Sweshan- Claimed

by Olivia Black

  The club was large. It was filled with light, fluffy foam. Iridescent bubbles floated in the air. High-energy electronic dance music blared through the speakers. Multicolored lights flashed and twirled, bouncing around the tightly packed dance floor. And half-naked males danced around, their bodies writhing and scales gleaming.

  They walked through the crowd toward the bar. There were trays lined up across the flat surface. Each tray was filled with glass tubes that contained brightly colored liquid. Bryson grabbed a tube with peach-colored liquor. He lifted it up to his lips and tilted his head back, downing the contents in one gulp.

  An explosion of flavors burst across his tongue, and Bryson puckered his lips. It was sour. The beverage was fizzy and tickled the back of his throat on its way down. Bryson shuddered.

  He placed the empty tube back on the tray and grabbed another beaker, this one with bright green liquid. Talr picked a glass with yellow-colored liquor. They took one look at each other, touched the bottom of their glasses together, and downed the shots. The green was hot and spicy, sending a trail of lava running down his throat. Bryson coughed and sputtered. Talr took the empty glass beaker from his hand and placed it back on the tray.

  Talr placed his mouth against Bryson’s ear. Bryson felt a warm puff of air before the male asked, “Do you want to dance?”

  Goosebumps broke out along his flesh, and Bryson shivered. He nodded. Warmth spread through him, making his entire body tingle, as the potent alcohol worked its way through his system.

  Talr pulled Bryson out onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around Bryson’s waist and pulled him in close, aligning their bodies. Talr started moving, swaying side to side. The male danced to his own beat, ignoring the fast-paced electronic music. Bryson moved his hands up the male’s chest, running his fingers over Talr’s muscles before resting them on his shoulders.

  Their eyes connected, and everything else seemed to melt away. It was just the two of them on the dance floor.

  Talr leaned down. He moved slowly, making his intention clear, and Bryson knew exactly what the male wanted. He rose up on his toes, and their lips met in the middle. Bryson moved his mouth in perfect harmony with Talr’s. It was a kiss unlike any other he’d experienced.

  Bryson moaned.

  * * * *

  One taste of Bryson’s lips and Talr was addicted. One kiss would never be enough. His intention was to keep it sweet, a simple press of their mouths, but as soon as he tasted Bryson, Talr was desperate for more. He traced his tongue along the soft fullness of Bryson’s lips, and the kiss turned wild and passionate.

  He wanted to taste all of Bryson. He wanted to run his lips all over the human’s body. The connection he felt was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. He knew the human was his mate. He couldn’t ignore the feelings that Bryson evoked within him.

  Talr swiped his tongue across Bryson’s lips, and the human opened his mouth. Their tongues swirled together. Talr wrapped his left hand around the back of Bryson’s neck and his right around the human’s waist, holding him in place. Their mouths moved together, lips parting, tongues twisting, as they both explored.

  He ground his erection against Bryson and groaned. Bryson’s cock was hard, pressing against Talr’s thigh.

  Talr kept their lips pressed together as he lifted Bryson off his feet and carried him off the dance floor. He moved away from the heavily crowded part of the room, toward the edge of the building. He pressed Bryson’s back against the glass surface. Talr pulled back, and Bryson looked up at him, a dazed look on his face.

  He didn’t waste any time. Talr dropped to his knees in front of Bryson and rubbed his face against the human’s groin. The smell of Bryson’s arousal drove his own desire. He needed a taste. Reaching out, Talr pulled the tight-fitting fabric down, exposing Bryson’s dick. The human’s cock was hard, and thick, pre-cum leaked from the tip.

  “Oh fuck,” Bryson breathed out.

  Talr glanced up and saw that Bryson was watching him intently. The human was panting, his chest heaving.

  “Please,” he whispered. “Suck me.”

  Talr grinned. He dipped his head, taking the human’s aroused flesh into his mouth. Talr ran his tongue across the head of Bryson’s cock, licking away the pre-cum. Bryson’s flavor exploded on his tongue. It was Talr’s turn to moan. The human tasted delicious. Talr licked the length of Bryson’s cock, twisting his tongue around the girth as he moved his mouth up and down.

