Star-Crossed Mates by Scarlet Hyacinth Read Free Book Online

knew he didn’t have any right to judge Klaus. He slowly realized it and understood it more and more. But he needed to try to make it up to Clay. To do that, the three of them would have to work together.
    For the moment, they had a call to make. They’d already delayed it long enough, in fear of what would happen, what Klaus would say.
    Ross and Clay got up at the same time. In swift motions, they cleaned up a bit, packed their bags, and left the room. Keeping an apparently unhurried pace to avoid drawing attention, they headed toward the pay phone outside the little bed-and-breakfast they’d chosen as a temporarily hideout. They’d chosen this method of communication because all others could be tracked. Since they intended to leave the bed-and-breakfast after this, they should be all right.
    Clay retrieved the phone card, inserted it in the slot, and dialed Klaus’s number. Ross held his breath as he waited. Klaus picked up on the first ring. “Hi,” he said, sounding a bit breathless. “How are you doing?”
    Ross surmised Klaus must have experienced at least a glimpse of their sexual episode earlier. He imagined the man getting aroused over Ross’s blow job, but quickly pushed away the thought. Now was not the time for such things. They needed to focus on the practical first, such as how to get rid of the virus in Ross’s system and explain the situation to the spirit wolf Magistrate.
    “We’re okay,” Clay replied. “Any news?”
    “I talked to Wolfram,” Klaus said after a brief moment of hesitation. Immediately, Clay tensed, and so did Ross. Any contact Klaus had with the Magistrate increased the abyss gaping between Ross’s mates.

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    Scarlet Hyacinth
    “All right,” Clay said neutrally. “What did he say?”
    “He’s willing to hear you out, but you’d have to come back.”
    Ross shared a look with Clay, his feeling of uneasiness increasing within him. What if he did return to the States and Wolfram decided he was guilty? Sure enough, Ross more than deserved any punishment Wolfram would think of, but he didn’t want to be separated from Clay. His mate needed him.
    And then there was Joseph. Ross couldn’t be certain, but he believed the feral must be in America. The distance between them made Joseph’s hold of him dwindle, even in the moments when the virus took hold. So far, Ross managed to keep his fear in check and avoid any panic attack, but he didn’t know what would happen should he see Joseph again.
    More than anything, Ross hated to be weak. He hated the way Joseph made him feel torn, helpless. Joseph knew exactly how to attack him, how to tear into Ross’s mind and turn him into a broken man, a mere puppet. Ross knew his instability would return if they went back.
    Clay must’ve sensed his anxiety. “Can’t we meet someplace else?” he asked into the phone. “It would be safer.”
    At the other side of the connection, Klaus sighed. “I’ll try to see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything. Wolfram is in some trouble now and—”
    Before Klaus could finish the phrase, Clay interrupted him, “Tell you what. Why don’t you stay with your precious Magistrate? Thanks for bringing me the serum for Ross. I consider our accounts clear.”
    “Clay, wait,” Klaus tried to protest. “I didn’t mean—”
    The anger on Clay’s beautiful face drained, turning into pure emotional exhaustion. “It’s okay. Ross and I will manage on our own.
    You have your road, and we have ours. I see that now. Good-bye.”
    Without further ado, Clay ended the call. He put the receiver back and retrieved his phone card. “We should get out of here,” he told Ross. “They probably know where we called from by now.”

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    Ross nodded. They silently returned to their room and grabbed their meager belongings. After paying the owner, they left the little bed-and-breakfast and headed out into the unknown.

    * * * *

    Klaus stared at the phone in his hand in disbelief.