7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kimble

Unwilling to strain his body while the sun was out when he didn’t need to, Kimble remained in the bed and listened as Cora and Pike talked in the other room. It was good that his flock was getting to know each other, but Cora’s question about his rescue of Pike pulled him deep into that moment.

He let himself fall into the vivid memory as Pike described that night to Cora.

Hunger. Always so much hunger.

The need to feed consumed him.

The driving hunger was so bad, he thought of himself as the personification of hunger. Since he couldn’t think of what name he must have possessed before instinct took over, Hunger was as good a name as any.

In an attempt to satiate his driving need, he’d fed on several people, but one of them had died and that scared him. The man had been scum, smelling of drugs and talking on the phone and threatening someone. He hadn’t meant to drain the human dry, but he couldn’t stop once he started.

Somewhere in his chaotic brain, he knew causing too many unexplained or strange deaths would mean he’d be hunted down. He didn’t want to die. He was feral, not suicidal.

He’d decided that if he found someone big enough, he might be able to feed without accidentally killing them. He’d been flying high in the night sky, searching for the largest person he could find. That’s when he’d spotted the massive shifter. It was clear from his bright aura that this was probably a type of bear shifter, giving Hunger hope for a good meal with no bad outcomes.

Dropping into a hidden spot not far away, he’d shifted to his human form. He planned to circle around the large male, but then a dozen angry nagas appeared, making him pause.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t easily defeat the nagas, but he didn’t want anyone to know about his existence. He couldn’t talk and had limited control. Slaughtering a dozen nagas would definitely be noticed.

Then the wind had shifted, and he caught the bear's scent at the same time he heard the large shifter pleading with the nagas to let him go. Something had snapped into place in his head, and he’d flown in to defend the bear.

It had taken no effort to scare the nagas off and then he was alone with the gorgeous, sweet-smelling shifter.

“Oh shit,” the bear said, pressing his back hard against his car. He talked fast, his voice full of fear. “Thanks for the rescue, but please don’t hurt me. My name is David Pike, and my parents would be really sad if I died. I have a lot of friends who call me Pike, and they’d be sad too. They might even try to avenge me, so you should probably keep yourself safe by leaving me alone.”

As much as he loved to hear this male talk, the worry in Pike’s voice was upsetting. He’d tried to speak soothing words, but only got one out.

“Flock,” he whispered, stepping up close to Pike.

“Flock?” Pike repeated, his body relaxing a little, and the fear faded from his face. “You think I’m your flock?”

“Flock,” he agreed.

Reaching out a hand, he cupped Pike’s cheek. The bear didn’t flinch, so he pressed his smaller body against the shifter. Pike’s warmth helped chase away the cold that had seeped into his bones. Some of the chaos in his mind calmed.

Pike leaned in close and pressed his nose into Kimble’s wild hair, breathing in deep. “Oh, you’re my mate.”

He knew that was important to shifters. It was rare for someone to refuse joining a vampire’s flock, but it could happen. It was a relief that both Pike’s human side and his inner bear were responding favorably to Hunger .

Pike wrapped his big arms around him, hugging tightly. The embrace felt so good, he couldn’t help the soft, content sound that came out of his mouth.

“Yeah, you feel good too,” Pike murmured. They stood there embracing for several minutes before Pike spoke again, his voice full of wonder. “I can’t believe I found my mate. Or I guess you found me.”

“Flock,” he repeated, agreeing with Pike. Desperate to say more, he focused on the swirling mass of thoughts and sensations. The right word finally popped into his head. “Sloneczko.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not English or Spanish,” Pike said with a little laugh. “I guess I’m going to be learning another language.”

Hunger pulled away from Pike and placed a hand on the bear shifter’s broad chest. “Sloneczko.”

“Is that your word for me?” Pike asked. “I like it. What’s your name?”

Hunger shook his head. He couldn’t pull anymore words from his mind. He petted Pike’s chest apologetically. “Hunger?”

“Is that your name or your state?” Pike asked with a frown. “Your eyes are red, and you’re having a hard time talking. Will blood fix you or is there something else wrong?”

When Hunger didn’t respond, Pike leaned over and bared his neck. “Take from me, my mate. Let me feed you.”

Hunger violently shook his head. As much as he needed blood, he’d never feed on his flock! Never!

Pike made a soothing sound. “You don’t want to take mine, that’s okay. We’ll find another way to get you blood.”

Hunger smiled up at Pike, relieved he understood. Pike didn’t see the smile; he was too busy taking in Hunger’s appearance.

“You’re a bit of a mess.”

He probably was, but that didn’t matter. He needed Pike to agree to a soul exchange, everything else could wait. Hunger moved in close and rose to his toes so he could press his lips to Pike’s. The big shifter gasped and then parted his lips.

His bear tasted like a star-lit night after a rain. Pure and sparkling .

There was such an immediate and strong connection between them that the kiss felt like they were meeting after a long parting, not kissing for the first time.

A need even greater than his desire for blood rose up inside him. Pressing his body against Pike, he reveled in the feel of the bear’s body. Shifters tended to be large and muscular, but Pike was even bigger and more muscled than average. The big shifter’s body grew hot, and Hunger could feel Pike’s massive cock getting hard in his jeans. Drawing his hands between them, he tugged at the closure of Pike’s pants, requesting permission.

Without breaking the kiss, Pike made a whimpering noise that Hunger took as agreement. After tugging the button open and the zipper down, Hunger reached into his boxer briefs and palmed Pike’s rapidly hardening cock. A pearl of precum smeared against his hand as he ran his finger up and down the length.

