Chapter Seven

Warner could hardly believe what he'd witnessed, but he was literally riding the proof. The tales his mother had told him while dying of cancer had all been true. Well, Warner assumed they were all true, but either way, he knew at least one of them was—shifters were real.

Sprawling on Geoff's back while the huge man was in animal form—a massive nine-foot-plus long and probably fifteen-hundred-pound leatherback sea turtle, just wow—Warner enjoyed coasting through the cool waters of the underground lake. He'd been impressed with the huge space even before Geoff had confirmed his mother's stories of men and women who could turn into animals whenever they wanted. The elevator opened to a platform overlooking a large body of water in a huge cavern lit up by recessed lighting high overhead.

Sliding his palms over Geoff's huge leather-like carapace, Warner reveled in the ability to do so. The turtle's flesh lived up to its name. Geoff's turtle was the only non-crocodilian reptile that didn't have a shell. Instead, a thick, oily, leather-like substance covered its body.

Truly stunning!

Geoff had explained that, as a shifter, he was larger than those of the natural variety. He'd assured him that he would know exactly who Warner was and what he meant to him, even while in animal form. Then Geoff had explained who exactly that was to him. Warner was his mate, the other half of his soul, the one person alive on the planet that Geoff could mate with, twining their life-threads.

The fact that Geoff claimed he was over three hundred years old had nearly blown Warner's mind. His mother hadn't told him about the longevity of shifters. She'd only said that they existed, hiding in plain sight, and had explained a little about their abilities and characteristics—stronger, faster, and hardier than humans, with the ability to turn into their animal at will while being completely cognizant in that form.

Geoff had proved that by using his large turtle head and neck to urge Warner to ride him.

Warner could imagine himself whiling away many a lazy evening swimming with the massive turtle.

Except now, I have some other things I want to do.

Having never had sex and hearing how devoted Geoff claimed he would be, Warner wondered how to ask for that from the man. He rubbed his palms over Geoff's back while calling, "Um, you said you control your shift, right?"

Warner tried to squelch his feeling of unease at talking to an animal. To his pleasure, the turtle curved his neck and peered at him. The beast even tipped and bobbed its head in a nod.

Wow! So cool!

Smiling at the turtle, Warner told him, "So, uh, I have some more questions. Do you think we can, um..." He paused and pointed at the shore. "Uh, can we talk some more?"

Immediately, the turtle used its huge flippers and tail to turn them and head toward shore.

As soon as they were close, Warner slid off the side of the turtle's back. His feet dipped into the several feet of water, hitting the sand beneath it. The cool saltwater splashed up his body, soaking his bandages.

Hissing, Warner began hurrying through the water. The salt in the water caused stings to flood through his backside. "God, so stupid," he muttered. When they'd entered the water, Warner had already been on the turtle's back, and he'd barely gotten wet. Straddling Geoff's turtle, only his lower legs had hit the water while his mate swam him around the lake.

The fact that Goeff had been caring for him, even in animal form, hit him, and even while hurting, he felt a kernel of warmth fill his belly.

Okay. Maybe I only have one question.

Warner spotted the bubbling churn of water as he hurried to the beach. Before he'd even gotten out of the water, he felt himself being swept into Geoff's arms. The large male peered at him with concern as they exited the lake.

"Are you okay, Warner?" Geoff's features were pinched as he took in his wet clothes. "You should have stayed on my back, my mate. I would have cleared us of the water."

"I know, Goeff." Warner reached up and cradled the big man's goateed jaw, hoping to soothe the concern from his features. "So, I'm your mate, huh?"

Geoff froze, standing on the beach, peering down at him with a mixture of need and uncertainty.

Warner smiled as he petted his jaw again. "I'm your mate? The other half of your soul? The one meant to be with you and bond with you?"

Nodding slowly, Geoff confirmed, "Yes. You're my mate." His large torso expanded and contracted as he took in a deep breath and let it out just as slowly. "Yes, to all that." As if Geoff was worried that Warner was about to reject him, he hurriedly added, "And I've been searching for you and looking forward to meeting your needs for centuries." Geoff stared at him beseechingly as he practically begged, "Please give me a chance. Please let me prove that I can be the man for you."

Wrapping his arms around Geoff's neck, Warner smiled up at him. "Got a question."

Geoff nodded. "I'll answer anything."

"How do we bond?"

After a gasp, his brows shooting up to his forehead, Geoff stared at him in shock. That had obviously not been what the man had been expecting. Warner would have felt embarrassed by his forwardness, but then a hungry smile curved Geoff's features.

