Rowan McBride - Lone, ☂ UPLOADED (Unsorted) ☂, ★ ♂♂ Romance, [G]ay 1
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
LONE…Rafe paced the open area in front of Seth, looking like a wolf on the prowl. “You do a lot of weird damned things. Half the time you’re like some puppy left out in the rain, and the other half you’re like a hungry, wild wolf. The first I guess I’ve always seen, but I didn’t even know about the second until yesterday. So yes, I’ve been comparing you to both animals quite a bit, and it’s been freaking me out.”Anger and bitterness nearly choked him. “You lied to me.You promised you would tell me when you wanted me to leave.”He whirled around. “Shut up!”Seth jumped and shut his mouth, stunned by his fury.“I have never lied to you, but you’ve been lying to me since I fucking met you, so you don’t get to be self-righteous.Do you hear me?”He shrank back, nodded.Rafe swept his hand through the air between them. “And what is this? Why do you act so timid and scared when we both know you can kick my ass any time you want? One second you’re shy, the next savage, the next you’re on a stage in front of hundreds of people talking about math. Who the fuck are you, Seth?”Rafe was mad. The Alpha was mad. Instinct hunched his shoulders, bowed his head. He tugged on his hair as he fought back a whimper. “S-Sorry.”“Stop that.” Rafe grasped his wrist and untangled his fingers from his hair. “And spell it out for me.”The gentle touch. The soft, gruff tone. Rafe was kind, and some of the panic eased out of him as he remembered that.“I…can’t.”“Try.”He stared down at his lap. Nightkin nature was so complex, so intimate. How could he explain it to a human?…ALSO BY ROWAN MCBRIDEWarm Rush, Book I: Chasing Winter LONEBYROWAN MCBRIDEAMBER QUILL PRESS, LLCLONEAN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOKThis book is a work of fiction.All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously.Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.Amber Quill Press, LLCAll rights reserved.No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.Copyright © 2009 by Rowan McBride ISBN 978-1-60272-512-6Cover Art © 2009 Trace Edward Zaber Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To my friends—thank you for sticking around even after getting to know the real me.LONECHAPTER 1“Hey.” Rafe paused and winked down at him. “We’ve got time for a game, right?”Seth stopped short and stared at the red brick building in front of them. No windows, so he couldn’t see inside, but an unassuming sign named the place Trick Shot. Two cues crossed underneath those words declared it a pool hall.Pool was his favorite game—he’d even put himself through college with it—and Rafe knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.Still, he tried, because he just wanted to give his five 8:00A.M. lectures at Georgetown and return to Iowa. The lure of greater recognition in the field of mathematics had drawn him 1LONEto D.C., but aside from that he had no interest in the city and could easily have spent the week in their hotel room.Rafe leaned down, that playful smile tugging on his lips.“Come on. What’s better after dinner than a game of nine ball?”Nothing. In Iowa they played together several nights a week, and he’d already begun to miss the routine in the two days they’d spent here.Seth glanced up at Raphael Dirisio, his lover of three months. In that short time, the big man had somehow managed to learn more about him than anyone in his entire life, and the intimacy hadn’t scared Seth away. In fact, the opposite had happened. Rafe, with his six foot six, well-muscled frame, made him feel comfortable and safe and passionate.That strange combination was probably what convinced him he could give a lecture here. Rafe made him believe he could have a normal life, and even pursue paths that had always seemed closed to him before.“So how about it?” asked Rafe.This man deserved more than a game of pool, but Seth tried to give him what he could. “Sounds like fun.”Grinning broadly, Rafe strode in the direction of a small arrow with “Entrance” printed across its face.The entrance turned out to be a nondescript door in an alleyway, and unease pricked at his skin as he caught the scent of smoke and beer. He hesitated. “On second thought, I don’t know—”“Don’t worry, Seth.” Rafe slid a hand to his back, urged 2LONEhim deeper into the alley. “I’ll look out for you.”No doubt. Even if someone did bother them, Rafe wouldn’t hesitate to jump to their defense. He’d probably have fun doing it, since he didn’t mind a little trouble now and then, but where did that leave him?At five foot five, Seth Anderson avoided trouble whenever he could. His body was fit, but looked fragile beneath the khaki slacks and button down dress shirt he wore. In a place like this, the probability that he’d become a target of violence was very high.