Bound by Thorns (The Dragon Soul Series)

by Sean Michael

  “Nothing. A tattoo.”

  “Do you have any others?” Luke kept touching it, then shivered.

  “No. No, this was one I got with my brother. He passed away—lymphoma.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss. I know how important brothers are.” Luke sounded like he spoke from experience.

  “Thank you.” Greyson lost himself in a moment of remembering his brother—how things had been before the cancer, because that disease had stolen his brother from him long before he’d actually died.

  “What was the tattoo?” Luke still traced it, as if he were unable to keep his fingers away.

  “A fantasy thing—a crest with a dragon. He was into D&D, so he got a dragon’s foot with a claw and I got this. I knew I didn’t want any of the guys in my unit giving me shit.”

  Luke kept touching and Greyson’s skin kept tingling.

  “Where did you have it done? Who did it?” The more Luke traced what was left of the tattoo, the stronger the tingling sensations became.

  “Some dude. Really, I don’t remember his name. Blond and skinny. Like I said, my brother was dying and this was something for us to do together.”

  “Huh.” Luke bent and kissed it.

  Electricity shot through him and Greyson jerked, pulled away. “Fuck! Sorry. Sorry. Nerves. You must have hit a nerve.”

  Luke ran his hand along Greyson’s leg, top to bottom and back up again, soothing now. “I felt it, too. Looks like we have electricity, as well as chemistry.”

  “Weird. Must have been static shock, huh?”

  “Somehow I think it was more than that.” Luke leaned back in and stole another kiss.

  Greyson responded without thinking. Despite his exhaustion, his pain and his belief that there was nothing left for him, Luke made him feel good.

  Luke straightened, then leaned back, bringing Greyson with him, carefully maneuvering them both until Luke was lying on the couch with Greyson on top of him. Luke cradled him, hands landing on his ass. Greyson might have protested, because this should have been weird, except Luke had helped him through some of the worst pain he’d had in recent memory and had made him feel incredible on top of that.

  He yawned, suddenly exhausted again, his body insisting on rest, on healing sleep.

  “It’s okay. Let the relaxation help you to sleep.” Luke’s deep voice was spellbinding. It had to be hypnotizing him.

  “No dreams,” he whispered. “Please.”

  “No dreams. Just deep, healing sleep.”

  “Okay.” He believed. He didn’t know why. It didn’t matter. He needed this, so he believed.

  * * *

  Luke couldn’t sleep. He adjusted Grey to keep any pressure off his bad leg, then shifted Greyson again to what he thought would be a more comfortable position. This man was his. He didn’t know how he’d missed it when he’d first knocked on Greyson’s—Grey’s—door. Except that he hadn’t been looking for it—hadn’t been looking for his soul mate.

  Not now. Not out here in the wilds away from civilization. He hadn’t been expecting it, full stop.

  Oh sure, a couple of his brothers had found their soul mates, but when did that ever mean anything? Mark had found his ages ago, and then lost him again. There were no rules on timing when it came to soul mates, as far as he could tell.

  Grey had been a man in need of rescuing and rescuing people was what Luke did. He would have brought anyone in the same circumstances home with him. No one else would have begun tugging at him, though, the way Grey did. No one else would have gotten more than a massage. That’s when he’d felt it, their connection.

  At first, he hadn’t believed. Goddess, he still wasn’t entirely sure that he did. Even as he thought that maybe it wasn’t so, something inside him said that it was. Crazy as it had been for Grey to have come up here in the middle of nowhere, completely unprepared for the weather, it was a good thing he had. Otherwise they would have never connected.

  And that would have been a shame, because as new as it was, Luke already knew, he wouldn’t give this up for anything. Now he had a soul mate to protect. Now he had a purpose.

  Chapter Six

  It was still dark when Greyson woke, still lying on his living mattress. He was on top of a gorgeous park ranger he barely knew, naked. Despite the scars, despite his inexperience, here he was.

  He wasn’t cold, though, and his cock was hard again. He wanted to rub against Luke, like he was some animal in heat.

