Guarded

by Sabrina Kade

  His lips flatten into a straight line, and I know immediately what he’s expecting me to say.

  He thinks York’s rejected me and that is the reason for my early arrival.

  It would not be the first time, and now I fear it will no longer be the last.

  I must remember how well everything went last night. Otherwise, I am going to fall apart in front of my Prince. He cannot see me weak. Not anymore. I must be strong for him because that is what I pledged when I offered my life and soul to him. He is one of the only people who look at me like a person, and not some monster to be frightened of. I don’t want to let him down, but Prince Korben also knows I am more sensitive to rejections from women than anyone else would ever know.

  “Azan,” Korben says. “If you need me to move the smart one to the second lair, it shall be done—”

  “I have not been rejected.” I lose a bit of control, hissing at Prince Korben before I bow deeply, humiliated. “I am sorry. I spoke too roughly.”

  Korben laughs. “Nothing to apologize for, Brother. You know I wish for nothing more than your happiness.”

  I frown. “She has not rejected me. Not yet.” I take a seat on the edge of the bed next to Korben.

  My Prince hums, and it’s hard not to think about our past together, despite my worries about York. I want her so much, but it will be impossible for me to give myself completely to her when I owe Korben so much. I remember how Mama begged me to become friends with him, despite my disease, and she promised to be kinder if I could become friends with him. And yet, when Prince Korben did open up to me, nothing between Mama and I changed. And as soon as she was able to send me to live at the palace, I do not think she ever smiled more widely.

  I owe everything to Prince Korben, but I also love my Chosen.

  “Prince Korben…”

  “Azan, please,” he says. “You only have to call me Korben now. Do not alienate me more than I feel already.”

  I bow. “Of course.” He does not answer, waiting patiently for me to speak. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

  He turns. “A favor? Azan, you can always ask me for anything. Although I believe this is the first time. I am excited. What would you like?”

  “I need you to let me know it’s okay.”

  His eyes widen. My formal request must sound childish and stupid, but I am a man of words, despite my lack in using them at times, and I need to hear Korben give me permission to fully devote myself to York. Because, as much as I care about Prince Korben, he does not make my cock stand erect. The scent of his arousal does not bring me to my knees. I do not fear the consequences of losing control with him. I want all of these things now, and I want them with York.

  “Okay.” Korben shifts. “I am afraid I do not understand.”

  “I need permission to be with York. I need permission to choose her fully as you have Chosen Blythe.”

  “You have Chosen her?” I nod. “Has she Chosen you?” He’s hesitant, and why shouldn’t he be? My Prince has been around for every single one of my rejections, so he’s probably worried I have become desperate. But no. I nod again. Korben smiles. “Have you shown her?”

  “I have shown her everything, Prince Korben. She does not reject me. In fact, the only reason she is upset with me is because…”

  “She is upset with you? Is this the meaning for your early return?”

  I nod, hating what I have to say next. “She is upset with me because of you.”

  “Me?”

  “My allegiance to you. York and I had a wonderful night together, and I panicked this morning because I left you alone. I did not like knowing I failed you, Prince Korben. I rushed my Chosen back to the lair because of my dedication to your safety.”

  He frowns deeply. “Azan, you didn’t have to.”

  “Yes, I know. But I did.” I shake my head. “Prince Korben, you have given me everything. You gave me a home when Mama wanted to throw me out. You gave me a family when my own rejected me. You showed me kindness when I was convinced it no longer existed. I will admit, I did not think I would find anyone else like you. But York? She reminds me that you are not the only one who can look past my flaws. I want to devote myself to her as I have devoted myself to you, and I know my request sounds so silly, but I need to hear you say it’s okay if I am not always by your side first and foremost.”

  “Azan.”

  “I know it is foolish, and childish but—”

  “Azan.”

  I palm my face, dragging my hand across the mask. “If you could just please—”

  “Azan, I never thought I’d say this to you of all people, but please stop talking.” I lock my lips together as Prince Korben stands before me and places a hand on my shoulder. “If this is what you need to be able to find happiness with a woman, of course, you have my permission. Nothing would make me happier than to know a woman has Chosen you as Blythe has Chosen me. Make her your first, Azan. Make her your heart. Make her your everything.” His eyes soften. “I set you free from any debt you feel you owe me, Azan. If that is what you need to hear, then you are free to love and care for another above all else. This includes me.”

  My eyes water. I hate being so sensitive, but Prince Korben’s words mean everything to me. They are a formality and Korben is probably laughing in the back of his mind, or maybe not, but I do not care either way.

  I am free to love. I am free to choose York.

  It is like Prince Korben says.

  She is my love. She is my heart. She is my everything.

  “I thank you, Prince Korben.” I stand and wrap Korben up in a tight hug, lift him off his feet and close my eyes.

  “You are stronger than ever, I see,” Korben says, patting me awkwardly on the back several times before I set him down on his feet. “Go to her, Azan. Go to her and love her with the galaxies of kindness I know you’ve always had in your heart.”

  He does not have to ask me twice.

  Despite only being away from York for a short while, I crave her once again.

