Talrasar narrowed his eyes at the emperor. “Fair enough. But after all this is over…”
“Hopefully, we won’t have to face that,” Shtamakarein answered.
Talrasar wanted to ask if the emperor truly believed their old reality could be restored, but he lost interest in any inquiry or conversation when a loud roar sounded ahead of him. With a gasp, Talrasar pushed past the emperor and started running forward.
“Wait,” Shtamakarein shouted behind him. “It’s not safe.”
Naturally, Talrasar ignored him. He was so close to finally reaching his mate. After centuries of being unfairly separated, he could at last touch Kael once more.
Talrasar’s father had never agreed to their mating. He had been against it for various reasons, starting with the fact that Kael was male. After their defeat at Eternelle, the man had taken advantage of Talrasar’s injuries to part them. But that was all over, and Talrasar could finally mend what had been broken.
As he followed the roar, he felt Kael’s power enveloping him. If he’d anyone else, it would have stolen his energy, but instead, it flowed over his skin like a physical caress. Talrasar could have sobbed at the beautiful familiarity of it. He ran faster, feeling like he couldn’t breathe, like his heart was going to burst out of his chest any moment now.
Much to his dismay, a large metal door stopped his progress. Talrasar summoned his magic, trying to open it, but it resisted all of his efforts. It seemed to be designed with the specific purpose of trapping someone inside and never letting him or her see the light of day again—which was pretty much what had happened to Kael.
Thankfully, he wasn’t forced to find a solution, because Emperor Shtamakarein provided it. He appeared behind Talrasar, frowning fiercely. “You do realize that you’re taking a serious chance here?”
“No, I’m not,” Talrasar shot back. “He wouldn’t hurt me, just like…well, just like you wouldn’t hurt Sari.”
The emperor blinked, as if that comparison hadn’t occurred to him. “All right. You win.” He activated a mechanism on the door, one Talrasar hadn’t originally seen. At last, the final obstacle between Kael and Talrasar disappeared, and Talrasar burst into the dungeon.
Kael’s cell had been dug straight into the mountain, where nothing could reach him to fuel his power. He would have died a long time ago, but he’d been kept alive through the occasional meal. But even if he was aware of all that, when Talrasar caught a glimpse of Kael, he was still rocked to the core.
Kael had once been the pride of the Ornozian army, feared by all, able to take an entire army on with just Talrasar by his side. They had fought countless battles together, and Kael’s strength was something Talrasar had never forgotten. And yet, now, the majestic black dragon looked like a shadow of his former self. He was in shifted form, but the color of his scales was dulled, like the onyx of his scales had been systematically rubbed off. His huge wings looked brittle, like they were going to break any moment now. In fact, his form flickered every now and then, and Talrasar surmised that it was only Kael’s anger that kept him in this shape in the first place.
Torn between heartbreak and relief, Talrasar ran toward his mate. However, instead of welcoming him, Kael released a low growl, avoiding Talrasar and retreating deeper into the cell.
Talrasar would have been hurt, except he understood Kael’s reasoning. He stepped forward, smiling slightly even if amusement was the last thing he felt right now. “It’s all right, Kael,” he said. “Take what you need. I know what you want, and I’m not afraid.”
Instead of complying, the black dragon slowly continued to back away, his dark eyes wildly scanning the small room as if looking for a way out. It was hard for Talrasar to watch, harder still because he knew that his presence contributed to Kael’s torture instead of helping.
Kael’s voice drifted into his mind, incoherent but still distinguishable. “Tali…You need to go.”
“I can’t,” Talrasar said, also using their mind link. “You need me.”
Talrasar had failed Kael. If only he’d fought harder and hadn’t allowed his father to imprison him, Kael would have never ended up here, lost and half-insane. It was Talrasar’s absence that had driven him to this point. Talrasar was willing to pay any price to get his mate back, including his own life.
Of course, that wasn’t what Kael wanted, but there were other ways in which Talrasar could help that wouldn’t imply a separation. “Remember, beloved. We’ve done this before. We’ve exchanged energy countless times.”
