Fire's Embrace [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 6] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove)

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  Phoenix gulped down every drop of his seed, releasing greedy little noises of pleasure. Their bond echoed with his bliss as he followed Rachen over the edge. Just the knowledge that his orgasm had made his mate come short-circuited what little reason Rachen might have hoped to maintain.

  And then, Phoenix pulled away, licking his lips as if sampling the last of a very delicious treat. “Sorry,” he said with a grin. “I should have let you sleep, but I simply couldn’t resist.”

  He didn’t look very sorry, and Rachen couldn’t say he regretted it either. In fact, the only thing he felt sorry about was that they were even talking. “Come here,” he said. His voice came out raspy and low, so much so that he almost didn’t recognize it, but Phoenix didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he shuddered as renewed arousal coursed through him. He crawled onto Rachen again, the crease of his ass hovering over Rachen’s still-hard cock.

  Their lips met, and Rachen tasted himself and Phoenix in the kiss. Phoenix’s scent engulfed him, so powerful, so potent, the same one that he’d had before, with a little extra something. It was an odd combination of hibiscus, cinnamon, ash, and sex, something Rachen could only describe as Phoenix’s sensual, passionate essence.

  Rachen allowed his hands to roam all over his mate’s sweet body. Phoenix’s flesh felt like hot silk under his finger tips, and oh, Rachen wanted more. He needed to bury himself in Phoenix’s velvet depths. He hadn’t intended to make love to Phoenix when he’d joined his mate in bed. At least, that was what he had told himself. However, he should have known that, no matter how hard he tried, he could never resist his lover. Phoenix was just so impossibly beautiful, calling out not only to Rachen’s body, but also his soul and mind.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” Phoenix whispered as they broke the kiss. He licked over the shell of Rachen’s ear, and it was Rachen’s turn to shudder in delight. “Mmm…I love the way you taste.”

  “Oh fuck, baby.” Rachen cupped his mate’s ass cheeks, kneading softly. “What you do to me…I need you.”

  “I’m yours,” Phoenix replied simply, “always yours.”

  Rachen had no idea what he’d done to gain such a beautiful prize but he wasn’t about to question it. He reached for Phoenix’s opening, and much to his surprise, found it already slick. He hadn’t seen Phoenix lube himself up, but then again, perhaps he’d done it when Rachen had still been dozing off.

  The thought of his mate with his fingers up his own ass made Rachen groan in lust. Fortunately, Phoenix was right there with him and had the cure for what ailed Rachen. Finding support on Rachen’s shoulders, Phoenix positioned himself over Rachen’s prick and pushed down.

  As his dick pierced the first ring of guardian muscle, Rachen brought his hands to Phoenix’s hips, steadying his mate and tempering the pace. If Phoenix didn’t take it easy, Rachen would lose control and possibly hurt his mate. He might also come too soon, and this would be over before it even began. But Phoenix was nothing if not determined. He licked his lips once more and, through their bond, said, “I have faith in your stamina. You can fuck me over…and over…and over again.”

  At Phoenix’s words, Rachen’s dragon roared out of him. His instincts flared to life, and he stopped trying to fight the inevitable. With a grunt, he rolled them both around, changing their positions to bring Phoenix under him. In the process, his cock left Phoenix’s body, which was unfortunate. However, Rachen quickly corrected this unbearable slight and buried himself into Phoenix’s channel in one single hard thrust.

  Just like that, Phoenix’s coy demeanor cracked. He cried out, no longer the seducer, just a man and a mate in the throes of lust. His muscles clenched and spasmed around Rachen’s dick, and Rachen gritted his teeth, stilling inside his lover. He was reminded now that, no matter how good Phoenix had been at sucking his cock, he was still new at this. And Phoenix had suffered far too much in his life already. Rachen ached to protect him, to shower him with only comfort, love, and attention and make both of their paths melt away in his phoenix’s fire.

