No Bounds

Prologue

Prologue

Late Summer

Sunday

August 15, 2015

            “Hey, Dean! Where you been man? I left you like, thirty messages. You were supposed to be my best man! Then, not only did you disappear but that idiot cousin of yours did too!” Dean rolled his eyes at his crazy best friend and his antics. He had tried to escape getting roped into the matchmaking session that was sure to follow the wedding by skipping town for a few days until it was over. Apparently his luck had run out and it was time to pay the piper, so to speak. Erik Incendiary had gotten married to the love of his life, Lucy, and now he was dead set on getting the rest of his friends settled down too. What Erik didn’t understand was that he wanted to stay attachment free, forever. Erik meant well, but enough was enough.

            “Erik, go home to Lucy. I want to finish my drink and then, I’ll probably have to go chase down my stupid cousin,” Dean said wearily.

            “Ah, come on we’re buds. Don’t you pull that cold SOB shit with me, Dean. You know how angry that makes me and remember what Seline said last time we got into a fight in her bar?”

            “Yeah, don’t remind me. I still shiver just thinking about it.” Dean took another swig of his drink at the thought of pissing off the volatile harpy as a shudder ran down his spine. There were very few things that scared him anymore but a pissed-off Seline was near the top of the list.

            “Well, I do too, so don’t start a fight. Even though you’re a pretty strong vamp and I’m an awesome dragon, Seline is one scary ass harpy.”

“Too right you are, but back to the discussion at hand. You will leave me the hell alone Erik, and go home to your little vixen, while I go track Darien down. If you came here hunting for me then, you found me but I will not be one of your wife’s botched attempts at matchmaking.”

            “Dude I’m sorry about that but you know Lucy. She is a vixen and an extremely sly and clever one at that. I bet that you and Darien wouldn’t miss our wedding for the world, and the sneaky fox mentioned that she’d introduce both of you to all of her friends after the bet had been made knowing both of you would bolt.” Erik had the good sense to at least look sheepish, even if he wasn’t.

            Dean finished his scotch and laughed at his friend. “I told you to watch out for her that she was a sneaky one but you wouldn’t listen. I just hope your terms, if you lost, were good.” Dean saw the flush that lit the other man’s face and laughed harder. “Well, wish me success I’m off to find Darien. Before, something horrible happens like the idiot deciding to get married.” Standing up he patted his friend on the shoulder saying sympathetically before waving bye to Seline who stood at the back of the bar watching them, “Erik, go on home before Lucy decides to come after you, and you know she will.” Leaving the bar behind, Dean took off at max speed to go find someone to feed on and then to hunt down Darien before he got himself in something he couldn’t get out of.

One Week Later   

            “Stop following me everywhere I go. You’re getting on my nerves, Dean.” Darien had been saying the same thing since Dean found him three days ago, to no avail. Darien had showed up just as things were heating up between him and a banshee he’d had a one-night stand with. He had had everything under control; then Dean shows up and acts like he saved him from a disembowelment when in reality the only thing he did was cause even more problems. Now Dean won’t let him out of his sight for fear that he’d end up doing something stupid, again.