Psychic Moon

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 2

Chapter One

IT WAS only halfway through his workday and his blood was already close to boiling. Derek hated humans. He hated the whole lot of them. What they did to animals was utterly disgraceful. Maybe he had lived a sheltered life with his pack, and maybe he hadn‟t known what the world was about when he left home at age eighteen. Maybe he hadn‟t been as fully prepared for the grief life could throw at him as he thought he had been. Maybe. But that was no fucking excuse for abuse and neglect of an animal that was bred to serve and love its owners. Derek glowered as he drove his official humane officer car through the streets of Seattle, Washington. He had been horribly naïve when he had taken this job. He thought he would not only be helping animals but also helping humans understand how they could properly take care of the animals in their lives. He had been wrong. This job had become a slow torment. Derek never would have imagined just how horrible humans could be to their pets and farmyard animals. He had grown up quickly and hadn‟t been allowed much time to be a rookie. His very first call on the job had been for a dog near death. Complete neglect and carelessness had led the animal to become a bag of bones, and dehydration had begun to take its toll. And the Washington weather didn‟t help

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 3 matters. The dog had been shaking with cold when Derek had pulled his vehicle up to the curb. He had tried everything he could, and still it hadn‟t been enough. The dog had died. Derek‟s dark brown eyes flashed with rage that hadn‟t dimmed in the passing years. The rage, in fact, only seemed to build more and more each day as he saw the results of careless humans. Right now, Derek had a cat in the cage in the back of his car that looked to be pregnant and close to birth. She looked dehydrated and malnourished, and the fur around her neck was gone. But in the skin he could see markings that might have been caused by a collar once upon a time. Looked like she got pregnant, and the owners decided to abandon her instead of seeing her through the pregnancy. A wolf-like growl issued from Derek‟s throat, and the muscles under his skin rippled with anticipation. He shook his head once, hard. Not here. Not now. Shifting would not help the cat. She was skittish enough as it was. He couldn‟t blame her; he was a wolf shifter after all. Cats and wolves didn‟t have the best relationship. But that didn‟t matter. He would have saved a cat from a flash flood without blinking. It was his job. It was who he was. Derek pulled up to the Pet Rescue center and got out of the car, slamming the door harder than he needed to. He walked around to the back and opened the door. The cat hissed, but Derek knew she had to be in pain, and her terror wasn‟t helping.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 4 “Easy there, girl. I‟m only doing what‟s best for you. Easy.” Derek continued to talk to her as he grabbed a small portable carrier and opened the cage door. He set the carrier on the floor and threw a cat treat into it. The cat, despite her terror, wanted food. Her nose lifted in the air and sniffed before her body heaved itself off the floor and waddled to the carrier. Derek closed the small door and gently lifted her. She was much too light for a cat carrying a litter of kittens. Shutting all the doors and locking the car, Derek walked quickly to the main doors of the Seattle Pet Rescue. The clinic was in the back, and he hurried past the waiting room and behind the counter through a door that read “Employees Only.” Derek had been with the Pet Rescue for about four years now, beginning right after he finished several years at a community college. This was the only job he had ever wanted to do. The rest of his family was into saving the environment, wildlife preserves, and PETA. He had wanted to do something different, something that would help pets, not wild animals. It was his opinion that pets were often the most in danger of human cruelty. His anger flared up once more, and Derek growled. “I agree,” said a voice behind him. Derek had just passed the clinic doors without knowing it. Derek turned around, and his bad mood vanished almost instantly. Here, Derek thought. Here is the one exception to the human species. Here is the one human who could restore the honor of the entire human species with a single gesture.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 5 Brian O‟Donogue was the best veterinarian the world had ever seen. At least, in Derek‟s opinion. Brian had joined the Pet Rescue only two years before, and his presence had made a marked improvement in how many animals survived when brought in. He had a gift; it was that simple. The staff had also dubbed him “the animal shrink” because in the two years he had been with them, they hadn‟t put an animal down for bad temperament. He was somehow able to get into their heads and knew how to heal them, mind and body. “What have we got here?” Brian came over and took the carrier from Derek‟s hand. “Female cat. Pregnant. Abandoned.” Brian clucked his tongue and gestured for Derek to follow him into the clinic. They walked back to Brian‟s workstation, and the vet put the carrier on the long operating table in the center of the room. Brian bent down until he was eye-level with the opening of the cage door. A hiss could be heard. “Poor thing,” Brian said, so many emotions riding on those two words. Derek watched, leaning against the wall, as Brian tried to coax the cat out of the carrier once he had opened the door. Brian was older than Derek, but he didn‟t know by how much. He was blond with long hair that came down to the middle of his back. He always wore it either in a braid or a ponytail. He had a thin beard that didn‟t do much to detract from his boyish face. Derek figured that was why he grew it.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 6 His eyes were a startling green that always caused a newcomer to look twice. He was fit, and the long white coat didn‟t detract much from his rather impressive figure. Derek also couldn‟t help noticing how perky his butt looked in those blue jeans. For two years, he had debated whether to ask Brian out, but had held back. It wasn‟t because he was afraid Brian was straight, oh no. Brian was a flamer from the top of his blond head to the bottom of his red sneakers. He didn‟t have the lisp or the limp wrist, but he had that feminine air about him and timidity that most straight men didn‟t have. He also liked ABBA and would play Celine Dion as often as he could. Enough said. No, it wasn‟t fear of rejection that kept Derek from asking. It was the fact that he was a wolf shifter, and what he wanted with Brian was more than just a night of pleasure. He wanted a relationship, which meant he would have to make the fateful decision whether to reveal himself or to keep it forever a secret. Two years and he still hadn‟t made up his mind. Brian finally got the cat out of the carrier and gently checked her over. “Well?” Derek asked, pushing away from the wall. “She‟ll be due soon. We need to get some food and water down her. Not much, though. Too much will make her sick.” “Right.” “That pup you brought in this morning is looking well.” Derek blinked. He had completely forgotten about the Labrador puppy that he had found in a storm drain.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 7 “Shit, I feel like crap now. He‟s going to live?” Brian grinned and patted his arm. “I guarantee it. Other than fear and a bumped head, he‟s doing fine. The staff‟s already fallen in love with him.” Derek took a deep breath of relief. “Good. Good.” Brian looked at him a moment before speaking. “You were in a mood when you came back. Wanna talk about it?” Not only was Brian the animal shrink, he was also the staff‟s shrink. If anyone had any problems, he would be the one they went to. His quiet and nonjudgmental nature made people want to open up to him. “I hate people,” Derek blurted. “I know,” Brian said, nodding. He rubbed his hand up and down Derek‟s back. It sent shivers of pleasure shooting to his groin. It is amazing, Derek thought. This is the only person who can get me out of my bad mood just by looking at me. No one has ever done that. He looked at Brian, and the vet removed his hand. Derek regretted the loss of contact. “You should get back out there. I‟ll take care of her now.” “I know you will.” “Don‟t hate all humans, Derek. You only see them at their worst. They have a best. Remember that.” Derek nodded mutely and walked out of the room.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 8 BRIAN took a deep breath and looked down at the cat. “He‟s a complicated one, I know.” He and the cat stared at each other a moment longer before he snorted. “What do you mean he smells funny? How else is a human supposed to smell? He doesn‟t wear cologne.” Brian‟s smile widened, and he continued to send calming thoughts to the cat. He imagined a warm and soft bed with fresh water and some tuna. He couldn‟t “talk” to animals, nor could they “talk” to him. But he could communicate on a level other humans couldn‟t. He could give and receive images and that was how he could be an animal‟s “shrink.” No one knew about his gift, not even his family. Whenever he had mentioned it, they would only think he was kidding, and when he got older, they told him to grow up. So he had grown silent. The cat meowed in pleasure at the thought of the comfort coming, and when he put his arms around her to pick her up, she didn‟t resist him. He carried the tawny beauty to the animal holding area and nodded to the staff as he passed. People called him the animal shrink. He didn‟t mind that. He was, in a way. His gift had always been used to help and soothe animals. He had also learned how to transfer his gift to humans. He couldn‟t project calming images to them, nor could he read their minds, but he had good experience on how to soothe. None of his techniques on humans worked better than on Derek. He was still puzzled by that. When he had been hired on, he had been warned about the humane officers

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 9 and their territorial natures. The vet he had replaced, an old woman in her sixties named Lisa, had specifically taken him aside and told him about Derek. The man was like a wolf, she explained to him. He was territorial, persistent, and loyal to a fault. He was dedicated to the job and took it very personally. The cruelty inflicted on animals was, to him, a personal insult. No one knew exactly why he took it so personally, but there it was. Brian had listened to all Lisa had to say and had tried to prepare himself for the battle to come. Of all the officers he was to work with, he had been terrified of meeting Derek. But when the meeting had come, it had been… uneventful. Derek had simply come into the clinic on his first day, introduced himself, and after giving Brian the once over, told him he could expect that day to be busy because of all the rain. Only after that day did Brian loosen up. He still kept an eye on Derek, and realized that what Lisa had said had been the truth. Derek was utterly passionate, close to obsessive, about his job and the animals he rescued. He wanted punishment toward cruel and neglectful humans and was never satisfied with the fines most got slapped with. Brian gently set the cat in a small kennel and gave her food and water. She thanked him with deep-throated purrs, and he smiled. He gave her head a thoughtful scratch before closing the kennel door. He stood up, and, because today was slow, he figured he would get a lunch break for the first time that week. But as he walked back to his workstation he began to puzzle over what the cat had “told” him. She had thought

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 10 that Derek had smelled weird for a human, and it had put her on edge. Why? She couldn‟t tell him what she had smelled or what it meant. Derek was definitely one of a kind, but why would his smell put a feline on edge?

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 11

Chapter Two

IT

WAS the end of shift, and Derek dragged a feisty pit bull

through the back of the Pet Rescue. There was no need to scare everyone with a growly dog that had a bad reputation. He had shown the dog who was boss, and he came along easily enough. But he still had an attitude. “Just wait,” Derek huffed as he opened the back door. “Just wait until the doc sees you. Keep this up and he‟s bound to stick a thermometer up your butt.” The dog‟s ears perked, and he let out a slight whimper. Derek grinned evilly. “Or maybe take away your ability to have offspring.” The dog let out a plaintive whine that made the other staff turn their heads to look at them. Derek shrugged his shoulders innocently. He wasn‟t being cruel to the animal. He was being logical. “Doc, got another one.” Brian appeared in the doorway and held his door open for the two of them. “Stray?” “Yep. And one that‟s been terrorizing little kids at school.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 12 Brian sighed and looked down at the dog. “Now why‟d you have to go and do a thing like that, huh? You look like a nice enough dog; why be a bully?” The dog whimpered. Brian lifted an eyebrow and shot Derek an accusatory look. Derek tried to feign innocence. “What?” Brian narrowed his eyes before kneeling in front of the dog. “What did he do to you, huh? What did the mean Derek do?” “Hey.” Brian unhooked the leash from the dog‟s neck and, with Derek‟s help, got him on the table. The dog sat easily, and Brian began to examine him. “Looks to be about three, maybe four years old. Malnourished, matted hair. Teeth look okay….” Brian kept going. Derek was only half listening. The entire day he had been having an argument with himself about whether to ask Brian out. He wasn‟t so much concerned with the employees-dating-each-other thing as he was about the shape-shifting thing he tended to do. There had been a few dates in his earlier years, but nothing had come of them. If he needed relief, he‟d go to gay clubs and have done. But this was different. He wanted more from Brian. There was just something about the man that drew him. Maybe it was his refreshing smell or his calm nature. Maybe it was his intense eyes or his super-soft hair. Maybe it was the entire package.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 13 Never before had the desire to reveal himself to someone ever come over him, yet whenever he looked at Brian, doubt would grow in his mind. He couldn‟t shake the feeling that perhaps Brian would understand. That he would accept. That was bullshit. How could a human accept a shifter? “You know that horse that Molly brought in?” Brian asked as he checked the dog‟s ears. “No. Wait, that skinny black one?” “Yeah.” “What about the horse?” “He died,” Brian said softly. It was like a flood had been released inside him and crashed through his system. There was a roaring in his ears, and he felt his muscles twitch. There was a moment of silence before Derek slammed his fist into the table. The dog yelped and tried to scramble off the table, and it was all Brian could do to keep a hold on him. “Damn it, Derek. Calm down—” “Calm down?” Derek shouted, rage flooding through his veins. “I don‟t need to fucking calm down. Those goddamn bastards are going to pay. How long did that horse stay out in that weather without shelter, huh? And now all the bastard is going to get is a slap on the wrist and a fine. Money for a life.” “This is how it works,” Brian said, his voice strangely calm. He’s always fucking calm, Derek thought ungraciously. Nothing touches him. He’s just fucking cold.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 14 Derek snarled. He headed for the door, seeing nothing but red when Brian risked life and limb by stepping in front of him. “Get out of my fucking way,” he growled, feeling the urge to shift right there. He wanted blood. He wanted to kill. But those green eyes met his and never flinched from the rage. “Derek, you need to calm down, okay? You need to take a breath.” He didn‟t want to hear reason. He didn‟t want to take a breath and think and calm down. He wanted action. He wanted justice. A life was a life whether human or animal. Derek grabbed Brian‟s shoulder and tried to shove him roughly away. But Brian was quicker and grabbed Derek‟s arm, countering his weight. He shoved Derek into the wall. “Calm down, officer,” Brian snapped. Derek bared his teeth, like wolves do to show dominance and displeasure, but relinquished his hold on Brian. He bore down and smothered most of his rage. Brian let him loose and took a step back. Those green eyes never lost their calm. “They have to pay, Brian.” “You know how the law works, Derek. Don‟t do anything you‟ll regret.” “I wouldn‟t regret tearing that murderous bastard to pieces.” And he wouldn‟t. He could already taste the blood. He could see the terror in the bastard‟s eyes right before Derek‟s teeth sank into his throat.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 15 But then Brian, as if sensing his thoughts, pressed a hand to Derek‟s chest. Right above his heart. Derek‟s heart beat against Brian‟s palm, and he looked at it before meeting Brian‟s eyes again. It had happened many times before, but it never lost its wonder. Derek felt most of his rage slip away, while the rest of it was buried once more. It would wait until the next senseless death of an animal. It was as if Brian‟s touch was infused with some sort of calm-inducing drug. The rage didn‟t vanish into thin air, but his rational mind was once again allowed to take control. Amazing. “Look,” Brian said in that smooth voice. “This sucks, all right? It sucks big time. But in the confines of the law, we cannot do anything. Evidence will be brought, and he might spend some time in jail. That is all we can hope for. So ease up.” Derek gave a half-hearted snarl but couldn‟t argue with Brian‟s logic. “Let me take care of the dog, okay? Then we can talk.” “Nothing to talk about,” Derek snapped before he thought better about it. Brian‟s strange influence over him both amazed and scared him. And it made him defensive. “Fine. Brood for all I care.” Brian huffed and grabbed the leash before leading the dog out of the room.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 16 THE man needed an anger-management class. Brian scowled as he scratched the pit bull behind the ears. The dog was taking healthy gulps of water, and Brian reminded himself to come back within two hours. The dog would really have to go pee. The rages used to scare him. In some ways, they still did. It took all his strength to step in front of Derek and confront the fury head-on. He didn‟t like confrontation. He didn‟t like facing down an enraged person. But Derek sure looks hot when he’s pissed, Brian thought before he could stop himself. The man was already hot, though. His skin was naturally tanned and his short, black hair was shiny and wonderfully set off a face carved by a master. High cheekbones with a mouth that was wide with full lips made for kissing. And Brian had thought a lot about what that mouth could do to him. In a fury, though, Derek‟s skin would stretch severely over his bones, and his fists would become white knuckled and made into a death grip. His muscles would flex under his clothes and his eyes…. God, his eyes. They were a deep brown, rich and full of life. Like a wolf‟s. And in a fury, they would blaze as bright as the sun, and Brian often feared he would get scorched by the fire inside Derek. He sighed. The dog looked up at him. The image the dog sent wasn‟t a pleasant one.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 17 Brian tried hard not to laugh. “He said that, did he? That you would never be a daddy? Well, buddy, that won‟t happen.” The dog‟s ears perked, and he tilted his head. Brian smiled and scratched the pit bull‟s head. “Don‟t worry. Your doghood is safe.” Derek was an evil one, that was for sure. It was amazing how often animals, especially dogs, could actually understand, to some extent, what humans said. Derek had threatened to neuter the poor mutt, and the dog took him seriously. Poor thing. Brian knew Derek would never follow through with such a threat. His passion for animals exceeded Brian‟s own. And he had been in love with animals since before he could walk. The rage Derek would feel over the death of an animal made his stomach twist and his heart soften. Others became angry but Derek… he became like an avenging angel. Derek never called them “it.” Not once in the years he had known Derek did the man ever call an animal “it.” Brian led the dog into one of the kennels and locked it. His heart always softened when it came to Derek. He was, after all, in love with the guy.

