Of Wolves and Men (18 page)

“Babe.” Roman touched Charlie gently. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be me.”

Charlie seemed to come aware. He shook his head to clear his brain and allowed Roman to move. “I don’t know what come over me, Roman. I’m sorry.”

Roman began washing up at the sink. “Don’t be. It was wonderful.”

Charlie felt slightly embarrassed. He waited his turn at the sink, wondering why he behaved so badly.

Beside him, Roman put his sweatpants and t-shirt back on. “You okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. Go on. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Roman gave him a kiss and left the bathroom.

Charlie dressed and tried to think about what he had done. Something had changed in him. He would never behave like that before. Not with three people in the living room waiting for them.

He looked into the mirror and asked himself, “What’s got into you, Mosby?”

Chapter 12

Roman exited the bathroom expecting the change. A strong climax, growing angry,

frustration, all seemed to trigger it. It was something he didn’t consider before, but it was dead on. He had learned meditation and self control, in both his professional and private life. It was time he considered a method for bringing this chaos under control.

“Roman, come here.” Phil and Nick were sitting on the sofa in front of the computer.

“The local sheriff’s department reported dozens of animals killed the same way as the doe. The hearts have all been cut out.”

Nick said, “And there have been missing persons’ reports as well. A cluster right in the same ten mile radius as the raid we did last week.”

“Is Charlie okay?” Suzie asked.

Roman glanced back at the bathroom door. “Yeah. I think

he’s just tired.”

“Looks like you guys may be here for a while. Do you want me to ask Mom and Sherlane to cook you up something to eat?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Nick shrugged. “If it isn’t imposing, Suzie.”

“Not at all.” She smiled and left the cabin.

“Nice girl.”

“She’s single. Go get her, Phil.” Roman smiled.

“I wouldn’t mind asking her out.”

Roman’s attention moved to the bathroom door. Charlie exited, looking run down and weary.

He reached out his hand. Charlie took it, sitting on the floor beside him.

“Right.” Nick scrolled through pages of reports. “This is photographs of other suspected tags from the same coven.”

Roman leaned close to the laptop. “That’s it. I recognize the symbols.” He heard Charlie sniffing him. Roman glanced at him. Charlie had his nose in Roman’s shirt.

“There’s an FBI file on this group.” Nick tapped more keys. “I can do more from our office tomorrow. Will you survive ‘til then, Roman?”

“If I don’t get caught up in a leg trap.” He felt Charlie rubbing his cheek against him and wondered if he was just very tired.

“Stay inside here. In the cabin.”

Phil rose up. “I guess we’re going to miss that free meal.”

“Go on up to the ranch house. Vernon wouldn’t mind.” Roman pointed in the direction.

“Sherlane is the brunette. She’s Vernon’s oldest daughter. It’s time you settled down, Phil. And you too, Nick. Both of you are single.”

“We’re too busy,” Nick replied, “and we travel constantly. I don’t have to tell you that.”

“I know.” Roman asked Charlie, “You feeling okay?”

“Huh?” Charlie’s blue eyes appeared hazy, as if he were overtired.

“Go to bed, babe.”

Charlie didn’t answer. He leaned back against the foot of the sofa, staring into space.

Roman walked the two agents to the door. “Seriously, go eat. The family is very nice.”

“Sure, why not.” Nick stared at Roman. “I’m glad we found you, Burk. The place isn’t the same without you.”

“I’m glad you found me too.”

“Get back to your desk, will ya?”

“Sure. I’ll probably be a crow and shit on all your paperwork.” Roman smiled at Phil. “I’ll talk to you soon. And if I can’t, Charlie will.”

Phil said, “We’ll have the answer to this soon, Roman. I promise.”

Roman wished he could believe that. He closed the door and glanced back at Charlie. “I think this is the longest I’ve gone without a change.”

“Huh?”

“You okay, Charlie?” Roman sat next to him.

Charlie stuck his nose into Roman’s shirt and sniffed.

It would amuse Roman if it weren’t for the implications. Roman wrapped his arm around Charlie’s shoulder and held him against his chest.

Chapter 13

Charlie woke in the night. He ran his hand over the bed beside him. An owl hooted

outside the window and the strong wind battered the branches of a paper birch against the glass.

The bathroom door opened and the inside light shut off. A shadowy silhouette moved across the floor. Roman crawled back into bed.