Shuddering, Pike moaned into his mouth. His hips moved a little as Hunger teased him with light touches and half strokes. Having Pike worked up and distracted would make the soul exchange easier. He wished he could make the bear shifter understand everything that was about to happen, but with his lack of language, it was impossible.

Pike had declared them mates, which meant their souls bonded the moment they touched. A soul exchange was only a small step beyond that.

When he tried to pull away and end the kiss, Pike made a sad sound and attempted to follow. A hand on his chest made the bear stop and straighten up.

“Please don’t stop,” Pike begged, his eyes glassy with need. Hunger made a comforting sound and reached up with his free hand to grip Pike’s chin while still stroking the bear’s massive cock with the other. Hunger held the man’s head still, staring deep into his eyes as he sent his magic into the bear. Going slow so he wouldn’t hurt the shifter, Hunger wrapped his power around Pike’s soul and gently separated a piece. Pike didn’t react until Hunger began pulling the piece into himself.

“What are you doing?” Pike asked, his eyes focused now, his erection deflating in Hunger’s hand. “It feels like you're tugging something out of me that’s pulling on my whole aura.”

In an attempt to distract Pike, Hunger started stroking the bear again. Pike moaned and shivered from the touch, his eyes never leaving Hunger’s.

Easing the piece of Pike’s soul from his body, Hunger folded it into his own soul. Pike whimpered and shook, his body getting cold even as his cock stayed hard.

“I feel weird,” he whispered.

If Hunger didn’t act quickly, Pike would feel more than weird. Separating a piece of Pike’s soul left a hole in his aura, causing him to bleed magic. Uncaring of his own discomfort, Hunger was far less gentle with himself. Ripping a piece of his own soul off, he ignored the agony and focused on feeding it gently into Pike. It was delicate work made harder by having to keep his hand moving on Pike’s throbbing dick at the same time.

The moment that bit of soul touched Pike’s, the bear’s soul sucked it in, and his aura was whole. Their bond as vampire and flock snapped into place and power surged between them.

Pike threw back his head and cried out as he spurted hot jets of cum all over Hunger’s hand. Hunger continued to stroke Pike through his orgasm until the shifter’s head dropped, and his shoulders slumped.

“It’s never been like that,” Pike mumbled, moving Hunger’s hand off his cock so he could wrap his long, thick arms around the vampire. He hugged Hunger tightly, breathing hard and covered in sweat. “What did you do to me? I feel different.”

Hunger said nothing, only hugged Pike back and enjoyed the sense of peace that came with a successful soul bond.

“I guess you can’t answer me,” Pike murmured. “Whatever it was, I love it. I can feel you in the back of my head. Like a happy presence humming. I’ve never felt so loved before.”

Joy exploded in Hunger. Yes, that was what he wanted, his flock to feel loved and safe. It was too bad that at this perfect moment, Hunger started to fade. He could feel the fatigue in his body threatening to drown him. He’d been starved before meeting Pike, but the energy he expended creating the soul bond had taken the last of his small reserve of energy.

“Flock,” he whispered before he felt his body go limp.

“My mate!” Pike cried out, using the hug to awkwardly pick Hunger up. He held Hunger for several seconds, worry coming across clearly in their link. Hunger tried to send him reassuring thoughts.

Pike shifted his body so the vampire was cradled in the bear’s arms. He was staring at Hunger, his mouth turned down in a worried frown. Hunger tried to push thoughts of love through their link as he watched Pike through half-lidded eyes. His hunger might have made him weak, but he was content at the moment.

“I think you need blood. I can feel you in my head, happy but hungry.” With Hunger still in his arms, he turned and managed to open the back door of the car. He gently laid Hunger across the long bench seat of the ancient Cadillac, bundling up a sweatshirt to act as a pillow.

“Rest, my mate. I’m going to change the tire and then I’ll take us home.”

That sounded good to Hunger. He’d been alone so long he’d forgotten what it was like to have someone in his life who cared if he lived or died. He tried to smile up at Pike, even as his eyes refused to remain open.

“You need a name,” Pike murmured, using another sweatshirt as a blanket. “I guess I’ll call you Kimble until you can tell me different.”

Kimble. Hunger liked that. A new name for a new era.

“Nine months later, and he still can only say a few words at a time, and his eyes are as red as the day we met,” Pike concluded, pulling Kimble out of the memory. He heard the sadness in the bear's voice and wished he could make Pike understand that Kimble had come a long way because of Pike’s hard work, dedication, and love. His mind was far less chaotic, and he could even think in clear sentences sometimes.

When he was completely back to himself, he’d shower Pike with words! He’d talk so much the shifter would wish he was mute again.

“It’s romantic that he rescued you and then you rescued him,” Cora commented. “But how can you be fated mates with more than one person?”

“It’s uncommon,” Pike said. “But not unheard of. And if I’m fated to a vampire, it would almost guarantee I’d have at least one more fated mate out there.”

“Wouldn’t you rather have another bear shifter?” Cora asked, the insecurity clear in her voice .

“Never,” Pike answered without hesitation. “I couldn’t ask for a more beautiful or fierce mate. I think you’re tougher than a lot of shifters I know. When we were on our way to rescue you, Mac and Lex told me what happened in that alley. Did you really pepper spray a vampire?”

Cora chuckled. “Only after I kicked a guy in the balls. It didn’t do any good though, Imani and I still ended up in Vincent’s basement.”

Pike shook his head. “You have the will to fight and with the right tools, you could be as deadly as any of us.”

“I like tools,” Cora murmured, sounding pleased.

Although he was determined to always be around to protect his human, he could hear the eagerness in her voice at the idea of owning weapons that would make her competitive in this new magical world she’d fallen into.

It would take some difficult trading, but Kimble knew exactly what he needed to get her.