Dominic pushed his chair back. “I like boring. Boring is good.”
“Good night, you two,” Evrain said. “Everything you need is in the guest bedroom. We’ll see you in the morning.” He steered Dominic toward the stairs. “Maybe this is just a dream sequence like in one of those bad soap operas Gran used to watch.”
“We can only hope. You know she only watched those things to ogle shirtless men, don’t you?”
“Well she wasn’t using them for intellectual stimulation, was she? And they always seem to find some very hot actors… I can’t believe we’re talking about daytime TV. We really must be desperate to avoid the topic in hand.” He tugged Dominic into the bedroom and began to relieve him of his clothes. “We’ll be discussing the weather next.” He was a lot happier with the situation once he had Dominic naked and spread-eagled on their bed. He kicked off his shoes then straddled him, admiring the view that belonged only to him. Dominic’s eyes sparkled and he nibbled on his lower lip.
“What do you intend to do with me?”
“Anything I damn well please.” Evrain licked a path from Dominic’s sternum to the hollow at the base of his throat. “Any objections?” He took the incoherent response as willing compliance.
Chapter Three
After fucking Dominic into an exhausted sleep, Evrain lay listening to his lover’s even breathing, envious that he couldn’t find the same peace. His thoughts were in turmoil and even the joy of bringing Dominic to an orgasm that had made him scream hadn’t been enough to calm Evrain’s mind. He twisted the gold bracelet around his wrist, the snug fit not allowing much play. Its dampening effect wasn’t enough to hold back the power building within him. He needed to vent and it wouldn’t wait until morning.
He lay still for a few minutes longer, wanting to make sure that Dominic would remain asleep and get the rest he needed, then rolled out of bed. He pulled on underwear and a pair of pajama bottoms that rarely got any use. Focused on each other, neither he nor Dominic had thought to pull the curtains and now the moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the bedroom and highlighting the edges of the dark wooden furniture with silver. Dominic’s head was turned toward the wall, leaving his copper hair bathed in light. It glimmered each time his breath caught a few of the strands, enhancing Dominic’s ethereal beauty even more. Evrain’s heart pounded as he watched. He couldn’t bear the thought of taking Dominic into a situation where he might be hurt. He felt backed into a corner, trapped, and it was making his blood boil. For a second he thought that might be literal, his skin felt dry and hot and, despite being shirtless, it was tempting to open the window for a blast of cold night air.
With a final glance at Dominic’s sleeping form, Evrain padded from the room then made his way downstairs to the kitchen. Curled in one of the chairs next to the fire, Shadow twitched an ear. An emerald-green line flashed as the cat half opened one eye. Apparently deciding that sleep was far preferable to vacating her cozy spot, Shadow stood, stretched, did a couple of rotations then resumed her position.
Evrain grinned, thinking that a spoiled cat’s life wouldn’t be half bad. He was almost at the cottage door when the slightest sound alerted him to someone else’s presence. He turned to find Gregory at the foot of the stairs.
“You need to vent, don’t you?” Gregory walked toward him.
“My skin is too tight and the bracelet isn’t helping. I need to let off some steam or things are going to start exploding around here.”
“Emotional turmoil doesn’t help your control. I’ll come with you.”
Evrain nodded, happy to have his godfather’s company. “I’d like that.” Still barefoot, he followed the grassy path to the back of the cottage then passed through the gate to the adjoining field. He traversed the huge boulder that Gregory often used in his training, making his way to the stream at the field’s boundary. As he walked, gusts of wind swirled through the grass at his feet and a scattering of leaves lifted into the air. When he reached the stream the normally placid waters churned and boiled. He spotted small, golden fish leaping into the air as they escaped downstream.
“They know where they’re better off,” Gregory mused.
“Can you make sure the water is clear?” Evrain said. “I don’t want to kill anything.”
“Sure.” Gregory muttered under his breath as he twisted his fingers into several peculiar shapes. “It’s all yours. Even the tiniest microbe has now vacated the premises.”
