STORY EXCERPT

Detective Maddox Chambers felt something stalking him through the forest. He paused on the trail, listening to the absence of birds and wildlife around him. Without warning the urge to run welled up inside of him, but he checked it before he did. It was as though there was a void within the Black Forest of Siskiyou, California. He felt his heart beating wildly within his chest as he listened for anything. He only heard the sound of his heart pounding within his ears. Everything was still and calm, but he was silently freaking out.

Over fifty years ago, his family had donated the land to the government. Maddox recalled running and playing there as a child, sensing and feeling the other-worldly quality around him. At one time, there were so many butterflies that populated the forest that they would land on him. Now, there was nothing but an eerie darkness about the forest. He knew there was something out there lurking within the shadows. He just didn’t know what. Whatever enchanted this forest had complete control.

Maddox shook his head, unable to drop the sensation of something out there watching and waiting for him. He rubbed at his sternum, trying to get his heart to settle back into his chest. Maddox took several calming breaths as he looked around. The rugged terrain felt as though it were alive. Moss clung to the trees as though it were breathing life into them.  Jagged granite rock reached out from beneath the ground. It would have been beautiful had it not been so disturbing that some of the hikers who entered the forest hadn’t come out. Work on cold cases had brought him out to the forest for the day. He wanted to know why the Black Forest was the Bermuda Triangle of Northern California. Maddox was desperate to know why hikers were disappearing without a trace. The cases were starting to pile up and go cold. A shiver went down the back of Maddox’s neck.

There it was again. The sensation of someone tracking him made his blood run cold. Maddox headed off trail toward a clearing, desperately wanting the warmth of sunlight on his skin. Without warning, something snapped beneath his foot, hooking around his leg. He fell backward as his legs swung up high into the air. He hit his head on the ground as he went airborne. Pain shot through his head and stars bloomed in front of him as his eyes began to water.

It was then that everything in front of him went dark.

When Maddox woke up, he was swinging back and forth with a rope tied around one ankle. His arms were hanging above his head, and his shirt was bunched up to his chin. His temples pounded from swinging upside down for so long. How long had he been out? He couldn’t believe he got knocked out. He reached for the back of his head, feeling the wetness of blood. He needed to cut himself loose.

He had walked into a trap.

Darkness covered the forest floor. Moonlight had risen high into the pitch-black sky, sending beams through the leaves of the tree. Stars started to twinkle in the night sky. It all would have been romantic had he not been snared up like bear bait. Maddox saw his daypack strewn across the forest floor. His cell phone was buried in that pack. Off in the distance, a wolf howled, raising the hairs on the back of Maddox’s neck.

A shiver went down the back of Maddox’s neck, the sensation of someone watching him gripped his throat. He searched the surrounding brush, seeing nothing. Slowly, Maddox let his gaze fall on a shadowy part of the forest. There was an eerie quiet to the area he once played in as a boy. There was a darkness and chill about the forest. Not just darkness, but mist, too.

A light fog hovered above the ground.

Maddox reached for the knife on his belt to go to work on the rope tightened around his ankle. He swung back and forth as he sawed the knife into the thick rope. Urgency zipped through his blood. The sense of panic erupted through his body. It was as though something unseen were stalking him and was about to catch up with him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Maddox swung around, trying to see who had spoken. “I don’t have many options now, do I?”

“There are spikes beneath you.”

The man circled around. His North Face attire looked brand new, but his gaze was completely old soul.

“I guess you’re going to help me down.”

The man seemed suddenly distracted by something he heard in the forest. “Not right now, I’m not. That’s the safest place for you to be.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’m a Dom. Do you have a problem being my submissive? I need a sub. I want you.”

Maddox whimpered with need. Kade loved the way he bit his lip and licked his tongue over the sensitive spot. Slowly, Maddox lowered to his knees, rubbing his mouth over Kade’s hard dick. He nipped and bit through the fabric of his jeans.

“Yes, Sir. I’ll be your everything. I’ll be anything you want.”

Kade growled, loving the sound of his lover giving him permission to do everything.

“How does this thing work?”

“You’ve never been a submissive before?” Kade asked.

“No, never.”

“I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Kade loved the fact that he had a virgin sub and would have to teach him everything. He knew he had to show complete control with Maddox. He didn’t want to frighten him before they even started. He felt completely out of control when he had Maddox within his arms. This was the first relationship he had that wasn’t a shifter partner. This was new to Kade. He usually didn’t take outsiders into his bedroom. He would only take Maddox in his human form.

“Unzip my fly with your teeth,” Kade said.

Maddox groaned as he used his teeth to yank his zipper down. He flicked his tongue up around the button of his jeans, working the connection. As soon as Maddox worked the button apart, Kade’s hard prick slapped out against his face. Kade was a man who normally went commando. It made shifting easier. Kade looked down as Maddox’s hungry mouth came over his throbbing prick. He had a tough time swallowing him whole. Maddox attacked his cock with a reckless abandonment that made Kade want to drop his load within his hot mouth. Kade thrust his dick into Maddox’s mouth, loving the way his balls slapped against his chin. They had to stop. Kade was not ready to come yet. He pulled Maddox up off his dick and onto his feet. Their lips met. Kade shoved his tongue into his mouth, taking back control. The room was spinning by the time Kade broke his mouth away.

He stepped back, undressing. Maddox went to undress, but Kade stopped him with a shake of his head.

“Not yet.”

Kade took Maddox’s hand and led him to his playroom. He opened up the master bedroom door and led him inside. He closed the door behind, turning the lighting on low. He took a few minutes to let Maddox look around and to take in the fact that this room was made for playing with a lover. He gave Maddox an opportunity for his mind to adjust to what he was seeing.

“Oh, wow.”

“Are you frightened?”

“No, I can’t wait to do all of this with you.”

It was exactly what Kade wanted to hear. He was afraid that Maddox would be frightened by the all the leather, chains, and whips hanging from the walls. A large, king-sized bed was the focal point of the room. Kade couldn’t wait to roll around in that bed with Maddox. Kade wasn’t the type of man who was into vanilla sex. He was the type who had to push the limit. He loved to experiment with new toys with his lovers. He loved to take as much as he could from his submissive. Tonight he was going to test Maddox’s will to see how far he would let him go.

“Undress,” Kade said.

Maddox shivered as he slowly undressed.

“Are you cold?”

“No, not at all. I’m just excited and nervous.”

Kade’s heart pounded as he watched Maddox undress. He was even more beautiful up close and not through the window of his apartment building. When he finally undressed, Kade took him to the bed and chained him up with the leather cuffs attached to the posts. Kade stepped back, loving the way Maddox’s hungry gaze followed his every move. He really liked the way Maddox’s eyes went to his heavy prick. Maddox licked his lips as though he couldn’t wait to get another taste of him.

“I need you. I need this,” Kade said.

He leaned down, kissing Maddox passionately. The kiss seemed to go on and on, going deeper and deeper. Neither one was willing to let go of the kiss. Kade wanted to keep Maddox chained up as a pet. He wanted to spank him, whip him, and lick him until he was a quivering mess of need.

“Are you frightened of me?” Kade asked.

“I’m not frightened of anything. I know you won’t hurt me. I know you need me to submit completely to you. I will.”

It was exactly what Kade wanted and needed to hear. He reached down, grabbing Maddox’s ass, and gave it a tight squeeze. He bumped their cocks together. He rolled his hips up, giving him a spank to his ass. Kade went to his armoire where he opened up the cabinet door. He picked out a wooden flogger.

“Pull up your knees,” Kade said.