  Luke’s hands moved him, rubbed them together in the most delicious way. He felt disheveled, mussed, and alive for the first time in months.

  Luke still had his underwear on, but it did nothing to disguise the hard heat pushing against Greyson’s cock as Luke pulled him along his incredible body, one hand solidly on his ass.

  He kept wondering, when he had two brain cells to rub together, how this had happened. Then Luke’s mouth would meet his and his breath and good sense were gone. Every time Luke groaned, Greyson could feel it rumbling through him.

  Luke wrapped a hand around his hip, moving it down along his scarred thigh. The warmth felt incredible. Then the touch trailed on a spot that fired with pure electricity, and his teeth clicked together.

  “Fuck, that’s magic.” Luke touched the spot again and Greyson swore it was like the tattoo was being burned into his skin.

  “That’s a bad spot. Really. Sharp.”

  “That’s because the tattoo is broken. It needs to heal, too.” Luke kept stroking from his knee to his hip and down again, lingering over the scars and remaining ink.

  “That doesn’t make sense.” God, the burn.

  “It will one day,” Luke promised, eyes looking into his. He felt like he could fall into them and go deep.

  “How? How will it?” He wanted something to make sense. “You don’t understand. I’d give anything to be whole again.”

  “Healing takes time, Grey. And you’ve only just gotten here. Now you’re getting sleep, food, massages and pleasure. Let them work, trust me that they’ll work, that you will heal.”

  Trust. He didn’t have anything left to worry about losing.

  Luke bit at his lower lip, rubbing it with his teeth. It distracted from the touches along his leg, the ones that sent jolts through him. Every touch made his leg draw up, made his toes curl. And Luke didn’t stop. He kept touching, kept stroking, making him feel things.

  “I can’t...” He couldn’t handle it. He wasn’t used to feeling things anymore—he’d been pushing everything away for so long.

  “I hate hearing you say that, knowing you believe it. I want you to stop saying it, because it’s not true.”

  “What?”

  “You might find that if you say you can, you’ll be right.”

  “But—”

  “No. No buts. You have to believe in yourself.”

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  Luke shook his head. “Then I will until you can. Right now you need to heal.” The words were firm, but the smile was gentle. “Kiss me, Pet.”

  Pet? Surely he hadn’t heard that right.

  He didn’t think about it, though, as he pressed his lips against Luke’s. He didn’t think about why he’d blindly obeyed the order, either.

  The kiss was as mind-blowing as the rest of them had been. Greyson pushed into the kiss, letting himself have it. Luke wrapped his arms around Greyson, keeping him warm and holding him closer, making him feel a part of something else, something bigger than himself. He opened his mouth, his tongue gliding alongside Luke’s.

  Luke licked him back, then began to suck on his tongue with a sure rhythm.

  His eyes went wide and he grabbed on to Luke’s shoulders. Luke sucked harder and he swore he could feel it throbbing in his cock.

  One of Luke
’s hands wrapped around his cock, tugged him, strong and steady. He reminded himself that Luke hadn’t gotten off, which was totally unfair. He reached in between them, trying to push down Luke’s underwear. Luke’s fingers joined his, pushing the waistband down far more successfully.

  “Sorry. Sorry, trying.” He really was. He didn’t want to be selfish, taking pleasure but not returning it.

  “Shh. As long as we’re both naked, does it matter how we get there?” Luke grabbed his hand and pushed it into the lowered underwear.

  “Oh.” He grabbed hold, tugging Luke in a long pull from base to tip.

  “Yes, that’s good.” Luke nodded and rocked against him.

  “You’re thick.” He’d never held another man’s penis before.

  “And long and hard.” Luke met his gaze, no judgement or censure, only pleasure in his eyes. “And all yours.”

  “Have you done this before?” Of course Luke had. No one kissed like that their first time.

  “I have, but it’s never felt like this with anyone else.”