“Thanks.” Evrain flexed his hands. It wasn’t necessary to raise his arms and make dramatic gestures, but Evrain found it easier. Without Dominic to channel his power, focusing on the movements helped him hold on to control, albeit by a very delicate thread. Venting wasn’t something Dominic could help with, which Evrain was grateful for—channeling was painful enough for Dominic and the kind of power Evrain was about to release had the potential to cause the love of his life serious harm.
Evrain took a few deep breaths and slipped the gold bracelet from around his wrist. He stuffed it in his pocket then, closing his eyes, he stretched his arms toward the water and stopped trying to hold back his power. Fire flooded his body, issuing from his hands in a single wide stream. When it hit the water, clouds of steam rose into the air until he and Gregory were concealed by the resulting fog. He shuddered as the power coursed through him, every muscle and sinew strained. He cried out in pain, the venting taking much longer than it usually did. When the pressure finally eased, Evrain dropped to his knees, his head bowed. His chest heaved as he tried to suck in some much-needed oxygen.
“That was…extreme.” Evrain shook his head in an attempt to clear his clouded vision.
“You left it too long, didn’t you? That, combined with the shock of finding out about the testing, meant that the build-up of your power was more severe than usual.” Gregory squeezed his shoulder. “Are you feeling better now? I think you sucked every bit of heat out of the surrounding area.”
Evrain nodded. He fastened the gold bracelet back around his wrist. “It seems like I need this all the time now.”
“I’m not surprised,” Gregory said. “You’re so powerful, the dampening effect of the gold is the only thing making it bearable for you. I’d suggest a second bracelet for your other wrist and perhaps a chain to put around your neck.”
“Slave bands,” Evrain muttered. “I want to control the power, not the other way round.”
“Don’t be so precious. They’re just tools and they work, which means you have to put up with them. I’ll get another bracelet made and have it ready for you when you return from Scotland.”
“You’re confident I’ll pass this test then?” Evrain struggled to his feet, starting to feel the cold now the venting was over, especially as he’d lowered the ambient temperature by a few degrees. The knees of his thin pajama bottoms were soaked through and the light sheen of sweat that coated his chest chilled his skin. He took a few shaky steps in the direction of the cottage.
“Of course. I’m not going to pretend that it won’t be challenging for you, for both of you, but you’re in love and committed to each other. That will help.”
“And you’re absolutely certain it has to be both of us? I don’t want Dominic hurt.”
“It’s a test of your partnership as well as your power. I’m afraid there’s no way around it. Both of you have to go, both of you will face the test, albeit in different ways.” Gregory tramped across the field. “Believe me, I understand your reticence but this will only happen once in your lifetime. Once it’s done, your status will change and you’ll get the chance to use your abilities for good.”
Evrain sighed. “It would have been nice, after everything that happened with Symeon and then Imelda and her coven, to have a bit more time to spend with Dominic before heading into another drama. He’s already suffered so much because of me. Held captive, his appearance altered, the tattoos beneath his skin… So much pain and all because of me. He’d have been better off if he had never met me.”
“Hey! Stop that!” They’d reached the cottage door.
“Only if you stop whining.”
“I’m not whining, I have legitimate complaints.”
“Go take a shower, Evrain. We’ll talk in the morning.” Gregory shook his head before making his way back to the spare room. Evrain watched him go with a heavy sigh. Gregory never gave him an inch.
A shower was a good idea, though. Evrain’s feet were filthy and he was shivering from the cold. He went upstairs to the bathroom, set the water running then stripped off his sodden pajama bottoms. He braced his arms against the sink, bowing his head. Now he had vented, fatigue crept over him. The door creaked open and he looked up to find Dominic frowning at him, his expression a mixture of sympathy and frustration.
“You should have told me you needed to vent—I would have come with you. I don’t sleep when you’re not in the bed anyway.”
