When the first Therians shifted back to Human form, scientists compared the after-effects to an epileptic seizure. They named it Post-shift Trauma and quickly discovered that care for Therians after PST was critical. In the beginning, so many Therians died because the world had no idea what was happening after a shift back. Sloane had been just a child when he’d changed the course of history, but it had come at a cost no child should ever have to pay.

  Shaking those thoughts from his head, Dex focused on helping Sloane. Someone moved to Sloane’s left, and Sloane pushed to his feet with a growl. He hissed at the naked young Therian who made the mistake of getting too close. The young male Therian hurried away.

  “Brodie—”

  Sloane grabbed Dex, hauling him off his feet, his mouth on Dex’s, kissing the breath out of him. Dex’s legs nearly gave out as he melted against Sloane before Sloane tore his mouth away.

  “What are you—”

  “No one’s laying their hands on you.”

  As if Dex would have let that happen. Sloane’s pupils were blown, and he was already semihard.

  “We’ll see who’s up to the task,” Sloane said, moving Dex to the chaise lounge. The back of his legs hit the tufted cushion, and Dex dropped onto it. Before he could ask Sloane what he was doing, Sloane spread Dex’s knees and dropped down in between them. He unbuckled Dex’s belt and unzipped his pants, his strong grip on Dex’s cock had Dex’s eyes rolling into the back of his head.

  “Fuck.”

  “You’ll get to do that in a minute.”

  Dex wanted to protest. Sloane wasn’t completely recovered, his animal instincts the driving force behind this sudden bout of strength. All protests were lost on Dex the moment Sloane swallowed him down to the root. He leaned back on his hands and let his head fall back as pleasure rippled through him. It seemed the more he worried about Sloane, the more his husband was determined to prove he could do this, and the truth was they had little choice.

  Sloane slid his hands up Dex’s thighs as he worked his mouth over Dex’s now hardened cock. The rest of the rooftop faded away, the moans, grunts, cries, and panting a distant hum, leaving nothing but his husband on his knees pleasuring him, sucking him, licking him.

  “Oh fuck.” Dex groaned, the weight on him growing heavier. He needed to help Sloane out. Touching Sloane’s cheek made Sloane lift his eyes to Dex’s. “Lie down on the chaise so I can fuck you.”

  Sloane pulled off him, and Dex leaned forward, his hand around Sloane’s bicep. He brushed his lips over Sloane’s jaw, whispering in his ear. “Lean on me.”

  Together they stood, Dex discreetly calling on his inner strength to take most of Sloane’s weight and help him stand without rousing any suspicion. He kissed Sloane, maneuvering him to the chaise before Sloane dropped down onto it. Dex lowered his head next to Sloane’s, his lips by Sloane’s ear so he could murmur quietly. “You okay?”

  “You’re here, so yes.”

  Dex’s heart squeezed, and he kissed Sloane, letting his husband know in his kiss how much he loved him. Straightening, he stepped in front of the glass table.

  “Well, what do we have here?” Dex removed the smooth glass dildo from the box. “Looks like the one we have at home.” And judging by the searing heat that filled Sloane’s eyes, he remembered the last time he’d used it on Dex. “This one’s bigger. We’re going to have to upgrade.”

  Sloane let out a soft laugh, and it took Dex everything not to hug him. His instincts screamed for him to comfort his husband. He returned the dildo to the box and closed it. He had no intention of using any of these toys on his husband. Not here.

  “Dash, I need you to fuck me.”

  Sloane was determined to show how much stamina he had, but Dex wasn’t going to risk his husband’s health by making him get on his hands and knees.

  “So impatient. We had an agreement.” Dex picked up the bottle of lube and placed it on the floor next to the chaise. “You want that motorcycle? You’re going to have to be ridden by something else first. Lie down on your stomach.”

  Sloane did as Dex asked. His head on his hands and his eyes on Dex as Dex removed his bow tie and tuxedo jacket. He placed them on the small hanger on the hook attached to the table before unfastening his cuff links. He placed them on the table, then rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He stood over Sloane.

