Inherent Cost

by Alicia Cameron

  Wren wasted no time taking a fistful of Jere’s hair and jerking him down hard on his cock, shivering with pleasure as he felt Jere struggle to accommodate him deep in his throat. He forced himself to wait a few moments before pulling Jere up, glancing into his eyes and seeing the agreement and happiness there before shoving him down again.

  “Are you getting all the cock you want, now?” Wren asked, holding Jere’s head down as he thrust his hips over and over again.

  “Never enough,” Jere replied through the mind connection. “Faster. Until I can’t keep up.”

  As always, Wren was careful with Jere, fully aware that his speed gift could give Jere whiplash, not to mention choke him. He knew how much Jere loved to have that control ripped away from him, and he meant to make it happen, working Jere’s head up and down until he could no longer detect the careful, artful blowjob skills that Jere had perfected. He smiled as he felt Jere’s throat relax, focused only on accommodating his cock. A muffled moan told him how turned on Jere was, and the vibrations seemed to echo around Wren’s cock.

  Jere’s fingers were busy working Wren’s ass, gently touching and stretching him with the aid of spit and pre-come. Wren kept his lower body still, letting Jere work his magic, but kept pulling Jere’s head up and down on his cock until he was seconds away from coming. He stopped, holding Jere back at the tip until Jere made a little pouty noise of complaint.

  Wren smiled, using Jere’s hair as a handle to move him over to the other side of the bed and positioning him on his back. Jere happily complied, leaning back against the pillows and shivering when Wren moved on top of him.

  “You don’t get to do all the exploring,” Wren decided, grabbing Jere’s arms and pinning them above his head forcefully as he kissed him, feeling Jere’s cock hard against his leg.

  Wren kissed Jere until he decided they were finished, moving rapidly down to Jere’s cock, succeeding in taking Jere enough by surprise that he gasped as Wren took his cock into his mouth in one swift motion.

  “Guess you liked that,” Wren pointed out a few moments later when he came up for a breath, watching as Jere twisted and grabbed at the sheets in a desperate attempt to stay still and avoid thrusting up to meet Wren. Jere was always considerate of the fact that Wren wasn’t comfortable with having his throat fucked so vigorously.

  “Let’s see what else you like,” Wren said, playfully exploring Jere’s body. “After all, you’re here for my pleasure.”

  He touched Jere all over, as if he wasn’t completely aware of the areas that Jere liked best, and he heated up different spots with his hands, making Jere shudder even more. He worked a finger inside of Jere, warming it until Jere whimpered and opened his eyes, looking a little nervous, but very excited.

  “Did you know I had a firesetting gift?” Wren smiled a dangerous smile. Sometimes he did enjoy hurting Jere, just a little. “From the looks of it, you like a little burn.”

  He kept flitting around Jere’s body, kissing here, biting there, almost burning in other places. By the time he was satisfied, Jere was jumping and gasping with every touch, uncertain whether it was going to be sensual or burning hot, a light caress or a stinging scratch. Red patches covered Jere’s skin, and Wren felt the heat growing between them as Jere gasped in pleasure.

  Wren pulled Jere into the position he wanted him, leaned back against the headboard, his hips angled in the exact right direction, his cock hard and ready. Wren straddled him, spreading his legs around Jere and easing down, brushing his ass against Jere’s cock.

  “Hmm, would this be something you’d like?” Wren asked, feigning innocence. “Would you like to fuck me? After all, we just met. I don’t know if you’ve earned it, yet.”

  Jere moaned, reaching up to grab Wren’s hips. Wren was a little surprised by the move, but Jere just held him and let his hands trail along Wren’s skin.

  “I would love to fuck you,” Jere said, his voice coming out just barely above a whisper. “My sexy man. Take your pleasure on me. Show me how you want me to move, how you can sway your hips and work my cock for your pleasure. You can do it on a dance floor... do it on me?”

