Chapter 6

Six

Kaleb watched Charlie explore his house, those pretty blue eyes wide and wondering. It made him feel ten feet tall and bulletproof.

Hank was running off in all directions, some kind of electronic doohickey in hand, apparently trying to measure ghost activity, which left him and Charlie mostly to themselves, the dogs following Hank's treats.

"This place is magical… I mean, look at it. Where are you… Are you going to have parties in the ballroom?"

"I have no idea. Maybe I'll just roller skate in there." Kaleb looked around the grand hall that led back to the billiard room, ballroom, and omegas' lounge. "Do you think there are more secret passages that we don't know about?"

"I guarantee Hank is knocking right now," Charlie warned.

"That's okay."

"I can't believe this place. It's so beautiful."

"There are amazing bones under the dust and the scaffolding. I had to buy it. I mean, I didn't even come see it first. It called to me." Kaleb ran a hand over some woodwork, and he thought he heard Charlie swallow hard. When he glanced up, though, no one was looking.

"I'm so glad someone's going to love it. This is a house for a huge family. Laughter and love."

"It is, huh? It's kind of sad that's never happened up here. Not according to the history." Kaleb sobered a little. The history was pretty grim.

"No? That's awful. I—I can't imagine being here all alone…"

"They say the oil or timber or whatever baron killed his omega."

Something caught the corner of his vision. He looked but didn't see anything.

"Was that Hank? It didn't seem like Hank. That's awful. Why? Why not just let him leave?"

Had Charlie seen what he saw?

"I don't know. Maybe people just didn't break up back then." Kaleb frowned at the window, which was weird, because if it was Hank, he was out in the hall…

"What's wrong? Are the dogs out?" Charlie frowned at the hallway, eyebrows lowered.

If it was, why was Hank loitering out there. Out the window? Wasn't he upstairs?

"No. I think they're with Hank upstairs." Kaleb moved across the room.

"No, I think Hank is—" Charlie went the other way, his voice fading. "Dammit, Hank, what's wrong?"

"Is someone out there?" He thought he could hear Charlie talking, but he was focused on finding out what was outside the window. There had to be wrongness for Charlie to act like this.

His omega hated being alone up here in the mountains. Everyone in town said so…

"Hank! Hank, where are you? Why are you running?"

"Charlie? Charlie, why are you outside?" Kaleb tried to find Charlie, but he couldn't.

"I'm not outside! I'm here."

Too bad he didn't know where here was.

"Ezekiel? Is that you?" He heard a voice calling, deep and almost…angry? Was that his voice?

"Who?" He heard a frisson of worry, of panic. His omega was hiding. He knew it. Someone was hunting him.

"Charlie?"

"Ezekiel?"

He shook his head. How was there fog inside a house? Snow? How was this so confusing?

"Trinity? Neo? Pups, can you find Charlie?"

He heard a rough bark, a booming sound that just woke up something in him. He followed the sound, and soon he knew he was close, his vision starting to clear.

"Oh, guys. I was so scared," he heard Charlie whisper. "I got turned around."

"Charlie?" Kaleb felt about as confused as Charlie sounded.

"Sorry. Sorry, I was following Hank and I got turned around."

"I thought you were outside. Scared me." Kaleb appeared in the hall where Charlie stood looking out the window, and Kaleb realized it was an awful long way down.

"How did you get up here?"

"I don't know. The dogs led me to you." Kaleb grabbed Charlie, hugging him tight. "That was weird as hell."

"Yeah. Yeah, it was scary." He held on tight, his heart pounding violently. He was pretty sure Charlie would be able to feel it through his ribs. "Whoo. So, this old place really echoes, right? Hank moving around got us all confused." Kaleb put a finger under Charlie chin to lift his face up. "Are you okay?"

"I am. I'm sorry. I just… I think I panicked."

"I'm glad. I'm not sure I'm okay." Those eyes looked a little wild. Kaleb smiled for him, but something serious was going on.

"Not sure you're…" Charlie trailed off, lifting his face.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I'm not sure I'm sorry." He wanted Charlie to see this coming.

"Oh."

"I want to kiss you."

Charlie nodded, teeth working his bottom lip. "I know. You're not a guest anymore…"

"I'm not. So is this okay?" He bent, his lips hovering over Charlie's while he waited for an answer. He wanted to go all alpha and control the situation, but Charlie demanded more care.

"Uh-huh…" Charlie looked dazed, but it was him who made the last push, who pressed his lips to Kaleb's.

Kaleb stifled a moan, because he'd been dreaming about this, and he didn't want to overwhelm Charlie right out of the gate. He did put his hand on Charlie's nape, stroking but not holding as he deepened the kiss.

Charlie's hand wrapped around his waist, and he swore lightning shot up his spine.

Kaleb grunted, taking the kiss to another place, his hand cupping the back of Charlie's head. He tasted Charlie with his tongue, pushing just deep enough to tease them both.

Charlie's moan was soft as silk, the sound brushing his ears.

His breath hitched, and he slowly slid his other hand down under Charlie's butt, pulling them closer together. Kaleb lost himself in Charlie's taste, in the feel of his warm body.

There wasn't a hint of hesitation, no, in fact Charlie was firming in his jeans.

Oh, hallelujah.

He pushed one leg between Charlie's, reveling in that hardness, wanting Charlie to have something to lean on, and he was about to push Charlie back against the closest wall when they heard a sharp bark followed by a call.

"Charlie? Kaleb? Are you all right? I'm a little lost!"

Hank.

"Oh. We have to help him." Charlie almost whimpered.

"What floor are you on, Hank?" He did not snarl. Nope. No snarling. That would make Charlie think he'd done something wrong.

"The third?"

"That's one floor up." He took Charlie's hand, not wanting to get separated again. "We should go get him."

"Yeah. Together." Charlie went with him, and they ended up on the third floor, Hank standing in a long hallway that reached all along the house.

"Hey. You okay?" Hank looked like…like maybe he'd seen a ghost, so to speak. He hoped not. Because damn.

"Yes. I got lost. Sorry." Charlie found a smile for Hank. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I got all turned around." Hank shrugged, but Kaleb thought he seemed way more concerned about the house than he'd expected to be. "Remind me to make folks use the buddy system from now on in your house, Kaleb. That means you, specifically, Charlie."

"Will do." He shook his head. "Who wants a Coke or something? We can regroup in the RV."

"I'd love a Coke, and I want to totally come up here with Stone and do a podcast."

"Anytime. Though I think you're right. No one goes in and out alone until I get more lights and stuff fixed up in there." That had been wild. So much weirdness.

"Do you still…" Charlie's cheeks went bright red.

Kaleb took Charlie's hand, not afraid to let Hank see how it was. "I want to see you. No matter what." He stole another soft kiss. "And we can work on the house together."

Because this was his lover, his omega, and he knew it. He just needed to create a safe place for them.

Hank cleared his throat as Charlie blinked at him. "Well, this definitely calls for a drink, even if it's nonalcoholic."

"I—I could have a drink…" Charlie gave him a warm, if shaky, smile.

"Come on, you two. Trin! Neo! Come on. Outside-outside." His dogs met them on the stairs, and they all headed out.

What a weird trip that had been, but he couldn't complain. It had brought Charlie to him, and he didn't think Charlie was scared of him at all.

Maybe he could get even closer. Soon.