  I leave Korben’s lair and immediately flee to mine, wanting to clean up before I see York again because our next meeting will be different. I have desperately wanted a mate all my life, lived and longed for affection, but I have never had one consider choosing me. With York, there are already times when I forget about the mask. Beyond my disease, I am a good man, a kind man, an intelligent man, and an attractive man. I must remember this.

  I pull off my shorts, soiled earlier from my arousal. I do not mind the scent, though, I enjoy it, but I want to be clean for York. There will be plenty of time to pleasure her, and I am excited that I will need more shorts delivered now that I am with her. I want to pleasure her in ways I never thought were a possibility. I not only want to stick my fingers between her thighs but my cock as well. I want to know all the different ways to pleasure her, and I want her to pleasure me. I cannot stop thinking about it, and if I order more caps for my fangs, there is a chance I might one day feel comfortable enough burying my face between her thighs. I heard Korben talking about this with some of my brothers, and I’ll admit, I never thought I’d ever want to do such a thing for fear of hurting my mate. But the idea of doing so with York excites me.

  I want her to scream my name as I have heard Korben’s Chosen do.

  It’s practically impossible to focus as I wash the rain and sweat off my skin and I resist the urge to stroke my cock under the makeshift shower. I’m so tempted, already hard with thoughts of York, but I don’t like the idea of pleasuring myself when I’ll see her in a short while. I close my eyes, relishing in the future I’m going to have with her, including keeping her with me under the rain. I imagine her coming into the shower, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist and kissing the sensitive skin on my back.

  I groan loudly, brushing my tongue over the capped tip of my fangs. York’s a beautiful combination of sexy and strong, and I imagine her taking control when she has me naked and vulnerable again. One day, I’d like to bring her into
the shower and wash her off myself. I’ve seen her tiny body before without clothing, and the thought of that alone is enough for a bead of pre-cum to drip off the end of my cock. I can’t resist stroking myself to these thoughts, I feel naughty for experiencing pleasure without York, but if I were to see her right now, I would not be able to control myself, I’m so hungry for the taste of her arousal.

  I am wasting time, but I still cannot resist polishing myself off as the water finishes dripping from the holed bag above my head. Several of my brothers arch curious eyebrows in my direction, but I do not care. I am finally ready to see York. I throw on a fresh pair of shorts and leave my room without a single word to anyone else, even Hujun who looks at me with a mildly shocked expression.

  “Have you forgotten something?” he rumbles, looking down at his tiny Chosen who stares up at me with wide eyes and slightly parted lips.

  My hand absently goes to my mouth, and I nearly hiss in shock and surprise.

  My mask. I have forgotten my mask!

  My mouth moves, but words will not come as other human women shuffle to the opening of the Gathering Room to gape and stare. I am beyond embarrassed, but Hujun grabs my arm before I can run back to my room to retrieve my mask.

  “I simply meant your Chosen, Brother.” His eyes soften.

  I am embarrassed not to have my mask, but what does it matter if other women stare? I do not care about the tiny one by Hujun’s side, or the sprog faced one who is interested in Exer.

  York is my Chosen. My only Chosen. She is the only one who matters and remembering that I step past the tiny frightened faces of the other women and seek York out in the corner. She gasps when I come into view, and already I can smell the arousal blossoming between her legs.

  York. My love. My heart. My everything.

  She’s already hot and ready for me.

  I ignore the others whispering about my fangs, keeping my attention locked on York who watches me with a curious expression. I will never get over how tiny and vulnerable she looks, and I’m fighting the urge to snatch her away, so I can keep her for myself.

  “Azan,” she says, standing. “What are you doing here? I thought you had to check on Korben?”

  “I already saw him. Besides, you are the one I want to see more than anything.” This is more than most of the women have ever heard me speak but let them stare. Let them listen. I kneel in front of York, and she looks more shocked, probably because I haven’t taken her away from the room again. “I spoke to Prince Korben. I asked him to set me free.”

  “Set you free?”

  “Yes. I would not be able to care and love for you fully if I still felt I owed him my protection. And so I went to him. I asked him to set me free, so you would always be my first. You will be my heart. You will be mine. I choose you, York. Only you.”

  She steps forward, and slowly holds out her hand. I take it greedily, stroking the smooth skin on her knuckles. I still cannot get over how she does not have scales, but I love the softness of her.

  “You… really?”

  “Yes. York, there is no one I want more than you. I acted like a fool this morning, and I hope you will forgive me. Such mistakes will never happen again. You will always come first.”

  She smirks. “You can come first sometimes.”

  Stars and moons, it’s such a beautiful sound. York truly is naughty, and it makes me want her more despite all the eyes on us in the room. I taste her arousal on my tongue, and it takes everything I have not to take her breasts into my hands, her nipples hardened like little loaves of banbask and kneed them until she begs for more. I am nervous about pleasuring a woman with my cock for the first time, but I am also excited.

  I pull York closer, wrapping my arms around her and several of the women gasp.

  “We’re putting on quite a show,” York mutters.

  “I’m the one putting on a show. In my haste to come to speak to you, I forgot to strap on my mask.”

  She jerks in my grasp, shooting her head up at me. “You know what?”