“There was no point in the two of us getting cold and miserable. Gregory came along to give me a few home truths as well, not something you needed to hear.”
Dominic shrugged out of the striped bathrobe he wore. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” he said. “You’re a bit blue—this hot water is going to burn like hell.”
Evrain pulled him close until they were pressed together chest to groin. “I feel better already.”
“Fuck, you’re freezing.” Dominic wrestled free then clambered into the shower. “Get in here.”
Evrain did as he was told, yelping when the hot water made contact with his chilled skin. He submitted to Dominic’s attentions as he was soaped and shampooed, the heat soaking into his cold muscles. “Feels so good.”
Dominic turned off the spray and within a couple of minutes they had both toweled dry. “Bed. And no going anywhere without me for the rest of the night.”
Beneath the covers, Evrain pulled Dominic close until his lover’s ass nestled into his groin. He slipped an arm around his waist, imprisoning him.
“Did you burn anything down this time?” Dominic murmured.
“No. I did fuse some of the streambed into glass, but it looks kind of pretty.”
“You must have generated a serious amount of heat to do that.” Dominic sounded worried.
“I let it build too long. Gregory’s already given me a verbal smacking, I don’t need it from you too.”
Dominic gave a low snort. “I’m glad he’s around to tell you off, you deserve it.”
“Unless you want a spanking, go to sleep,” Evrain growled. He tightened his grip on Dominic’s slender body. “I’m too tired now but in the morning I’m going to turn your ass pink.”
“Promises, promises…” Dominic’s voice softened and soon gentle snores told Evrain that he had fallen asleep. This time Evrain stopped resisting the pull of darkness.
* * * *
Despite the disturbed night, Evrain woke early. The curtains had remained open and the dawn light targeted his closed eyes as if seeking revenge for past evil doing. “Oh God,” he groaned. “It can’t be morning already.”
Dominic grunted but remained stubbornly asleep. Evrain massaged his temples, a headache already building. He should have drunk a glass of water before bed—venting always dehydrated him. His tongue was sandpaper in his mouth and his lips were sore and cracked. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of the bed but thirst drove him out. He was halfway to the door, stark naked, before he remembered there were guests in the house and he didn’t want to give Gregory or Coryn an eyeful. It was way too early for the sarcastic comments he knew he’d receive so he grabbed Dominic’s robe, paid a quick visit to the bathroom then headed down to the kitchen. His route to the coffee maker was booby trapped by a hungry, impatient cat deliberately getting in his way and yowling for attention.
“Anyone would think you hadn’t been fed for a month.” He bent to stroke Shadow’s dark head. “Greedy animal. You’re a walking stomach, aren’t you?” He got an indignant look and a few flicks of Shadow’s tail. “All right, all right, I get the message.” He spooned tuna from a half-finished can into a clean dish. “Looks like you’ll be pampered for a while. Your uncles will be taking care of you while we’re away. Jesus, why am I having a conversation with you? You’re not taking a blind bit of notice.” Shadow had her head buried in her dish, loud chomping noises transmitting her pleasure. Somewhat jealous that Shadow could take such enjoyment from a simple bowl of fish, Evrain set about making a pot of strong coffee, which was his equivalent first thing in the morning. He was sitting at the table, hands wrapped around his mug, when Coryn made an appearance.
“Oh God, give me some of that.” He lurched toward the coffeemaker. “You had a late night last night.”
“Sorry… I didn’t ask Gregory to come with me.”
“I know, the stubborn old man seems to think you still need babysitting. I don’t know what the two of you got up to, but he was in an exceptionally good mood when he came back to bed.”
“Don’t tell me anything else,” Evrain said. “I don’t want to know. As far as what we got up to, I needed to vent. Gregory helped me avoid frying any of the local wildlife then decided I need a pep talk and a clip around the ear for some reason.”
“Sounds about right.” Coryn joined him at the table, his silver hair tousled. Evrain hoped he looked as good when he reached Coryn’s age. “I don’t have to tell you, do I?”
