Page 49 of Ben

Wyatt squeezed his shoulder and walked to Ajani. “Who will be our contact in Paraguay? Ben?”

“Ben’s leaving the council. He stepped down and bought an island near the Thalassa one. Isn’t that cool? They’ll be our neighbors, with me being their family, and you all being my family.” Marvin grinned happily as he stroked his round belly.

“Beaumont is now in charge. He’s back in Paraguay, he wants to deal with the situation himself. He’s staying with Ben’s family, who have been seeking the Devil for some time without success and know the most about him.”

What Ajani said didn’t bode well, although Duron kept his thoughts to himself. A trip to the other side of the world was a good thing.It was.

“When can the plane be arranged for?” Wyatt asked before Duron could.

“As soon as you want to leave,” Alexi said, as he came into the room with Marin chattering nonsense in his arms. Duron had spent some time with all the children. He had a thing for children’s laughter. It was the brightest sound and could lift the spirit like nothing else. “I’ve had the plane on standby waiting for your return after the numerous calls from Beaumont wanting to know when you guys were coming.” Alexi chuckled. “The alligator doesn’t appear to have any patience, which is odd with how they like to do their killing.”

Duron gave a noncommittal nod and took the baby from Alexi when Marin held out his arms, grinning at him, revealing his new teeth. The baby was fond of rubbing at Duron’s cheek, one which Duron could turn into fur with one thought. His bear was the most dominant of the animals who shared his large body. What they’d done to him meant he could randomly shift any part of his body at will. And as Marin’s father, Danik, was a bear, he suspected it was why the baby was drawn to him and liked to rub his furry cheek.

“I think my son prefers you.”

Alexi didn’t sound annoyed, so Duron grinned at the baby. “He knows a soft touch when he sees one.”

Wyatt coughed as if he was choking and muttered, “He’s not seen you in action, there’s nothing soft about that.”

“Leave him be,” Marvin said crossly at Wyatt.

Duron handed back the baby reluctantly. “I think it’s time we got going.”

After a round of goodbyes and a trip to collect a fresh bag of clothing, they headed to the plane in a borrowed SUV. Duron looked around the big vehicle as Wyatt drove. “Why do you think we’ve bought nothing fancy with the money we make?”

Wyatt glanced sideways briefly. “That’s too deep a question when I’m bone fucking tired.” He frowned at the windscreen. “If I was to come up with an immediate answer, I’d say because of how we earned it. Blood money…”

Duron didn’t like the answer, although he suspected Wyatt was right.

He remained quiet for the rest of the trip and through the first flight. After the pit stop and an enormous meal, he swapped with Wyatt and took the bed to catch up on some decent sleep. Feeling rested and a little more like himself, Duron took his seat across from Wyatt as the plane prepared to land.

As the wheels touched the runway, Duron got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, and his bear lumbered from sleep and paced in his mind.What’s wrong?

The lack of answer set his nerves on edge in a way he’d not experienced since a child when they’d started the first experiments and cut him off from his bear briefly.I know you can hear me, god damnit, answer me!

The plane taxied to a stop, and the steward went to open the plane door. Wyatt was up and stretching before the steward had the door fully open, letting in the warm, muggy air.

Duron’s bear quivered with excitement, and he scrambled to open the seatbelt and keep control of his animal as parts of his body grew fur.

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “What’s with you going all furry?”

Duron sniffed the air and barged past an alarmed looking Wyatt when he growled, “Mate,” charging off the plane.

There were four men standing on the tarmac next to a shabby-looking vehicle. Three were tall, dark, with similar features to Ben. They could only be Ben’s brothers. It left the fourth man, which was the one that got his bear in a tizzy when Duron inhaled deeply, separating the scents.

His bear was giddy, and Duron was more a spectator when his bear was like this and charged at the group. It didn’t happen often, but when his bear wanted to be in charge, whether in bear form or not, Duron couldn’t get him to behave. His teeth dropped, his eyes flicking between all the different animals inside him, unable to settle with the scent of marsh grass enticing him.

“Whoa there,” one man stepped forward, holding up his hands.

Duron gauged he was the older of the three men by the way he held himself. Only his bear wasn’t for stopping. Duron snarled, the urgent need pouring from his bear to get to his mate driving all sense from his head.

“Duron, get a fucking grip, you’re spooking the natives,” Wyatt called from behind him.

“Mate,” he growled once more, not getting why no one understood what was going on. His gaze landed on the man who’d yet to say a word or come closer. Was he scared of him? Duron didn’t like the thought, not one bit, and neither did his bear.

Only Duron couldn’t figure it out, not with how his skin felt too tight for his bones and his brain was fogged with thoughts of…sex.

He shuddered to a halt, mere inches from his mate and blushed at what the others must be smelling. He’d been attracted to Marvin’s generous heart, but not once had his cock reacted like this…

He dropped his gaze, embarrassed by his own reaction. With a herculean effort and, much to his bear’s disgust, Duron stepped back.

To Be Continued…