Chapter One

They chattered.

They chortled.

The noise of them invaded Chad's sleep.

Magpies.

Romeo's winged demons in the field.

When they'd first moved in, they were a rare sight. There were blackbirds, robins, and other small songbirds, but under Romeo's favoritism and discrimination, the magpies learned to stick around.

They had an ally in Romeo, and just like that, he established order in the outside world with the magpies as the top predator.

Chad blinked the ceiling into focus while his heart skipped and tripped. A low, long groaned escaped him as he grabbed a pillow and pressed it to his face.

It didn't help.

The sharp birdcalls went through the barrier, spearing into his skull and rattling his brain.

Chad would've preferred the sound of roosters or car horns, or a catastrophic explosion to Romeo's army of magpies clacking out their machine gun call. It got worse when Romeo joined them, clacking his tongue to the roof of his mouth, calling more down from the trees around their field. If it hadn't been going on for weeks, Chad would've been impressed with how well Romeo mimicked them, but for six consecutive weekends, he'd woken disoriented and inside a war zone with the sun only just peeking out from the horizon.

Chad stumbled as he got out of bed, taking the duvet with him as he trudged to the window and yanked open the curtains. Romeo stood in a tornado of wings and claws in their field of the dead, arms aloft, scattering seed. He watched, clacking, and greeting his feathered friends who twirled around him in a synchronized dance.

Romeo Knight.

Their God.

Chad rolled his eyes.

He rapped the glass, but the sound of magpies drowned him out.

"Damn it!"

He gripped the bottom of the window and heaved it open. Romeo didn't notice, too engrossed in the birds flying around him. The hood of his coat covered his head to protect from bird shit Chad imagined.

Chad opened his mouth to yell, but one bird broke free from the frenzy and headed his way. His frantic shooing did nothing to discourage the magpie. It swooped, Chad shivered at the wind from its wings, and the proximity of its claws to his face.

"Jesus," he hissed, lifting his arm to defend himself.

They were getting bolder, angrier, and if any other bird dared try to join in, they dove for it and took it from the sky. Chad had seen them kill.

It needed dealing with and the solution had four legs, a wagging tail and a lolling tongue.

Mercutio.

The stray magpie retreated to rejoin Romeo. Chad kept his arm ready in case another became brash and attacked him.

"It's 6:00 in the morning!"

Romeo turned to face him with his eyebrow raised. No apology, only amusement at a shirtless Chad hanging out of the window.

Chad rubbed his eyes, waiting for Romeo to at least look sheepish. But this was Romeo, and all Chad got was a wolfish smile.

"Exactly." Romeo called back.

"What?"

"It's their breakfast time."

"It's Saturday." Chad yawned into his hand. "I was working late last night."

The case they'd been working on was near enough closed, they were just waiting on Dead-Dave's autopsy report to file everything away into the domestic homicide cabinet.

A simple case of a wife killing her husband because of his infidelity. Knife wounds aplenty, Dead-Dave had been undecided on the killing blow with so many to choose from and decided he needed the weekend to decide what happened to the victim, blow by blow, second by second.

"Not the magpies' fault," Romeo dove his hand into his coat pocket, threw another handful of seed, then began a slow plod towards the house. He tugged down his hood and combed back his hair with his fingers. It was long enough that the natural waves in Romeo's hair were showing, curling the strands beneath his ears. The messy hair, the gruff beard, and the piercing eyes did things to Chad despite his annoyance.

Romeo was handsome, even tracking back to the house through a muddy field, with birds cawing and scraping behind him.

"All you need is a black coat and a scythe."

"I like the sound of that."

A crow landed close by and Romeo yelled at it until it flew away.

"You shouldn't do that." Chad told him.

"Why not?"

"They deserve to eat, too."

Romeo gestured behind himself. "And they can. They can find their own."

Chad sighed as Romeo passed out of Chad's sight, and into the house through the kitchen door.

He slammed shut the window, listening to Romeo trek through the kitchen.

Chad bit his lip.

He grabbed a bottle of lube, then trudged into their ensuite bathroom to splash water on his face and brush his teeth. Romeo appeared behind him in the doorway a few minutes later.

He watched Chad in the mirror who paused mid-brush to glare back.