"Sex and blood," Geoff told him huskily. "I'll give you as much pleasure as I can before filling you with my seed." His gaze strayed to Warner's neck. "Then I'll bite your neck, claiming you, leaving my mark on the outside, too." Snapping his focus back to Warner's eyes, Geoff claimed, "You'll come from it, my mate. Spill from the pleasure of it."

Deciding his mother must have told him about paranormals for a reason, Warner took a leap of faith. He smiled up at Geoff as he teased his fingers over his neck.

"Yes, please."

Upon hearing those simple words, Geoff sprinted up the stairs, still naked as the day he was born, causing Warner to laugh with delight.

* * * *

Geoff couldn't believe his good fortune. His mate had not only known about shifters, but after a short conversation, he'd accepted them, accepted him . Plus, swimming with his mate had been amazing.

Note to self, talk to Warner about our need for secrecy.

Reaching the elevator, Geoff pushed that thought out of his mind as he hit the button and the doors opened with a ding. He carried his human inside and hit the three button. His thoughts were consumed with taking Warner to his place on the third floor so he could claim his amazing mate.

When they stopped and the door opened, Kayson stood there. His green eyes widened as he took them in. Then he burst out laughing while taking a step back and sweeping his hand in a go ahead motion.

Geoff curled his lip and snarled even as he fled past the laughing fellow shifter. As he hurried to his place, he heard the manta ray shifter holler, "Congratulations!"

After gaining entry to his place, Geoff rushed to his bedroom... after being sure to lock his door behind him. He reverently settled his mate on the bed. Staring down at Warner, Geoff felt his breath catch in his chest as the enormity of the moment hit him.

My mate. My virgin mate. Mine and only ever mine for all time.

Geoff's heartrate spiked. Arousal surged through his veins. His cock twitched from where it jutted from his groin, thick and heavy. He even felt beads of sweat break out on his temples.

"I-Is everything o-okay?" Warner asked, sounding uncertain. He even crossed one arm over his chest to grip his opposite forearm as if shielding himself. Looking away, Warner mumbled, "Did you, um, change your mind?"

"Hell, no," Geoff growled, reaching for Warner's feet. "I'll never change my mind about claiming you." While working off Warner's shoes and socks, Geoff smiled heatedly at his mate. "Just reveling in the knowledge that you're here, with me, in my bed. Accepting me." As he skimmed his palms up Warner's jeans-clad legs, massaging lightly, he admitted, "Want to make this so good for you, sweetheart. Want to make you fly."

Warner blushed, peering at him from beneath his lashes even as he lifted his arms when Geoff gripped the hem of his polo shirt. "What, um—" He paused as Geoff carefully eased the fabric up his body and over his head, being careful of the bandages covering his back and left side. "What do I need to do?"

"Just lie there and enjoy," Geoff told him, tossing the shirt aside. He lowered his head and pressed a light peck to Warner's lips. Smiling down at his mate, Geoff urged, "Let me take care of everything."

After licking his lips, Warner replied with a nod and, "O-Okay."

Geoff's need soared as he reached under the pillow to Warner's left. He grabbed the lube from beneath it—he'd used it to jack off the evening before, twice—and placed it beside his mate's hip. Teasing his fingers along the little bit of extra padding Warner had around his middle, Geoff nuzzled his goatee hairs against his mate's left nipple before sucking the bud into his mouth, offering light pressure.

Warner moaned and arched, pushing into Geoff's ministrations. His mate let out the most erotic noises as he licked and nipped his way to his opposite nipple. At the same time, Geoff made quick work of his new and forever lover's fly, unbuttoning and unzipping it.

Lifting his head, Geoff took a moment to strip Warner of his jeans, leaving him only in his underwear. Never had he seen a more provocative sight than his mate in just his tighty-whities. Warner lay sprawled before him, his face and chest flushed, his nipples swollen from his sucking, and his erection tenting the fabric, betraying his blatant arousal.

Moaning softly, Geoff gripped the base of his dick in a tight hold, stemming the way his balls threatened to lift. "Fuck," he hissed, reveling in the view. "You're gorgeous, sweetheart. Absolutely gorgeous."

Even the bandages peeking along his left side couldn't detract from the heady sight. Although it did remind Geoff that his mate needed a little extra gentleness.

"Y-You really think so?" Warner asked, his voice husky and low.

