When Alden blushed really dark red, it was clear he knew exactly what it would do. As McBride explained, Gannon found himself turning red, but with anger and not shame.
“What’s wrong?”
“I want to open him up with my cock, not some device.”
“It’s a way to ensure Alden doesn’t have any pain.”
“Oh.” Gannon would rather die than cause Alden any harm. When he looked up, he caught Alden’s gaze.
“I want to feel you,” Alden said again.
“You will, but this—”
“Is unnecessary.” Alden sat up and gripped Gannon’s hand. “I trust you.”
Gannon squeezed his hand. He wasn’t sure how he would know that they would work, but in that moment he did. The fact that Alden trusted him enough to take him, on his own, without any accoutrements, meant the world to Gannon. There was no way he was going to let him down. It was a way for Alden to show trust and a way for Gannon to show he could be gentle. “I’ll be so tender.”
“I know.” Alden leaned forward, and they kissed softly.
“Well, I’m beginning to feel totally unnecessary again.” But McBride wasn’t angry. If anything, he looked happy. “And I know if you go very slowly, you can do what you want without causing any pain to your mate.”
Now that the moment had arrived, Gannon was nervous. He looked over to McBride. “I’m glad you’re here. I don’t know what to do. I mean I know in general terms but…” Gannon’s gaze returned to Alden. “I don’t want him to have a moment of worry or fear.”
“He won’t.” McBride settled on the edge of the bed next to Alden. “Relax.”
Gannon tried, but it was difficult when he felt so much pressure on his shoulders. He almost changed his mind, but when he looked up, he saw the trust in Alden’s eyes, and he was ready. With McBride’s prompting, Gannon lifted Alden’s legs up and back. Rather than struggle at being held down, Alden relaxed into the bed. To show his willingness, he lifted his hands above his head. His relaxed and enthusiastic posture gave Gannon the confidence to press his cock against Alden’s hole.
“Go in very slowly.”
Gannon nodded and eased his way inside. When Alden’s brow wrinkled up, he pulled back. After a moment, he tried again.
“That’s what you need to do. Slowly in, withdraw when he feels pain, then ease back to where you were before. Each time, you’ll go a little deeper. Each press within will open him up just a little more.”
It was a labor of love. But by taking his time and moving with all due caution and care, Gannon was wordlessly showing his mate that he could trust him. Their eye contact never strayed for long. Gannon was pleased that the only time Alden looked away was when the bliss he was feeling got too intense and he closed his eyes. Each time that happened, Gannon felt encouraged to keep going despite the fact that sweat was pouring down his chest from restraining himself.
Hot, tight, and gripping, Alden’s body simultaneously pulled him in but also tried to keep him out. It was so erotic and challenging that Gannon was panting by the time he finally filled Alden down to the very root of his prick. He closed his eyes, stunned that he was buried in his mate for the first of hopefully many times.
When he opened his eyes, he looked right into Alden’s. There were not enough words in the universe to describe the look on his mate’s face. He looked dazed and so happy that he was barely able to keep his eyes open. When he lifted his arms, Gannon lowered himself over him, careful not to press on him or make him feel confined.
“You are so unbelievably sweet, my loving mate.”
“Do you hurt at all?”
“Not a bit.” Alden cupped his chin and let out a sound that reminded Gannon of a purr. “I want to wrap myself around you.”
“Do. I want to feel you clinging to me.”
Once Alden embraced him with long legs and arms, Gannon nuzzled his neck. He didn’t have an overwhelming urge to bite him, but he found the blocking of the collar frustrating. Turning his head to ask McBride to remove Alden’s collar, he changed his mind when he found McBride was gently rubbing his canines with his tongue. Without asking, he knew that his master needed to feed.
“Take off his collar so I can feed from him and you can feed from me.” Gannon thought McBride was going to outright reject his offer, and he wouldn’t be offended if he did. But he wanted him to share in what he’d given. By bringing him Alden and embracing the challenges of helping him, McBride had proven himself to be a generous man who would always do right by the Morgan brothers. To pay him back even the smallest portion would make Gannon feel proud.
