He’d died. He’d actually fucking died! And no one seemed to have a problem with this besides him.

  Echo dropped his chin to his chest and breathed deeply as the hot water from the shower beat against his shoulders, working the tension out of his muscles. When he’d thought he was a vampire, he’d accepted that. Jinx and Syn were vampires, and they were his friends. He’d had someone to turn to, ask questions, help him navigate the murky waters of his new existence.

  He didn’t know anyone that had ever died—well, no one he could talk to now. He was a ghost, but not a ghost. Gods, he was so confused.

  Washing and rinsing quickly, Echo shut off the water and climbed out of the shower. Hex stood there waiting for him, gloriously naked and holding a fluffy towel. Without a word, he stepped forward and began rubbing the cotton over Echo’s body, patting his skin dry before moving on to his hair.

  Echo sighed and soaked up the attention. He needed this. Needed to know he was still wanted, still desired. Things had changed so much in such a short span of time, he’d been worried his men would reject him.

  And that would be more painful than death. Though, come to think of it, he didn’t remember his death being painful. Hell, he didn’t remember it all. After the blow to the head from that massive boot, he’d checked out of consciousness, not waking up until he was safe at home once more.

  “Bed,” Hex whispered. He lifted Echo into his arms and kissed his forehead. “I know things are scary right now, but we love you. Just focus on that, and everything else will take care of itself.”

  Hex carried him into the bedroom and lowered him gently to the mattress before sliding in beside him. Once Hex was settled, Echo immediately moved into his embrace, wrapping an arm around his mate’s chest and clinging for dear life. If he let go of Hex, everything would fall apart, and he’d be left alone once again. He needed the grounding, the calm and peace that only his men could give him.

  Interpreting his distress, Hex clutched him tighter, stroked his hair, and whispered words to him in a beautiful language Echo had never heard before. Though he didn’t understand the words, the meaning was clear. Hex spoke of love, honor, devotion, and acceptance. He laid his heart bare, placing it in Echo’s hands.

  The words were enchanting, spellbinding, and Echo felt himself relaxing. His fear and uncertainty began to ebb as Hex’s voice soothed him and mended what he’d thought was broken. His mind floated on a cloud of serenity, his mate’s words making him calm and sleepy.

  Gods, he loved his man, loved his strength and commitment. He loved the hypnotic healing power of his mate’s lovingly murmured words. Hex was his rock, his anchor, and he’d see them all through the storms to come.

  “Need you, Hex.”

  “You always have me.” Hex’s fingers continued to stroke lazily through Echo’s hair. “Come here.”

  Echo crawled up his lover’s chest, straddling Hex’s lean waist, and bent forward until their lips met in a kiss that stole his breath. The overwhelming need to dominate this big man—claim him, mark him, and possess him—roared inside Echo, making him dizzy with it. He needed to take back some of the control in his life, and he couldn’t think of a better way than to make love to his mate.

  “I want to fuck you, Hex, and I want you to beg me for it.” More than just a turn-on, Echo needed to know how much his lover still craved him. He was falling apart by the seams, holding on by a frayed thread.

  Hex didn’t even blink. “How do you want me?”

  “Just like this. I want to look into your eyes and know that you want this as much as I do.” Echo snagged the lube from the nightstand as he spoke and wiggled down Hex’s body to kneel between his splayed thighs. “I want to see the desire in your eyes when you stare back at me. Then I want to watch them glaze over when I make you fly.”

  Hex groaned and pulled his knees back to his chest, linking his arms around his thighs to hold them in place. “You’ve been spending too much time with Syx.”

  Coating his fingers quickly, Echo tossed the lube aside and began rimming his mate’s clenching hole, swirling his fingers around the muscles and nudging against his entrance. “You’re not begging me, Hex.” Echo pushed with just the tip of one finger and used his other hand to fist Hex’s thick cock. “I want to hear you, love.” Hex groaned loudly, and Echo rewarded him by leaning down and swirling his tongue around his mate’s hairless sac. “More,” he whispered.

  “Fuck me,” Hex demanded raggedly. Well, that was quick. Echo thought he’d have to do a lot more teasing to get his mate to beg so prettily. “It’s not nice to tease, baby. I’ve been hard all damn day, and my ass is hungry for you.”

