Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  Ander gulped, wanting to ask questions, but Thane had already begun to rub Nicolai’s chest with slow strokes. He moved opposite the mage and knelt on the edge of the cushion. Tentatively, he put a hand on the center of Sorel’s broad chest. The heartbeat was slow and strong. He began to caress the smooth torso. Soon he forgot about magic. The warm slide of his oily fingers over hard muscle filled his mind. His movements became more confident as Sorel’s body flexed in response to his touch. A faint whiff of clove mingled with the smoke as Sorel’s body warmed the oil.

  As Ander’s fingers trailed over one of his nipples, he noticed two sensations. First, his own cock had stiffened to iron hardness. That was no surprise. Even fully clothed, Sorel was a vision of sensual masculinity. But the other sensation was something altogether different. He dragged a fingernail across one of Sorel’s nipples to make sure.

  The twinge in his own flesh confirmed his first impression. The echo was faint, but it couldn’t be a coincidence. At the same moment, the aura surrounding Sorel’s body intensified. His heartbeat accelerated, and his chest moved with rapid breaths.

  “Thane, something’s happening! What should I do?”

  Thane glanced at Sorel. “Keep doing what you have been. And more. He can handle a lot of pleasure.”

  Ander slid his hands lower, over the flat muscle of Sorel’s abdomen. Clear fluid pooled beneath the head of his cock. He dipped a finger in it and then pulled his hand away. A glistening strand stretched from his fingertip to the end of Sorel’s oiled phallus.

  Ander licked his lips, his breathing heavy with lust. He couldn’t stand it any longer. He put his hand against the underside of Sorel’s cock and pressed gently. The slippery shaft twitched beneath his palm, and he felt an answering pulse in his own flesh. His fingers curled around the shaft and lifted it up, away from Sorel’s lean midriff. Its hard bulk throbbed in his hand, potent and virile.

  Throat dry with anticipation, he began to slide his fingers up and down. Sorel moaned as he delicately stroked the sensitive skin on the underside of the shaft, just beneath the glans. Fluid oozed out, and Ander paused to spread it around the dusky crown with a fingertip. Sorel’s body trembled, and the red halo sparkled with white flashes. The itch in Ander’s cock grew insistent.

  “Thane,” he said urgently, keeping his hand motionless on the slippery phallus. “I’m feeling what Sorel feels. At least some of it. What can I do?”

  Thane was cupping Nicolai’s balls in one hand while gently stroking him with his other hand. His gaze was fixed on the northerner’s face, gauging every nuance of his pleasure. He answered without turning.

  “You’re more sensitive than I thought. But it’s too late to change our plans. You’ll have to control it and keep going. You’ll have to take care of Nicolai too, when I shape the kei. Soon.”

  The prospect of pleasuring both at once was daunting; just touching Sorel made him ache for release. But he knew Thane was right. There wasn’t much time. A brief glance at Nicolai revealed an impending climax. Beads of sweat streaked his torso, and his breathing was fast. He turned his attention back to Sorel and tried to ignore the waves of pleasure flowing through his body.

  He resumed lightly stroking Sorel’s erection with one hand and, with the other, cupped the soft skin of his scrotum. After a few seconds, his hand slipped lower, to the point where Sorel’s legs merged. The crack was well oiled, and Ander’s fingertip easily found the tight opening. Letting Sorel’s phallus stretch across the palm of his left hand, he eased his right hand’s index finger into his friend’s body.

  Muscles clenched at his finger. Ander gasped as a surge of pleasure washed through him. He no longer feared that Sorel’s release would lag behind Nicolai’s.

  Breathing hard, he closed his fingers around Sorel’s erection and maintained his careful stroking. At the same time, he pressed inside Sorel’s body, gently twisting his finger and moving it in and out. The echoing sensations in his own body were intoxicating.

  Thane glanced at Ander. “I should have warned you. They’re aware of what we’re doing, despite their condition. Don’t be surprised if he spends the next two days praising your technique.”

  Ander nodded, his hands too occupied to brush away the hair that fell in front of his eyes. “From Sorel, that would be a high compliment.”

