The Magic Thieves

by Serena Yates

  He took a deep breath.

  Damp earth, green leaves and the scent of blossoms mingled into a heady perfume almost as good as his favourite ocean aroma. The birdsong was even more beautiful out here in the fresh air. The cool breeze on his face helped him feel slightly better, and the sunshine lifted his spirits.

  He gripped the railing and closed his eyes, summoning the magic. A simple wind spell would do.

  Nothing.

  He tried again. The back of his neck was now tingling so insistently that it was becoming painful.

  Still nothing.

  "I was right, wasn't I?” Kaythan's voice came from right behind him.

  "Yes.” Elryk opened his eyes, helpless anger making him lash out and raise his voice. “My magic isn't working and, if the legends are to be believed, it won't return until we've mated. Your negative reaction earlier made it clear that isn't going to happen. So now who's going to stop the magic thieves and the Xoh'kas?"

  "Whoa, Elryk. What's wrong?” Kaythan raised his hands and took a step back. “I'm not your enemy here."

  "Sorry. But you're not exactly a friend, either.” Elryk breathed deeply, trying to find his centre. He hadn't been this unsettled in years.

  The sad thing was that whether or not Kaythan was a friend didn't really matter. The man's earlier reaction to a potential mating wasn't promising. And, unfortunately, it seemed that without a mating Elryk wasn't going to regain his magic. Not that it really mattered. If they didn't complete the mate bond, they'd both be insane within a few days and dead by the end of a week. Whether or not he had his magic was irrelevant.

  "Hold on. Why do you still think I'm not your friend?” Kaythan frowned. “First, I brought you here instead of handing you over to the Xoh'kas. Then I offered my help to fight the magic thieves so we can counterbalance the Ruling Assembly's activities. I want to help you return the Magic Council to full strength so they can kick out the Xoh'kas."

  "You're right, those are the actions of a friend.” Elryk sighed and walked back inside to sit on the bed. He was weak and confused. Maybe he was further down the road of insanity than he realised? “I just can't get myself to believe that a Law Forces Commander would give up all his privileges as a Xoh'kas favoured citizen to help a wanted criminal remove their power."

  "That's all you see me as, isn't it?” Kaythan's eyes flashed with anger.

  "It's really hard to see you as anything else.” He wanted to, even more so now that he knew Kaythan was his mate. “We've known each other for less than a day, though, so it's kind of difficult to look beyond your uniform and your actions of chasing me all the way to Earth, then arresting me to take me back."

  "I can take off the uniform?” Kaythan waggled his eyebrows.

  Where had that come from? Elryk suppressed a grin and shook his head.

  "Not helpful, huh?” Kaythan turned serious again. “As for the arrest, I really had no choice. How else was I supposed to find you and get you back to Tah'Nut without getting noticed and probably stopped by someone who really does believe the Xoh'kas to be the rightful rulers?"

  "You're right.” He had to give the man that much. “My brain can see that, but my gut and my heart are having a very hard time following that directive."

  "They may need some more time, which is fine.” Kaythan leant forward. “But that isn't all that's bothering you, is it?"

  "You're right, there's more.” Damn, the man was too perceptive. “Your reaction to us being mates made me feel as though you didn't want anything to do with me on a more personal level. And I can't bear the thought of forcing you, or anyone, into a relationship they don't want."

  "I'm sorry I reacted that way. It was mostly surprise that the mating legend is true. It wasn't really based on anything other than that.” Kaythan looked away for a moment.

  "There's more to it though, isn't there?” It was good to be the one asking the probing questions for once.

  "Yes, there is. “Kaythan nodded. “To be honest, I don't like the thought that I'm being drawn to you by some instinct, or whatever this mate bond is, rather than choice."

  "That's it, then.” He leant back, supporting himself with his hands. He didn't want to go insane, and he certainly didn't want to die, yet. But it looked as if the decision wasn't solely up to him.

  "No, there's more. It's hard for me to say this, but I need to be honest with you.” Kaythan's stormy blue eyes stared right into Elryk's soul. “I was attracted to you way before we touched inside the gateway and set this mating thing in motion."