  With a quiet growl, Echo pushed two fingers into Hex’s velvety channel and began pumping them in and out. Hex wasn’t supposed to turn the tables on him like that. It wasn’t fair. Just this once, Echo wouldn’t complain, though.

  “Enough,” Hex growled. “I like the burn. Just fuck me before my dick falls off.”

  Echo extracted his fingers, found the lube, and slicked his aching cock, lingering for a moment and snapping his hips into his light grip.

  “Stop playing with it and use it already.”

  Opening his eyes, Echo lifted one eyebrow at his mate and smacked his hip. “No topping from the bottom. Now shut up and love it.” And with that, he lined up the head of his swollen dick and thrust inside Hex’s clenching hole. “Oh, hell, you’re fucking tight.”

  “Move,” Hex whispered, staring straight into his eyes.

  Something wild and primal rose up inside Echo, and a feral cry escaped his panting lips. His skin tingled, his heart pounded, and lightning bolts of pleasure raced up his spine. His fingers dug into the back of Hex’s thighs in a bruising hold as he drove into his lover’s heated passage with abandon. Again and again, he plunged and retreated, growling and grunting like a wild animal. Sweat beaded across his body, his balls burned, and his dick swelled even further inside Hex’s tight grasp.

  No matter how much he wanted to close his eyes and lose himself in the bliss, he didn’t. He stared into his alpha’s eyes, watching as they began to glaze over just as he’d wanted. “Touch yourself. Stroke that beautiful cock and come for me.”

  Hex obeyed instantly, palming his flexing length, and jerking it in rhythm to Echo’s demanding thrusts. The man was so gorgeous Echo still had trouble believing the warrior belonged to him.

  His belly tightened, his heartbeat stuttered, and Echo couldn’t wait any longer. “Come for me.” One final snap of his hips, and his entire world centered on the place where his body joined with his lover’s. His cock pulsed and jerked, and Echo cried out Hex’s name as his mate’s tunnel massaged him and milked him of every drop of cream.

  Long, thick ropes of cum burst from Hex’s slit, shooting into the air before succumbing to gravity and splashing against his chest and abs. The warrior rumbled, his body shuddered, and he gave one final stroke to his softening cock before slumping back to the pillows with a sigh.

  Easing out of Hex’s twitching hole, Echo climbed off the bed and padded into the bathroom to clean himself up. He’d just reached for a washcloth when Hex’s hard body pressed against his back, mashing him into the counter.

  “My turn,” Hex purred. A slick finger slipped between Echo’s butt cheeks, zeroed in on his hole, and pushed in to the second knuckle. Hex stretched him quickly, adding a second finger, and then a third, sawing in and out until Echo moaned and whimpered.

  His dick filled again, throbbing painfully as he gripped the counter in a white-knuckled grip. “Please,” he pleaded. As much as he liked the feel of Hex’s tight body wrapped around him, his ass begged to be stretched and filled.

  Hex’s fingers disappeared, and a muscled arm locked around his waist, lifting and turning him. Echo scrambled for purchase, locking his ankles behind Hex’s back, and his arms around the warrior’s thick neck.

  His back pressed against the cool wall, his mate’s body warming him from the front and anchoring him in place. Hex unwound Echo’s legs from around his hips, looped his forearms under Echo’s knees, and tilted his hips up.

  The engorged head of his cock pressed against Echo’s needy hole, pushing inside before retreating until the tip brushed the outside of his pucker once more. He did it again. Thrusting just the head of his dick inside Echo’s ass then pulling out completely. On and on, Hex teased until Echo thought he’d implode.

  “Fuck me,” he snarled.

  Hex stared into his eyes, jerked his hips forward, and plunged in to the base. He didn’t pause, didn’t wait for Echo to adjust. Hex pounded him into the wall, driving into him with a punishing tempo.

  Keeping one hand around his lover’s neck, Echo used the other to palm his heavy erection, stroking his cock roughly as he screamed his mate’s name over and over. When Hex pulled on Echo’s hips again, changing the angle and nailing his sweet spot, stars exploded in Echo’s vision, and his entire body seized.

