Heart of the High King (D'Vaire, Book 19)

by Jessamyn Kingley

  Rafe was supremely uncomfortable that again he was inadvertently interfering with the normal activities of D’Vaire. While he’d met many of them, they already shared a kinship to the people surrounding him, and he couldn’t imagine that the extended family would care if he was around. It was them they were anxious to enjoy time with, and he wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. “I think the doors to D’Vaire should be opened to anyone.”

  Brogan clutched his chest dramatically. “Anyone? Your Highness, you’re going to be the death of me.”

  Dra’Kaedan rolled his eyes and playfully smacked his mate. “He didn’t mean it like he wanted to pop the bubble and invite the entire Council.”

  “No, I didn’t mean that,” Rafe rushed out. “Just invite who you guys want, is all.”

  “Are you intending to invite your family? I’m sure Sullivan and your father are anxious to see you and would welcome the opportunity to get to know your mate,” Kendrick stated.

  “No one from Court Kestle is welcome under our roof,” Aleksander remarked with a distinct bite in his tone.

  Kendrick raised his hands in front of him in surrender. “No worries, I didn’t know there was a rift.”

  Aleksander’s eyes were filled with rage, so to calm the man he loved, Rafe offered him a small smile and stroked his hand with his thumb. In response, Aleksander pursed his lips in an air kiss, filling him with warmth. Tempted to scoot closer to him, Rafe reminded himself that they were in a meeting, and it was no place for a cuddle session.

  “I would just caution you to tread carefully in speaking with them,” Aleksander said. “I will not interfere in the relationship with your family but, as your king, would ask that you not respond to any inquiries about Rafe or myself, should they ask. I do not ever intend to have anything to do with them again, nor will my mate.”

  “Hey, I still hardly know them,” Kendrick responded. “And don’t worry, I won’t tell them shit from now on.”

  To Rafe’s ears that sounded as if Kendrick had already told them plenty, and he couldn’t understand it. Kendrick hadn’t known them before, and he had no reason to trust them, yet it appeared that he had. But then, Rafe himself knew how manipulative and conniving the pair was, and Sullivan was probably trying anything he could to have someone on the inside feeding him information. His brother even had the audacity to strike up a friendship and visit Aleksander after he’d abducted Rafe and routinely beat the shit out of him.

  “Any other concerns or issues we need to discuss tonight?” Aleksander asked. They listened to a few problems normal to a household of several dozen people, and Aleksander efficiently solved them with smiles around the room. Rafe sat there, admiring not just his poise, but his calm intellect. Not that he was biased or anything, but he couldn’t imagine a better leader and wondered briefly how the hell he’d ever match up to his other half. Deciding to shrug off his anxiety, Rafe reminded himself that it was unnecessary to panic. Aleksander wore the mantle of his title well, and Rafe’s job was to support him to the best of his ability.

  When it was over, Aleksander kissed him hard. “Ready to go back to our room for the night?”

  “Yep. Definitely.”

  Part 4

  SOLITUDE

  Chapter 51

  Before leaving the bathroom, Aleksander double-checked to make sure the night-light was on and did the same with the one in their bedroom as he crossed it to join his mate, who was already under the covers with his new tablet in his hands.

  “Hey, don’t forget you have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning,” Aleksander told him, climbing into bed.

  “Yeah, I know. I had to push back my daily meeting with my little guidebook team.”

  “That’s not their name.”

  Rafe set his device on the nightstand with a miffed expression for Aleksander. “I don’t like the name Renny gave it.”

  “What’s wrong with Team Rafe?”

  “There’s no reason for it to be named after me.”

  “It was your idea.”

  “Someone else would’ve come up with it if I hadn’t, and it’s for both D’Vaire sanctuaries, not me.”

  Aleksander stealthily slid his arms around Rafe. “I like to think everything has to do with you.”

  “Yes, Mortis,” Rafe yelled. “Mind your own damn business.”

  “Problem?” Aleksander asked with a chuckle.

  “Every fucking night he has to ask me if we’re humping. I mean, that word. I can’t with it.”

