Page 44 of Nugget

Stryker grinned. The pixies were awesome. River had been right about that. He’d been there for a few hours, plenty of time to think, but all Stryker had figured out was that he missed Gavin and his new friends. The fae land was beautiful but he wished Gavin was there to share the experience with him.

Even though he’d spent years on his own, this felt different.Hewas different.

He was the mate to an amazing, smart, protective shifter. Stryker was the special person that a paranormal spent their entire lives searching for. Was he really willing to give up his future because he was afraid? And it really did come down to Stryker being scared.

If the people that had given birth to him or were supposed to care for him hadn’t wanted him around, why would Gavin? Except, Gavin had found Stryker, had looked for him, and turned the table on him.

Hadn’t Gavin been unlike anyone Stryker had ever met before?

Fuck! Stryker might have screwed everything up. He’d run. Just like he always did. And now he was stuck in a strange land until someone came for him. River had a few hours left on his shift in the human realm. Stryker was now dependent on someone else and that irritated him.

The waterfall in front of him was loud.

Stryker had been tucked into a cave behind the waterfall and away from view. Even with the roar of the water coming down,Stryker heard the rumble of thunder. Damn it! He did not know how a storm in fae land was going to affect him.

The pixies chattered before they made a mad dash for the exit. Leaving him behind.

“Hey!” Stryker jumped to his feet to follow them out. “Come back!”

The sky still appeared clear without any rain falling. Stryker peered around. Interesting.

He spotted a large creature flying for him.

The beast was magnificent.

Stryker couldn’t tear his gaze away. He didn’t know the creatures in this strange land, but that giant bird creature did seem sort of familiar. And he was getting closer. Stryker stepped back into the cave as lightning flashed in front of him.

He blinked and Gavin flew out of the sky, landing in front of him.

“What the fuck?” Stryker screeched.

“Hello, boy,” Gavin replied.

Damn, his man was hot. And naked. Why was he naked?

“Surprised?”

He should be. “Who caved first? River or Noah?”

“They both got busted about the same time. You need better conspirators.”

Stryker shrugged. “It was sort of a last-minute plan.”

“I get that,” Gavin said.

“Are you mad?” Stryker wasn’t nervous. Not at all. He was a grown man that could make his own decisions.

“I’m not mad,” Gavin replied. “Not even that surprised. I really thought you’d go for the bike.”

“I promised not to leave the property,” Stryker pointed out.

Gavin shook his head. “You went to another realm!”

Wow, maybe Gavin was mad at him. “But technically I didn’t leave the property. Smart, right?”

“Smart?” Gavin repeated. “You’re in a strange realm, all alone, hiding from me.”

“I’m not hiding,” Stryker argued. “I just needed to think.”

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