by J. R Fox
Aidan shifted his hand so he had a better hold on the table and braced himself, ready for Eric to fuck him as hard as he could. Aidan was grateful when Eric took the hint, pulling out almost all the way and then shoving himself back in, jolting Aidan’s whole body in the process and scooting the table a little way across the floor. He did this slowly a few times, then began to build up to a steady rhythm. Aidan was too busy enjoying himself to care that the table was quickly approaching the wall. It was sturdy enough to take this, and they could always move it back later.
He moaned and whimpered as Eric thrust into him relentlessly, feeling his first orgasm building at record speed. He’d been so ready for this that he could barely hold out, and it only took the nudge of Eric moving his hand under him to set Aidan off, leaving him wailing into the hardwood table and rocking with every thrust Eric made, trying to draw his pleasure out.
To his dismay, Eric pulled out as he was coming down. He made an unhappy noise to object, but Eric shushed him.
“I can’t knot in you in this position. We’re going to the bedroom.”
That seemed sensible, and Aidan was about to agree when Eric picked him up as though he weighed nothing. If he hadn’t just come, that alone might have been enough to make him. He wrapped his arms around Eric’s neck to cling to him, allowing himself to be carried happily.
Aidan could already tell he was going to enjoy the hell out of letting Eric claim him as long and hard as he wanted.
***
The sun was setting behind the curtains by the time Eric woke, and he was deliciously sore all over. It was the soreness of running a marathon, except his marathon had been claiming Aidan. Once they’d started it had been hard to stop, and Eric hadn’t really wanted to—he’d just been too exhausted to continue.
It was a good feeling. Aidan had wanted him in every possible position, and some that Eric would have thought were impossible. The combined effects of their hormones, now that they’d both admitted to what they wanted, had allowed them to go without pause for hours. Even now, with Aidan absent and his own body protesting every movement, Eric knew that if Aidan asked him to, he’d be able to manage another round.
If humans thought their honeymoon period was intense, they should try a dragon one.
Eric could sense that Aidan was nearby and not in distress, but he got up to find him all the same. After a few minutes of searching, he found Aidan on the balcony in his dragon form, curled up like an enormous cat, enjoying the last of the warm sunlight for the day. The weather was heating up, and while as a human, carrying a baby in the summer was going to be difficult, for a dragon, it was ideal. Eric expected Aidan to spend much of his pregnancy shifted.
This was, however, the first time he’d ever seen him as a dragon. Aidan was beautiful as a human, there was no disputing that, but seeing him as a dragon—covered in black scales that reflected olive and gold in the light, small even for an omega, in contrast to his appearance as a human, and with a long, graceful neck which both of his forms shared—left Eric staring in shock.
He’d never seen a dragon as magnificent as Aidan, and his own, comparatively plain emerald-scaled form seemed dull in comparison. All the same, the sunlight was tempting, and there was enough room on the balcony for two. Eric shifted as well, wincing at the pain of it after not having done so for years.
It was nice to be with someone of his own kind. He didn’t need to explain himself to Aidan as he curled up next to him, letting their tails intertwine once he was settled.
Aidan opened his eyes to look at Eric, and for the first time, Eric was aware of the way Aidan looked at him.
Aidan looked at him as though he was a Van Gogh. That same awe and delight that he’d seen in the gallery back home was directed at him, as though Eric himself was a priceless, meaningful work of art.
If Aidan hadn’t already had ownership of his whole heart, that would have sealed the deal.
He believed, then, that this was truly what Aidan wanted, and though he still felt they needed to have a discussion about how they were going to move forward, Eric was satisfied that Aidan wanted him as his mate. As far as Eric was concerned, that was all that was important right now. Anything else was merely a detail to be worked out as necessary.
Whatever happened, he’d be with Aidan forever.
Chapter Ten
Although he knew that this was the first step towards their new life, Aidan found himself in tears at the airport. Eric was leaving today, and he wouldn't be back for a month. He’d arranged for a transfer closer to the city Aidan lived in. It would be archival, to begin with, but there was room for him to move back into exhibition design when the current head of exhibitions retired, which was expected to be within a year. In the meantime, it would mean part-time hours, so he’d have time to spend with Aidan and the baby.
It was practically a perfect solution, but for the next few months Eric would have to travel back and forth several times to hand over to the person who was going to replace him in his old job. There were projects he was halfway through, and he couldn’t just drop them, either.
“You have to text me the minute you step off the plane. And then when you get home safe.” Aidan found himself clinging to Eric’s hand, aware he sounded a little hysterical, but not caring. People could stare all they wanted. He was going to have to live without his mate for weeks.
Eric laughed. “Possessive, much?”
Aidan rolled his eyes. “You belong to me, and to this baby.” He put his hand on his belly. At seven months, he felt huge, and though he had moments when he wasn’t sure it’d be worth it, he was excited most of the time. Especially now that he knew he’d have Eric, as well.
If he’d been asked a year ago what he imagined his life would be like now, Aidan would never have guessed that he’d be pregnant and mated to his best friend, but he couldn’t be happier with any other outcome.