  Bryson groaned. “Talr.”

  Talr wrapped one hand around the base of Bryson’s shaft, and with the other, he fondled the human’s balls. Talr took Bryson’s dick into his mouth, bobbing his head as he swallowed.

  He wished he could pull Bryson’s trousers down his legs and finger the human’s hole, but a public blowjob was enough for now. He didn’t want their first time together to be in the middle of a bar. So, instead, Talr focused on Bryson’s cock. He used his mouth and hands, driving the human wild.

  Talr worked Bryson, sucking his engorged shaft. Suddenly and without warning, Bryson yelled out Talr’s name. The human came, filling Talr’s mouth with spunk. Swallowing repeatedly, Talr sucked Bryson’s cock until he slumped back against the wall. Talr leaned back and, with a satisfied smile, adjusted Bryson’s trousers, tucking his cock behind the material. Rising to his feet, Talr wrapped his arms around Bryson and held him close.

  “Damn, your mouth.” Bryson moaned.

  “Do you want to head over to the bar and get another drink?”

  “Actually”—Bryson sighed contently—“I’m kind of tired.”

  Talr chuckled. It took only a couple of drinks and an intense orgasm to put Bryson to sleep. He knelt down, offering the human his back. “Jump on. I’ll give you a ride home.”

  “You’ll give me a ride, huh?” he asked.

  Talr grinned at Bryson’s teasing tone.

  Bryson yawned. He climbed onto Talr’s back, and he rose to his feet. Talr slid his arms beneath Bryson’s knees, holding him against his back, and started walking home. Bryson placed his head on Talr’s shoulder. It didn’t take long for the human’s breathing to change. His body went limp against Talr’s back, signaling that he’d fallen asleep. Talr’s human was tuckered out.

  When he got home, Talr hit the button on the wall, and the front door slid open. He stepped over the threshold and strolled through his house, walking straight to the guest room. Talr stopped beside the bed and sat down, carefully removing his arms.

  He turned around and gently laid Bryson down, placing the human’s head on the pillow. Talr pulled Bryson’s shoes off and removed his clothing. Talr grabbed the blanket and pulled it up, tucking the soft material around Bryson.

  Talr stood beside the bed for a moment, just watching Bryson as the human slept. It would be so easy to climb into bed with Bryson, but it wasn’t time. He’d already made a lot of progress, but he really wanted Bryson to come to him. Reluctantly, Talr turned on his heel and strode out of the guest room.

  Talr walked into his room. He stripped off his clothes and tossed them into the soiled clothing basket. Talr went into the bathroom. He washed his face and cleaned his teeth, going through his nightly ritual. When he was finished, Talr went back in his bedroom and climbed into bed. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with images of Bryson in his mind.

  Chapter Ten

  Bryson wasn’t sure what all the commotion was about. He heard raised voices filled with concern and panic. With his heart pounding rapidly, Bryson followed Rune. They hustled down the hall toward a swarm of Sweshan medics and doctors. Bryson didn’t know what he was going to see, but he tried to prepare himself. But nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to see.

  Bryson spotted the patient and gasped in horror. He stumbled backward when he realized that it was Grant. His friend was lying on a hover-stretcher. He was limp. His skin was a pasty, white color. And his eyes were closed. Grant’s shirt, a loose-fitting white tunic, was covered in blood. Bright, red bloo
d. The fluid spread out over the fabric, soaking the material.

  Bryson couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He stood in shock, unable to move, his feet frozen to the floor. Medics and doctors surrounded the stretcher, helping Grant. Their mouths were moving as the males barked out orders, but Bryson couldn’t hear anything. It was as though he was having some sort of out-of-body experience. Time seemed to slow down. It was almost as if everything was moving in slow motion.

  Talr pointed at him. “Bryson, take Ael to the waiting room.”

  When he didn’t respond, Talr strode toward him. The male grabbed Bryson’s biceps, holding him in a firm grip. Talr shook him slightly, trying to pull him out of his shocked state.

  “Bryson! Bryson!”

  Bryson blinked repeatedly, slowly coming back to reality, as he stared up at Talr.

