Epilogue

KILLIAN

Three months later

After the train to New Mexico, Beau and I bought an RV. I'm not a fan of living in a box on wheels, but the freedom to drive all over the country is worth it. I've had a few sparks of memory, but nothing definite. And I've honestly stopped trying. My past isn't as important as my future. And my future is with Beau.

We make the trip to Idaho with the understanding that if anything feels hokey—Beau's word—we'll leave. Hope is in the northern part of the state, and according to Wikipedia, it has less than five thousand people, not counting the almost constant influx of tourists. It's close to Diamond Peak, the highest peak in the Lemhi Range. The mountains are stunning and my theropod wants to play.

Even though I'm the dinosaur, Beau knows way more than me. These last three months have been amazing as we've explored the country and each other.

"Stop staring at the mountains and help me find this place. Jesus. Why is it so freaking cold?"

Beau misses the weather of his hometown. But he's adapting. And he has me to keep him warm.

It's not even cold enough for snow yet. But I can't wait. I love snow. I hold in my gasp as memories flutter past. Playing in the snow. A young girl with long dark braids laughing and throwing a snowball. The cold hitting my face and sliding under my shirt. An ache I haven't felt in a while hits me, and I must make a sound because Beau's eyes shoot toward me. "Are you okay, cher?"

I nod, not wanting to tell him about the memory. Not yet. But we've discussed?—

"Are you breaking our agreement, Killian?"

Laughing, I lean over to kiss his cheek. "I couldn't keep secrets from you if I wanted. Just a memory. A strong one. Of a little girl. I don't know who she is, but I…care about her."

Beau has this idea that if I find my family from before, I'll forget about him. Impossible. Truly impossible.

"After this meet and greet with Austyn, maybe we can look for her. Or maybe he's got a way to fix your memories."

I'm not getting my hopes up, but I squeeze his hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the sign for Hope and give a shout. "There!"

We pull off Highway 200 and look for Austyn's shop. We find it at the edge of town, away from the day-to-day traffic.

"Strange place to put a business." Beau winks at me.

"Unless your customers are all dinosaurs."

"Do you think they'll allow me in the shop?"

"They better," I say, my growl ready at the thought.

The bell chimes when we enter. And when no alarms go off, Beau lets out a sigh.

"Welcome! Feel free to browse and touch the clothes."

The man greeting us is stunning. Jet black hair and black glittering eyes dramatically highlighted with eyeliner and silver eyeshadow. His eyes glide over me. "That's the only way to know for sure if you like something. You have to touch it first."

He smiles, and I'm fairly sure he's flirting with me. Especially since Beau's hand is now in mine and he's clearing his throat. Loudly.

"Rad," another man says sharply. "Go stock something." The new guy has blond hair and blue eyes and matches the picture on the card Walter gave us. This must be Austyn.

"I've stocked everything."

"Find something to do other than scare the customers."

"He doesn't look scared to me." Rad smiles, and it's so friendly that I smile back.

A sharp pain in my side has me jerking away from Beau's fingers. "Ow."

He gives me a pointed look and nods to Austyn. Right. We're here for a reason.

"Are you Austyn Burkes?" I ask, ignoring Rad's grin and Beau's glares.

"Yes. Can I help you with something?"

"Um…Walter sent us."

His smile slips away. "Then no. Don't know any Austyns. Sorry."

I frown and glance at Beau, who rolls his eyes and steps forward. I'm always relieved when Beau takes charge. I still take things way too literally. And I'm not sure if that's my personality or a result of the amnesia. Although there are times when I love taking charge of Beau. But thinking of that now would probably just get me in trouble.

"Funny. Your name is right there on the door. I'm Beau Tremere. And this big lug is my boyfriend, Killian." He leans closer. "And he's a Llukalkan aliocranianus, so there's that. I'm surprised the little bugger didn't mention us."

"Oh, he did." Austyn tilts his head to study me and then Beau. "Three months ago. I gave up on you."

"Sorry." Beau does not sound sorry. At all. "But Walter was a bit of an ass, and we don't trust him."

Austyn studies us some more and then visibly relaxes. "Any enemy of Walter's is a friend of mine. Let's chat." He motions for us to follow him. "Rad, cover the front."

"What if your boyfriend comes in?"

Austyn whips around to glare at him. "He's not—stop saying that." Then he pauses, his hand still in the air. "But let me know if Tate wanders in. You'll need backup."

Backup?

At my confused look, Austyn chuckles. "Tate is a sweetheart but so damn clumsy." He waves his hand at the mannequins. "He can wipe out half the floor display in less than a minute."

Once we're in Austyn's office, each with a cup of coffee, we tell our story. Austyn listens and even jots things down. Which is reassuring for some reason.

