Chapter Thirteen
They said goodbye to Joe and Alo, thanking them for the help with the council and promising that they'd be back in touch the following day before making their excuses and driving off the reservation. They found a new motel in Tahoe and checked in, heading straight to the room.
It wasn't yet dinnertime and they were still sated from their lunch with the chief and his deputy, so they decided to check in with the chief. They called Priest on Eoghan's burner and when she didn't answer, they decided to wait, figuring since she was at the office, she'd need to find a place where it was safe to talk. Sure enough, a few minutes later, she called back. Eoghan answered and put the call on speaker. Ari sat beside him on the bed as they listened to the boss.
"I've been waiting to hear from you. What happened with the Tahoe clan? Are they going to help Townsend?" She sounded harried and Ari absently wondered what else had happened, assuming something had. She usually sounded relaxed, so something had happened. He remembered that she'd said she needed them for another job and he wondered whether that was what he was hearing in her voice.
"That's what took so long, Chief," Eoghan replied. "After convincing Two Trees and his deputy, we had to wait around and talk to their tribal council."
"What happened, Sapphire?"
"At first the council was completely against it," Eoghan said. "They had the same concerns that Two Trees and his deputy had, primarily that asking their clan to help with vampires was a huge ask."
"I know they're bitter rivals but knowing you and trusting you the way I do; my guess is that you probably said something to convince them it was in their best interest to help us."
Eoghan glanced at Ari who nodded, giving him a hint of a smile as encouragement.
"Well, yeah, boss…we talked to them about the possibility that Bradshaw and his vamp buddies may be making more vamps as we speak and that it's a problem with the I.S.R. when humans are getting drained left and right. We made them see this will become a problem with the Agency as soon as they learn of it and that even if the I.S.R. decides to withdraw protections from the Flagstaff vampire clan, it doesn't mean it ends there. Also, we mentioned our suspicions that Bradshaw is using the synthetic blood distribution network for their drugs which would mean he'd have to be making more vampires. And having a bunch of rogue, undisciplined, baby vamps would mean no shifter reservations are safe, theirs included."
"Good."
"The council got the same argument and they also eventually agreed to help," Eoghan said. "The bottom line is that they're going to talk to their clan tonight and get their help. They're also going to reach out to friends on other shifter reservations but that might turn out to be a real problem when they also learn this is about vampires. They're afraid if there is a mole at the Agency, their efforts in recruiting shifter clans to help get rid of Bradshaw might get back to them."
There was silence for a few seconds before Priest spoke. "Are you telling me that you told the council about our mole problem without discussing it with me beforehand, Sapphire?"
"No, we didn't share that with the whole council," Ari rushed to clarify. "We told Two Trees and his deputy, Alo Uwaite. They're trustworthy and we had to make them see the urgency in their intervening because they almost threw us out of the tribal police office when we first brought it up."
"Good enough. So, when will you hear whether they've agreed to help? You said they're meeting with the clan tonight about it."
"Yes, but in addition to that, they suggested something else," Eoghan said, glancing over to Ari and meeting his gaze. Ari nodded to encourage him to go on. "They suggested we might not need to get a bunch of shifter clans on board and therefore take the risk of exposure and instead, perhaps we should only contact Severin and Invictus." When the chief took a sudden, deep intake of breath, he went on. "I take it you know who they are, Chief."
"I do and I can tell you right now, it's a total waste of time." Priest sounded pissed that Eoghan had even brought them up.
"I'm not so sure, Chief," Ari said.
"Why's that?"
"Because Eoghan asked the council to make sure the dragons knew that we'd helped bring Colt Wilkins to justice and convinced them that they should reopen negotiations for the sale of jade to them."
She made a humming sound which made Ari wonder what she could be thinking. Had they done well? Stepped out of line? Made an error in judgment?
"That's…very good, Sapphire," she said, thoughtfully. "In fact, the last time the I.S.R. heard from the dragons was when they set the forest on fire and what led up to it."
Ari grinned at him, and Eoghan blushed. "Thank you, ma'am."
"It might just work. They need that jade and I understand they've had to go far afield to get it," she said.
"It would be good if we can be friendly with them," Ari offered.
Eoghan immediately shook his head as she spoke up. "That's not going to happen but it's always good to build a bridge," Priest said.
"Yes, ma'am," Eoghan agreed.
