Bound by Thorns (The Dragon Soul Series)

by Sean Michael

  “Do you want your coat?”

  “I’m fine. Are you good to walk to the couch?”

  “Fine. I have my crutches. My pain pills are in my bag.”

  “I bet we can get some hot cocoa in you and give you another massage and you won’t need the pain pills.” He got Grey sitting and looked at him intently. “So?”

  “You’re a dragon. I won’t tell anyone. No one believes things like that.”

  “No, they don’t. It’s pretty wonderful, though, isn’t it?” He wanted more enthusiasm from Grey. After all, he wasn’t just a dragon. He was Grey’s dragon.

  Greyson’s mouth curled up into this grin—this utterly tickled grin. “It was fucking awesome, man.”

  He bent in a half bow and began to tug Grey’s layers off. “It is, isn’t it? I’m a motherfucking dragon.”

  “You are. So, were you born one or did you...become one?”

  “Hatched. From an egg. I have four brothers, too. One younger, three older.” Not that he ever saw much of them. He was the loner of the group and that was how he liked it. Being the not-quite-middle child was hard and he’d long ago figured out that he was better off on his own. That went for humans, as well as his brothers. He was willing to make an exception for Grey, of course.

  He tugged a finally naked Grey up against his body and pulled the blanket over them both. He was already warm again, but Grey would need to be cuddled to become heated all through.

  “An egg? That’s intense.” Grey wiggled for a second, then settled, his eyes closing.

  “I had to break my way out. We’re born in our dragon forms.” He slid his fingertips along Grey’s skin, enjoying how it felt.

  “You remember it?”

  “It’s like a dream, far away and not quite real. It was a very long time ago. Dragons have long memories, though.”

  “Huh. No wonder you don’t like people.”

  “What do you mean?” He didn’t think his birth had very much to do with his dislike of much of the human race.

  “If I had had to deal with people a long time, I wouldn’t like them. We’re sort of parasitic.”

  “You’re a man after my own heart, Pet.” He put a kiss on Grey’s nose.

  “So you can understand me. Do you breathe fire?”

  He nodded. “As a dragon only.” Much as he would have liked to sometimes as a human, it didn’t work that way.

  “Weird. Cool, but weird.” Grey smiled at him, shook his head. “Can you fly?”

  “Oh yeah. I love flying. It’s one of the best things about being a dragon. And I can take you with me. There’s a perfect spot for you between my shoulders.”

  “That would fucking rock.”

  “It will,” he promised. One day soon he’d take Grey flying.

  “One day soon,” Grey agreed.

  He hadn’t said it out loud. He reached out, put his hand on the center of Grey’s chest. “You said you saw monsters before?”

  “Yes, in the desert. In the sand. No one believed me.”

  “What were they like?”

  “Frightening. Fangs and claws. I thought it was a snake at first. They rose up and no one else saw them.” Grey shuddered.

  He pulled Grey in tight. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I’ve got you.” It sounded like an amphisbaena. They were like dragons, only with snakes on their tails. Nasty desert-dwelling creatures.

  “You believe me? You’d better say yes.”

  “Of course I believe you—I’m a dragon, aren’t I?” He pushed the hair off Grey’s face. “Have you ever heard of an amphisbaena? I know, it’s a mouthful.”

  “No. Is it a type of creature?”

  “Yes. A desert-dweller. I’ve never met one, but they’re from legend.” He chuckled wryly. “Like dragons. I imagine there aren’t very many anymore, but that sounds like the creature you saw.”

  “It was going to hurt me. I’m serious. It really was. It wanted me.”

  Now that made him shudder. “Maybe it knew.”

  “Knew what?” Grey frowned over at him.

  “That you belonged to a dragon. Maybe he was drawn to you because of it.”

  “Why would you want me? I’m broken, Luke.”

  “No, Pet. You’re just a little bent.”

  “I wish.” Grey closed his eyes and sighed, relaxing back into the cushions.

