“They do.” Geir stroked down his hair. “They are small. And fast. Their wings move so quickly that they hover in the air. That’s what makes the hum. I’ve heard, though, that their hearts beats are so rapid that you cannot recognize the individual beats. Their throats are a beautiful blue-green color,” he touched Declan’s throat, “like jewels.”
Declan melted into him. “So I’m your hummingbird?”
Geir nodded. Declan felt like everything, as impossible as that seemed.
He liked the idea of Declan in his room, though. He couldn’t imagine anyone else who he would have let in, and he also couldn’t explain the sense of peace he felt in seeing Declan’s belongings mixed in with his own. This was going to be a lot of change. Especially if Declan kept talking with other people and bringing them around.
But he found himself maybe, just possibly, interested in change if Declan was at the heart of it.
Chapter 7
Declan
Declan slowly awoke feeling more relaxed and content than he had in a long time. It took him only an instant to realize why.
Geir.
He moved instinctively to stretch and found his legs trapped beneath Geir’s heavy calf and one muscular arm over his shoulders. His arms were trapped against Geir’s broad chest and he pressed a soft kiss to the closest skin.
He wiggled gently, finally managing to stretch out and roll over, only to have Geir capture him back up again.
Perfect.
Now he only had to hope that it stayed that way. Yesterday had been absolutely dreamy. They hadn’t had sex again, but Geir had stayed close by his side all day. They’d hiked through the woods—well, Declan had called it hiking and Geir had laughed at him. There were trees, though, and long paths, so that should count, he decided. Geir had taken him to see all his favorite places.
When it got hot, they’d gone swimming, splashing and laughing in the water. Declan convinced Geir to show off his kraken form again, which he still ranked as The Coolest Thing Ever in His Life.
Then, Declan had settled down to sketch while Geir sat beside him. He knew that watching someone sketch was about as exciting as watching paint dry, but Geir hadn’t seemed bored at all. He’d just watched Declan, and sometimes watched the trees or the water.
It had felt calm and safe. When he got tired of sketching, he hadn’t even thought twice about crawling into Geir’s lap. Geir had accepted him with open arms. If all of his days could be like that, he’d be the happiest boy on the planet.
Morning light filtered through the curtains and he shifted in Geir’s arms, kicking off some of the blankets. Now that he was a bit more awake, it was more apparent that every day couldn’t be like that. Claiming someone you just met sure sounded sexy in books, but it probably wasn’t a good idea in real life. Real life was shitty like that.
And Geir hadn’t said anything else about owning him, or even wanting him, after that first time.
He’d just moved all of his clothes in without even asking, and that felt a little better, but also a little awkward. Like, Geir had gone along with it, but had he actually wanted it? What the hell had Declan been thinking?
Sooner or later, Geir would decide that Declan was too needy or too talkative or too something and lose interest. Then Declan would start drifting off into books and loneliness, until there was nothing left of their relationship but tarnished memories.
That was, if he’d even meant it in the first place. People said a lot of stuff during sex that they didn’t mean. He’d learned that one the hard way.
Declan pushed his mind firmly away from that possibility. This was an adventure, a romance. He’d met people who could change into animals and convinced a reclusive beast to fall in love with him. Or at least convinced him to have the hottest, kinkiest sex of Declan’s life.
So that was something.
The shifter thing got him thinking about the other important conversation he’d had. He was supposed to meet some Chief guy, and he had the sense that he’d be under a lot of scrutiny.
He could have just kept his big mouth shut, but he’d been so excited about discovering a new world of magic and mystery that he’d just blurted out everything he was thinking.
There was probably some sort of code where any humans who found out about their secret lives would have to swear an oath never to tell under penalty of death. Maybe there would be an elaborate ceremony, where he would pledge his loyalty and his life under the full moon. He would stand there, bold and brave, having beaten every trial they put before him...
No, he was getting carried away again. He’d just fucked up and now he was in trouble with the person in charge. They might still kill him or lock him away, but with a lot less ceremony.
No, Geir would fight for him. Maybe there would be an epic battle… but of course Declan didn’t want anyone fighting. He’d really liked Ro yesterday. It felt like they could be friends.
That is, if he got to stay. Realistically, this was already an adventure. More of an adventure than he’d ever expected to have. If he could just keep a hold of it for a little bit longer, it would be beautiful and magical and perfect.
Geir had let him move all of his things into his room, but unpacking one small backpack and a duffle didn’t make this permanent. He knew from experience just how easy it was to pack up again.
Maybe he’d still be leaving on Tuesday. Or next month. Or next year. For now he’d make every moment count.
“You’re thinking too much.” Geir’s softly accented whisper danced over the edge of his ear.
Declan hummed in agreement. “Maybe you can help me relax?” He rubbed his naked ass provocatively against the soft flesh that was just starting to grow behind him.
“Maybe I can,” Geir agreed, dropping his broad hand over Declan’s ready cock and started an easy rhythm.
Every moment, Declan thought. He’d take every one.
* * *
Declan ate the last few bites of his breakfast, a sort of bean salad that he’d made with the scattered cans in Geir’s pantry and the vegetables from Ro’s box. It was pretty tasty, if he did say so himself. But they were going to need to do some serious grocery shopping.
He would have happily stayed with Geir for the rest of the day, or really every second of every day. When Ro’s truck pulled up outside, though, he dashed out the door.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” he asked one more time.
Geir gave one of his usual grunts. For someone who’d been so sweet and kind to Declan, Geir was certainly antisocial. Or at least shy. Declan was beginning to sense how big a deal it was that Geir had invited him into his home.
“Well, goodbye! Be back soon!” He gave Geir a final kiss and hopped down the weathered steps of the porch.
Ro stood behind a pick-up truck that was only slightly newer than Geir’s rusty monstrosity. His sideburns totally made Declan think of teen werewolf movies. Maybe the neighbors were werewolves? He hadn’t exactly said yesterday. But, man. It was like he was trying to look like the lead in a B-movie.
The possibly-a-real-live-werewolf was handsome in a rugged, scruffy sort of way, which seemed to be the going style in Northern Ohio. His skin was a warm mahogany and his jet-black hair fell in tight curls that were only slightly tamed by the ponytail low on his neck. Declan guessed his ancestry to be mostly Native American, possibly African as well, with his broad forehead and strong, handsome features.