  Hex dropped his forehead to Echo’s shoulder and growled as his hips gave a few jerky thrusts before he froze completely. Molten lava filled Echo’s convulsing channel just as his own release slammed into him, and he filled the space between them with his seed.

  “Gods, I needed that,” he breathed a moment later when they’d finally disengaged, and he stood on trembling legs. His muscles felt like putty, and he figured he could sleep for a week. “Love you, big guy.”

  Hex bent over him, nuzzling his nose against the side of Echo’s neck. “And I love you,” he whispered. “You, my warriors, all of you are my life. I’m nothing without you.”

  Leave it to Hex to go and ruin a perfectly good down-and-dirty fuck by saying something so heartbreakingly beautiful. Echo sniffled, but he refused to let the tears fall that prickled at the corner of his eyes. “Shut up and kiss me.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next week seemed to drag by, but when the night of the new moon finally arrived, Echo was confident that they’d done all they could to prepare for the battle. He’d worked ceaselessly with Hex until he felt sure the man would throttle him. Hopefully, it would all pay off, though.

  He held one of Onyx’s hands and one of Hex’s as they made their way down to the kappas’ pond. Echo felt bad for neglecting the little guys. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d brought them cucumbers. He’d have to see what he could do to remedy that.

  “Now, why are we here again?” Fiero asked.

  “Trouble seems to find us no matter where we go,” Echo explained. “This seems as good a place as any. Besides, it’s open, so we can see what’s coming, and it’s a good distance from the house. I don’t want trouble in our home.”

  “It’s our sanctuary,” Myst added, and Echo beamed at him. Even if the others didn’t, at least Myst got it.

  “We have about two minutes until sunset,” Hex announced just as they pushed through the last of the trees and the pond came into view. Hex stopped, released Echo’s hand, and turned to face everyone. “If it looks like I might lose, I want you to take Echo and run. I don’t care where you go, just run.”

  “You’re not going to lose,” Echo scoffed. “I put way too much effort into you for that. Make me proud, baby.”

  Hex snorted and rolled his eyes. “I adore your enthusiasm, but I’m serious. I don’t want any of you hurt because I screwed up. Ares does not get his hands on Echo no matter what. Am I clear?”

  “Crystal,” Eyce growled. “Not going to happen.”

  “Can we do anything?” Jinx asked quietly.

  Echo looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Not really. You guys are more like cheerleaders. If things go wrong, I expect you to protect my men, though.”

  “On my honor,” Jinx replied solemnly and gave Echo a small bow.

  The sun disappeared beyond the horizon, darkness swallowed up the land, and Echo took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “This is it.”

  “Yeah, but what exactly is it?” Hex scanned the small clearing, looking out over the pond and even searching the skies. “It’s quiet,” he muttered.

  A vicious snarl sent shivers up Echo’s spine, and he turned slowly to see Jinx and Syn prowling toward him. Their eyes flashed with a crazed light, their fangs elongated, and they actually licked their lips as they stalked him.

  Gage’s head fell back on his shoulders, and he howled out to the shadowed moon as his body began to contort and transform before their eyes. Echo took several hasty steps in retreat, shaking his head as he went. The sound of ripping fabric drew his attention, and he watched two enormous wolves push to their feet where Jet and Pax had been only seconds before.

  “What the hell?” Myst breathed, hurrying over to stand in front of Echo and block him from the vampires’ advances.

  “Their minds are all scrambled,” Syx answered. “I can’t get a lock on any of them.”

  Craze tried to pull his mates back, but they swatted him away like a gnat. Mac and Sony stroked Gage’s arms and chest as they cooed to him, but the werewolf paid no attention to them. Saliva dripped from Jet’s mouth, Pax’s upper lip curled over his wickedly sharp teeth, and all eyes were focused on Echo.

  “They’ve lost their minds,” he whispered. “I thought the prophecy meant rabies or something, but this is so much worse.”

  “Pull it together,” Hex ordered. “If I can make freakin’ grass grow, I can heal their minds. I’m going to need help, though, so don’t fall apart on me now.”

  Echo straightened his spine, pulled his shoulders back, and nodded curtly. Sidestepping toward the alpha, he motioned for Syx to join them. Syx took one step, two, then all hell broke loose.