"6:00 in the morning." Chad spoke around his toothbrush.

Romeo stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Chad's waist.

"It's Saturday, and that's how you chose to wake me?"

Romeo narrowed his eyes in the mirror. The edge of his mouth pulled upwards. "How else did you want to be woken?"

"I can think of a few ways that would be particularly nice."

"Oh, yeah?"

Chad hummed and resumed brushing.

"Has anyone ever told you, it's rude to talk with your mouth full?"

Before Chad could snipe back, Romeo pulled the toothbrush from his mouth.

"Romeo!" Chad squawked, blushing hard at the toothpaste that had leaked from the edge of his lips. The shock of it had him swallowing his mouthful of mint.

Chad's eyes burned.

Romeo smirked, slotting Chad's toothbrush back into the holder. He turned Chad around in his arms and wiped his rough thumb over the edge of Chad's mouth.

Chad shivered. His cock began hardening in his boxers at that tiniest touch.

No, Chad inwardly told it, he was not horny, he was angry.

"One of your swarm tried to kill me."

"Again with the dramatics?"

"It did, Romeo—it almost took my eye out."

Romeo snorted, shaking his head.

"They've become obsessive over you like you are over them."

"Ridiculous. There's only one thing I'm obsessive over…"

Chad flared his nostrils. "So I'm a thing, am I?"

"Not always. Right now, you're a … moody person, five letters."

"I am not a grump."

"Hand job for the grump?"

Chad's jaw fell. He spluttered on air. "What?"

Romeo's arms gripped Chad tighter. "I asked if the grump would like a hand job?"

"I'm not a grump," Chad bit the inside of his cheek. "And no, I don't."

"Fair enough." Romeo said, releasing his hold. "I'll see you downstairs—"

"Wait…"

"What is it?"

Chad looked down at himself, or more specifically his fully erect cock in his boxers. Romeo folded his arms, staring at it, too.

"So, you do want a hand job?"

"Yes." Chad squeezed the word through his teeth.

"Then say it."

Mischief glinted in Romeo's eyes.

"Say what?"

"The grump wants a hand job."

"I'm not saying that."

"Then no hand job." Romeo retreated to the doorway. "I'll see you downstairs for breakfast."

"Fine," Chad snapped. "I don't need you for a hand job anyway."

He turned his back to Romeo, thrusting his hand down the waistband of his boxers. Romeo slammed into him, taking Chad by the wrist and pulling his hand away from his cock.

"Not allowed."

Romeo pinned Chad's arm to his stomach and slipped his free hand into Chad's boxers. He skipped his fingers past Chad's cock and caressed the top of Chad's thigh.

Chad tried to thrust against Romeo's forearm, but it was a futile attempt to get off.

"Just say it." Romeo nipped Chad's ear.

"I want a hand job."

"Who wants a hand job?"

Dignity be damned. Chad couldn't look at himself in the mirror.

"The grump wants a hand job."

"See, wasn't that easy?"

For a fleeting moment Chad thought about slapping Romeo's arm, shoving him away, and reclaiming some of his thrown away dignity, but then Romeo's warm, rough hand took hold of him, and need swiftly replaced thought.

"Eyes on the mirror." Romeo said by Chad's ear.

Chad stopped his eyes from sliding shut, and watched through the mirror as Romeo jerked his cock, still in his boxers.

"I want to see," Chad murmured.

Romeo snorted and tugged Chad's boxers down to his thighs. Chad groaned, sucking in his bottom lip. He watched through half-hooded eyes as Romeo worked his hand back and forth over his cock.

The wet sound brought a blush to Chad's cheeks.

"You're so fucking perfect for me." Romeo whispered.

Chad found his eyes in the mirror. Romeo stroked his other hand over Chad's chest, covering and revealing the scars as he went. He dragged his thumb nail against a sensitive number three beneath Chad's left pec. Chad shivered. Romeo moved on, twisting one of Chad's nipples, forcing him to jerk onto his tiptoes in response, and press his back to Romeo's front.

"I still can't believe I can have all this," Romeo murmured.

He wasn't just talking about the sex, but home, the magpies, the murders.

Chad had given him it all.

"I'm so fucking lucky."

