Sound of Silence Read online

  

  Maple Grove 11

  Sound of Silence

  [The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection: Contemporary, Alternative, Paranormal, Shape-shifters, Suspense, MM, HEA]

  Rudy has never gotten along with his father, so when he turned eighteen, his dad kicked him out. He’s lived on the streets for three years just trying to survive. He’d even gotten desperate enough to try and rob someone, but fate had other plans. Reese got Rudy a job, and Rudy thinks that maybe his luck is finally turning around. When a massive bear pokes its head into Rudy’s makeshift tent, Rudy’s live forever changes.

  Aiden’s family was massacred by a demon five years ago. He no longer likes to be alone, and being around a crowd of people brings out his anxieties. One night while taking a walk in the woods, he stumbles across his homeless mate, and takes Rudy home. Not only is Aiden trying to work through his issues, but some stranger with white, feathery wings pops into his home, causing all kinds of havoc for Aiden and Rudy.

  Length: 30,900 words

  SOUND OF SILENCE

  Maple Grove 11

  Lynn Hagen

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Sound of Silence

  Copyright © 2019 by Lynn Hagen

  ISBN: 978-1-64637-022-1

  First Publication: November 2019

  Cover design by Emma Nicole

  All art and logo copyright © 2019 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book or print book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at [email protected]

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

  You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

  For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/lynn-hagen

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  SOUND OF SILENCE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  SOUND OF SILENCE

  Maple Grove 11

  LYNN HAGEN

  Copyright © 2019

  Chapter One

  Rudy hurried into the back door of the tavern, tossing his ratty backpack into a corner. He needed to find a place to stay since sleeping in the woods at night was becoming less of an option. It was the beginning of November, and the nights were growing steadily colder.

  Maple Grove had a homeless shelter, but unfortunately Rudy had too much pride. That just might be his downfall. Sleeping in an abandoned house was out of the question. He’d quickly learned that most were used for either making or selling drugs. Or even prostitution. No way did he want any part of that.

  But thankfully he got one free meal at work or…he wasn’t sure what he would do. Things seemed to be looking up just a little bit for him, and if Rudy saved his money long enough, he just might be able to afford a place of his own.

  Now wouldn’t that be nice?

  “Already got orders lined up for you,” Mike said when Rudy clocked in. He was seated behind his desk, staring at his computer monitor. His elbow was resting against the top of his desk, and his chin was pressed against his hand. Mike looked as though he really didn’t want to be there.

  A few nights ago Rudy had heard Mike arguing on the phone with someone named Theo. The conversation had sounded pretty heated. Rudy wondered if that had anything to do with his boss’s faraway look. He would’ve asked what was going on with the guy, but Rudy didn’t know his boss well enough to pry. But if there was something Mike needed, Rudy would be there for him. After all, Mike had given him a job when no one else would, and for that, Rudy would forever be grateful.

  “Isn’t Reese coming in?”

  Mike shook his head as he finally looked Rudy’s way. “He’s on maternity leave. He won’t be back for a few weeks.” He leaned back in his chair and studied Rudy. “Do you think you can handle this on your own, or do I need to bring in some help?”

  Rudy didn’t want to look weak in front of his new boss. He had to show Mike that he could handle the job. He also wanted to ask him for an advance but was too chicken to open his mouth.

  “No, I got it,” Rudy said.

  He headed back into the kitchen, blown away that Reese had a kid. The guy hadn’t even mentioned that to Rudy. Not that they’d talked a lot, but Rudy felt sick to his stomach. He’d tried to rob Reese, although no weapons had been involved. But what if Rudy had been stupid enough to get a gun? Reese had had a pregnant wife at home, and Rudy had tried to rob him.

  But instead of having Rudy arrested, Reese had talked Mike into giving him a job. There really were some decent people left in the world. Too bad Reese couldn’t have been Rudy’s dad instead of the asshole he’d been stuck with.

  Rudy busted his ass to get the orders out as Lacey came in and grabbed the plastic boats and hauled them away to the waiting customers. Thank goodness it wasn’t Friday. Rudy hated the smell of fish, and that was basically what people ordered on Fish Fry Friday.

  He looked up at the clock mounted on the wall and saw his shift was almost over. Had he been working that hard that he hadn’t noticed the passage of time?

  “You can go ahead and shut down,” Mike said as he emerged from his office.

  Rudy always felt nervous around his boss. Mike Cage was the sexiest guy Rudy had ever laid eyes on, and he had to force himself not to get tongue-tied around him.

  “Will do.” Rudy put the food away and scrubbed the kitchen down. It hadn’t been necessary to do such a thorough cleaning, but he didn’t mind, and it also prolonged his stay in the warm building.

  He wasn’t looking forward to going back to his usual spot in the woods. The forest around Maple Grove was vast, and he’d made a makeshift tent. But the pathetic sheet that hung over some thick branches wasn’t enough to keep the cold out.