  The vampires launched themselves forward, plowing into Myst in their determination to get to Echo. Myst held them back, Craze yelling at him the entire time to not hurt his mates. Sony shifted, locking his arms around Gage and struggling to keep him in place.

  Fiero and Eyce rolled around on the ground, both in demon form as they fought the gigantic wolves. Vapre jumped into the fray, and Onyx rushed over to help with Gage. “Hurry,” Echo shouted to Syx. His men were losing, and if they didn’t do something fast, someone was going to get hurt…or worse. Damn, they were so overwhelmed they couldn’t even use their powers to fight back. “C’mon, c’mon,” Echo chanted, taking Hex’s hand and shifting from foot to foot.

  Syx came up beside him and took his other hand, nodding firmly and looking out over the battle zone. “Okay, baby. Do your thing.”

  “Sorry about this,” Echo mumbled. He didn’t have time to ease into it, though. Dropping all his shields, he sucked in as much as his lovers’ powers as fast as he could, let it cycle through him, then forced it all toward Hex.

  “Motherfucker!” the alpha roared, but he didn’t let go of Echo’s hand.

  “Do you need to touch them?” Echo asked through gritted teeth.

  “Yes,” Hex answered just as tightly.

  “Okay. We’ll distract them, but hurry. Get Gage first. He’s the most dangerous, and he looks like he’s going to rip Mac’s head off.”

  * * * *

  Hex sprinted over to the werewolf, cocked his fist back, and punched Gage square in the face. Once he had the beast dazed, he gripped the malformed muzzle in both hands, closed his eyes, and let the power flow from him and into Gage. Shit! He hoped this worked.

  It took only a few heartbeats for Gage to stop struggling against him. The furry skin beneath his hand began to shift and change, and Hex opened his eyes to find Gage in all his human glory staring back at him. “Welcome back.”

  “Thanks,” Gage said shakily. He surveyed the scene and shook his head like a dog shaking off water. “I’ll help with the shifters.” He kissed Sony and Mac then hurried over to jump onto one of the wolves’ backs.

  It was four against two, and still the shifters were kicking everyone’s ass. Hex needed to get to them next. “Myst! Freeze them!”

  “What the fuck do you think I’ve been trying to do?” Myst called back. “It’s not working!” He grunted when Jinx’s elbow slammed into his ribs. “I’m going to rip your fangs out and shove them in your eye sockets,” he snarled at the vampire.

  Fan-fucking-tabulous. With a heavy sigh, Hex narrowed his eyes at the biggest wolf, took a running start, and leapt onto the monster’s back. Clamping his knees against the beast’s sides to hold himself in place, he linked his fingers together, lifted his hands over his head, and brought them crashing down on the back of the wolf’s head.

  There was a high-pitched yelp, but the animal didn’t fall. Giving up on it being easy, Hex wound one hand in the thick fur, pressed the other flat to the wolf’s skull, and let his power roll through him. He had to start over several times as the animal thrashed beneath him, bucking and turning, trying to dislodge him. Finally, the struggle seemed to die out of him, and the beast dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

  Hex scrambled off of him, and stood watching until he was sure the job was done. A few seconds later, Jet knelt on all fours in front of him, naked as the day he was born, panting for breath, and rubbing the back of his head.

  Hex winced, but quickly refocused his attention to the next wolf. Now that he knew what to do, he had no problems propelling himself onto the animal’s back and wrapping both arms around the wolf’s head. It took a lot less effort to bring Pax down, and Hex was grateful. Already he could feel his energy draining, and he still had two vampires to deal with.

  Just as he jumped from Pax’s back, he heard Echo scream. Myst, Syx, and Craze all lay heaped on the ground around him, limp and unconscious. Jinx and Syn advanced on Echo, flying toward him with a move too fast to follow and taking him down easily.

  Hex watched in horror as both vampires sank their fangs into either side of Echo’s neck and began to drink from him in great, urgent pulls.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Hex roared, flying across the distance between them and dropping to his knees, ready to wrench Jinx away from his mate.

  “Hex, stop!” Eyce yelled. “He’ll rip Echo’s throat out if you do that.”