“It’s different,” Kael answered, each syllable raspy even if he was using his mental voice. Still, Talrasar could tell that his presence was helping the draechen, as his lucidity seemed to be returning more and more. It had a calming effect on Talrasar, too, and he was filled with the absolute certainty that he could do this, that they could be together again, that their dream hadn’t been lost forever.
“I am a healer, Kael,” he said. “Don’t deny us. You know I’m right.”
Kael kept stepping back, but eventually, he ran out of space. The cell wasn’t exactly huge, so Talrasar managed to crowd him against the wall. He reached out to Kael and touched his mate for the first time in centuries.
When his hand came into contact with cool black scales, an electrical current seemed to go through him, no, through them both. The large form of the dragon shuddered, but so did Talrasar. At the very center of his being, Talrasar felt his mate’s weakness, his yearning, but also his protectiveness.
His abilities responded, and Jenarra’s light engulfed them both, bathing them in healing power. Talrasar pooled his magic into Kael, wanting to wipe away every ache in his mate, all the loneliness, the sorrow and the agony he’d experienced while he’d been trapped here.
At first, Kael resisted, but Talrasar used their bond as a conduit and transformed his love for Kael into pure energy. The fact that he’d been kept in an induced coma by his father had also muted their connection, making Kael unable to contact him and deepening the dragon’s despair. However, that very same bond responded beautifully now, and Kael relented, opening his heart to Talrasar.
In that moment, Talrasar became a stream of magic that fed the barren pasture of Kael’s body. He didn’t care about anything else except Kael. Even his own welfare became irrelevant outside the knowledge that his discomfort would also hurt Kael. Because of that awareness, he kept himself from giving everything he had, realizing all too well that Kael would never accept it. It was hard to create the perfect balance, but their bond guided him every step of the way.
His reward came sooner than Talrasar himself had expected. The dragon’s scales began to glow with renewed health, and he released a deafening roar that must’ve been heard all the way into the guest wing. After that, the beastly form melted away, leaving behind the man Talrasar loved so much, Prince Kaelezrin Tersain, his Kael.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Tali,” Kael said, his dark eyes fixed on Talrasar’s face. “The emperor was right in that I’m a risk.”
“I don’t care about the emperor,” Talrasar replied. “Well, that’s not exactly true. I want to hunt him down for what he did to you. But do you really think he matters now?”
Kael’s full lips twisted into a smirk. “No, he doesn’t.”
That was the only warning Talrasar got before his mate crushed their mouths together. Talrasar melted in the draechen’s embrace, parting his lips and granting his lover entrance.
It felt like coming home after a long exile. No, it was so much more than that. Kissing Kael reminded Talrasar of finally managing to draw breath after nearly drowning, of finding an oasis in a never-ending desert, of being granted an unexpected gift from Jenarra herself. It was beautiful, desperate, and so painfully familiar that Talrasar never wanted it to end. Kael thrust his tongue into his mouth, groaning, biting down on Talrasar’s lower lip, demanding his submission. His clawed hands clutched Talrasar’s hips convulsively, tearing at the material of his shirt.
Talr
asar didn’t know how long the kiss lasted. It could have been a few moments, or it could have been an age. Still, it ended far too soon, and because of Talrasar himself. Sadly, he must have given Kael more energy than he’d originally realized. His knees suddenly gave way, and Talrasar would have fallen had Kael not been holding him so tightly.
Instantly, Kael broke the kiss, his passion melting into concern. “I’m sorry,” Kael said, his voice trembling and his hands frantic as they traveled all over Talrasar’s body. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. Overlords, I should have known better.”
Talrasar didn’t want to hear excuses. He needed to feel Kael’s arms around him, Kael’s lips on his own. His magic, his life, his past, none of it mattered—only Kael. “You do know,” he replied. “You know what’s most important to me. You always have.” He grabbed Kael’s hands, stilling their tremor. “I’m back, Kael, and I’m not going anywhere.”
During the war, they had always feared what the next battle would bring. Talrasar had hated the knowledge that his mate had to fight, and it had been the same for Kael. The war had never ended, not really, but Talrasar didn’t want any part of it. If he was going to fight, it would be for Kael’s love, for this man who had been through so much and for their enduring bond.