  After cutting off the lights, Rudy grabbed his backpack and the container with his free meal in it and walked out the back door. He braced himself against the cold as he made his trek back to his tent.

  It wasn’t the ideal life, but neither had it been living with his parents. His dad had put him out when Rudy turned eighteen. Not because Rudy was gay. He hadn’t cared about that. They’d just never really gotten along, and Rudy turning eighteen had been like a toilet handle for his old man to push in order to flush Rudy out of his life.

  That had been three years ago, and since then, Rudy hadn’t been able to get a steady job, at least one that would help pay for an apartment.

  He ducked under a low tree branch and stepped over a large log as he made his way home. Wh
en he reached his tent, Rudy crawled inside and opened his container. Two burgers and a boatload of fries. The food was now cold, but beggars couldn’t afford to turn their noses up at a free meal.

  Rudy ate one of the burgers and some fries, hoping the cold kept the rest from spoiling since he would need something to eat for breakfast. He’d take the container to the gas station in the morning. Craig worked there, and he was a really nice guy. He always let Rudy heat up his food in the microwave, even though he hadn’t bought it there.

  He stilled when he heard twigs snapping. No one had come out this far in the woods before. He’d had to shoo away raccoons and skunks and the occasional deer that poked its nose into his tent. Was it a deer outside?

  Getting to his hands and knees, Rudy looked outside, ready to wave his hands to scare away whatever critter was close by. His insides froze when he spotted a large brown bear walking not ten feet from him.

  A bear. Holy fuck! If the bear smelled Rudy’s food, it would wander his way and was far more likely to eat Rudy instead. He stayed frozen to the spot, not moving a muscle as he watched the bear walk slowly by. Rudy was even afraid to breathe.

  The bear turned its massive head and looked Rudy’s way. Rudy sucked in a deep breath and held it. They stared at each other before the bear scented the air.

  Crap. It smelled the food.

  Rudy slowly reached behind him. If he had to, he’d sacrifice his breakfast just so he could get away. Could bears climb? He hoped not since he would have to use the tree to climb to safety.

  The bear moved closer.

  Rudy threw the container at it.

  The bear walked past the container, uncaring of its delicious contents.

  Rudy backed away, hiding in his pitiful tent as though the sheet could provide protection. He sat on his ass, bent his legs, and rested his elbows on his knees as he covered his face.

  If the bear was about to eat him, Rudy prayed his death was quick. He’d already suffered enough in his pitiable life. It seemed this would be a just end considering all the bullshit he’d lived through.

  Rudy lowered his hands when he heard snuffling. The bear poked its head between the flaps and stared at him. Rudy was too frozen with terror to scream.

  The bear was huge!

  It cocked its head to the side and studied Rudy then lowered to the ground and lay there, looking up at him.

  “Nice b-bear,” Rudy said. “I promise you that I’m too skinny to make a good meal.”

  The bear huffed, and then it yawned. The damn thing yawned. Maybe if it fell asleep Rudy could escape. He sat there with his arms wrapped around his bent legs and waited.

  The damn thing didn’t close its eyes. Rudy nearly screamed when a paw—with claws so big they looked as though they could kill him with one swipe—entered the tent. The bear laid it on the ground then scooted it closer, as if he wanted to touch Rudy.

  Rudy backed away as far as he could, but he ended up smashed against the tree that supported his tent. There was nowhere else for him to go.

  The bear…Rudy stared bug-eyed at the damn thing. The bear was petting his leg! What the hell?

  It grunted and, still lying on the ground, moved even closer. The sheet was barely hanging on the low branch. The sides and top were resting on the bear’s large form.

  Was it cold and needed someplace warm? No, that was ridiculous. It had plenty of fur on its body. It didn’t need a worn and threadbare sheet.

  Maybe it was sick and that was why it was acting so strangely.

  The bear scooted closer. It used its large paw to pull at Rudy. This was it. Rudy was about to be gobbled up. But the bear didn’t open its mouth. It nuzzled its big-ass head against Rudy.

  Could it be a female and had mistaken Rudy as one of her cubs? He suddenly imagined himself dangling from her mouth as she carried him to some den.

  “Get a grip,” he whispered to himself. “Just remain calm and maybe it’ll go away.”

  With its sharp claws, it pulled Rudy away from the tree and…snuggled him? Seriously? This couldn’t be real. Rudy must’ve fallen asleep and was imagining all this. Bears didn’t snuggle people. They mauled them. With those sharp claws, it would shred Rudy to pieces.

  The bear tugged at him, as if encouraging Rudy to burrow close. Ready to pee himself, Rudy hesitantly laid his head on the bear’s neck. The fur was soft and warm.