“How come you’re still a man?” Charlie reached out to touch his cheek.

“I have no idea other than keeping my temper and emotions under control. You were right.

Anger is a particularly quick trigger.”

“Do you think Phil and Nick will find a way to release you from the curse?’

Roman sealed their bodies together under the blankets. “I hope so. I figure they’re on the right track. The symbols they located fit the ones in the room I entered, where I got sick.”

“I like you here in my bed.” Charlie slid his arm under Roman and curled him into an embrace.

“You smell so good. I don’t know what it is about your scent.” He inhaled Roman’s neck.

“Makes my dick thick.”

Roman chuckled softly, caressing Charlie’s hair.

“If they can get rid of this curse, I assume you’ll go back to work. Right?” Charlie rested his leg over Roman’s thigh.

“Yes. I would.”

“And…your office is in Reno, so…”

“I’d still see you, when I could.”

A sinking sensation filled Charlie’s gut. “Is it selfish for me to want you to stay as you are?”

“Yes. But I get it.”

Charlie leaned back to stare into Roman’s eyes. “I feel like I don’t know anything about you.”

“We haven’t had much time to talk. Most of the time I’m howling or cawing.”

“It’s like there’s a fuse lit and I have to hurry up or you’ll vanish.”

“I don’t know what to say to that, Charlie. If I can be rid of this curse, would you move to Reno?”

“And? Do what?”

“I don’t know. Be a rodeo cowboy?” Roman’s eyes twinkled in the dimness.

“Ha. Ha.”

“Let’s take it a day at a time. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. And even if Phil and Nick figure out who has done this to me, they still have to find them and make them take the curse off.”

“And that could take months, right?”

“God, I hope not.”

Charlie tried not to take the comment as an insult. He knew how painful the change was and he didn’t want Roman to suffer either. But he’d miss him once he was gone.

Charlie pressed Roman back against the pillows and kissed him, resting his body on top of Roman’s, using his knees to spread Roman’s legs.

Roman opened himself up for the taking.

Smoothing his hand down Roman’s side to his hip, Charlie swirled his tongue in his mouth, moaning as the fire was lit between them. He squeezed the powerful muscle on Roman’s leg, loving his size and strength. Charlie leaned on his elbow and ground his cock against Roman’s.

When he made a growling noise, both he and Roman paused in their kiss.

“Was that me?”

“Wasn’t me,” Roman replied.

“You must be rubbing off on me.”

“I’m ‘rubbing off’ right now.” Roman created hot friction by humping Charlie. “Get the petroleum jelly.”

Charlie pecked Roman’s lips and hopped off the bed. He jogged to the bathroom, returning quickly. Roman’s eyes were glowing in the dark, green, like traffic signals. He was holding his cock, stroking it, keeping it hard.

“You still with me, Roman?” Charlie crawled back to his original place, kneeling over Roman’s body.

“Still me.” He scooted lower on the bed and held onto his knees, pulling his legs wide apart.

Hoping the sex would not create a wolf in his bed, Charlie repeated what he had done earlier in the bathroom, using the thick gel up Roman’s ass.

Roman hissed, like he was sucking air between clenched teeth.

Charlie proceeded with caution. Roman hadn’t changed earlier when they had sex. He was hoping he didn’t this time either.

Pointing his cock downwards, aiming at that inviting puckered rim, Charlie pushed inside Roman and felt every fiber in his body shiver. “I do love making love to you, Roman.”

“Same here, Charlie.”

Propped up on his hands, Charlie inched closer, penetrating as deeply as he could. The scent of Roman’s crotch was making Charlie insane. He inhaled that tantalizing aroma and began a rhythm of thrusting, slowly at first, but as deep as he could go inside his man.

Roman relaxed under him, touching his own cock to keep it interested. The sight of everything Roman did and the expression of lust on his face, put Charlie near the edge quickly.

“I want to hump you like a hound dog.”

“I’m not stopping you.”

Taking another sniff of the air, Charlie braced himself and began hammering into his lover. As he grunted and groaned, he growled as well. The pleasure made Charlie show his teeth in a sensual snarl. As the impulse to come became a tide he couldn’t hold back, Charlie jerked his hips against Roman and howled in delight.

A faint echo of a coyote returning the call was carried on the wind.

Sweat pouring out of Charlie’s skin, he pulled out and dropped down on Roman so he could suck his cock, both hands holding the base.