  “Trust me,” he murmured, leaning in to lick Grey’s neck.

  “Mmm... Tingles.”

  “Good. And you’re safe here from all the monsters. They tend to stay away from dragons.” How much did he love being able to be open about his nature?

  “I want to be...” Grey sighed. “Sorry, man. I’m getting whiny in my old age.”

  He nudged Grey. “You want to be what?”

  “Nothing.” Grey smiled, hiding behind his mass of hair.

  “You want to be nothing? That seems like a silly thing to wish for.” He was going to shave that beard, and soon. He wanted to see what Grey looked like without it.

  “I already am nothing, man.”

  “Stop that. You’re better than that.”

  “I’m not. I’m broken, man. Lame and unemployed and alone.”

  “I already told you that isn’t true.”

  Grey chuckled. “I already ignored that.”

  “Well unignore it,” he demanded. Then he hugged Grey tight. “When you need to know that you’re special, remember that I’m a dragon and that you’re more than a match for me.”

  “I will never forget that, Luke. Trust me. Never.”

  “One day you’ll fly with me.” Soon, he hoped.

  Grey smiled, patted his hand, and Luke knew Grey didn’t believe. The man believed in him, sure, but not in himself.

  He would have to help Grey change that. Luckily, they had all the time they needed.

  He pulled Grey close, cradling his pet.

  “I’ve got you,” he said quietly. They had each other.

  “I’m glad. Now, naptime. I’m tired.”

  He sat back on the couch and pulled Grey close. “Sleep.”

  Grey yawned and leaned in, resting hard.

  He held his lover, his very own. And he’d hold Grey as long as he had to.

  * * *

  Greyson slept and dreamed of dragons.

  He laughed, waking himself up with the sound.

  He’d met a dragon.

  The military would lock him away if they knew. They didn’t know everything, though. He’d believed and he’d seen.

  There was whistling coming from the kitchen, along with the smell of something wonderful. Chocolatey.

  He opened his eyes, wrapped in an amazing blanket. “Luke?”

  Luke popped out from the kitchen and gave him a warm smile. “Hey, you’re awake.”

  “I am. You’re awake. Is it...evening?” He felt like he was living outside time.

  “It is. The brownies are right out of the oven. You have perfect timing.”

  He worked on levering himself up off the sofa. He needed the bathroom. He needed the bathroom and a drink.

  Luke was there at his side suddenly, giving him a hand.

  “Thank you.” He got his feet underneath him. “Crutches?”

  “I can be your crutches.” Luke wrapped an arm around his waist, heat pouring off him.

  It was easy to lean into Luke, to let him hold on, so he did.

  Luke led him down the hall to the bathroom like he’d voiced his need out loud. Which he was pretty sure he hadn’t.

  “Thank you.” He did his business with a sigh, realizing as he came more fully awake that the dull depression he’d been living with was fading.

  Luke waited in the hall, humming. It made him feel goo
d somehow, which seemed weird. Still, he’d been used to being around other people for years. It felt nice, to know someone else was close.

  He washed his hands and splashed his face. Luke poked his head in. “You want brownies? They’re fudgey and gooey.”

  “I do. Thank you. They smell good.”

  “Of course they do—they’re chocolate.” Luke gave him a wicked grin.

  “Chocolate is a sign that the universe loves us.”

  “I thought that was sex.”

  “Sex is supposed to be less cool than chocolate.” He liked chocolate a lot.

  “Says who?” Luke asked.

  Greyson waved his hand about. “They do?”

  “What matters is what you think. You can make your own mind up about things. You don’t have to follow anyone. Hells, not even me.”

  “So if I wanted chocolate instead of sex?” Greyson asked.

  “I’d pout, but I would also feed you chocolate.”

  “I don’t think I can choose,” Greyson admitted.

  “Tell you what, we’ll eat some brownies, and then fool around and you can tell me which is better.” He grinned.