  Under any other circumstance—what circumstance, Rudy hadn’t the first clue—he would’ve nestled close and used the warmth to fall asleep.

  But. This. Was. A. Bear.

  It was twice the size of any bear Rudy had ever seen on TV. Not that he was an expert.

  His heart shot through the roof and he felt as though he couldn’t breathe when it started to rub its large head against him.

  The bear lay there with its arm curled around him for the next few hours. Rudy lay there stiffly, fighting against his heavy eyelids and the warmth that surrounded him.

  He blinked and realized the sun had already risen. Had he fallen asleep? Rudy jerked upright and wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth.

  The bear was still there.

  It rolled to its back and stretched. When it yawned, its mouth opened so wide that Rudy squeaked. The bear stood and shook itself out, pulling the sheet from the branches.

  Now it rolled on the ground, trying to get the sheet off it. Rudy took that chance to grab his backpack and take off, running so fast that his knees nearly hit his chest.

  When he looked over his shoulder, he saw the bear was chasing him. Rudy screamed and tried to get over the fallen tree, but his foot caught and he crashed to the ground, knocking the air right out of his lungs in a whoosh.

  He did the only thing he could think of. Rudy curled into the fetal position and covered his head. He heard huffing and branches breaking, but Rudy was too terrified to see how close the bear was.

  “Did you hurt yourself?”

  The voice didn’t register. Not at first. Rudy thought that maybe he’d hit his head and the male voice was some kind of hallucination.

  “Are you hurt?”

  Slowly, Rudy lowered his arms and looked up. He sucked in a breath. There, on the other side of the tree, stood a very naked, very gorgeous man.

  He’d definitely hit his head. Sexy and naked men didn’t just go wandering around in the cold woods. They definitely didn’t stop to help a homeless guy being chased by a bear.

  The illusion climbed over the tree and hunched down next to Rudy. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just get excited when I see people running.” The guy felt all over Rudy’s head with his hands. “No bumps.”

  Scared beyond words, Rudy scooted backward until he was up against a bush. What did this deranged man mean? He got excited when he saw people running? And why was he walking around naked in the woods?

  He stuck his hand out as though he expected Rudy to take it. When he didn’t, the stranger curled his fingers in. “My name is Aiden. What’s yours?”

  “Terrified.” Rudy pushed to his feet and dusted off his backside. “Where’re your clothes?”

  Rudy looked around for the bear, but it was gone. Relief flooded him, and he sagged against a nearby tree. But his gaze wouldn’t stop falling to Aiden’s exposed cock.

  If Rudy was knocked out cold, he hoped he didn’t wake up anytime soon.

  * * * *

  Aiden kept a healthy distance between them. The stranger already appeared frightened, and he didn’t want to make matters worse. “Could you please tell me your name?”

  “R-Rudy.”

  Aiden still couldn’t believe he was staring at his mate. He’d wanted to take Rudy home as soon as he’d discovered him, but the human had looked so afraid that Aiden doubted the guy would’ve gone home with a stranger.

  So he’d done the next best thing. He’d kept Rudy warm all night. Now he had to figure out how to get Rudy out of these woods. It would warm up later today, but as of right now, Aiden was freezing. He was surprised his dick hadn
’t crawled back into his body.

  And Rudy wouldn’t stop staring at his groin. It took Aiden’s full concentration not to get hard. He wasn’t about to claim his mate. Aiden might’ve thought about it if the weather had been warmer, but Rudy was shivering and he wanted to get his mate home where he could warm up.

  “Why don’t you come home with me?”

  Rudy’s eyes widened. “I don’t even know you. And you’re naked. In the woods. I’m not that dumb.”

  Aiden looked his mate over. The guy had on ratty jeans, a worn thermal shirt, and had dirty-blond hair that looked as though it could use a good wash.

  But his eyes. They were what pulled Aiden in. Those baby blues were gorgeous.

  “I know you don’t know me,” Aiden said. “But I promise I’m not some deranged weirdo. I just want you out of the cold.”

  “Why do you care?”

  Even if Rudy hadn’t been his mate, Aiden would’ve still helped him. He hated to see anyone down on their luck.

  Aiden wasn’t sure how much longer he could take the cold. In his bear form he’d been fine, covered by fur. In his human form, he was shivering just as badly as Rudy was.

  “Look, I’m cold, and if I don’t get warm soon, my dick will never reappear again.”

  Rudy’s gaze once again dropped to Aiden’s groin. There was a mixture of fascination and curiosity in his blue eyes. “Why are you naked?”

  Jeez, did the guy have to keep asking questions? “If I told you, then—”

  “You’d have to kill me?” Rudy took a step back.

  Aiden rolled his eyes. “No. I was gonna say then I’d have to explain things to you and that might take a while. If you hadn’t noticed, it’s freezing out here.”

  “Sorry.” Rudy shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”