"It's been a long while since the I.S.R. has had any serious conversations with Severin and Invictus. Dragons are insular to begin with and communications with them have always taken a great deal of effort. If this works, it would be good. We don't have an accurate count of their numbers and that's always bad. We need to know how many people reside on clan lands at any given time, so it's good that the Tahoe clan is reaching out. I want you to know what a good job you're doing, Sapphire. You too, Marshal Brown. It seems your partnership is solid, and I like that."
Eoghan smiled at Ari and reached over, setting a hand on the top of his thigh. "Yes, ma'am. Ari is making my job as a training officer easy. It's a good pairing."
Ari smiled back as she replied, "Well, good then. When do you expect to hear back from the tribe again?"
"They'll let us know as soon as they hear anything," Eoghan said. "Their own clan meeting is tonight if they can get everyone together. So hopefully we'll hear something tomorrow. It's hard to be sure but that's what they're shooting for."
"I see."
"You said you needed us for another job which is why you wanted us to stay put here in Northern California, right boss?" Eoghan asked.
"Yes, it's a small job. Prisoner escort. It's tomorrow night, so I'll have to see if I can find someone else. We're so shorthanded but I'm going to try. I don't give a damn about disappointing the prisoner, but his mate and their offspring shouldn't have to pay for his crimes over and over again."
"There's no surety that the tribe will get back to us tomorrow," Ari said. "Sorry, Chief, but did you say the prisoner's mate and offspring?"
"We have a prisoner in Folsom whose daughter's being mated. He'd have to be picked up, brought to the ceremony, watched over until it's done, and then returned to Folsom. He's been granted a five-hour pass, and the ceremony is local to the prison. That should give him time to get through there, have some time at the reception, maybe even have a father-daughter dance."
"That's nice, Chief. So, he's a shifter?" Eoghan asked.
"He's a vampire."
Eoghan and Ari stared at each other. When Ari nodded, Eoghan spoke up. "We could do this, ma'am."
"Are you sure? You'd be walking into a room full of vampires."
"Yes, Chief," Ari replied. "We've got this…assuming the prisoner would be under heavy guard."
"We've been promised vampire guards from his clan at the mating, but I want two marshals there to specifically watch over him the whole time. Like I said, I need someone completely focused on the prisoner from door to door."
"We can do that, ma'am," Ari said.
"Okay, Brown. Let's play it by ear. If you don't get the go ahead to meet with the dragons and the promise that the Tahoe shifters are going to help by noon tomorrow, I'll tell the prisoner's guards at Folsom it's a no go. You're sure you want to do this? A vampire mating reception with blood flowing like wine might be a huge shock to your system."
"As long as the blood is in glasses and it's not mine, then yes, Chief Deputy Priest. I'm totally fine with it," Ari replied.
Eoghan held his hand over his mouth as he shook with laughter while Ari tried and failed to keep a straight face.
"All right. I'll let you go then. We'll be in touch."
"We'll let you know if anything happens over here, ma'am. Good night." Eoghan disconnected the call and tossed the phone onto the bed before tackling Ari back onto the bedspread and covering his mouth, kissing him slowly. They kissed for several long minutes before Eoghan finally sat back on his heels, still straddling him.
Ari looked down at his crotch and grinned at his cock straining behind his zipper. Eoghan's excitement visibly matched his own. He reached out and covered it with his hand, feeling the hard dick beneath his palm. It was almost sexier to see him looking so decadent with clothes covering him than to see him naked. His mouth began watering and he automatically licked his lips which immediately made Eoghan chuckle. Ari looked up into his face before grabbing Eoghan's hips and holding him fast. He smiled at him.
"I don't suppose you put on those sexy, red undies," he said, biting his lower lip as he pictured Eoghan's hard dick straining and leaking against the lace encasing it. When Eoghan smiled devilishly, he felt his own dick throb. He reached up and scrubbed both hands over his face. "Good God, Eoghan."
"I know you liked them when you saw them. I thought I'd surprise you," Eoghan said, sliding off his body and the bed before standing.
The man looked like a gorgeous sex god as he stared down at him almost shyly. Sometimes, he wondered if Eoghan knew how beautiful he was. He was the most unassuming man, completely humble and not the least bit conceited. It was like he was almost embarrassed when Ari gave him a compliment. He glanced down, staring at the hard bulge and watching the way Eoghan's fingers teased at the waistband. He watched, utterly transfixed as he reached lower, taking hold of a single, silver button on the black tac pants and popping it open.