“Seriously,” Rafe drew him close, and Seth couldn’t stop himself from nuzzling his hard, broad chest, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”No, Rafe had stepped into the role of protector quite easily.He wondered again why someone like this had any interest at all in him, then pulled away. As it was in any city, there were places such displays between men were accepted.This was not one of them.“All right, lead the way.”He grinned, showing off those perfect teeth. “Think I’ll beat you this time?”“What will make this time different from any other?”Rafe chuckled and opened the door to the pool hall.As soon as Seth stepped inside, however, he wanted to run right out again.Nightkin. Every single one of them.Warlocks, vampires and—most of all—werewolves. They all looked human right now, but one Nightkin could always 3LONErecognize another, and they had definitely caught him.“Rafe, I think we should go to another hall.”Rafe, human and completely unaware of what he’d gotten himself into, waved him off. “It’s a little crowded, but we’ll score a table soon.” He grinned down at Seth. “I have experience with this kind of thing, you know.”“I really think—”“Hey! Are you two wanting to play pool?” Rafe glanced up and strode to the bar. “We sure are.”Reluctantly, Seth followed, knowing he couldn’t get them out of here without causing a scene. And without revealing his own Nightkin nature. Rafe knew many things about him, but he didn’t know this. Besides, he thought as he tried to comfort himself, this is a major metropolitan city. Humans were rarely attacked, not in places like this.The bartender was a low-level warlock; the warm smile on his face and the chilling aura around his body made Seth a little sick inside. Vampires and werewolves could be good, bad, or any combination of the two. But warlocks were almost always sociopathic.Rafe, of course, was totally oblivious. “So what about it?Can you get us a table?”The warlock glanced at Seth, his grin pulling wider.“There should be one free in twenty minutes or so.”“You sell cigarettes?” asked Rafe, eagerly leaning against the bar.Seth saw the flash of magic, followed its path just in time to see an “out of order” sign appear on the machine in the 4LONEcorner.“Sorry, man. Machine’s busted. You can get some next door, though.”He tried not to look away, tried not to show his fear, though surely everyone in the room had scented it already.“Okay.” Rafe glanced down at him. “How about we get the cigs and take in some of the city while we wait for a table to clear?”“That won’t work,” said the warlock, his tone still easy, still amicable. “I can’t hold tables for patrons not in the hall.”He looked at Seth. “One of you will have to stay.”And there it was. Seth could feel the subtle tension in the air, the unspoken threat. If he tried to leave, they’d both be torn to shreds. “I-I’ll stay.”“Really?” asked Rafe, clearly surprised. “You sure?”He nodded. “Take your time.”The warlock smiled his approval.Seth watched his lover leave, maybe for the last time, and pulled himself onto a stool at the bar. “Can I get something to drink?”The warlock leaned forward on his elbows. “I don’t know, little puppy. You sure you’re legal?”It was something he had to endure in the human world every day. At thirty-two, he was often mistaken for someone much younger. But here, in this place, there was no way the being before him had made such a mistake. “I’m not a pup.”The grin didn’t waver. Why did they smile all the time?“Prove it.”5LONE“I don’t have to prove it,” he told the warlock, trying to sound brave and knowing he’d failed. “Y-You know I’m over twenty-one.”That cold smile twitched with amusement. “Oh, I think you’re going to be a lot of fun.”Nightkin games were rarely played without bloodshed.“Mordecai!”The warlock glanced up. “Yeah, Dorian?”“I’m through with this table, if you want to send him over here.”Mordecai smiled down at Seth. “Looks like your fun’s about to start, little puppy.”Seth eased himself from the stool and, keeping his head bowed, walked toward the voice. To his surprise, the table was actually empty, and he racked it up. He kept his movements smooth and quiet, trying not to draw attention to himself.“Nine ball. That’s quite a game for a pup.”His eyes closed briefly, but when he opened them again he didn’t l... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl pingus1.htw.pl