  “Spread your legs for me.” Dex groaned when Sloane did, straddling the chaise, his gorgeous ass spread for him. “Look at that tight hole waiting for my dick.” He poured some lube on his hands before joining Sloane on the chaise, sitting close behind him. “I love spreading you open. Love filling you.” He wasted no time in prepping Sloane, his left hand rubbing soothing circles over Sloane’s left ass cheek while he slowly fucked Sloane’s hole with his right finger. Sloane closed his eyes and moaned, the muscles of his back bunching as he ground his hips against the chaise looking for relief.

  A second and third finger soon joined the first as Dex slid his left hand up Sloane’s back. “Ready to come apart for me?”

  “Please,” Sloane said through a moan.

  Dex slathered lube over his hard cock as he got up and waited for Sloane to lift his legs onto the chaise. As soon as he did, Dex straddled Sloane and bent forward, his chest to Sloane’s naked back. He lined himself up before carefully pushing in with a deep groan. A shiver went through him at the delicious tight heat. Carefully he sank into Sloane until they were pressed together. Dex slid his hand up and over Sloane’s shoulder to his thick neck. He rolled his hips, the movement slow.

  “How much do you love my cock?”

  “So much.”

  Dex snapped his hips, making Sloane moan deep and long. “You like that?”

  A low, feral growl rose up from inside Sloane’s chest. “You know I do.”

  “Beg me. Beg for this cock.” Dex nipped at Sloane’s neck, feeling the shiver it sent through Sloane’s muscular body.

  “Please. Please give me your hard dick. I need it.”

  Dex snapped his hips again and again into Sloane’s ass, his thrusts fast, deep, and hard. “Who do you need?”

  “You. Fuck, I need you.”

  “That’s right. You need me.” Dex pumped himself inside Sloane, sweat beading his brow, his skin on fire and too tight for his body. Sounds exploded around him, grunts, moans, and shouts of release. Sloane’s naked skin grew hot and slick with sweat, and Dex groaned when Sloane pushed back into him, meeting Dex’s thrusts. “That’s it. Show me.”

  With a roar Sloane got onto his hands and knees, forcing Dex to kneel behind him. He put one foot on the floor for better purchase.

  “No. You show me. Fuck me like you want to,” Sloane demanded. “Forget them. I’m the one whose ass you’re in. Your cock is mine, so fuck me and come inside me, mark me.”

  Dex cursed under his breath and pounded Sloane’s ass, his fingers digging into Sloane’s waist before he moved a hand to Sloane’s shoulder, shoving him back hard against Dex with every thrust.

  “Come for me.”

  Sloane’s roar when he came was all Dex needed, and his orgasm swept through him like a rumbling storm. His muscles strained as he emptied himself inside Sloane, coming so hard he doubled over, his chest to Sloane’s back. Sweat dripped down the side of Dex’s face, his shirt clinging to him. He slowed his movements until he was too sensitive, then carefully pulled out.

  “Fuck,” Sloane said, breathless.

  “Mm. Good boy.”

  “So good,” Sloane murmured, turning his head so Dex could kiss him, a long languid kiss that expressed everything they felt for each other. Sloane’s taste, his scent, the feel of his body was as familiar to Dex as breathing, and yet he never got enough.

  Getting up, Dex took a couple of the towelettes provided and handed one to Sloane. They cleaned themselves off and then tossed them in the small wastebasket. Around the room, a few of the Humans were still engaged in sexual activity, most were spent, lying naked on cushions or sofas, their Therians cast off to one side, their job done. Dex found himself searching for Kenley, his fingers itching to form a fist when he spotted the small naked wolf Therian curled up on himself on the rug next to the large couch Ramos was sprawled out on.

  “So do I get my bike?”

  Dex turned to Sloane, his husband’s gaze saying more than words ever could. They had to be careful. This mission was already far different from anything they’d worked before, and they couldn’t afford to slip up even for a moment. With a cocky smile, Dex straddled Sloane and ran his hands up his chest.