  Just as Rachen thought this, Phoenix’s sharp talons buried themselves in Rachen’s shoulders, and the bite of pain added another layer of sensation that made his vision go red around the edges. “Take me,” Phoenix begged through their bond. “Claim me. Rachen…”

  Phoenix could obviously no longer muster the coherence to speak out loud, and neither could Rachen. Then again, that was completely all right. They could speak through their bond and, most of all, through their bodies. Rachen pulled out of his mate and thrust back inside, aiming for his lover’s prostate. Shocks of pleasure exploded through him as he hit his target. Phoenix wrapped his legs around Rachen’s waist and clung to him, his face flushed, his eyes glowing with his own inner light. He was so beautiful that Rachen might have truly thought this whole thing was nothing but a fantasy, if he hadn’t known that nothing his mind could conjure would compare to this reality.

  They fell into a rhythm as natural to them as breathing, a dance of passion which Rachen led, but Phoenix eagerly followed. Phoenix surrendered to Rachen’s domination, but pushed back, taking everything Rachen offered and demanding more. Every inch of Rachen was alight with the blaze of passion. Sexual energy buzzed all over him, and he plunged faster and harder inside Phoenix, unable to get enough of his beautiful mate.

  The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room, combining with their grunts and cries in a carnal symphony. The bed hit the wall with protesting creaks, but at this point, Rachen didn’t care. Nothing could be more important than his mate and the way their bodies were coming together, united in the most intimate way two men could possibly be.

  With every thrust inside Phoenix’s tight ass, Rachen felt the pleasure soar higher and higher. Whenever he struck Phoenix’s prostate, he fed the flame of their shared desire. He was hypnotized by the light in Phoenix’s eyes, completely lost in the miracle that was his mate.

  All too soon, Rachen felt his orgasm gathering in his balls. He bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to let go of the moment just yet, needing to hold onto the perfection of their union for a while longer. But both of them were on the edge, and Rachen’s endurance faltered when Phoenix tilted his head, offering his throat to him.

  Rachen knew what that meant, just like he knew he couldn’t possibly resist the offer. He buried his dick one last time within Phoenix’s clenching channel, and his fangs into his mate’s neck. As sweet blood invaded his mouth, Rachen came in a climax that short-circuited the synapses of his brain. He felt the orgasm in every atom of his body, as if each cell was rocked by chain explosions of bliss. Phoenix’s fire embraced him, licking over his flesh, making him feel more alive than ever. Rachen felt like he could have flown all the way into the sun and come back carrying one of its rays as a gift for his mate. And then, his mind connected with Phoenix’s, and all of his mate’s emotions flooded him. In that moment, Rachen knew that nothing, not even the sun itself could compare to Phoenix. The love Phoenix shared with him glowed hotter and brighter than any power known to man. It fed Rachen’s magic, touching Rachen’s dragon at a level he’d never thought possible. At the same time, it managed to be refreshing, soothing every wound in Rachen’s heart. He was like a cleansing river, but one made out of pure lava. Rachen was fortunate enough to be able to bathe in it and come out a new man.

  When he finally released his hold on Phoenix’s throat and licked the wound, he met Phoenix’s gaze again. The flame within his mate was finally settling down into a more sedate one. Rachen slipped out of his lover. Unable to control himself, he whispered, “Overlords, I love you.”

  Humans generally frowned upon uttering words of love during or shortly after sex. They claimed that desire could overtake true feelings and that confessions of adoration should be saved for moments of clarity. For Rachen, that didn’t really matter. He was a fire dragon, and his mate a fire bird. Both of them were passionate creatures, and that would never really change. In the end, their desire went hand in hand with their true
bond and the genuine affection they shared.

  Phoenix obviously knew and felt that, too, because he smiled brightly. “I love you, too,” he whispered.

  Rachen collapsed at his mate’s side and cuddled his lover to his chest. For a little while, they just held onto each other. Rachen just wanted to lay there and hold his mate forever, but what eventually changed his mind was the cooling cum on both their bodies.

  With a regretful sigh, he pulled away from Phoenix and kissed his mate’s cheek. “I’ll be right back,” he said.