  "Be-before?” Elryk's heart sped up. The back of his neck gave a painful twitch and his cock started pounding.

  "When you first appeared in my office on Earth.” Kaythan swallowed. “You made me so hard I thought my pants were going to burst."

  "It wasn't just me?” Elryk sagged with relief.

  Maybe it would all work out. If Kaythan was even the slightest bit willing, it changed everything.

  "No, it wasn't just you.” Kaythan sat down on the bed, their thighs almost touching. “Now that I know we're both attracted to each other anyway and are supposed to be mates—what's stopping us from doing something about it?"

  "You really want to go ahead with this?” Elryk couldn't bear the thought of starting only to be rebuffed again.

  Kaythan nodded.

  "You do realise that the bond is permanent once we set it in motion?” The back of his neck itched more intensely, but he was too fascinated by Kaythan's deep-blue eyes to be really irritated.

  "I know that.” Kaythan sighed. “It isn't that I don't know anything about mate bonds, I just didn't believe they were real. Now that I have had to accept their existence, I probably know as much as the next person. All we have to work with are the myths, but since they were right about the reality of the bond, they're probably right about the rest as well."

  "And you don't mind that we'll be permanently linked?” Personally, he couldn't wait.

  "No.” Kaythan shrugged. “Should I be? Is there some deep, dark secret in your past that you haven't told me about?"

  "Probably.” He grinned. “But I bet you have a few as well."

  "What's most important to me is that we seem to agree on the bigger issues of needing to get rid of the Xoh'kas and stopping the magic thieves from messing with the balance of the magical elements. Everything else pales by comparison.” Kaythan grinned. “So, what's stopping us?"

  What indeed?

  * * * *

  Kaythan stared into Elryk's eyes. The lust visible in their burning depths increased his desire. The tingling itch at the back of his neck was getting stronger. The ache in his balls wasn't a new sensation, except he'd never been this needy, or ready to come, from just a few touches. They hadn't even kissed yet! Why had he thought that bonding with Elryk was a bad idea? The man was everything he'd ever wanted in a lover on a physical level.

  He didn't know Elryk well enough yet to judge anything else. What he had found out was that Elryk was honourable, which was one of the most important traits any man could have, in his opinion. Elryk hadn't given in to the demands of the Xoh'kas to become the token leader of the Magic Council. Not even when they'd caught and probably tortured his lover. And when they'd killed the man he'd loved, Elryk had fled into exile rather than endanger innocent lives. If that wasn't proof of the man's principles, Kaythan didn't know what was.

  "So, how do we do this?” Kaythan lifted his hand and caressed Elryk's cheek. A spike of desire travelled from his fingertips straight to his balls. It made the ache between his legs flare up into pain. “Fuck!"

  "Yeah, that'll work.” Elryk grinned, but there was tension in the lines around his eyes and mouth.

  "Not-not what I meant.” Kaythan realised that touching Elryk made the pain that was proof of the mate bond attempting to form even worse. Hopefully more touches, or rather the right ones, would reduce the pain and eventually make it go away. But despite the discomfort, he couldn't let go of the warm cheek covered in light stubble that
rasped against the palm of his hand.

  He bent closer, bringing his lips to Elryk's other cheek, brushing the skin. Tah', but the scent of the man drove him crazy. Fresh like an ocean breeze yet musky and definitely male. He licked the slightly salty surface and the flavour burst into his mouth, travelling straight into his brain. Crap, that was something else. The man even tasted good.

  "Tah', you make me crazy.” Kaythan stayed close to his mate, breathing in his scent as deeply as possible. “I don't even know where to start."

  "I know what you mean.” Elryk's breath hitched and he turned his head, moving his burning lips along Kaythan's. “The problem is that the Xoh'kas destroyed most of the information about the bonding ritual. So I know as much as you do."

  "We'll just do what feels right.” Kaythan slid his other arm around Elryk's middle and bent towards his lips. Hot, supple and soft, touching them made him want more. He used his hand to turn Elryk's head so he'd have a better angle and licked his way inside the other man's mouth. The ache in his balls lessened a little when their tongues met, and the relief made him moan. The deeper the kiss went, the better Kaythan felt.