  “How can I say no after that performance?” Dex leaned in and kissed Sloane, a deep claiming kiss that was meant to remind Brodie who he belonged to. The night wasn’t over. More young naked Therians emerged from closed doors, carrying trays of luxury snacks for the guests to nibble on. Were they innocent victims, brought here against their will and forced to work for Vaughan? They took drink orders and offered glasses of champagne or wine. It was going to be a long night.

  It was almost dawn when Dex and Sloane made it back to their room. Dex did another sweep to make sure no surveillance devices had been placed during their absence. With a sigh, Dex dropped onto the mattress. He lifted his gaze to meet Sloane’s. First things first.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Sloane assured him before coming to stand in front of Dex. “What’s wrong?”

  “We have a problem.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Those were not the words Sloane had hoped to hear so early in their mission. “What problem?”

  “Before we get into that. We need to eat.” Dex lifted the in-house phone, his demeanor and voice changing. “Yes, I want to place an order for a Therian-sized steak, rare, two fried eggs, a fully loaded baked potato, and roasted mixed vegetables. I’ll also take a Therian-sized high protein steak omelet, medium rare, a Therian-sized portion of bacon, some sausage, extra breakfast potatoes, extra hollandaise sauce. Thank you.” He hung up, and Sloane rubbed the back of Dex’s neck. It had been one hell of a night.

  “Hungry?”

  “Starving. All these fancy bite-size portions are killing me,” Dex grumbled. “If one more waiter brings me a huge-ass plate with a twig on a sauce swirl, I’m going to murder someone.”

  Sloane brought Dex against him with a chuckle. “Good thing we have room service.”

  “I miss my cheesy doodles,” Dex said with a pout, making Sloane chuckle.

  Dex was hungry the best of times, and his body needed as much protein as Sloane’s, these days even more, but eating a Therian-sized meal in front of a bunch of Humans was a one-way ticket to questions they couldn’t afford to have asked.

  The true nature of Dex’s DNA wasn’t just their biggest secret, but one of the most powerful weapons in their arsenal. After several years, being conscious of what they said and did concerning Dex had gotten easier, but it remained a challenge.

  The food arrived pretty quickly, the waiter rolling the dining cart into the room. “Quite the feast you have here,” he said with a friendly smile.

  “Brodie’s a growing boy,” Dex said, nodding toward Sloane.

  The man’s eyes widened, and he nodded. “Um, yes. I can see that. You can leave the cart outside when you’re done.”

  Dex tipped the man and waited until the guy was gone before slipping to the window and sneaking a glance through the curtains. “We’re clear.” Rolling up his sleeves, he grabbed a chair and placed it in front of the food cart. He rubbed his hands together as he sat. Dex went straight for the bacon, grabbing a couple and shoving them into his mouth. He let out a sinful groan, his eyes all but rolling into the back of his head.

  “Should I be concerned that you make the same face eating bacon that you do when we’re having sex?”

  Dex stared at him. “It’s bacon. Delicious, crunchy, mouthwatering bacon. It’s so good, the least it deserves is sex face.”

  “If you say so,” Sloane said, amused. He brought over another chair and joined Dex. It wasn’t until he started eating that he realized how hungry he was. Someone with less training or a smaller Therian might not have made it as long as he had without a real meal. As they ate, Dex tapped his earpiece, and Sloane followed his lead so he could hear the conversation on the other end.

  “Line is secure,” Dex said.

  Seb replied immediately. “Affirmative. We’ve set up base. Coordinates have been sent.”

  “First of all, what do we know about the Therians other than the fact that they’re young as fuck and some of them clearly didn’t choose to be here,” Dex said.

  “I got that impression as well,” Sloane added with a deep frown. “The poor kid next to me was shaking. I could feel his discomfort.” It had been a horrible feeling, and his inner jaguar had hated it. When Kenley had been hurt, Sloane hadn’t been able to hold his jaguar back. His instinct had been to protect those young Therians. The desperation coming from some of them was palpable.

  “I’ve managed to get through the encryption,” Keane replied. “I was waiting for you both to be in a secure location.”

  Keane went quiet, and Sloane cursed under his breath. “They’re not here of their own free will, are they?”