  Nicolai groaned, a low growl filled with lust. Thane slid his fingers to the base of the upthrust cock and squeezed the thick tube running along its underside. Nicolai shuddered, but the trick forestalled his orgasm.

  “It’s time for you to take care of them both,” Thane said. “See how bright their auras are? There’s almost enough anima to shape the kei. Keep them close to the edge, but don’t let them come until I tell you.”

  Ander took Nicolai’s cock in one hand, leaving the other holding Sorel’s erection. He trembled as he felt the erotic tension flowing between the entranced lovers.

  Thane went around the cushions and knelt beside the brass bowl. He picked up the remaining leaves and sprinkled them on the burning pile to create a new billow of fragrant smoke, then picked up the bottle containing blue oil.

  “Press them together,” he instructed. “Lace your fingers and keep your thumbs touching so you can hold both at once. Then be very careful. They won’t last long after we use this.” He removed a stopper from the bottle, and the scent of juniper mingled with the sweet smoke.

  Ander pulled both erections upright so their undersides pressed against each other. They were almost a perfect match, except that Nicolai’s shaft was a bit thicker. The aura turned purple where the shafts touched. Ander’s fingers tingled.

  Thane lowered the bottle to an inch above the paired shafts and poured a thin stream of oil. It fell on the sensitive flesh and ran down in thick rivulets, coating each phallus as well as Ander’s fingers. Sorel’s and Nicolai’s bodies tensed, their muscles sharply etched.

  Ander gasped. “It feels like I’m about to come!”

  “I know.” Thane put down the bottle. “Let the feelings flow through you. Concentrate on your task. It’s vital you keep them in contact.” He touched Ander’s hand in reassurance. Although the pleasure didn’t lessen, the encouragement bolstered his determination to fulfill his part.

  Hands shaking with the effort of restraining himself, he began to slide his fingers along the two erections. Silky skin moved over iron-hard shafts. The two lovers began to arch their backs and squirm, forcing Ander to concentrate on keeping their slippery flesh in contact.

  “Good,” Thane said. He stood and held his arms outspread, tilting his head back. His body glinted redly in the magical light. He lifted his hands above his head, and a swirling ball of energy began to take form between his palms.

  Ander had no opportunity to watch the mage. A cloud of sparkling light enveloped his hands, and the pleasurable itch in his cock flared into a blaze. Nicolai’s and Sorel’s balls pulled up tight against the bases of their cocks. The air sizzled above his head, crackling with energy, but he didn’t dare look. He concentrated on keeping the two erections in contact while stroking them with a light grip.

  Simultaneous moans from Sorel and Nicolai gave him a moment’s warning. He leaned forward, tightening his fingers and giving a final stroke along the two cocks. Twin fountains of semen shot upward, several hot spurts landing on his face. More fell back to coat his hands.

  “Thane!” His attempted warning was interrupted by his own shattering orgasm. He struggled to maintain his hold on the pulsing cocks, to coax more seed from them, but his body rebelled. He fell backward, gasping, as his release smeared his skin. His eyes were dazzled by a sphere spinning between Thane’s hands like a miniature sun. Bright gold with red streaks, the size of a melon, it bathed the room in streaking light.

  The mage crouched and lowered the sphere between the four silver columns of the device he had prepared. The sphere hissed and sparked as he moved it, until it engulfed the silver box containing the zamindar’s crystal. Then he placed another piece of
wood with silver sheeting on top of the assembly. The sphere briefly continued to swirl and spark but soon calmed to a translucent ball of soft golden radiance.

  Thane straightened and stepped back. His look of satisfaction told Ander the spell had worked.

  The sound of skin moving against leather made him turn back to the cushions. Sorel and Nicolai had emerged from their trance and were watching intently. As soon as Thane finished capturing the sphere, they got up and moved to his side.

  “One thing left,” Nicolai said. He moved behind Thane and wrapped his arms around the mage’s torso. “He still aches from the power of the spell. Perhaps you should be the one to bring him release.”

  Ander blinked in surprise, but Sorel had already unfastened the woven belt that held Thane’s pants. In a smooth motion, he slid them down. Thane’s cock curved upward, its head slick with his arousal.

