Dragons Sky

by Noah Harris

  “I am not.” Arulean snapped, hands clasped behind his back, standing tall, and very firmly glaring at the mass of alphas surrounding Rajiah across the great hall.

  “Mhmmm...” His brother hummed, sipping wine from his goblet, other arm crossed over his chest as he leaned his weight to one hip. “Whatever you say, brother...” He said, nudging Arulean’s shoulder with his own.

  Arulean ignored the touch. “I have no reason to glare.” He insisted, eyes unwavering as he observed them all. They were like vultures, swarming the young and vulnerable. A pack of hyenas prepared to pick off a savory delight. And, damn, if Rajiah wasn’t savory. Savory and sweet and delicious and-- “He can do what he wants.” Elders forbid, anyone tell Rajiah Bronze what to do.

  “Who now?”

  “What?” Arulean finally tore his gaze away, turning a confused look to his brother.

  Gerrald was grinning from ear to ear. “I never said what you were looking at. I just said you were glaring. You, however, make it sound like you were glaring at someone in particular. Who would it be, I wonder...” He said, tapping his chin thoughtfully with his goblet.

  Arulean glared and then looked away, eyes finding the group again. “You know very well who I am glaring at.”

  “So you admit you’re glaring.”

  Arulean bit his tongue, grinding his teeth. “You seem adamant about pointing it out, so I see no reason to deny it.”

  “Has he done something wrong?”

  “No...”

  “Then why are you glaring at him like he just put poison in your drink?”

  “I’m not glaring at him.”

  “You just said-- ah, I see.”

  “See what, pray tell?”

  “You’re glaring at those around him.” Gerrald said.

  It wasn’t a question, so Arulean didn’t bother answering. It had been two days since their first kiss, entangled in the gardens, alone, and distanced from everything. It felt like a dream. Had it not been for the sly glances and playful, knowing quirk of his lips whenever Rajiah caught his eye, he would think it had been a dream. It felt too surreal to be true. The bubbling of happy warmth in his chest, the fluttering of butterflies, the nauseating nervousness, the buzzing of contentment and excitement in his veins... they were all feelings that he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Things he never thought he would feel again. Things he thought he was numb to until Rajiah Bronze flew into his life.

  It was a simple social gathering after the usual nightly feast. It was nothing too formal, and, as such, Lyphnia hadn’t seen any reason to stay glued to his side. She also seemed to have calmed down after the incident where he had blatantly chosen Rajiah’s side over hers on the issue of the werewolf pack. She no longer hovered at his side and glared at her younger brother, but she did give them both a noticeable distance. Even now, she wasn’t at Rajiah’s side, attempting to pawn him off on alphas as she had been. She left him to his own devices, instead busying herself with hushed conversation with older, influential dragons.

  Arulean was wary of that. He knew she was plotting against him, no doubt in an attempt to get more to her side to back her opinions and ideas during the official meetings. Under normal circumstances, he might try to counter balance her, perhaps go and interrupt her to keep an eye on things. This, however, wasn’t under normal circumstances. Not when a sickening jealousy was burning like an itch beneath his skin at every admiring look an alpha sent Rajiah’s way, not with the anger that bubbled in his gut when one of them reached out to casually touch him, not with the way everything in him was screaming to take the omega away and claim him.

  He held himself in check though, firmly rooted to the spot, simply watching and glaring from afar. He would deal with Lyphnia later, for now, Rajiah’s entourage had his full attention.

  He was remaining calm for the moment, but he wasn’t sure what he would do if one of them attempted to leave with Rajiah alone.

  Logically, he knew that Rajiah wouldn’t want to do that anyway. He knew how the omega felt about his admirers. Logically, he knew that he had no right to him. No right to stop other alphas from courting him, no right to claim him. He could. No one would fault him for taking on another mate. Not with the obvious distance between him and Lyphnia. But he also didn’t want to open up that opportunity for her to get out from under his influence.

  So he watched from afar and brooded like a man half his age.

  “Perhaps you should go talk to him...” Gerrald suggested, pulling him out of his thoughts.

  Arulean scoffed. “That wouldn’t look obvious at all.”

  Gerrald’s eyebrows shot up, lips curling into an amused smirk. “Sarcasm? This must truly be serious. You, my dear brother, are smitten.”