HE

WISHED he could explain to Brian why he felt so

enraged. Derek stood outside the building, leaning against his personal car, a Jeep, and waited for Brian to come out. He needed to apologize even if it punched at his pride.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 18 He had been in the wrong. He had always had a temper, even as a child. He thought he had control of it, but sometimes it got the better of him. That poor horse. He had only been three years old. Too young to die. Most people would have fled before his rage. Brian hadn‟t. He never had, not since his first week when Derek had brought in five puppies he had found abandoned in the woods, and three had died from simple exposure. They had been barely three weeks old. He had raged, feeling like they had been his own children. Brian had been the only one to come into the men‟s bathroom. He had just stood there, and after Derek had gotten past his violent stage and into his quiet, seething stage, Brian had handed him a bottle of water. They had just stayed there in that bathroom, silent. Brian hadn‟t said a word, but Derek had been oddly comforted by his presence. It was as if the vet had been thinking good thoughts or something, and they had counteracted his own dark thoughts. That was when Derek had taken a second look at the doc. And what he had found only cemented his affection for the man and made him long for more than just friendship. Derek pushed up from his Jeep when he saw Brian come out of the clinic. He waited where he was because his Jeep was parked right next to Brian‟s green Volkswagen Beetle. “Brian.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 19 The vet looked up and came around his car. “You feel any better?” “Yeah, I… look, I‟m sorry.” Brian smiled and shrugged. “No harm done. We all need to vent sometimes, you know. I have my moments.” Derek raised an eyebrow. “I never remember you having any moments.” “That‟s because I do it in private.” “Oh. Why not join the club, and let it all hang out? We have T-shirts and everything.” Brian laughed. It was full and deep. Derek grinned. He liked making Brian laugh. “I wanted to ask you something, Brian.” It was now or never. “Shoot.” Derek took a breath. This was harder than he had anticipated. “Well, do you, um, do you want to go out? On, um, a date?” He felt like an idiot. A green idiot. Brian stared at him with a blank face, his mouth slightly open. “Pardon?” he finally said. “You heard me.” “A date?” “Yes.” Derek nodded. “You and me?” “Yes.” This was starting to become ridiculous.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 20 “You‟re gay?” “Yes.” Now Derek laughed slightly. Brian blushed. Derek laughed harder. The vet punched Derek in the shoulder. “Don‟t laugh at me. Am I supposed to think you‟re gay? Maybe my gaydar is skewed but you always came off as an egotistical macho-man.” “That‟s because I am,” Derek said, not at all offended. “Gaydar?” Brian shrugged. “Haven‟t been out in a long time, cut me some slack.” “How long is long?” “I‟d rather not say.” “That is long.” Brian sighed. They stood there a moment in silence before Derek waved his hand. “So… yes or no?” Derek saw the struggle behind Brian‟s eyes and wondered at it. He wondered if it was just his arrogance at always being able to make heads turn that made him irritated by Brian‟s minute of indecision. “Yes,” Brian said. Finally. “Good.” He tried to ignore the immense relief he felt wash over him. He didn‟t know what he‟d have done if Brian had said no. “This Friday good?” There was a pause again. “Looks to be.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 21 They exchanged phone numbers and addresses before awkwardly parting and getting into their separate cars. Derek had a grin on his face for the entire drive home.

AFTER he fed his three dogs—a mastiff, a golden retriever, and an old hounddog—Derek loaded everyone up into his Jeep and took off down the streets of Eastgate. There were several wooded parks, and he had his pick of them. The urge to shift had been growing all day, as it always did, and he couldn‟t contain it anymore. He didn‟t want to contain it. His dogs barked happily in the back of his Jeep, nipping playfully and sniffing excitedly. He knew they lived for this. He parked his Jeep several blocks away and led his dogs without leashes to one of the park‟s entrances. It was dark, the stars were already out, and there were several lights lit in the park, but security was lax. He led his dogs into the woods before stripping down and stuffing his clothes in the bag he had brought along. The shifting took little time and wasn‟t painful at all. It was a part of him, as much as breathing or eating or fucking. A pitch-black wolf now stood where a man once had. The three dogs barked in happiness, their tails wagging. The wolf howled once before charging into the black woods. The dogs followed.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 22 BRIAN frowned and muted his TV. He tilted his head and looked out his window. His dogs were curled up beside him on the couch, and his cat lay along the back of it. What was that? A wolf‟s howl? Were there rogue wolves in Washington? His dogs certainly heard it. His black pug, Fenrir, lifted up his head, and his ears moved back and forth. His two German shepherds perked their ears up and started to growl. “No, calm down, guys.” They did, almost instantly. He projected calm thoughts as his skin erupted in goose bumps. He liked wolves, but he wasn‟t sure if he wanted to come face-to-face with one. He turned back to the television but kept it on mute. He could still hardly believe it. The man he had been in love with for nearly two years was gay. Not straight. It had to be a miracle. There was a God. But his stomach was churning, and he wasn‟t sure if it was from excitement or fear. Maybe both. He hadn‟t had a boyfriend since before he got the job, two years ago. And that relationship had ended very badly. He‟d had to file charges because the moron had set their house on fire. He‟d done a piss-poor job of it, however, and the fire crew had saved almost everything. The bastard was out of jail by now, and miles away on the east coast. Thank God. Brian couldn‟t help but wonder, however, given Derek‟s temper: was he setting himself up for another fire starter?

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 23

Chapter Three

DEREK walked into the clinic and found Brian holding a black puppy who was currently drowning him in kisses. Brian was giggling and the dog was wiggling in puppy happiness. Derek chuckled. “Seems you made a new friend.” Brian grinned and held the puppy out to him. “I sure did. He‟s one of yours.” “I know.” He remembered this little guy. It was the Labrador he found down the storm drain. He took the puppy, who instantly started to give Derek kisses. “Friendly. He‟ll find a family for sure.” “I hope so. He‟s a darling.” Derek looked over and saw the warm affection in those green depths. He thought of what it would be like to have that look directed toward him. His pants suddenly became too tight. He cleared his throat and handed the dog back. “We still on for Friday?” Brian asked hesitantly. Derek smiled. “Of course.” The vet turned away, but not before Derek saw the faint blush creeping into his cheeks. Brian set the puppy on the table, and before he could grab any of his tools, Derek grabbed him.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 24 He wasn‟t sure what possessed him. Maybe it was the fantastic romp he had last night with his dogs or maybe it was the prospect of having this man all to himself for the coming days. Whatever it was, he couldn‟t wait until Friday to see what those lips had to offer. With the puppy as a witness, Derek had one arm around Brian‟s waist and the other tangled in his hair before pressing his mouth to the vet‟s. Derek felt the shock radiate through Brian‟s body, a second before Brian pressed into him. His lips were soft and yielding. They offered and Derek took. The small beard tickled Derek in a delicious way, and he had a rather vivid sensation on how it might feel tickling more sensitive areas. That only made him harder. Brian pressed further into him and his groin rubbed against Derek‟s thigh. Hell. Brian was as hard as he was. It also meant that Brian wanted this just as badly as he did. Derek‟s hand slipped down to grip Brian‟s butt. He wanted so bad. He wanted Brian right there and now, and damn the consequences. He wanted to see just how tight that perky ass was and what Brian would look like shed of his clothes. But Brian came to his senses first and pushed back, gently but firmly. They both panted for breath, arms still locked around each other, one of Brian‟s hands placed firmly on Derek‟s chest. “Whoa,” Brian murmured. “What was that for?” “For being you,” Derek said, his voice low and husky. “For being irresistibly cute.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 25 The veterinarian precious.

blushed.

Derek

thought

it

was

Derek touched his lips to Brian‟s cheek and slid them down his neck. “Derek—” The puppy whined, dancing along the edge of the table, trying to reach them. Brian pushed back, and Derek released him. The vet turned back to the puppy. “Hold on, little guy. I need to examine you.” The puppy, now getting attention, was content to sit on the table and allow Brian to touch him. “We‟re not done yet,” Derek said, catching his breath. He needed to compose himself before he left the room. “Of course not,” Brian said, sounding eager. He gave Derek a look over his shoulder. “We have Friday.”

IT

hard to focus on his work when Brian was anticipating his date that was only a day away. It was Thursday morning and he wasn‟t sure if he was more excited or nervous. When he was nervous, the hours seemed to fly by, but when he was excited, the hours turned into days. He and Derek had never seen each other outside the professional arena. They really didn‟t hang in the same circles. Derek liked Metallica and Cradle of Filth, for God‟s sake. They didn‟t even like the same music. WAS

But that couldn‟t be allowed to cause him doubt. He wanted Derek with everything in him. He admired Derek for

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 26 his passion and loyalty and, he had to face it, Derek was fucking hot. He would be an idiot to pass up the opportunity to get into Derek‟s pants. Or to allow Derek into his own. That kiss had only sparked a fire inside Brian that he hadn‟t even been aware of. A fire that had probably been burning slowly ever since he started working at the Pet Rescue. Burning since the moment he‟d met Derek. Those lips had been meant for kissing. He had solid proof of that now. They were firm, full, and tasty. Brian blew out a breath and shook his head. Those thoughts were distracting, yet they did send a delicate thrill along his skin, and anticipation rippled through his stomach. He had to take a deep breath before continuing to examine his own dog, his little pug, Fenrir. He didn‟t usually look over his own dogs; he preferred having a second opinion. But the vet he usually went to was out of town on vacation, and his pug had a bump on his leg. Pugs were prone to cancer. His Fenrir already had cancer once. The pug snorted and sniffled as Brian checked him over. He talked to Fenrir as he worked, unaware when another person entered the room. “Some might think you have a screw loose.” Brian snorted and looked over at Derek. “I would only have a screw loose if I expected him to answer me back.” Derek grinned and nodded at the pug. “Who‟s this little guy? He doesn‟t look ill.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 27 “Nah. He‟s one of mine.” Derek raised an eyebrow. “A pug? Who‟d have the audacity to own a pug? They‟re not even real dogs.” “Hey.” Brian covered Fenrir‟s ears. “Don‟t say things like that. It could traumatize him.” Derek snorted. “Besides, pugs are a step above toy breeds which are rats masquerading as dogs.” Derek laughed outright. “Now that is good. I‟ll have to remember that.” Brian smiled. Derek‟s laugh danced over his senses and made his heart flutter. He really had it bad. The dog‟s tongue lolled out, and his tail wagged eagerly as he stared at Derek. “Look, he likes you.” “Like owner, like pet, I guess.” Brian felt heat creep into his cheeks, and he cleared his throat. “Well, no accounting for taste, on both parts.” “Hey.” Derek feigned offense. Brian smiled and picked Fenrir up. The pug wiggled. “What‟s his name?” Derek asked as he reached over and scratched behind the dog‟s ear. His back foot automatically began to scratch the air. Both men chuckled. “I should have named him Dopey. But instead call him Fenrir.” Derek raised an eyebrow. “Little small to be the wolf that eats Odin at Ragnorak.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 28 Brian‟s mouth dropped open slightly. He usually had to explain the name‟s origin to people. Never once had he met someone who knew it. “Now I am impressed. You are the first person to know that.” “What can I say? I live to impress you.” Brian rolled his eyes, but he was impressed. And intrigued. “Annual checkup?” Derek asked. It took Brian a moment to understand what he meant. “No, no. He has a small bump on his inner thigh. I fear it might be cancer.” Derek winced, and Brian saw sincere sympathy in his eyes. “That‟s rough.” “He‟s already had it once before. It‟s very likely it is this time too.” He tried for a careless tone but ruined it by having his voice tremble. He saw the understanding and the concern in Derek‟s eyes. If anyone would understand, it would be Derek. “If there‟s anything I can do….” Derek let the sentence hang. Brian smiled and shook his head. “Thanks, but I‟m okay. We‟re okay. He‟s five years old. It‟s not like he‟s two or anything.” “That doesn‟t matter.” “Yeah.” Brian shook himself and absently scratched Fenrir behind his ears. Fenrir had been with him the longest of all

