remain in the city captured some of the fighting on film and Vesta couldn’t decide if watching bits and pieces of the battle was worse than getting no information at all.

  By dawn, Julian arrived. He embraced Vesta tightly.

  “I came as soon as I heard. Has there been any word from Curt?” he asked.

  “Not yet. His second in command is handling all communications,” Vesta said.

  “I’m on my way to the capital now,” Julian told her. “Altah and her guardians agree that my skills could be useful in dealing with these rebels.”

  A sick feeling washed over Vesta. Now both her lovers would be in immediate danger.

  “Please be careful,” she said.

  “I will.” His lips brushed hers with a tender kiss, the kind she’d always loved from him. At this moment she realized she cared for both her lovers equally. Each held a place in her heart and the thought of losing either was unbearable.

  “I need to leave,” he said.

  Vesta nodded and embraced him tightly. “Julian, I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” He kissed her again, then he left.

  Sighing deeply, she sat at the dining table in the small yet comfortable country home, deep within the Vampire Nation. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples in a useless attempt to relieve her throbbing headache.

  Altah joined her.

  “I understand what you’re going through,” the Vampire Ruler said.

  “I’m fine,” Vesta said. She opened her eyes and met her Lady’s gaze.

  “No you’re not. We’re women of responsibility and must hide what we feel, but I know what it’s like to watch two men you love risk their lives for duty.”

  “I know they’re doing what they have to,” Vesta said. “But I can’t help worrying.”

  “Of course you can’t. But you can take pride in their courage and when they return show them how much you love them.”

  “And if they don’t return?”

  “Then you can honor their memory.”

  “That pales compared to having them back in my arms.”

  “I know,” Altah replied.

  “But I respect their duty and their choices,” Vesta added. “And I’m grateful for their courage to defend us. Do you think this battle between our species will ever end? Why did it happen in the first place? It’s crazy.”

  “I wish I had solid answers,” Altah sighed. “But I don’t. I don’t think anyone does. Wolves and Vampires are predatory creatures, no matter how much we’ve changed from our bestial ancestors.”

  Vesta smiled sadly. That sounded like something Curt might say.

  The beast in all of them.

  * * *

  Thirty-six h
ours later, Curt’s guards took back the city and imprisoned most of the surviving gang members. Trackers were sent to pursue the few that fled.

  Though Julian was in conference with the leaders of the packs from which the gangs derived, he took a moment to contact Vesta and reassure her that he and Curt were alive and well. Curt had taken a shot of silver in the ribs during a skirmish, but it hadn’t kept him from his duty. Vesta heard the admiration in his voice when he spoke about their mate.

  Two more days passed before Curt sent word that it was safe for Altah to return to the palace.

  Vesta had been duty-bound to remain with her Lady, but she could scarcely wait to see her wolves again. When they returned to the palace, Curt and Julian were in a meeting with Kyros and Rex so she needed to remain patient for a while longer. The wolf guardians and Altah had been completely satisfied with Curt’s handling of a potentially disastrous situation. Altah confided that any doubts she had regarding Razorpaw had been put to rest.

  Vesta finally found the time to return to her chamber and unpack when Julian and Curt joined her directly out of their meeting. As soon as he stepped inside, Julian held her tightly while Curt stood by the door, his arms folded behind his back and his gaze fixed on his mates.

  She noticed her wolves looked tired but as happy to see her as she was to see them. Julian kissed her then gently shoved her toward Curt.

  “I’ve missed you two so much,” she said.

  Curt pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair. “I missed you, too.”

  His admission surprised and pleased her. “Julian said you’d been wounded. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine. It wasn’t anything to speak of,” Curt replied, his arm still draped around her, he extended his hand to Julian who joined them.

  Curt drew a deep breath and looked about to speak. Instead he shook his head.

  “What?” Vesta prodded.

  “It’s stupid.”

  “Say it anyway,” Julian said.

  “This is the first time I’ve had people to return to after a battle. People like family.”

  “Feels good, doesn’t it?” Julian ran a loving hand over Curt’s hair.

  “Yes,” he admitted. “It does.”

  “Do you guys have time for a meal before getting back to work?” Vesta asked.

  “Yes,” Julian said.

  Curt glanced at his watch and narrowed his eyes. “A quick one. I have inspection in half an hour, but I’m off duty until dawn, so --”

  “You’ll be joining us?” Julian grinned.

  “Unless you have other plans?”

  “Never.” Vesta grasped their hands and tugged them toward the dinner table. “Did I mention I love you guys?”

  “Not yet.” Julian playfully slapped her bottom.

  “Well I do. I love you both very much.”

  “So do I,” Curt said quietly.

  “What?” Julian stared at him in surprise. “Did I hear right?”

  “Yes and I haven’t heard a confession from you yet.”

  “Confession?” Julian wrinkled his nose. “This isn’t a crime. It’s a bond. I love and claim you and Vesta as my mates. Accepted?”

  “Yes.” Vesta smiled. “Accepted. Curt?”

  “You’re both mine.” Curt placed a hand behind their necks in a firm yet loving grip. “Now and always.”

  Vesta slipped her arms around Curt and rested her head against his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, loving his scent and feel. She felt the gentle caress of Julian’s hand on her hair and smiled. At this moment she felt more complete than she ever had before. She had her mates, the most handsome, courageous wolves any woman could wish for.

  The End

  Kate Hill

  What do trips around the world, endless nights of breathtaking sex, and a muscular, 6-foot 3-inch, brown-haired, blue-eyed significant other have to do with Kate Hill? Absolutely nothing, but she can dream, can’t she? In reality Kate is a single, thirty-something vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. Visit her online at http://www.kate-hill.com, http://www.myspace.com/katehillromance, or join her newsgroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/katehill. Stop by Kate’s blog Amazon at

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