Page 2 of Fated Redemption
“They will never get near him again,” Moe said firmly.
Gabriel looked to him and smiled faintly. “They would have to be suicidal to tangle with you, my large friend.”
Moe winked at the prince. Rhys’s raised voice caught Moe’s attention.
“Wait, Daniel, what’s in that box? That’s not mine,” Moe heard Rhys ask before he grabbed Daniel by the collar of his shirt.
“Nothing.”
“Daniel?” Rhys asked again.
“Okay, okay. I packed you some of my personal favorites from my ‘video’ collection. There is one in here that especially shows different positions when dealing with ‘big boys.’ I figureyou may need all the help you can get.” Daniel smiled up at his friend.
Moe watched in fascination as Rhys’s eyes went from Daniel, to him, to the box, to Daniel, and back to him. Moe couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Put that box back in the truck.” Rhys grabbed at the box but Daniel nimbly danced out of the way.
“No way, they complement David’s moving-in present.”
Rhys stopped chasing Daniel. “What did he get me?”
“Triple XL butt plugs!” David yelled loudly from the third-story window, his voice carrying down the street, causing more than one midday shopper to turn and look at them.
Moe thought his poor mate would melt into a puddle on the worn, wooden planks.
“David! Daniel! What did I tell you about behaving yourselves?” Roman barked, raising his eyes from his clipboard.
“Bo-o-r-r-ring,” David sang, and disappeared from the window. Daniel took advantage of Rhys’s distraction and ran inside.
Rhys turned to Moe. “Are you sure you still want to mate with me? I’m all fucked up, and well, you can see how my family is.” Rhys pointed to where David was now spanking Daniel in the bar with a long double-ended dildo. There was a faintly amused expression on his mate’s face.
Moe was by his side in an instant. He pulled his mate into his arms and took advantage of his height to rub his chin over Rhys’s blond curls. “You are not fucked up. You are recovering. I wouldn’t trade you for anyone. Fate not only chose you just for me, she literally stepped in to make sure we could be together. You are my miracle.” Moe tipped Rhys’s head back and slowly licked and nibbled his lips. He could feel the moment Rhys relaxed his muscles. Moe simply wrapped his arms around himtighter. When Rhys opened his mouth and began to suck on his tongue Moe could feel his control start to slip.
“Tear that face up. Woot! Woot!”
Moe opened one eye to see David and Daniel begin to gyrate and thrust their hips at imaginary dance partners. Moe reluctantly pulled away. Rhys’s cheeks were pink and his lips swollen. Damn if his mate didn’t look thoroughly dazed.
“I told you.” Rhys’s eyes danced with mirth.
Moe could feel his heart expand. This was his mate. In the past month between bouts of anxiety, outbursts of frustration and pain, this was the man that kept shining through, with his kind eyes and ready smile.
“You forget, I volunteer with kindergartners. I can handle those two.” Moe brought Rhys’s hand up and kissed it gently.
“Okay guys.” Roman walked up flipping pages on his ever-present clipboard.
“Kurt just finished installing the walk-in freezer for Rhys’s blood storage. The unit needs to maintain a temperature between thirty-three point eight degrees and forty-two point eight degrees Fahrenheit. With this temperature range the blood can stay fresh between thirty-five and forty-two days, though I don’t think that will be a problem with everyone donating.” Roman’s eyes softened when he looked at Rhys.
At first Moe was leery of the relationship between Roman and Rhys, but he had come to realize that they loved each other like brothers. He couldn’t deny his mate any relationship that gave him strength, especially now.
“Moe, we’re heading to the diner for lunch. Would you care to join is?” Gabriel asked as the vampires waved at them and walked toward the diner.
“Rhys?” Moe asked, unsure if his mate would be okay surrounded by shifters.
Rhys nodded “Being around shifters doesn’t bother me anymore. As long as no one is gushing blood I should be okay. It’s past time for me to rejoin the land of the living.”
“Great! I’ll see if Peyton wants anything. Then, after lunch I can show you around your new home.” Moe dropped a kiss on Rhys’s cheek and stepped inside the doorway. He looked over to the bar to see his tweaky and slightly inept bartender washing his already clean glassware. Shaking his head, he called out, “Peyton, Rhys and I are heading to the diner, do you want anything?”
Peyton looked up and then frowned as he thought before nodding. “Pie and coffee.”
