Relaxed from the climax, Talrasar’s body yielded easily to the invasion. Yes, it burned, just like Talrasar had expected, but it was the fire of their passion manifested through the physical union and Talrasar wouldn’t have had it any other way. Keeping his gaze fixed on Kael’s face, he breathed through it, reveling in the moment when they were at last coming together in the most intimate way two men could possibly be.
Kael moved slowly, giving Talrasar time to adjust, but at last, he was fully embedded inside Talrasar. The draechen’s dick stretched Talrasar perfectly, so much so that Talrasar couldn’t tell where Kael ended and he began. But then, it had always been this way between them. They just fit together, and they had, from the moment they’d first set eyes on each other, all those centuries ago.
His mate remained still for an instant, but he must have realized that Talrasar was more than ready to receive him. He pulled out and shoved his dick inside once more, impaling Talrasar in one single hard thrust. Talrasar screamed when, in the process, the draechen hit his prostate, making stars explode in his vision. His cock had remained hard in spite of the orgasm, but now, his lust flared even brighter, engulfing his very being. As Kael started to move in and out of him, Talrasar became a receptacle of the passion they created together, a vessel that tried but failed to contain the sexual energy building up more and more.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the entire room. The chill of the mountain was cast away by the beauty and perfection of their union. Lost in a dance as old as time itself, Talrasar could only cling to his mate, hope this moment lasted forever, open himself to the carnal pleasure, and most of all, love Kael. All of those combined sensations and emotions crystallized into one single idea, into that very same dream they had once pursued and which they had never managed to achieve, their dream of love. Talrasar saw it again, the flash he’d once had when he’d brushed his fingers over the phoenix feather. In his mind’s eye, the image of the two of them emerged, accompanied by that of a child—a son with Kael’s dark hair and Talrasar’s silver eyes.
Overwhelmed, experiencing a pleasure that was so intense it hurt, Talrasar tilted his head, offering himself to Kael, begging for his mate to take what was his. A heartbeat later, Kael struck, his fangs piercing Talrasar’s skin. Just like that, Talrasar exploded into yet another orgasm, even more powerful than the first one. Kael thrust inside him one more time and came as well, and his rapture flooded Talrasar, threatening to stop his heart, to make his brain short-circuit. Talrasar thought that it was only his connection to Kael that kept him from losing his mind, from succumbing to the far too powerful emotions. When their minds and souls connected, there was ecstasy, love, desire, and relief, but also sorrow and the knowledge of how much time they had lost. It hurt, but it was a good pain, cleansing them, exorcising their demons.
When the high of the pleasure began to fade and Talrasar returned to the real world, the first thing he saw was Kael’s smile. “I love you,” the draechen said simply.
It was a beautiful sight and those were beautiful words, made even more precious by the realization that it was all true. Even when he’d been unconscious in that blasted tank, Talrasar had dreamt of this, of the other times Kael had confessed his feelings toward him. He wanted to say “I love you, too,” but somehow, that didn’t feel enough after everything that had happened, couldn’t encompass all the emotions Talrasar wanted to explain.
So, Talrasar pulled Kael in for a brief, sweet kiss, and allowed their bond to speak in his stead. They might have started to fuck again, except Talrasar suddenly remembered where they were and that there were countless things still to be handled.
Kael tensed and moved away from Talrasar. His dick slid out of Talrasar, making him wince. He wished he could have stopped time in that moment when they’d been making love, but he didn’t have that kind of power, not like that creature who called himself Phoenix.
Anger returned at the memory, but much to Talrasar’s distress, it was also combined with something akin to empathy. Hadn’t he just been thinking that, if he’d had Phoenix’s abilities, he might have altered the timeline? It certainly wasn’t the same thing, but a part of Talrasar could understand Phoenix’s actions. He couldn’t be sure, since the emperor hadn’t actually given them any details, but he suspected Phoenix’s mate must have been at the core of the entire debacle. Besides, if Talrasar understood things correctly, Phoenix had been trying to save both Kael and Talrasar from sacrificing their bond.
