Take My Hand [Brac Pack 28] by Lynn Hagen Page A

uptight.”
No shit. Raven was thinking along those very same lines. Yeah, Darcy was probably freaked out over the biting thing, not to mention the idea of being a couple. But his mate could have talked to him instead of kicking him out of the bed they had just shared something very intimate in. Talk about a bucket of ice tossed over his raging hormones.
“You remind me of him.”
Wait, what? “How?” Raven sat sideways along the porch railing, folding his hands over his thigh. He wasn’t uptight—okay, maybe he was, but he wouldn’t have kicked Darcy out of bed after some very intense…whatever they just shared. Raven wasn’t sure a hand job and feeding were considered sex, but hell if he didn’t enjoy himself.
Darcy had gotten off at least. Raven was still full of sexual frustration and hadn’t a clue what to do about it without taking matters into his own hands, literally.
Sterling’s smirk was downright evil.“You two were cut from the same cloth. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you liked him.”
Raven stiffened. Just who the hell was this kid?“Why?”
“Because only Darcy can piss someone off that much. But you have to care in order for my brother to push your neurotic buttons.”
“Who says it was Darcy who pissed me off?” And who said Raven was neurotic? He was solemn, moody, and a bit pushy, but he wasn’t neurotic.
No matter what his brothers said.
Sterling rolled his eyes.“Deny it all you want. I saw the way you two were stealing glances at each other.”
Raven wasn’t sure how much to admit. Sterling was human, and unaware of mates. He was also blissfully ignorant of vampires. The guy wasn’t Raven’s mate, so clueing him in wasn’t an option. He shrugged, neither confirming nor denying what he and Darcy had between them.
“Oh yeah, you are definitely a Darcy.” Sterling chuckled as he got to his feet, shaking his head.“I’m heading in. I have to go to work in the morning.”
So, Sterling was just as observant as Darcy when it came to his surroundings.
Sterling turned before walking into the house, a somber look in his eyes.“You know, there used to be a shine to Darcy when he smiled. I haven’t seen that shine in so long that I sometimes wonder if it was ever there. Help him get it back, Raven.” Sterling grabbed the screen door, pulled it open, and walked inside.
Raven sighed as he took Sterling’s place on the swing. He thought about how good it had felt to hold his mate in his arms, how right Darcy felt against his body. There had been nothing awkward about being with his mate. It had felt as natural as breathing.
He wasn’t sure how well things would go when it came to sex though. Raven had never been with a man. But if tonight was any indication, then Raven knew that he and Darcy would fumble through the sex part just fine.
Looking down at his hand, Raven curled his fingers in, remembering the feel of his mate’s cock in his hand. It had felt like a steel rod encased in soft silk. Raven wouldn’t mind holding the shaft once more.
Hell, he was willing to go further than that.
If only he could get Darcy past the whole couple thing. The man had freaked out and kicked Raven from his bed, something that still stung when Raven thought about it. Raven also wondered if Darcy would freak out when he told his mate he was a vampire. Darcy seemed too out of it to notice that Raven had done more than just lustfully bite his neck. He prayed it wouldn’t be a problem, because feeding was the only way Raven could survive.
And fuck if he was going to drink crimson when he had a hot, moist vein attached to one very attractive mate.
But Sterling’s words haunted Raven. He was determined now to make the shine appear on Darcy’s face once more.
Chapter Four
    Maverick Brac walked out of the small movie house that had been recently built, his beta, Kota, at his side. Some of the warriors had brought their mates to town for a night out, and Maverick was a little miffed that he had