by Jo Penn
“Yes. Then we are just individuals doing what suits us.”
Freddie was a little awed. “You’re really smart. I wouldn’t have thought of that.”
“I’m not sure it’s about being smart. For me, it’s been experience. Being in situations and finding I can be different from others’ expectations and labels. Boxes need to be flexible.”
Freddie chuckled. “Way cool. You’re really complex, Rico. I’m not. I’m okay with that.”
“I like exactly who you are and who you need to be at other times.”
This man had made the complicated sound simple. Or maybe it was simple and sometimes Freddie and others got tangled up in what they thought others should be like or how situations needed to be. He was going to let things go a bit more.
“Thanks. I like you too.” More than like. Though their time together had been a bit crazy, it’d also been interesting, fun at times, annoying at others, and mostly he’d grown to really care about Rico. He saw sides to the man that made him want to get to know Rico more.
And he wanted to get to know the supernatural side.
“Can you show me?”
“Show you? What?”
“You as pouvoir.”
Rico nodded and sat on the side of the spa bath, long fingers slipping into the water. He pulled his hand out and adjusted the tap. He smiled, his features relaxed now. “Some trip, hey. You know I didn’t thank you for putting aside the whole kidnapping incident.” He grimaced a little. “I don’t usually go around kidnapping people. I didn’t think it was safe to leave you, and as you witnessed at the safe house, my emotions and powers are all over the place while I’m going through the first sighting.” Rico’s green eyes turned serious. “Thanks for believing me about the soul globe.”
Freddie smiled, warmed through by the honesty.
Standing, Rico removed the thin sweater he was wearing then the T-shirt and, before Freddie’s eyes, revealed his true appearance. To Freddie, Rico was even more an Adonis.
Almost transparent, very light golden-brown wings rose from Rico. It was a mesmerizing sight, amazing to witness. The wings looked almost sheer, yet Rico said they were strong and could be used as a shield to protect himself and others. They folded down and lay against his back, hardly seen. Freddie wanted to touch, but he was also fascinated by what else was revealed.
The tops of Rico’s ears were pointed, a bit like a sprite’s really. His fangs were thicker than a vampire’s and, like that creature, also could retract. But what caught Freddie’s attention was that down along one side of his large, very toned and muscular body was a beautifully designed woven tattoo. It was intricate. Swirls and loops, symbols and possibly letters or words in a language Freddie didn’t understand. The tattoo began at the base of Rico’s neck, covered his chest and right arm, the entire hand to his fingertips, and dipped below the faded blue jeans he wore.
Frowning, Rico raised his right arm and studied it. “My markings must have been locked away along with the ability.”
“Locked away? What ability? What does this mean?” Freddie drifted close, nose twitching as he scented Rico who now did not smell like a human. Raising one hand, he began tracing the tattoo, fascinated with it.
The design was so intricate, different. Not Celtic, not European, more otherworldly. He curiously studied the symbols within the swirls.
“Some creatures have magic, some supernatural agility and speed. Pouvoirs have magic. Some call it abilities, others powers. It all means the same.” He sucked in a shaky breath as Freddie’s nails glided across his chest. His voice dropped deeper. “Common abilities amongst the brethren are energy beams, waves, and teleporting. Every pouvoir has these, just at different levels, and we can place our essences into the beams and waves. Energy beams are just that. Beams of energy that we produce and can direct to lift or move items or to give energy to another.” He pointed at a bar of soap beside the basin, and Freddie was certain he felt a stir in the air. He watched the soap lift up then get put down. “We all have different strengths in our beams, as in some brethren are stronger than others.”
“You are strong. I saw you knock that vampire to the ground. I heard his bones break from the impact.”
“Umm, I’m stronger than some, and others are stronger than me. Waves,” he said matter-of-factly and directed waves at Freddie.
Freddie’s skin tingled, and a feeling of calmness washed over him. “I have felt these before. Gentle, like this, and…intense, shattering, after the attack when you said the lock had come off the full depth of your ability. What did that mean?”