Romeo stroked his hand lower until it joined his other hand's goal of making Chad explode all over the sink.

"Everything is … just right."

Chad moaned as Romeo's hands swallowed him completely, hiding his red tip. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer as he got swept away by bliss, squirting through the cave of Romeo's fingers as he came with a whimper.

Romeo rested his chin on Chad's shoulder as Chad caught his breath.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." Romeo said.

Chad snorted. "You're halfway to forgiven."

"Halfway?"

Chad hummed, pressing his ass back against the swell in Romeo's sweatpants. He tilted his head back and gave Romeo a coy smile before sliding away the towel on the side to reveal the lube.

Romeo grumbled, reaching for the bottle. "You played me?" He smirked, flicking the cap.

"Maybe a little." Chad sighed, arching his back so Romeo could have him as he braced against the sink.

Romeo chuckled, filling his hand with lube. He rubbed it over himself before spearing it into Chad with greedy fingers. Chad's nails stung as he dug them into the chrome of the sink, breathing harder and harder the longer he had to wait.

Romeo pushed his cock inside, and Chad watched him in the mirror with a slack mouth. Romeo didn't look back at him. His burning eyes were fixed on his cock slowly disappearing inside Chad's body. He groaned when he slid all the way in and lifted his eyes to the mirror. Their gazes locked as Romeo began rolling his hips, thrusting in and out, never breaking eye contact. Chad's skin exploded with goosebumps, and he conceded first, letting his eyes slide shut as sensation took over.

"Fuck, Romeo."

Romeo pressed his face into Chad's neck, taking him harder. It didn't matter that he'd come minutes before, Romeo punched another orgasm out of him before groaning into Chad's neck as he followed.

They found their way back to bed afterwards, and Chad fell asleep with his head on Romeo's chest, listening to his heart go from racing back to calm while thinking Romeo had it wrong.

Chad was the lucky one.

Romeo pressed a soft kiss to Chad's temple as he woke from their impromptu nap.

"I'm sorry about this morning, it's part of my routine. Magpies, breakfast, languages, gym, lunch, recipes, case files, cooking shows, dinner."

Romeo listed off his activities as if they were the most natural thing in the world. Domestic bliss while searching for someone to kill.

Chad smiled, struggling up in bed to rest against the headboard. "You more than made up for it."

Romeo sat up beside him and reached beneath the duvet to squeeze Chad's thigh.

"One more day." Chad said, watching carefully for Romeo's reaction.

"One more day."

Romeo narrowed his eyes at the dog bed in the corner of the bedroom. One of three beds in total. Romeo approved of the beds in the kitchen and living room, but the bedroom dog bed kept vanishing only to reappear after Chad had managed to find it in the house.

Chad had been counting down the days until Merc came home, gaging Romeo's feelings on the matter, but he'd been emotionless throughout.

"What time's your appointment with Keeley?"

"2:00. Do you want anything from town?"

Romeo pursed his lips, his eyes whipped back and forth as he thought. "A bird feeder."

"You are the bird feeder," Chad smirked.

"A freestanding one."

"Right." Chad sighed. It was always about the birds. Romeo's gaze pressed on him, and he glanced up and paused when Romeo's lips moved into a smile.

"If you want me to wake you up in a nice way, it'll come in handy for feeding the magpies in the morning and keeping me in bed for longer. Win-win for everyone."

"In that case, I'll buy two."

****

The session with Keeley flew by, mainly because the hot topic of conversation was Merc. Merc, just the thought of him, had already helped Chad. He was something to focus on that stopped the memories of Vincent Whitehall and Tate from taking over.

Keeley approved of a dog and rattled off a load of studies conducted that concluded dogs helped with depression, isolation, loneliness, and PTSD.

Chad nodded along and bit his tongue not to add his own hope for the new addition to his and Romeo's lives.

The cold cases he'd given Romeo were just that—cold. Either no evidence, or most of the players involved had already died, and although he didn't outwardly complain, Chad knew his craving—his need—itched away at his soul.

Chad hoped Merc would distract him from the longing to kill and make the time between murders more bearable.