  I swallow hard. “What?”

  She smiles. “I didn’t notice.”

  My heart and cock simultaneously swell at how much my fangs and mask do not matter to her. She truly is the perfect mate for me. I scoop her up, at last, pulling her face close to my mouth so I can speak to her without others listening. It’s bad enough we have an audience but let them stare.

  Let them see how my brothers should treat them. Dolan should be here taking notes.

  Hujun curtly nods as I take York from the Gathering Room, and the tiny one with wild hair bobs her head.

  “Hey, uh, I’m sorry for staring at you,” she mutters, sneaking a look at Hujun.

  I want to smile, but I know it will be strange, so I nod carefully. “It is okay. I know I am different.”

  “Different is a good thing, Ellis,” York calls over her shoulder once I start moving again.

  She wraps her slender arms around my neck, and I struggle to breathe as she wiggles in my arms, grinding her ass against my cock.

  “Good God, Azan! You’re hard. What were you and the prince talking about?”

  “My hardened cock has nothing to do with anyone but you.” I dart out my tongue. “You are also quite aroused.”

  Pink blossoms across her cheeks and she pulls her face closer to mine. “Kiss me before I show you how aroused I am before we make it back to your room.”

  “Our room.” My voice is low and husky, and honestly, I’m not sure if she’s even heard my words, but I press my lips to hers anyway, having no problem giving her what she wants, possession for this woman clenching me all the way down to the tips of my toes.

  “My Chosen,” I say thickly between kisses, and more arousal perfumes the air. I stop in front of my room, pushing the curtain aside without another word. I simply want to kiss her, put my lips upon hers and learn to make sure I will never hurt her with my mouth. I’m still nervous about my fangs, but they are tightly capped, and despite my worries, kissing York is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced.

  I keep her on my lap when I sit down on the bed, still taking everything she’s willing to give me, moaning and groaning with each touch. I kiss her like every kiss will be my last, like every embrace will be the one I’ll have to remember for the rest of my life. Taking a chance, I stick out my tongue and graze it across her full lips, enjoying that I don’t have to lean so closely because I have been blessed with a long tongue. She gasps in surprise, squeezing me more tightly to her, and I pull back, hoping this is a good sign.

  “I did not… that didn’t hurt you, did it?” I ask, trying to use more English around her.

  “No,” she pants. “Just surprised me.”

  “In a good way?”

  “In an incredible way,” she breaths, pressing her lips to mine again.

  A needy groan escapes my lips as I stand and lay York on her back on my bed. She stares up at me as I hover over her tiny frame.

  “The top.” I hope I don’t sound awkward or unsure.

  She’s breathing heavily, her breasts rising and falling with each desperate breath. “What about it?”

  “Remove it.” I’m nervous about bossing her around, but York seems to like it, practically tearing the top off her head and exposing her beautiful breasts to me. They are not as large as Korben’s mate’s, but they are the perfects breasts for me because they belong to my Chosen. I grab them immediately, kneading them with my thumbs as I had done in my thoughts in my shower, and she’s writhing and squealing immediately, making me more excited. My tongue darts out, and I taste how wet she must be already.

  “Touch them,” she mutters.

  “I am.” To make my point, I flick a finger across her pebbled nipple, and she cries out.

  “Oh! I mean with your mouth. I want your mouth on my breasts, Azan.”

  My eyes widen.

  “I trust you, Azan.” She’s breathing heavily, but her eyes are steady. “You have Chosen me, so now I’m Ch
oosing you to put your beautiful mouth on my tits.”

  My cock strains in my shorts, and I quickly tear them off, so it has room to breathe. She trusts me. She wants me to put my mouth on her breasts. She’s Chosen me. I lick my lips only once, staring down at those beautifully tanned mounds before my mouth descends, and I’m trying to keep my fangs from touching any part of her skin as I kiss the flesh around her pink nipples.

  Soon, I grow hungrier for more. I grow more confident.

  She trusts me. She’s Chosen me.

  Finally, I find the courage to take her nipple fully into her mouth, sucking it gently. York cries out in surprise, and a burst of arousal hits the air so violently I almost choke on it.

  “Oh…” York shivers beneath me. “Yes… that’s… that’s incredible.

  Encouraged, I suck on her breast harder, discovering quickly I can flick her nipple with my tongue while still keeping the soft flesh in my mouth.

  She likes this. She likes it very much.

  I continue, both excited and fascinated by how easily I can make York wild. I am not an experienced Sidyth, and yet she makes me feel as experienced as royalty. I suck and kneed, kneed and suck until York’s screaming out my name. More. She wants more. She is not the only one.

  “Fuck me, Azan.” She’s barely able to keep her voice steady. I lift my head and stare down at her, sweaty and flushed beneath me. “Fuck me. Please. Pleasure. I need it from you.”

  My tongue darts out without permission, and I’m so turned on by a woman begging me for pleasure that I almost explode right then and there. My body jerks and she giggles slightly, grabbing pieces of my hair and pulling my face down to hers, so our noses touch. I don’t care that my fangs brush against her warm cheeks. She trusts me. I’m capped. She trusts me.