  Phoenix held onto his arm, keeping him from abandoning the bed. He met Rachen’s gaze, now looking a little shy. “I have a confession to make,” he whispered. “I have no idea where that came from. I don’t think I know how to seduce people.” His pink tongue peeked out again as he licked his lips. Was that something Phoenix would do often? If so, Rachen couldn’t be held accountable for his own actions. His mate’s smile turned a little wider, with a wicked edge. “But I can’t wait to do it again.”

  Rachen didn’t wait for any further invitation. He just pounced on his lover again. Just like that, the rest of the world ceased to matter and they lost themselves in their passion, forgetting about everything else.

  * * * *

  Caelyn and Graham walked through the corridors of the palace, actively avoiding the one place they wanted to be. Caelyn really wished he could go to Sari and help him through this difficult time, to support his friend when Sari most needed it. Now that he had his answer on what exactly Rachen’s mate was, he was perhaps even more unsettled than before.

  It wasn’t that he disliked Phoenix. On the contrary, his heart told him that Phoenix truly loved Rachen and that he meant well. In the end, that was what mattered. What made him apprehensive was the fact that he didn’t know whether or not Phoenix would manage to heal Eanera and what it would mean if he didn’t.

  “Do you truly not know?” Graham asked him. “You’re the one who first saw and sensed Phoenix’s power. The rest of us couldn’t look past the illusion to be able to tell.”

  “The illusion is gone now,” Caelyn pointed out. Sighing, he held onto Graham’s hand, finding comfort in the werewolf’s strength. “I suppose that, to a certain extent, I can tell that he has the ability to do what he said. But there are so many things that can go wrong, and not only on his side.”

  “The Tersain are right in worrying,” Graham pointed out. “Creatures with so much power often end up abusing it.”

  “Yes, but is it fair for them to be wary of Phoenix, when, by rights, they are perhaps just as dangerous? Is it fair to expect the paranormal world to trust them if they aren’t willing to give Phoenix the benefit of the doubt? Then again, am I even correct to make a comparison between the two situations?”

  “This is far more personal that the politics involved in changing the Directive,” Graham replied, echoing Caelyn’s dilemma. “But in the end, angel, it’s not truly our decision to make. As much as we’d like to help, there’s only so much that we can do.”

  “I suppose.” Caelyn sighed. “I just have trouble accepting the fact that I’m helpless.”

  Oddly enough, his words almost seemed to connect to an idea someone else had had. While Caelyn and Graham had planned to go to their quarters, at the last moment, they ran into James and Carol Connors.

  “Oh, hello, Lini,” Carol greeted him with a smile. “We were actually just trying to find you.”

  When he’d found out about the Connors’ unexpected involvement in the paranormal world, Caelyn had been more than a little surprised. After he’d gotten over the shock, he’d started to wonder to what extent they’d always been aware of his and Graham’s nature. And after that, he’d kept asking himself how they would react when they unavoidably ran into each other.

  As it turned out, he needn’t have worried. The Connors had indeed been informed about his nature, and they’d actually missed him and Graham a great deal. Ever since they’d all met up here in Draechenburg, Caelyn actively tried to spend as much time with them as possible.

  Therefore, the fact that the benandanti had sought him out wasn’t surprising in the slightest. However, there was something about James’s expression that bothered him. “What is it?” he inquired, unable to keep the anxiousness from his voice.

  “After we tried to take that test from Prince Rachen’s mate, we figured something suspicious was going on,” James said. “Therefore, we put out some feelers to figure out what’s going on.”

  “As you know, my father decided not to join us in Draechenburg for the purpose of further research in the United States,” Carol explained. “He contacted us and told us that he dug up a legend according to which there used to be a creature called the phoenix that nearly destroyed the paranormal world. We didn’t think it was relevant at first, but today…Well, you know as well as I do what happened.”

  Caelyn wished he could have kept the entire thing a secret from them for a while longer. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, but he felt that Phoenix needed a little more time to get accustomed to life in Draechenburg and have other people grow used to him.

  Sadly, Carol and James would see right through him if he attempted to lie. Caelyn might have been a sprite, but sometimes, when it came to friends and family, he was horrible at deception.