  Greyson had to laugh, leaning on Luke on the way to the kitchen. “One way or the other, it smells like heaven.”

  “Oh, that’s not the chocolate—that’s me.” Luke winked at him.

  “Now you’re telling me dragons smell heavenly.”

  “Not dragons—me.”

  He stopped and leaned in, sniffed, feeling so fucking daring. “Yes. It is you.”

  Luke looked delighted, and he brought their mouths together for a kiss.

  Luke smiled as their lips parted. “We should still have the brownies first, so that we are truly comparing them and the sex.”

  “And because, hello! Brownies.”

  Laughing, Luke pulled a couple of dessert plates down, setting them on the counter before cutting up the brownies.

  Luke made two huge squares and Greyson cracked up. He’d be able to eat maybe half of that. Then Luke pulled some vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and put a big scoop on each piece, poured chocolate sauce over the whole deal, added whipped cream and topped both off with a cherry.

  “Ta-da!”

  He applauded. What else could he do? Seriously.

  Luke grinned. “I’ll carry them out to the living room. You wrap your arm around my waist and keep using me like a crutch.”

  “I’ll manage. You just go.” He could move slow.

  “I was looking forward to the part where you were clinging to me for support.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Still, he took the assistance, because it felt good to touch.

  Luke got him and the brownies to the living room. He set down the brownies, then helped Greyson to sit on the couch.

  “Thank you.” He sat, trying not to collapse, going for graceful.

  Luke handed him his brownie, then sat next to him, close, warm, so solid.

  “It’s gorgeous. Thank you.” He scooped a fingerful of whipped cream up and sucked it off.

  Luke groaned and he looked up to find Luke staring at his mouth.

  “What? Was that rude? Do you want my cherry?”

  Luke blinked at him. Twice. Then grinned, the look absolutely wicked. “I want all your cherries, Pet.”

  “Be good now. Eat your brownie.”

  “Hey, you started it.” Luke leaned in and licked at the corner of his mouth. “You had some cream.”

  A shiver travelled up along his entire body.

  Luke sat back, looking smug. “Eat your brownie.”

  He scooped up another bite of whipped cream, then offered his finger over to Luke. Luke leaned in and wrapped his lips around Greyson’s finger, and began to suck.

  His eyes rolled, his hips moving on the couch cushions, a low cry leaving him. This was more than he could bear. Luke’s teeth grazed his fingertips as Luke pulled.

  “The brownie will keep, hmm?”

  “Your ice cream will melt.”

  “There’s plenty more ice cream.” Luke took his plate and put it back on the coffee table.

  “It’ll be ruined.” He shifted closer, drawn to Luke’s heat.

  “There’s more brownies in the pan and even more ice cream in the freezer.” Luke cupped his face, thumb stroking his lower lip, and he opened up, like Luke had pressed a button. “Can you sit in my lap?”

  He wasn’t sure if he could manage that comfortably, but Luke was stroking his hip again, easing the pain.

  “I’ll help you get in place,” Luke assured him.

  “Okay. I trust you.” He felt Luke lift him, move him so gently, until he was straddling Luke’s thighs, face-to-face with him. He tensed, waiting for the deep, tearing pain, but it was a dull throb that eased as Luke’s heat soaked through him.

  “That’s better, isn’t it?” Luke rubbed their cheeks together.

  “Yes. Yes. Thank God.” He repeated the action, moving them together.

  Luke met his gaze, looking intently at him. “Marking me.”

  “I didn’t leave one, man. I promise.”

  “With your scent, Pet. And it wasn’t a complaint.”

  “Oh.” Odd, but sort of sensual.

  Luke rubbed their cheeks together again, then added a quick kiss. It was so electric that he gasped. Luke took advantage of his open mouth, slipping his tongue inside and tasting him, and his cock stiffened in his sweats. He was going to become addicted to how Luke’s kisses made him feel, like they were ricocheting around inside his body, leaving pleasure behind.

