Fated for Forever [Kindred of Arkadia 3] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (7 page)

doorway.

“If anything has happened to him, I am holding you responsible,” he said coldly.

“Yes, my prince,” Baptista replied.

Gabriel walked past the twins who were waiting outside the office, tears streaming down their faces.

“You two, go over every second of surveillance footage. See if you can discover anything from it,”

Gabriel said and moved on without waiting for their response.

“We’ll find him Baptista, you’ll see,” Daniel said. Baptista turned a tortured face to the twins.

“I hope so, for all our sakes,” he said and he, too, left the office to join the others in searching.

* * * *

Two hours later and they still hadn’t found his mate. Gabriel paced the lower level dance floor that had

quickly turned into command central as his coven members frantically searched for his missing mate.

Everyone was doing their best to find Ashby, he knew that, but it did little to assuage the mounting panic in

his chest.

“Sir, we checked all the footage and no one came in and no one left during that time that he was in the

kitchen alone,” Daniel said.

“What was the last thing he said to you? Was he sad? Wanting to go home?” Gabriel asked, getting

desperate. David sniffed and wiped his eyes.

“He said he couldn’t wait to introduce us to pizza and ice cream,” Daniel said quietly.

“What did you say?” Gabriel spun around and faced the two men.

“He said that Ashby couldn’t wait to introduce us to pizza and ice cream,” David said, looking confused.

“Oh dear God! I know where he is!” Gabriel said, taking off in a blur that the twins could barely see

much less keep up with.

Gabriel ran past Baptista in the kitchen, who looked as though he were trying to see if there were any

clues he may have missed. Baptista followed Gabriel to the large walk-in freezer.

Gabriel jerked the freezer door open so hard he ripped the heavy metal door from the frame. He

dropped it to one side.

“
Mon ange!
” he raced forward to scoop up his tiny mate.

“Ab–bout f–freaking t–ime you f–ound m–me.” Ashby shook as his teeth chattered together.

Immediately, a leather jacket was thrust at Gabriel. Baptista had stripped it off as soon as he saw how badly

the small man was shaking.

“
Mon dieu
, I’m never letting you out of my sight. Never again.” Gabriel walked out of the kitchen

heading toward the stairs.

“I w–wanted to make sundaes. Daniel and David have never tried ice cream.” Ashby’s shaking started

to subside somewhat.

“I have been losing my mind looking for you.” Gabriel buried his face in Ashby’s neck.

“I was only a little lost, I’m sorry you got so upset. But see, I’m getting better now.” Ashby ran his

fingers through Gabriel’s shoulder length hair.

“We’re going upstairs. I am personally going to get you warm again.” Gabriel tightened his hold as they

walked into the main club area where everyone was assembled. Ashby giggled.

“OK!” he said, laying his head on his mate’s broad chest. Gabriel turned to face his coven.

“Thank you, all of you, for looking for Ashby.” He turned his head slightly.

“Baptista,” he said to the man standing at the edge of the dance floor without turning around.

“Yes, sir?” Baptista stepped forward, his back ramrod straight.

“Your punishment is that you are permanently assigned to Ashby’s protection detail. If this afternoon is

any indication, it will be more than harsh enough,” he said as a slight smile tugged one side of his lips.

Baptista’s eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you sir!” he said, bowing nearly in half. Gabriel nodded and carried his mate up the stairs to

their apartment.

Chapter 6

“I think I resent that watching over me became a punishment,” Ashby said, poking Gabriel in the chest.

Gabriel smiled softly down at his mate who still had blue-tinged lips.

“You forget, I have been listening to your misadventures with Nicolas and Rebecca for the past couple

months,” Gabriel said leaning forward and taking Ashby’s lips between his own. Ashby leaned forward in

his arms trying to deepen the kiss, but Gabriel pulled back and winked down at his shivering angel.