  Maybe it was time to tell Luke what was what. Greyson took a shuddering breath. “I, um, I haven’t. Ever. My parents would have disowned me if they’d caught me with a boy, so that was never worth the risk, and girls never did it for me. Then I joined the army after high school and it seemed easier and safer to not even think about it, and then I got injured.” He was babbling now, letting it all out in a rush. “So, um, you’re sort of my first everything so far.” God, this was embarrassing. But Luke’s dick was getting even harder, so maybe the news wasn’t a huge turn-off.

  “So you’ve saved yourself for me,” Luke murmured, something that sounded like maybe awe in his voice.

  “Well, I wouldn’t put—”

  Luke pressed his finger across Greyson’s lips. “Shh. It doesn’t matter how it happened, the result is the same.”

  Greyson felt like his cheeks were going to burst into flames at any moment, but at the same time, that was pretty sweet. For a growly guy, Luke sure had marshmallow insides.

  Luke put their cocks together, and helped him get his hand around both of them, then Luke began stroking them together. Luke squeezed their hands tighter around their cocks and he thought he could become addicted to the hot glide of flesh on flesh.

  He swallowed hard, spreading his legs as wide as they could go.

  Luke encouraged him to keep stroking, then slipped his hand down to wrap around Greyson’s balls, cupping them lightly. Greyson gasped, eyes going wide at the dull ache. Luke looked pleased, almost smug, and continued to play with them.

  “Don’t stop stroking, Pet.”

  “Pet?” He petted them, up and down.

  “Uh-huh. Pet.” Luke leaned in and licked at his neck, tongue dragging, leaving him feeling tingly. “My pet. Keep touching.”

  He did, pulling along their shafts. God, he’d never imagined things could be this good, touching, being on top of another man. His wet dreams had been pale, ghostly comparisons that had mostly disappeared from disuse.

  “You going to come for me?” Luke asked before licking a line beneath his ear. “Gonna let me smell you again?”

  “Yes. God, yes. I will.” He had to.

  “Good. Do it. I want you to look me in the eyes and come for me.” Luke rolled his balls some more, then rubbed his fingers over their cockheads, and the sudden jolt of pleasure was more than Greyson could bear. His gaze flew up to meet Luke’s, and then his balls emptied.

  Luke roared—there was no other word for it—in triumph, and more heat sprayed up over his hand and on his belly.

  He’d done that.

  He’d made the man orgasm.

  A rush of pride hit him.

  Luke smiled before he leaned up and shared a kiss with Greyson. Greyson slumped forward, a moan escaping him.

  “I’ve got you,” Luke told him, petting his back. “I swear.”

  “You swear.” His body was heavy.

  “My word is my bond. I don’t say things I don’t mean.” Luke reached for the blanket and pulled it up over his back.

  He wasn’t sure the blanket was needed. Luke was so warm.

  “Me either. I’m honest.” He thought.

  Luke looked pleased. “It makes life easier, doesn’t it?”

  “I think so.” He was so sleepy, so worn out.

  “You start lying and you have to keep track.” Luke’s fingers ran over his spine, tracing the line from his neck to his ass.

  “Uh-huh. I... You get it. Exactly.”

  “The only question is—is an omission a lie?”

  Greyson yawned and snuggled in. “I don’t know. I guess? Maybe?”

  “Then we’re going to have to have a talk.” Luke looked serious.

  “I don’t understand.” He was so tired. All he’d done since getting here was eat and sleep and...sleep some more.

  “It’s okay, you can sleep. We’ll have a serious talk once you’re on the way to recovery.”

  The long, slow drags of Luke’s hands lulled him.

  Luke continued to murmur, nothing he could really make out, but he could hear the care and comfort in the words. He melted and drifted to sleep, and somehow the pain was gone entirely.

  * * *

  Luke felt joy in holding Grey. This was his soul mate and that was the best thing ever. He took comfort in knowing he’d helped with Grey’s pain. Of course, less comforting was the knowledge that he needed to tell Grey about who he really was, and sooner than later. It wasn’t a secret that would keep. Not with Grey. They needed to be open and honest. Unless Grey wasn’t actually the one.

