Excerpt - Learning the Dingo's Quirks

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    Pascal opened the door, and Julian followed him out of the vehicle. He stood uncertainly by the door, peering around the area. The big farmhouse-style building had a large, covered wooden porch with a number of rocking chairs—some even large enough to seat two people. There was even a couple of small tables. On one rested a set of checkers.

    Julian climbed up the couple of stairs and headed toward it. He rubbed the tips of his forefingers over a dark wooden piece. It was smooth.

    “Do you like playing checkers?”

    Yanking his hand away from the disk-like piece, Julian spun. He took a step back as he gaped up at the muscular male before him. Twisting his fingers together, he couldn’t help but stare.

    The man was so very handsome.

    He stood around six feet and had a tall, strong build. His muscles appeared lean and toned, filling out his jeans in the best possible way. His short-sleeved, flannel shirt stretched across his shoulders and showed off lightly-haired, bronzed arms. A smile curved his thin lips, and a black cowboy hat shaded his eyes, making discerning whether they were black or brown difficult.

    And he smells so very good!

    Julian had never scented anything like the aroma emanating from the stranger. He was a vampire…he could tell from the male’s slightly metallic tang. It was more than that, though, because he also smelled something earthy and…almost musky. The scent caused his blood to flow south to his dick.

    He’d never reacted like that to anyone.

    “Checkers?” the man pressed. “Do you know how to play?”

    “Uh, yeah,” Julian replied softly, nodding. “A little, anyway.” He felt his face heat as he admitted, “I’m not really very good though.”

    “I could give you a few pointers if you want to play sometime,” the man offered, then held out his hand.        “I’m Mathe Winters, foreman here at the ranch.”

    Reaching out slowly, Julian hesitated in taking the man’s hand. With his smell so delicious, what would touching him be like? Still, it would be rude to just leave the guy hanging.

    Julian slid his hand into Mathe’s, gripping lightly. A tingle traveled up his arm, causing the hairs on his arm to goose bump. His heart sped up.

    “I’m Julian,” he all but whispered. His blood heated, and his half-hard dick thickened even more. He’d never heard his voice come out so breathy.

    “Ah, so you do feel it,” Mathe rumbled.

    As Mathe spoke, he rubbed his thumb over the sensitive skin on the back of Julian’s hand. It sent even more tingles up his arm. Thinking became difficult, let alone speaking.

    Knowing he had to find his tongue, Julian swallowed hard, getting a little moisture to his suddenly dry throat. “Feel what?”

    “The pull,” Mathe immediately responded as he eased a step closer. “You are a shifter,” he murmured, holding Julian’s gaze, his expression intense. “Shifters recognize a mate by scent.” He lifted his free hand and touched his forefingers to Julian’s jaw ever-so-lightly. “I am a vampire,” he continued as he traced his fingers along Julian’s jaw, then down his neck. “Vampires recognize their beloved by the smell and taste of their blood.” His eyes took on a red hue as the heady, musky aroma of arousal rolled off of him. “I want to taste your blood, pretty shifter. I want to know if you are my one and only.”

    “Vampire bites are pleasurable,” Julian whispered, struggling to concentrate with his body flooding with more arousal than he’d ever felt before. “Gypsum says so. Lucius lets him bite him.”

    “Yes,” Mathe confirmed. “Vampires can give great pleasure with their bite.” His smile turned feral as he swept his gaze over Julian’s body. “Would you allow me to taste your blood?”

    “I—Uh, okay.” The words were out of Julian’s mouth before he could think better of them.

    Mathe’s smile widened into a grin, showing off his fangs. “Thank you,” he rumbled, sliding his fingers around Julian’s nape, gripping him in a loose hold. “I can do it with a kiss now,” he told him. “Or we can wait until tonight, when I can do it properly, giving you that great pleasure we spoke of.”

    Licking his bottom lip slowly, Julian roved his gaze over the vampire’s mouth. While he had experience sucking cock, he’d never kissed anyone before. Is that something he should admit?

    “I—”

    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Pascal cut in, shoving Mathe’s torso, causing the vampire to take a step to the side. “Is there some unspoken rule here? Seduce the new guy? We haven’t even been here ten minutes.”

    “No, of course not,” Mathe responded. He scowled at Pascal, but the expression quickly cleared as he thrust out his hand. “My apologies. I am Mathe Winters. You must be Pascal. The middle brother.”

    Pascal crossed his arms over his narrow chest, pointedly ignoring Mathe’s offered hand.

    Mathe cleared his throat as he lowered his hand.

    Hating the discomfited look on the vampire’s face, Julian grabbed Mathe’s hand, instead. “Pascal, be nice,” he ordered, his voice soft. Seeing the way his brother’s brows shot up, the surprise on his face, he knew it was because never once had he ever gone against the man. Julian offered Pascal a smile. “I’m pretty sure Mathe is my mate,” he revealed. “It’s, um, overwhelming.”

    Pascal’s brows furrowed as he took a step backward. He swept his gaze up and down Mathe as if trying to figure out his allure. As if he could figure out why Mathe would be Julian’s mate.

    To Julian’s surprise, irritation flooded him. He didn’t like Pascal looking at Mathe like that. A low growl escaped his throat.

    His attention snapping to Julian, Pascal’s brows shot back up again, and his mouth gaped open.

    Julian cleared his throat, forcing himself to stop. He felt his face heat as embarrassment filled him. “S-Sorry,” he whispered. “I-I-I—”

    “Hey, what’s going on?” Gypsum asked, striding across the porch. “Is everything okay?”

    “I’m not sure,” Pascal muttered, frowning as he glanced between them all. “Is there a way to be tricked? I mean, you just met him.”

    Gypsum rested his hand on Mathe’s shoulder. With furrowed brows, he stated, “I know you wouldn’t press advances that are unwanted, Mathe.” He cocked his head as he inhaled deeply. “And, yet, I know what I smell.”

    “It’s not like that,” Mathe immediately countered, tipping his head back so he could meeting Gypsum’s gaze. “I believe Julian is my beloved.”