Fated Healing [Kindred of Arcadia 5] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (14 page)

closer to his mate’s mouth. He strained to stay very still.

“Good,” Claybourne whispered and stood up, walking to the head of the bed. He pulled Felix’s T-shirt

up over his abdomen. He leaned in and licked his belly button. Felix couldn’t hold back the moan.

Claybourne eased the shirt up and with Felix’s assistance pulled it over his head. Wearing only his boxer

briefs, Felix felt more naked than his bare mate.

Claybourne, with a single finger, traced his body from collarbone to navel, along the rigid outline of his

cock and down the crease of his ass. Felix began to pant, unable to keep air in his lungs. His mate had only

touched him with a single finger, yet set fire to his entire body.

Claybourne grabbed the top of the briefs and pulled them down and off in one fluid yank. He walked

over to the small, utilitarian night stand and retrieved a small tube of lube. He returned to the foot of the bed

and crawled between Felix’s legs. He gently lifted his legs and opened them wide, exposing Felix’s pink

hole to him.

Felix watched Claybourne’s every deliberate move and felt himself start to shake. Never had he been

taken like this, possessed in every single way. He loved it and would crave it again.

Gently, Claybourne eased a finger into his dark channel. Felix threw his head back and bit his lip to

keep from yelling out. Each touch was magnified a thousand times due to the slow pace.

“Even if you fall ill and die, I will follow,” Claybourne said, breaking the quiet.

“I could not bear to walk this Earth without you.” Claybourne eased in a second finger and began a

slow sawing in and out of Felix’s body. Slow, measured, deliberate. It was as if his lover was savoring

every single second they had together.

“I love you, Maddox,” Felix said, watching his mate’s face. Claybourne’s movements stilled when Felix

used his first name.

“Say it again,” he asked.

“Maddox. My Maddox,” Felix said. Claybourne scissored his fingers wide before pulling them free to

replace them with the head of his cock. Gradually he pushed his engorged head past the first ring of inner

muscles until he was fully seated inside his mate. Felix sighed in relief. His mate was where he belonged.

Inside him, possessing him. Owning him.

“I love you, Felix. I love your zest for life and the way you always say what you think. I love the way

you always put others first and take care of me even when I fight you about it.” Claybourne wrapped

Felix’s legs around his waist and leaned down until he rested on his elbows on either side of Felix.

Felix pulled his lover closer to him, trying to send him deeper inside of him. Claybourne rested his

forehead on Felix’s. Kissing him tenderly, his mate made love to him. Each slow thrust started new fires of

urgency in his body until he was insane with the need for completion. Crying out his intense pleasure, he

begged Claybourne to go faster. Claybourne had left enough space between their bodies that there was little

friction to his prick. With tears in his eyes Claybourne shook his head.

“I want this to last forever.” He continued his methodical onslaught. Just when Felix thought he couldn’t

take anymore, his orgasm caught him by surprise. He clamped his ass muscles down, squeezing his mate’s

thick cock. Above him Claybourne yelled his release. Jet after hot jet filled his ass until it started to drip

down his crease.

Claybourne collapsed on top of him, burying his face into his shoulder. Alone in the utter silence of his

room, they both wept and comforted each other. Felix knew that they would have to return to reality soon,

but he wanted this one moment to last with his mate forever.

* * * *

Felix crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at his mate as Claybourne glanced over at him for the

twentieth time.

“If I start to feel tired I will let you know, though after what you put me through in your private

quarters, I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell the difference between the virus and afterglow.” Felix leered at his

mate.

“You tell me the second you feel any different,” Claybourne made him promise again. Rolling his eyes,

he crossed his heart and held up his hand, swearing.

Claybourne wouldn’t let him help at the microscope anymore. He had graciously agreed to let Felix

keep him company in the lab while he worked, but only if he was wrapped in a blanket and drinking water.

“Felix. Felix.” He heard Claybourne’s voice.

“I told you I would let you know if I got tired.” Felix grumbled.

“Baby, you were asleep,” Claybourne said quietly. Felix opened his eyes and looked at his mate

surprised. He grimaced when he went to move his arms under the blanket.

“I’m achy and feel weak. Shit! I hate being right all the time,” Felix joked. With serious eyes

Claybourne immediately got the syringe and took a sample of his blood. Felix watched, detached, as

Claybourne placed the blood-filled slide under the microscope. Minutes later, Claybourne stood back and

turned to Felix, a bewildered look on his face.

“How? I checked that chocolate dozens of times since you ate some, and there wasn’t anything there.

But now you’re sick, and it’s showing up under the microscope. It’s like it appeared out of nowhere.”

Claybourne ran his hands through his hair frustrated. Felix struggled to stand.

“Let’s try a high dose of epinephrine.” Claybourne turned, making his way to the locked storage closet.

He returned with a syringe and bottle. Carefully he measured out a dose and looked to Felix.

“This will.” His words died when he saw Felix giving him a wry expression.

“Right, guess you would know. Here we go then.” Claybourne injected the needle into his mate’s thigh

and depressed the plunger.

“This didn’t work on Brayburn or Damian,” Felix said.

“The virus had already had a chance to take root. You’re barely infected, it should work to trigger your

shift. Anything?” he asked. Felix shook his head.

“I got a little warm, but that’s it. I can tell you without a machine my blood pressure and heart rate are

normal.” Felix headed over to the microscope.

“Let me see.” He peered into the tiny eyepiece.

“Baby, I think you should be in bed, we need to get you hooked up to an IV.”

