Let the Rain Come Down [The Moonlight Breed 6] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Gabrielle Evans (read a book TXT) 📗

“Good.” Nodding once, Demitrius offered a crooked smile before dipping his head and placing a kiss on the tip of Oscar’s nose. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up and tucked into bed.” His fingertips gently caressed the skin under Oscar’s right eye. “You haven’t been getting enough sleep.”

“Well, it’s hard to sleep when you’re gone.”

Demitrius winked and patted him lightly on the bottom. “Then I suppose I’ll just have to stay.”

Okay, it had been a sneaky trick, but Oscar couldn’t feel too bad about it since he was getting exactly what he wanted. Besides, it hadn’t exactly been a lie. When Demitrius dropped him off at his room after their walks, it usually took a while for his pulse to return to normal.

He wondered if Demitrius slept naked, and if not, could he talk the guy into it? Waking up to all those warm, naked muscles pressed against him sounded like heaven.

With a playful growl, Demitrius rolled him to his back and pinned him against the mattress, trapping his wrists above his head with one hand. “One-track mind,” he teased, having obviously heard Oscar’s lustful thoughts. “You, my sexy little mate, are going to be big trouble.”

Wiggling his eyebrows, Oscar smiled mischievously as he arched up to nip at Demitrius’s lower lip. “Well, I’m definitely going to try.”

Chapter Six

Waking up later that evening with Oscar draped over him like a living blanket, Demitrius stared up at the ceiling for a long time as he drew lazy circles on his mate’s back with his fingertips. He’d have to get up soon and go meet with Xander and Stavion, but he just wanted to hold Oscar for a few more minutes before the outside world imposed.

“Mmm,” Oscar purred against the side of his neck. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in a long time.” It was true. Demitrius couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so soundly and for more than a couple of hours at a time. “Unfortunately, I have a meeting in about an hour.”

“Okay.” Rolling to his back, Oscar stretched and yawned hugely. “Well, you should eat something first. What would you like for breakfast?”

Demitrius knew exactly what he wanted, and it had nothing to do with food. Grabbing Oscar’s wrists, he pulled the shifter on top of him and pushed the unruly curls back from his face. His hand paused at his mate’s temple, and Demitrius’s eyebrows drew together in concentration. “There’s something different about you.”

“Oh?” Oscar’s lip went between his teeth, and he chewed on it vigorously. “What exactly would that be?”

Earlier in the day, Demitrius had been so worried about hurting his lover because of his miniature size. Hell, Oscar had barely reached up to his sternum, but now, they were nose to nose, yet he could feel the guy’s toes against his ankles. It was impossible. He was just imagining things. There was absolutely no way Oscar could have grown several inches while they slept.

There was something else different as well. Those bright, lime-green eyes that had mesmerized him upon their first meeting were now a dark, dusky blue. Even his auburn locks looked darker with only a slight hint of red. What the fuck was happening?

The way Oscar was gnawing on his lip gave Demitrius the impression that the man not only knew what had happened, but was in no way surprised by the changes to his body. “Is there something you want to tell me, Oscar?”

“Uh, not really.”

“Well, I think you might want to anyway. You’ve grown at least eight inches, your hair is darker, and your eyes are a completely different color. Did I do this to you?” What was he saying? That didn’t even make a lick of sense, but he was so damn confused.

“In a way,” Oscar mumbled, dropping his head and refusing to look Demitrius in the eyes.

“What way is that?” Slipping his fingers under his mate’s chin, Demitrius coaxed his face up so he could look into his eyes. “You’re starting to worry me.” How had he caused this? Was it dangerous? Was Oscar in pain? “Please talk to me, Oscar.”

“You’re not the only one with a genetic abnormality.”

“I know. You’re a Moonlighter.” They’d discussed it briefly, and Demitrius could see where that might be cause for concern.

Alpha Blaise Taylor was working to dispel the myths about the Moonlighters and had even developed a tranquilizer to prevent the breed from shifting on the full moon if they desired. Most didn’t, since the drug had some pretty nasty side effects, though.

None of that explained the random transformation of his lover in the last few hours, however.

“That’s not my only defect,” Oscar said with a curl of his upper lip. “Just as I have no control over the fact that my pelt is white, I don’t have any control over my other…oddity, either.”

“Okay, start over, because you’ve lost me. What defect? What oddity? Oscar, you’re starting to worry me. Are you sick?” Shifters didn’t get sick as a general rule, but there were certain rare diseases that threatened a few species of the populace.

“No, I’m not sick. I’m a Desirable. A genetically engineered and highly trained companion, capable of fulfilling my Master’s every need, wish, or desire.”

“You…genetically…companion…what?” Demitrius hadn’t understood a damn word of that statement, but he was interested in hearing the details. “Where were you living before you came to Haven?”

Sighing heavily, Oscar rolled off of him, sat up on the mattress, and wrapped the blanket around him to hide his nudity. “It’s a long, complicated story that I’m not sure I can finish before you have to leave for your meeting.”

“Fuck my meeting,” Demitrius growled. His mate was far more important. “You can tell me, Oscar. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.” There wasn’t anything the guy could say that would make Demitrius feel any differently about him, and he hoped Oscar could see the truth