  “Go ahead,” Sorel said. “You’ve earned the right.”

  He got up as if in a daze and stood before Thane. The mage’s gray eyes were filled with desire. Sinking to his knees, Ander let the cock slide between his lips. Thane gasped, and his knees buckled, but Nicolai held him up as Ander took the phallus fully into his throat. Then he cupped the mage’s solid buttocks in his hands and began to make love to Thane.

  He was rewarded with a geyser of come after four or five slides down the hard shaft. It filled his mouth, and then, as his lips sank back to the root of the cock, continued to spurt down his throat. He held Thane tightly, squeezing his buttocks until the orgasm subsided.

  The tension in the room faded, replaced by a glow of satisfied affection. Sorel spread the cushions out to make a bed, and they collapsed onto it in a tangle of oily limbs. The only sound was a faint purr from the device they had made, the only scent a heady mixture of oils, sweat, and semen.

  Ander found himself pressed against Thane’s side. The mage pulled him tight. They kissed, and then Thane licked semen off his cheek. When it was gone, they kissed again. He heard Nicolai chuckle and guessed the romantic northerner was pleased by Thane’s happiness. Even though he wasn’t yet a full initiate, he felt like a part of Thane’s band and for the moment was content.

  Chapter 19

  ANDER rubbed his eyes, struggling to stay awake. Nicolai and Sorel had retired around midnight, but despite his exhaustion, Thane kept working on a method to destroy the leech. Ander was unwilling to leave him even though he had no illusions about contributing more than encouragement.

  He opened his eyes and watched the determined mage across the table. A bewildering array of crystals, tools, and bits of metal and wood littered the table between them. He hadn’t understood much of the work, but Thane seemed convinced they were near a solution. He hoped the mage was right. Dawn was just a few hours away, and they would have to return to Fochelis as soon as preparations for dealing with the leech were complete.

  He straightened and stretched his arms. “Ready to take a break?”

  Thane glanced up. His eyes lingered briefly on Ander’s body before turning back to the worktable. “I’d better not. We’re not ready, and there’s no telling how much time we have before the zamindar uses the leech. You don’t need to stay up, though. This is a one-person job.”

  “I’d like to help. Is there anything I can do?” He walked around the table to get a better view of the latest contrivance, a device small enough to wear as a medallion.

  Thane glanced at him and smiled. “Just being here helps. Anyway, I think I’m almost done. There’s one last problem I’m trying to fix.”

  “Maybe it would help if you relax and then try again. Want me to work the kinks out of your neck?”

  Thane rotated his head and grimaced. “That might be a good idea. I’ve been bent over this damn table too long.”

  “I won’t argue with that.” He put his hands on Thane’s shoulders and worked his thumbs into the tight muscles. Thane let his head droop forward and closed his eyes, exhaling in a long sigh. Ander leaned into the massage, digging in hard until he could feel the muscles relaxing. A suspicious sniffle made him pause.

  “What is it? You’re not getting a cold, are you?”

  Thane didn’t answer at first. His shoulders slumped as if the long hours of labor had at last caught up with him. But when he turned, there was guilt in his eyes.

  “I’ve not been fair to you. I’m sorry.”

  “Fair? You don’t owe me anything. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You know how I feel.”

  Thane’s expression changed to anguish. “Yes. And I’ve fought it. Because of the past.” A tear rolled unnoticed down his cheek. “Lucian is gone. But now… it feels like it did before. He stayed with me while I worked. Soothed me when I tired. I’ve been wondering what he’d think, about how I feel. If he’d known that… that I’d love someone else.”

  The lump in Ander’s throat prevented him from answering. He wrapped Thane in his arms and held him tightly. After a moment’s hesitation, the hug was returned. They clung to each other, listening to rain pelting the windows, until their pounding hearts slowed.

  While Ander couldn’t be sure, it seemed to him the warm glow he felt was tinged with more than his own joy and relief. He knew that Lucian watched over Thane and wished the shade would give him a sign of approval. A flicker of light across the table might have been an answer or might just have been a reflection in the moisture blurring his vision.