Felix ignored him. When he looked down, sure enough there was the virus swimming around, attacking

all his poor innocent cells. Wait. What? Felix stood up and rubbed his eyes. He looked down again. He

watched as the virus swam directly toward a cluster of red blood cells and started to attach itself. Felix

stood back. Turning to Claybourne, he opened his mouth then shut it. Frowning, he turned back to the

microscope and looked again.

“What is it?” Claybourne asked. Felix stood back again and turned to face his mate. Feeling lightheaded,

he sat down on the lab stool.

“Do you remember when I said that this virus was acting like it was designed to kill? Rebecca had said

she saw it doing things that were out of the ordinary, things no other virus should be able to do, like target

cells. I know this is going to sound crazy, but what could make that happen?” Felix asked.

“We have nanotechnology now,” Claybourne started. Felix shook his head.

“Where in the hell would Gilberton get nanotechnology? There are whole countries trying to develop

and or steal that kind of technology. There’s no way one old shifter could get his hands on it. It must be

something else.” Felix hopped off the stool and began to move around in an effort to stay alert.

“We need to go to Bobbles and Things and go through Gilberton’s things. Now that we know it was the

chocolate we need to trace it back and find out where that chocolate came from and who supplied it to

Gilberton.” Felix threw off his blanket.

“You need to be in bed,” Claybourne argued.

“You need me. If we can track down the source we could have a cure by tomorrow. Then it won’t

matter if I’m in bed,” Felix countered.

“You help out at Gilberton’s for an hour, that’s it. Then you go to bed,” Claybourne said, crossing his

arms.

“You’re so sexy when you go all dominant.” Felix purred.

“Come on, trouble. Let’s head over there now.” Claybourne took Felix’s hand and they quickly headed

to Bobbles and Things.

* * * *

“How in the hell did he stay in business? There’s no computer, no central filing system or invoices! It’s

complete chaos in here.” Felix watched as his mate spun around in horror. Felix chuckled.

“We’re not here to clean and organize, Claybourne. I know you’re dying to put this place in order, but

try to stay focused.” Felix began to pull down old and dusty cardboard boxes from the bookshelf. Once the

box was on the desk, he had to take a moment to catch his breath. This virus was no joke. He had worked

in human hospitals before and had seen plenty of flu victims. If this was a fraction of how they felt he had

a new admiration for the sheer strength of will that humans possessed.

They searched for what seemed like hours to Felix, but he knew it was probably about forty-five

minutes when Claybourne straightened.

“I think I found something.” He walked over to show Felix a packing slip with a handwritten note.

“That was delivered a couple days before Gilberton went apeshit. This matches the size and weight of

the order of ‘Screw You’ chocolate. Why does it have the warning about keeping it cold? It looks like it was

kept in a mobile refrigeration unit,” Felix asked. Claybourne shrugged.

“Because chocolate melts?”

“Maybe. But how did Gilberton get a virus into Arkadia? The perimeter is on lockdown, I doubt it

would allow the virus to cross its borders even if it was in a refrigeration unit,” Felix said. Claybourne

shouted and pumped his fist before he swung Felix around in the air.

“Okay, what did your beautiful mind figure out?” Felix asked. His mate was practically vibrating with

excitement.

“Okay so we tested the chocolate right? No virus. Boring old chocolate. You eat some and then bam!

Virus. What changed?” Claybourne asked. Felix shook his head. He didn’t want to admit it, but his thinking

was starting to get foggy.

“You ate it. You digested it. Your body’s internal temperature is slightly above ninety-eight-point-six

degrees. The virus must lay dormant until it reaches ninety-eight-point-six or body temperature, and then

comes to life. Which is why there are handwritten warnings about keeping the chocolate cold for delivery,

it’s how he snuck the chocolate past the perimeter and into Arkadia,” Claybourne explained.

“We have to get back to the lab,” Felix said. Claybourne nodded. Felix got as far as the second stair

heading up out of the basement when he had to stop to catch his breath. Claybourne was immediately at his

side.

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” he asked worriedly. Felix nodded.

“Let’s get back to the lab and test our theory. From there we can use pure, heated samples to work on a

cure,” Felix said. Claybourne stooped and picked him up.

As Claybourne carried him down the street back to the clinic, Felix started to laugh.

“What is it?” his mate asked.

“Remember why you carried me out of Bobbles and Things last time?” Felix giggled.

Claybourne groaned. “You and your Niagara. I should still spank you for that.” Claybourne growled

playfully.

“Hey, don’t threaten me with a good time.” Felix made kissy noises up at Claybourne.

Once back in the lab Claybourne set him back in his comfy chair with a blanket and he insisted on

starting an IV. Felix glared at his IV.

“You’re one of the healthcare professionals who make impossible patients, aren’t you?” Claybourne

asked when he batted Felix’s hand away from his IV tape. Felix flipped him off and stuck out his tongue.

“Later,” Claybourne promised and Felix smiled.

Claybourne got busy setting up a chocolate-melting station at a Bunsen burner and readied his slides.

Felix relaxed into the chair, sighing as the smell of melted chocolate filled the lab.

“I want chocolate now.” Felix pouted. Claybourne stopped mid-stir and looked over to Felix.

“You have got to be joking. I’m never looking at this stuff again.” Claybourne shuddered.

“Hey, you can’t blame all chocolate for this. It provides so much love and comfort to those in need.”

Felix sighed.

“There’s something wrong with you.” Claybourne turned his attention back to the heated chocolate.

“Felix, it’s there now! We did it! We figured out the source,” Claybourne said, and Felix yawned.

“I knew you could do it,” Felix said.

“Come on, we need to have a meeting with the others.” Claybourne walked over and unhooked his IV

bag before placing it in his lap. He scooped him up again and headed to the school. Instead of going to the

gym, he walked straight to the principal’s office, setting Felix down in the high-back leather chair. He