  “I want you to take Ael to the waiting room. Sit with him.”

  “There was so much blood.” He couldn’t believe that so much blood could come from one person. “Is Grant going to be okay? Is he going to live?” Bryson gasped. “What about the baby?”

  “Take Ael to the waiting room,” he said once again. “I’ll give you both an update as soon as I can.”

  Bryson nodded in understanding.

  Talr turned on his heel and followed the hover-stretcher, jogging down the hallway after the other medics. Bryson stood there, staring at the male’s back until he disappeared from sight.

  Bryson glanced around and found Ael. The male was sitting on the ground, his face buried in his bloody hands. It was obvious the male was crying. Bryson knelt down beside Ael. He placed his hand on Ael’s shoulder, trying to offer some comfort, but truthfully, he didn’t know what to say.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said, although the words seemed inadequate considering the situation. “Talr is a wonderful doctor. He’s going to take care of Grant and the baby.”

  “I can’t lose him.” Ael’s voice shook, and he sniffled.

  “You’re not going to lose him.” Bryson was surprised by how much he meant it. Grant was going to be okay. He was going to live. “You have to be strong right now. You can’t fall apart. Grant needs you. Your baby needs you.”

  The male wiped his face, removing the tears from his cheeks. He gave a sharp nod before rising to his feet. “You’re right.” He blew out a heavy breath. “Grant needs me to be strong.”

  Ael stood there for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts, before walking down the hall toward the waiting room. Bryson stayed by the male’s side. When they reached the sitting area, Bryson dropped down into one of the chairs. He watched as Ael paced the length of the room, back and forth. Tears fell unchecked down Ael’s cheeks. Bryson could see the love Ael felt for Grant. It was plain as day.

  Feeling overwhelmed Bryson leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. He steepled his fingers and rested his chin on the tips. Bryson closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for his friend, hoping Grant would be strong enough to pull through.

  Bryson still couldn’t make sense of what he’d seen. Grant was covered in blood. He didn’t look like himself with the life practically drained out of him. How the hell had that happened? And how was he going to survive? Opening his eyes, he glanced up at Ael.

  “What happened to Grant?”

  Ael stopped walking. The male wiped his eyes and faced Bryson. “He woke up in pain. Back pain and abdominal pain. He started bleeding, and then, he screamed. Gods above.” He shook his head. “That scream will haunt me forever.”

  Bryson glanced away. He couldn’t maintain eye contact. The pain in Ael’s eyes was too much to bear.

  “Son.” Kiev, the leader of Sweshan, rushed into the room.

  “Father.” Ael turned toward the male, and the two embraced.

  “I heard about your mate. I came as fast as I could.”

  “I can’t lose them. My mate. Our baby.”

  “You’re not going to.” Kiev’s voice was firm and unyielding.

  Kiev led Ael to a row of chairs in front of Bryson, and they both sat down. They spoke in hushed tones, but Bryson had a feeling he knew what they were saying. Kiev was comforting Ael. Honestly, Bryson was grateful that Kiev had arrived. Bryson didn’t know Ael enough to comfort him.

  Bryson wasn’t sure how long they waited. It felt like hours, but eventually, Talr walked into the room. Everyone stopped talking and turned their attention toward the doctor. Bryson stared up at his prospective mate and held his breath. He said a silent prayer, hoping Talr had good news to share with them.

  Ael rose to his feet. “How is Grant? The baby?”

  “They’re both going to be okay,” Talr started.

  It was the news they all needed to hear. The room heaved a collective sigh. Bryson felt as if all the tension finally drained out, making it possible for him to breathe once again.

  “Grant’s alive. The baby’s alive.” Ael stared at Talr intently, needing reassurance.

  Talr nodded. “Grant had a placental abruption. It’s a dangerous condition that causes severe bleeding and deprives the baby of oxygen and nutrients. In order to stop the bleeding, we had to take the baby out of Grant’s belly and put him in an incubation chamber. He’ll need to remain there until he’s fully developed. Because of the damage Grant sustained, he won’t be able to have any more children. We had to remove all the female tissue.”