“You’re right.” Eric agreed, and then dropped to one knee. A few onlookers cooed softly, obviously thinking he was about to propose, unaware that it was much too late for that. For dragons, they were as married as they possibly could be. If it ever became an issue, they could get legally married quietly.
“You be good for Aidan, okay?” He said to Aidan’s belly, clearly talking to the baby. Eric moved both of his hands up to touch him, cradling the bump gently. “I’ll be back soon, and we can talk more about all the cool stuff I’m gonna show you when you come out of there. Please don’t do that until I get back, though.”
Aidan laughed at that. Eric was due back home eight full days before Aidan’s due date; they’d planned that in advance so Eric would be around for the birth.
The sign for Eric’s flight changed to boarding, and Aidan felt himself tearing up again. “You’ll be gone so long,” he said as Eric stood and wrapped him in his arms.
“I know, but then I’ll be back forever. We’ll get to start a whole new life for ourselves and we’ll always be together. It’s worth the wait, right?” Eric asked as he stepped back, an unsure note in his voice.
“Of course it is,” Aidan sniffed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “I think I’m crying mostly because I’m pregnant. I understand this is what we have to do, and I know you’ll come back.”
“I couldn’t keep away.” Eric leaned in and kissed Aidan softly. He took his hand, squeezed it, and then let it go again, reluctantly. “I’ll text the minute I’m off the plane and I’ll call when I get in, okay? If you need anything, I’m only a few hours away.”
Aidan sniffed again. “I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you, too.” Eric smiled at him, then bent down to pick up his bag. “I’ll be back before you know it. And I’ll call every day. Or you can call me, obviously.”
“I will call you. You don’t always have to pick up. I can leave a voicemail.” Aidan tried to smile, though he still felt like crying. He knew Eric would come back. It just felt as though they were always saying goodbye.
“I’ll pi
ck up as long as I’m awake,” Eric promised. He bent down and placed a kiss on Aidan’s belly. “I’ll miss you too, kiddo. Be good.”
Aidan cleared his throat and squared his shoulders, not wanting to make Eric late for his flight. “You’d better go, or they’ll start calling you over the PA system.” He smiled wryly.
“Yeah.” Eric swallowed. “I love you,” he said again, then hugged Aidan one-armed one last time before walking toward the gate. He didn’t look back, but Aidan was glad he hadn’t. The last thing he needed was for Eric to run back to him when he saw him in tears. This was embarrassing enough as it was.
Eric was right. The time would go by before he knew it, and then they’d be starting a new life together. Their time apart was going to be more than worth the end result.
***
Despite careful planning and calculations, Eric wasn’t entirely surprised to be rushing to the airport two days before he was supposed to be going home, having received a text from Aidan that said he’d gone into labor.
He’d known before the text came, even. He’d been deeply uncomfortable all day, waiting for something to happen, and now he knew why. Aidan was about to have their baby, and he was hours away from him.
Eric had known they should have given themselves more leeway, but the gallery management had insisted, and his new job wouldn’t start for weeks after Aidan had given birth. The deal had been a good one, but babies, Eric was beginning to realize, had the worst possible sense of timing imaginable.
Switching off his phone when he boarded the plane made Eric’s chest constrict. What if something went wrong, and Aidan tried to contact him, but he was in the air? This was by far the fastest way to get to him—the only way he could possibly get there before it was all over—but he hated to be out of contact. All kinds of things could happen, and he wouldn’t find out about them until he landed.
On the other hand, there wasn’t anything he could do about any of them until he landed. It wasn’t much comfort, but it was at least some comfort. Besides, Aidan was in a hospital. They’d discussed the possibility of a home birth, but discarded it when it had become clear that Eric would be away up until a week before Aidan’s due date.
Eric told himself the whole time that Aidan was surrounded by professionals and that he was the toughest person he’d ever known, but he was still grateful when he felt the plane hitting the tarmac. He just wanted to be with Aidan, to let him know it was all okay, and to see their baby as soon as he physically could.
He was so busy trying to get to the hospital that he didn’t remember to turn his phone back on until he was already in a cab.
The latest message from Aidan read you have a beautiful daughter, and Eric burst into tears the moment he saw it.
He was stressed and exhausted and he’d been terrified for hours that something might go so wrong he’d never see Aidan again, but it was all worth it to hear that.
Eric opened the image Aidan had sent with the message to see tiny, pink baby swaddled in a cloth so that only her face and the tip of her jet-black tail, poking out the side, were visible. He was glad she’d gotten Aidan's coloring. She’d grow up to be beautiful.
Aidan had been updating him on each step of the process; when he’d gotten to the hospital, that having a baby hurt and it was all Eric's fault, that they were going to put him under and that he loved Eric very much.
Then the latest one, where he was awake and they had a new baby.
Eric raced through the halls of the hospital as fast as he could without knocking anyone else over, taking the stairs when the elevator was too slow for him and coming to a screeching halt in front of the room he’d been told Aidan was in.
Pausing to take a deep breath, Eric braced himself. His life had changed a lot lately, but this was the biggest change yet.
All the same, he was ready to be a father. An odd sense of calm came over him as he opened the door. This was exactly what he wanted, and nothing major had gone wrong. He’d missed the birth, but maybe he wouldn't miss the next one. If there was going to be a next one.