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 29 his animals. He was devoted to all of them, but the pug held a special place in his heart. The dog had been his sister‟s dog before her car accident. A sister who had supported him in everything he did when the rest of his family turned their backs on him. “Hello?” Derek said softly, waving a hand in front of his eyes. “Anyone home?” Brian blinked and felt like a fool. “What? Sorry. I‟m spacing.” “I can see that.” “I‟ll have to have Kris take him home. I can‟t go home in the middle of my shift.” “Kris?” Derek asked, the question unasked. Brian tilted his head and tried to hide a smile. A warm feeling came to his stomach when he thought of Derek being jealous. “Kris Kelly. Mrs. Kelly. She‟s an elderly neighbor of mine who‟s owned many pugs over her lifetime and likes to ride her bright pink bike everywhere.” “Oh. Right.” Derek cleared his throat and Brian had the pleasure of seeing his cheeks redden slightly. “You know, Derek. You really are sweet sometimes.” Dark brows furrowed. “What?” Brian leaned forward, rose on his toes, and kissed Derek lightly on the lips. “Don‟t worry, I won‟t let it get around. I know you have a rep to protect.” Derek was still frowning as Brian left the room.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 30

IF DEREK thought he could go home early on Friday, he was sorely disappointed. It was as if the universe was conspiring against him and Brian. One call came in after another. A dog-fighting ring was discovered, and most of the day was spent hauling all the dogs out of disgusting cages and finding space for them. Plus, the cat Derek had brought in had her kittens. It hadn‟t been an easy birth. He was surprised that Brian didn‟t fall down in exhaustion. That man was amazing— nothing ruffled him. He took each animal in turn and did a thorough check of all of them. Every vet was called in, but considering there were only three plus Brian, they were still backlogged. Derek was in and out of the clinic, bringing battered dogs in, but then got called off because of a concerned neighbor and something about a Rottweiler. Derek pulled up to the curb and met a young woman with bright red hair, dark green eyes, and a petite figure. “Are you the one who called about the Rott?” he asked as he shut his door. She nodded. “My name‟s Amy. I came back from vacation only this morning and saw that the dog was still outside tied up. He was like that about a month ago.” Derek swallowed against the bile that rose in his throat. He followed the woman down a short alley between two houses and into a backyard without a fence. A single pathetic tree leaned in the center of the yard and right under

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 31 it was an emaciated Rott that was chained to it. A dirty water bowl lay off to the side and an empty food bowl next to it. Derek took careful breaths to keep from making a scene. “A month, you say?” “Yes. The dog used to bark all the time, and I looked forward to not hearing him that whole month. But when I came back….” She paused. “The poor thing.” Derek bit his tongue. It was the owners that she should pity. Just wait until he got his hands on them. Or maybe his teeth. His muscles bunched, and he had to shake it off. Derek put down his medical supply case and lowered to his knees. The dog watched him out of sad and tired eyes. Derek tilted his head. “Thank you, ma‟am. If you could just go back to your residence, I may have other questions.” “Of course.” She left. “Hey, boy,” Derek said gently. He knew the dog could smell his wolf side. And he knew it confused the abused wretch. He was scared. “I won‟t hurt you. I promise.” He kept speaking in soft, even tones as he approached the dog on his knees. The Rott‟s ears twitched, and his eyes watched every move Derek made. But his body remained immobile. Pain clenched Derek‟s heart as he finally reached the dog and extended his hand for the dog to sniff. The Rottweiler did and then his pale tongue jutted out and licked him. Derek‟s smile was strained. “That‟s it, boy. I‟m going to take care of you.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 32

Chapter Four

BRIAN helped the Doberman off the table and Andy, another humane officer, took him to the back. He swiped a hand over his brow as sweat came down to sting his eyes. How many poor animals had been in those filthy conditions? It made his gut burn to think about it. It took all his strength to help those dogs and not indulge in his own righteous anger. A lot of the officers had to take small breaks to simply collect themselves. Those types of calls were hard on the entire department. He wondered how Derek was handling it. The Doberman was the last of those dogs, and he thought he‟d take a five-minute break when his door burst open and Derek came in with murder in his eyes and a skinny Rottweiler in his arms. He laid the dog on the table, and Brian saw why Derek was so enraged. The dog had no collar but a metal chain had been wrapped around his neck and it must have been on there for several months because it was embedded in the skin. The Rott was horribly dehydrated and malnourished and had a wound on his leg. A wound that looked to be infected. “Shit,” Brian said before thinking. Derek let out an animal growl. Brian touched his arm a moment before slowly nudging him aside. Derek moved but didn‟t leave the room. Brian

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 33 didn‟t expect him to. He put on latex gloves, and the dog whined. The sound cut right across his heart. “Shhhh.” Brian stroked the dog‟s head and projected calming thoughts. The dog looked at him and was panting hard. Brian continued to soothe the dog with peaceful thoughts as he examined the Rott‟s neck and leg wound. He was silent as he worked, and he could feel Derek‟s rage like a visible pressure inside the room. “We can remove the chain around his neck without too much damage.” Brian had double-checked that it was a male. And he was about three years old. “The leg?” Derek‟s voice was gruff. Brian took a closer look. “It looks bad. Something very sharp cut the dog. The wound scrapes the bone. He must be in such pain.” Derek cursed and punched the wall. Brian tried to ignore him and focus on the dog. The Rott let out a pitiful whine every time Brian touched his leg. “I know, beautiful. I know.” He stroked the dog‟s head. “Derek, I don‟t know if I can save the leg.” There was silence and Brian glanced over to see Derek‟s face lowered and his fists clenched at his sides. Understanding what he was thinking and feeling, Brian walked over and touched his arm. Derek was covered in blood and grime, and Brian knew he would go through worse to save an animal. Love made his heart ache.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 34 “I can save him, Derek.” Derek looked up to meet his eyes. “Many dogs live happy lives with only three legs.” Derek nodded, and Brian could see the struggle for control in his eyes. He was happy to see it when the control won. Brian went back to the dog and gestured for Derek to follow him. “I‟ll remove the chain first. I need you to hold him.” Derek nodded and gently placed his hands on the dog‟s shoulders and head. The Rottweiler whined. Brian saw Derek wince and knew that sound must be slicing the man‟s heart in two as it was his. The work was tedious but Brian had given the Rott a local anesthetic to keep the dog from feeling too much pain. He feared giving the dog too much because he could easily kill him considering his lack of muscle mass. Derek was silent during the procedure and did what Brian told him to do. Brian also noticed that Derek‟s hands were shaking. Brian had to cut some skin that had grown around the chain, but it came off easily enough. They both let out a relieved breath as the chain came completely off. Brian shoved it into a bag and tossed it onto the counter; they might need it for evidence. He cleaned the wounds thoroughly, and he saw Derek wince at the torn skin. “It will be best to allow the skin to heal naturally. If I sew it back together, bacteria can get inside, and then we have an entirely new problem.” Derek nodded.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 35 “I‟ll need assistance on the leg. Can you call Melinda? See if she‟s free.” Derek nodded again, his lips tight. He gave the dog a slow head stroke before heading for the door. But when he grabbed the doorknob, he looked back. “Those bastards are going to pay, Brian. One way or another.” He left before Brian could comment.

DEREK spent the rest of his shift gathering evidence and driving back to the property where the dog had been found. It looked like the house was abandoned and the owners had simply left the dog to die. Derek stood underneath the tree and slammed his fists into its bark several times before leaning his head back. He stared at the overcast sky and wished he could shift and rip the neglectful, murdering bastards‟ throats out. He spent several hours going up and down the neighborhood trying to gather information, but the neighborhood was the type to mind its own business. Amy seemed to be the only decent human in the entire place. She may not have liked the dog barking, but she gave a flying fuck if he was in pain. He talked to her once more, but she couldn‟t give him much about her neighbors. “They kept to themselves, unless they were arguing. They had loud, shouting matches most nights. They also yelled at that poor dog. How is he?” Derek could barely get the words out. “He‟ll lose the leg.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 36 Amy made a sad sound. She shook her head. “It‟s not fair.” “Never is. Thanks.” He left, completely unsatisfied. As he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn green, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Derek narrowed his eyes and looked around him. It was getting dark, and he had already put in for overtime. The streetlights were on, but he couldn‟t see anything or anyone. Then why the feeling of being watched? Derek dragged his tongue over his teeth and hit the acceleration as the light turned green. The feeling passed, but he was still on edge as he reached the Pet Rescue. He saw Brian coming out of the clinic and pulled up beside his Beetle. He rolled down his window as Brian approached. “Status?” Brian‟s smile was tired. “I‟m optimistic he‟ll make it. The surgery went as good as it can go, and he‟s getting food and water into him as we speak.” Derek felt his heart lighten a fraction. “You?” Brian asked. Derek shook his head. “Nothing.” Brian reached forward and patted the arm that rested on the car door. “You want to cancel?” It took Derek a full minute to understand what Brian was talking about.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 37 “No. Hell no. This is just what we need to take our minds off of what happened today.” He had the strength to wink. Brian grinned and rolled his eyes. “Good. It won‟t take me long to get home and changed. Two hours?” “Sure. I‟ll pick you up.” “Will you open the door for me as well?” Derek chuckled. “Maybe.” Brian leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips, the beard tickling Derek‟s skin. Before Derek could try and deepen the kiss, Brian was unlocking his own car and getting in. There wouldn‟t be just kisses tonight, Derek promised himself. He was going to get the entire package.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 38

Chapter Five

“WELL, what do you guys think?” Brian asked as he stood in front of the mirror, trying on yet another outfit. He felt like he was sixteen again instead of thirty-six. He was going to date a younger guy. There was something undeniably exciting about that. He knew Derek was in his late twenties, but age didn‟t always qualify as experience. There was something dark about Derek. Something secret in his eyes. Brian wondered if he could find out what it was. Everyone had secrets. He wondered if he could tell Derek about his. The man seemed so down-to-earth; he doubted Derek would take him seriously. “No use worrying about,” he told his reflection. “We have to see how this first date goes. And then the second one and the third….” He sighed. “I really hope I get lucky tonight.” Fenrir snorted. Brian turned around and beckoned the dogs into their kennels. They were in his bedroom, and though he loved his animals dearly, they were not allowed to sleep on the bed with him. The three kennels were right beside the bed and Tinker, his cat, had a bed on a post above everyone. “I don‟t know if I‟ll be back tonight, guys. But I will be back early tomorrow. Promise.” The dogs settled in happily, and he sat on the bed to tie his shoes. He decided on an outfit of blue that set off his eyes. He didn‟t know where Derek was taking him, but he

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 39 hoped it was casual. Those fancy places always put him on edge, like if he did something wrong, those guys in the tuxedos would take him out and shove him in the trunk of some car. Damn it. He watched too many old mobster movies. Straightening his hair, he glanced at the clock. Was Derek punctual? The doorbell rang downstairs. Brian grinned and grabbed his jacket. He really liked a man who was on time. There was something sexy about punctuality. He barely stopped himself from skipping down the stairs and only allowed himself one small jig before opening the door. He knew his grin was huge and ridiculous, but it wouldn‟t go away. “Heya, doc,” Derek said with a smile of his own, though not as wide. Brian drank in the sight of him. Most people wore black because it was either boring or slimming. Derek wore it an entirely different way. His pants were close fitting slacks with a button-down shirt that had the first three buttons undone. A fine dust of hair could be seen peeking out of the opening. He looked even lankier than he usually did in that black, and it made Brian‟s heart pound harder. “Hey, yourself. Looking good.” “You too.” Derek took Brian‟s hand after Brian locked his house and led him to the Jeep. Such a gentleman, Brian thought with a flutter in his stomach. It was shocking how contradictory Derek‟s nature seemed to be. He could have the rage of a Greek Fury and yet be as romantic as Don Juan.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 40 He even opened the car door for him. And Derek never removed his eyes from Brian. Brian sat in the car and smiled up at his date. “I bet you got your date to the prom a corsage, too, didn‟t you?” Derek shrugged and shut the door. He walked around to get into the driver‟s seat and buckled his seatbelt. “I didn‟t go to the prom,” he said. Brian pulled on his own seatbelt. “Neither did I. I was too busy hanging out with my hamster.” “Dear God,” Derek said as he pulled out into the street. “You had a fucking hamster?” Brian gave him a look. “It‟s a respectable pet.” “It‟s a rodent.” “My parents wouldn‟t let me get a dog or a cat or even a bird. It‟s better than a turtle.” “I‟d rather have the turtle.” Instead of letting it get to him, Brian just shook his head and rolled his eyes. His stomach was jittery. He didn‟t want to get into an argument before the date had even officially begun. A red light stopped them and Derek tapped the steering wheel with a nervous rhythm. Brian looked out the window, not knowing what to say. “Well, maybe the hamster‟s better than… a fish.” Brian felt his stomach muscles loosen, and he looked at Derek‟s profile. “Trying to backtrack your snippy statements?” “Snippy?” Derek said incredulously.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 41 Brian laughed outright at the look on the man‟s face. “You‟re awesome, Derek. You really are,” he said. Derek winged an eyebrow. “Funny, my dates don‟t normally say that until they‟re naked and underneath me.” Brian couldn‟t stop the choking noise that escaped his mouth. Derek chuckled darkly. Brian took a deep breath and stared determinedly out the window. “About that. Derek, honestly, it‟s been a long time. Don‟t expect much.” He could feel the blush erupt on his face, and he was happy for the darkness. He felt Derek‟s eyes on him. “Don‟t worry about it, Brian. We got a whole meal to get through before we have to consider that. Besides, we might find out we don‟t like each other.” Derek said it in a light tone, but the very idea it might not work out between them made Brian‟s stomach clench. He cleared his throat. “Where we going?” Brian asked after several minutes of silence. “Surprise.” “Oh, goody,” he said dryly.