“Are you sure?” McBride licked his lips hungrily.
“I am.” Gannon looked at Alden, who nodded.
“We haven’t done the candles and all that.” McBride looked around the room as if verifying the items for the bloodbond ritual weren’t there.
“I don’t care about the ritual.”
“Neither do I. I’m ready now.” Alden kissed Gannon.
Gannon was surprised when McBride’s hands trembled ever so slightly when he removed Alden’s collar.
McBride kissed the spot above Alden’s carotid artery. “I freely give him to you.”
Gannon nodded.
“Lift him up and turn so that you are sitting on the bed.”
When Gannon stood, Alden’s eyes went wide. “Are you hurt?”
“No, just, the change in the angle of your cock in me. I wasn’t quite ready.”
Gently, Gannon settled on the edge of the bed. And though he didn’t say anything, Alden seemed to enjoy being on top again.
McBride knelt on the bed behind Gannon. “Gently tease his neck with your lips, teeth, and tongue. You want him to want to be bitten.”
It was easy to follow instructions when McBride was giving him a perfect demonstration of what he meant. While Gannon teased Alden into whimpering readiness, McBride did the same to Gannon. Each brush McBride made against the scar on Gannon’s neck caused him to hunger for his bite. Since McBride was working the right side of Gannon’s neck, Gannon was working the right side of Alden’s neck so they were all able to stay in sync.
Gannon had it easy because all he had to do was echo his master’s movements on his mate. What made the encounter far more erotic was the fact that both he and Alden were bare naked with Gannon’s cock buried deeply into Alden, and McBride was there, too, but he was fully dressed. Having him near, and having him a part of the moment and yet separate from it was what was truly special. For just this one and only time, Gannon felt a bond with his master that he would never know again.
At the peak of Gannon’s arousal, McBride pierced his neck and drew hard. Gannon echoed the movement on his mate, shuddering when Alden let loose a cry of pain mingled with pleasure. Gannon was almost going to pull away to check on him when Alden gripped his head and held him tightly to his neck. At the same time, he tightened his rectum around Gannon’s cock. The combined pleasure of his master and mate gave Gannon a spectacular climax. He cupped his hands to Alden’s hips, pulling him down as he thrust up. Alden came between their bellies and his grip on Gannon’s head tightened, making him draw harder against his neck.
McBride drew one last pull and let go, licking the wound closed.
Gannon followed suit, but he kissed Alden, loving the way he eagerly opened his mouth and swirled his tongue so he could taste himself in Gannon’s mouth. Lost in the kiss, Gannon hardly noticed that his master was gone, and he was left alone with his bloodbonded mate.
Chapter 9
Alden didn’t want to part from Gannon, but eventually they had to when his cock went totally soft. Once he withdrew, Alden wrapped his arms around him and clung fiercely to his mate. He had been terrified that it would hurt, that he wouldn’t enjoy sex or giving blood, but he found he adored both. He gushed out thank you half a dozen times and kissed his mate’s face until he finally landed on his lips.
He couldn’t hear Gannon laugh, but he felt his chest vibrating from
the sound. Moreover, Alden was also able to feel his joy. Gannon was happy, and that was exactly how Alden wanted him to be. His fear was gone. He knew he would still struggle with his emotions, but it wouldn’t be as crippling as it had been. A calm seemed to have come over him once they were bound by blood.
Alden had always dismissed the tales of the rather psychic nature of the bloodbond, but now he knew there was something there. He felt his mate. He knew Gannon far more intimately after they had shared a combination of blood and sex. Lust had certainly been a part of their mating, but that had been softened into something very close to love by the care Gannon had shown in claiming him.
Initially, the idea of not using the rectal dilator had been a bit frightening. Alden had horrific images of being ripped apart by an overzealous mate, but one look into Gannon’s eyes and he knew he would take his time and go slow. He had made the right choice.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy.” Gannon kissed him repeatedly then rested his forehead against Alden’s. “Are you happy?”