"Well," Beau asks once we're finished. "Can you help us?"

He puts his pencil down and takes a sip of his coffee. "Depends on what you want help with. Clothes? Absolutely—him, I mean," he says, nodding to me, "not you."

He explains how his clothes are made of a special material that almost breathes with the wearer. Durable but easy to remove when needed.

"That's amazing. I definitely want that. I try to be careful, but I've ruined so many clothes."

I mourned the loss of Beau's fortnight shirt months ago. Maybe we should have come here first.

"Great, and don't worry, I'll be the one measuring you. Rad seems a little too eager."

I smile at Beau, who's trying hard to hold his tongue. "Thank you."

"Humans don't like the feel of my clothes, which works perfectly to keep them out of the shop." His eyes dart to Beau's. "No offense."

"None taken. I can barely stand humans myself."

Austyn chuckles. "I also help shifters accept their dino side, although I think you've got that figured out. They call me the—" His voice drops off and his cheeks tinge pink.

"What?"

He shrugs as if it's no big deal. "The Dino Whisperer."

"Oh my God," Beau says, clapping his hands. "That's amazing. I love it."

Austyn's smile lights up the room. Does he not feel appreciated for his work? Do people even pay him? This is a shop, right?

"We have money," I say, and Beau kicks me under the table. "Ow."

I glare at him, and he glares right back. I know what he's thinking. We have money, but these clothes look expensive.

"Whatever you can pay is fine," Austyn reassures us with a smile. "I don't do this for the money."

"Why do you do it?" Beau asks, and I know he's just curious. That's my Beau. But Austyn's smile slips until it's no longer real.

"That's more info than you get on the enemies-of-my-enemy discount plan, Mr. Tremere."

"Doctor."

Austyn glances at me. "What?"

"He's a doctor, so his name is Dr. Tremere."

Beau flushes a deep red. "Killian, stop. It's fine."

"Not really. You are a doctor?—"

" The Dr. Tremere?" Austyn asks, leaning closer to look at Beau. "No. You can't be. You're too young."

Beau sighs. "My father is Dr. Jason Tremere."

"The renowned paleontologist?"

"Well, at home, we just call him the asshole who bailed when I was five . But yeah. Him."

"Sorry," Austyn says, his hands waving like he's unsure what to do with them. "He's just—sorry. Was there anything else you needed?"

Austyn takes a deep breath while waiting for us to respond. I want to ask him what he means. Ask more about Beau's father. I thought he'd passed away. But those questions would get me another kick from Beau, and not a gentle one.

"I mentioned my amnesia. Have you heard of that before?"

"No. Sorry. But I have some meditation techniques that can help you relax?—"

I'm already shaking my head. How could that help?

Beau puts his hand over mine and squeezes. "We'll try it. If you think it might help. Right, Killian?' His eyes are warm. Trusting. Caring. How could I ever say no?

"Right."

We wrap up after that. Austyn takes my measurements, and we set a time for me to pick up the clothes the next day. Which seems fast to me. He also tells us of several good places to go to next that are conducive to being a dinosaur part of the time. "But don't tell me. The fewer people who know, the better. I don't trust Mr. Jacobs—Walter's boss."

"I thought that was Petroni," Beau says.

"Fuck no. That man is a moron."

I heartily agree.

As we're leaving the shop, a big guy walks in. Not muscular but well-padded with sandy-brown hair and brown eyes. He smiles at Austyn but doesn't meet his eyes. This must be Tate. But it's Austyn's reaction that surprises me. He almost melts with a warm smile on his face.

Rad rolls his eyes. "Best get out while it's safe," he says quietly. A crash behind us spurs us out the door.

Austyn also recommended a quiet spot to stay the night. It doesn't have RV hookups, but our privacy is more important, so we make do. And by that, I mean we cook a meal over a campfire, and I let my dino out to roam.

Beau loves watching me. He's never afraid I'll hurt him, which is something I can't say. That's my biggest fear. That I'll get too rough. Not on purpose. That's the reason I always shift first. The need to claim Beau is too strong. If I shift during…those are the thoughts that hold me back. And Beau hates it when I hold back. So, letting my dino explore and play before I get to explore and play is the compromise we can all live with.

I'm no longer weak and disoriented after a shift, and for that, I'm grateful. After my shift to human form, I run my fingers through my long hair and stalk back to our campsite. I've eaten twice already. Once with Beau and once as my therapod. I'm hungry again, but this time for my mate. Beau watches me as I approach, his eyes bright with excitement.

When I'm about twenty feet away, he smiles. "Hey, gorgeous."

"Hey, beautiful."

"Catch me if you can."