Roman began riding the friction, his hips rising off the bed. Huffing noises, deep guttural growls and snarls followed.

Charlie didn’t care. He wanted his wolf—his man, his beast—to climax.

Roman’s length pulsated in Charlie’s mouth. The load of cum tasted divine. He swallowed it down and sucked until nothing more came out of Roman’s slit.

While Roman recuperated, Charlie lapped up and down his cock, going mad for the aroma and taste. He didn’t want to stop, but they were both exhausted and spent.

He crawled up the bed to drop down beside Roman. Roman’s eyes were closed and he drifted off to sleep. Charlie cradled him in his arms and felt as possessive as a mother with her youngster. He rocked Roman against him, pressing his lips to his neck so he could taste him.

~

Morning came and Charlie awoke. He never used a clock to get up in the morning. The minute six a.m. hit, he was awake. As he climbed out of bed, he was stunned to see Roman still in human form, asleep beside him.

“Son of a bitch. Is he cured?” Charlie didn’t question fate. He had no control over it.

Once in the shower, he noticed the door opening. When he peeked out, he found Roman relieving himself in the toilet.

“Sorry I woke you.”

“No problem.” Roman climbed into the shower with him.

Charlie laughed. “Never did a tandem shower before. It’s kinda cozy.”

“Kind of erotic you mean.” Roman soaped up Charlie’s genitals.

“Why are you still a man? You had all sorts of trouble controlling it until last night.”

“I’m not sure, Charlie. I’m praying whatever it was had a time limit, and I’m done. But I’ve been trying to keep my mind free of anger and strong bad emotions.”

Charlie relinquished the spray to Roman so he could wash. “That may be it. I mean, I keep expectin’ you to be somethin’ else if I blink. But to have you in my bed overnight?” Charlie whistled. “That was a treat.”

“I agree.” Roman grabbed at Charlie’s cock playfully.

Their laughter echoed in the wet room. “You’ll get me late. I usually am up at the house five minutes out of my bed.”

“So it’ll be ten.” Roman connected them at the groin, holding both their cocks upright together.

“I’m an insatiable animal with you.” Charlie shivered and braced himself on the walls.

“I know. Me too. I can’t get enough of our sex.” Roman used both his hands to jack them off.

“If you keep that up, it won’t take five minutes.” Charlie stared down at the action. “I never seen anythin’ like it.”

“I’m about to blow…” Roman fisted them motion.

Charlie heard him howl and couldn’t stop joining in. As the climax hit, he grabbed Roman’s jaw and sucked at his lips and tongue. Squeaking noises came from Roman, little canine whimpers. Charlie backed up and asked, “You turnin’?”

“Huh?” Roman appeared slightly dazed. “Fuck that felt good.”

Charlie waited. Roman spun around and rinsed off under the spray. “I’m starving. What do they usually cook up at the ranch house?” He shut the taps and grabbed two towels, handing Charlie one.

“Good grub. All of it.”

“Can’t wait.” Roman grinned at him and threw the towel over the rack.

~

Harley started barking like mad as Charlie opened the door to the ranch house. The dog snapped at Roman’s legs, going crazy.

“Dog, you are a pain in the butt!” Charlie picked him up and tossed him outside, shutting the door quickly. Harley continued to bark loudly.

“He don’t like you.”

“I don’t like him either.” Roman shook his head.

When Roman and Charlie entered the kitchen, Connie was busy at the stove while Sherlane and Suzie picked up empty plates. Roman met Suzie’s eyes. She smiled. “Hungry?”

“Starved.”

“Have a seat.”

Charlie took off his hat and joined him. “Did we miss the boys?”

“Yeah, they were here and gone.” Sherlane poured both Charlie and Roman coffee.

“Thank you.” Roman raised his cup in greeting. “I’m Roman.”

in a blur of

himself from “I know who you are.” Sherlane grinned slyly. “Everyone does now.”

“Oh?” Roman glanced at Charlie. He wasn’t sure how to interpret that.

“Here ya go, boys.” Connie set two helpings of flapjacks, bacon, and sausage in front of them.

“Biscuits and gravy too.”

“Wow.” Roman began eating, taking huge bites.

“Thank you, Connie,” Charlie said.

“My pleasure, Charlie. There’s plenty more.”

“This is superb.” Roman felt as if he hadn’t had a proper meal at a table in ages.