Rico frowned at his right hand, tracing one of the weavings. “A person has an essence. For me, my prominent parts are logic and soothing. With energy beams and waves, I can put in my essence and send these to others.”
“The lock, Rico.”
Green eyes raised to Freddie. Yeah, he had a one-track mind at times and could be a touch impatient. This “lock” Rico had mentioned, and from what Freddie had witnessed at the safe house, was important. Freddie felt it was a big part of who Rico was and had become.
“I was locked down when I was young. It happens sometimes.” His hands changed, looking more like claws, his nails sharp and long and curled around. “I am pouvoir with dragon lineage. I wasn’t born. I hatched—”
“As in, from an egg? Dragons are real?”
“They are and protected by my kind. There are all sorts of mythical creatures that could no longer be amongst people. They were being picked off, sometimes out of fear, sometimes for sport. My kind has built shields in parts of the world, and in these places, the creatures have their own lands and remain safe.”
“That is…” Freddie was still trying to get his head around there really were dragons! And Rico was part dragon! His mind was going to have to catch up.
“Hang on…ah, like, did one of your ancestors have sex with a dragon?”
Rico gave a half-smile. “Pouvoirs are different. We are not humans. We come from myth and magic and have been here since the beginning of time. We evolved over time, as humans and animals have. Each pouvoir has a lineage. The Arkman and Taroks are dragon lineage. The Coltons are imps. There is an Amazon and ghost and so many others.”
“I…crap on a stick.” Freddie blinked rapidly. “This is…”
Rico nodded, understanding Freddie couldn’t find the words. “I cannot change fully to dragon, unlike my brother Daray Darkness and cousin Litton Torrent. Soon, my youngest brother Callum Dragon will be able to also. Like my cousin Halie, I have claws and dragon senses. Dragons are the gatekeepers of life. Our blood is healing.”
“Okay…”
“Pouvoirs are highly intelligent, retain and function at extremely high levels—”
“Abilities and magic. You said about the energy beams and waves. Do all pouvoir have the projector magic like you?”
“Projector magic basically curves another’s mind into believing what you tell them, like a persuasion. It can be…a gentle persuasion to help others see more clearly, or it can take over. I rarely use this because my logic and soothing can generally do the task without influencing anyone. Each pouvoir can teleport, when they reach a particular strength and age, and we have energy beams and waves. We can also have a magic. There are many different types, and some pouvoir have similar or the same.”
“Do you have other abilities?”
“A little control over gravity, which basically means I can walk on the ceiling if I want, and I have moon rays. There are amongst my kind what are termed defenders and guards. These pouvoir have extra strength and their own unique abilities or magic, like my projector magic. They use these to protect everyone. They go out each day and night, walking the streets and chasing anyone who harms another. Like me, they can disguise their true appearance. I have truly believed the pouvoir need to unite fully once more to retain the neutral balance of the scales.”
“It is true. The old story of a kind of supernatural who protected the scales of balance
is true?”
“Yes. We are the pouvoir. The defenders and guards. The remainder of the pouvoir use their magic and time to support and protect in other ways. That’s why I need to find the soul globe. I need to find it and return it to the correct pouvoir lineage so the souls of the world can once more be guided fully. Once that is done, I must reunite the pouvoirs.”
“Why?” Freddie was so caught up he grabbed Rico’s arms and shook a little. The pouvoir didn’t budge. “Err, sorry…”
Rico relaxed and chuckled. “Touch me whenever you want, mate.”
“Oh, I want to do a lot of touching. First, finish telling me about this mission to reunite the pouvoirs and keep those scales of balance from tilting. Then we bathe before we get frisky.”
“Frisky?” Rico arched a brow.
“What? You don’t like that word?” Freddie challenged, raising his own brows.
“I suddenly love it.”
“Cool.” Freddie waved his hand in a come-on motion. “Continue.”
Grinning, Rico pressed a light kiss to Freddie’s lips before straightening and continuing with his story.