“Touch me, Kael,” he whispered. “Show me. Make love to me.”
Kael’s eyes were a dark flame as the draechen brought their bodies closer. “Oh, love… What you do to me… I shouldn’t…”
Talrasar licked his lips, and Kael stopped speaking, staring at him as if transfixed. It was unfair to tease Kael like that, but Talrasar ached for his mate, and he didn’t want mistaken scruples to keep them apart.
When Kael still didn’t move, Talrasar took matters into his own hands. He pushed Kael back down and straddled his mate, shivering as he felt the draechen’s cock hard against his crease. Talrasar’s own clothes were now the only barrier between them, at least other than Kael’s reluctance to put any strain on him. Talrasar had pretty good idea how to fix both problems. He nibbled on Kael’s ear, all the while rubbing his ass over Kael’s hard cock. “Don’t stop this, Kael,” he murmured through their bond. “You know we both need it.”
“You’re weak after the energy exchange,” Kael argued.
“I’m fine,” Talrasar replied. “Your powers can’t hurt me, and I am, after all, a healer. I’m recovering as we speak. Just open your heart to me, Kael, and see into mine. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
It was all true. While Kael had a point about him feeling the aftereffects of the healing session, Talrasar’s connection with Kael guaranteed that his recuperation could happen far easier than it would under normal circumstances. He felt his mate testing that, trying to see if Talrasar wasn’t pushing himself for Kael’s benefit. What he found must have convinced him, because relief flooded their bond.
“You’re all right,” Kael said, almost sounding dazed. “I… Overlords, I need you so much.”
Talrasar took his cue and pressed his mouth to Kael’s once more. No sooner had their lips come into contact than the lingering remnants of the draechen’s control snapped. Talrasar felt it, almost like he’d heard a switch go off in Kael’s mind, and his own. And then, Kael took over the kiss, his passion exploding over Talrasar in a wave of uncontrollable, sensual energy.
There was nothing quite like touching Kael in this world, nothing like being in Kael’s embrace and experiencing the depths of his desire. Talrasar felt like he’d been thrust into a wild storm, the lightning awakening his every nerve ending in little explosions of pleasure. Kael practically devoured him, thrusting his tongue into Talrasar’s wet cavern, taking no prisoners. Talrasar wasn’t one to be left behind, and he tasted Kael in turn, his mate’s flavor and scent driving him crazy with lust. He hadn’t even gotten undressed yet, and already, his cock was so hard it hurt. Every part of him responded to Kael’s presence and caresses, from his body, to his soul and his magic.
He tried to move against Kael’s abdomen, seeking a friction that he knew would never suffice, but he craved nonetheless. As it turned out, now that he had convinced Kael that they could make love, the draechen had no intentions to allow Talrasar self-pleasure. With an almost angry growl, he broke their kiss and pushed Talrasar back. Disoriented because of the haze of pleasure taking over his mind, Talrasar would have undoubtedly fallen against the floor, but Kael didn’t allow it. Instead, he flipped Talrasar midair with the same ease and strength Talrasar remembered from their past encounters.
He landed on all fours, his heart already racing with anticipation. He’d have liked to face Kael when they came together, but he wasn’t about to complain. He knew that, as always, Kael was thinking about his comfort. They hadn’t been together for centuries, so at this point, Talrasar was practically a virgin. Given Kael’s more than generous girth and the fact that Talrasar hadn’t thought to bring oil, there was bound to be some pain.
Personally, Talrasar even looked forward to that part of the lovemaking, to the burn and the stretch, to the incredible feeling of being stuffed full of his mate’s dick. However, he could acknowledge and respect his mate’s desires, especially since, in the end, it would help them both.
For all his need to protect Talrasar, Kael was actually far brusquer than Talrasar had expected. He tore Talrasar’s clothes off with a few well-placed slashes of his claws. The sharp tips did come in contact with Talrasar’s skin, but they didn’t draw blood, instead adding another layer of promise. That aggression made Talrasar moan and arch his back in tormented need. He needed to feel Kael’s unleashed nature, to have the draechen claim him in every way. Only then would he be able to convince himself that this wasn’t some elaborate fantasy, but the truth.