  Wren smiled, easing himself down the slightest bit, feeling the tip of Jere’s cock right where it should be. He used his own hand to line it up as he slid down even further, breathing slowly as he felt Jere slipping into him, filling him, and he gasped as he seated himself all the way, feeling the familiar warmth of his lover inside of him. He made a little moaning sound, staying there, feeling his muscles clench and tighten and adjust.

  Jere was patient, waiting obediently below him, his hands stroking their way up and down Wren’s sides, traversing forward to stroke at Wren’s cock every once in a while. “I love you so much,” he said, his words somehow coming in time with the gentle pass of his fingers over Wren’s skin. It was Wren’s turn to shudder, the sweet words going deeper than anything else had.

  He started to move, sliding up a few inches, then back down, adjusting and taking it slow. It was hard, sometimes; he did so many things so quickly. For too many years, he had been forced to take this quickly, but Jere was patient, smiling up at him like he was the only man in the world, which maybe he was for Jere. He knew Jere was the only one for him, the only one that he ever wanted to love or fuck or do anything at all with. He started to move a little faster, feeling the slight burn go from uncomfortable to pleasant, and then from pleasant to something even better. He leaned forward a little, pinning Jere to the bed beneath him, and he cried out, pressing himself down hard on Jere’s cock.

  Jere responded in kind, letting out a sound of pleasure as Wren sped up. He reached up to take Wren’s cock in his hand, curling his fingers around it so that every time Wren slid up and down on Jere’s cock, Wren’s cock was sliding in and out of Jere’s fist.

  With his other hand, Jere reached up, lightly stroking the side of Wren’s face, running his fingers through Wren’s hair. Wren loved feeling Jere’s fingers in his hair as much as Jere loved having his hair pulled, and he twisted his head, desperate for more contact. As he did, he worked himself up and down, faster and faster, feeling Jere’s body rocking underneath of him. He leaned forward, trapping Jere’s hand and his own cock between them, and pressed his lips to Jere’s, allowing the heat to build. Jere’s mouth felt cold at first by comparison, but in seconds, Wren had warmed it with his tongue, plunging it in deep and matching it with the way they thrust together.

  He felt himself coming far too soon; no matter how long they had been fucking, Wren never wanted it to end. Jere had worked him up so much with his mouth, and the friction between their bodies combined with the heat Wren was generating. Wren couldn’t hold back any longer. He came quickly, making a high moaning noise as he felt himself come across Jere’s stomach. He shuddered with the after-effects.

  Jere lasted just a few seconds longer. Wren smiled as he realized his own cock had barely started to soften before Jere came as well. Jere clutched lightly at the back of Wren’s head and pulled him down for another kiss as he came.

  They lay there for a few moments, kissing languidly and shivering with every touch. Wren felt Jere pull out, and he was left with the slight feeling of emptiness. Sometimes, he wanted nothing more than to feel Jere fuck him for countless hours, no matter how uncomfortable it would feel in reality. The fantasy was still worth appreciating.

  “I’m glad I get to come home to you every night,” Jere declared, giving Wren one last, lingering kiss before gently pushing him off. Jere went and fetched some towels to clean up with, and then they cuddled in next to each other, the warmth still radiating between them, far better than anything Wren could generate on his own. “You’re sure it doesn’t bother you? I always feel like I’m betraying you when I leave for so long.”

  “You always come home,” Wren reminded him. He never wanted anything to change about that. For so many years, Wren had resented being touched, but now, the thought of spending a night without Jere made him sad and nervous. No matter who Jere
mingled with outside, he was home now. Just being with him was enough for Wren. “Someone has to go out and pretend to be a part of this community, right?”

  Jere smiled back, a look of relief evident on his face. Wren couldn’t hold their respective roles against them.

  “Oh, by the way, you got some mail while you were out,” Wren remembered, speeding through the house to retrieve the letter that simply had the word “URGENT” stamped on the front. Wren watched as Jere tore into the envelope carelessly, tugging out the single piece of paper. Over his shoulder, Wren saw the words “Slave Control, Regulation, and Enforcement Agency.” Receiving mail from them was like receiving mail from an archenemy, and Wren could feel through the connection that Jere was equally displeased by it.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “This.” Jere handed him the letter.