  “They’ll find out anyway.” Graham soothed him through their bond. “It’s not like Phoenix was discreet when he flew out of the palace.”

  Still put out, but acknowledging the impossibility of secrecy, Caelyn nodded. “It’s true that the Alwyn you met is actually Phoenix. We spoke to him just now, and he went to see High Priestess Eanera Myrthylar.”

  James’s eyes widened. “But don’t the draechen know how dangerous this thing is?”

  “He’s not a thing,” Caelyn snapped, his tone more biting than he himself had expected. “He’s a person, one who lived in slavery for a long time. He’s also Prince Rachen’s mate, and therefore, family for the Tersain.”

  The two benandanti still didn’t look convinced. “I’m not sure about this, Lini,” Carol said. “I mean, there are some things that are beyond everyone’s control, including that of Prince Rachen’s.”

  “Well, it’s not like we have any other solution,” Graham pointed out. “His abilities are way beyond ours, or at least mine.”

  “That’s true, of course,” James replied quickly. Too quickly? Caelyn couldn’t really tell, and it bothered him. “I admit that I’m not comfortable with the idea of just resigning myself to the inevitable, but I suppose we need to trust the Tersain know what they’re doing.”

  In the past, the benandanti hadn’t been inclined to believe in the draechen’s good will, at least not until they’d been forced to do so when they’d had to face a threat greater than them all. Caelyn wondered if the Connors family had learned a lesson out of it, or if there was something else on their minds.

  “In any case,” Carol said, “we’ll leave the two of you to your privacy now. I’m sure this entire day had been tremendously stressful, and you’d like to rest.”

  “Thank you, Carol,” Caelyn answered. “And, you, take a break from research. Sometimes, you need time for yourself.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” his friend replied. “At this rate, we’ll be jumping at shadows and seeing all sorts of strange creatures all over the place in no time. Oh, wait, we already are.”

  They all laughed, since Carol’s tone was teasing and not as serious as it had been earlier. For Caelyn’s part, he was relieved that his friend was the same woman he’d met back when he’d been traveling through the United States with Graham.

  On impulse, he kissed her cheek, then hugged her. His swollen abdomen made it a little awkward, but it also made her chuckle in delight. “I still can’t believe you’re going to have a baby. Even knowing that it’s more than possible, it’s amazing to see it.”

  Caelyn immediately perked up at her words. Lately, his favorite topic of conversation was his son. “It’s even more am
azing to feel it,” he replied as he broke away.

  “Speaking of which, you need to sit down,” Graham reminded him. “I don’t want you standing too long.”

  Caelyn rolled his eyes. He was used to Graham’s hovering, so he didn’t even argue against it. If he wanted to be perfectly honest, his legs were beginning to hurt anyway. He’d probably been walking for too long, and that simply didn’t work out too well in his condition.

  Obviously sensing Caelyn’s slight discomfort, Graham took him in his arms and started to carry him toward their quarters. “You’ll see Eanera a different time,” he said. “I don’t want to take any chances with you and the baby.”

  Graham’s arms felt so warm and comforting around him that Caelyn didn’t even bother to protest the caveman treatment. Instead, he just relaxed, more than happy to be off his feet.

  “Come on,” he called out to Carol. “I have to show you how he kicks.”

  Both Carol and James followed them, dropping the Phoenix issue. But even as he chatted with his friends, Caelyn knew this wasn’t over yet, not by far. This was only just beginning.

  Chapter Twelve

  A few weeks later

  Eanera’s quarters looked strikingly empty without her things, toiletries, and books. Sari released a heavy sigh as he sat down on the bed. His mother sat next to him, pulling him into her embrace.

  Today, she was leaving for Rose Noire. Her bags had already been carried out to the plane that would fly her to France. Before her departure, she had insisted on talking to him alone, one more time.

  Sari hugged his mother tightly, mixed emotions coursing through him. On one side, he was happy that his mother was well enough to return to Rose Noire. On the other, he’d been so close to losing her that now, he was reluctant to let her go.