“I am.” Alden suddenly realized they’d forgotten all about McBride. He lifted his head and looked around the bedroom then back at Gannon.
“He left after he fed.”
“Was he happy?”
“I think so.” Gannon reached up and touched the spot on his neck where their master had fed from. “He usually doesn’t drink that much unless he’s enjoying the taste.”
“Do you think the fact that you were drawing from me helped to sweeten your blood?”
“I do.”
“What did you think of your first blood?”
“You were so delicious.” Gannon stroked his finger tenderly over the fresh scar on Alden’s neck. “Does it hurt terribly?”
“No. It’s sore, but not drastically so. I feel amazingly good.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Alden wanted to make sure Gannon understood just how happy he was. “I trusted you completely, and you didn’t let me down.”
Gannon blushed at bit at his praise. “I was so afraid of hurting you. I think it took me far longer than it should have.”
“I’m glad you took your time. Better slow than too fast and then both of us being unhappy.”
Gannon grinned and then stood, keeping Alden in his powerful arms. “Are you hungry?”
“I am.”
“I say we should shower, eat, and then get right to bed.”
“Turning over a new leaf, are you?” Alden was pretty sure that Gannon spent most nights playing games in the big living room chair until he had to go to bed by necessity.
“I’m a mated man now, so I have to take my responsibilities seriously.” Gannon carried him into the bathroom and set him on his feet. He fiddled with the shower, stepped in, and then pulled Alden in with him.
They played in the shower as they cleaned up, but they didn’t linger too long, not when Gannon’s tummy was rumbling so strongly that Alden was able to feel the vibrations when they were pressed together.
In the kitchen, Gannon programmed the cookbot while they played footsie under the table. When the meal was ready, they ate, brushed their teeth, and then returned to bed.
“Do you want the light on?”
“No.” Alden was certain that he would be okay. “I feel safe.”
Gannon couldn’t look happier. He reached out, flipped the light off, and they snuggled together under the sheets. Alden thought that he was too excited to actually fall asleep, but the next thing he knew was waking up to sunlight streaming in through the window. He realized he was alone and exited the bed with some trepidation. Curious if Gannon was in a bad mood again this morning, Alden padded his way first to the bathroom and then to the kitchen.
“Good morning.” Gannon pulled a chair out for Alden.
“Good morning.” Alden settled at the table, and within a few minutes he had a plate with eggs, meat, and fruit arranged artfully.
Gannon sat across from him, and they ate in silence. Gannon looked sleepy but happy, and Alden was relieved that they wouldn’t have a repeat of yesterday. Once their meal was done, Gannon dressed for work.
“McBride said he wanted you to work, too. Are you ready?”
“There wasn’t a suit in the things he dropped off yesterday.”
“You won’t need it. Today, we’ll be planting tallos. All you need is a sturdy pair of trousers, good shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt.”
“Why the shirt?”
“To protect your silky, pale skin.” Gannon stroked his fingers over Alden’s shoulders right up to his neck. When he hit the fresh scar, Alden shivered so hard he almost shook himself out of the kitchen chair. He had no idea that he would be so incredibly sensitive.
“Do you like that?”
Alden was unable to speak and barely able to nod, but he managed.
“Are you sure you’re up for working today?” Gannon settled in the chair nearest to Alden.
“I’m fine.”
“I just want to make sure. It was your first feeding.”
“I liked it.”
“Me, too.”
Before they could fall to kissing again, they moved back to the bedroom and went to the closet. Gannon tapped his shoulder. “Wow. It’s amazing.”
“You’re welcome.” Alden had organized all of Gannon’s clothing so that if he was late in the morning, he would be able to find what he needed in a snap. “And you no longer have to sniff things to know if they’re clean. Every few days, I’ll take the clothing from the bathroom, wash it, and hang it up in here.”
“You will? No, no. We will do that. Since you’ll be working in the field right along with me, it wouldn’t be fair for you to do all the house stuff.”
