Good Luck Page 12

  “I’m-the-unluckiest-person-in-existence.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous,” Michael declared. “You can’t possibly know that.”

  “I can, actually. See, on Faerie, our magic is bled off, sucked back into the land. We can’t do that here. It just builds and builds until it explodes out. But since magic doesn’t do well on Earth, it gets all twisted. Back home we create things, foster growth. Here? We tend to cause destruction and mayhem.”

  “Hence all the accidents,” Michael stated, finally understanding. He absently made the turn onto his road, mulling over Alli’s words. “So why did you leave home, then? If it’s so hard for you here?”

  “I didn’t have much choice,” Alli admitted. “Beyond being magical, Fayte are kind of…not prudish, exactly. They’re kind of sex fiends, to tell the truth. Multiple partners aren’t uncommon and we don’t tend to do marriage very often. My people like to play around. But our species, my clan in particular, are rather old-fashioned.”

  The light dawned. “You mean they’re virulently homophobic.”

  “Pretty much, yeah.”

  “Damn, baby. I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too.”

  Michael hated the sadness in Alli’s tone, the hint of defeat.

  “They caught me with my boyfriend. He, of course, started spouting off nonsense about seduction and how I’d taken advantage. He was younger than me, a lot. He was also from a more important family than me. So they kicked me out.”

  “All right, admittedly I know absolutely nothing about where you’re from. But surely there were places you could have gone in Faerie. Other kinds of…species, for lack of a better word?”

  Alli shrugged. “True. But I managed to piss off a few people before I left.”

  “No, you?” Michael teased, trying to inject a hint of lightness into the solemn air of the truck.

  “Yeah, imagine that.” Alli’s lips twisted. It was a pale parody of his usual smile, but Michael took it as a step in the right direction. “Anyway, I wasn’t safe there. I ended up not having any other choice.”

  “What about your family, babe?” Michael asked softly, thinking of his own tight-knit clan. If anyone started something, his mom would kick butt and take names.

  Alli shrugged. “There wasn’t much they could do. And I kind of think they believed Marandon’s lies.”

  “The ex?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, surely—”

  “My brother still lived at home. I didn’t want to cause problems for Maggi. It was best if I just moved on.”

  “Maggi.” Michael snorted. “You Fayte are damned weird, you know that?”

  “Hey,” Alli protested the teasing words. “I’m the only Fayte you know.”

  “That’s my point.”

  Alli snorted, smiling. It was good to see, that smile. Not too long ago, Alli would have taken grave offense at Michael’s statement.

  “Well, I won’t argue too much. Fayte are weird, especially when it comes to names. Why do you think I changed mine?”

  “You changed your name?” Michael asked with interest. “What was it before?”

  “Something long and unpronounceable that I prefer to forget,” Alli replied firmly.

  Michael sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, mind flashing through subjects, discarding questions and pondering answers. “Thought here,” he said in a much more serious tone. “Could someone from your home be responsible for the damage to the store?”

  Alli shook his head. “No Fayte would ever dream of coming here. I’ve been fairly fortunate, actually. I spent a few months living with a warlock when I first came over. He taught me some minor suppression methods. Also, Putman has more magic than usual in the air, and that kind of…fools my body a bit. And I pour a lot of energy into the plants. While Earth itself is hostile, some plant species work as magical receptacles. Between the different methods, I don’t do too badly for a Fayte. At least, most of the injuries seem to confine themselves to my immediate area.”

  “Someone might have—”

  “Before me, do you know when a Fayte last came to Earth?”

  “No.”

  “1871. The Great Chicago Fire.”

  Michael’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what about Mrs. Murphy’s cow?”

  “Pure myth. A Fayte went to Chicago and had a magical meltdown.”

  “Darn. I liked the cow story.”

  “So did the king of the Fae,” Alli replied dryly. “He’s the one that started the rumor.”

  “You do realize that you’re seriously messing with my concept of reality here,” Michael pointed out.

  “Sorry.”