  "Skin.” Elryk pulled back, gasping, his dark eyes hooded and glazed with lust. “Please, I need to feel your skin on mine."

  Kaythan was beyond words. He let go of the other man's hand with an effort, and got up to tear his clothes off.

  Elryk sat immobile and stared at him with huge eyes as he revealed his body. Once he was naked, he started on Elryk's clothes, kissing and licking every bit of alabaster skin as it appeared. When he pulled down the man's pants and the hard, darkly flushed cock almost jumped at him, he nearly came on the spot.

  With a last glance at Elryk's blissful gaze, he slid one arm under a shoulder and the other one under the man's knees and bodily lifted his soon-to-be lover and mate into the centre of the bed.

  "What?” Elryk actually squealed.

  "Need to taste you.” Kaythan's voice was rough with need.

  He lay down next to Elryk, head towards his feet and licked his lover's wide cock from base to tip. Yes! The salty bitter flavour hit his taste buds and made him whimper. That was what he craved. He carefully lifted the engorged organ away from Elryk's flat stomach so he could start licking in earnest. He took the wide head into his mouth and slowly slid his lips down along the shaft, taking as much of the other man's cock as possible inside his mouth.

  Hot lips suddenly surrounded his own cock head and he moaned when Elryk reciprocated by taking him all the way down to the back of his throat. The man swallowed around his glans before letting him go and Kaythan felt his hips buck. Then they both started bobbing their heads, sucking and licking in a rhythm that drove Kaythan absolutely mad with lust. He slid his arms around Elryk's slim hips and held onto the muscular ass cheeks, encouraging the other man to fuck his mouth in earnest.

  Almost choking on the cock moving in and out of him, he felt his own balls tighten as Elryk sucked him with equal force. He wasn't going to last. With a scream that was muffled by the thick organ starting to pulse down his throat, he came in hot spurts of blessed relief. He drank down Elryk's seed, revelling in the soothing flavour as he emptied his balls with a new and exhilarating intensity he never wanted to go without ever again.

  He pulled back, trying to catch his breath.

  Elryk turned around—how did he find the energy—and crawled into his arms. Kaythan tightened his embrace and held on. For the first time in hours, he felt okay. The itch at the back of his neck and the pain between his legs were gone, and the beautiful man who lay trembling in his arms was now his.

  "Mhm, that was good.” Elryk nuzzled Kaythan's neck, turning his head up for a kiss.

  This one was slow and tender. The tingles that moved all the way from the top of his head right down into his balls and on to curl his toes were good ones. He entwined their legs and pulled Elryk as close to him as possible. Touching like this, chest to toes and everywhere between was what he wanted. This was where he belonged, with his mate.

  Long minutes later the other man pulled back and sighed.

  "I guess I should try and see if my magic works now.” Elryk lifted his head and focused on the curtains.

  Kaythan felt him tremble, then sag against him.

  "Nothing.” Elryk sounded dejected. “Maybe I've just lost it."

  "I don't think so. You are the most powerful lightning wizard born in many generations, aren't you?” Kaythan wanted to fix this for his mate.

  "That's not what the Ritual of Muyd'pol revealed when they tested me originally. I've never understood why, but my magical abilities only became really strong a lot later. I was actually re-tested in my twenties, which is very rare.” Elryk snuggled closer.

  "That means that something else is wrong.” Kaythan would bet the damned Xoh'kas had something to do with whatever was wrong. “And we're going to find out exactly what it is."

  "How?” Elryk's voice sounded tired.

  "I'm sure that Arith can help us figure it out. Being a seer has to be good for something, after all.” Kaythan pulled the blankets over them. “Once we've had a nap, we'll go and find out what he has to say."

  * * * *

  Waking up with another man in his arms was an interesting experience. Kaythan had never had the luxury before, preferring quick encounters and avoiding any kind of emotional attachment. He never really knew whom to trust, and he'd rather not give himself away by talking in his sleep. Now that he was mated, he could finally have the intimacy and closeness he'd always dreamt about.