Kael helped him up, his expression dark and foreboding. Talrasar felt Shtamakarein still outside and wondered how exactly they’d get out of this. He wanted revenge so badly, but the emperor was no idiot, and he wouldn’t allow himself to be taken out just like that, especially not now.
His mate threw a gaze his way, and suddenly, Talrasar was filled with a certainty that couldn’t be denied. He gathered what was left of his clothing and wrapped it around his waist, shielding his nudity as best he could. Hand in hand with his mate, he walked out of the cell that had been Kael’s prison for so long.
The emperor was waiting at a respectful distance away, staring at a random spot on the wall. Talrasar wanted to hate him, but when he looked at Shtamakarein, he saw a man who was all alone, who couldn’t have what Talrasar and Kael did. He might have found his mate, but his previous marriage made it impossible for him to claim Sari. Not to mention that he wasn’t very popular with Sari’s family or his people. Perhaps that was to be Shtamakarein’s punishment, to have his mate so close, and yet so far away.
Talrasar had no intention to forgive him, but right now, an attack on the emperor would just tear him and Kael apart again. Their connection was more important than revenge. One day, the time would come for Shtamakarein to pay. Perhaps it would be at Talrasar’s hands, or at someone else’s, but it would happen. Until then, Talrasar had to focus on his mate, not on his foe. Now that he had Kael, Talrasar could give up on his hate and simply love.
“We’re ready to go,” he said to Shtamakarein.
The emperor turned toward them and arched a brow. “Why do I get the feeling that you don’t plan to head to the guest wing?”
“Because we don’t, Emperor,” Kael replied, spitting the latter word like an insult. “I don’t need or want Ornoz. You disgust me.”
“Technically speaking, I did nothing,” the emperor amended. “Your stay here isn’t because of me.”
“And you think that makes it better?” Talrasar fumed. “You think it makes what happened to Kael all right?”
“I didn’t say that,” Shtamakarein replied. “You just have to be aware of my position.”
“Oh, I’m aware,” Kael answered. “In fact, I should be tearing you apart for what you did—or didn’t do—but I won’t, because I have my priorities in order. So, Tali and I will be leaving to build a home for ourselves.”
Shtamakarein opened his mouth, perhaps meaning to mention the issue with the phoenix. Talrasar stopped him before he could do so. “Don’t. If what Phoenix says is true, I’m sure that you can find the solution without us. Right now, I want to care strictly for Kael, and nothing else.”
“Fair enough,” the emperor answered, gesturing them toward the exit. “I won’t keep you here. Do you need supplies?”
“We’ll be fine.” Kael waved a hand dismissively. “The only thing we want is to be left alone. I can provide for my mate. Just stay away from us.”
Shtamakarein watched them with something that looked oddly like regret. “We will,” he replied simply.
They started to walk back toward the surface. No one spoke, tension thick in the air. When they passed the guards, they were received with gasps and long looks, which Shtamakarein promptly stopped with a mere glance. He led Kael and Talrasar straight toward the cliffside, correctly assuming that Talrasar had no intention to say good-bye to his descendants.
As they reached their destination, the emperor waved for one of the soldiers and asked him to bring a few items of clothing, as well as food.
Kael glowered at the emperor, practically radiating anger. “Do you plan to disrespect our wishes from the very beginning?”
In response, Shtamakarein huffed. “If it were me, I would want my mate to have some garments to shield him from the cold. You might be capable of hunting, but I highly doubt it’ll be right away. Hate me if you will, but at least be smart about it.”
During the exchange, a few servants appeared, carrying the requested supplies. Shtamakarein gestured for them to place everything in front of Talrasar and Kael. “You’re free to refuse. It’s not like I can force you.”
After a few seconds, Kael finally took a cloak from the servants and wrapped it around Talrasar’s shoulders. “Don’t think this means we’re suddenly friends. Pray we don’t see each other again, Emperor,” he told Shtamakarein. “You’ll regret it if you do.”