  “Oh, stop apologizing.” Michael reached over and snagged Alli’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “It’s cool. Besides, I don’t mind so long as I get to keep you.”

  “Keep me?”

  Alli’s eyes widened and Michael could have bitten his tongue. It was with utter relief that he pulled off into the clearing around his house so he could declare, “We’re here.”

  As he had hoped, Alli’s attention was diverted. “Oh, it’s nice.”

  “Don’t sound so surprised,” Michael said wryly, shutting off the engine with a flick of his wrist. He hopped out of the truck, circling around and helping Alli out. Not that Alli needed help, but it gave Michael an excuse to put his hands on his lover, and that was always a good thing. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

  Alli dug his feet in. “Uh-uh. Show me the bear.”

  Michael snorted on a laugh. “You did not just say that.”

  “What? What was wrong with what I said?”

  “Never mind.” Michael took a couple of steps back, looking around. “You really want to do this? Right here and now?”

  “Right here and now. I’ve waited long enough.”

  Michael took a deep breath. “All right,” he capitulated. “If you insist.”

  It didn’t take long for Michael to strip his clothes off, tucking his glasses into a pocket, longer to gather his courage. He knew it was ridiculous, considering the fact that Alli wasn’t exactly human either, but all Michael could hear was Alyssa’s high-pitched scream. Damn, that woman had been shrill.

  Realizing he was stalling, Michael took another deep breath and loosened some of the tight control he had on his bear side. Bruce practically whooped with relief and the change swept over Michael with vicious swiftness, faster than he could ever remember.

  Bruce stretched, mouth opening on a wide, moaning yawn. He shook out his fur, settling everything into place. He swung his head side to side, studying the terrain. Oh, there’s a nice tree for… What is that great smell?

  Head swiveling again, he looked up into wide, amazed eyes. Oh, oh, look at that. His. That was his.

  Bruce wandered forward, pleased when the slender man stood his ground, displaying not even a hint of nervousness. Bruce stepped in closer, rubbing his head against the man’s thighs.

  “Look at you,” Alli whispered. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Bruce pressed up into Alli’s gentle hand stroking along his head. Clever fingers scratched the fur at his ruff and Bruce rumbled his pleasure.

  Something nagged at him, this strange feeling that he should go back to sleep, but it had been so long since he had gotten to roam with someone. Far too long.

  Bruce circled the man, pushed at the back of his legs with his head. Come, Mine. Explore. Wander.

  “Want to take a walk?”

  Oh, smart man. Bruce huffed his pleasure and lumbered off toward the tree line. The man stepped up behind him, easily keeping pace. Bruce wasn’t exactly the biggest of bears, nor was he precisely speedy. The forest wrapped them close, natural and still, easing Bruce all through.

  He wandered deeper, heading for his favorite tree. The man’s hand landed on his shoulder, keeping close, and Bruce huffed again.

  This, right here, was what made life worth living.

  Chapter Twelve

  The phone was ringing in his
ear.

  Alli groaned and rolled over, yanking the pillow over his head. “Make it stop,” he said, words muffled by the mattress.

  “Can’t,” came the low reply. “Phone’s too far away.”

  The shrill blast sounded three more times before stopping. Alli sighed with relief.

  Then it rang again.

  “Michael.”

  With a loud litany of moans, grumbles and assorted complaints, Michael dragged his ass off the bed. Alli pulled the pillow aside just enough to watch Michael’s naked progress across the room. He staggered like a drunk man and kept stubbing his toe on nothing.

  “Think I’m rubbing off on you,” Alli murmured.

  Danm, but he was tired. And it was entirely the fault of the man with the tight, luscious ass. Alli had lost count of how many times they had made love, but it had lasted all afternoon and well into the night. The honeymoon phase, he thought it was called. Most relationships apparently had them. It had been marvelous, even if Alli’s ass was stinging this morning. He could console himself with the thought that Michael’s must be, too. Now that he thought about it, the man was walking a touch bowlegged.

