Enslaved By a Hero [Sold! 7] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Anitra Lynn McLeod

  Jodi realized that Sevaleth was leaning into him. He spoke right into his ear, exciting him for some reason. Turning his head just a bit, Jodi noted, “Dathar is an exhibitionist.”

  “I am not.”

  “Good.” Jodi turned and discovered that like himself, Sevaleth was aroused by watching Dathar and his slave, but he made no effort to do anything. Jodi found himself profoundly aroused for some reason. “You could have anyone.”

  “I want you.”

  “I want you, too.” And Jodi really did. Sevaleth would never be a man to speak poetry, but he didn’t need to. His opinion of Sevaleth had taken a sharp turn for the better. Jodi thought of getting home to Earth, but he also thought of staying. What had changed his mind was the way that Sevaleth had wanted to look at him and give him pleasure without getting anything for himself. It was such a small thing, but his action had a huge impact on Jodi. Being eye to eye like that was intimate. And he was starting to fall for the big guy despite his reservations. “Can’t we go?”

  “Soon.”

  Staying close to Sevaleth was the only way Jodi was willing to remain there at all. From the looks he was getting from the other heroes, it was a damn good thing he was taken or they would have probably eaten their way through his towel. Hell, a suit of armor wouldn’t keep these guys at bay for long.

  “Let us see your slave, Sevaleth.”

  Jodi’s shorthairs stood at attention. His worried gaze collided with Sevaleth’s. In that instant, Jodi was certain that Sevaleth didn’t want to be there any more than Jodi did, but if he had left too early, it would have looked bad.

  “He isn’t my slave.”

  Jodi wondered if that was going to help the situation or make it worse.

  “Then he should come to me for a better time. No young man wants an old hero!”

  Jodi snuck a peek at the guy making the offer and almost gagged. He was so drunk he was barely able to point in Jodi’s general direction. He may have been younger and less marked than Sevaleth, but he didn’t have a tenth of his appeal.

  “You are free to go to him if you wish.”

  Jodi was stunned. Sevaleth didn’t want him? But as he looked into his dark eyes he realized that Sevaleth was giving him the greatest gift of all—the gift of choice.

  “I want to be with you.” Jodi couldn’t imagine saying that even a dozen hours earlier, but he was finding the idea of being parted from Sevaleth a painful one. There was so much about him he didn’t know, but he was intrigued and wanted to know. Jodi couldn’t ever remember feeling that way about another person before. He’d met some cute guys and all, but they just weren’t that interesting. Sevaleth was fascinating.

  A new look of pride came to Sevaleth then. He sat a little straighter as he surveyed the hall. His expression quickly turned to one of annoyance. “We will retire.” Sevaleth stood, and Jodi rose with him.

  Jodi was acutely aware of the men behind him, but he didn’t turn around. He thought it best to just ignore them, and they would quickly move on to something or someone else. When Sevaleth pushed him aside and spun, Jodi found himself hugging a wall then looking back over his shoulder to see Sevaleth in a fighter’s stance with his hands up, arms open, waiting.

  “You are no match for me,” the other man said as he lunged at Sevaleth. It was the younger, drunker hero who had propositioned Jodi. Apparently, he wasn’t pleased that Jodi wasn’t interested in him. So rather than romance Jodi, he was just going to take him. If nothing else, he was proving that was basically the way most of the heroes were. But for Sevaleth. He could have been a monster and forced Jodi to do all kinds of things. Yet he didn’t because though he was a warrior, he was also very gentle.

  It was clear after two seconds that whoever the guy was he had more balls than brains because he was full of liquid courage when Sevaleth hadn’t been drinking at all. Rather than beat the hell out of him, Sevaleth picked the man up onto his shoulder, spun him several times, then marched him back into the hall where he dumped him.

  Jodi watched all of this by peeking through the back curtain of Sevaleth’s cell.

  “Do not follow again.” As Sevaleth walked away, the guy lurched to his feet as if to attack, but he vomited all over himself and the floor before he careened into his own mess.

  While the partygoers were distracted with that, Sevaleth and Jodi went back to his rooms. Jodi waited until the door was closed then released gales of laughter.

  “That was excellent!”