DEREK could see that his surprise had in fact impressed Brian. It was a casual restaurant with amazing cuisine, and they had passed a pleasant evening just enjoying each other‟s company. Derek couldn‟t remember the last time he had simply stopped and enjoyed life. He couldn‟t remember the last time he wasn‟t angry or thinking about the job. Even

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 42 during the night as a wolf running with his dogs, his mind would not shut off. But for once, for this evening, it did. Because of Brian. He looked at his date as they walked to his Jeep. Brian had been entrancing tonight. Derek hadn‟t been able to take his eyes off of him through the entire dinner. Brian‟s eyes currently shined under the moon‟s light, and the blue slacks and shirt clung to a body he wished was pressed against him. All in due time, he thought. He took a deep sniff and was disappointed to note that Brian had put on cologne. He wished he wouldn‟t; it interfered with his natural scent. The cologne was subtle, but even in human form, Derek had a much better sense of smell than normal humans. Even his eyesight was superior to other humans‟. He could see Brian as if it were day and the sun was shining. It was pitch black except for the moon as they reached the car, and Brian yawned. “Uh-oh,” Derek said with a small smile. “Does that mean it‟s the end of our date?” “No,” Brian said. His tone had been eager, and Derek saw the flush creep up his cheeks. He could just eat this man up. Very, very slowly. Derek chuckled, and he placed his hands on Brian‟s hips. He had to touch him. It had taken all his control and willpower to resist touching Brian through their entire dinner. Now he gave into his desires. He pressed his lips to Brian‟s cheek and enjoyed the tickle that the vet‟s slight beard gave him. His mouth drifted down Brian‟s neck, and

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 43 the vet tilted his head back, his breath quickening. His hands gripped Derek‟s shoulders, and the shifter enjoyed the shivers that raced up and down his spine. Their bodies pressed closer together, and finally Derek lifted his mouth and connected it with Brian‟s. Brian gripped Derek‟s face with both hands and kissed him with a singular focus. Derek was momentarily surprised by Brian‟s vigor, but he took quick advantage of it. His hands gripped Brian‟s butt and rubbed his growing erection against the bulge underneath Brian‟s jeans. The man shuddered and kissed Derek harder. Derek pressed Brian against the Jeep and rubbed with need against him. Brian moaned, and Derek felt his blood turn to fire. He held a pillar of flame in his arms. Gasping, Derek pulled back and groaned. “No,” Brian said, his voice husky. “Our date is not over yet.” Derek grinned. With more effort than he would admit to himself, he pulled himself away from the delectable Brian and walked around to unlock his Jeep. Brian‟s scent and his arousal tickled Derek‟s nose and made his body tense, his muscles shift. He had never wanted so badly. His control was shredding, and he worried he might not be able to hold himself until he reached his house. Brian buckled his seatbelt, and Derek backed out of the parking spot and onto the street. They were silent for several moments before Brian spoke.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 44 “So, since we need to distract ourselves,” he cleared his throat. “What other artists besides Metallica and Cradle of Filth do you like?” Derek rolled his eyes, but he figured he should make an effort. It wasn‟t a very long drive to his home, but with the throbbing between his legs, it felt like an eternity. “Disturbed.” Brian nodded. “They‟re okay.” “Are you kidding? They rock.” Brian smiled, though Derek didn‟t have to see it to know it was strained. “What about you?” Derek saw Brian shift in his seat out of the corner of his eye. He smiled. He didn‟t want to be the only one in pain. “Faith Hill.” “Blah.” Brian laughed. “Slayer,” Derek said. “Ick.” Derek glanced at Brian and saw the playful light in his eyes. “Your turn.” “You won‟t know her, but I like Emilie Autumn.” Derek blinked. “Holy shit. I do know her.” Brian looked surprised. “Really? The violin, industrial, female artist?” “The same one.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 45 “Sweet.” “Great, now we‟ve bonded,” Derek said. “It‟s not the type of bond we both want, however.” “Hell no.” Derek pulled into his driveway a few minutes later, and both men got out of the Jeep instantly. Brian was right on Derek‟s heels as he pulled out his keys and tried to unlock his front door. “Hurry,” Brian murmured, his hands gripping Derek‟s butt. “Come on,” Derek gasped, pleading with the door. Finally, it unlocked, and they stumbled inside. Derek kicked the door closed and swept Brian up in his arms. Brian wrapped his legs around Derek‟s waist and his arms around Derek‟s neck. Derek thanked the heavens that his house was only one floor as he stumbled to his bedroom. But the moment he entered the room, his ears were met by the sound of barking. Brian jerked and his lips left Derek‟s mouth. Derek groaned. Brian looked over his shoulder, and Derek saw the softening of those sensual green eyes and the quick grin that accompanied that look. Brian set his feet on the floor and pulled out of the circle of Derek‟s arms. The dogs sniffed him curiously, and he scratched their heads. “They‟re beautiful, Derek. What are their names?” Derek figured the sooner he answered the normal pet questions, the sooner he could get into those pants and get a look at that ass.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 46 “The mastiff is Goliath, the Lab is Betty Boop, and the hound is Henry.” “Henry?” Derek shrugged. “Found him in a pound about a year ago. He‟d been brought there when his owner couldn‟t take care of him anymore. He‟d already had that name.” Brian smiled at the dogs‟ enthusiasm, but Derek couldn‟t hold out much longer. “Okay, guys.” Derek ushered the dogs out. “Not tonight. No fair chewing on things.” He shut the door. Brian chuckled. “No little dogs.” “There is no such thing. There is little and there are dogs.” Brian narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you a sizist?” Derek blinked. “A what?” “A smallist. It‟s like a racist but your bias is to size.” Derek laughed and hugged Brian to him. “Yes, I am.” “I like little dogs. Maybe we aren‟t right for each other.” Derek knew the words were a joke by the look in Brian‟s eyes. “Come here,” Derek said before he crushed his mouth to Brian‟s. They yanked at each other‟s clothes and soon were able to press their naked flesh together. Derek made himself take a step back just so he could take a fulfilling gaze of Brian‟s body. He wasn‟t disappointed. Brian was lean with firm

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 47 muscles under smooth skin. A light sprinkling of golden hair covered his chest and slowly darkened as it descended until it was a dark gold around his hard shaft. At his center, Derek took pause. Brian‟s shaft was long and thin, and he grabbed it, unable to stop himself. Brian gasped and gripped Derek‟s arms, pressing his body once more to Derek‟s. Derek‟s hand burned as it stroked Brian‟s length, and he wanted to devour the treat before him. At that moment he felt like the luckiest bastard in the entire world. He also, for just that moment, felt like just a man. Not a shifter, not an animal cop. But a man. Brian‟s man. Possessed, Derek grabbed and kneaded Brian‟s butt before shoving him down on the bed. Derek pushed Brian further into the mattress with his body and kissed him soundly. Derek felt his own head spin as he swept his tongue everywhere inside Brian‟s mouth. He had the thought of taking it slow, however torturous that would be. He didn‟t want to scare Brian or make him nervous. He wasn‟t sure how long Brian had gone without sex, but he would do anything to put him at ease. But when he pulled back to take a breath, Brian suddenly reversed their positions. Derek was shocked by the man‟s sudden show of strength. Feeling oddly weak, Derek tried to capture Brian‟s mouth again, but that mouth was currently busy kissing and scraping his skin in a downward descent. Derek heard groans and realized that they were his own.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 48 His hands tangled in Brian‟s soft, blond hair as that soft mouth finally reached its goal. Brian slid his tongue up Derek‟s shaft, and the shifter gasped and tightened his grip. His muscles flexed under his skin as Brian slid him in and out of that wet mouth. Derek could actually feel his brain cells fizzle and short out. But he didn‟t want to come yet. Not yet. Unable to stand Brian‟s warm mouth any longer, Derek gripped the man‟s shoulders and hauled him up and onto the bed. His body was straining for release, but he had yet to sample all the pleasure he knew Brian‟s body could give him. Derek held Brian down by holding his arms to the bed with his hands while his mouth roamed at will. He nibbled at Brian‟s neck before drifting his tongue over his collarbone. Brian moaned and lifted his hips, rubbing their sensitive groins together. Derek shivered but didn‟t give in. His mouth drifted over one of Brian‟s pink nipples, and he dragged his tongue over it before sucking it into his mouth. Brian was struggling becoming more urgent.

against

Derek‟s

hands

and

“Jesus, Derek,” he finally managed to gasp. “I‟m going to come soon.” Derek grinned and kissed him once more before rolling him over. Brian made a sound of relief and lifted his posterior in anticipation. But before Derek could give them both release, he had to satisfy a curiosity he‟d had since meeting Brian. He gripped Brian‟s butt cheeks in both hands and pried them apart. He took a deep breath and it was filled with

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 49 Brian‟s scent. He nearly came right there but managed to reign himself back under control after several shallow breaths. He never wanted to smell anything other than Brian‟s arousal and the scent of musk that now surrounded him. His mouth lowered and he tormented Brian for several minutes with his tongue and teeth. His tongue found its way inside Brian‟s body, and the man bucked underneath him, cursing. Derek chuckled but knew neither of them would last much longer. He finally straightened and leaned over to open the drawer of a small stand beside his bed. He pulled out lube and a condom and applied them quickly. Brian gasped when the cold liquid hit his skin. Derek covered Brian and nuzzled his neck a moment before he gripped Brian‟s hair and pulled his head back. “Ready?” he whispered in Brian‟s ear. Brian‟s eyes were bright with lust as he answered. “Fuck yes.” Derek grinned and leaned back. He pried Brian‟s cheeks apart once more and began the slow slide inside him. When the muscles resisted at first, Derek wondered just how long it had really been since Brian last fucked. But then the muscles relaxed, and Derek slipped fully inside. Brian groaned deep in his throat and began to buck against him, urging him to start to move. Derek gripped Brian‟s hips and gave them both what they wanted. Brian‟s inner muscles were squeezing him tightly and securely as he began to move. His body wanted to come right

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 50 then but he held on. He couldn‟t allow their first time to end so quickly. But, God, was Brian tight. They moved in perfect unison, and their pleasure rose higher until they crested together. Brian collapsed onto the bed, and Derek managed to fall to the side, right behind him. He had enough strength to yank the condom off and fling it in the trash. Then he turned back and wrapped his arms around Brian, hoping to God he was a snuggler. It seemed he was because Brian turned around in his arms and wrapped his arms around Derek‟s shoulders and nuzzled his neck. Derek held him tight and thought that they had a good future together if their sex was always this explosive. “Pretty good for someone who hasn‟t done this in a long time,” Derek murmured. Brian let out a breathless laugh. “It‟s easier with the right partner.” Derek held him tighter. The right partner. He was on top of the world. He didn‟t know just how long Brian had been out of commission, but the fact that Brian had given himself to Derek made Derek feel special. Loved. Cared about. And he was determined to give all that and more back to Brian. Brian was special. Brian was his.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 51

Chapter Six

BRIAN felt himself waking up, and images popped into his head. He smiled lazily. Derek was a god. That was the only explanation for the explosive sex. Though Brian wasn‟t sure what a god tasted like, he was sure it couldn‟t be very different from Derek‟s taste. The man was hung, and he actually knew how to use his equipment. That wasn‟t as common as some might think. Brian suddenly had the sensation of being watched. He popped his eyes open and stared into deep brown eyes. He smiled. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice roughed by the sleep. “Still early,” Derek said. He was propped up on his elbow with his cheek in his palm. Brian stretched and rubbed his hands over his face. “I didn‟t see anything lacking in your… performance,” Derek said with a cheeky grin. Brian laughed and rolled his eyes. “Well, good. I worried that being old and out of practice would make me rusty.” Derek put a hand on Brian‟s chest and nuzzled his cheek. “Not at all. And you‟re not old.” Brian patted his hand, unwilling to argue. He felt way too good for that.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 52 “Wanna tell me now just how long you‟ve been out of practice?” Brian grimaced but figured he should just tell Derek and get it over with. “About two years.” Derek‟s eyes widened, and he stilled. “Two years?” Brian sat up and felt his face heat. Derek sat up with him. “There must be a story behind that.” “There shoulder.

is,”

Brian

said

softly.

Derek

touched

his

“I‟d like to say I won‟t pry if you don‟t want to talk about it. But I‟d be lying.” Brian snorted and tried to calm the frogs in his stomach. “It‟s a sorry tale.” Derek stayed silent, so Brian continued. “His name was Kyle. I was with him for three years. I still can‟t fathom how long I put up with his bullshit.” Brian cleared his throat before continuing. He looked at the opposite wall, unable to look at Derek as he spun his miserable story. “He was sweet at first, they always are. He was attentive and liked to buy me things. I was flattered by the attention. But as soon as we moved in together, about a year after knowing each other, I realized just who he was. But he had me under his control already. He was the manipulative type as well as jealously possessive. I don‟t know how I stood it, but somehow I managed to convince myself that what he said and did was right and that I was wrong.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 53 He paused. Derek‟s hand never left his shoulder. “Then one day, I just woke up, took a look around, and decided I could do so much better than that jerk. I was free and could tell him to piss off.” “Damn right,” Derek interjected. Brian smiled slightly. “So I dumped him and moved out, moving in with some friends. He still harassed me, and I got a restraining order. But he didn‟t stop. Then he set fire to our old house.” “Shit, fucking asshole,” Derek cursed. Brian covered Derek‟s hand with his own. “He did a piss-poor job of it, and the firefighters saved almost everything. I don‟t think about him much. He‟s on the east coast and here I am on the west. I guess I just dove into my work and decided to take a break from relationships. And suddenly, two years had passed.” He finally looked at Derek, right in the eye. “He had a nasty temper, Derek. He smacked me around a couple of times. Most of his manipulation was mental, but he got physical in the last year together.” Brian saw that Derek heard the unspoken question. He saw the fire leap into those eyes and for a moment, felt his muscles tense. But then Derek reached up and gently touched Brian‟s cheek, cupping it in his palm. The fire was gone in those eyes, now there was only steady strength. “I swear upon my life I would never harm you. I have a temper, sure, but I have never harmed anyone when I rage. I might throw and break things, but I have never lifted my

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 54 hand to anyone in anger. My family made sure I knew what was acceptable and what wasn‟t. I care a lot about you, Brian. You have seen me at my worst, and you haven‟t backed down.” Touched, Brian smiled and leaned into his hand. Derek leaned forward and kissed him gently. Brian wrapped his arms around Derek‟s shoulders, and they lowered onto the bed. They touched each other leisurely now, exploring with their fingers and their mouths. It wasn‟t long before Brian wanted more. He wanted to show Derek just how much he wanted him, just how much he trusted him. Brian smiled and straddled Derek‟s waist. He lowered his head and kissed and nipped Derek‟s chest before turning his attention to his nipples. He heard Derek gasp and shudders went through his body. It was amazing just how easily he could manipulate that gorgeous body. He could make this strong and passionate man shudder and shake underneath him. He could make this warrior surrender. Brian‟s hands found Derek‟s erection and felt it grow harder under his fingers. Derek growled, oddly sounding like a wolf, and Brian chuckled, his tongue tracing the indentation of Derek‟s ribs. “Come on, baby,” Derek grunted. Brian grinned and took him into his mouth once more, craving his taste. Several tortuous minutes passed as Brian made slow work of teasing Derek even harder. When he straddled Derek once more, Brian saw the need in Derek‟s eyes. And he also noticed, vaguely, that Derek‟s eyes were

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 55 glowing. Odd, but sexy. Brian got the lube once more and gently slipped a condom on Derek. Derek filled him up perfectly as he slid onto him. He had never felt such completion with a lover. None had made him crave like he craved Derek. Brian could feel Derek‟s heat right through the condom, and he wondered if he‟d get burned. He bit his lower lip and moved slowly at first. Derek was gripping his hips hard, digging his fingers into his flesh. And those eyes never left his face. Derek suddenly grabbed Brian‟s erection and helped him along. Brian gasped and moved faster, bouncing on Derek like a wild thing, and Derek stroked him faster. He came first, and his muscles squeezed Derek, making the animal cop come hard. Brian collapsed on him, and they both gasped for breath. “I can‟t stay long,” Brian managed to gasp minutes later. “My dogs need me.” “Yeah, I know,” Derek said. “But it‟s Saturday. Wanna come back?” Brian grinned wide and lifted his head, meeting Derek‟s eyes. “I really would.”