  Alli might prefer to bottom, but when Michael had offered, well, how could anyone turn that down?

  “For the love of God, do you know what time it is?” Michael growled into the phone.

  Alli rolled over and prepared to go back to sleep. The ringing he couldn’t ignore. Conversation? Piece of cake.

  “Oh, it is? Huh. Well, what do you want?”

  Okay, maybe he couldn’t.

  Alli gave up sleep as a lost cause and tossed the pillow aside, staring at the ceiling. He blinked a few times, but the timber roof remained hazy above his head. He needed a shower. Desperately.

  Moving, however, still required too much effort, so Alli just lay there and listened to Michael’s voice, rumbling with that just-been-woken growl. The one-sided conversation didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but that was okay. Alli was listening to the voice more than the words.

  “No, don’t do… Oh, hell, don’t drag the parents into it! Evan, you can’t…hang up on me and… Damn, he hung up.”

  “Problems?” Alli asked more out of habit than anything, not really paying a whole lot of attention to the answer.

  Then the words sank in and he shot upright, suddenly fully alert.

  “Say what?”

  “My family is coming for a visit.”

  “How nice for you.”

  “This afternoon.”

  “Fabulous.”

  “They want to meet you.”

  “Oh, hell no!”

  “Alli—”

  “No, no, no.” Alli hopped out of bed and planted his feet, hands landing on his hips as he fixed his best stern glare on the abashed man across the room. “I do not meet parents. I do not meet family. I am your lover, not your boyfriend, and—”

  “Would you stop fooling yourself?” Michael demanded. “We’re way past lover, or even boyfriend, and moving into uncharted territory. It’s perfectly natural that my family wants to meet you.”

  “Your family is insane.”

  “True. But they’re nice.”

  Alli blinked, not quite sure how to process that. Nice insane people. Huh.

  “Maybe I don’t want to meet them.” Okay, surely that didn’t sound as childish out loud as he thought it did. Unfortunately, judging by Michael’s amused expression, it did. Darn it. Pouting three year old was so not sexy. And hardly conducive to convincing Michael of anything.

  “Best get dressed,” Michael advised. “I gave them directions to your house.”

  “My house?” Alli screeched. “Why?”

  “Because neither my brother nor his wife has the directional sense of a gnat,” Michael pointed out with exasperating reason. “They’d get hopelessly lost trying to find this cabin, and then I’d have to go pick them up in Canada.”

  “I hate you,” Alli muttered.

  “No, you don’t.”

  “You needn’t sound so amused when you say that.”

  Michael, already dressed and looking far too alert, dropped a quick kiss on Alli’s forehead. “I do love you.”

  Then the jerk wandered from the room, leaving Alli to gape after him.

  * * * *

  “Michael!”

  “Would you stop shrieking, Alli? You’re giving me a headache and the kids aren’t even here yet.”

  Alli barely resisted the urge to scream in frustration. Ever since Michael had oh-so-casually dropped those three little words, he’d been stubbornly cheerful. A study in casualness. An annoying pain in the ass. Who just said ‘I love you’ like that? Well, Michael, obviously.

  “It hasn’t even been two weeks!”

  “What hasn’t?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me.”

  “Who’s playing?”

  That charming grin wasn’t going to work this time, no it wasn’t.

  “Oh, good, they’re here.”

  Alli glared at Michael’s retreating back, muttering threats under his breath. “Just you wait, mister!” he shouted. “You can’t hide forever.”

  Michael muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “Watch me.”

  Then he opened the door.

  “Uncle Michael!”

  Michael let out a muffled oofh just before he disappeared into a pile of dark fur.

  “Bryce! Emily! Stop that!”

  Alli clutched the edge of the door with a finger-aching grip and peered around the corner. “Michael?”

  A tall woman with the brightest blonde hair he’d ever seen jogged up the sidewalk. She was panting a bit, cheeks flushed, as if she’d spent the last block or so running. Or chasing.