Shtamakarein didn’t answer and just stood there and watched them with an inscrutable expression. Kael growled, his form melting into that of a dragon. Talrasar half expected his mate to attack the emperor, but Kael didn’t. Instead, he grabbed the bags of supplies in his claws. Talrasar leapt onto his lover’s back, wrapping himself into the cloak as tightly as he could while still holding onto Kael’s scales.
Once Talrasar was ready, Kael took off. They didn’t look back as they flew away from Draechenburg. As far as Talrasar was concerned, Ornoz was a closed chapter in their lives. Perhaps one day, they would return to enact their vengeance, not only on the draechen, but also on the fae who’d kept Talrasar trapped in the tank. There were a lot of people who needed to pay for what they’d done. For now, they had a future waiting for them. But with regard to the emperor, it might not even be necessary. Talrasar had a feeling that, by prodding into the issue with the phoenix, Shtamakarein would end up drawing Jenarra’s punishment onto himself, and everyone around him.
* * * *
Karein watched his ancestor disappear into the distance, distantly wondering why he felt so strange and melancholic. He had expected Kaelezrin would hate him, and had been prepared for it. Their departure was for the best, because there was too much tension between them and Karein, and he didn’t have the time to pacify them and focus on his own affairs. Even so, he regretted that things had ended that way. He felt a begrudging respect toward his ancestor. It was probably a leftover emotion from the other reality. He really didn’t know Kaelezrin all that well, but the other dragon’s departure still affected him more than he’d have liked. Then again, the fact that he’d been able to set aside his obvious need for revenge for his mate’s benefit was admirable in itself.
“Admirable?” the dark voice said in his mind. “Admit it. You’re jealous. It could have easily been you and Sari flying away, leaving the world behind. But you’re tied to Draechenburg, and to a sprite who doesn’t even love you.”
Karein gritted his teeth, doing his best to ignore that side of him. It might not have been his own consciousness that was whispering these things, but his brother’s soul—if Rachen was to be believed at least. Whatever the case, that dark voice always managed to drag out the filthiest things inside Karein and taunt him with them. Now in particular, Karein was pretty vulnerable to low blows. He had overheard Kaelezrin and Talrasar’s lovemaking. No matter how much he’d have liked to avoid it, his senses didn’t allow him to escape. And Talrasar sounded so much like Sari while in the throes of rapture… Overlords, Karein didn’t know how he hadn’t burst into that cell and done something stupid.
The end result was that he still remained very much on the edge. It would be so easy to go into the palace, find Sari, and fuck him until neither of them could walk. The fae might resist at first, but he wanted Karein, too. He wouldn’t actually refuse. But no, he couldn’t do that. He had to respect Sari and their connection. They’d agreed on this, and Karein had already deemed himself an inadequate mate for Sari.
“And yet…Kaelezrin is good enough for Talrasar,” his brother’s voice said. “What’s the difference between you? It’s all in the circumstances. Do you really think Kaelezrin would have acted in a different way had he been in your place? It’s easy to judge from the outside.”
Karein really didn’t want to dwell on those thoughts, because they sounded too much like excuses that would allow him to claim Sari. He had no answer for the questions in his heart, and the only thing guiding him was the hope that, if he found a way to undo all this, this reality would become irrelevant. His chances were slim, but it would fix everything that had been broken, including his mating to Sari.
As if summoned by his thoughts, the beautiful fae suddenly appeared next to him. “That went well,” he said.
Karein didn’t know how he hadn’t sensed Sari approach, but it was another sign of the bond that should have existed, but didn’t. “I suppose,” he replied. “I couldn’t have expected anything better.”
Sari glanced his ways, his silver eyes glittering like the blue gem in the center of his forehead. He had his hair down like Karein liked it, and the wind playfully toyed with the long, white-blond locks. “Did you? Did you have any expectations from them?”