“Okay, we’ll trade off. One does the laundry and the other cleans the bathroom.”
“I like that. And together we can do the bedroom and the living room.”
“They shouldn’t get too bad.”
“We can have sex after,” Gannon suggested.
“Now that’s the way to motivate us!”
“Let me help you dress.” Gannon selected a thick pair of pants, but he couldn’t find a shirt that he liked from what McBride had brought over so he selected one of his own. “Is it weird to wear clothes for the first time?”
“A little.” Alden pulled the pants on, and it took several minutes for him to get used to the feel of them. “I’m afraid they will chafe.”
“If they do, I’ll slather you in lotion each night.”
Grinning, Alden allowed his mate to help him slip on his shirt. The sleeves were so long they almost hung down to his knees.
“Trust me. I’m going to make this work.” Gannon rolled up the sleeves so they hit at Alden’s wrists. Then, he gathered the shirttails together and tied them around Alden’s waist. Grasping his shoulders, Gannon turned him so he could see himself in the mirror over the dresser. “You look so gorgeous I want to strip all this back off you, toss you on the bed, and kiss my way all over your body.”
Alden met his gaze in the mirror. “Is that so?”
“I won’t, but I’d really like to.”
“You make me feel so confident.”
“You should be. You’re wonderful.”
“Will your brothers like me?”
“Oh yeah. They’ll be drooling all over you.” Gannon kissed the scar. “But only I can have you.”
“Good.”
“Did McBride put some shoes in there?”
There was a pair that fit okay for now, but Alden needed sturdy boots. Still, they were going with what they had because Alden wanted to be a part of things. Fitting in and finding himself useful was important to him.
After dropping a hat on his head, they left the house and went out to the field. Unused to the physicality of the work, Alden found it difficult to keep up with the others. He noticed that the other thrall, Ferris, was having the same problem he was. Somehow, knowing he wasn’t alone actually made him less self-conscious.
&nb
sp; “Remember that I’ve been doing this since Jonas brought us here, and while we were in prison we worked on public roads and stuff.” Gannon offered out a flask of water that Alden greedily drank from. “You’re doing fine. Really.”
“Thank you.”
Alden met the other brothers, and they all seemed nice enough but for the one they called Caleb. Rather than working with the group, Caleb was fixing a fence quite a distance away, but his gaze kept returning to them. Alden wasn’t sure what it was about the eldest and biggest of the Morgan brothers that disturbed him, but he found himself glad Caleb wasn’t too close. There was something of an animal about him. Something base and predatory.
A tap on the shoulder turned Alden’s head toward Ferris. “Don’t worry about Caleb. He’s been behaving since McBride told him if he didn’t he wouldn’t get a mate of his own.”
“That’s good to know.” The information helped to lower Alden’s concern about him. He still found it strange how Caleb kept his distance from the group, but maybe that was the only way he was able to behave. Or maybe being close to what he so desperately wanted was simply too difficult for him to handle. To find a thrall who could take that man was going to be a daunting task.
As the day wore on, Alden became more adept at planting the tiny seeds. The precision they had to work under was exacting, but he didn’t mind. This was far better than being in the thrall house all day trying to find a way to thwart the bullies. Unlike the others, Alden didn’t spend his time talking, mainly because it was impossible for him to focus on his planting and someone’s mouth at the same time, but he found he enjoyed the respite. He was able to keep to himself, plant the tiny golden seeds, and think of all the strange things he’d always wondered about but had no time to think deeply on.
One of the very first things he considered was his new and interesting master. McBride had been upset yesterday, but not unduly so, and he seemed determined to help his slammers acclimate in whatever way he could. This impressed Alden because most landed gentrymen wouldn’t care what their slammers felt. He’d seen how they behaved when he and the other thralls had gone out. They wouldn’t bother to take the time to ensure they were able to mesh happily with their thralls if they were so lucky to have them. But McBride took a very different tack.
Gannon Morgan [Seven Brothers for McBride 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 8