  “I am not.” The lie was weak.

  “You are. I can see it in the way you look at him. Your body and your aura give it all away.” Arulean glanced at him sharply, but Gerrald put up his hands defensively. “It’s obvious to me because I’ve known you for so long. I doubt others can see it. But...” His smile widened. “I can also see the same smitten look when he looks at you.”

  I want you, Arulean Black. Arulean shivered, the echoes of that low, husky voice playing in his mind.

  “You should steal him away.” Gerrald said casually.

  Arulean choked, coughing violently as he turned to gape at his brother. “I should what?” He sputtered, incredulous.

  Gerrald eyed him sidelong before looking back across the crowd. He gestured to it vaguely with his cup. “You should steal him away.”

  Arulean frowned. “The risk of people noticing is far too high.”

  He shrugged, a smirk playing across his lips. “If you don’t, we run the risk of you raging out on whatever poor, unsuspecting alpha decides to be bold and touch Rajiah.” Arulean glared at him, lips pursed, but said nothing. He knew, deep in his heart, that his brother was right. Gerrald sipped his wine, eyeing Arulean over the lip of it with eyes that sparkled with mischief. “Besides, no one will notice if I distract them.”

  He blinked. “You would do that?”

  Gerrald lowered his cup, his grin bright and cheerful. He clasped his free hand on Arulean’s shoulder. “Arulean, my wise, yet naive brother, I’ve been trying to get you to chase your happiness for years. Now that we’ve found something that might just pull you back from the dark abyss of your own mind, you bet your damn throne that I would do anything to get you two together.”

  Arulean couldn’t help the quirk of his lips. His shoulders relaxed. “Thank you, but...” He gazed out over the crowd, eyes flickering in his search for Lyphnia. She was nowhere in sight, something that should have worried him but he only felt relief. “I’m not too sure...”

  Gerrald patted his shoulder roughly, laughing. “Nonsense! It’ll be just like old times. Come on, Arulean, live a little.”

  “I am not--“

  “I’m going,” Gerrald said, already stepping away from him.

  “Gerrald,” Arulean hissed, reaching for him, but his brother danced away from his grasp, laughing.

  He turned to look at him, eyes and grin practically oozing mischief. “Better make your move, brother.” He said with a wink before turning on his heel and slipping into the crowd with a strange amount of fluidity and grace for a man his size. Arulean watched, internal war struggling as Gerrald got closer and closer to the group of people around Rajiah.

  “Damn him...” Arulean cursed under his breath, knowing his mind had already been made up long before this moment. He slipped away from where he had been standing, weaving through the crowd toward the edges of the hall. He kept an eye on Rajiah, noting the moment that Gerrald exploded from the crowd with a wide grin and a boisterous greeting. He threw an arm over the shoulders of one of the alphas, pulling him close as he spoke to everyone in that odd friendly way of his.

  As Arulean watched, Rajiah blinked at him, smiling at Gerrald but brows furrowing in confusion. Gerrald tilted his head as he spoke, and only Rajiah took the hint.
His gaze swept idly across the crowd, lips pursed and brows furrowed, until his eyes locked on Arulean’s. His lips relaxed, mouth forming a small, surprised o. Arulean smirked, making pointed eye contact, raising his brows, and nodding his head toward the exit. He held his gaze as he slowly turned, then broke away and slipped from the great hall. He hoped that was enough to get the message across.

  Few people greeted him as he slipped away. He’d found that if he looked serious enough, and looked like he had places to be, people were less likely to approach him. This proved true once again as he made his way out to the inner hall. He found a place, close enough to the great hall that there were a few drifting dragons, but was otherwise empty. It was a hall, he knew, that was a favored spot for lovers. The hall was lined with alcoves, big enough for a couple to fit comfortably, and each alcove was sectioned off with a thick curtain that reached the floor. It was a design that had been for aesthetics, but the practicality of it was for visitors and partiers to have a place to escape and be alone. Arulean had never indulged in the hall himself. He saw it more of something for young couples and new couples, and this castle had been built at the height of his and Lyphnia’s union. He’d never had a reason to venture here. Until now.