“Let’s get you in the shower,
mon ange
,” Gabriel said, walking through their door and shutting it behind

them. Without stopping in the master bedroom he headed straight to the master bath. He gently placed

Ashby on the counter and went to the large stone-tiled walk-in shower. He adjusted the temperature to

something lukewarm, and when he turned back around Ashby had already shrugged out of his shirt and

tank top and was removing his jeans. Gabriel threw the jeans in the corner and stepped between his mate’s

legs.

“When we couldn’t find you, I found myself willing to give up everything, my position, my people,

everything I am, just to get you back.” Gabriel leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Ashby’s waist,

resting his head on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Gabriel, I didn’t mean to lock myself in, I just have this strange history with freezers,”

Ashby started. Gabriel lifted his head.

“What do you mean? You never mentioned this when we spoke.” Gabriel stepped back and removed his

own clothing. He heard a sigh and when he turned back around Ashby was staring at him with a soft smile

on his lips.

“Focus angel, what about you and freezers,” Gabriel said before wrapping Ashby’s legs around his

waist and carrying them both into the shower.

“That water is almost cold!” Ashby protested and Gabriel adjusted the temperature until steam started

misting around them.

“Freezers?” Gabriel asked, nearly getting distracted at the hard length that was poking him in the belly.

Ashby sighed.

“After I bought the ice cream parlor, I didn’t have a lot of money left over so I could only afford an old

and refurbished walk-in freezer for the shop. The first time I locked myself in, it took nearly eight hours for

someone to find me. After the sixth or seventh time, the town kids would check in on me regularly. If they

had to let me out of the freezer I would give them a two-scoop ice cream cone. At the two-year anniversary

of the parlor opening, the town chipped in and bought me a new freezer with a release latch. I think they

were convinced I would accidently kill myself.” Ashby shrugged and looked at Gabriel who was staring at

him with a look of pure terror on his face. With Ashby still wrapped around his waist he walked to the far

side of the walk in stone shower and hit an intercom button. Roman’s voice immediately came on the line.

“Sir?” he asked.

“I want a new walk-in freezer ordered, with a safety latch so that no one can get locked in,” Gabriel said

“Already ordered sir, you destroyed the one we have now,” Roman said flatly.

“I also want a surveillance camera installed inside the freezer,” Gabriel said, smiling when Ashby began

to blush.

“I’m not that bad!” he protested. Gabriel silenced him with a quick kiss.

“Sir, to confirm, you want a surveillance camera placed inside the walk-in freezer?” Roman asked,

sounding only slightly intrigued.

“Yes,” Gabriel said simply.

“I’ll get Beavis and Butthead online to order an all-weather camera. We’ll have it in by the end of the

week,” Roman advised.

“Thank you.” Gabriel pushed the button to end the call.

“You have a telephone in your shower.” Ashby stared at the speaker in the wall.

“Technically it’s an intercom system, it’s only tied to a select few phone numbers. That way those who

have access to me upstairs are restricted.” Gabriel moved them back under the hot water.

“You didn’t have to put in the camera,” Ashby pouted, his lower lip sticking out.

“You are adorable when you argue.” Gabriel swiped his tongue across the protesting lip.

“Gabriel.” Ashby breathed his name and leaned in for a kiss. Gabriel took advantage and plundered his

mate’s mouth, pushing, demanding compliance. He turned to his left and used the hand pump attached to

the side of the shower wall to get some waterproof lube. He reached behind Ashby and began to finger his

mate’s tight hole. He was still partially stretched from the night prior and it didn’t take long until he was

easing Ashby down on his hard cock.

“Not gentle, please,” Ashby begged.

“How do you want it angel?” Gabriel left Ashby fully seated on his prick. Ashby looked Gabriel in the

eye and leaned forward and buried his teeth in Gabriel’s neck.

“Hard. Fuck me with your huge cock.” Ashby’s lips moved against Gabriel’s skin. Gabriel felt his

control snap as his mate took his life’s blood into his body and the dirty words fell from his angel’s lips. He

turned and pressed Ashby against the shower wall. He pounded into his mate’s greedy ass again and again.