There was something about Eoghan's hands that turned Ari on so much. They were thickly callused from holding weapons and yet had beautiful, long fingers which—in any other world—should be playing piano concertos or plucking the strings of a guitar. From the way they stroked Bear's soft fur at night when they curled up on the couch to watch TV, to the way they massaged scented oils into the sore muscles of his back, Ari thought them absolutely beautiful. He watched as Eoghan popped another button and then a third before the top of red lace came into view.
"Fuck me," he groaned, reaching down and adjusting his throbbing cock inside his own pants. "You're so goddamned hot, Eoghan." He looked up at his lover's face to find him flushed with reddening flags of color starting to stain his cheeks as he bit his lip and watched Ari stroke himself through his pants. Ari smiled and began opening them, mirroring his lover's slow teasing unveiling. Two could play this game.
Eoghan finished unbuttoning his tac pants and he parted the fly, slowly revealing more of the lace manties. Ari avidly watched as he slid his hands over his flat belly, slowly following his treasure trail under his bellybutton until the tips of his fingers disappeared beneath the waistband of the stretchy lace.
Ari abandoned what he'd been doing and sat upright on the bed, staring into Eoghan's eyes, only breaking eye contact when it was absolutely necessary to bend and untie his boots. He slipped them off while Eoghan stood only inches in front of him…so close he could feel the heat radiating from his body. It was so sexy. He watched his fingers teasing in and then out of the waistband of those sexy, red underthings, taunting him. He only breathed a sigh of relief when Eoghan finally relented and pulled his hand free before setting it on a jaunty hip and grinning down at him in the sexiest, most devilish manner.
When Ari finally managed to wiggle out of the last sock, he reached for Eoghan, grabbing the back of his thighs and pulling him close so that he could bury his face in the soft fur of his belly. He took a deep breath against his skin inhaling his scent, delighting in it. He smelled exactly the same as he always did, a combination of tea tree oil and almond scented bodywash. Ari seemed to calm every time he smelled it and he realized that it had the power to soothe him. Eoghan's hands immediately smoothed over his short hair and held him close as Ari drowned in a desire he'd never felt for any other man.
"Eoghan," he breathed, lifting his gaze to him. His lover's eyes were a clear and beautiful blue, so bright it made his head swim as he stared down at him. "Come down here." He caught his hips, pulling him back down onto the bed where Eoghan stretched out over him. Ari immediately rolled him to his back before lowering his mouth to his chest. He loved the defined muscles he found there, the hills and valleys as if sculpted by a master. Eoghan was lightly furred with dark hair on his belly getting thicker across his pecs. He had dark brown nipples with a perfectly bare circle around each exquisite bud, inviting his lips. Eoghan was especially sensitive here, and Ari loved to spend long minutes teasing and sucking him until he was begging and leaking copious amounts of precome.
Ari lingered over each nub, biting and teasing and sucking until Eoghan was groaning and moaning and begging to be fucked. When he finally lifted his head and moved up to stare into his eyes, he found them filled with lust, gazing at him with such longing and desire, Ari almost didn't want to finish the act, just so that he could keep him looking at him just this way.
"You're the devil himself, Aristotle Brown," Eoghan said breathlessly.
Ari smirked. "And you started it…you and your damned sexy underwear." When Eoghan laughed, Ari sat up and grabbed the waistband of his black tac pants and yanked them off his hips which only served to make his lover laugh that much harder. When he got to his ankles, he realized, Eoghan hadn't removed his boots. He threw up his hands and then slid to the floor where he made quick work of the shoes and socks and pulled the rest of the cumbersome pants off, balling them up and tossing them over his shoulder before dropping back down over Eoghan.
"Will you look at this?" Ari said, touching Eoghan's impressive, leaking cock through the straining lace. These underthings were just as sexy as all the others Eoghan possessed. The ones Ari was painstakingly working his way through one after another, spending an inordinate amount of time making Eoghan try on and then take off before repeating the same. He'd never had any idea he had such a fetish before meeting him. But now, looking down at these perfect boy short style briefs with their finely made stretchy legs and waist, he gave in to the notion. The thing about them was the way they were made with a perfectly sized pocket to hold his beautiful cock when erect and yet possessed enough room for his balls…nothing girly about these tiny slips of miraculous fabric, nothing at all. These "manties" as Eoghan called them were made for a man, plain and simple.
Eoghan smiled at him. "What are you waiting for? I know you want to taste me, Ari." Eoghan was biting his lip. "Go ahead. Just do it, Ari."