  He made as if he was simply passing through, and when he was certain no one was in the open area of the hall, he slipped into an alcove close to the far end, one that he had determined was empty. And there he waited, leaning against the stone wall, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. He knew, logically, he had no reason to feel nervous. And yet he was. It was a strangely foreign yet oddly familiar feeling.

  He knew when Rajiah got close. He could smell him through the crack he had left between the curtain and the wall, could hear his hesitant and light, careful steps, could feel his strong and warm aura. He peeked through the crack, knowing that the shadows of the alcove would hide him from view in the hallway. When Rajiah stepped in front of his hiding spot, his hand shot out, grabbing his wrist firmly and giving him a strong pull into the alcove. In a fluid motion, he pulled the curtain closed and pushed Rajiah up against the wall with his body, shoving a knee between his thighs and slapping a hand firmly over his mouth to cut off the shout of protest that came shortly after.

  Rajiah struggled for a moment, body squirming fiercely, nails digging into the fabric and flesh of his arms. His eyes blazed in the darkness, aura flaring. And, all at once, everything seemed to click. Arulean wasn’t sure if he noticed his scent or if his eyes adjusted to the darkness, but either way, Rajiah’s squirming suddenly stopped, body relaxing and slumping against the wall, eyes widening, grip on his arms relaxing.

  Arulean quirked a small smile in the shadows. “I am going to move my hand.” He breathed, voice strangely muted in the secret space within the wall. The curtains were designed to hide scents and block sounds, to keep the secrets they held. “Try not to scream, will you?”

  He moved his hand slowly, revealing Rajiah’s pursed lips. “What are you doing?” He hissed, disgruntled.

  Arulean smirked, leaning back a fraction to gesture vaguely to the alcove. “Rescuing you. I thought that much was obvious.”

  Rajiah glanced around, eyes growing accustomed easily to the darkness as their kind was prone to do. He looked back to Arulean, one eyebrow raised and a small smirk on his lips. “Rescuing me? From what?”

  “From the herd of alphas that never seem to leave you alone.”

  He tilted his head back a little, resting it against the wall. They were still so close. Arulean’s body pressed up against him, reveling in the feeling of him, warm and inviting. “Were you jealous, Arulean?” He practically purred.

  Arulean suppressed a shiver and scoffed. “Hardly.”

  “Mhmm...” Rajiah hummed, lifting a hand to trail his fingers along the edge of Arulean’s face, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear. He tilted his chin up, and Arulean automatically leaned his head down. He could feel his breath on his lips. “And now that we’re here... what’re you going to do with me?”

  “I was thinking about kissing you.” Arulean said, voice low and husky, eyes focusing in on those deliciously plump lips. In the small enclosure, Rajiah’s scent was nearly overwhelming, filling his senses and driving him insane, pulling him closer.

  Rajiah’s hands slid up his arms, locking around his neck. His back arched, pushing his body flush against Arulean’s. “Then do it...” He said, breathless.

  Arulean brushed their lips together, and Rajiah’s automatically parted. He felt the omega shudder, heard his breath hitch, and felt something akin to fire burn through his veins. “This is dangerous,” He whispered, lips moving against Rajiah’s. “Risky...” His tongue snaked out, running along the omega’s bottom lip and drawing out a breathy gasp. “We could be discovered.”

  “I don’t care,” Rajiah breathed, sounding completely wrecked, despite them having barely touched. Something about that made pride swell in Arulean’s chest. “Do you?”

  “No,” Arulean growled, and he found that he truly didn’t. Something about the danger made it all the more exciting. Besides, he already knew he wouldn’t be able to resist, not with Rajiah so close, in his arms, clinging to him and already shuddering in anticipation. He would never be able to walk away now. He would be a fool to.

  He kissed him then, long and languid and sweet, cupping the back of his neck and curling his fingers into his hair to tilt his head to deepen the kiss. Just like he had the first time, Rajiah opened up to him easily, body becoming pliant and willing beneath his touch. He leaned into him, body arching and small, breathing sounds coming from his throat.

  He took his time exploring the omega, making himself familiar with him all over again, finding out what licks and nips drew out the best sounds, what touches he liked best. He pressed his thigh between Rajiah’s legs, and the younger man rutted against him eagerly, hips rocking as his breath came quicker. He bit at Arulean’s bottom lip, and the alpha groaned, fingers tightening in his hair, yanking his head back to expose the beautiful curve of his neck.