Karein didn’t want to answer that question, because then, he would have to explain that he felt completely…abandoned. For the first time, he could acknowledge the loneliness clutching at his insides. His parents were gone, dead in the war with the sprites. They hadn’t been all that loving, but they had respected his power and supported him. Hareem had left, too, chasing the dream of his mate, and so had Caelyn. Akara was still missing, and even if she did return, she wouldn’t be much help. She was more likely to cause trouble, because of the hate she had toward other species. Phoenix and Rachen… They didn’t belong here. That Rachen wasn’t really his brother, because he wasn’t the Karein they knew. Sadly, Karein had killed his own twin, who now existed only to torment him. According to Rachen, he had been close to Prince Kaelezrin, but the equivalent in his reality wanted to see him dead.
Sari was the only one who anchored him now, but the fact that they couldn’t come together like true mates made things even more difficult. Karein couldn’t say any of this, though. Sari would feel guilty and compelled to offer Karein something he wasn’t ready to give. And so, he evaded the question and said, “It doesn’t matter anymore. Come on. Let’s go inside. You’re probably cold.”
The fae stopped him before he could turn away. Sari pressed himself against Karein, his arms tightening around Karein’s waist. “Come to my room tonight,” he whispered.
Karein thought that he’d heard wrong. He really couldn’t process what Sari was saying, but there was no way to misunderstand when Sari added, “I want…I want to be with you.”
Just the sweet sound of those words chased away the self-pitying thoughts that had briefly gripped Karein. What in the world had he been thinking? He should be thankful that he’d found Sari in the first place. More importantly, he should stop focusing on himself and concentrate on Sari. “You don’t have to do this, Sari. We can wait.”
The fae shook his head. “This is stupid. There’s no reason to do so. We have to seize the moment, like they did. Right?”
Karein wanted to refuse. He wanted to be a better man and not take advantage of his mate’s innocence and generosity. But he just wasn’t that selfless. He nodded and brushed his lips over Sari’s. “Tonight.”
He refused to feel guilty for what he was about to do. Sari was his future, and Karein would claim him, because they were meant to be together.
Chapter Eleven
Caelyn writhed on the sheets, ecstasy rushing through him in unstoppable torrents. The hands caressing his skin were gentle, but strong, mercilessly drawing out his pleasure, mastering him like a virtuoso would a musical instrument. The mouth kissing his neck brought renewed sensual torture, finding an erogenous zone right in the hollow of his throat. But no matter how much sensation they provided, it never seemed enough, not for Caelyn, and not for the man above him. Those full lips traveled from his neck to his nipples, and wet heat en
gulfed the sensitive buds, making Caelyn arch his back and cry out in abandon. Meanwhile, a tight fist gripped Caelyn’s cock.
Caelyn’s body was already on overload, and he wanted to come so badly he felt like he would explode any moment now. But at the same time, his body ached for more than the teasing caresses. As good as it felt to be touched like that, it didn’t satisfy Caelyn’s rising libido. “Graham… Please!” he begged.
The werewolf released Caelyn’s nipple from his mouth, grinning. “Patience, angel. We have all the time in the world.”
His eyes were like honey as he scanned Caelyn from head to toe. He licked his lips when he looked at Caelyn’s hard dick, and Caelyn expected Graham to take his prick into his mouth. Graham loved doing that, and really, Caelyn couldn’t complain. But instead, Graham went back up and pressed his lips over the swell of Caelyn’s abdomen.
In spite of his arousal, Caelyn’s eyes filled with tears. There was something worshipful about the way Graham treated him. The werewolf hadn’t expected having children because of Caelyn’s gender, but when they had found out about Caelyn’s pregnancy, Graham had been thrilled. It could have been because of his werewolf nature that naturally craved the closeness of a pack and of a family, but Caelyn found it had more to do with the fact that it was their baby, one they had created through their love.
He tangled his fingers through Graham’s hair, needing to touch the werewolf, even if in just a simple way. Even if his body demanded sex, just this closeness was precious for Caelyn. They weren’t speaking, but it felt like they were communicating without words.
When Graham finally lifted his head, Caelyn smiled at his mate. “Make love to me.”
Hyacinth, Scarlet - From the Ashes [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 7] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 19