  Aleksander laughed harder at the exasperation on Rafe’s face—he personally thought Mortis was hilarious. “Are we going to hump, babe?”

  Rafe stroked Aleksander’s back and kissed his chin. “I thought it was a good idea.”

  Getting closer so Rafe could feel that Aleksander was already hard, he brushed their lips together. “Hmm…me too.”

  Rafe made just enough space between them to allow him to remove his pajamas, and Aleksander helped by running his hands over the smooth skin he revealed. Although Rafe was eating well, his ribs were still starkly outlined, but no matter what his weight happened to be, he’d always be beautiful to Aleksander. Once his clothing was tossed to the floor, Aleksander was rewarded by his man plastering their bodies together, and their mouths met.

  One thing Aleksander had quickly learned was that Rafe liked to kiss. It was fortunate that Aleksander was also fond of the activity, and if his dick wasn’t so persistent, he’d probably want to spend eternity simply exploring Rafe with their lips locked. Since they both eventually got to the point where they had to have more, Aleksander held off as long as possible to please them, focusing almost solely on Rafe’s favorite thing.

  His hands weren’t idle, however. The feel of Rafe was particularly wonderful, and he loved the way the long muscles first liquefied, then tensed as they obeyed the increasing heat in their veins. Aleksander liked to clutch Rafe’s pert ass, and he did just that as his mate let out his unique muttering of swear words in between flicks of his masterful tongue. Although his dick was aching, he refused to rub against Rafe.

  In the short time that they’d been intimate, he’d found that he preferred to make them extend their lovemaking instead of giving in to a quick release. It was exhilarating to be discovering his desires right alongside Rafe’s. Kneading the cheeks in his hands, Rafe let out a throaty growl when Aleksander’s fingertips brushed over his hole.

  “You liked that.”

  “Fuck, yes,” Rafe whispered.

  “Do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  “Reach into the drawer in the nightstand and grab the slick so I can touch you without hurting you.”

  Rafe nipped his bottom lip, and when their eyes met there was molten need in his blue gaze. “On one condition.”

  “I just thought since you liked it, I could play around,” Aleksander rushed out, afraid he’d crossed a line. They’d never discussed moving past frottage or hand jobs, and Aleksander wasn’t sure if Rafe wanted to bottom for him, but he fondly yearned for it.

  “I want more than playing around.”

  “Tell me what you want, babe.”

  “Fuck me.”

  Those words in the gritty voice of his mate made Aleksander’s belly flop in arousal, and he wondered if he had the staying power to survive, not embarrassing himself before the main event. “I want to. I really want to.”

  Rafe stretched so he could reach the nightstand and he snagged the lube, which he handed to Aleksander. “Then, do it.”

  Aleksander took his mouth in a searing kiss as he rolled them so Rafe was on his back. When his mate spread his legs and bent his knees, Aleksander wanted to thrust using only friction, as they’d done for several nights, but he had a greater prize waiting for him. In no rush, he continued to taste Rafe and groaned when he buried his hands in Aleksander’s hair. The heat they were stoking had Aleksander’s skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and Rafe’s was much the same.

  “I want to see you
,” Aleksander murmured against his lips. “Can I get rid of these blankets?”

  “Yeah, I don’t fucking care.”

  The words were breathless, and Aleksander got to his knees to toss the sheets to the foot of their bed. His cock jerked at the beauty of Rafe splayed out underneath him. Since he was still clutching the lube in one hand like it was going to be snatched any second, Aleksander flipped off the cap and poured some out to warm it. Once he threw the bottle aside, his mate ran his hands up Aleksander’s flanks.

  “I used to dream about this,” Rafe whispered, wriggling on the bedding. “I’d close my eyes and focus on what it would feel like to be fucked by you.”

  “Geez, Rafe, no pressure or anything.”

  “It’ll be good because it’s us.”

  “You do have a point. You ready, babe?”

  “Yeah, I really want to kiss you, though.”

  “Oh, I think we can make that happen,” Aleksander said, lying on Rafe’s side and taking his mouth. His mate slung one leg over Aleksander’s, giving him access to his center. Gently, Aleksander rubbed the puckered skin as Rafe started cursing. “Good, yeah?”