ONCE they got dressed, however, Brian made the offer for Derek and his dogs to come to his house, which Derek immediately accepted. Derek packed his three dogs into the back of the Jeep and drove Brian home. Brian‟s house, though comfortably big, felt very crowded with two humans,

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 56 six dogs, and one irritated cat. Tinker stayed on the top of a bookshelf and hissed at the new dogs. Brian took a quick shower and changed his clothes while Derek watched the dogs. Their dogs were friendly enough to each other, and Derek approved of Brian‟s two German shepherds. “You have restored my faith in you as a dog lover,” Derek said as he scratched Joan‟s ears. Gable bumped his arm with his nose, wanting attention as well. When everyone was fed and had pooped, they all piled into Derek‟s Jeep, somehow, and he drove them to a wooded park. Derek smiled and let the dogs loose. They ran around each other and barked in canine joy. Derek grabbed Brian‟s hand, and they walked down the trail, hand in hand, with the dogs sniffing and running around them. It was the most beautiful experience of his life. Joan ran up to Brian with a stick in her mouth. Her tail was wagging so hard, it was ready to fly off. “Okay, okay, girl.” Brian grabbed the stick and threw it. Derek laughed. Brian glared at him. “What?” “You throw like a girl.” Brian punched his shoulder, and Derek laughed harder. “Hell, you hit like a girl too.” Joan ran back, all the other dogs trailing her, and didn‟t look at all annoyed that Brian hadn‟t thrown the stick very far. “Just wait, Derek, and I might pull a girl on you.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 57 Derek grinned. “What does that mean?” “It means if you don‟t apologize, you will be spending a very cold night in bed.” Derek slowly smiled, knowing it wasn‟t full of humor. He took a step closer to Brian. Derek saw the quick flash of glee in those green eyes before they were blanked. Brian took a step back and was frowning. Two could play at this game. Derek placed his hands on Brian‟s hips and backed him into a tree. “Why do you make empty threats on such a good day?” “Who says it‟s an empty threat?” Derek leaned his head down, his mouth inches from Brian‟s. “I do. I‟m calling your bluff.” Brian grinned, and Derek knew Brian had riled him up on purpose. By God, that man stirred his blood and made his mind turn to instinctual need. He took a deep breath of Brian‟s scent before his lover leaned his head up and connected his mouth with Derek‟s lips. Everything else was forgotten as their mouths mated with each other, their tongues battling for dominance. Brian gripped Derek‟s hair, and Derek‟s hands kneaded his butt. Only the whining of six dogs broke them apart. Derek sighed, grabbed the stick that Joan had dropped, and flung it hard. All the dogs, except Fenrir, chased after it. The little pug sat down by Brian‟s legs and snorted. Derek raised an eyebrow. Brian shrugged his shoulders.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 58 “He thinks he‟s too good for fetch. At least when it comes to challenging dogs bigger than himself.” Derek listened to the noises of the woods as he stared at Brian. He knew Brian hadn‟t noticed his dogs‟ reticence at their meeting. Brian had walked up to take a shower, and Derek had to have a conversation with his shepherds and pug. They were very protective of Brian, and Derek was clearly invading their turf and messing with the leader of their pack. They had come to an understanding by the time Brian came downstairs. He wanted to be part of their pack. He wanted his dogs to be a part of their pack. And only when Derek had been explaining his intentions to the dogs, did he realize something he hadn‟t given thought to: he wanted Brian in his pack. His life. His mate. He wanted Brian to be his mate. What would his parents think? The dogs ran back with Goliath chomping on a stick that was far bigger than the one Derek had thrown initially. He took Brian‟s hand again, and they continued walking.

THEIR weekend was spent between their houses and in each other‟s arms. When Monday morning came, Brian woke up with a blissful smile on his face and a spring in his step. He had gotten home late and let his dogs outside before giving them their breakfast and making his own. He did his usual

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 59 routine but looked forward to the day ahead more than usual. Work now took on a whole new dimension because of his relationship with Derek. Brian hummed as he snapped the leashes to his dogs‟ collars and left the house on their usual morning walk. Fenrir pranced as Joan and Gable took the lead. But Brian‟s bliss began to fade as the strange sensation of being watched put him on edge. He got goose bumps and looked around him. He saw nothing, but it was still early enough for him to need a flashlight. He flicked it around but still didn‟t see anything, yet the feeling didn‟t go away. Instead of taking his usual route down a gravel road, he decided to stay in the neighborhood and walked the circle, making sure he stayed in residential areas. He knew his dogs were sensing something because Joan and Gable became more alert, and Fenrir was whining. Just as he was in sight of his house, a black shape ran across the street ahead of him and dove between two houses. Brian‟s flashlight just barely caught the flanks of the animal. A stray dog? Joan and Gable began to bark and tug on the leash. Fenrir barked but stayed close to Brian‟s legs. Brian stopped walking and jerked his dogs back. His heart was pounding hard. “Stop. Shut up, you guys. Hey—” He was unable to project calm thoughts when his own mind was chaotic.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 60 Why were they so spooked? It was just a stray dog… wasn‟t it? The black shape appeared again. Only this time, it was standing not too far ahead of him. And it certainly was not a dog. It was a wolf. A big, black wolf with shaggy hair, a long body, and narrow eyes. Brian‟s own eyes widened, and his dogs were going berserk. The wolf just stared at him. Then it charged. Brian let the leashes drop from his hand and dodged, but the wolf was swifter. It turned with him, and its large jaws opened to clamp down on his arm. Brian screamed and fell to the ground. Blood rushed out from the puncture marks and the wolf‟s sharp claws ripped at his flesh. He struggled, but he knew it was no good. He looked up and into the wolf‟s eyes. There was something wrong about those eyes. Something… human. Then the wolf was shoved off of him. Brian rolled over, pain shooting up his arm and through his entire body. Joan and Gable were fighting with the wolf. “Fire!” Brian managed to scream. People didn‟t come if you cried “Help.” He kept screaming, and the wolf finally ran away. With his arm throbbing in pain, Brian managed to get to his feet, and his dogs trotted to him. Blood was around their muzzles and matted in their fur. Despite his own wound, he was more concerned about them. “Where‟s Fenrir?” He looked around dully as he heard pounding feet on the pavement.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 61 A small, wet nose touched his hand, and Brian looked over to see big, brown eyes. “There you are,” he murmured. “Brian!” an old voice called. “Kris,” he whispered before he passed out on the sidewalk.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 62

Chapter Seven

DEREK had been at work several hours before he heard the news. When he did, he was livid. No one could stop him from leaving the Pet Rescue building, getting in his own Jeep, and driving recklessly to the hospital. He didn‟t give a damn about anyone or anything other than knowing and seeing for himself how Brian was. He had to see him. He trusted no one. Derek stomped down the hospital hallway and oozed hostility as he approached the reception desk. No one would keep him from his mate. He‟d rip to shreds anyone who tried. The unfortunate nurse at the desk could not get him to see reason. “Either get me in to see Brian O‟Donogue or I will search this entire hospital bottom to top.” Derek leaned over the desk and his eyes bore into the nurse‟s wide ones. “S-sir, please understand. He is still in the emergency room, and only family can—” “I am his partner. How much more family do you want?” She bit her lip. “W-wait a moment.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 63 She left and walked into the back. He was getting angry looks from the other nurses, but when he turned his attention to them, they looked away. He released a growl from his throat, and the other nurses exchanged worried glances. “Mr…?” said a deep voice. Derek turned around to see a doctor as tall as he was and broader in the shoulders approach him. The little nurse he had been scaring came out of the back and gave him a shaky smile. Derek ignored her and faced the doctor squarely. “Derek Williams,” he said. “My partner is Brian O‟Donogue. I demand to know what the fuck happened.” The doctor looked him over quickly before answering. “I‟m Dr. Davis. Mr. O‟Donogue should be fine. He claims that a wolf attacked him and bit his arm. It was most likely a big dog. His own dogs had blood around their muzzles. There will be an investigation.” “His dogs would never attack him,” Derek said flatly. “They adore him. No dog would attack their owner unless provoked. Brian is a vet. One of the best. He would never abuse his dogs. Joan and Gable must have been protecting him from the wolf.” The doctor raised an eyebrow. “You believe his claim that it was wolf?” Derek stared the doctor down. “He‟s a vet. That may seem like a joke to someone like you, but what he does is important. He knows the difference between a domesticated pet dog and a wild wolf.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 64 The doctor narrowed his eyes and looked offended by Derek‟s tone. Derek could give a rat‟s ass. “I want to see him.” The doctor had no reason not to let him, so Derek was led down the hallways. “In there.” Derek opened the door the doctor indicated, stepped inside, and shut it firmly in his face. Derek turned around and his heart lightened. Brian was awake and looking out the window on his right side. When he heard the door close, he looked over and smiled. “Hey, there. Shouldn‟t you be at work?” Derek walked to the bed and looked at the arm covered in bandages. “A wolf?” he asked softly. Brian nodded. “The doctor doesn‟t believe me. Do you?” “Yes.” Derek sat on the edge of the bed and gripped Brian‟s good hand. Only then did he take an easy breath. “Holy shit, Brian. That asshole thinks your dogs did it.” There was misery in Brian‟s eyes, and Derek wished to banish it. “I know he does. My dogs are with Kris right now. She had her own vet check them out. Other than some scrapes, they‟re fine. Thank God.” “I‟ll take care of this, Brian. I swear.” Brian frowned. “How?”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 65 Instead of answering, Derek leaned down and kissed him gently. Brian moaned, and Derek wanted to take him right there. Instead he leaned back and stroked his hand. “What exactly happened?” Brian told him in detail. Derek‟s muscles started to shift when Brian described how the wolf charged and attacked him. He kept his anger under control and just listened. Brian stopped at the end but then met Derek‟s eyes, a look of urgency in his own. “Listen to me, Derek. I know this will sound crazy and perhaps it‟s the result of fear, but….” “But what?” Brian took a deep breath. “But that was no ordinary wolf.” Derek stilled. All his muscles froze. Brian didn‟t seem to notice. “There was something… in those eyes. The wolf was on top of me and….” He shivered. “There was something in the eyes. Some… intelligence that no wolf should possess. And the wolf ran away when I cried „fire‟, as if knowing that would bring others. The wolf didn‟t hurt my dogs as bad as I know it could have.” Brian shook his head. “I don‟t know. Maybe I am crazy.” “No,” Derek said softly. “You‟re not.” “I wish I was.” Derek lifted Brian‟s hand and kissed it. “I love you,” he whispered.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 66 It was Brian‟s turn to freeze. He stared at Derek with large eyes. “Derek—” “I love you,” he said louder. He liked the sound of those words. Derek leaned down and kissed Brian again, deeper this time. Derek pulled back, and Brian‟s smile was dreamy. “I love you too.” “I know.” Brian chuckled. “Go back to work, Derek. I‟m well taken care of.” Derek wanted to instantly reject that idea, but with three mouths to feed plus himself, he couldn‟t afford to take a day off. “Make sure I‟m called if anything happens.” Brian nodded. “I can go home this afternoon.” “I‟ll give you a ride.” Derek stood to leave, but Brian grabbed his hand. “Um… can I ask something of you?” “Anything.” And Derek meant it. “Could you… stay with me? You know, tonight and maybe other nights….” Derek slowly smiled. He saw the embarrassment in those green eyes but he also saw the fear of being alone. That attack had truly shaken him, as it would anyone. If Brian hadn‟t asked for Derek to stay with him, Derek had planned to ask when he drove Brian home. This saved him some time.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 67 “If you insist. I‟m sure we can find something to do.” That grin was wicked. Brian rolled his eyes, but Derek knew he was pleased. Derek left several minutes later, and his heart was pounding. He loved Brian. Brian loved him. Miracles did happen.

DEREK got off work early and drove home to pack quickly. He packed up his dogs and a couple of bags, locked up his house, and drove to the hospital. He had no doubt that the wolf that had attacked Brian was no ordinary wolf. He must be a shifter. A wolf shifter. Which meant that Derek might know him. Why would a wolf shifter attack Brian? Was it because of him? Muscles rippling, Derek gripped the steering wheel. Brian would not be hurt because of him. The next time that bastard decided to show his ugly face, Derek would be ready. Any thought he had about telling Brian about his shifter ability was hindered by this attack. He wasn‟t sure what to tell Brian anymore. He wanted to be honest with him. He wanted to share a life with him, and that included sharing that other part of him that he indulged in nearly every night. Derek took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn‟t tell Brian until that shifter bastard was taken care of. Focusing on that, Derek pulled up in the hospital parking lot and told his dogs to hush. They let out whimpers before sitting down. Derek locked up his car and

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 68 walked quickly into the hospital. He walked to the reception desk and saw Brian filling out something on a clipboard. “You ready?” Derek asked as he reached him. Brian nodded, signing the bottom of the paper. His wounded arm was wrapped and set in a sling. Derek reached him, and the same nurse he had harassed on his previous visit didn‟t meet his eyes. She left and went into the back. Derek snorted. Brian raised an eyebrow but didn‟t ask why he was amused until they left the hospital. “I was rude to that nurse when I was here yesterday. She was giving me the cold shoulder.” “You do have a way with people.” Derek grinned and put his arm around Brian‟s shoulders. Brian leaned into him and set his head on Derek‟s shoulder. The dogs wagged their tails in greeting as Brian got into the Jeep. “Hey, guys. You ready for a sleepover?” Goliath licked his face. Brian laughed. They drove in comfortable silence until Derek felt like he was being watched. He looked around as he approached Brian‟s house. Even when Brian unlocked his front door, Derek looked around the neighborhood. It was quiet and lights shone out of opened windows. Children‟s toys and bicycles lay scattered in front lawns, and there was actually a small kite stuck in a tree. “Derek?”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 69 Derek turned around and nodded. He was the last to enter the house and set his luggage aside. Before he shut the door he stared out into the quiet neighborhood, still feeling eyes on him. He narrowed his eyes and let out a low growl that any wolf shifter would understand. Mine. Derek shut the door.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 70