  Bryson felt so bad for Grant. His friend would never be able to have any more children with his mate. But at least he was alive. That was all that really mattered. Grant and his son were alive.

  “Would you like to see them?”

  Ael nodded. He reached out and grabbed his father’s hand.

  Bryson rose from his chair. He stood back, waiting to be acknowledged by the others. Bryson didn’t want to intrude, but he really wanted to see Grant and the baby. He had to make sure they were really alive.

  “Bryson.” Talr glanced at him.

  “Yeah.” He looked at the male hopefully.

  “Why don’t you come with us?”

  “Okay.”

  Talr held out his hand in offering, and Bryson walked over to his prospective mate. He grasped the male’s hand, relieved that he wasn’t going to be left behind in the waiting room. Talr escorted Bryson out of the sitting area. He knew, without having to look, that Ael and Kiev were right behind them.

  Bryson followed Talr into a suite located in the private section of the medical building. Bryson glanced around the dimly lit room. When his eyes adjusted, he saw Grant. He was unconscious, lying on a med-bed. Bryson moved out of the doorway, and Ael rushed past him. The male went to his mate’s side and took Grant’s hand.

  “He’s sedated right now,” Talr told Ael.

  Ael glanced back at the doctor. “While he heals, right?”

  “Grant will be awake in a few hours. We only sedated him for the procedure.”

  Ael leaned down and kissed Grant’s forehead. “Everything is okay now, my love. Our son is here, and he’s safe. I want you to rest easy. I’m here, and I’m not leaving your side. I love you.”

  The baby was in an incubation chamber beside Grant’s bed. The glass unit, shaped like a bubble, was sealed shut and filled with fluid. There was a display panel on the wall behind it. It was a small screen that showed the baby’s vital signs.

  Bryson let go of Talr’s hand. He walked over to the incubator, wanting a better look. Bryson peeked inside and stared at the baby, floating in the water. His small, scaled body was curled into a little ball. His legs were drawn up to his chest. His fists were tightly clenched. His eyes were closed. And he was sucking his thumb. The baby looked calm and content. Did he know he was inside an incubator? Or did he think he was still inside Grant’s belly?

  “How long does he have to stay in the incubator?” Bryson asked.

  “Until he’s ready to be born,” Talr said.

  “Is he safe inside here?”

  “Yes. He’s safe. But we’ll be monitoring him closely. The unit will
supply all the nutrients he needs, regulate his temperature, and allow him to continue to grow. In three months, when he’s fully grown, we’ll take him out of the incubator.”

  Bryson walked back to Talr’s side. He grabbed ahold of the male’s arm and leaned against his side, needing the support.

  “We should give them some privacy,” Talr suggested. “You can check in on Grant tomorrow. He’ll be awake then.”

  Bryson nodded. Talr was right. They should give Ael some time alone with his family. Talr led Bryson out of the room. He pressed a button on the wall, and the door closed behind them.

  “Is he really going to be okay?” Bryson asked in a hushed tone.

  “Of course,” Talr said. “He’s going to fine.”

  Bryson rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted. The last several hours had been filled with worry and apprehension. Bryson didn’t want to leave his friend’s side. But he couldn’t do anything to help Grant.

  “It’s been a long day.” Talr threaded his fingers with Bryson’s and gave a gentle squeeze. “Let’s go home.”

  Bryson sighed heavily. “That sounds good.” At this moment, he wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a warm bed.

  Talr gave his arm a tug, and Bryson followed the male. He stared at the floor in front of him as they walked through the medical building and went back to Talr’s dwelling. The walk to Talr’s house was a blur. And before he knew it, they were home.

  As soon as Bryson stepped foot into the guest room, he removed his clothing and went to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and stepped into the stall. Time had no meaning as Bryson stood under the hot spray. Bryson closed his eyes and let the pressure work its magic as it poured down over his head. When he was done, Bryson dried off and pulled on a pair of loose-fitting sleeping pants.

  Bryson sat on the bed, surrounded by blankets. He pressed his back against the headboard and pulled his legs up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around his shins and dropped his head down onto his knees. Bryson was tired, but he didn’t think he would be able to fall asleep anytime soon.