  He tightened his embrace around Elryk, who mumbled something in his sleep. He didn't really want to wake the other man, but they did need to go and see Arith as soon as possible. This riddle around Elryk's issue with magic bugged him, and he wanted to know how to solve the problem.

  "Do you feel uncomfortable in any way?” Elryk sighed and turned around, his eyelids still heavy with sleep.

  "No.” He gave his body a quick mental check. “I don't think so."

  "Are you sure there isn't any itching or tingling at the back of your neck?” Elryk's lips twitched as the man did his best to look innocent.

  "Well, now that you mention it...” He grinned and bent down for a kiss.

  Elryk moaned when their lips touched. When Kaythan licked along his mouth to ask for entrance, his lover opened to him immediately. Their tongues met and caressed each other with long, tender strokes. Kaythan's cock hardened and he could feel Elryk's response pushing against his thigh.

  Elryk finally pulled back, panting for breath.

  "I just want to make sure we both remain in perfect health.” The man grinned, showing his even, white teeth. “The humans have a very useful saying about this. Prevention is better than cure."

  "Do they, now?” Kaythan grinned back. “I think I could grow to like them based on that saying alone."

  "Mhm.” Elryk dove in for another kiss.

  The heat between them ratcheted up more quickly than he'd thought possible. Pressing and rubbing their groins together until he'd found the perfect position, he continued to move with an urgency that was matched by Elryk's. He put his hand on the other man's ass cheeks to increase the pressure between them.

  It wasn't enough.

  With a groan he rolled them over so that Elryk was on his back. He was worried that he might be too heavy for the other man, but that lasted no longer than a few seconds. Elryk's legs parted and he took advantage by pushing even closer.

  "Yes!” Elryk bared his neck, tendons standing out, as he pushed his head back into the pillow. “Just like that."

  "Tah', you make me want.” He kissed up and down Elryk's throat, licking and sucking on the soft skin for good measure.

  It made the other man's hips buck up. Elryk slid his arms around Kaythan's middle and held on. When Elryk started whimpering with need, he almost lost it. He pushed down harder, craving more friction. His movements became frantic and less rhythmic than before. His balls were so tight, he thought the
skin might burst. Elryk brought his legs up around his waist, bringing their groins into closer contact. The slight pressure made him see stars and he grunted his release into Elryk's neck as he sprayed his seed between their bodies.

  Elryk's response was immediate and no less heated. With a scream, the other man started coming, jerking his hips up hard enough to release aftershocks in Kaythan that made his entire body shake with pleasure.

  "Shit, that was good.” Elryk grinned and slid his legs back down onto the bed, looking happy and sated.

  "Better than ever before.” Kaythan rolled them to their sides, making sure their legs remained entangled and their bodies were in the closest possible contact. Touching Elryk's skin was quickly becoming necessary, almost like breathing. “If this is what it's like to be mated, I think I'm becoming a major fan real fast."

  "I know.” Elryk sighed. “As important as all this is, though, I think we really do need to get cleaned up and go see your friend Arith. I have to find out what's going on with my magic, and as embarrassing as it is, I'll probably need his help with finding the Muyd'Othar."

  "We'll go see him. I'm sure he'll be able to help you recover your magic as well as help us find the Magic Shield.” He pressed one last kiss onto Elryk's lips. “We can take my undetectable glider, so it won't take much time."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Four

  * * * *

  Elryk wasn't sure that using a glider was such a good idea. It was a rather obvious way to travel. Kaythan had reassured him that it was undetectable, but the thought of the Xoh'kas catching them was too terrifying to take this lightly. What if they'd found a way to detect gliders that were supposed to be undetectable? He wouldn't put it past the Xoh'kas to mobilise absolutely everything in order to track him and Kaythan. They wouldn't tolerate the absence of a wanted criminal and a disserted Law Forces Commander for very long.

  "Come on, I'll show you.” Kaythan led him through the house and out into the backyard.