You didn't have to tell him twice.
He reached for the waistband and slowly slipped it up and over the bulbous head, dragging it down over the length of his cock before looking back up into Eoghan's smoldering gaze. "Will you wear a cock ring for me someday, Eoghan?"
He nodded. "Anytime you want, baby."
Ari leaned down and whispered into his ear. "I want you to wear it at work."
Eoghan gasped. "What?"
"One of these days, right before we leave the house, I want you to get yourself hard and slip it on," he said close to his ear. "Then, I want you to tuck it into one of these sexy things—" He made a point of tugging on the waistband of the underwear and rubbing his balls through them. "And then put on your tac pants."
"What?" Eoghan asked.
"And then, when I get you into the car, or maybe in the parking lot at work, I'm gonna check to see if you're still hard. Then maybe in a bathroom stall in the office, or an empty office, I'm gonna pull your pants down and fuck you. You won't be able to come right away because of the cock ring but you're going to beg me for it."
"Fuck, Ari," Eoghan panted. "You're so dirty."
"You have no idea how fucking dirty I can be, baby." Ari pulled the waistband down beneath Eoghan's balls and Eoghan immediately lifted his ass off the bed so that he could pull them off the rest of the way. He was leaking so profusely they were damp by the time Ari got them completely off. He made quick work of his own clothes, snatching the lube and condoms out of his duffel as Eoghan pulled off his shirt and scooted onto the center of the bed where Ari joined him. Eoghan watched him avidly, all the while prepping his own entrance, using lube from the bottle he'd tossed on the bed even as Ari busied himself with rolling on the condom and slicking his length. When he was ready, he moved close as Eoghan spread his legs for him.
Ari leaned over him and kissed him as he guided his cock into place, bumping it up against his tight entrance. Since it was already slick with lube and they fucked almost every day, it didn't take a whole lot of effort to push inside the first little bit. Ari had always been told he wasn't a small man and since he hadn't tried bottoming himself, it was hard to judge. But there was something so fucking sexy about the expression on Eoghan's face whenever he first breached the tight ring of muscle. Eoghan was so hot inside, practically burning him up when he pressed in. But it was the way his sweet body seemed to accept him eagerly, sucking him in and seating him fully with only a few short strokes in and out, that simply did it for Ari.
Whether it was the combination of sexy underthings or just simply the gorgeous man allowing him to perform this most intimate act on his body, Ari couldn't be sure. All he did know was that Eoghan Sapphire was a breathtaking man, especially when he was being fucked into the mattress. He slid in farther, loving the squeeze around his dick like a tight fist. Each time he pulled out and pushed into his body, he huffed harder. Eoghan was making little panting sounds of his own, and Ari likened it to his memory of a small train he'd seen chugging around the tracks at the Los Angeles County Fair grounds on PBS's Huell Howser's show one summer long ago.
Eoghan gazed deeply into his eyes and nodded. Ari was so in tune with him, he instantly knew what he wanted. He sped up his motions, sliding in and out with ease, somehow even deeper each time he bottomed out. Eoghan clung to his back, holding him close as Ari flexed his hips, driving into him, becoming more and more breathless with every thrust. Their lovemaking became a synchronized dance of a sort and when he felt the early signs of his climax, he reached between them, taking Eoghan's rigid length in hand. He was slick with precome but Ari held on, jacking him in perfect rhythm with his own plunges in and out of his body. Eoghan was gasping, fingertips digging so hard into his back that Ari was sure they'd leave bruises. He didn't care. He reveled in the tiny bit of pain Eoghan's blunt nails left behind.
"Ari!" Eoghan gasped. "I'm coming!"
Ari groaned, setting a pounding rhythm as he sped up the stroking of Eoghan's gorgeous dick. "I'm right behind you, baby," he gasped, dropping his forehead to Eoghan's shoulder before feeling his orgasm rushing in. When it did, he leaned back, locking eyes with his lover who was in the midst of his own overwhelming sensations. Ari recognized it on his face and when he finally came, feeling the climax hit him like a locomotive, his entire body shook and shuddered. Eoghan's spunk shot out of the tip of his dick, shooting so high it hit the bottom of his chin, spilling down in viscous rivulets through his dark stubble to the hollow of his neck. It puddled there and Ari watched in fascination as another spurt painted his chest even as he emptied his own release into the condom buried deep inside his lover.