  Rafe’s response was to clutch Aleksander’s face and thrust his tongue in deep. If he could, Aleksander would chuckle at Rafe’s forceful reaction, but since he was otherwise occupied, he simply reveled in knowing he could make him feel so intensely. Buoyed by his success so far, Aleksander dared to push slightly, and he was delighted when his finger slipped inside. If Rafe’s muffled moan was anything to go by, his mate was pleased, so he kept moving it.

  Aleksander liked the feel of his soft channel and marveled at the heat of him. The thought of those sensations on his cock had him leaving a smear of wetness on Rafe’s hip. Taking his time, Aleksander knew Rafe was ready for more when he shifted impatiently, so he ended their kiss, which made his other half blink heavily at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  With his pupils dilated so there was no blue left—just thin slivers of silver and gold—and his cheeks flushed, Aleksander doubted he’d ever looked sexier. His lips were reddened and slightly open as he struggled to fill his lungs with air.

  “Nothing, I just wanted to see you.”

  “You stopped, though.”

  “You ready for two?”

  “Yes. Fucking yes.”

  Aleksander caught sight of Rafe’s dick. It was lying flush with his stomach and leaking over his skin as Aleksander buried two fingers in his ass. With his free hand, Aleksander massaged Rafe’s neck as he tilted his head to capture his mouth yet again. Although he had no practical experience, Aleksander had educated himself thoroughly on sex, and he wanted to make it as intense as possible. Aleksander crooked his fingers and found the soft bump inside Rafe with relative ease.

  Rafe pulled away and bit his lip as he pushed his ass toward Aleksander’s questing hand. Back arched, he clutched Aleksander’s arm, digging into his muscle with the force of his need. It wasn’t nearly enough to hurt and only added to Aleksander’s desire. Since Rafe’s face was turned away from him, Aleksander contented himself with tormenting his earlobe with nips and sucks.

  “For fuck’s sake, get three in there already, Sander.”

  “Anything you want,” Aleksander told him, carefully working the requested number into Rafe’s hole. There was more pressure on his digits, but Rafe was still moaning, cursing, and had taken to writhing on the mattress, though not enough to interfere with Aleksander’s careful strokes and massaging of his prostate.

  “Your dick’s so big,” Rafe panted out. “It’s going to feel so good. So fucking good.”

  Aleksander sure as hell hoped so and was glad Rafe liked his size. Unsure how big he actually was, as long as his mate was happy, he couldn’t give a shit less about the number of inches he took up on a ruler. Rafe’s nails bit into the flesh of his biceps as Aleksander sucked on his neck and bit gently. His fangs were already dropping, and he hoped to hell Rafe was okay with a dragon staking his claim, because there was no way Aleksander could fight his beast off. They’d both yearned for Rafe for too long, and the heat between them was simply too powerful to be ignored.

  “Sander, come on. Come the fuck on.”

  There were nerves as well as want in his belly as Aleksander pulled his fingers out of Rafe.

  “Kiss me,” Aleksander demanded. Rafe reacted immediately and wrapped himself around Aleksander as their mouths met in a clash that had their teeth clinking. Holding his man tight, Aleksander strained to find the calm necessary to allow their tongues to explore and entice with the ease of two people who’d dedicated many hours to knowing exactly what each other liked. Aleksander’s tension lessened, allowing him to pull away. Rafe smiled at him and smacked around on the mattress until he located the lube, which he handed to Aleksander.

  “I’d do it, but I hate letting go of your dick,” Rafe reasoned while Aleksander dumped some into his palm. Not bothering to wait for it to warm, he hissed a little as he coated his cock. The coolness was welcome against the hard flesh and once he was satisfied, Aleksander used the excess to make sure Rafe was slick too. “I honestly think I could come like that.”

  “Maybe with my mouth.”

  Rafe shut his eyes as he scooted his feet out farther, giving Aleksander plenty of room as he got between his knees. “Fuck, yes.”

