Myth and Mischief: Mated by Midnight, Book 2
M/M Paranormal Romance | Spicy | HEA
40k+ Words
40k+ Words
Available to Read with Kindle Unlimited
Colton isn’t happy with the elders’ trickery, but he’s not opposed to choosing a mate. Sly may not be exactly what he had in mind, but if he can get past his instincts of wanting eat the little ferret, they might just be able to make it work.
Sly has wanted a mate for as long as he can remember. When he crawls up Colton’s leg while trying to escape his ex, he quickly realizes that the big hippogriff shifter is just what he’s been looking for.
Sly possesses something very special, though—something anyone would kill to have. Unfortunately, it’s also his only hope of achieving immortality if he wishes to stay with Colton forever. But how long can he keep his treasure hidden from those who seek to take it as their own?
NOTE: Myth and Mischief was previously released as part of the Midnight Matings series by a different publisher in 2011. This version has been edited and updated, but does not contain any significant changes to the storyline or characters.
Sly has wanted a mate for as long as he can remember. When he crawls up Colton’s leg while trying to escape his ex, he quickly realizes that the big hippogriff shifter is just what he’s been looking for.
Sly possesses something very special, though—something anyone would kill to have. Unfortunately, it’s also his only hope of achieving immortality if he wishes to stay with Colton forever. But how long can he keep his treasure hidden from those who seek to take it as their own?
NOTE: Myth and Mischief was previously released as part of the Midnight Matings series by a different publisher in 2011. This version has been edited and updated, but does not contain any significant changes to the storyline or characters.
Excerpt
Pushing away from the wall, Colton stood tall, rolling his head on his shoulders and preparing to defend himself if necessary. His eyes surveyed the floor between him and the advancing men, looking for whatever held their attention so firmly that they had yet to see him.
There was nothing. He couldn’t see anything. Glancing back up at the men, he watched them stumble to a stop, their eyes starting at Colton’s boots and slowly working up to his face at the same time he felt a tug on his jeans and something crawling up his back.
“He’s ours!” one of the shifters snarled at him, his eyes locked just over Colton’s shoulder.
Turning his head slightly, Colton stared in shock at the slim, cream-colored ferret perched on his shoulder, chattering madly at his two unwelcomed suitors. This had to be the strangest moment of his very long life, and it surprised a quiet chuckle from him.
Turning back to Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, Colton continued to chuckle as he shook his head. “I’d say that means he’s not interested in your proposal.”
“Huh?” The blond guy cocked his head to the side and his eyebrows drew together in confusion. Damn, how thick could he be?
“He said no,” Colton drawled. “So fuck off.” The tiny ferret chattered a little more, before running around his neck to curl on the other shoulder and nuzzle against his throat. It was actually kind of cute if you were into the whole fluffy, cuddly weasel thing.
“Sly, don’t make me come over there,” the other man said icily. “You’re making this harder than it has to be. You really don’t want to piss me off, do you?” His eyes held steel and a hint of threat that set Colton’s nerves on edge.
“Yeah, Sly,” the blond mumbled, but he didn’t look nearly as intimidating. “You know what happens when Grant is angry.”
The ferret on his shoulder trembled, pressing closer to Colton’s neck, but continued to hiss angrily. Damn, the little guy was feisty. Turning back to address the idiots in front of him, Colton held his arms out wide, flexing the muscles in his chest and curling his fingers to beckon them forward. “Try to claim him. I dare you.”
Though he had no designs on taking the sleek little shifter as his own, he couldn’t just stand by and let a couple of Neanderthals claim the man against his will. He understood the adage about life not being fair, but this seemed a little different.
“He is no concern of yours,” the one that seemed to be the leader spat. “I don’t want any trouble. Just hand him over.”
“Yeah, not going to happen. Why don’t you just claim Blondie here and be done with it?”
“He’s my brother, you idiot.”
Colton shook his head and sighed. He really didn’t want to deal with this shit. The three obviously had some kind of past, and it definitely wasn’t his problem. Yeah, it sucked for the guy, but the ferret wasn’t his responsibility. Still, it felt wrong to hand him over without any thought for his safety or well-being.
He could feel the headache forming behind his eyes, and his temples ached the longer the jackass droned on. “Whatever.” Colton cut off the shifter’s rambling, then gestured toward the throng of people behind them. “Find someone else. He stays with me.”
The ferret’s furry head rubbed under his chin for a moment before he settled back on Colton’s shoulder and let out several small noises that sounded suspiciously like barking. Not that Colton really knew anything about ferrets other than the fact that they tasted delicious with ketchup. As a rare hippogriff shifter, ferrets were a delicacy for him, and even now, his mouth watered at the sweet scents drifting from the animal.
Shaking his head to clear it, he returned his attention to the bigger shifters who were pressing them into the corner and glared. “We’re done here.” Colton clenched his fist as he felt the shift roll through him. Concentrating the power, he uncurled his fingers, smirking as the assholes’ eyes widened when his hand changed into the large, clawed foot of a giant eagle. “Questions?”