  He nibbled and licked and kissed his way along Rajiah’s jaw, down the column of his throat, biting at his collarbone, nosing at the scent glands, smelling deliciously sweet and swelling beneath his skin. He found himself growling and growing frustrated at the multitude of bands and chains the omega wore. They were hiding so much of his scent, but at least at this distance, he was able to smell him properly. Rajiah squirmed between him and the wall, whines and needy sounds escaping his swollen lips.

  Beautiful. He was beautiful. Beautiful and needy and desperate for him and him alone. He was never like this around the other alphas. He was standoffish and firm, stubborn and defiant. But just a few touches and Arulean could reduce him to this. He did this. He made Rajiah like this. And that thought sent a fire between his legs, cock already hard and aching as he pushed it against Rajiah, eager for friction.

  How long had it been since he had felt like this? Desperate for release and rutting against someone like a prepubescent youth? Too long. Far, far too long.

  Without really thinking, he sunk his teeth into Rajiah’s neck, jaw clenching hard. Rajiah cried out, shoving his knuckles in his mouth to muffle the sound. He clenched his eyes closed, body arching into Arulean, free hand digging nails into his shoulder. He bit down harder, growling low in his throat, hands holding the man’s body to him. He didn’t let go until he tasted salty, copper tang of the omega’s blood.

  Rajiah gasped sharply, the air being let out in a low groan as Arulean released him, lapping and sucking at the spot until it made a sizable bruise. He then leaned back, admiring his handiwork, his mark. He had marked Rajiah. It was a temporary mark. It would fade with time and didn’t hold the same sort of significance as a true mateship bond, but it was still a mark, and it still send something primal and proud spiraling through him.

  He wanted Rajiah to wear the mark proudly, openly, scare off all the other alphas. He wanted his scent on him, mixing with his like it was here in the co
nfines of the alcove. He wanted Rajiah to be his and his alone.

  “You have nothing to be jealous of,” Rajiah’s voice was soft, amused, and breathy. Arulean’s eyes jerked to his, startled out of his thoughts. Thoughts that must have been clear on his face for Rajiah to have been able to read him so well. His lips were curled into a small smile. His fingers played with the long strands of Arulean’s hair. He leaned close, lips brushing against his. “I told you that you’re the one I want.”

  He kissed down Arulean’s jaw, and he tilted his head back automatically to give him access. Rajiah layered kisses down his throat, his collarbone, tugging aside his tunic to get to his chest. He scraped his teeth along the sensitive flesh, and Arulean shivered. He wanted Rajiah to bite down, wanted to be marked the same way he had marked him, but Rajiah didn’t. And that was probably for the best. It would be much harder for Arulean to hide a mark like that from Lyphnia.

  Rajiah’s hands slid down his chest, tugging his tunic free from his pants and slipping his hands up and under. His fingers spread wide, reverently touching, mapping, exploring his stomach and chest. Arulean let him, head tilted back and lips parted as he panted, letting the omega in, letting him have him in such a vulnerable state, feeling the eagerness and desperate need radiating from Rajiah’s every touch. He knew he had Arulean in the palm of his hand, and he wanted more.

  Then suddenly Rajiah was pushing him away, and Arulean stumbled back, protest cutting off as his back was shoved against the stone wall, Rajiah immediately crowding him. And then the omega was dropping to his knees, hands eagerly unbuttoning and pulling down the front of his pants. Arulean gasped in surprise as his cock, hard and flushed, sprung free, immediately hit by the cool air before he felt the warm breathy pants of Rajiah’s breath.

  Before he could truly register what was happening, Rajiah’s mouth was around him and swallowing him down.

  Arulean’s head whipped back so fast that it cracked against the cold stones, and he saw stars. He gasped, at a loss for breath but unable to regain it. One hand gripped the stones behind him, fingers like claws against the mortar, the other buried itself in Rajiah’s hair, pulling tight. The omega groaned around him, sending vibrations through him that ripped a moan from his throat. His mouth was hot and tight, and his pace was vigorous.