Page 6 of The Buck Stops Hare

“The hare that did considerable physical damage to the heels of a few of my followers?” The stranger gestured off toward another room in some vague manner.

A cast-off voice from the other room piped up. “Duuude. I thought something seriously was wrong with your chihuahua… It’s just a fucked-up rabbit.”

The stranger whipped his head to his left and glared at the speaker, earning a whimper in response before he took a cooling breath and faced me once more. “Your brother owes a debt, and we seized you as payment.”

“Aww fuck…” I slumped against the hallway wall and sagged, surprising the speaker. His stern and stoic features faltered into a flurry of bewilderment, and he reached out instinctively to catch my arm as I slid. “How much money does he owe you?”

“No money. Life for a life.” His tone lacked conviction, hesitant almost.

With a sharp sigh, I glanced up. “You’re trying to tell me my brother murdered someone and I’m the revenge plan?” The absurdity of it pooled in my gut and made me chuff and shake my head as the stranger let me come to a seat.

“In not so many words. Yes.” Without further comment, he too slid to the floor, head tilted as dark hair spilled forward over his shoulders. Crisp linen rustled as he moved to cross his legs beneath him. Despite the height he had over me, he slouched to meet my gaze head-on. A churlish mien dashed across his face.

Warmth spread over my cheeks, down my neck. Likewise, it pooled into my belly as I stared at him. “Any chance I walk out alive?”

If he heard me, he didn’t respond right away, and I pressed my luck, extending one leg to nudge his knee. Which, admittedly, probably wasn’t my best move. He snarled in response and tucked his knees in, every muscle in his body tensing. “Yes.”

None of the anxiety melted from me. Though, I couldn’t help squirming when that odd heat kept spreading through me. “Tell me what to do? What he did? I’m sorry he killed someone important to you.”

“Wasn’t important.” The two words barely escaped his lips in a whisper. “If anything, it was our fault.”

I blinked a few times and waited for further explanation.

“He met his mate, a god that I despise. A weak reflection of so much mortal blood. One of my worshipers’ children, Dylan, manifested alpha, drew to him because of his omega scent, and did as our ways dictate, and did not relent in the face of rejection.” His stilted words halted as he admitted that this Dylan guy had killed my brother but spoke of Rayne like he still lived.

The gasp that escaped my lips ended with a whimper.

“He lives. It was not my understanding that he, too, was godbeast. The Striking Rain. He complements the Tempest Storm. Other gods flock to him like flies to nectar, and he has borne a goddess. But I am honor bound to collect flesh for flesh.” He squeezed his fist. “And I have made an error.”

“Well. We can let me go. I go back to my bunny, and we forget this happen— Wait. God? Gods? What the fuck?” I scrambled back and stood, eyeing the male before me as that fiery light flickered in his eyes.

“I am godbeast, too. I am Grim Dawn.” He spoke with so little emotion in those words, so factually. “And you are someone else’s aspect.”

“What?” I stumbled dizzily as I stood and shook my head. That hot feeling crawled through me, urging me to rip my clothes off, to seek coolness, closeness, and lust. Also, the burgeoning erection doing its best to tunnel out of my jeans made the whole scenario that much more awkward.

Fear boner?

In any case, the crazy spilling out in front of me was far above anyone tripping shrooms at the bar on rave night.

“My lord,” a polite voice popped up. “With all due respect. I don’t think he’s informed of the paranormal world. He’s human.”

I glanced over in time to see a rather husky younger male with dark hair, pale skin, and piggish features. He bowed slightly and tensed.

“He’s omega and you know that. He is also a godbeast, too. He is aspect!” With short, clipped tones, the stranger, Grim Dawn, gave such a harsh impression that he might as well have shouted. Power lay in his words, command that didn’t need volume. “You didn’t tell me that before dosing him.”

“Dosing me? Am I going to die?” At that moment, I really thought I was going to. The heat kept building.

“Megestrol—” he started, muttering something indecipherable to the piggish guy. “Now, simpleton!”

The stranger scrambled away in fear and Grim stood, stretching his lean body. South American gods would have drooled over him, with blood and fear in his silhouette. So many things…

Hands just this side of being claws reached out for me, a hand, then claws, a paw. His image shivered in place, like his body couldn’t make up its mind. “Little aspect. Come.”

He has no idea how much I want to do just that.I shook my head to rid the thought as raw sexual urges shot through me. “Drugged!”

“Yes.” Grim extended a hand, firm sinew standing along his arm amid full veins. Strong fingers spread and curled around my wrist and pulled. My fragile grasp of gravity at the moment solidified beneath my feet. “When they found out you were an omega, they thought a greater gift to me would be to have you…amorous.”

With a gentle motion of his arms, he pulled me into his grasp and cradled me. That scent, so masculine, dominant… Despite my shallow breaths, I inhaled enough of him to drown myself. “I’m not gay.”

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