  He slid a hand up to Thane’s neck and squeezed it gently. “Let’s get some sleep. We both need rest.”

  Thane rubbed at his eyes and nodded. “You’re right. I’m ready to drop.”

  They retreated to Thane’s room, where he fell onto the cushion without pausing to undress. Ander went to the storage chest and dug out a blanket. By the time he found it, Thane was asleep.

  He watched the slumbering form with a wry smile. He could imagine the ribbing he’d get from Sorel and Nicolai if they found out Thane had finally admitted his love and then passed out as soon as they got to bed. Taking care not to disturb his exhausted friend, he reclined on the cushion and spread the blanket over them. His tired mind tried to grasp what Thane’s confession meant for their future, until sleep claimed him.

  ANDER woke to light streaming through the window. He stretched, warm and comfortable, before remembering where he was and what had happened during the night. He rolled onto his side and reached for Thane, but he was alone.

  He heard a high-pitched hum from the workshop’s open door and ventured into the hallway. As he had guessed, Thane was already at work. He rubbed the last sleep from his eyes and entered the room.

  Parts that had littered the table the night before were now fashioned into a circular medallion three inches across. Rosy light coming from a crystal mounted in the center of the humming device bathed the mage’s weary but satisfied face.

  “How long have you been up?” Ander asked as he went over to the table.

  “Oh… a while,” Thane replied vaguely. “I woke up with a new idea and couldn’t wait to try it out. I’m almost ready to test it.”

  Ander put his forearms on the table and leaned over the glittering medallion. Up close, he could see tiny bursts of light illuminating the red crystal’s interior and the taut wires suspending it among bits of stone and carved ebony. The whole thing was mounted on a heavy silver ring that was attached to a woven leather necklace.

  “I knew you’d do it. How does it work?”

  “The key was to think of it as a weapon, not just a way to counteract the leech. I’d been trying to find a way to drain the power from that crystal you and Nicolai brought back. It wasn’t working. The kei couldn’t absorb it fast enough. But this morning I realized the energy could be amplified and sent back into its source. If it’s strong enough, the source will be destroyed.”

  “You mean the leech will destroy itself?”

  “Any source of energy can be turned on itself, if this works right.” He used a knife’s point to adjust the position of a star sapp
hire mounted on a pivoting silver rod and then looked up eagerly. “Let’s try it!”

  The box Thane had built for the zamindar’s crystal rested at one end of the table, although the golden ball of energy created by Nicolai and Sorel the day before had vanished. Ander’s eyes opened wide when he saw the lifeless device.

  “What happened to the spell we wove yesterday? Don’t we need it to conceal the crystal from the zamindar’s sorcerers?”

  “I used it to power the medallion. But I put the crystal back in its box first, so no harm was done.” He held the medallion by its thong a few inches above the silver box before removing the lid. The humming got louder as he lowered the medallion but ceased when the edge of the silver ring made contact with the crystal.

  Ander’s shoulders slumped. “Nothing happened. The crystal looks just the same.”

  Thane pulled the medallion up. “That was just to attune the device to the crystal. Now we’ll see if we can turn the crystal’s power back on itself.” He moved the rod with the sapphire mounted on it, and the hum commenced again at a much lower pitch.

  They leaned over the bench, eyes fixed on the zamindar’s crystal. For several agonizing seconds, it looked as though nothing would happen. Then the crystal began to quiver. The medallion’s humming soared in pitch and volume.

  “Get back!” Thane yelled, grabbing Ander by the arm and yanking him away from the table. The zamindar’s crystal emitted a single brilliant flash and shattered into dozens of razor-sharp fragments.

  Ander took a shuddering breath, stunned by their narrow escape, but Thane was jubilant. “This is going to work! All we have to do is get within range and we can destroy the damned leech. I’ll go to Fochelis today, before the zamindar has a chance to use it.”

  “How close do we have to get? I hope we don’t have to go down into the crypts again.”

  “Anywhere within a few hundred yards should work. As long as I can sense the leech’s energy in the kei, I can use the medallion against it.”