Eric suddenly hoped there was.
When he finally stepped inside, the first thing he saw was Aidan, with dark circles under his eyes, looking like he’d just run a marathon. Eric supposed that was exactly what he had done.
In Aidan's arms was a tiny, unmistakable bundle. Eric walked over to the bed in silence, letting the door swing closed behind him.
“She's beautiful,” he whispered once he was close enough to see. He’d always known their child would be beautiful to him, but he hadn't realized how good it would feel to see her in person.
“She gets that from me.” Aidan grinned. He reached out to tug Eric down for a kiss, clinging a little. Eric understood. He wasn't going to want to let Aidan out of his sight for a week, at least.
“She does, yeah,” he agreed. Aidan could tease all he wanted. What he’d just done earned him the right for the foreseeable future.
“I'm glad you're here,” Aidan said softly. “I was getting lonely without you.”
“I'm sorry I wasn't here for you.” Eric pulled up a chair to sit down beside the bed, his legs threatening to give up on him.
“That’s more her fault than yours. You’re here now. That’s all I care about.” Aidan shifted a little. “You wanna hold her?” He offered the baby to Eric.
Eric wanted to hold her more than he wanted anything else in the world, and took her as carefully as he could, hugging her close to his chest the moment Aidan let go of her.
“Hello precious.” He smiled down at the baby, who looked up at him with wide, curious eyes. “I love you so much,” he said, surprised by how deeply true that was. He knew already that he’d give anything for this tiny person’s safety and comfort.
“You know,” Eric said softly. “I never thought I’d have any of this, but I’m so glad I have it with you.” He looked up at Aidan. “Thank you.”
Aidan smiled a warm, loving smile at him, and reached out to run his fingers through Eric’s hair. “I’m glad I have it with you, too,” he said.
If Eric had ever lived through a happier moment, he couldn’t remember it. Everything he wanted out of his life was right there in the room with him, and he wouldn’t have changed a single thing about it.
He knew that for himself, Aidan, and their new baby, this was only the beginning.
END.
A Brace of Sapphires
MM Dragon Shifter Romance
Chapter One
Peter Hill was excited for his new job at the Museum of Natural History, but also incredibly nervous. Until last month, when he’d graduated from the liberal arts program with a degree in the Origins of Western Warfare and the Roman Republic, he’d never held a job before. Scholarships and grants had seen to his pocket money, not to mention the bills of his education. But that life was behind him now.
Now, he was an adult, and one of the few people in his graduating class that had actually managed to get hired within his major.
Well, sort of.
“Ah, Peter,” a young woman greeted him as he hesitantly walked through the employee entrance to the museum. “You’re the new tour guide, right? I’m Melissa Wright.”
“Oh,” Peter smiled back, readily taking the hand she’d offered for a shake. “Yep, new tour guide for you antiquities department,” he nodded eagerly.
“Wonderful, wonderful,” she hummed, stepping out from around her desk. “Let me just show you around right quick – this way to the locker room.” Unlike some of the other workers, Peter wasn’t required to wear a costume, though he did need a lanyard.
“It’s a trick to memorize your speech,” she said, handing one off to him. The lanyard itself was a shiny navy blue that felt surprisingly rough to the touch. Twelve pins were stuck on it, each with a different theme. “You’ll always start with Mesopotamia, the yellow ziggurat on the left,” she pointed to the pin at the top. “Then the Egyptians, a pyramid; Ancient India, Lakshmi; the Phoenicians, a ship; Anc
ient China, a robe; Ancient Israel, a camel; the Greeks, a temple; the Romans, a soldier; Feudal Japan, a samurai; and, finally, medieval Europe with a castle pin.”
Peter looked down at the pins in worry. He had yet to hear anything about the actual tour he was supposed to give, other than the time periods involved. “Uh, so, is there a packet that I’m supposed to memorize?” he asked.
“Oh, no,” Melissa shook her head with a laugh. “We wouldn’t do that to you. Actually, we like to pair new guides up with experienced ones so that they can get a walkthrough of how it’s supposed to go. From there, they’ll practice your guide with you, and give you a list of appropriate jokes to make the kids laugh – you know, showmanship and all that.”
“Good,” Peter laughed along with her, relieved. But, after glancing around the empty locker room, he couldn’t help but ask. “Where do I meet them? Or do they meet me?”
“Actually,” she said thoughtfully. “Attendance is up this morning. We have a group of students from Yanderson’s Middle School visiting us for their annual field trip, and all of our guides are currently working. So, I thought that we could just go join one of the groups and get a tour ourselves.”
“I’m down for that,” Peter smiled. “Does this mean that you’re coming with me?”
“Are you kidding? I never pass up a chance to hear one of Mark’s tours – he does all the voices, it’s awesome.”
As she led the way, Peter couldn’t help but frown. “Voices?” he muttered to himself, the lanyard clutched in his hand.
“—And then, dropping Cerberus at Eurystheus’ feet, Hercules declared that he had finished all twelve labors!” Mark’s voice boomed in the gallery.