  Doctor Peters:

  Due to recent complaints made by community members of Arona, the Agency will be conducting an audit of your property, premises, and slave-owning capabilities. As required by current code, we are providing this notice in writing. Your audit will occur thirty days from the date of this letter. Please make necessary arrangements to attend this event, as your presence is required.

  Thank you for your compliance.

  The letter was signed by one of the regulation agency workers, but Wren didn’t even bother to read the name. As it was, the text blurred in front of his eyes. He was too terrified to focus on anything but what might happen.

  “They’re going to audit us,” Jere said, still in disbelief.

  “We can handle it. We’ll go through the house, make sure everything is in perfect condition, make sure the clinic is in compliance with everything, and we can do what they ask. We’ll get through this, and we’ll show them that there’s nothing to worry about. At least they gave us a warning about when they’d be coming.”

  Jere scowled. “Is that a good thing? All I can see it doing is worrying us.”

  Wren shrugged, trying not to agree with that assessment. “Obviously, they don’t think it’s any kind of emergency. They’re following protocol. We’re not top priority or anything. It’s like having a business inspected for fire codes, or having the psychic health department check out the clinic. It’s routine. They’ll come, we’ll pass, then we continue on as usual.”

  “But what if we don’t?”

  Wren wanted to be brave, but Jere had a knack for speaking his worst fear aloud. “We can’t panic. If we panic, it makes it look like we have something to panic about. Consult with Kieran. Paltrek, even, although I’m sure his family has people to handle things like this. They can help you figure out what you need to do. Make sure everything is legal, though I know it is.”

  For a moment, Jere looked like he was about to disagree. Wren could feel it through the mind connection, the pressing urge to panic and be pessimistic, but then Jere blocked it. “You’re right. But I still want to go back to that veterinarian and show her what a human healer’s powers can do!”

  Jere considered the situation. He knew exactly what Wren meant, and he realized that Wren must have spent years following that same good advice, hiding his firesetting gift, acting normal. It was what had kept him alive for so many years.

  Wren smiled. “That would accomplish the exact opposite of what we want. As far as anyone else in this state is concerned, she’s just doing her civic duty.”

  “We’ve got to call this thing with Lighthouse off,” Jere decided. “I know Isis is excited, but—”

  “You should still go,” Wren interrupted, shaking his head. “Make it look like you don’t care, like this is an everyday occurrence.”

  Jere shook his head. “I can’t just up and leave. I have to be here, I have to be ready.”

  “You have to act normal,” Wren cut in. He smiled a little. “Well, you have to act at least a little bit normal. Normal for Hojer. Not normal for you. These are normal slaveowner things—getting certified, traveling for business, all of that. You won’t help anything by panicking for the next month, and Isis probably won’t be motivated enough to start training for certification if she doesn’t have the trip to look forward to at the end. Once you get certified, it will look better. You could both use some practice in how to conduct yourselves, and preparing for the certification will be the perfect opportunity.”

  Jere frowned, clearly nervous. “That seems... I don’t know. I don’t like it.”

  “Well, I never said you should like it,” Wren pointed out. He had spent enough years hiding that he knew how uncomfortable it could be, how terrifying it was to think of getting caught. “But it’s the normal way to deal with something like this. Trust me.”

  Jere nodded. He still didn’t look convinced, but Wren knew that would take time. They took solace in each other’s arms, and Wren tried not to think of the alternative. He couldn’t survive without Jere, not after he had grown so comfortable. This had to work.

  Chapter 10

  International Medicine

  Jere wrote up a message to be delivered by telegraph, and gave Wren a desperate, pleading look until he agreed to go deliver it. He wanted Kieran’s input, not because he didn’t trust Wren, but because he wanted all the help he could get.

  While Wren was gone, Jere opened up the clinic. Isis joined him, staying far from patients as usual. Jere had told her about the audit, not to scare her, but because she deserved to know. He had kept enough from both her and Wren, and he needed her prepared for this.