“See, there is the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere. A millennium ago, the pouvoir were united. It didn’t matter which side of the equator you lived on. We have this grand old palace that has been there since the beginning of time, and each generation adds to it. It was once the hub for all pouvoir. Now it is sealed up. One group of pouvoir protect their side, and the other does the same on theirs. The only time they talk is when information is passed via one Defender of Justice to another. In all my life—”
“Wait, how old are you?” Freddie exclaimed.
“Five hundred and ten.”
“Riiiight. I’m thirty-four.”
“Okay, bit of an age difference.” Rico bit back his smile. “Pouvoirs are eternal, or the more common term these days is immortal. When we find our soul mate and join, that person is eternal also.”
Freddie held up a finger and shook his head. “We’re going to get frisky, but we’re not mating or joining or whatever it is you pouvoirs do with a soul mate.”
Rico huffed a sigh. “If you insist.”
“The pouvoir have stuck to their sides of the world for a millennium?”
“Pretty much. We have some of the most powerful on my side of the equator, like the mind brethren, controlling the sun, and the gatekeeper of life, but from what I’ve heard, they’ve got a world destroyer on theirs and the executioner—”
“A frigging world destroyer!” Freddie exclaimed. “One person can destroy the entire world?” That was an incredibly scary thought. “No way.”
“It’s okay. Apparently, the defender is pure of soul. He’s known as Big Bad Doom.”
“Oh yeah. With a name like that, I believe he’s pure of soul.” Freddie threw up his hands and paced a little. “You said there was a life gatekeep or something on your side.”
“Yep. Stops life from ending.”
“Like a balance?”
“Yeah, in a way, the pouvoir have our own balance.”
“Why haven’t the pouvoir been as one for the last millennium?”
“Because our kind was devastated by the last time the crāwan rose up and tried to take over the scales of balance. They attacked the pouvoir, going after our children and younger brethren who had not yet reached their full strength. The older brethren went in to protect them and we lost most of our ancient defenders and guards. My kind feel incredibly deeply. The pain was too much due to the losses we suffered. It was before my time, but thirty years ago, we suffered greatly again, and I saw my kind wither away and perish with the pain. They wanted to be with loved ones. We withdrew and took comfort in what families we had left. But we’re stronger now. All the pouvoir know we need to reunite fully. I had my mission to find the globe, but will do what I can to help. We also need to bring all the pouvoir living outside in the world back to our kind’s shielded lands. I’ve stayed out because of the globe mission. I had to separate myself.”
“Yeah, agree to disagree.” Freddie stepped closer to Rico, so close their bodies brushed were pressed together. “I liked you telling me everything. Thanks.”
Rico smiled and, leaning down, pressed kisses along Freddie’s cheek to his mouth, where he lingered only a moment.
“Let’s enjoy the tub.”
Stripping everything off, Freddie stepped straight in and watched Rico take off his jeans and underwear. He really liked what he saw and couldn’t wait to soap the man up.
The tub was just big enough for two if they were right on top of each other, so Freddie climbed onto Rico’s lap and squirted liquid soap into his hands. He rubbed them together until he had a good lather then began spreading it over Rico, beginning at his neck.
He was fascinated by the tattoo down one side of Rico’s body. He took his time studying it, gliding his fingers over symbols and long lines, swirls and dips, and enjoyed the little sighs and moans his touch caused.
Rico didn’t keep his hands to himself. He soaped up and was washing Freddie’s back, lightly massaging his shoulders before moving down, kneading and caressing. Leaning forward, Freddie lightly touched Rico’s lips, wanting a slow kiss. Their tongues touched and caressed. Their lips clung.
Their hands kept moving. Freddie swept soap over Rico’s chest, tweaking little brown nipples, lightly pinching then squeezing Rico’s pecs, playing before sweeping his hands down to defined abs, which required his immediate attention and scrutiny.
Rico’s hands stroked Freddie, molding him and learning what he liked. Their breathing became labored as their desire grew stronger, each wanting more.
When Rico’s hands reached Freddie’s ass and squeezed, cupping both cheeks in his hands, Freddie groaned. There was no going slow now. He needed and wanted, pressing his lips to Rico’s and telling him more while his own hands dipped beneath the water and took a firm, sure hold of Rico’s long thick rod.
