“A snow leopard.” James Byrne stared at the adorable familiar standing in front of him.

“Yes, indeed. Very rare. We are lucky to have acquired him.”

Mr. Beatle, the headmaster of the Boston Academy for Familiars, oozed false charm. With his short, round physique and small squinty eyes, he even looked like the insect his name brought to mind. James kept his gaze on the boy, Aden. The familiar’s coloring was unusual. His skin and almond-shaped eyes were tawny, while his hair hung in shaggy waves to his shoulders in a startling mix of black, red and gold. Despite his being housed in Boston, his family must have hailed from another country. He was dressed in the long smock that familiars were expected to wear to keep them from shredding their clothes when they shifted. The hem of the shapeless garment skimmed the tops of brown, leather slippers for modesty’s sake.

Buying and selling familiars was perfectly acceptable, but God forbid someone catch sight of a well-turned ankle.

Mr. Beatle moved to stand next to his prize pupil. “His family has set a very dear price for him. I’m sure you’ll agree that he’s worth it.”

When James had first arrived, the odious man had taken him in with one long sweep of his gaze and had judged him incapable of paying much. Not surprising. James’ clothes were respectable but not costly. He preferred to put his generous settlement from the Boston police department to better use than dressing like a dandy. The bank draft he’d pulled from his pocket had convinced Beatle that James was a serious buyer.

James gave a nod. “I’ll take him.”

Beatle smiled with unbridled glee. “Excellent.” He gave Aden a nudge forward. “He’s all yours, Mr. Byrne.”

The boy didn’t so much as glance at him. In fact, he gave no outward sign of any emotion other than his fingers gripping a bit of his smock.

Poor thing is terrified. And why wouldn’t he be? He was being sold like cattle, except, unlike such beasts, he knew what his future held in store for him. Or, at least, he thought he did. No doubt familiars had a healthy fear of being controlled by a witch. And, sadly, many witches were cruel to their familiars. With few laws against it, and even those not enforced very often, Aden had every reason to be afraid.

I will be good to him. It was the best he could do to ease his conscience. He needed a familiar or his fledgling business would be doomed to finding wayward pets and misplaced umbrellas. With Aden to boost his power, he could tackle the hard cases of finding people and valuable items rich people would pay handsomely to retrieve. His excitement over the prospect was hard to contain. He had to rein himself in, however. The first step was to bond with the familiar and that process made his stomach flutter with nerves. Lying with another man was not something he’d ever done, yet looking at his soon-to-be bed partner, he couldn’t deny that he was going to enjoy it. His cock was already half-hard at the prospect.

“Thank you, Mr. Beatle.” Civility forced him to extend his hand for a shake. He made short work of it. “Aden, fetch your things and we’ll be off.”

For the first time, the boy raised his gaze. “Sir?”

“He has nothing of his own to bring, Mr. Byrne.” Beatle looked almost chagrined at his own statement. “His parents didn’t leave anything with him. They even took the clothes he was wearing.”

James knew that many parents resisted the mandated boarding of their familiar children. He’d been on a few roundup missions himself as a young copper. It had made him sick to his stomach to literally wrestle adolescent kids from their parents’ arms. But familiars had always been given something of their home life to take with them. Toys and such. And he’d tried to hang back and remind the distraught parents that they could visit their children at the boarding school and that eventually they’d receive recompense. Not that the words had eased their pain, at least not in that moment.

He’d understood the grief of those people even as he accepted the wisdom of government control over creatures who could prove dangerous to the public. Older children who had not yet reached the wisdom and control of an adult were problematic enough without adding the ability to shift into vicious animals. It was common sense to keep them locked up and monitored, as was binding the adult familiars to a witch to take over the obligation. Witches were good for society and, with the power boost of the familiars, that good became great. Everyone knew familiars were emotional and capricious beings. Their witch tamed them and gave them purpose. Still, he simply couldn’t fathom anyone just abandoning their child, waiting a few years for their meager cut of the sale.

James resolved to buy the boy whatever he wanted, once the business took off. He’d pamper him. Yes, that’s what he would do. Aden would have a happy life with him.

“I see. We’ll be off, then.” As he turned to leave, he placed a hand on Aden’s shoulder.

The boy flinched and tensed for a moment but didn’t resist being guided out of the room. The long hallway that led to the front doors held a line of familiars on each side. No one said anything. They merely watched James take Aden away in silence. It appeared to be some kind of ceremony, perhaps the boarding school’s way of showing that there was an endgame to the children’s lives in the dreary place. None of the familiars looked at them, though, or said anything. Like Aden, they kept their eyes down and their mouths shut. And yet, James felt a certain amount of condemnation emanating from those silent children.

James hardened his heart. Someone was always going to end up taking Aden, and he was damn glad to be that person.

