After seven years of being on the move, Arlo Barman wants nothing more than a place to call home. But unbeknownst to him, Arlo is a caladrius healer, so staying in one place has never been an option. The compulsion to separate himself from those he's healed is all-consuming and leaves him little choice but to pack up yet again. Nash Silver is the only werewolf in his small coastal town. Living undetected in a human world is imperative for his kind, and he and his small circle of friends -- a vampire and a psychic -- have done so for decades. But Nash's anonymous existence is jeopardized when a man with an enticing scent moves into town. From the moment Nash lays eyes on the stranger, nothing is more important than being close to him. Not even guarding his secret. Arlo isn't interested in a relationship or even a date, his past has taught him nothing good comes from it, but the rather pushy local popping up everywhere he goes has his heart somersaulting. If he's heart is somersaulting or not doesn't matter, because when Nash gets injured, Arlo is the only one who can save him. Having used his powers, Arlo has to leave Nash and the cozy town he wanted to make his home, but can Nash survive being separated from his mate?

Black Bird

“Why can’t this be enough?” The glow he’d seen in Arlo’s eyes just a minute ago was gone.


Nash wished he could answer almost as much as he wished Arlo would look at him with longing, with desire. He ran his hands over Arlo’s torso, down toward his pajama bottoms. “Any other day, this would be enough. I never want to force you to do anything you don’t want to, but I’m running out of time.” He took a deep breath. “If you don’t want me, I’ll leave before I hurt you or anyone else.”


“I…don’t like sex, okay? It’s not you.”


With one hand Nash undid the drawstrings and tugged a little. “Off.”


“Nash…” Arlo raised his hips but looked away from Nash’s face, and that, if anything, made him feel like shit. Whatever made him hide was something Nash would have to fix.


“It’s supposed to feel good. And if you let me, I’m gonna make you feel good.” He’d kill every fucker who’d ever hurt Arlo, and he prayed he wouldn’t turn into one of them.


Chapter 48