  “No,” Keane said quietly. “They’re… they’re all missing kids. At least, they went missing when they were kids. Kenley is one of the oldest at twenty. The rest are eighteen and nineteen.”

  “Fuck.” Dex ran a hand through his hair. “Those sons of bitches.” He shook his head. “They kidnapped Therian kids to turn them into playthings for those sick fucks.”

  Sloane sighed. “Are we thinking Therian trafficking?”

  “It’s likely,” Seb replied somberly.

  “There’s something else,” Dex said with a sigh. “Something really strange happened when Sloane was standing up there in that Therian lineup. For a second I thought my cover had been blown, but that’s not possible.” He stabbed a huge chunk of his omelet, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed, swallowed, then continued. “When I touched Kenley, his pupils dilated and he grabbed my wrist, begged me to take him away. There was something about the way he looked at me, the intensity in his eyes… like he truly believed I could. I was ready to brush it off, but then Brielle, the leopard Therian standing next to him, did something similar. She grabbed my wrist and asked me to save them, said I wasn’t like the others.”

  Sloane’s heart lurched in his chest. “What?” They’d done nothing to give themselves away. If someone suspected they weren’t who they said they were, Vaughan would have been all over them.

  Seb hummed. “That’s weird. Keane’s been looking into the young Therians, but there’s no info on them after they went missing. Like they were erased. The sleeve is working at full capacity. There’s no reason for them to have reacted the way they did.”

  “It was so damn strange,” Dex murmured. “Like they sensed or saw something. The next Therian tried to reach for me, but I managed to avoid them touching me after that. Whatever it is, it was only those young Therians. Why? None of Vaughan’s security has treated me any differently from the other Human guests.”

  “You need to be extra vigilant around Kenley and the others,” Seb advised. “We can’t have them giving anyone a reason to be suspicious of you.”

  Dex went quiet, which was never a good thing. Finally, he met Sloane’s gaze, the intensity in his eyes telling Sloane all he needed to know without Dex having to utter a word.

  Sloane cursed under his breath again. “Seb,” he said, “we’re going to need a new extraction plan.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “We’re getting those Therians out of here,” Dex added.

  “Our mission—” Seb started, only to have Dex interrupt him.

  “We’ll complete the mission and get those Therians out of here. We’re not leaving without them,” Dex growled. “If TIN has a problem with that, they can tell me where the fuck they were when these kids were getting kidnapped. What did they do to get them back? Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough. We’re getting them home.”

  Seb let out a heavy sigh. “Copy that. Let us know if you find anything.”

  “I’m meeting Vaughan for drinks tomorrow night, which means you guys—”

  “Ahem,” Ro interrupted.

  Sloane smiled. Dex loved getting a rise out of Ro. Then again, who didn’t Dex love riling up?

  “You all can do some recon,” Dex said with a smile. “See if you can find that lab.”

  “Affirmative,” Seb replied. “Signing off.”

  As was often the case, Dex finished his meal before Sloane. Everything had changed after they’d bonded, and something as simple as eating out at a restaurant had become a clandestine operation. No one could witness Dex polish off a Therian-sized meal and still have room for dessert. It wasn’t biologically possible for a Human, and drawing the wrong kind of attention was out of the question, especially after joining TIN.

  If anyone got wind of what Dex really was, being exposed as operatives for their government would be the least of their worries.

  Done with their meals, Sloane wheeled the cart outside. He locked the door behind him and stepped up to Dex, who kissed him. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Positive.” Sloane returned Dex’s kiss, then laced their fingers together, leading him into the bathroom, where they undressed each other. Neither of them spoke, but they didn’t have to. It wasn’t uncommon for their missions to take an unexpected turn, but this was the first time they’d come across anything like this. There was so much at stake.

  Tonight had been fucking weird all around. They’d never had sex in public before. Sure, they’d had sex in their cars a few times—years ago when they’d still been with the THIRDS—but that was nothing like what they’d done tonight. It had been easier than he’d expected because it was Dex. Sloane’s animal instincts had also been pretty much in charge. All he could think about was claiming his mate, showing everyone that Dex was his and that he belonged to Dex.