  “So sorry about that,” she exclaimed. Without hesitation, she reached down and yanked at one furry ball. It pulled away, squirming frantically, revealing an extremely chubby black bear cub. “They’re really excited to see him.”

  “I kind of got that part,” Alli murmured, watching his lover wrestle with another, slightly bigger, fluffy form.

  “Bryce, let your uncle up,” the woman—Maryanne, had to be—ordered. Her forceful voice would have had Alli jumping to obey, but the two tussling figures didn’t even seem to notice.

  Maryanne rolled her eyes and passed her fluffy armful over to a tall man who had just stepped up behind her.

  “All right, young man, you were warned.”

  Maryanne waded in again. Alli was suitably impressed with the way she held on to the wriggling cub. In this form, her child probably weighed almost as much as she did, but she managed him with relative ease. Practice, he figured. Considering everything he’d heard about Michael’s family? The woman most likely had a lot of practice. And patience.

  God, Michael’s family was almost enough to make him want to run for the hills—if he thought he could get away. Somehow, he rather suspected they would just track him down. They seemed determined like that.

  The tall man had the cub tucked under one arm. He used his free hand to wave at Alli. “Hi,” he said cheerfully. “Welcome to the family.”

  Alli shut the door in their faces. He wasn’t proud of it. What he was, was panicking.

  “Huh.” Alli heard the half-grunt come from Michael’s brother through the thin metal front door. Alli groaned aloud, wondering if he could just go and hide under the covers for the next couple of hours. Would they forget all about him?

  Probably not.

  Almost against his will, Alli’s hand inched across the door, wrapping around the handle. “Don’t do it, don’t do it,” he whispered fiercely to himself. The last thing he needed was to get involved with another family, particularly one not his own.

  His wrist twisted and the door swung open.

  “Come in,” he invited.

  Two furry balls tumbled past his feet and waddled into the living room. He watched them go.

  “Can they shift?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Maryanne told him. “But wres
tling is far more fun in bear form.”

  “Oh.”

  Alli stepped aside, still clutching the door handle in a tight grip, and let the two men tramp inside. Michael gently pried Alli’s hand loose and shut the door before slinging an arm over his shoulders and giving a small squeeze. Strangely, it made Alli feel a lot more confident, tucked up against the warm body of his…boyfriend? Lover? Michael.

  He was still irritated, so he jabbed Michael in the ribs. Gently, though, because he didn’t really want Michael to let go.

  “What was that for?” Michael asked.

  Alli tried for a smile, but it probably looked more like a baring of teeth. “Would you like an alphabetical or a chronological list?”

  “Stop being so dramatic,” Michael scolded.

  “I’m being invaded,” Alli stated. “I have the right to be dramatic. And on top of that, I haven’t even had my coffee yet.”

  Michael gave Alli a little squeeze. “Why don’t you go make some, let me get the troops calmed down?”

  “I… Yeah, that sounds…okay.”

  Alli pulled away and took off for the kitchen. Hastily. Very hastily.

  “Where’s he going?” Evan asked.

  “You scared him off,” Michael replied dryly.

  “I don’t know, Michael, if he’s that skittish—”

  Michael smacked his brother lightly alongside his head. The kids, who had shifted back and were watching with wide, fascinated eyes, burst into giggles.

  Maryanne just rolled her eyes. “You two are the worst role models,” she drawled. “How am I supposed to make the kids understand hitting is bad when you’re always smacking each other around?”

  Evan looked properly repentant. Michael just laughed—she wasn’t his wife, after all. Then Maryanne fixed that stern mother glare on him and his laughter dried up. Dang, but that look was deadly.

  Evan scowled. “You’re always getting me in trouble.”

  Michael shrugged. “It’s easy to do.”

  “Mom and Dad are coming tonight.”

  Michael launched himself at his brother and they went down, rolling on the floor and tussling. It was harmless, more of a mock wrestling match than anything. Michael didn’t make any excuses. It was childish, but shifters were physical creatures sometimes. They did better with action than words.