  “I am excellent.”

  “You are.” Jodi had discovered this wasn’t arrogance on Sevaleth’s part but his way of asking a question without actually asking. “You taught him a lesson without violence.”

  “You are impressed by this.”

  “I am.” Jodi kissed Sevaleth. “I really am.”

  “I did not want to shame him, but I did not want him to try to come after you again.”

  “You were very sweet, considering what a pig he was.”

  There was a moment where it seemed Sevaleth wanted desperately to ask a question but didn’t. Not because he culturally couldn’t, but almost as if he were afraid of what Jodi’s answer would be.

  “What’s wrong?” Jodi decided if he was going to stay with Sevaleth, at least for the time being, he would have to work a little harder to understand what was going on in his head.

  “He’s younger.”

  Jodi got what was on Sevaleth’s mind. He didn’t quite believe that Jodi actually wanted to be with him. “I don’t care.” Jodi kissed Sevaleth very softly. He drew away but only a bit.

  “He has fewer war marks.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “But—”

  “He doesn’t have your wisdom.” Jodi kissed him. “He doesn’t have your strong heart.” Jodi offered up another kiss. “And he will never be even half as interesting as you are.” Jodi kissed him again, but lingered much longer this time. Since night had fallen, the drapes were open and the room glowed softly from dozens of small lamps scattered around. It was romantic and made Jodi feel very cozy.

  “I do not want to share or be an…exhibitionist.” Sevaleth pronounced the word very slowly but correctly.

  “Good. I don’t want to do that, either. Although I have to admit to being a bit of a voyeur.”

  “Voyeur.” Down went Sevaleth’s eyebrows.

  “One who likes to watch others having sex.” Jodi wasn’t ashamed that he’d gotten aroused watching Dathar and his slave. The appeal was that both men were very into what they were doing. So much so they simply didn’t care who watched them. What those two did was a far cry from the horrible stuff he’d seen on the Internet.

  “I would show you something.” Sevaleth poured oil into his hands then rubbed them together.

  “What?”

  “Come close.”

  When Jodi did, he found himself stripped out of his towel while Sevaleth kissed him gently. And then Sevaleth was teasing his slippery hands at the front and back of Jodi’s body.

  Confused about his intent, Jodi couldn’t relax until it became clear that Sevaleth was just rubbing him like he had today. But this time, he worked his hands in tandem so that when he stroked down the length of Jodi’s cock, he pressed hard against that spot right behind his balls with his other hand. When Jodi turned his head, he was able to kiss Sevaleth, which sent his senses spinning.

  “What about you?” Jodi asked between luscious kisses.

  “I was first last time. Now it is your turn to be first.”

  Since Sevaleth wasn’t in a rush, and Jodi felt no hurried need to reciprocate, he relaxed into the back-and-forth motion created by Sevaleth’s hands. As good as it felt, Jodi thought it could be even better. As subtly as possible, he tried to angle his ass so that Sevaleth would rub across his hole. He wasn’t ready for more than that, but the strokes he was making lower were so damn good he knew they would feel good elsewhere, too.

  “Go a little higher.”

  “This.” Sevaleth lifted h
is hand almost off Jodi’s cock.

  “No. This.” Jodi urged his other hand to slide up and back along the crevice of his ass. When Sevaleth hit the right rhythm, he was sliding his thick finger across Jodi’s hole. He practically whimpered it felt so good. What made him relax into the caress was that Sevaleth seemed to be taking his time.

  Sweet kisses turned hungrier as Sevaleth kept to his maddening rhythm. His cock was hard and pressed into Jodi’s hip, but he did no more than hold close.

  “More.” The word slipped out of Jodi’s mouth without him being fully aware. But once he said it, he realized that’s what he wanted. More of Sevaleth’s touch, his kisses, his sinfully slow seduction. “More.”

  “I don’t want to rush you.”

  “You’re not. You’re making me feel so good, but I want more.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Press your finger into me.” Jodi halted Sevaleth’s hand and then urged his finger to fill him. So slowly it was making him hyperaware, Sevaleth pushed his finger into Jodi’s ass. There was no pain, only a tightness that was eased by his master’s gentle touch. All too soon, he pulled his finger away and went back to rubbing him as he stroked Jodi’s cock.

