(21) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Linden hadn't killed himself, but he was sorely tempted to kill someone else as he stared down at the man standing beside his horse.

"Get some clothes on," he growled, knowing that shifters had the ability to summon them when they changed back into their human forms.

"If you insist." Immediately Helmut was wearing a pair of jeans so tight they looked painted on.

"Not sure that's an improvement," Linden grumbled as his eyes raked over Helmut.

"Apparently one part of you thinks it is." Helmut looked pointedly at Linden's crotch.

Linden stared down at him, going for imperious as he said, "Don't you have better things to do with your time than bother me?"

"Hey, you're the one that damned near ran me over. Where were you going in such a rush?"

"I needed to work off some energy."

Helmut grinned. "I can help with that."

"You could, but that's not happening."

"Why not." Helmut moved close enough to rest an elbow on the horse's back, causing it to tremble fearfully. "Shit, sorry, forgot they're not big on wolves, even in human form." He backed away quickly.

With a laugh, Linden said, "So if I stay up here I'm safe."

Helmut tapped his lips thoughtfully for a moment. Suddenly he grabbed Linden's ankle, pulling his foot free of the stirrup. Then he yanked the young man off the horse and into his arms. "Define 'safe'."

"Umm…not here?" Linden huffed as he tried to wriggle free.

"You're perfectly safe with me," Helmut replied with a smirk. "I'm not into hurting my lovers."

"What the hell makes you think I want to be one of those?"

"Just a feeling," Helmut said before his mouth descended on Linden's, taking it in a rough, hard kiss. He nipped his lip and when Linden gasped, Helmut pressed his advantage, thrusting his tongue in, hungrily savaging his mouth.

Linden tried to fight his rapidly rising libido, and then surrendered, taking the kiss and giving back as well as he was getting.

Things might have progressed from there if a laughing voice from behind them hadn't said, "And here we thought he might be in trouble."