The bright sun and fresh air outdoors lightened his mood. He took in a deep breath and jogged down the brick stairs. He moved his hand to grip the boy’s arm to make sure he didn’t trip. Aden had to raise his hem, like a woman would her skirts, as they went. As practical as the smocks were, he resolved to buy Aden a decent suit to wear when they weren’t working. Dressed up, the boy would be a beauty. James wanted to give him as normal a life as possible, too. The smock proclaimed him a familiar and, even though Aden would be permitted to go anywhere so long as James was by his side, James hoped Aden would prove to be trustworthy enough to venture out on his own from time to time. It was only right after being cooped up in that old, gloomy boarding school.

His pride and joy was right where he’d left it. The shiny new paint glistened in the sunlight. Aden uttered something that sounded like awe at the sight of it. This was the first real response from the boy yet.

James beamed as he swept his hand toward the automobile. “It’s a beauty, isn’t it? An Oldsmobile Curved Dash, fresh off the assembly line.” It had cost a pretty penny, too, but he didn’t see it as an indulgence. A seeker witch needed to be able to get around quickly. Horse-drawn vehicles would soon be a thing of the past, he was sure of it, and he’d have the advantage over his competitors by already possessing the new invention once the demand picked up.

Aden’s eyes were wide as he blinked up at him. “May I ask a question, sir?”

James was taken by surprise. He supposed familiars were taught to be seen and not heard, obedient to a fault. Well, that was not how he intended to run their relationship.

“You may ask me a question any time you like, Aden. And call me James. I may be your master in the eyes of the law, but I think of us as being more like partners.”

Aden’s expression relayed his skepticism on that point, but he didn’t call James out on it. Instead he showed a delightful curiosity.

“How does it work?”

James smiled. “Get up on the seat and I’ll show you.”

He helped the boy up on the passenger’s side of the bench, then went over to the driver’s side. After setting the gearshift, he cranked the shaft. The engine came to life with a roar on the first try. James hopped up next to Aden. The seat was sufficiently wide for two people, unless one of them was as big as James. His thigh pressed against the familiar’s. The contact sent a tingle straight to his groin, nearly making him groan. They’d be home soon enough and the growing need in him would be sated.

He slipped goggles onto his head, and he’d had the good sense to buy a second pair for Aden. He ignored Aden’s flinch as he helped him put them on. It was obvious that the familiar’s training had made him wary of being touched. Knowing that caused a ball of fury to form in his gut. He pushed it down with hard-fought control. His temper had always been a problem. It was important to keep it on a tight leash.

Taking off, he let the thrill of wind in his face ease his anger. As always, he enjoyed the staring and pointing that his relatively rare mode of transportation elicited from the pedestrians on the streets. He maneuvered around horses and carriages with a skill that improved with each outing. He wasn’t as afraid of hitting anyone as he’d been the first few journeys. Still, there were a few angry shouts and waving fists from riders and drivers. Not everyone embraced innovation as much as he did. Most couldn’t afford it even when they did. He was damn lucky to have been able to squeeze so much money out of the city, even though the reason for it continued to prick his anger. It was water under the bridge, as his mother would say, so he shoved those feelings aside and reveled in his new life of near luxury.

That included his apartment. It took a while, but when he finally was able to pull into the alley beside the building where he lived, he was excited to show Aden his new home. He hopped out of his automobile, careful to take the crank shaft and goggles with him. Then he helped Aden down and removed the goggles from the boy’s face, pink from the wind.

“How did you like it?”

A smile flashed before the familiar answered. “It was fun.”

“Yes, it was, and we’re going to have more while we work.”

Aden’s expression shuttered again. “Yes, sir.”

“James,” he corrected, not unkindly.

“James.”

Aden said nothing more as James led him around to the front of the building and up the stairs. “This used to be the home of a wealthy family. They’ve fallen on hard times since the crash and converted it into apartments, but not before they were able to add modern improvements.”

He opened the front door and headed up the stairs, making sure that Aden followed. The foyer was somewhat shabby and his apartment was at the very top floor, but still, he was proud. A descendent of Irish immigrants, being able to move out of South Boston to the South End was an achievement. Even though the neighborhood was becoming more populated with other types of immigrants, it remained a place where old Boston families lived and was closer to his new office in the Back Bay.

James unlocked his apartment and stepped aside to usher Aden in. “It’s only one room, but I have a kitchen area over there and, even better, a bathroom.”

He gestured toward the room with a flourish. It was spectacular in that it contained a sink with running water, a claw-foot tub and a flushable toilet. Like his Oldsmobile, his indoor plumbing was on the vanguard of modern living. Enough sun showed through the windows that he didn’t have to turn on a light but couldn’t wait to show Aden that they had electric ones, not gas. He hoped the familiar would be impressed with his new home.

Aden didn’t disappoint. The boy ogled his surroundings. “It’s amazing.”

James cleared his suddenly clogged throat. “I’m glad you think so. I want you to be happy here. With me.” Suddenly shy, he feared his cheeks were flushing. “We need to bond, Aden. It’s dangerous for you to be outside the Academy without being bonded.”

Aden’s gaze dropped. “I understand.”