  “You are very excited.” Sevaleth’s voice was husky.

  “What you’re doing feels very, very good.” Jodi opened his eyes, looking up at Sevaleth right as he eased his finger within the channel of his ass again. His lids fluttered, and he gasped, reaching out to balance himself on Sevaleth.

  “You are making a noise that is extremely sexy.”

  Jodi was barely able to comprehend what he was doing because he was so aroused. He thought it would hurt or maybe it would simply be weird, but it wasn’t. Having Sevaleth glide his finger in and out of his ass while he stroked Jodi’s cock was the best thing in the world. His legs felt weak, and his breathing was hitching and rushing out of his lungs to the point he sounded like he was running uphill. Still, if Sevaleth thought it was sexy, that was perfectly fine with Jodi.

  “More?” This time, Sevaleth tilted the word up at the end, turning it into an actual question.

  Unable to speak, Jodi nodded.

  “Say. I don’t want to do anything you don’t want.”

  Another rush of attraction caused Jodi to focus his gaze on Sevaleth and beg, “More. Much more. I’m so close.”

  Sevaleth grinned and added another finger, but he did this very slowly, almost without Jodi being aware of what he was doing until he realized he now had two very thick fingers working in and out of his ass.

  “More.”

  “Jodi.” This time, there was no question in Sevaleth’s voice, only a husky kind of longing.

  Jodi realized why he was slipping his fingers in him. Sevaleth was opening him up, but that was okay. Sevaleth was only doing what Jodi wanted him to do.

  “More.”

  Sevaleth didn’t comply right away, which only made Jodi crazier for him. Each pass of his hands lifted his body and opened him up until he couldn’t wait any longer.

  “I want you.” Jodi broke Sevaleth’s hold and then pushed him back toward the bed. He realized that his master was more than strong enough to resist should he choose, but he clearly didn’t want to. “I need you.”

  Sevaleth smiled with so much joy that Jodi realized he had never been with anyone. That was the final emotional stroke that quite literally bound him to his master. No, not that, because Sevaleth wasn’t that kind of man. He had freed Jodi and given him the right to choose. He was Jodi’s companion, his mate. Afraid to speak because he didn’t want to somehow blow everything, Jodi just kept on kissing him until he had Sevaleth on his back on the bed.

  Jodi slung his leg over his hips and gripped Sevaleth’s cock, slicking him with the oil that was smeared between his buttocks. Unable to wait another moment, Jodi rose up, centered Sevaleth’s cock, and readied himself to slide down.

  “Wait.” Sevaleth held him up with powerful hands. “You cannot continue until I tell you the truth.”

  “Truth?” Jodi dreaded hearing something like Sevaleth wasn’t gay or he had a wife and half a dozen kids tucked away somewhere in the palace. “What truth?”

  “I tricked you.”

  “You did?”

  “I didn’t go to get you clothing. I went to Dathar for advice on how to make you willing. I cannot take you when you are helpless against my skill.”

  Jodi couldn’t help himself. He grinned. There was something unbelievably endearing about the way Sevaleth confessed to his crime.

  “You are not angry.”

  “No. I am not angry.” Jodi pushed Sevaleth’s hands off his hips. “But I will be if you don’t let me finish.”

  “You still want me?” Given the obvious shock on his face, the question sprang from between Sevaleth’s lips before he could even think of holding it back.

  “I do. Oh, I really, really do. But I must confess something to you.”

  Sevaleth waited, his expression guarded and wary.

  “I wasn’t trained in the erotic arts. I mean my dad telling me not to rush into anything was about the only information I had. I’m sorry I lied to you.”

  “I’m not.”

  “No?”

  “No. You needed to be seduced. I needed to learn how. We are even.”

  Jodi leaned forward so that he could kiss Sevaleth as he sank down on his cock. There was pressure, and a bit of stinging as his body strove to accommodate Sevaleth’s, but Jodi wasn’t in pain.

  “Don’t close your eyes. Don’t look away.” Sevaleth cupped Jodi’s hips, holding him as he moved ever downward. “I want to remember everything.”

