Autumn Feast - Charlie Richards Page 0,72

the man. “Thank you, Kindling. I am grateful to you for caring for Trey, and for warning our people.”

Kindling shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise, it seemed. “Anyone would have done it.”

“No, not anyone. You did. And that matters greatly to me.”

“And to me,” Haru said.

There was a trace of heat in his father’s voice Calyx had never heard before. He glanced from his father to Kindling, but when Trey coughed, he forgot them immediately, his attention drawn to his mate.

“He did well. Now kiss me,” Trey whispered.

Calyx sighed into the kiss, the beating of his heart settling to a more natural rhythm now that the terror of his mate in danger dissipated. The kiss was gentle at first, but then Trey nipped his lips and drank from him, making his goblin rise to the surface. His cock hardened, and his fangs dropped. Calyx had to hold back before he found himself on top of his mate, trying to sink into his body as he sought the closeness, the assurance he was indeed as fine as he said.

“I need to go and fight alongside with Dimitri,” Calyx insisted.

“No, my son, you do not. Your part in this is different, has always been. Dimitri is for battle. You will stay here and take care of your mate. I will see that Dimitri and his guards are ready and secure the temple,” his father demanded.

“I can fight.” He’d had the same training, knew how to hold a weapon, and use the power of the wind. He was not incapable.

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Haru consoled, “but you each have your roles to play. We have moved to one your brother and his mate must fulfill.”

“What if he needs more? What if there are not enough?” Calyx argued.

“Then you will provide that. Right now, our people take to the air to scourge the sanctuary of the intruders. They will decimate them, as is our right. They chose to enter our lands. They chose the outcome.”

“They’re armed. We know this.”

“And they know we have people here, people they’ve endangered. I have no doubt they are connected to the Meiji, as you discovered. The court will not be pleased with this violation of the law.” He smiled evilly. “They even shot one of our dogs. Humans love their pets. It is the story you will weave, should it become necessary.”

Kindling snickered, and Haru smiled softly at him. “Thank you, Kindling, for what you did today. You are stronger than you look.”

And there it was again, that heat Calyx heard. What is going on between Father and Trey’s cousin?

Kindling looked up at Haru, challenging. “So, will my act of heroism be rewarded?”

Haru walked to him as if drawn by the man. Bending, he kissed him softly on the cheek.

Kindling sighed and reached up to touch the cheek Haru’s lips had grazed, and Calyx felt the temperature in the room rise.

“Thank you, Kindling. Now, let us leave these two to talk. You may come with me.”

“Come, you say?” Kindling quipped.

“Kindling,” Haru warned.

Kindling laughed as they left the room, going down the stairs and out of the home. Calyx heard them, but he had eyes only for one person, one wayward man he needed like air to breathe.

Trey’s hungry gaze stared. “I want you.”

“Trey?” Calyx questioned, struggling against the needs of his inner beast. No matter how fast his mate’s healing was, it couldn’t be right to take him, to flip him over and find his way home inside his body. He ground his teeth and held himself back.

“No, Calyx. I need you, need you to take me, love me.”

“I already love you, Trey. And need? My life would cease were you ever to leave me behind. My heart beats for you.” That wasn’t the only thing beating, though. Right then, his dick wanted to show his mate just how much he was loved. Calyx drew his hands into fists before his claws made a reappearance.

Trey sighed, then pulled the cover from his beautiful, long body, all of him displayed before Calyx. Amber eyes watched him as Trey wrapped one hand around his dick and tugged it, bringing a pearly drop to the red tip.

Calyx was losing his grip on the scrap of sanity left to him. His mate had been injured, and he hadn’t been there to protect him—someone else had stepped in. While Calyx was more than grateful to Kindling, he was ravenous for Trey, the overwhelming desire to scent him, own him, more than he