  Luke ran a hand down his body and rubbed him through his pants. That touch made him ache, deep in the pit of his belly.

  “Pretty Pet.”

  “Pretty, huh?” He didn’t believe that, but he loved to hear it.

  “Yes, very.” Luke squeezed his cock through his sweats.

  “Not really,” he denied.

  “Yes. Yes, you are.” Luke squeezed him tighter this time.

  His eyes crossed and he arched, rubbing on Luke’s thighs.

  “Needy fucker,” Luke murmured.

  “Is that bad?” he asked.

  “Just the opposite—it’s really good.” Luke held on to his ass, fingers digging into his skin through the cloth. It ought to hurt, how he was sitting, where he was. It didn’t, though. It was like the rules for his body changed when Luke touched him.

  Whatever worked. Whatever didn’t make him hurt so deep.

  “You’re thinking too hard.” Luke kissed him, rocked them together like he was trying to change that.

  No one had ever accused him of that before. Not ever.

  Luke got him rocking, moving their bodies together, the drag of their clothing surprisingly rough. He blinked, then his eyelids dropped as he focused on their bodies.

  “Naked would be better,” Luke growled, the sound sending shivers down Greyson’s spine.

  He opened up his lips and begged another kiss.

  Luke gave him the kiss he wanted. Luke’s tongue swept into his mouth, making the kiss deep and hot.

  God, he couldn’t breathe for a second, couldn’t focus for longer than that. Luke didn’t seem to care, to notice, the kiss continuing, deepening, one of Luke’s hands cupping the back of his head and holding him, cradling him. The kiss comforted him as much as it aroused him.

  He was bent back slightly, one of Luke’s arms supporting him so he didn’t feel in the least bit precarious. Luke had him.

  His sweatshirt began to crawl up along his belly, slow and sure. As it revealed skin, Luke played his fingers over it, sending more tingles through him.

  “I might shave you here, too,” Luke muttered.

  Too? He didn’t remember agreeing to the one in
the first place. Though Luke had more or less talked him into it.

  “Be good, Dragon.”

  Luke chuckled and it was sexy as hell. “Define good.”

  “Good. You know, good with goodness.”

  “But see, I think I’m being good. But if you’re telling me to be good, then you must think I’m not.”

  “Okay.” That was a lot of words.

  Luke kissed him again, hand reaching down to push into his sweats. When the strong, hot fingers closed, he arched, hips rolling toward Luke.

  “Gonna shave down here, too. Gonna make you as bare as I am.”

  He shook his head, because he knew better, but the words were hot as fuck. That laugh sounded again.

  “I am. It’s a promise.”

  He stopped arguing. It was wasting time when what he wanted was more kisses. He pressed their lips together and Luke took the hint, opening his mouth and delving into it again.

  Luke didn’t stop tugging his short hairs, though, making him jerk and twitch. In the back of his mind, he couldn’t believe he didn’t hurt.

  “I’m going to shave your face before I let you come.”

  “What?” What the fresh hell kind of idea was that?

  “Your skin is supersensitive. You’ll feel each stroke of the blade. It’s going to be great.”

  He shook his head. “Stop it. I can’t think about that right now.”

  Luke stood, keeping hold of him, carrying him down the hall to Luke’s room. Back to the en suite.

  “I thought you were going to feed me brownies?”

  “I will. Later. Once I know it won’t get caught in any facial hair.”

  “I know how to eat.” He wasn’t even sure why he was protesting. He simply was.

  “And you can eat after you’re shaved.” Luke set him down on the chair, then tugged on his beard.

  “Don’t. That stings.” His cock was throbbing in his sweats, leaking with need.

  “A little stinging never hurt anyone. But there you go—once it’s gone I can’t tug it anymore.” Luke chuckled at him, leaned in and nuzzled him. “I’m going to braid your hair and tug it for you, pull nice and slow, make you arch for me.”

  He blinked, totally taken aback. “What?”