Blayde came back to the living room to sit down again, facing the other two men.“Sorry about that. I guess he’s a little unpredictable.”

Kyle smiled.“Unpredictable? Yeah, you could say that.I think he’s going to give you a run for your money.”

Frowning, Blayde flopped down in his chair again, waiting for Ryan to reappear.

Chapter Three

In only minutes, Ryan finished dressing, pulling on the only outfit he had left, a pair of pants and a Tshirt he’d borrowed from a friend when he’d run from the judge and his men. It was at least a size too small and he was almost poured into the jeans, but it was all he had now that his other pair was dirty. He could wash them later, if Blayde would let him use his cleaning machines.

Self-consciously he walked down the hallway. He was barefoot, his shoes having gotten soaked in the mud puddle when he’d first arrived. Ryan hesitated at the doorway for a moment as he came into the room. All three of the huge Lycans turned to look at him, but he felt drawn to Blayde and walked over to stand next to him. Blayde was looking at his tight pants and bare feet with a scowl, but smiled with great satisfaction when Ryan came over to him and made room for Ryan to sit beside him on the small sofa. Ryan sat and faced the other two Lycan shifters on the larger sofa in front of him.

Lucas leaned forward and spoke softly to him. “Ryan, what did you mean a little while ago when you said the judge was the one who killed your friend?”

“I mean he did it. It was the judge and those men he always keeps around him. My friend Blainewas the judge’s boyfriend. His sometime boyfriend anyway. They fought a lot because the judge always wanted him to do things he didn’t want to do. The judge had called after we got through shooting our scenes that night and asked Blaine to come see him. Blaine said he told him to try to convince me to come along. He said the judge had a kind of crush on me, and probably did it just to hurt Blaine. But Blaine insisted I come anyway, and said the judgetold him he’d give us a thousand diamond standard eachif we’d do a love scene together and let him watch. Fifteen hundred if he could join in.”

He turned to look directly at Blayde.“All we wanted was our money. We did as he asked. We finished partying with him and two of his guys came in. The judge said they wanted to join in. They wanted to fuck us while the judge watched. We said no, and Blaine got really pissed. Told the judge he wasn’t a whore to be passed around. The judge got this pissed off look on his face, but he agreed and told us to go. We left, and got almost to the door when the judge called Blaine back. I told him not to go, but he went anyway. Told me to go home. So I did, and that was the last time I ever saw Blaine alive. Ryan buried his face in his hands. “I never saw exactly what happened, but I know they must have killed Blaine when he went back in there.”

Blayde sat quietly beside him, just letting him talk. The other two men were listening to his story intently.“The next morning one of our friends called and told me Blaine had been killed and the police were looking for me. I got out of my apartment as quick as I could. I knew the judge must have implicated me somehow. I went to a friend’s house, someone I did films with. He wasn’t home, but knew he didn’t lock his door half the time. I went in and got some clothes and found some money where he always hid it. Then I just took off as fast as I could. I left him a note and told him I’d pay him back. I got a ride with another acquaintance to Lunar 53 where I got in on the slave auction. You know the rest. They framed me for the murder! I never touched Blaine! I swear it!”

Blayde said nothing when he finished, just squeezed his shoulder.Lucas’ lips had thinned as he listened to the account.“Thank the gods you got away from the sons-ofbitches,” he said. “They haven’t forgotten you,though, and I think they won’t rest until you’re dead too. They can’t afford to leave a loose end like you walking around. They’ve probably set something up for you at the prison, like having the guards kill you as you try to‘escape.’ Rumor has it the judge will be running for President of the Alliance. One reason they were so frantic to find you and put you away before you could talk.”

Ryan’s face got even paler. He squared his shoulders and looked up at Blayde.“I guess I’m pretty much fucked,then, right?”

Blayde looked back at him and smiled.“Not yet, but I’ll get to you in a minute.” When he didn’t get the answering smile he must have been going for, he pulled Ryan more into his arms, a little surprised when Ryan didn’t resist. “I’m only kidding, honey. I’ve got you now, and no one is ever going to hurt you again. Do you believe me?”

Ryan took a deep breath and nodded, leaninginto Blayde’s chest. “I want to believe it.”

Lucas stood up and began to pace again.“I need to think this through, Blayde, and it’s getting late. Kyle and I should go.Can I talk to you for a minute, please?”

