"This can't work if you keep me out of the loop," he finally said, voice decisive.

Renard's brows rose. The cracks in his usually so stern façade had widened, had made it possible for Nick to dig deep and pull out all the pain and loneliness.

"You say I'm your partner, your mate. You say you need me. Right?"

He nodded wordlessly.

Nick gave him a hard, penetrating look. "Well, I need to know. Not just the headlines and the lies you tell everyone to cover up what's really going on. I know I'm not exactly the most popular person in the creature world, even though I don't kill just for fun. I never took a life unless I had no other choice."

"I know. It makes you more dangerous to many than a killer would be."

Nick blinked. Renard smiled a little crookedly.

"You made my job even harder because you're the catch-and-release kind of Grimm. You're a cop first. You have a badge and a conscience, something all other Grimms lacked. At least the badge. The conscience was a matter of interpretation in some cases. You won't act rashly and take a creature's life. You want to help. It makes you very dangerous to others."

"Who? The reapers?"

Renard nodded. "If you don't kill just for the thrill, they are starting to lose ground. Other creatures won't support them. You already have help from our kind."

Nick froze.

"I knew right from the beginning, Nick. And it was good. It was so very good that he was there for you. I can't be that directly involved."

"Because of what you are?"

"Yes."

"And you are what exactly?"

"I'm a Guardian. Portland is my territory." Renard hesitated, then let more shields drop.

Nick looked into the shifting features, intrigued by the otherworldy look, the sharper angles, the intense eyes, the predatory nature. If he squinted he thought he saw sleek, black horn-like structures sweeping away. And for a brief second he shivered as he caught more of the true form, not fully shifted, but really far from any kind of creature he had ever seen. He really didn't want to ponder the ghostly wings that winked immediately out of existence. Wings!

"We are called regnants. Or premiers. My lines comes from Europe. We rule a protectorate. Portland is mine."

"And having a Grimm in your protectorate?"

"Makes a lot of people nervous," Renard answered, reasserting his façade. "For me it was luck that you were that Grimm, not your aunt."

Nick's blood ran cold. Images of the Marie flashed through his mind, the last days in her life, her struggle against cancer, her will to survive just a little longer. She had come back to him because of it, because her life would soon end. She had wanted to prepare her nephew for his heritage.

"And you're very good at hiding your nature from Grimms," Nick stated, pushing those memories away.

"Losing control is not an option. Even emotions can't drop the shields. I either want it or not." He hesitated, then sighed. "With a mate it's… more difficult… especially the closer we get. I could hide myself up until now, but it was hard. And the… baser side of myself wanted you to see me."

"I see."

Nick approached again, feeling the tingle of hope from that connection Renard had initiated. He knew the other man wanted so much more, had tried the coins on Nick because he had seen no other way. But there was. And Nick was very willing to do it the conventional way right now.

"If I'm your chosen mate, then you are also mine, correct?"

Green eyes widened in surprise. "Yes," the taller man answered, perplexed.

"Your claim on me means that I get to claim you, right?"

Another nod. Renard looked speechless. He had probably never given that perspective a thought.

"I don't mind staking my claim on you," Nick added with a sly look.

Renard's eyes widened. "Nick?"

"I will give this to you. All of it. All of me. For you. And you will be mine, Sean. You're a predator and a protector, like me." Nick leaned forward, eyes burning into Renard's.

His gaze was met by fire, untamed and ready to engulf him. Nick was attracted to Sean, he was very willing to have a closer relationship with him, but on his own terms. He wanted more than just a position as a tool for Renard to use. He was the other man's equal outside their police work.

Nick could see them together; they would be good together. But he wouldn't compromise his Grimm work or any of his friends over this. He wasn't going to bow down.

"I won't ever submit," he said matter-of-factly, voice hard. "I'm not your trophy. I'm not your beta. I'm not going to walk half a step behind you. This is my territory, too."

Renard's expression was hot and turmoiled. "You were never meant to be my submissive, Nick," he said hoarsely. "A mate is chosen for their strength, for their will-power, for their abilities. We wouldn't be able to live in a partnership with a submissive. We need a strong partner. It makes us… me… stronger, too."

And through the open lips Nick saw the hint of sharp teeth; fangs. He felt the fingertips sliding over his shirt, then under the hem, and the scratch of claws. He almost laughed as he recalled what Renard had said about losing control and dropping shields. This was just another little bit of powerplay, showing the Grimm the traits of a regnant, but he wasn't about to be cowed. He pushed back, trapping the other man against the wall, Renard's eyes widening in shocked surprise.

"You're not my handler," the Grimm continued. "You're not my master. And you won't get to the coins through me ever again. If this is only a ploy to find them, forget it!"

The taller man shivered.

"They weaken you. They make you an easy target; prey! You think a schakal would have gotten the drop on you otherwise?"

Renard looked away, embarrassment flushing his features.

"Look at me!" Nick commanded sharply.

And he did, unable to ignore the younger man.

"You're already a Guardian. Nothing can enhance this, make it better. Nothing you possess can elevate your position any more, right?"

"No," was the quiet answer.

"And I'm yours, Sean. All yours. Your mate, not a possession. I'm your balance. I'm all you need."