Both men shook their heads and backed away slowly. “This isn’t over, Sly,” the man named Grant said coldly. “You can’t run forever.” Then they each turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Taking a deep breath, Colton let it out slowly, his hand transforming back to normal. He reached up and scratched the ferret under his chin. “What mischief have you been up to, little one? Would you like to shift back now?”
The ferret made a couple of little happy clicking sounds in his throat. Then the next thing Colton knew, a slender man with shaggy blond hair clung to his back, humming as he rubbed his face over Colton’s neck. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Are you going to be okay now?” Colton reached behind him and tried to pry the man from his back. “Sly, is it? You can get down now.”
“Yes, and I know,” Sly whispered. “I don’t want to, though.” Then he licked a wet path up the side of Colton’s neck. “I like it here. Besides, we need to register our mating with the elders.”
There was nothing. He couldn’t see anything. Glancing back up at the men, he watched them stumble to a stop, their eyes starting at Colton’s boots and slowly working up to his face at the same time he felt a tug on his jeans and something crawling up his back.
“He’s ours!” one of the shifters snarled at him, his eyes locked just over Colton’s shoulder.
Turning his head slightly, Colton stared in shock at the slim, cream-colored ferret perched on his shoulder, chattering madly at his two unwelcomed suitors. This had to be the strangest moment of his very long life, and it surprised a quiet chuckle from him.
Turning back to Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, Colton continued to chuckle as he shook his head. “I’d say that means he’s not interested in your proposal.”
“Huh?” The blond guy cocked his head to the side and his eyebrows drew together in confusion. Damn, how thick could he be?
“He said no,” Colton drawled. “So fuck off.” The tiny ferret chattered a little more, before running around his neck to curl on the other shoulder and nuzzle against his throat. It was actually kind of cute if you were into the whole fluffy, cuddly weasel thing.
“Sly, don’t make me come over there,” the other man said icily. “You’re making this harder than it has to be. You really don’t want to piss me off, do you?” His eyes held steel and a hint of threat that set Colton’s nerves on edge.
“Yeah, Sly,” the blond mumbled, but he didn’t look nearly as intimidating. “You know what happens when Grant is angry.”
The ferret on his shoulder trembled, pressing closer to Colton’s neck, but continued to hiss angrily. Damn, the little guy was feisty. Turning back to address the idiots in front of him, Colton held his arms out wide, flexing the muscles in his chest and curling his fingers to beckon them forward. “Try to claim him. I dare you.”
Though he had no designs on taking the sleek little shifter as his own, he couldn’t just stand by and let a couple of Neanderthals claim the man against his will. He understood the adage about life not being fair, but this seemed a little different.
“He is no concern of yours,” the one that seemed to be the leader spat. “I don’t want any trouble. Just hand him over.”
“Yeah, not going to happen. Why don’t you just claim Blondie here and be done with it?”
“He’s my brother, you idiot.”
Colton shook his head and sighed. He really didn’t want to deal with this shit. The three obviously had some kind of past, and it definitely wasn’t his problem. Yeah, it sucked for the guy, but the ferret wasn’t his responsibility. Still, it felt wrong to hand him over without any thought for his safety or well-being.
He could feel the headache forming behind his eyes, and his temples ached the longer the jackass droned on. “Whatever.” Colton cut off the shifter’s rambling, then gestured toward the throng of people behind them. “Find someone else. He stays with me.”
The ferret’s furry head rubbed under his chin for a moment before he settled back on Colton’s shoulder and let out several small noises that sounded suspiciously like barking. Not that Colton really knew anything about ferrets other than the fact that they tasted delicious with ketchup. As a rare hippogriff shifter, ferrets were a delicacy for him, and even now, his mouth watered at the sweet scents drifting from the animal.
Shaking his head to clear it, he returned his attention to the bigger shifters who were pressing them into the corner and glared. “We’re done here.” Colton clenched his fist as he felt the shift roll through him. Concentrating the power, he uncurled his fingers, smirking as the assholes’ eyes widened when his hand changed into the large, clawed foot of a giant eagle. “Questions?”
Both men shook their heads and backed away slowly. “This isn’t over, Sly,” the man named Grant said coldly. “You can’t run forever.” Then they each turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Taking a deep breath, Colton let it out slowly, his hand transforming back to normal. He reached up and scratched the ferret under his chin. “What mischief have you been up to, little one? Would you like to shift back now?”
The ferret made a couple of little happy clicking sounds in his throat. Then the next thing Colton knew, a slender man with shaggy blond hair clung to his back, humming as he rubbed his face over Colton’s neck. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Are you going to be okay now?” Colton reached behind him and tried to pry the man from his back. “Sly, is it? You can get down now.”
“Yes, and I know,” Sly whispered. “I don’t want to, though.” Then he licked a wet path up the side of Colton’s neck. “I like it here. Besides, we need to register our mating with the elders.”