  Luke snorted to himself. Oh please. He knew Grey was. He could feel it, rumbling deep down inside him. He knew every time he touched that twisted tattoo and sparks exploded between them. He couldn’t deny it or pretend that it wasn’t happening. He would be making room in his life for another.

  He touched Grey’s thigh again, feeling the muscles jerk and twist under his fingers. He moved his hand down to Grey’s knee, then back up to rub Grey’s hip. Poor, abused body.

  Luke could feel the magic inside him, reaching out, needing his pet to be strong, safe. Whole. He pressed a kiss against Grey’s shoulder, continuing to move his hand, to stroke that poor, damaged leg. The ink seemed to shine, glow for him.

  He had a hunch he knew what the whole tattoo looked like. A dragon crest? That was his family crest, he was sure. Grey had been marked as his.

  With his name.

  He’d spoken with Deke and Jake. Something was happening.

  Something huge.

  All their soul mates were showing up, were being marked. They’d all waited for hundreds and hundreds of years, just Mark finding his soul mate, only to have him ripped away. Now this. Now three of the four remaining soul mates had been found. Boom, just like that. Fuck, Deke’s and Jake’s even lived next to each other and even Greyson had been tattooed by Corryn. This had to be a sign. A portent. He didn’t believe in coincidence, especially ones of this magnitude. One of his brothers needed to have a serious chat with Corryn. That was a huge amount of loose magic in the world.

  He wasn’t sure Grey was going to appreciate knowing that he was the soul mate of a dragon, but at least there was nowhere for Grey to go. Grey would have to stay and deal with this; he had no choice.

  There was something strong about his soul mate, though, something wonderful. Luke was going to become addicted to that strength, he could tell. And how special was it that Grey hadn’t given himself to anyone else? Very.

  Grey pushing toward his fingers, toward his hand. Someone enjoyed his touch way more than he wanted to admit. He brushed his lips over Grey’s forehead, kissing him. As he did, he slid his free hand along Grey’s back, up and down his spine.

  “Luke,” Grey sighed,
and the sound made his toes curl.

  “Right here, Pet. I told you I had you, and I do.” He wasn’t going to let anything else happen to his soul mate.

  Grey hummed, eyelids going heavy. That was right. Grey needed sleep and food and healing and Luke was going to make sure he got it. Once Grey was healed, they’d be able to do so many things together. They’d be able to revel completely in each other and it was going to be glorious.

  Luke dozed a little, waking whenever Grey shifted to rub and stroke some more.

  Grey nuzzled his throat, lips pulling steadily at his skin. Someone was amazingly oral. That was going to come in handy. In fact, the suction had his cock waking up, hardening like it was trying to get Grey’s attention.

  “So good. Don’t stop.”

  Grey whimpered, eyelashes brushing his skin. Luke shivered at the delicate touch. Grey could pretend to be asleep as much as he wanted to.

  Luke moved his hands to Grey’s ass, grabbing one cheek in each hand. Grey stiffened, breath catching in his chest. Bingo. His pet was awake. He squeezed Grey’s ass, fingers digging in.

  “Careful,” murmured Grey. “I should get up.”

  “I agree. I’ll get up too and we can rub off together,” Luke teased.

  Grey shot him a look, wide eyed and adorable. His pet was about to become a very sexual being.

  “Come on. We’ll go get a shower. You can lean on me.” He wouldn’t let Grey fall.

  Grey didn’t look very on board, but Luke knew they could do it. And he knew it would be hot, and sexy and wonderful.

  He stood, bringing Grey along with him. With his arm around Grey’s waist, there wasn’t any problem with Grey walking with him, no crutches needed. He led Grey back to the master with its simple en suite.

  They passed his enormous bed, and the huge windows that let the moonlight in, then went into the bathroom. He liked to shower, so he had a decent-sized water heater, something big enough to warm him up. Just one of the many things he’d done to make his home in the middle of nowhere a better place to live.