He also hoped Merc would bond with Romeo. Chad had visited the rehoming center a few times, and they'd struck up a bond, but the day Merc came home would be the first day he'd meet Romeo. Sure, Merc had probably smelled Romeo's scent all over Chad, but it would be the first time he'd sniff Romeo from the source.

Dogs could sniff out drugs, money, cancer, but could they sniff out a serial killer, untainted by evidence, but a serial killer's genetic make-up?

Would Merc know after one sniff?

Would he growl, shake, or run the hell away?

"Chad!"

He blinked, snapping back to attention. He shuffled, eyeing Keeley leaning forward in her chair.

"Sorry?"

"I asked if you were okay?"

Chad nodded, rolling out the knots in his shoulders.

Of course, Merc wouldn't be able to detect Romeo's nature.

He was being stupid.

"I'm fine." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Just… I want him to like us."

"Who?"

"Merc," Chad frowned, before squeezing his brow. "I want him to like me and Frank."

"Ah, the new dog," Keeley smiled. "Is Frank a dog lover, too?"

"This will be his first one."

"I'm sure Frank will love him."

Chad checked the time on his phone and got to his feet. "Fingers crossed."

"Same time. Next week."

Keeley had offered him a session once a week again after Tate, and Chad had readily accepted.

It helped.

Chad nodded as Keeley tapped away on her laptop, writing up a few key notes from their session. He closed the door softly behind himself as he left her office, waved at the receptionist, then stepped outside. He took a deep breath of fresh air and turned his thoughts to birdfeeders as he crossed the car park.

It was bright compared to Keeley's mood-lit office and headrush assaulted him after sitting for so long on the couch.

A woman rushed past him with a pushchair. Her eyes were sunken, rimmed with black and her free brown hair lashed behind her in her haste to get across the car park. Her child, hidden by blankets, babbled away happily.

Chad smiled.

He'd shown Romeo strollers for dogs.

Romeo had growled that there was no way in hell they were getting one.

"Hey," Chad called out, spying the stuffed rabbit that had fallen from the pushchair. The woman didn't hear him and didn't stop. Chad swiped the rabbit off the floor, and jogged to catch up, only to skid to a halt at the pick-up truck in the corner of the car park.

He couldn't read the plate, but the truck shone a vibrant red, catching the stray sunbeams that managed to break through the thin clouds.

Chad stared at it.

He'd seen it before.

He'd seen it a lot in the past month.

So much so, that he'd convinced himself this pick-up truck was following him.

Keeley had tried to rationalize his paranoia.

He'd been noticing more and more red trucks, but not the same make or model. It was a coincidence, not a stalker and yet, Chad bristled at the touch of eyes.

Chad changed direction, heading straight towards it.

The engine rumbled into life, and the truck pulled away, slicing into traffic to the sound of furious car horns. Chad squinted, but he was still too far away to read the plate.

He curled his fingers into something soft before realizing he still had hold of the rabbit.

"Shit."

The woman had gone, and Chad could no longer hear the rattle of her pushchair.

He sighed, and studied the rabbit. Peter Rabbit. And by the intricate gold stitching, not a cheap one. He tugged Peter's blue waistcoat firmly around his body, then trudged back to his car.

The woman didn't reappear, and neither did the red truck.

Chad admitted defeat and drove home, only for Romeo to meet him on the doorstep with his arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

"Bird feeder?"

"Shit," Chad backed up. "I'll go get one."

Romeo caught his arm before Chad could escape. "Don't worry about it."

"But I want my nice wake up calls."

"How could I deny my Juliet anything," Romeo said, pulling Chad into the house. "I'll order a bird feeder online."

Chad's mouth dropped at the pile of chain spilling out of a delivery box in the entrance hall.

"Urm … Romeo?"

"It's for Mercutio." Romeo replied with a shrug.

"Chain?"

"And padlocks."

Chad picked a section of chain from the box, gaping at the weight. "What the hell?"

"Just in case he's vicious."

"We're not getting a goddamn werewolf, Romeo. He's a timid, sweet boy."

"Don't make me jealous."

Chad tried to shove the box with his foot, but it didn't budge. "Outhouse."

"Fine." Romeo leaned over to heave the box off the floor. "No need to be a grump about it."

He winked as he passed through the doorway.