The tip of a finger breached his hole. Freddie was wide open, his legs on either side of Rico’s. He moved back, taking more, and stroked his lover’s rod from root to tip, squeezing the soft, hot head slightly then moving down again. The tip of Rico’s finger slid inside, stroking, pressing all the way in and brushing his knot of nerves. Their mouths separated, Freddie arching back, his hands working Rico’s dick as another finger entered him, stretching.
It was a fast ride now, Freddie taking those two fingers and moving with them as he stroked Rico’s rod. Both groaned and panted, Rico hardly giving time to prepare for the next thick digit, this one thrust up inside Freddie.
The pleasure intensified, his cock leaking. Moving Rico into position, he waited for the fingers to withdraw then sank down, taking the wide rod all the way inside in one thrust, feeling a slight pinch but loving it. He planted his hands on Rico’s strong pecs and moved his hips fast. Rico thrust up, gripping Freddie’s thighs, those little green and black lights flashing in the air around them as they moved together, breathing harsh, groaning, his ass sucking and squeezing and needing Rico to fill him till he burst.
“More. Faster,” Freddie murmured.
They strained together, both so close, both holding on, thrusting, until Freddie couldn’t hold back, his balls giving up their load as his cock spurted, the climax so strong he stuttered and yelled. Rico’s hands moved to his ass, spreading him wider, and with two more thrusts that drove him as deep as possible, he growled loudly and came, filling Freddie with his essence and seed.
His body jerking with a few last drops that dribbled from his slit, deliciously tingling all over, Freddie flopped onto Rico, his head on his lover’s broad shoulder. Rico’s cock twitched, and he grunted then breathed out. Neither moved.
After a few minutes, Rico still inside him and hard, Freddie carefully sat up. “We need to get out of this bath, let the water out, and shower.”
“We do.” Rico cupped the back of Freddie’s head and gently urged him down till their lips touched. The kiss was so
ft and tender, Rico’s green eyes darker.
They separated, Freddie climbing out of the tub first. Rico removed the plug, and once the water was out, they rinsed off in the shower, dried, and pulled on boxers. Freddie couldn’t wait to do that again, but first, he needed to eat.
* * * *
By the time they finished in the bathroom and were cleaned up, their food had arrived. As they were hungry, they didn’t speak much while eating.
Freddie yawned. He loaded the service trolley with his empty plates and cutlery then helped Rico with his. While Rico placed the trolley outside, Freddie slipped into the bathroom. As he brushed his teeth, his mind drifted to how old Rico was. That was trippy. He looked only about twenty-four without the coverings he’d used to blend with humans. The coverings made him look about thirty. Apparently pouvoirs looked between twenty-four to twenty-seven at full maturity, which was one hundred years old, though this maturity was only in terms of strength and abilities. In every other sense, they were adults in their twenties.
Pouvoirs, Rico had explained, went through three stages in their first hundred years to reach full strength in magic. The three stages were called surges and involved the gaining of more strength in their abilities and their bodies adjusting and accepting this. In most cases, young pouvoirs grew a half or full inch during the power surges, males developing more muscles and getting bigger everywhere. Freddie immediately looked at Rico’s groin. The man had groaned and kissed the side of Freddie’s mouth.
A lot had happened in a short time. Freddie was learning a lot about pouvoirs, particularly Rico, who seemed to be making a few decisions of his own. Earlier Rico had said that now the block was off his full strength and magic, he’d focus on his birth right, that of Defender of the Moon. He’d preserve its function and that of the night it reigned over. First, he needed to find the globe.
Freddie understood Rico now. He was a bit in awe of the man and completely in lust. Holy crap! What they’d shared together was more than a hot casual hook-up. Freddie wanted more. He liked Rico, the man’s values and determination, even the stubbornness. It’d be nice if Rico felt the same. Sure, he said they were mates, and Freddie believed him. Hopefully that meant, though, that Rico liked Freddie regardless of any soul mate destiny.