Chapter Eight

BRIAN was happy to be home. But more than that, he was happy to have human company. His dogs were at Kris‟s, and he was about to call her when there was a knock at his door. Before he could take one step toward it, Derek beat him to it. Brian snorted. “I doubt a wolf can knock on a door.” He said it jokingly but the look Derek gave him made his smile disappear. He frowned. “What do you know that I don‟t?” he asked suddenly. Derek met his eyes, and Brian didn‟t know what he was thinking. That man‟s head was locked up tight. Brian watched as Derek slowly opened the door. But he didn‟t see who was on the other side because Derek only opened the door a crack and blocked the opening with his body. My protector, he thought, a smile on his face. Brian took a step forward when two boulders dressed in fur nearly knocked Derek off his feet. Derek gasped and stumbled to the side as Joan and Gable rushed in, quickly followed by Fenrir. Brian laughed as the dogs leapt up on him and licked his face. “Easy, easy,” he said, keeping his wounded arm out of reach. As the dogs tried to attack his face, he looked up and met Kris‟s eyes. “You must be Kris,” Derek said.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 71 She moved her gaze from the top of Derek‟s head to his feet and back again. “And you must be the boyfriend.” Brian swallowed a chuckle. Derek raised an eyebrow. “I‟m hardly a boy.” Creases on that old face deepened as Kris smiled at him. “Lad, to me, everyone is a boy or a girl.” Derek nodded and stepped aside, but Kris shook her head. “I have to get back. My husband doesn‟t want me to be outside long. He‟s afraid that darned wolf will get me.” She looked past him and exchanged a smile with Brian. “Thank you, Kris. I really app—” “No trouble, boy. No trouble. Just make sure you don‟t go walking in the dark again. Or if you must, you have this strapping young man with you.” Kris patted Derek‟s arm, gave him a wink, and left. She was sturdy for her age and walked briskly down the short path to her own house. Brian watched as Derek held the door open and watched over her until he saw her enter her house. Then he shut the door. And locked it. Ah, yes. Brian thought. The warrior and the protector of those who matter. Brian‟s heart turned to mush. Derek turned to him and met his eyes silently. Then he looked at the six dogs currently hopping around him and clapped his hands.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 72 “Okay, party‟s over. Move. Move!” His own dogs obeyed him instantly and sat down. But Brian noticed how his gave Derek indignant looks. He could almost feel it as he touched their fur. Brian wasn‟t surprised. He was pack leader, after all. He looked down at his dogs, gave a curt command, and all three of them sat. Brian smiled at him and hoped Derek didn‟t see that it was strained. “So… take out?” Brian suggested.

THE dogs were asleep around them in the living room, and they both sat on the couch watching a movie when Derek made his move. Brian‟s head was on his shoulder and his body was pressed tight against his side. Derek snuck his hand down and under Brian‟s shirt to brush his nipple. Brian shifted but said nothing. Derek looked down and saw a lazy smile on his face. Movie forgotten, Derek pinched and rolled Brian‟s nipple as his other hand slipped between his legs. Brian made a sound that sounded like a purr, and he nuzzled Derek‟s neck. Feeling painful need blossom inside him, Derek cupped Brian‟s hardening center and leaned his head down to capture his mouth in a sweeping kiss. The gut-wrenching terror Derek had felt when learning of Brian‟s attack came flooding back into him. If Brian had died, he would have lost his chance to admit his love, to make Brian his mate. In that

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 73 single moment he would have lost everything good in his life. Derek wasn‟t going to waste any more time. The urge to mate was flaring up brightly inside him, and the urge to tell Brian everything came right along with it. But first things first. Derek trailed his mouth down Brian‟s throat, sucking on his Adam‟s apple before moving lower. Brian gripped his hair with his good hand, and Derek could hear the deep gulps of air he was taking. He wondered if Brian was swallowing his sounds of pleasure. He usually wasn‟t this silent. The dogs didn‟t even move. “Derek,” Brian whispered, letting out a gasp when Derek took a nipple into his mouth. “We should… God… go upstairs.” Brian shook as Derek tormented his nipple and ruthlessly rubbed him through his pants. That wolf shifter had tried to silence those sounds. The rogue had tried to take the life currently beating beneath his mouth like a bird‟s frantic wings. That wasn‟t going to happen. Ever. Derek pulled down Brian‟s zipper and took hold of him, pulling his erection out. Brian looked down the same instant that Derek looked up at him. Brian‟s eyes reflected the light from the television, giving them an unearthly glow. God, he was beautiful. Derek eagerly slipped Brian‟s burning shaft into his mouth.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 74 Brian arched his back, and his head snapped back to hit the back of his couch. A deep groan of pure ecstasy escaped from his mouth, and he gripped Derek‟s hair with his good hand. Derek shoved Brian‟s pants to his ankles and slowly drew him in and out of his mouth. One hand gripped Brian‟s shaft while the other stroked his balls before slipping underneath him and finding his entrance. “Derek.” It was said in a hoarse whisper as Derek slipped a finger inside him. Tight. So tight, and so hot. And all his. When he felt that Brian was close to orgasm, Derek slipped him out of his mouth and removed his finger. Brian gave a sound of displeasure, and Derek chuckled. Before Brian could move, Derek picked him up into his arms and carried him around the couch and up the stairs. Brian locked his arms around Derek‟s neck and began to kiss him passionately, seemingly heedless of his wounded arm. Derek moaned in pure bliss and shoved the bedroom door closed with his foot. There were only two rooms on the second floor: a bathroom and a bedroom. Derek had seen them all over the weekend and didn‟t have to use his eyes to find the right room. Derek laid Brian on the bed and lifted his head. Brian‟s eyes were bright with lust, and his legs and arms were locked around him. He really did love this man before him. Brian could alternately calm him and set his blood on fire. His scent was driving Derek crazy and sending shivers through his body.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 75 He could not wait much longer to once again find pleasure inside his body. Derek stood and jerked out of his clothes before ripping Brian‟s pants off of him. Brian choked out a laugh as he sat up and carefully took his wounded arm out of the sling. Derek helped him, gently, and once it was out, he slid his mouth over the bandage, the skin, allowing his lips to skim up his arm, feather-light. Brian‟s breath was coming in short pants that were almost whimpers. They were now both naked, and as Brian reached to grab Derek‟s erection, Derek sidestepped him. Brian frowned but it didn‟t last as Derek pushed him on the bed. “If you touch me,” Derek gasped. “I will burst.” Brian grinned and wrapped his arms around Derek‟s waist, lifting his lower half with the movement and rubbing their erections together. A full-body shudder raced through Derek as he swooped down for another kiss. His fingers stroked Brian‟s opening. “Now, now,” Brian gasped. “Damn right,” Derek growled. He put a condom on his dick before shoving three fingers in Brian‟s opening at once and stroked him ruthlessly even as Brian moaned and moved against him. Then he removed his fingers, and he shoved his burning length inside. “Yes,” Brian said, clutching to Derek like he was a lifeline. “Move. Fast. Hard.” Never let it be said he didn‟t do what he was told.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 76 Derek brought them swiftly to the peak, and all he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears and Brian‟s screams of ecstasy. They reached the peak together and plummeted at the same time. Brian spasmed around him, and his inner walls squeezed him so tightly his own orgasm was violent. When Derek regained consciousness, he realized he was lying on top of Brian, and a hand was stroking his back. He managed to roll over on his side and bring Brian flush against him. Brian murmured something and tucked his wounded arm to his chest. Derek held him protectively and closed his eyes.

BRIAN couldn‟t understand it. He frowned down at his dogs as Joan and Gable whined slightly. What they were telling him didn‟t make sense. They were thinking of the wolf that had attacked him. The wolf hadn‟t smelled right. But it wasn‟t just that; they claimed that Derek smelled similar, not the same, but similar. That wasn‟t right. Derek was a man, not a wolf. How could he and that wolf smell similar? And how did his dogs know what a wolf smelled like? As far as he knew they had never smelled a wolf. But they knew what Derek smelled like. His arm was back in the sling, and Brian turned back to the stove where he was making pancakes, eggs, and bacon. He had woken up that morning with a big appetite and thanked God that Derek wasn‟t a vegan or some shit like that. He liked his meat.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 77 Brian smiled slightly but it faded when his dogs whined again. He looked back at them. “The wolf and Derek smell similar? You sure?” They were positive, and it put them on edge. He knew they liked Derek, mostly because he liked Derek. But they were the protective sort and his smell puzzled them. He suddenly remembered the cat about a week ago who thought that Derek smelled funny for a human. The cat thought he had smelled a little… canine. And Brian vaguely remembered thinking that Derek‟s eyes had been glowing last night. But he didn‟t take that too seriously; he hadn‟t exactly been thinking with his brain last night. Yet what had been weird was that the glowing had taken place in the bedroom as well as in the living room with the T.V. There had been no light in the bedroom. Where had the glow come from? Had there even been a glow? Brian didn‟t know what to feel about all this information. Animals couldn‟t lie; they didn‟t know the concept. So what could it mean? How could they even compare the wolf to Derek? Brian had been so afraid when that wolf had been attacking him but for reasons different than what he would have thought. He hadn‟t seen his life flash before his eyes or worried about his parents or that their relationship might never be any closer. No, he had seen Derek‟s face and the fear that he might never be able to tell him just how much he loved him. Brian thought of last night and shivered in residual pleasure. He didn‟t want to think about that anymore. He

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 78 didn‟t want to dwell on those questions. He just wanted to cook breakfast for the man he loved and forget about the wolf. He just wanted peace.

AS BRIAN cooked breakfast, Derek lay in bed, staring eye-toeye with the cat. Tinker. What a name. This was the first time he had been alone in the same room with the cat. Tinker considered him before leaping down from his high perch and jumping on the bed. He stretched luxuriously, first his front end and then his back. Then he cautiously approached Derek, his neck stretching, his nose sniffing. Derek smiled and turned his hand palm up. He needed to win the cat over. He had made a decision last night, right before he had fallen asleep. He wanted a life with Brian. He wanted to move in with him and raise their six dogs and cat together. He wanted more dogs; he wanted a pack like he remembered when he was a child. Only now he realized just how lonely he had been since leaving home. He wanted to run with their dogs. He wanted to run with Brian in the woods, in the dark. They could have such fun together. But for that to happen he needed to tell Brian. Everything.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 79 Tinker sniffed his hand before bumping his head against Derek‟s fingers. Derek lifted his hand and scratched Tinker‟s head. The cat purred like a freight train. “How do you think he‟ll take it?” Derek asked Tinker. “You think he wants to cuddle up to a wolfman?” The cat continued to purr. “Well, at least I have your vote.” Derek wasn‟t looking forward to that conversation as he pulled on his pants. Derek followed the cat down the stairs and into the kitchen, and he realized that music was playing, and the sight that met his eyes scattered any thoughts of telling Brian. Celine Dion was playing, of course, and Brian was making breakfast. His perky butt was swaying to the music, and he was singing along. If you could call that noise singing. Brian wore cotton pants and a tank top with his hair pulled back. Derek crossed his arms over his bare chest and leaned a shoulder against the door jamb. He was thoroughly amused and aroused by the simple, almost homey, vision before him. This is what it could be like, he thought. This is how he could start every morning. This feeling of completion and contentment could be his. It could be theirs. Derek‟s heart pounded painfully against his chest as he envisioned their possible future together. Would all that be dashed if he told Brian everything? Could he bear that happening? Would it be easier to keep it entirely secret and hidden or would it be better to risk?

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 80 He was batting those thoughts back and forth when Brian turned around and gave him a sunny smile. “Breakfast‟s almost ready,” he said cheerfully. Derek said nothing as he crossed to Brian, still in torment over what he should do, cupped his lover‟s face in both hands, and kissed him.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 81

Chapter Nine

BRIAN knew something was wrong but he didn‟t know how to ask Derek. He wasn‟t sure if he should. Derek was attentive and helpful around the house as they both took time off from work, yet there was something dark behind his eyes when they focused on him. Brian could feel it. He couldn‟t guess as to the source. It couldn‟t be resentment from Derek for having to stay with Brian. In fact, he seemed to enjoy himself and the dogs. Was it worry? But Brian was expected to make a full recovery. What was it? On the third day together in the house and after coming back from a walk with the six dogs, Brian gathered up his courage and approached Derek. The dogs were getting water, and Derek flopped onto his couch with a sigh. He looked so at home here, Brian thought. He took a moment to enjoy the moment before sitting down next to Derek. “Derek?” “Hmmm?” The man had his head resting on the back of the couch. He turned his head and met Brian‟s eyes. “Is there anything… wrong?” Derek frowned. “What?”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 82 Brian shrugged. “Well, there have just been moments when… I don‟t know. You seem to be worried about something. You can talk to me if you are.” He saw a struggle happen behind Derek‟s eyes. He was beginning to understand how to read Derek and now knew the signs of his moods. He seemed so… distracted. Off, somehow. He wasn‟t even angry. He was just… hiding something. Yet Brian was hiding something as well. Since Derek had started staying with him, whenever they left the house he would feel eyes on them. He felt like he was being watched, and it was distressing. He didn‟t say anything, not wanting to worry Derek or make him overreact. He figured it was just part of the aftermath of the attack. But he was starting to doubt that reason. “Derek?” His lover blinked several times, as if coming out of a dream. He shook his head. “There are a lot of things on my mind, Brian. I‟m… trying to deal with them.” Brian nodded slowly. “Okay, I get that. But you know I‟m a good listener. And we are a couple, you know. Feel free to… share things with me.” Again, he saw the struggle in Derek‟s eyes. He wished Derek would talk to him. Didn‟t he trust him? Their relationship was still new. Brian wasn‟t sure when to poke and when to step back. Derek suddenly stood up. “I need a moment. I‟ll be right back.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 83 Brian nodded silently. His arm was now out of the sling, and he almost had one hundred percent use of it. He watched Derek grab a coat and walk outside. The house felt empty the moment he left. Even the dogs whined.