Ryan watched the three gorgeous men move toward the door and stand in a huddle, probably talking about him.For the last three days since he’d been arrested at the auction, he’d been terrified and sick at heart, thinking his life was over. Then suddenly Blayde had come blazing into his life, and though he was still exhausted, somehow he felt hopeful again for the first time in weeks, really. For some reason, Blayde seemed powerfully attracted to him. And Ryan had to admit, the feeling was more than mutual. When Blayde first wrapped those big arms around him, he had felt all the hurt and fear inside him melting.

He’d lied to him, though, and if he found out, he would hate him for it. He’d only just met Blayde, no matter how attracted to him he was. Hedidn’t trust him with the whole truth yet, though, even if he did keep talking about keeping Ryan safe and being his mate.The story he’d told was mostly true,he hadn’t killed his friend and surely that was the most important thing. He needed the Lycans to believe him and not take him to prison. If there was any chance of getting out of that, he had to take it.By saying he wasn’t even there when Blaine was killed, it really sounded a lot better. It might give him more of a chance.

These three huge Lycans made him feel safe. Especially his Blayde. My Blayde? When did I start to think of him like that? Somehow he knew, though, that Blayde would stand between him and danger, would fight for him if necessary.Considering Blayde’s size, it was a comforting thought. He put his head back on the chair and closed his eyes. In seconds, he was drifting off, and for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to relax.

* * * * When Lucas moved over to the door, Blayde followed him. Kyle came in close too, and Lucas spoke in a low voice.“I know it’s probably useless for me to tell you not to mate with him yet.”

“Fuck that!” Blayde said angrily. “He’s mine and I’ll do what I want with him.” Lucas gave him a stern gaze, and Blayde blushed a little.“I’m sorry, Lucas. I know I gave my allegiance and my obedience to you as the pack leader, but don’t ask me to do this.”

“B layde, I understand how you must feel, I mean, I haven’t met my mate yet, but I think I understand that the feeling is overpowering.”

“Overpowering?That’s not the half of it. You can’t know it till you experience it, Lucas. There’s no way I can be with him and not fuck him.Don’t ask me to do that.”

“Then let him come to my house for the night. Give yourself a little space.I’m right next door, and you know I’ll guard him with my life. No harm will come to him, I promise.”

“No,” Blayde said firmly. “I can’t do it.”

Lucas sighed heavily.“Isn’t there some way I can convince you not to mate with him? If you do, and something goes wrong… Look, Blayde, Kyle and Nikolai and the twins, all of us will do everything we can to help you get him out of this mess. You know that. Whatever it takes! But if you mate with him and something goes wrong, you’re my brother, Blayde, and I can’t stand by and see you get hurt.”

Blayde shook his head.“It’s already too late. I imprinted on him the moment I touched him, I could feel it.The actual mating is just a formality at this point.”

Lucas’ shoulders slumped in defeat.“I thought that would be your answer, but I had to try.”

“I know,” Blayde said miserably. He glanced over his shoulder at Ryan and saw he’d fallen asleep, curled up in the armchair like a child. He sighed again as a rush of tenderness washed over him.“Nothing I can do about it, Lucas.”

Lucas nodded, reluctance evident on his face.

“Don’t worry about the other prisoners. I’ll go by the holding cell and check on them,” Kyle said.

“See you in the morning,” Lucas said softly. “We can talk again over coffee. Just be careful with him, Blayde, until you can figure things out.”

After they left, Blayde walked over to stand beside his mate.

Ryan stirred and looked up to see Blayde staring down at him. He smiled at him tentatively and straightened up in the chair.“Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night at the spaceport. What with the cold floor and the shackles and all,” he said, with a sardonic little smile.

Blayde nodded.“I’m sorry you’ve had to go through all that, baby.Especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.Well, except for your lifestyle. That’s been pretty fucked up for a while.”

Ryan shifted uncomfortably.“What do you mean?”

Blayde frowned at him in irritation.“What do I mean? You can’t be that stupid. Porn films, fucking anything on two legs, drugs and alcohol. What the hell were you thinking? I know you’re young, but shit!”

“I made good money doing those films, and so what if I had a good time? I was careful, and I’m single and unattached!”

“Not anymore!” Blayde roared back at him.

“Yeah, well, who said? I don’t remember you asking me, and I sure as hell don’t remember agreeing to anything. Damn it, I just met you this afternoon!”

Blayde reached for him and yanked him up into his arms, crushing him against his chest. He lowered his lips to Ryan’s, sucking in his tongue and doing wicked things to the inside of his mouth. Ryan pushed back against his chest for about two seconds and then relaxed into him, allowing him to hold him tight to his chest. Blayde pulled his head away and stared angrily down into his face.“Is this ringing any bells? You’re mine, damn you. Say it!”