“I’ll be careful with you.” He took a step forward and carded his fingers through the boy’s hair. It was like multi-colored silk.

Aden trembled a little at the touch, although he made no effort to avoid it.

James stepped back. “First, I want to see you in your animal form. I’m sure you’re as beautiful as you are in your human skin.”

His palms felt clammy as he watched Aden tug the smock open and let it fall to the floor. James caught a flash of a lean, smooth body and a slender cock before a sleek snow leopard stepped free of cloth and slippers. It stood staring up at him with Aden’s tawny eyes. The mere sight of the animal caused James’ witch senses to tingle with excitement. The power would grow once he’d bonded with the familiar and the need for it spurred him into action.

“Change back and come lie face down on the bed.”

Even as he gave the order, he whirled around to yank the covers off. Aden changed as he walked. It was magnificent how he went from fur to flesh in a graceful blur that left him a boy again. And one that crawled onto the bed and lay down as ordered. Aden wrapped his arms around the pillow and closed his eyes. His thin body shivered and his breathing became harsh.

“I won’t hurt you.” James wanted to soothe the boy’s fear even though he wasn’t sure he could make good on his promise.

When he’d gone to the Academy, he’d thought he would find a girl. His experience with women wasn’t vast because he refused to use prostitutes. Yet, he was fairly confident in his skill with them. He had no experience with other men. What he and Aden were about to do would be illegal if they weren’t a witch and a familiar. One more rationalization by society about what was acceptable. If a male familiar boosted the power of a male witch, well then everyone benefited, even if sodomy was an abomination before God. To him, it was a ridiculous way of thinking, although of course he’d given up on church a long time ago for a lot more reasons. The law hadn’t mattered all that much to him because he’d never been attracted to other men. But Aden’s small, firm buttocks were as fetching to him in that moment as any woman’s pussy had been.

He nearly tore off his jacket in his sudden haste. His fingers grew clumsy as he worked the buttons of his waistcoat, shirt, then trousers. His dick sprang out from his underclothes before he removed them. Once he was completely nude, he breathed hard, as if he’d run a mile. The urge to sink himself into the familiar was almost overwhelming. He forced himself to slow down, take the time to do it right. From what he’d heard, Aden would need some preparation to be able to take him without too much pain.

He’d stashed a jar of petroleum jelly in his nightstand. He took it out and dipped two fingers in the greasy stuff. Then he knelt on the bed and put his clean hand on the small of Aden’s back.

“Try to relax.”

It was a pointless suggestion. Every muscle in the boy’s body was tight, the cheeks of his buttocks no less so. He pried them apart as best he could to slip his lubricated fingers between them. The puckered ring of the familiar’s hole was right where he’d expected. When he pushed against it, he was met with resistance. So, he tried massaging it with the pads of his fingers while also rubbing the small of the boy’s back in slow circles.

“Relax, sweetheart. Let me in.”

James’ words were met with silence, although Aden’s fingers dug into the pillow. After a minute of effort, he accepted that the boy was simply not going to be able to do as he asked. The bonding was going to be more difficult than he’d hoped. Perhaps the kindest thing was to be quick about it. He pushed past the resistance to thrust his fingers into the boy’s ass. With a whimper, Aden jerked up. James pressed him flat again with his palm.

“Easy, now. It’s going to be all right. And once we’re past this first time, the bond between us will be wonderful.”

That’s what he’d heard, what he’d been assured of every time someone had worked to convince him to take on a familiar. It hadn’t seemed important because he’d been living his life just fine with a little power and the human brains and brawn he’d been born with. Now that his livelihood depended on a bonding, he hoped the tales hadn’t been exaggerated.

He thrust his fingers in and out slowly to loosen Aden’s channel. When he encountered what he assumed must be the boy’s prostate, he rubbed against it. His reward was a brief moan passing Aden’s lips. But no amount of effort was making the intrusion any easier. He removed his fingers in order to gather more jelly to grease his cock. It was so hard and his balls were hugged so tightly to his body, he feared he’d spend before he managed to breach Aden’s hole.

James kneed between the boy’s legs, spreading them as much as he could, then lifted him by the hips for better access. He wanted to go slowly and carefully, but his growing need and the belief that no amount of effort was going to make this better for the familiar caused him to surge forward. He slid his cock between the quivering ass cheeks, found the hole with the tip of his shaft and shoved it in with one, hard thrust.

Aden cried out into the pillow and his hole squeezed tightly. He bucked against James’ hold, but he was no match for James’ strength. James wrapped an arm around the boy’s waist to lift him higher and hug him closer. With one palm flat on the bed to brace himself, James fucked his familiar with short, hard strokes. He came within seconds with a blinding pleasure that had him throwing his head back. A groan unlike any he’d uttered before filled the room and he dug his fingers into the boy’s soft flesh, reveling in the feel of the beauty that now belonged to him. The exhilaration of the usual sexual climax was short-lived. In its place bloomed something extraordinary.

Power.