  “Can I go stay somewhere else that day?” she asked, giving Jere a hopeful look. “I mean, maybe Kieran could take me somewhere, or maybe I could go hide in the library with Imelda? She likes me, and books are okay.”

  Jere shook his head. “It’s kind of implied that you should be here. It’s a test of my ability as a slaveowner—if I just send my slaves away, that’s not a very good sign.”

  “Me screwing everything up won’t be a good sign, either,” Isis pouted.

  Jere could tell that she was scared. He shared that sentiment. “We don’t have another option. We’ll do it, and hopefully everything will work out. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

  “I’ve been in places that have been audited before. I just don’t want to do it here because I don’t want to fuck this up. I’ve usually been bound and gagged while they were there,” she said, then got a suspicious look on her face. “Don’t get any ideas.”

  Jere smiled at her. “Trust me, it didn’t even cross my mind.”

  Isis nodded, content with his statement.

  When Wren returned, he came with a reply from Kieran. “She said she’ll send you a package with a list of things to check and do, and that you should stop ‘shitting your pants over every little thing.’ She’ll talk to you more when she comes to stay with me when you and Isis go to see her parents, but aside from that, just act normal. There’s no way out of this. Any attempt to avoid it looks suspect.”

  “We’re still going?” Isis asked. She was clearly surprised, but whether that surprise was pleasant or uncomfortable was hard to determine, even with what Jere could feel through the mind connection.

  Jere didn’t have an answer for her. He wanted to say no, but the glare Wren gave him kept him quiet.

  “We’re at least going to follow through and act like we are,” Wren said. “It’s the right thing to do. We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves or make it seem like we’re intimidated.”

  Jere wanted to protest, but the bell at the front desk rang. Before he could say a word, Wren was off to attend it, leaving him staring at Isis cluelessly.

  “Wren’s probably right,” Isis reminded him. “He usually is.”

  Jere nodded, getting ready for his first patient. He was interrupted when Wren returned, a nervous look on his face. “There’s someone here from the International Medical Board. He wants to speak with you.”

  Even as he walked out to the reception area, Jere could feel his heart racing. Even a layperson could see how tense Jer
e was. Bullshit in Hojer was bad enough, but what was someone from the International Medical Board doing here?

  “Keep Isis out of the way,” Jere told Wren.

  The man looked official, but not nearly as threatening as the Slave Control, Regulation, and Enforcement Agency investigator had. If anything, he looked as out of place as Jere did.

  “Dr. Peters,” the man said. “The Board has decided to do a quick check on your clinic. I’ll be shadowing you today and reporting my findings.”

  “Is this because of the fucking vet?” Jere snapped.

  “Excuse me?”

  “The vet from Pinemont. Barrett, I think her name was. Karmin Barrett. Evil bitch who doesn’t know how to do her job.”

  The man gave Jere a blank stare. “I can only hope that vets here are being used to treat animals, Dr. Peters. We do random reviews; your clinic came up randomly.”

  From the looks of it, the man probably believed it, but Jere wasn’t so foolish. Someone, somewhere had made this happen.

  “We’re increasing the amounts of checks we’re doing across the continent. With the threat of disease and the elections in many of the slave states, we just want to make sure everything is running smoothly. We’re based out of Sonova—we commend you for the work you’ve done here.”

  Jere didn’t buy it. If he was so commended, why were they targeting him?

  “There are many people criticizing you,” the man admitted. “I’m sorry. I guess it’s just a hazard of working in a slave state. It’s rare for someone born and trained in a free state to even come out this way.”

  “Yeah,” Jere muttered. He wanted to feel reassured that the inspector was a fellow outlander, but he couldn’t. What if the man said something wrong, gave Hojer’s officials the wrong impression? Something as simple as mentioning that the slave patients were treated as well as the free patients could draw more attention from Hojer’s slave agency, no matter how positive such a comment would look in a more civilized setting.