  Jodi felt tears threaten. He’d thought Sevaleth would be a macho jerk, but he wasn’t. He was extremely gentle. Also, he wasn’t like the other heroes in the hall, who managed to turn sex into a sport. Sevaleth made the moment intimate, sweet, and poignant. Each bit more Jodi took caused a look of satisfaction to sharpen Sevaleth’s gaze. It was clear he wanted to move, but just as clear he was leaving everything up to Jodi.

  “You must lead.”

  Feeling empowered, Jodi took his time. He would slide down then come back up, working himself lower until he had taken Sevaleth’s cock fully inside. Once he had, he held steady for a long time, simply enjoying the moment, and then he began to roll his hips.

  “Oh.” Sevaleth’s eyes widened.

  “You thought I was going to go up and down, didn’t you?”

  “I did. I am glad to be wrong.”

  Jodi continued to roll his hips, working his cock inside him. Sevaleth hung on a little tighter to Jodi’s body, clearly trying to control himself.

  “You can move.”

  “I like what you’re doing.”

  Jodi never imagined sex would be quite like this. He wasn’t certain what it would be but not so intimate and just plain fun. Perhaps being on top had given him the perspective he needed, or maybe it was just because he’d waited for someone who had waited for him. Whatever it was, he was deliriously happy as he increased the pace. From down at the very tips of his toes he felt the pleasure building. Each circle tightened him around Sevaleth and rubbed all the sweet spots inside his body.

  When he climaxed, he clamped down hard on Sevaleth, whose eyes rolled back as he lifted his entire body, including Jodi, off the bed. He came so hard Jodi felt his release. Their bodies seemed to bounce the shivers back and forth until Sevaleth finally collapsed on the bed and Jodi sprawled out on his chest.

  Entwined, they lay together without moving or speaking for so long Jodi almost fell asleep. He couldn’t recall ever being so utterly content and at peace.

  “You will stay with me.”

  Jodi had now realized that it was his lover’s way of asking questions, but this also had a ring of an order. Home seemed so very far away, but there were people there he deeply loved. Sevaleth wasn’t what he’d thought he was at all, but making a commitment to him was terrifying when Jodi didn’t know what their life together would be like. Ni
ght after night in the hero’s hall would not only bore him, but Jodi didn’t think he could allow the molestation of innocent slaves to continue. Sticking his nose into a long-standing tradition would get him killed or pit Sevaleth against his fellow heroes. Worse, what would he do all day? Lounging in the pool and playing with Raptor was fun, but for a lifetime? He’d go nuts.

  “You will answer me.”

  Rather than answer, Jodi feigned sleep. But he lay there for a long time, wondering what to do. He felt the first blush of strong emotions for Sevaleth, but he wasn’t ready to make a commitment.

  Chapter 8

  Sevaleth almost shook Jodi awake, but he had given to him so greatly he didn’t want to seem greedy. He would know soon enough how Jodi felt about things. By rights, since Sevaleth had claimed Jodi was a long-lost child of Girakor, he was a free man who could do as he pleased. This meant he could walk away from Sevaleth. The thought of that made him tighten his grip on Jodi, inadvertently pulling his cock free.

  Gently, he rolled so that he and Jodi were nestled side by side. His body had never felt the way it did now. He was relaxed physically but very awake mentally. There were many questions in his head that he didn’t know the answers to. Would Jodi stay? Would he be happy? How could Sevaleth make him happy, or was that even possible? When sleep eluded him, he rose as quietly as he could then went over to the pool.

  He stepped in and then sat on one of the underwater benches. After a long time, the twin moons rose, giving light, but not so much that they would awaken Jodi.

  “Will you make me stay?”

  Sevaleth turned and found that Jodi was sitting up in bed. When he didn’t answer right away, Jodi repeated the question.

  “Will you?”

  Sevaleth wanted to lie and say that he had a right to make him, but he didn’t, and that was not the kind of relationship he wanted with his companion. Dathar owned his slave, so he had to stay with him. The man would probably stay anyway, given how attached he was to Dathar, but the fact remained that Dathar had all the power. Here, with Jodi, they had equal power. What frustrated Sevaleth was that it was by his own word that Jodi had been freed.