Securing the few items Alek had left in his vest, Bell gave himself a quick pep talk. You can do this. It’s for Wolf and Alek. It’s one day. Fish can’t be all that gross… right?
“Ready?” Alek stood by the front door, their gear all set for their adventure.
Bell nervously dug his fangs into his bottom lip, noting Alek still wore a hint of humor on his face. Bell knew he was getting a kick out of this. However, he’d show Alek that he had a mate who relished any challenge.
Maybe if Bell had given him some this morning instead of weaseling out of the bed, he would’ve taken pity on him while they were on the strenuous trail… but NOT! “How ya doing back there, babe?” Alek yelled from several feet ahead, navigating the freezing, hilly terrain with ease.
“G-good, fine,” Bell called back, his words catching as Alek heard him stumble over another set of roots. He sounded like a moose trudging about noisily, scaring away everything in his path. Alek snickered. Bell’s first time wearing Timberlands had to be a huge difference from the Gucci loafers or the midnight-black Armani silver-tipped boots.
Alek was glad he was in front and Bell couldn’t see his huge smile. Bell’s fumbles and muttered curses were hilarious. And no, he didn’t feel an ounce of remorse, because no one was going to feel sorry for him when he was forced to read that monstrosity Bell had placed on his nightstand for tomorrow. What the fuck? He didn’t want to sit through eight hundred pages of a book entitled Blood and Beauty. He could care less about the Borgias.
But, they had an understanding. Neither of them was going to change who they were and what made them, them. Bell was a simple vampire who was used to the finer things in life but wasn’t a pompous bastard. He had a hidden love for nature, always had. And he liked to enjoy the more artsy, cultural activities, which apparently meant hours on end of reading medieval or Victorian novels with background music that had no lyrics playing on his surround sound. Alek, however, was a complex individual, and there was a lot Bell was going to have to compromise on in order to satisfy all three of his mates. Mutual respect would be the only way they’d have a happy partnership.
So, Alek had planned a date of what he enjoyed—a day of being outdoors, hunting and catching his dinner, and running with Wolf. The best parts of his life would now include his mate. And Bell had tomorrow, Friday. Alek believed they were being driven an hour to the Stone Mountain Arts Center to listen to an orchestra that he couldn’t remember the name of, play selections of another long title he couldn’t recall, except that it had Beethoven in it. And then come back to the cabin to—oddly, the theme from Jaws played in his mind before it spat out the word—read.
Then Saturday they were required back at work. Bonded, rested and ready to get to business, Wick had said.
Bell cleared his throat, “Are we almost there yet?”
Alek’s cheeks were starting to ache from all the smiling. “Just a biiiiiit more.”
“Hell,” Bell grumbled loudly. He stopped suddenly, and Alek turned to see him leaning on a tree. Full of attitude, he yanked his backpack around and tore a bottle of water from inside. “You said that an hour ago, Aleksei.”
Alek’s chest rumbled. Was that anger he heard in Bell’s voice? He hoped so. Bell smelled wonderful when he was riled. Fiery. Alek dropped his own pack and walked to where Bell was fuming against the base of a sturdy spruce. His mate-lust came on fast. Oh yeah, that tree is plenty sturdy enough. Alek narrowed his eyes, his cock plumping as he got closer. Bell’s bold scent was blending into his habitat, and it had Alek wanting to claim.
Bell had his head tilted back while he gulped large swallows of water, a few of the drops escaping and running down his long, slender throat. Alek growled loudly, making Bell drop the bottle, staring back at him in shock. His breath quickened as he gazed into Alek’s eyes, “My gods, Aleksei. You mean to tell me we can’t go one day?”
“I tried to warn you,” Alek said, when he was inches away. “You’ll want to take a break, but you won’t be able to.”
Bell slumped, moaning in sweet anguish, his hand going down to palm his dick, which was just as hard as Alek’s. He pressed himself to Bell’s heaving chest. Damn, his sexy mate wanted it more than he did, and fuck if that didn’t drive him crazy. Bell tried to hold out but he craved him. “Don’t you think it’s a bit cold out here to be doing this?”