“I don’t think so.” Doc’s calm centered him. “Roane is your leader, and from what I’ve gathered, Circs are a hierarchical group. Caitlyn is Roane’s mate. She connected with the group as he did. He leads because he dominates, and he established that sexually. The rest of you aren’t like that. You share your duties, and you give your loyalty because it’s a part of you.”
“Then as my mate, Kelly would only have to show her loyalty to Roane…sexually.”
Doc squirmed, as though uncomfortable with the subject. Then again, the man treated Kelly like a daughter. “I suppose. It really depends on how Kelly bonds with you and Ace.”
“So you think it’ll be both of us, me and Ace, she takes to?” Hope suffused him. To have to make a choice between Kelly and Ace, or worse, for Kelly to have to make a choice, would destroy him.
“I was convinced of it the first time she met all of you.” Doc smiled. “The girl’s headstrong, and she’s selective. She’s been challenging you in subtle ways for years. But without being a true Circ, she couldn’t test you physically, and we both know how necessary that is for a mating to occur.” Doc paused. “Zack, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“What is Ace to you?”
Everything. “Why do you ask?”
“Because during the mating heat, you two segregate yourselves from everyone else, correct?”
“Yeah.” He knew Hale often provided details so that Doc could study them. But it still made him uncomfortable. Sure he liked sex with both genders, but he didn’t advertise it.
“I think you two bonded some time ago. So long as you’re both secure in that, you shouldn’t have any problem in mating with Kelly. But you really need to make sure there’s no sense of rivalry or insecurity between you two.”
“You know, that’s a good point.” Zack took the initiative, an idea forming that might help all of them. “I think it would be best if Ace and I took off for a little bit. Maybe sorted out our issues before the next heat comes.”
“You only have a week.” Doc looked worried. “Make sure you two fix your problems. If not, things may become dangerous for Kelly and you when the time comes.”
“Right.” Zack stood. “Uh, maybe you could keep this quiet for now. Just say we’re taking time to recuperate or something. I don’t want to make Ace feel weird about this. He’s not as comfortable about us as I am.”
“No worries.” Doc turned to his computer. “I’ll announce at dinner tonight that you’ll both be busy recuperating elsewhere. It might be best if you left before the meal to ward off any questions.”
“Done.” Zack unlocked the door and left, stunned by what he’d just learned.
Helluva day. He’d been given the best massage of his life by the man he loved, a man who’d never before reciprocated his feelings. That Ace had touched Zack sexually meant he might finally be coming around to a real relationship with Zack. Then to learn that Kelly could fulfill that aching need that lived deep in Zack’s soul? Like a dream come true -- one that had the potential to blow up in their faces if he didn’t manage this right.
He needed to smooth things with Ace, and he couldn’t do that here. They needed privacy, some alone time. But more, they needed to bond with Kelly prior to her change.
When the beast took over, impulse and instinct reigned. No one would be safe, unless they all trusted each other on a basic level, before the wildness ruled them all.
Zack passed by Caitlyn, who had her arms filled with rolls of paper and paint samples.
Two seconds later, he nearly knocked Roane down on his way toward the stairs.
“Easy.” Roane narrowed his eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry, gotta go.”
“You’re supposed to be resting. Doc’s orders.”
“Right. I’m heading back to my room.”
“I mean it, Zack. We could have lost you and Ace. You need to go easy,” Roane ordered in a thick voice.
Zack warmed. He could feel Roane’s sincerity. The look in his eyes suggested he still worried about the pair. “We’ll be fine. But you might not be. I think Caitlyn’s taking decorating to a whole new level. She has paint samples, and she was heading to your room.”
“Shit,” Roane muttered under his breath as he went back the way he’d come.
Smiling, Zack bounded up the stairs and entered his room. Neat as a pin, he had no problems locating all the clothes he would need and packed enough for a week’s absence.
Finished, he heard the shower running. His body tightened as he imagined Ace naked and covered in water.
Forcing away thoughts of sex, he took a deep breath and knocked on the bathroom door. No one answered. Probably can’t hear me because of the water. Zack let himself in and stared at Ace’s broad back through the glass door of the stall. His dark hair shone blue-black in the light as greedy droplets of water clung to his shoulders and lower. Down the small of his back to that muscular ass to those thick thighs he could easily imagine spread wide while he pushed between firm cheeks…
“Zack.” Ace turned around, sporting a hard-on. He spoke as if nothing was amiss.
“What’s up?”
Wanting nothing more than to get down on his knees and take Ace’s cock between his lips, Zack concentrated on looking only at Ace’s eyes. The dark brown irises appeared jet-black, deep pools of emotion Ace normally kept under wraps.
“We need to get out of here for a while.”
Ace frowned.
“There’s a situation. Nothing serious,” he said quickly before Ace could ask. “Well, yeah, it’s serious, but in a good way. I can’t explain here. Too many ears.” Too many Circs.
“Bottom line is that you and I need to come to an understanding. I’ll tell you all about it once we’re gone. Pack enough for a week.”
Ace blinked in surprise. “We’re leaving?”
“Just for a little while. Like I said, we need to handle this away from the others.”
Ace nodded and turned off the shower. Just like that. No questions, no arguments. Zack was instantly suspicious. Ace stepped out of the shower, dripping on the floor. The two men stood face-to-face. Zack wasn’t surprised to see a measure of cunning reflected in Ace’s black gaze.
“I’m humoring you. Now humor me.”
“What?” Zack took a cautious step back, prepared for anything. A swipe of claws, a shove, a joke at his expense.
Ace stepped forward, slowly, as if stalking prey. “Why are you backing away? Are you afraid of me?”
“Please. I can kick your scrawny ass any day of the week.” Not a scrawny ass, a tight, hot, fuckable ass. “I’m ready for whatever you’re going to throw my way.”
Ace relaxed and smiled. “I doubt it.” Without warning, he plastered his mouth to Zack’s and kissed him hard.
Chapter Four
Ace groaned, rewarded with the kind of perfection he’d dreamed about but could never have hoped for. Zack’s kiss. They’d fucked and touched when changed, but they’d never shared a kiss. Zack relaxed his mouth under Ace’s, but he remained tense, as if waiting for an attack.
Which I would have given him if he’d tried something like this with me before today.
God, this feels so good. It can’t be wrong, can it? Ace couldn’t stop thinking about what they’d done earlier. His beast purred in his breast, almost happy. Never before had he felt that. Satisfying the mating heat cured his cravings, but he’d never felt this welling of affection. It confused him as much as it made him seek more.
He pulled back and stared at the lust gathered on Zack’s face. “You want me to leave with you.”
“What? Yes. Yes, we need to go,” Zack said hoarsely.