LONE…Rafe paced the open area in front of Seth, looking like a wolf on the prowl. “You do a lot of weird damned things. Half the time you’re like some puppy left out in the rain, and the other half you’re like a hungry, wild wolf. The first I guess I’ve always seen, but I didn’t even know about the second until yesterday. So yes, I’ve been comparing you to both animals quite a bit, and it’s been freaking me out.”Anger and bitterness nearly choked him. “You lied to me.You promised you would tell me when you wanted me to leave.”He whirled around. “Shut up!”Seth jumped and shut his mouth, stunned by his fury.“I have never lied to you, but you’ve been lying to me since I fucking met you, so you don’t get to be self-righteous.Do you hear me?”He shrank back, nodded.Rafe swept his hand through the air between them. “And what is this? Why do you act so timid and scared when we both know you can kick my ass any time you want? One second you’re shy, the next savage, the next you’re on a stage in front of hundreds of people talking about math. Who the fuck are you, Seth?”Rafe was mad. The Alpha was mad. Instinct hunched his shoulders, bowed his head. He tugged on his hair as he fought back a whimper. “S-Sorry.”“Stop that.” Rafe grasped his wrist and untangled his fingers from his hair. “And spell it out for me.”The gentle touch. The soft, gruff tone. Rafe was kind, and some of the panic eased out of him as he remembered that.“I…can’t.”“Try.”He stared down at his lap. Nightkin nature was so complex, so intimate. How could he explain it to a human?…ALSO BY ROWAN MCBRIDEWarm Rush, Book I: Chasing Winter LONEBYROWAN MCBRIDEAMBER QUILL PRESS, LLCLONEAN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOKThis book is a work of fiction.All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously.Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.Amber Quill Press, LLCAll rights reserved.No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.Copyright © 2009 by Rowan McBride ISBN 978-1-60272-512-6Cover Art © 2009 Trace Edward Zaber Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To my friends—thank you for sticking around even after getting to know the real me.LONECHAPTER 1“Hey.” Rafe paused and winked down at him. “We’ve got time for a game, right?”Seth stopped short and stared at the red brick building in front of them. No windows, so he couldn’t see inside, but an unassuming sign named the place Trick Shot. Two cues crossed underneath those words declared it a pool hall.Pool was his favorite game—he’d even put himself through college with it—and Rafe knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.Still, he tried, because he just wanted to give his five 8:00A.M. lectures at Georgetown and return to Iowa. The lure of greater recognition in the field of mathematics had drawn him 1LONEto D.C., but aside from that he had no interest in the city and could easily have spent the week in their hotel room.Rafe leaned down, that playful smile tugging on his lips.“Come on. What’s better after dinner than a game of nine ball?”Nothing. In Iowa they played together several nights a week, and he’d already begun to miss the routine in the two days they’d spent here.Seth glanced up at Raphael Dirisio, his lover of three months. In that short time, the big man had somehow managed to learn more about him than anyone in his entire life, and the intimacy hadn’t scared Seth away. In fact, the opposite had happened. Rafe, with his six foot six, well-muscled frame, made him feel comfortable and safe and passionate.That strange combination was probably what convinced him he could give a lecture here. Rafe made him believe he could have a normal life, and even pursue paths that had always seemed closed to him before.“So how about it?” asked Rafe.This man deserved more than a game of pool, but Seth tried to give him what he could. “Sounds like fun.”Grinning broadly, Rafe strode in the direction of a small arrow with “Entrance” printed across its face.The entrance turned out to be a nondescript door in an alleyway, and unease pricked at his skin as he caught the scent of smoke and beer. He hesitated. “On second thought, I don’t know—”“Don’t worry, Seth.” Rafe slid a hand to his back, urged 2LONEhim deeper into the alley. “I’ll look out for you.”No doubt. Even if someone did bother them, Rafe wouldn’t hesitate to jump to their defense. He’d probably have fun doing it, since he didn’t mind a little trouble now and then, but where did that leave him?At five foot five, Seth Anderson avoided trouble whenever he could. His body was fit, but looked fragile beneath the khaki slacks and button down dress shirt he wore. In a place like this, the probability that he’d become a target of violence was very high.