Kael’s fingers appeared within Talrasar’s line of sight. Obediently, Talrasar opened his mouth and took those digits in, sucking them deep into his mouth like he’d have very much wanted to do with Kael’s prick. He fellated the fingers with gusto, making his mate grunt in frustrated need. His reward came when the digits retreated from his mouth and nudged at Talrasar’s nether opening instead. Talrasar actually whimpered as Kael thrust two of them into his ass. And when Kael found Talrasar’s prostate, his channel clenched around the invasion, the feeling both strange and painfully familiar, but overall, insanely amazing.
His mate hissed, his excitement and desperate desire attacking their connection. The dragon had realized that, while Talrasar’s soul still remembered their couplings, his body was not ready yet. Saliva certainly wouldn’t be enough to smooth the way.
For a few seconds, the draechen pulled away, his fingers vanishing from Talrasar’s channel and his heat disappearing from Talrasar’s proximity. A pang of fear coursed through Talrasar, the terror that his dream was ending again. He needn’t have worried, because Kael returned seconds later, guiding Talrasar to lie on his back. Affection swelled inside Talrasar when he realized his mate had created a small nest for them, from Talrasar’s own clothes. It wasn’t much, but it did keep Talrasar from having to come into contact with the frigid floor. More importantly, it showed just how much Talrasar meant for Kael. Talrasar wouldn’t have thought it possible, but as he met Kael’s gaze, he fell in love with the draechen all over again, this adoration piling up on top of the one he’d already felt. With every second that passed, the feelings uniting them became stronger and stronger, deeper than even the hatred that had kept them apart.
And then, Kael crawled down over Talrasar’s body and took his dick into his mouth. As wet heat engulfed Talrasar’s prick, pleasure exploded over him, so intense Talrasar nearly came on the spot. His body was starved for Kael’s touch, and he craved more, far more. He found himself pushing his dick all the way into Kael’s throat, knowing that it would cause Kael some discomfort, but unable to hold back just the same.
At first, Kael accepted Talrasar’s pursuit of his pleasure, but at one point, his hands landed on Talrasar’s hips, stilling his frantic motions. Technically speaking, Talrasar could have easily
freed himself, but everything inside him responded to Kael’s domination. He was putty in Kael’s hands, and he melted into the nest of clothing, his mind whirling and his skin burning as Kael’s talented mouth drove him to unparalleled heights of pleasure. The draechen licked, sucked, rubbed, and massaged, overwhelming Talrasar with a myriad of sensations that he had trouble processing. He alternated hard suction with teasing flicks of tongue. When it became obvious that Talrasar was going to be obedient, one of his hands reached down to Talrasar’s sac and his perineum.
It was too much, and while Talrasar would have loved to climax when Kael got inside him, he couldn’t hold back any longer. “Please, Kael,” he screamed.
As always, Kael gave him what he needed. He took Talrasar’s dick into his throat once more and swallowed around the head. Meanwhile, he thrust his fingers again into Talrasar’s channel, hitting his prostate with ease. “Come for me, love,” he ordered through their bond.
Talrasar had already been on the edge. The combination of sensation and the automatic response his body had to Kael finally propelled him into the abyss of ecstasy. Shouting Kael’s name, he found his peak, sending his seed down his mate’s throat. By some miracle, he didn’t black out and his vision focused just in time to see Kael move back and receive Talrasar’s spunk all over his lips, cheeks, and even in his hair.
If he hadn’t already been in the throes of orgasm, Talrasar could have come just from the sight. As it was, renewed need burst through him even as he rode the wave of his pleasure. When Kael’s fingers abandoned his body, Talrasar knew exactly what he needed to do. Writhing under Kael, he lifted his legs in the air, bending himself in two and providing Kael with better access to his nether opening. Kael didn’t delay in taking his invitation. He gathered Talrasar’s spunk in his hand and slicked up his dick with it. Steadying Talrasar’s legs on his shoulders, he positioned his cock at his anus and slid home.
Hyacinth, Scarlet - From the Ashes [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 7] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 18
