Page 8 of Silent Fire

He met Tomas’s eyes again. “Okay.” He nodded once. “I'll let you help me.”

Noel was only setting himself up for disappointment. He couldn’t even trust his own stepfather and ex-boyfriend, yet he was willing to trust a complete stranger? Maybe he really had lost his mind. It sure as hell felt like it. A wolf shifter? Holy. Fuck. He’d known something strange was going on in Blackthorn, but never in his wildest dreams would he have guessed some residents weren’t human.

Tomas slid his hand to cup Noel’s cheek, thumb brushing his skin. He leaned into it for just a moment before catching himself and straightening, clearing his throat.

“We should, uh, probably head back.” His gaze slid over Tomas’s very naked body before his eyes quickly darted away, face heating. “And find you some clothes.”

Tomas chuckled. “What, you don’t like the view?” He gave a playful flex of his muscles.

“Oh my god.” Noel covered his face with both hands, muffling his voice. “Put that away before you poke someone’s eye out.”

Tomas’s laugh was rich and warm. “All right, all right. Let’s go, florito.”

Noel peeked through his fingers to glare. “What did I say about calling me that?”

“That you secretly love it.” The guy winked and started walking, not a hint of shame at his nudity.

Noel gaped after him before huffing and jogging to catch up, very determinedly keeping his eyes above Tomas’s waist.

“You gonna make it, florito?” The endearment slipped out, but this time Noel found he didn’t mind it so much. Maybe because of the way Tomas said it, all soft and fondly.

A sudden thought made him pause. “Wait, where did your clothes go?” He’d been so distracted, the question never occurred to him.

Tomas smiled. “They don’t exactly shift with me.”

Shifters, glowing eyes, being attacked... Naked beef cake. Noel’s mind was a hot mess. He shook his head, feeling like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole.

Cesar. He’d been there too, fighting off the other...hyena, Tomas had called them. Were all the guys at the tavern shifters? The questions bubbled up, but he bit them back. Not tonight. He was too wrung out to make sense of anything else.

“Seriously.” Tomas stopped walking. “Thank you, Noel. For trusting me. You won’t regret this.”

“I better not,” Noel teased, trying to lighten the charged moment. “I’m taking a huge risk, perrito.”

Tomas barked out a laugh, eyes twinkling with mirth. “Careful, or I’ll challenge you to a race. Wouldn’t want to be shown up by a puppy now, would you?”

“Please, I could run circles around your furry ass,” Noel shot back, grinning.

The easy banter felt good, natural, like they’d known each other for years instead of hours. For the first time in a long time, Noel didn’t feel the suffocating weight of loneliness on his chest.

Tomas must have sensed the shift in his demeanor. He pulled Noel into a tight hug, enveloping him in his warmth and strength. Noel melted into the embrace, just breathing him in. “You do realize you’re hugging me with no clothes on.”

Good god. The guy smelled intoxicating. Like leather and smoke with a hint of wildness. And those muscles? Noel was glad he wasn’t the one naked or Tomas might’ve seen just how much the scent and feel of him turned him on.

“Wasn’t going to make it awkward, but thanks for pointing it out,” Tomas gave a small squeeze before letting him go. “Need to head back to the house for my motorcycle. I have spare clothes in my saddlebags.”

The house. Noel glanced down the dark road, thinking of the farmhouse, of the terrifying men…creatures…that had attacked him. He could still smell Sharp Teeth's nasty breath and feel the guy’s crushing weight on top of him.

Sharp Teeth claimed he wasn’t a creep, but Noel had felt the evidence trapped at his back. The guy would have done it and then killed him. Now that he wasn’t in survival mode, the reality of what that jerk intended to do hit Noel hard.

Spinning around, he dropped to his hands and knees, throwing up on the side of the road, his limbs shaking.

Tomas was right there, crouched beside him, gently rubbing Noel’s back. He murmured quiet reassurances, but Noel’s pounding heart drowned out most of what he said.

“He was going to…” Noel wiped his mouth with the inside of his shirt. “Oh god.” He squeezed his eyes shut.

“He’s dead,” Tomas said, a low growl in his voice. “I drove my claws through his black heart several times, Noel. That son of a bitch isn’t going to lay a hand on you again.”

For the first time since he could remember, Noel sought comfort, wrapping his arms around Tomas as he trembled. He hated feeling so weak, hated needing someone, but he couldn’t shake those horrifying images from his mind.

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