“Seriously,” Rafe drew him close, and Seth couldn’t stop himself from nuzzling his hard, broad chest, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”No, Rafe had stepped into the role of protector quite easily.He wondered again why someone like this had any interest at all in him, then pulled away. As it was in any city, there were places such displays between men were accepted.This was not one of them.“All right, lead the way.”He grinned, showing off those perfect teeth. “Think I’ll beat you this time?”“What will make this time different from any other?”Rafe chuckled and opened the door to the pool hall.As soon as Seth stepped inside, however, he wanted to run right out again.Nightkin. Every single one of them.Warlocks, vampires and—most of all—werewolves. They all looked human right now, but one Nightkin could always 3LONErecognize another, and they had definitely caught him.“Rafe, I think we should go to another hall.”Rafe, human and completely unaware of what he’d gotten himself into, waved him off. “It’s a little crowded, but we’ll score a table soon.” He grinned down at Seth. “I have experience with this kind of thing, you know.”“I really think—”“Hey! Are you two wanting to play pool?” Rafe glanced up and strode to the bar. “We sure are.”Reluctantly, Seth followed, knowing he couldn’t get them out of here without causing a scene. And without revealing his own Nightkin nature. Rafe knew many things about him, but he didn’t know this. Besides, he thought as he tried to comfort himself, this is a major metropolitan city. Humans were rarely attacked, not in places like this.The bartender was a low-level warlock; the warm smile on his face and the chilling aura around his body made Seth a little sick inside. Vampires and werewolves could be good, bad, or any combination of the two. But warlocks were almost always sociopathic.Rafe, of course, was totally oblivious. “So what about it?Can you get us a table?”The warlock glanced at Seth, his grin pulling wider.“There should be one free in twenty minutes or so.”“You sell cigarettes?” asked Rafe, eagerly leaning against the bar.Seth saw the flash of magic, followed its path just in time to see an “out of order” sign appear on the machine in the 4LONEcorner.“Sorry, man. Machine’s busted. You can get some next door, though.”He tried not to look away, tried not to show his fear, though surely everyone in the room had scented it already.“Okay.” Rafe glanced down at him. “How about we get the cigs and take in some of the city while we wait for a table to clear?”“That won’t work,” said the warlock, his tone still easy, still amicable. “I can’t hold tables for patrons not in the hall.”He looked at Seth. “One of you will have to stay.”And there it was. Seth could feel the subtle tension in the air, the unspoken threat. If he tried to leave, they’d both be torn to shreds. “I-I’ll stay.”“Really?” asked Rafe, clearly surprised. “You sure?”He nodded. “Take your time.”The warlock smiled his approval.Seth watched his lover leave, maybe for the last time, and pulled himself onto a stool at the bar. “Can I get something to drink?”The warlock leaned forward on his elbows. “I don’t know, little puppy. You sure you’re legal?”It was something he had to endure in the human world every day. At thirty-two, he was often mistaken for someone much younger. But here, in this place, there was no way the being before him had made such a mistake. “I’m not a pup.”The grin didn’t waver. Why did they smile all the time?“Prove it.”5LONE“I don’t have to prove it,” he told the warlock, trying to sound brave and knowing he’d failed. “Y-You know I’m over twenty-one.”That cold smile twitched with amusement. “Oh, I think you’re going to be a lot of fun.”Nightkin games were rarely played without bloodshed.“Mordecai!”The warlock glanced up. “Yeah, Dorian?”“I’m through with this table, if you want to send him over here.”Mordecai smiled down at Seth. “Looks like your fun’s about to start, little puppy.”Seth eased himself from the stool and, keeping his head bowed, walked toward the voice. To his surprise, the table was actually empty, and he racked it up. He kept his movements smooth and quiet, trying not to draw attention to himself.“Nine ball. That’s quite a game for a pup.”His eyes closed briefly, but when he opened them again he didn’t l... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]