DAMN it, damn it, damn it. Idiot! Derek scowled at himself. His hands were jammed in his pockets, and the wind blew viciously over him. He didn‟t deserve Brian. The man was a saint. So concerned, so compassionate. Guilt gnawed at his stomach. There was no way he could spend a life with this man and not tell him about himself. But then his only option was to tell him and risk losing him. That wasn‟t acceptable either. Being so close to him, seeing him almost every second of every day, made him feel dependent on him. He had needed air, that was all. Guilt was starting to hang over him like a goddamn rain cloud. He thought he had been better at hiding his fear but it seemed he had only been fooling himself. It wasn‟t just fear of telling Brian everything anymore. He was concerned about how his parents would react when he told them. And then there was the problem of feeling eyes on them every time they left the house. They were being watched. Hunted. Yesterday morning he had contacted his pack on a private number and left a coded message. He wondered if

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 84 they had heard anything about a rogue wolf or a vendetta. And if they had, he wanted their assistance. He wasn‟t sure if he could handle the mutt alone. He wanted his pack behind him. And he knew if he didn‟t shift soon, his irritation level would grow, and he might shift unintentionally. He knew the feeling. The itch began to grow, and even his dogs could feel the need rising inside him. That made them antsy. And wouldn‟t it be just perfect if he shifted right in front of Brian? The man would probably scream bloody murder and run like the hounds of hell were after him. And Derek wouldn‟t blame him. He wanted to run with Brian. Fuck, he wanted acceptance. It wasn‟t unusual for a shifter to end up with a non-shifter. But most shifters didn‟t tell their partners about their ability. Derek couldn‟t keep it hidden. He knew that for a fact. He loved Brian. He was now certain he had been in love with him from the moment Brian had confronted him in that men‟s bathroom. When he had comforted him that first time. And that love had only grown over the years. He just hadn‟t been able to admit it. Fuck. Derek dragged his hand over his face and realized he needed a shave. That was the last thought he had before a strange scent met his nose.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 85 “IT‟S okay, guys.” Brian said a minute after Derek left. He tried to project calming thoughts, but his own thoughts wouldn‟t calm. Derek was hiding something. Something that was tearing him up inside. Brian loved him. And that meant he couldn‟t allow Derek to carry such a burden alone. His mind set, Brian stood, told the dogs to stay, grabbed a coat, and walked outside. He would get the truth out of Derek even if it resulted in a shouting match. They were partners, which meant nothing was kept hidden. Brian looked to his left, then to his right. He saw Derek‟s imposing figure walking down the sidewalk to his right. He began to follow him when he saw a black form streak across the road. His shout backed up in his throat as he recognized the wolf that had attacked him. He watched in horror as the wolf ran at top speed across the street and barreled right into Derek. He heard Derek‟s cry of rage, and the wolf was thrown off of him. Then he saw something he never thought he would. Something he never thought possible. Derek howled and ripped off his jacket. As the wolf got to its feet, Derek crouched, and in a split second, where once stood Brian‟s lover, now stood another wolf. A wolf that was black as onyx, just like Derek‟s hair. A wolf that was slightly smaller and longer than the attacking wolf. Before Brian could fully register what just happened, the wolves attacked each other. It was vicious and bloody. Jaws clamped, teeth shone, claws ripped. Blood flew.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 86 Brian suddenly realized that he was running toward the battle instead of running away. He must be insane, but he couldn‟t stop his legs from charging ahead. Anger, fear, confusion, and love all jumbled inside his head before he skidded to a stop several feet from the wolves and looked around for something to fight with. A stack of tree limbs was sitting off to one side on a neighbor‟s lawn. He lunged for them and grabbed a large one. He looked back and, for a moment, could not tell the wolves apart. Then one of the wolves shoved the other on its back. The wolf still on its feet turned to Brian and bared its teeth, its shoulders hunching. Brian pulled the tree limb back like a baseball bat and braced his body. The wolf held its head low and started to circle him. Brian‟s heart pounded in his ears but he wasn‟t so much afraid for his own life as he was for Derek‟s. He wasn‟t dreaming. Derek was the other wolf even now gaining his feet. The wolf lunged at him. Brian held the bat, gauged the distance, then swung it like a bat to a ball. The limb smacked against the wolf‟s shoulder, and the canine fell to one side. The wolf howled and snarled in pain, and Brian met the creature‟s eyes. There was too much intelligence behind those eyes. Before the wolf could lunge again, Derek charged him and bit his already-wounded shoulder. The wolf whimpered in pain before running back across the street away from them. Brian gasped in breath, the limb falling from his hands and thudding to the sidewalk. He stared at the wolf that was

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 87 also his lover. The wolf‟s body was tense and had watched the other wolf‟s exit. Brian could feel the wolf‟s desire to chase and tackle the attacker. But he stayed. The wolf finally turned around, his tail and head down. Those deep brown eyes Brian knew and loved looked back at him through a wolf‟s face. Blood-matted fur covered his mouth and around his claws. “Derek,” Brian whispered. The wolf took a step back, and before Brian could speak, he ran away. “Derek!” he shouted. But Derek was gone, running after the other wolf.

IT BEING a workweek, everyone was gone. No one had heard the attack. Brian took Derek‟s dogs and tried to have them track Derek down. With no luck. Brian was sick with worry. He paced his living room, the dogs watching him. Tinker sat on the back of the couch, looking unconcerned. Brian tucked his hands underneath his arms and chewed his bottom lip. Derek was a werewolf. A werewolf. Brian shook his head and looked at Goliath, Betty, and Henry. “You guys knew,” Brian said. The dogs almost looked ashamed. Brian took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out. So what if Derek was a werewolf?

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 88 “I still love him,” Brian said out loud. Brian stopped pacing as an idea struck him. Where does a wounded wolf go to lick his wounds? “Home.” Brian ordered the dogs to stay, left the house, and got into his car. He raced over to Derek‟s house and ran up the porch steps. It had been several hours since Derek had run off, and damn if Brian was going to let him lick his wounds alone. Please, God, let him be here. Brian pounded on the door. “Derek. Derek, open up.” There was no answer, but Brian wasn‟t deterred. “Derek. Open the fucking door. You coward!” Anger was riding alongside his worry as he fumed at the closed door. Then he heard the dull shuffling of feet and felt his heart squeeze. The locks on the inside snapped open, and the door creaked open. Derek‟s strained and pale face appeared in the crack. His eyes were downcast. “Go away, Brian.” His voice was hoarse. “Don‟t be stupid.” Brian shoved the door open, and Derek stumbled back. Brian grabbed his arm, shut the door, and led him over to the couch. Derek wore only worn, faded jeans, and his chest and arms were covered with bandages. Brian urged him to sit and looked at the wounds himself. They were both silent while he worked. Only after handing Derek a glass of whiskey did he begin to talk. “So this is what you‟ve been keeping from me.” Derek said nothing. He stared at the floor.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 89 “Did you find the wolf?” Derek shook his head. “Goddamn it, Derek. Talk to me,” Brian snapped. Derek jerked, and his eyes flew up, skimming over Brian‟s face. Brian could see the fear in them and felt some of his anger disappear. Derek just looked so lost. So hurt. Wounded. And not just physically. “I‟m sorry, Brian,” Derek said in a low voice. “Then tell me,” Brian said, running his hands through Derek‟s hair. “Talk to me.” “You searched me out,” Derek murmured. “You‟re my partner.” Derek closed his eyes as if in pain. He took several breaths before opening them again. “I am part of Clan Wolf, a subgroup of the Mohawk tribe. The shifting ability is passed on through genes. The moon has nothing to do with my shift; I do it willingly. But if I don‟t shift for a while, it can happen if I become too angry.” Brian never paused in stroking his hair. If it could calm a dog, it could work on Derek. “I lived with my family for eighteen years. I was sheltered, so when I entered the real world… well… I was unpleasantly surprised.” Brian sat closer and touched his hand. “The shift is activated with puberty. The gene is passed along by both parents. There are other shifters out there, Brian. Not all of them are wolf. We don‟t socialize very much, but we know of each other‟s existence.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 90 “Other shifters,” Brian murmured. “Amazing.” Derek smiled slightly. “I‟ve never told anyone, Brian. I‟ve never had anyone like you.” Derek met his eyes directly. Brian saw the fear but also the hope in them. Hope for what? “You are the only one I have ever brought to my home. My bed.” Brian‟s eyes widened slightly. A small smile touched Derek‟s mouth. “I love you, Brian. You‟re the only one to touch me. Calm me.” Brian nuzzled his neck and sighed. Acceptance. Derek wanted acceptance. “Who was that wolf, Derek?” Brian asked. “I don‟t know,” Derek said. “His smell was familiar, but I couldn‟t place him. I don‟t know why he is hunting us.” A shiver went through Brian‟s body, and Derek wrapped an arm around his waist. “Are you okay?” Derek asked softly. “I didn‟t want to risk losing you.” Brian looked up and lightly kissed Derek‟s mouth. “I love you, Derek. You‟re stuck with me.” Derek grinned. “You are truly my mate.” But when Derek tried to pull him closer, Brian pulled back and took a deep breath. “I should tell you something too.” Share and share alike. Derek frowned. “Okay.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 91 “You know how I‟m called the animal shrink at work?” “Yeah.” “That‟s not too far off the mark.” Derek tilted his head slightly, and Brian recognized the move as very canine-like. “I have an ability as well, Derek. It isn‟t as pronounced as yours. I can… communicate with animals.” “Really?” Brian linked fingers with Derek. “I was always able to. I don‟t remember a time I couldn‟t „talk‟ to animals to a certain extent. But it‟s more visual talking. I can see images they project, and I can project images to them. I used to try and tell my parents about it, but they never believed me. As a kid it was cute, but as a teen I was… I stopped talking about it.” Derek made a noise and nuzzled his neck. Brian smiled slightly and cupped his cheek. “That‟s what makes me such a good vet, I guess. The animals can tell me what‟s wrong with them. I can soothe them. I know where their pain lies.” “And you know where my pain lies,” Derek murmured, his lips moving along Brian‟s skin. “That‟s why you can calm me when others can‟t.” Brian nodded. He pulled Derek‟s face back and cupped his cheeks, meeting his eyes. “I‟ll accept you if you accept me.” Derek‟s eyes began to glow, and Brian realized it wasn‟t a figment of his imagination. They actually glowed. Fucking sexy.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 92 “Brian,” Derek murmured, devouring his mouth. “Mine,” he growled, shoving Brian down on the couch. He pulled at Brian‟s clothes and cupped his groin. Brian moaned into his mouth but suddenly pushed Derek back with hands on his chest. “The animals,” Brian murmured. “What?” Derek gasped. “The cat. My dogs. They told me you smelled funny.” Derek raised an eyebrow but smiled. “Do I smell funny to you?” “No,” Brian said. He pulled Derek close and nipped his ear. “You smell sexy. Man. Wild.” Derek grunted when Brian cupped his groin with both hands and nibbled his neck. “You‟re a beautiful wolf,” Brian said. A deep wolf growl emitted from Derek‟s chest as he ripped open Brian‟s shirt and attacked his chest. He bit his skin and sucked his nipples ruthlessly. Brian gasped and arched his back. He gripped Derek‟s hair and tugged him closer. Derek‟s hands were equally ruthless. He tugged open Brian‟s jeans and shoved his hands inside. His hands stroked Brian harshly, and Brian couldn‟t get enough air. Derek lowered his head to where his hands were driving Brian crazy. But before he could latch his mouth onto Brian‟s shaft, Brian changed their position. He was going to have control this time, damn it. This werewolf would just have to take it. Brian grinned.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 93 Derek looked surprised at being underneath him. Brian lowered his head and dragged his lips and tongue over Derek‟s exposed skin and put light kisses over his wounds. He could have lost Derek that day. He couldn‟t lose someone so precious to him. Brian actually felt Derek surrender to him, and he became more urgent and love filled his heart to bursting. It actually throbbed as it pounded in his heart. Derek accepted him. Brian tugged off Derek‟s pants and took off his own clothes. He straddled Derek‟s waist and took Derek‟s shaft in both hands. He stroked him slowly at first but then faster. Derek gripped the couch, his jaw clenched. Grunts escaped him, and his eyes never left Brian‟s face. But then Brian lifted one hand, put a finger in his mouth before lowering it, and found Derek‟s opening. A strange sound escaped Derek‟s mouth, and he tensed. Brian met his eyes, an unspoken question within them. Do you trust me? There was only a second‟s hesitation before Derek nodded. A thrill went through Brian‟s body, and he let out a relieved breath. He wanted to know how it felt to be inside such a strong man. A wolf shifter. God, he was a lucky bastard. Derek had chosen him. Brian smiled. He continued to stroke Derek‟s shaft as he slipped his finger inside his lover‟s body. He was slow because he could feel Derek resist, but Derek soon loosened up and actually began to move against his finger. “Condom?” Brian said. “Fuck it.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 94 Brian‟s eyes widened. “Derek—” Derek‟s eyes glowed and his teeth were bared. Brian swallowed. He knew he had nothing considering he hadn‟t had sex for a couple of years, and he knew Derek wasn‟t one to go bareback with a stranger. It had to do with trust as well as commitment. And a certain sense of recklessness. Brian put a second finger inside Derek, stretching him wider. Derek began to move against Brian‟s hands and muttered that he was close to coming. Needing to give them both release, Brian removed his finger and slipped his cock inside. Brian gasped as he slipped deeper. It had been a while since he had been inside another man, and he realized just how much he missed it. Derek‟s eyes were fierce as they met his. Brian leaned over him and placed both hands on either side of Derek‟s head. Derek wrapped his legs around Brian‟s waist, and his hands gripped Brian‟s shoulders. Brian quickly drove them toward release, and their mouths met as they both reached climax. Brian collapsed onto his lover, and Derek lifted his arms to grip him close. “Mine,” Derek murmured. Then, more fiercely, “Mine.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 95