The animalistic grunts and the sounds of flesh against flesh echoed in the shower stall.

“Come,” Gabriel demanded and thrust his forefinger in beside his cock stretching his mate further.

Ashby’s eyes went wide and he screamed out his release, his hot cum mingling with the water. Gabriel

removed his finger and thrust deep once more before emptying into his mate.

“God I needed that,” Ashby said, closing his eyes. Gabriel lifted him off his softening dick and gently

washed his mate’s well-used hole.

“We have the rest of eternity. It will only get better between us,” Gabriel said washing his own body.

“What do you mean eternity?” Ashby asked, pausing in soaping himself up.

“I’m a true immortal,
mon ange.
Unless someone gets extremely lucky, I will live forever, and as my

mate, so will you,” Gabriel explained rinsing his hair. When he looked down he noticed that Ashby had

gone extremely pale.

“When were you going to tell me?” Ashby said. Gabriel could see a flash of anger in his eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean, does it matter when I tell you? We are mates, I am immortal, as my mate

so are you. Were you not going to mate with me had you known?” Gabriel asked, starting to get irritated.

“No, but this is huge Gabriel. You should have told me,” Ashby turned his back to Gabriel after he

rinsed off the soap.

“I didn’t realize it would affect you this much. How about we have a nice dinner after we get back from

shopping for your new things?” Gabriel said, turning off the water and stepping out of the shower. Ashby

stopped in his tracks behind Gabriel and gaped up at him.

“What do you mean new things?” he asked in the barest of whispers.

“You will need clothes and things since you will be moving in.” Gabriel looked down at Ashby, not sure

why his mate was looking at him as if he just suggested they go out and kill kittens instead of the day of

pampering and shopping he had planned for him.

“You never even asked me what I wanted,” Ashby said before grabbing a towel, his old clothes, and

marching out the door. Gabriel watched as he walked out of the master bedroom to the guest bedroom and

slammed the door.

What the fuck did I do?
Gabriel slammed his hands on the counter. He took a deep breath, trying to

regain his composure as he dried off. He walked to the master bedroom and got dressed while he replayed

the conversation. He glanced at the closed guest room door. Sighing, he headed downstairs to resume the

meetings he had canceled to be with his mate today.

If he wants to be alone, then he will have all day to be alone,
he threw himself into his work to distract

him from his mate’s hurt expression.

Chapter 7

“We have three new guys in the pride and sweet baby Santa, are they hot! Liam was complaining to his

grandfather about getting behind with the pride accounts and about the hyena attacks. Grandpa Lewenhart

digs up three gay lion hotties and ships them to Arkadia. I almost peed myself laughing when they

introduced themselves in the diner. Liam cussed a blue streak, calmed down, and then gave them the town

tour. I swear if I weren’t mated… First we have Rex Townsend. Light-brown hair and brown eyes, built

like a linebacker. Rian trips over his damn feet around him.” Rebecca shared and he could almost hear the

eyeroll.

“Sounds yummy, what about the other two?” Ashby asked intrigued.

“Next we have Kent Fieldings, think really buff Clark Kent, complete with glasses. Swimmer’s build,

kinda shy, absolutely adorable. He blushes, Ashers, blushes! Kate and I want to adopt him. He was

Lachlan’s solution to Liam being behind in accounts and paperwork, the guy is a genius with numbers. He

makes you think bad things, like being naughty in study hall.” Rebecca laughed.

“Next?” Ashby asked, dying to hear about the last one.

“Last, but certainly not least, is Talon Forrester. This guy is almost as big as my bear, about six foot

seven. He’s massive, like blot-out-the-sun huge, but in the super cut and defined kind of way. Kate and I

are begging Liam to throw a pool party this summer, but our mates heard why we wanted one and