  Aleksander glided his palms over the outside of Rafe’s thighs, smearing slick everywhere as his mate grasped his forearms. Rafe held on as Aleksander scooted forward until the tip of his cock kissed Rafe’s ass. Grabbing the base, Aleksander locked eyes with Rafe as he lined up to his hole and pushed gently. As the skin stretched around him, Aleksander watched himself slide into Rafe’s center. The way his body opened and welcomed him would forever be seared into Aleksander’s memory, and he thanked Fate for it.

  Taking his time, Aleksander searched for any sign of distress, but Rafe simply sighed and kept one hand locked around his arm while the other one was buried in the sheet. When he was finally fully seated inside him, Aleksander had barely exhaled in relief when Rafe reared up. In a lightning-fast move, his fingers dug into Aleksander’s biceps and he yanked him close to lock their lips together.

  Smiling against his mouth, Aleksander flexed his hips as he pulled out halfway, then slid home again. Balancing his weight on his elbows, Aleksander focused on both tormenting Rafe with his tongue and fucking him slow and deep. The exquisite heat and warmth surrounding his dick was even more intense than he’d imagined, but his sole concern was making sure Rafe enjoyed every second. When he finally had the wherewithal to think coherently enough to speak, he wanted to be sure he was pleasing Rafe.

  “Is that the right spot, babe?” Aleksander whispered.

  “Fuck…you’re so thick…I can fucking feel you everywhere.”

  Aleksander sucked his bottom lip as Rafe moaned. “Want me to play with your dick?”

  Rafe released his arm to grab a handful of Aleksander’s hair as he shook his head. Leaning their foreheads together, they moved their hips in a rhythm that suited them both. “I know you wanna bite me.”

  “Not yet. I’m not done fucking you.”

  With his fist still trapped in Aleksander’s locks, Rafe shifted and their kiss was openmouthed and raw with honest need. Aleksander’s eyes squeezed shut as he fought off his desire to empty his balls. His head was swimming with lust, and sex with Rafe was more powerful than even his vivid, detailed imaginary scenarios. When his fangs elongated, he had no choice but to leave the delicious conquering of Rafe’s lips.

  Instead he went back to nibbling and sucking on the skin of his neck as his cock ached inside Rafe’s channel, so desperate for release. There was a continuous trail of wetness as Rafe’s dick rubbed against the muscles of Aleksander’s belly, and it only ramped up his desire for his mate. Everywhere they touched was another glorious sensation in a body already overwhelmed, and Aleksander was reaching the end of his rope. There was an electric sensation dancing down his spine, and he gave in
to his beast.

  Licking up a spot, his fangs bit into Rafe’s skin, and Aleksander shuddered as his seed emptied into his other half. It was potent but no match for the beauty of their souls interlocking almost fully. Tears slipped from beneath Aleksander’s lashes when his beast reached out for his mate and found Rafe’s missing. The roar in his head had him aching, not only for his dragon but for the piece of Rafe that was torn from him.

  “I can’t feel it,” Rafe whispered brokenly. Aleksander pulled his teeth out and sealed the wound. Tenderly, he held Rafe with them still joined.

  “I’m so sorry,” he crooned to him, brushing the damp curls from his face.

  Rafe let out a shaky breath and though the expression in his eyes wasn’t purely jubilant, he smiled. “Don’t apologize. Did you feel it? I know you missed it in the hospital.”

  “I did, but my dragon’s sad.”

  “His mate’s gone.”

  “How’s mine feeling?”

  Flexing his thighs, Rafe caused ripples of pleasure to flow through Aleksander despite him being completely spent. “I hope you liked fucking me. That’s all I have to say.”

  Aleksander laughed and bussed his warm mouth. “It was great, wasn’t it?”

  “I knew you would be.”

  “You managed to make my imagination look pathetic.”

  Rafe traced his fingers around Aleksander’s lips and over his cheeks. “I love you, Sander.”

  “I love you too. And hey, we’re going to get that dragon of yours back.”

  “I want that. For both of us.”

  “Three of us. My dragon’s pretty upset but happy that we’re connected.”

  “Me too.”

  Aleksander kissed him, and unlike the previous thousand or so they’d shared that night, the caress was gentle. As precious as the treasure of Rafe himself was to Aleksander’s life and he vowed yet again to protect and care for him for eternity.