“No.” Evrain sipped his coffee, the bitterness reflecting his mood. He knew exactly what Coryn was talking about. “I love him so much, Coryn. I’ll take good care of him.”
“There’s a fragility beneath Dominic’s strength, Evrain. He needs you. You’re part of each other even more than Gregory and me and we’ve had so many more years together, so much more experience. Dominic will be frightened, however much he hides it, and it’s up to you to provide the reassurance he needs.” Coryn blinked. “Of course, if he had any idea I was suggesting such a thing to you, he’d have my hide. He doesn’t want to be a liability, but sometimes it’s easy for you warlocks to forget that your partners are simple mortals, with mortal vulnerabilities.”
“I won’t forget.”
Coryn nodded, closing the subject. “I’ll start some breakfast. After last night, Gregory is going to have quite the appetite.”
Evrain chuckled. Shadow jumped onto his lap and began to puncture his thighs. “I’m more into administering pain than receiving it, Shadow.” Evrain tapped a velvet paw. Shadow did a few circles before settling, only twitching an ear when Coryn laid a few rashers of bacon in the frying pan.
“I’m sorry you’re having to uproot your life for us again,” Evrain said.
“I’m quite looking forward to it, actually,” Coryn replied. “Florida is hot, wet and full of snakes… And not just the reptilian kind. Here it’s cold, wet and the wildlife still wants to kill you but is more direct about it. I also enjoy gardening and I’m going to love taking care of Dominic’s herbs for a while. I dabble at home but it’s not the same. It’ll do Gregory good to be away from the business for a while, though he has interests in this corner of the world, as you know. He’ll no doubt be plaguing the life out of the management at ThInk.”
“I hope he has a damn good cover story ready for me because I’ve taken enough time off from work already.”
“Family emergencies happen. How many eggs would you like?”
“Two please. Dominic gets them from one of his clients who has her own hens and they taste a hundred percent better than any other eggs I’ve ever had.”
“The happiest, most pampered hens on the planet.” Dominic, wearing faded, ripped jeans and a cream sweater, made a beeline for the coffee. “I smelled bacon. Somebody stole my robe so I had to get dressed.”
Evrain’s cock twitched. His body never failed to respond to Dominic’s presence and he now regret
ted not dressing before coming downstairs. Shadow gave him a baleful glare before jumping to the floor.
Dominic bent to pet Shadow, presenting Evrain with the perfect view of his denim-wrapped ass. He was grinning.
“Brat,” Evrain murmured under his breath. “You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you? You’re overdue a spanking, something I should have administered this morning.” Dominic’s slow smile told him that the attention would not be unwelcome.
Gregory’s arrival shifted Evrain’s thoughts to less stimulating topics and he forced himself to think about everything that needed to happen before he and Dominic could leave for Scotland. There would be plenty of time to deliver punishment once this new, unwelcome challenge was over and they were both safely home. Two transatlantic flights would give him ample time to think up something appropriate.
Chapter Four
Three days later, Evrain negotiated the heavy traffic heading out of Edinburgh before driving toward the north-west of Scotland. After almost twenty-four hours’ traveling, he and Dominic had spent their first night in a hotel that nestled in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. First class flights ensured they had traveled in comfort but sleep had evaded Evrain as his mind obsessed about what they might face over the coming days. Dominic’s tension had been evident, though he had done his best not to show it.
In Edinburgh, exhaustion had overtaken him and he had slept with Dominic wrapped in his arms, seeking the comfort of skin on skin contact. After a hearty breakfast, which Evrain had forced down because his body needed the fuel, they had stowed their luggage in the back of the Range Rover they’d picked up from a rental company at the airport and begun their journey.
“I hope we have a chance to come back to Edinburgh and see the sights before we fly home,” Dominic said. “Though I suppose you’ve seen them all before.”
Elemental Faith Page 4