Chuckling roughly, Geoff jacked his impressive length, drawing attention to it. "Oh, yeah, Warner," he confirmed as he felt himself leak a bead of pre-cum. "Look at what you do to me, baby. Got me so hard with my need for you."

"Then take me," Warner whispered. His sexy mate even spread his legs. "I love the feel of your hands on me." As Warner spoke his admission, the slightest hint of embarrassment filled the room. Still, he continued gamely, "I want more. I want you."

"You'll have me, my mate," Geoff assured, gripping the waistband of Warner's briefs. "Forever and ever."

Then Geoff slid the last of Warner's clothing from him, baring his beautiful prick to his gaze. The pretty length stood proudly from his groin, jutting from a nest of strawberry blond curls. As Geoff tossed the underwear off the side of the bed, his mouth watered for a taste of the seven-plus-inch dick before him.

Seeing no need to deny himself, Geoff bent close. He opened his mouth, stuck out his tongue, and swiped up Warner's length. Geoff relished the sound of his mate's sharp cry of pleasure almost as much as the masculine flavor of his smooth flesh. When he reached the cap, he wrapped his lips around it and swiped his tongue across the circumcised head.

Warner groaned with obvious delight, and his hips bucked.

Geoff easily took Warner's length, welcoming his mate's prick into the back of his throat. As his lover relaxed back onto the bed, he grabbed the lube and poured a healthy dollop onto his fingers. When Geoff swallowed his human's dick to the root once more, swallowing around the head to massage the sensitive flesh, Geoff utilized centuries of experience and touched his fingertip to his human's muscled opening.

Sucking strongly, Geoff began to blow Warner in earnest. He reveled in his mate's whimpers, cries, and moans. At the same time, Geoff eased his forefinger into his mate's body. With unerring accuracy, he easily found Warner's prostate and rubbed over the bundle of nerves.

Gasping, Warner moaned, crying Geoff's name.

Smiling around Warner's piece of meat, loving the sound of his name on his mate's lips, Geoff sped up his ministrations as Warner began fucking his mouth in earnest. He took advantage of his pretty human's clear distraction and slid a second finger in beside the first. Working Warner's pleasure nub, Geoff eased his fingers in and out, over and over, and two fingers quickly became three.

Hearing Warner cry out, the noise one of clear ecstasy, Geoff felt his mate's prick jerk and swell in his mouth. That was the only warning he had before his mouth was filled with the tasty goodness of Warner's release. Geoff eased up a little, still sucking strongly, and enjoyed the next pulse on his tongue.

Geoff let out a groan of his own as he processed the delicious, slightly salty and tangy taste of his mate's seed. As he drank another mouthful, he knew that he would soon come to crave the flavor. His mate tasted beyond amazing.

Mmmm, ambrosia.

His prick twitching at his groin reminded Geoff of another need. He throbbed with his desire to sink into his mate's body. Geoff's mouth watered anew as his teeth tingled with the instinct to bite and claim his mate.

Soon. So very soon.

Easing off Warner's dick, Geoff rubbed over his hip when he heard his mate's quiet moan. "Relax, my mate," he crooned while slipping his fingers from his lover's channel. "Gonna turn you over now." Geoff smiled upon taking in Warner's blissed-out expression. Still, he recognized the questioning look in his pretty mate's hazel eyes. With a smile, Geoff told him, "First time is easiest on your knees." He winced, adding, "And I don't want to hurt your back by having it rub on the comforter."

Warner nibbled his bottom lip even as he nodded and began to move.

Geoff bit back a smile when he saw his mate's uncoordinated movements, knowing he'd put that lethargy in his lover's limbs. Figuring his human wouldn't understand, he instead focused on helping his mate. He gripped Warner's good hip and left thigh, helping him roll and get to his knees.

Taking in the sight of Warner presented before him—legs spread and ass in the air—Geoff let out his own throaty moan.

"Gorgeous," Geoff rumbled as he levered over his willing mate. Mindful of his human's bandaged back, he began peppering kisses along his neck and collarbone as he whispered, "You're so sexy, my mate. Love how you look beneath me. So needy and ready for my cock."

"Yessss," Warner hissed. "Ready. In me. Now. Please."

More than willing to give Warner everything he needed and more, Geoff used a hand to position his cock head to his mate's prepped hole.

Feeling Warner arch beneath him and press against his dick, Geoff felt a shudder of anticipation thrum through him. With a hard thrust, he slipped his swollen knob into his mate's body. Geoff groaned upon feeling the hot tight muscles grip him, and in one long, smooth glide, he slipped deep, deep into the other half of his soul.