The lust came back ten-fold, strong and unguarded and raw. Nick felt the claws, felt his own spike of arousal at the thought just how dangerous the man he was about to fully accept as his mate truly was. But he wanted Sean's true nature, he felt the same lust and hot need, he wanted to feel him inside him, he wanted those claws and fangs, he wanted it all; forever.

"Mine," the regnant murmured, a hint of wonder in his voice.

"Yes. Exclusively."

Renard pulled Nick flush against him and then their mouths collided.

The world didn't stop, but it creaked on its axis. Renard wrapped his arms around the other man, opened up, kissing back, their meeting wild and dominating, and being both predator and prey in one. Neither surrendered, neither stopped, until both pulled out of the harsh encounter.

Gold sparked in green eyes.

Gray eyes challenged and bore down on the powerful creature.

Renard leaned down, taking Nick's mouth in another kiss and he let him. He let his wrists get caught in strong hands, pinned to the wall. He let the other man lead, let him delve into Nick's mouth and guide his tongue around prominent canines.

And he let a moan escape, let the powerful, tall presence sweep over him. No, he had no size kink, but Renard's presence and his size and his strength were a turn-on nevertheless.

Geez!

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Nick asked huskily when they finally came apart once more.

Renard laughed breathlessly. "No."

"Good."

"You like challenges?"

He licked his lips, liking the spark of golden fire in the green eyes.

"Guess."

The next kiss was deeper, exploring the other; wilder; more intense. Renard nipped at his lips, sloppily kissed along his jaw, fangs grazing his neck without drawing blood. Nick shuddered, insanely aroused.

Yes, he wanted it. Yes, it was a dream come true. Yes, he had had ideas about Sean Renard, police captain, but they didn't fit the reality of Sean Renard, regnant. He had entertained fantasies, had liked the idea of seeing the other man naked, and he had had a few jerk-offs to that. It had been good, but the reality was so much better.

The connection between them was suddenly alive, thrumming with need, with want, with something so primal he felt himself respond despite better knowledge.

Grimms had intermingled with creatures before.

His aunt had been in love with a steinadler. They had been about to be married.

The logical part inside Nick wondered what his father might have been, how human he had truly been, what his heritage entailed. The instinct-driven part shushed him, wanting more of Renard, wanting skin, wanting all of it right now.

And looking into the fully golden eyes of his mate, Renard was close to losing restraint and just taking what he had longed for all those years.

Nick smiled, the next kiss teasing, promising, taunting. He nibbled at the other man's lower lip, easily freeing his hands as his mate let him go without much a fight, and he slid a hand under the black shirt.

Smooth, warm skin. Firm and still not too muscular. Nice and silky. And he knew he was teasing a dangerous creature by the expression in Renard's eyes. His hands were grabbed again, the claws more prominent now, and the regnant shuddered, fighting his baser nature.

Renard wasn't at full strength; the coins had sapped his energy, had made him a puppet to his darkest desires. But still, if this was a low-energy version, Nick couldn't wait to see him in his full glory. And he intended to make his mate show him what he looked like, who he was, in every detail.

He pulled away, the clawed hands letting him go. It was time to take this somewhere else, somewhere more comfortable than a quick, hard rut against the wall, though in the future he wasn't opposed to it either.

Nick saw a lot of very entertaining ways to have sex in their future. If Renard thought his mate was vanilla, he would be surprised to find the fiery core underneath that harmless, handsome exterior.

He didn't need to ask where the bedroom in the clean-cut, sleek apartment was. Nick didn't need to invite Renard along. He barely had a chance to get close to the bed when he was pounced and landed on the mattress, a hungry looking regnant straddling him.

Renard stripped off the black shirt and Nick's eyes were on the graceful whirls and lines of an intricate tattoo that ran down Sean's left side. He touched it, surprised that the cool and collected captain he had thought the man to be had body art. Especially symmetrically on both sides, so light and playful, not heavy and garish. Not like a teenage years sin.

Chest heaving, nostrils blowing wide as if taking in his scent, the eyes still so eerily like a steinadler's while the rest of the face was very human, Renard regarded him with barely restrained hunger. He was very close to losing it and Nick realized just how much it took out of the other man to keep himself from simply handing over his actions to instinct.

His Grimm side rose, fighting to stay in control, not to give in to a creature, to be weak and submissive. The more gentle nature of Nick Burckhardt reined in that need and gazed into the needy eyes of his mate.

"Yours," he only said.

Surrender. Temporary and conditional, but surrender.

The kiss was long, deep, more than just the hungry version of before. It relayed a lot, more than needing a good fuck. It relayed pent-up emotions neither of the two dared to utter out loud, and Nick tasted the intensity within.

The need rose, voicing something he was afraid to translate into words.

Two predators gazed at one another, wanting one another. Nick didn't back down, neither did Renard, and the Grimm and the regnant struggled against the other powerful creature.

"You wanted me," Nick said huskily, breaking the tension. "You got me."

"Nick…"

"I'm not going to roll over and call you 'your majesty'," he added, light teasing in his voice, one hand running over the dark sweatpants-clad thigh.

Renard leaned closer, breathing hard, rumbling softly. "Grimm…"

"I've done this before," Nick murmured.

There was a flare of understanding.

"Yours," the Grimm repeated.

His for now; for tonight. His to take; his to claim.

Renard screwed his eyes shut, shuddering.

"Sean?"

It was like a final blessing and Nick relaxed into the mattress, surrendering for the time being.

And then all bets were off.

tbc...