And then he's off. Beau is fast, but he's no match for me. I give him a head start, and then I run after him. He's easy to track—by scent and by his laugh. We have training sessions where I show him how to actually get away from a predator. How to mask his scent. Where to hide. It's not only protection against me, if ever needed, but against anything else out there.

This, however, is not that. Beau wants to be found. He's counting on it.

I race through the grass, weaving between the trees and not bothering to be quiet. My senses are dulled in human form but still superior. I catch his scent and swivel left, going around a large Douglas Fir. He squeaks when I grab him and throw him over my shoulder. He pounds on my back with his fists, but he's still laughing, so I know he's playing his role of prey. But I also have a role to play.

I pull his joggers down and slap his ass. Jeans are fun to open, but I've ruined too many of them. I slap his ass again to hear his yelp and cover it with my hand to hold him down. It's not necessary, but this way, I can run my thumb over his crack and into the space between his legs. The sounds he makes has me scouting out a spot as soon as possible.

The area is beautifully covered in lush green grass. But instead of the ground, I push him against a large tree with a white trunk. "Stay," I growl.

Beau's eyes are wide, but it's all an act. "Don't hurt me," he says, biting his lip. Such a temptress.

"Hurt? No. Devour?" I let my eyes roam over him, from his hair, wild from the hunt, to his body, partly exposed and already excited for me. "Yes."

"Then fucking do it already, big guy."

I planned on taking my time. Teasing him. Peeling his clothes off slowly. But Beau knows how to push me. I growl and tear his shirt from his body, buttons flying everywhere.

"I loved that shirt," he says with a pout, but I know better. This was his plan all along.

This tree is smoother than most, but I leave his shirt on so he doesn't get scratched up. It takes one quick motion for me to get his pants down, and then he's toeing his shoes off to finish the job. I thrust my leg between his and pin him to the tree. He moans as I rub against him. My fingers gather the locks of his hair greedily, and I yank on them to expose his exquisite neck to my bite. It's barely there, with just enough pain to pull another moan. His cock is hot as it throbs against my leg.

"Where were you going, my tasty little rabbit?"

"Please…"

I lick his neck and nip at his collarbone as my hand slides down his chest, caressing him one moment and grabbing the next. Pleasure and pain. Pulling his nipple. Grabbing his hip. Caressing his lower back. I slip my middle finger into the crack of his ass as he humps my leg. His hole is slick and wet. Ready for me.

"Such a good little rabbit."

I reward him by pushing my finger slightly in. He whimpers, and my control is gone. Beau is light and easy to manhandle, something he definitely enjoys. I pick him up, and he wraps his legs around my waist.

"I hope you're ready, my little rabbit." And just like the first time, I position him over my cock and push all the way in. There's no resistance, thanks to Beau's preparations. He likes it rough, but I don't want to hurt him. And he defers to me. He's still unbelievably tight, and I pause for a second, not wanting it to be over.

He kisses my cheek. My chin. My mouth. "What's the matter? Can't keep up with a little rabbit?"

My hands tighten on his hips as I pull out and drive my cock into his hole over and over. His skin is slick with sweat, and I lick his face and kiss his mouth. "Come for me, little rabbit."

He shakes his head, his mouth pressed together. His eyes squeezed shut. A battle of wills.

I shift again, holding him with one hand. Still keeping my rhythm, I slide my thumb against his rim. Right at the point where we're joined.

"Killian, oh my God."

I massage his balls, rolling them in my big hand. His cock is engorged and leaking, and I want so much to taste him, but that will have to be round two.

"Come for me," I growl, wrapping my hand around his cock and stroking while still plundering his ass.

He cries out as he sprays cum all over my hand and his body. And that's all I need. Knowing my Beau is taken care of. I let go with a roar, and for a moment, I let the savage in me finish fucking my mate, claiming him until I'm spent and on the ground with Beau's arms around me.

As I return to reality, I check him over. Even though my dino doesn't come out, I'm still capable of hurting him. "All you all right? Did I hurt you?"

He grins. A lazy smile full of mischief. "A few bruises. Especially at the end."

"God, Beau?—"

He slaps a hand over my mouth. "Don't you dare apologize. That's my favorite part."

I wanted to wait until I could present him with the real Killian—hell, I don't even know my own name. But I can't wait any longer. The words spill out before I can stop them. "I love you, Beau. More than anything in this world."

His eyes fill with tears. "I love you too."

"Even though I destroy things?"

"No one's perfect."

"And I always end up naked?"

"I especially like the naked part."

"And I don't know who I am or what my name is? What if everything you believe about me is a lie?"

"I don't care about that, Killian." Beau's eyes are locked on mine, and I can see the truth of his words. "I know who you are in here."

He places his hand over my heart, reminding me of the first day we met. "That's all the truth I'll ever need."

Thank you for reading!