Chapter Ten

TWO hours later, after making love a couple of more times, Derek and Brian finally staggered into Brian‟s car and drove back to Brian‟s house. Brian accepted him, loved him. Derek could hardly believe it. He worried it might be a dream if not for the fantastic sex that spoke to the reality of the past events. He had his mate and he would do anything to keep him. An unexpected sight met them as they drove into Brian‟s driveway. A black and red Harley Davidson motorcycle was parked on the cement, and a short man was leaning against it. He was playing with a Palm Pilot as Brian cut the engine. The man was about five-feet nothing with spiky blond hair and a stocky body, and covered in leather. He only looked up when Brian and Derek stepped out of the car. Black sunglasses hid his eyes from them, and a cautious smile touched his lips. “No need to be so tense,” he said, his voice deeper than it should be for one his size. Derek felt his muscles tense, and he grabbed Brian‟s hand. “Who are you?” he asked, his eyes narrowed. The man put his Palm Pilot in a leather pocket and took off his glasses. Arctic-blue eyes swept over their faces, sizing them up, before he spoke again.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 96 “You must be the wolf man,” he said, nodding to Derek. “Your pack contacted me after they received your message.” Derek blinked in shock. “Who are you?” he asked again after a moment. “I‟m Agent Poe. Ever heard of the Agency, wolf man?” He had. Derek rubbed his chin, glancing at Brian who was completely confused. “What is he talking about, Derek?” Brian asked. Poe‟s smile grew. “What haven‟t you told your mate, Derek?” “Mate?” Brian smiled. “How do I know my pack sent you?” Derek asked. “A black wolf might mate with a black wolf but they could still produce a white wolf,” Poe said without pause. Derek blinked several times. That was the code phrase of his pack. No one but the pack knew it. Derek nodded. “All right. Why did my pack contact you?” Poe straightened from his motorcycle and glanced across the street, his head tilted slightly. “I believe it would be best if we adjourned inside? I have news of the rogue wolf shifter.” Derek looked at Brian. The vet nodded. The three walked inside, and Poe stayed at the doorway as six dogs and one cat launched themselves at their pack leaders. Joan and Goliath cautiously approached Poe who stood still, and non-threatening, and held out his hand. “I‟m a friend,” Poe murmured. The dogs slowly wagged their tails as they first sniffed then licked his hand.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 97 Poe‟s smile softened, and Derek thought he looked too young to be in the Agency. Brian turned to Derek. “What exactly is the Agency?” he asked. Derek opened his mouth, but Poe cut in. “I believe I can answer that if you allow me to.” Derek inclined his head. He knew of the Agency but he had never met an actual Agent before. They stood in the living room, and Poe took off his jacket, revealing a black shirt that clung to a surprisingly muscled chest. “The Agency was created a very long time ago. There are numerous stations in numerous countries around the world. Essentially, we make sure that contact between shifters and regular humans are limited. We clean up messes, hunt rogue shifters down, and make sure the general public does not know that there are shapeshifters among them.” Brian‟s eyebrows rose. “Sounds hard.” Poe‟s smile turned sharp. “It‟s worth it. Trust me, it‟s extremely enjoyable to stop a crazed maniac who finds hunting and dissecting shifters a worthy pastime.” Brian reached for Derek‟s hand and squeezed it. Derek covered it with his other hand. Those arctic eyes missed nothing, and Derek wondered if he saw approval in those blue depths. “I have been hunting this shifter for several months,” Poe continued, turning his attention to Derek. “Somehow he always stays just one step ahead of me. He is part of a

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 98 different wolf shifter pack and has a reputation for attacking other shifters. For sport.” Poe met Brian‟s eyes. “And he likes to kill their mates as well.” Brian pressed himself closer to Derek for warmth. Their dogs whined. “I sent a broadcast to other wolf shifter packs to put them on the lookout for him. It would seem that I‟ve struck gold.” He chuckled. Derek raised an eyebrow but didn‟t ask what was so funny. The man was very odd, but he knew for a fact that the Agency‟s hiring process was horribly strict and selective. Only the smartest, fastest, and most ruthless people got hired. But they weren‟t just regular people. Rumor had it that Agents had certain magical abilities, albeit small ones. He wondered what Poe‟s magical ability was. “So what do we do now?” Brian asked both of them. Poe and Derek‟s understanding.

eyes

met.

They

came

to

an

“We trap him,” Poe said. He shifted his gaze to Brian. “And we need some bait.”

DEREK is going to pay for this, Brian thought. A heavy frown was stamped on his face as he walked his three dogs.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 99 They both will, Brian decided. It was, after all, Poe’s idea for me to be the bait. Brian grumbled and pulled his coat tighter around him. It had been a week since they had met Poe. To set their plan in motion, Poe had “left,” or had gone into hiding. Then Derek and he had continued their life as if they didn‟t know a bloodthirsty shapeshifter was after them. They had gone back to work, and Derek had returned to his own home. Now the time had come. They had gotten a call that morning from Poe saying where he was to go and when. The trap was now set. Brian took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He was walking with his dogs in the forest park near his house. He had argued with Derek about leaving Fenrir at home, but Derek had argued that everything needed to look normal. The rogue shifter would know if something was out of place. He looked down at his little pug and felt a tug at his heart. Fenrir had cancer again. The poor thing had to go back into surgery. Joan and Gable trotted along before him. Fenrir trotted by his side. He knew when he was being followed by the way his dogs began to act. He sent them calming thoughts and tried to steady his breathing. The snap of a twig made him jump. He stopped and swallowed hard. Those two idiots had better be around to attack that prick. His dogs began to bark, and just as Joan and Gable‟s leashes ripped out of his hand, a black blur charged him from behind the trees. Brian ducked and covered Fenrir as the wolf easily leapt over him.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 100 He suddenly heard snarls and growls. He whipped his head around and saw two black wolves fighting with each other. He blinked. Had that been Derek? Brian gripped Fenrir to him and backed up. Joan and Gable suddenly appeared and flanked him, their bodies tense and their ears back. Long, white teeth were bared in animal rage. Brian realized he was shaking and jumped out of his skin when a hand touched his arm. Poe raised an eyebrow. “Calm down, man. I got this.” He lifted a gun, and Brian slammed his hand down on it. “Wait—” “A tranq,” Poe said easily. He turned back to the fighting wolves and shouted Derek‟s name. Derek leapt off of the other wolf, and Poe aimed to shoot a tranq dart. But the wolf slinked away, and the dart hit the ground. The wolf charged at Brian, and Poe shoved the man out of the way, and the wolf shifter slammed into the agent‟s chest. Brian fell to the ground, still holding his pug and looked in horror as the wolf shifter tried to latch his jaws around Poe‟s neck. Derek charged the wolf and managed to dislodge him from the Agent‟s body. Poe got to his feet, not even winded, and ordered Derek down. Derek snarled but backed down as Poe and the wolf shifter began to circle each other. Derek walked over to Brian

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 101 and stood in front of him, his body low to the ground and tense. Brian watched the wolf carefully and knew they were sizing each other up. “You know I‟ve been after you,” Poe said easily, his voice calm. Brian marveled at the serene quality of this Agent. He moved gracefully, never making any sound as he moved his feet over the dirt path. “Give up, rogue,” Poe said reasonably. “I‟m just going to keep hunting you. I must say that it gets very tiring, very fast. And I will still get you in the end.” The wolf shifter snarled and bared yellow teeth. Brian shivered and tightened his hold on Fenrir. The pug whined, and Brian consciously loosened his grip. It wouldn‟t do to squeeze the life out of his dog. “Show me what you got pup,” Poe taunted. The wolf bunched up his body and launched at him. Poe easily sidestepped him, and to Brian‟s shock, Poe, a barely five-foot-tall man, whipped around, grabbed the fur of the 140-pound wolf that was longer than he was, and lifted him. Poe held him up over his head a split second before tossing him into a tree. The wolf slammed into the tree with enough force to crack the bark. The wolf whimpered and somehow managed to stagger to his feet. Poe wasn‟t even sweating. He straightened and smoothed out his black shirt, picking dirt off his shoulders. “You‟re only humiliating yourself,” Poe said coolly.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 102 Brian saw the hard steel in those glacial eyes. There was no emotion showing out of those blue orbs. The little man just stared down the wolf who was getting his breath back. “Well?” Poe asked. The wolf howled, and Joan and Gable barked. The wolf attacked Poe again but the man met the wolf head-on and grabbed those snapping jaws and began to wrestle the large shifter to the ground. Claws dug into his skin but Poe only let go of the wolf when the shifter was on his back. Then Poe landed a hard kick with his steel-pointed boot into the shifter‟s jaw. The shifter went still, but Brian saw the rapid movement of his chest. Poe loaded his tranq gun again and shot it into the wolf‟s shoulder. The body jerked but didn‟t wake. Poe smiled. But it was cut from glass. “Gotcha, bastard.” Brian let out a sigh of relief and looked over to see a naked Derek standing before him. Derek held out a hand, and Brian took it, getting to his feet. “I never want to do that again,” Brian said. “Me, neither.” Derek touched his shoulder and winced. There was a deep cut that bled down his arm. Brian put Fenrir down, who whimpered, and embraced Derek tightly.

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 103 DEREK held Brian close and nodded to Poe who was observing them. He now knew what Poe‟s magical ability was. Strength. The Agent smiled, his eyes no longer emotionless but still guarded. “Must say I‟m envious,” Poe said. “You two are good together.” Derek frowned. “Don‟t you have anyone?” “Not allowed to,” Poe said with a careless shrug. He turned away, pulled out a metal collar, and snapped it around the shifter‟s neck. A chain was attached to the collar and Poe yanked it over his shoulder and began to drag the wolf shifter behind him. “Need help?” Derek asked. Poe smiled. “No. Besides, I doubt you want to stay naked for very long. Even though….” Poe gave him a rather lascivious look before winking. “Nice ass. I‟ll have pleasant dreams tonight.” Before Derek could come up with something to say, Poe was already gone. He looked down and met Brian‟s eyes. “Is there something between you two I should know about?” Derek raised an eyebrow. “Jealous, love?” Brian‟s mouth twitched. “Jealous of a midget? I don‟t think so.” Derek chuckled and kissed him. “He could kick your ass, you know.” “I know. I‟d never say it to his face.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 104 Brian grabbed his dogs‟ leashes, and they walked out of the forest. Derek opened the trunk of the car and pulled on sweatpants and a sweatshirt. “You have a nice house,” he said suddenly. Brian helped the dogs into his Beetle and shut the door. “What?” Derek walked up to Brian and placed his hands on his shoulders. “No pressure, Brian. But I liked living with you. What do you say? Could you stand to pick up my underwear off the floor?” Brian smiled. “I‟m not your maid. You can pick up your own damn panties from the floor.” Derek winced. “They‟re not panties.” Brian laughed and hugged him. “I love you, Derek. The answer‟s yes.” Derek closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Brian‟s soft hair. “I love you, animal shrink.” “I love you, werewolf.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 105

Epilogue

BRIAN opened his eyes and jerked in instinctual fear. But only a second later his body eased, and he gave the wolf an annoyed look. “Very funny, Derek. You know it‟s rude to scare your lover after the sexathon last night.” Warm, brown eyes stared out at him from a wolf face and the mouth opened in a doggy grin. The shaggy black tail wagged happily. “It isn‟t funny.” Those brown eyes danced. Brian rolled over and pulled the blankets over his face. But a wet nose suddenly worked its way underneath the blanket, and a rough tongue began licking his face. He laughed and grabbed Derek around the neck and pushed him on his side. “Stop that or you‟ll give our children bad habits.” The children being their dogs. One moment he was staring into the face of the wolf and the next he was staring into the face of the man he loved. Their lips met leisurely, and Brian smelled the outdoors on Derek‟s tanned skin and knew that he had been out running with their dogs. “Did Fenrir keep up this time?” Brian asked after pushing back slightly. It had been a great weight off of

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 106 Brian‟s shoulders when he learned that the little pug did not actually have cancer. The bump had ended up being benign, and Fenrir had gotten a clean bill of health. “He tried to,” Derek said. “I had to resort to carrying him in my mouth. That slowed me down.” Brian shrugged. “You have to include everyone.” “Even a creature that isn‟t a dog?” Brian snorted. He knew Derek adored the little pug, and Brian would get a kick out of seeing Derek play with Fenrir in wolf form. It had been six months since they had become a couple, helped trap a rogue wolf shifter, and moved in together. The investigation into Brian‟s wolf attack had cleared his dogs of the attack and a massive wolf hunt had taken place, but, of course, the wolf was never found. After that, it was nothing but bliss and laughs. “What about the three-legged wonder?” Brian asked. They had adopted the Rottweiler that Derek had rescued from starvation. The three-legged dog had fit in perfectly with the rest of their dogs and was probably the happiest among them. “Dante? Man, that dog outruns all of us.” Brian laughed. “A letter came today,” Derek said, running his hands up and down Brian‟s back. Brian arched into the touch and kissed Derek gently. “What letter?” “From Poe.”

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 107 “What‟d he want now? Use me as bait to catch a bear shifter? Or a tiger shifter?” Derek laughed. Brian frowned. He would never get over being the bait to catch the wolf shifter and he doubted it would ever happen again. He had punished Derek sufficiently after the first time. No sex for a week had been sufficient punishment. For both of them. “The rogue was taken back to his pack and tried. He‟ll be executed next week.” Brian stilled, Seriously?”

and

his

eyes

widened.

“Executed?

Derek‟s eyes were dark. “It will be quick and painless. More than he deserves. He‟s killed many shifters and humans, Brian. He liked it. He would have kept doing it if he hadn‟t been caught.” “I know that, I just….” It was still a shock. Brian saw the rage that was as much a part of Derek as the compassion and love, inside those brown eyes. He knew Derek wanted to rip the shifter apart personally. He was thankful that wasn‟t an option. “Poe just wanted to say thanks,” Derek continued. “And that he hopes we meet again under better circumstances. He also mentions that you would have made a good agent if you had been recruited at an early age.” Brian was surprised. Derek had filled in some holes about the Agency, at least, all that Derek actually knew. In Brian‟s opinion, any secret society needed to be watched and

Psychic Moon | M.D. Grimm 108 anyone dealing with them had to be suspicious. “Really? But how does he know about my abilities? Did you tell him?” Derek shook his head. “No, the Agency has ways of finding things out.” “That‟s creepy. Did he say why I wasn‟t chosen?” Derek shrugged. “Nah. They‟re the good guys, Brian. They help. It‟s an honor to be chosen to be an agent. But I‟m happy you weren‟t. I wouldn‟t get you otherwise.” Brian smiled and felt a little mischievous. “You know, I wouldn‟t mind meeting Poe again. He‟s a very interesting man.” Derek winged an eyebrow. “Interesting? Really?” Brian heard the tone and snorted. “Why, Derek, are you jealous?” “No,” he said seriously before rolling on top of Brian. “But I am very possessive. You‟re mine.” Brian grinned and rolled his eyes. “That I am, wolfman. Mate.” Derek grinned, eyes darkening with lust, and swooped in for a kiss. One good thing, thought Brian, about communicating with animals through images, was that he could tell Derek what he wanted to do in bed without saying a word. His mouth was usually busy.

About the Author

M.D. GRIMM lives in the wet state of Oregon, and when she's not reading, writing, or watching movies, she dreams of owning a pet dragon. She‟s wanted to become an author since second grade and feels that her dreams are finally coming true. She was fortunate to have supporting parents who never told her to “get her head out of the clouds.” While she doesn‟t like to write in only one set genre, she feels romance is at the core of most of her stories. M.D. earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Oregon and hopes to put that degree to good use in the literature world as well as the “real” world. Visit “MD Grimm” at Facebook, Livejournal, and Goodreads. You can contact her at [email protected].

Paranormal Romance from DREAMSPINNER PRESS

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Copyright

Psychic Moon ©Copyright M.D. Grimm, 2011 Published by Dreamspinner Press 4760 Preston Road Suite 244-149 Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Cover Art by Reese Dante http://www.reesedante.com This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ Released in the United States of America July 2011 eBook Edition eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-116-2