by Nicki Ruth
“Oh, baby, you feel so good in my arms. I need you . . . here, forever,” Cade breathed in Jason’s ear before he nibbled on the lobe.
Jason let out an abbreviated laugh and threw his head back, arching into Cade’s heat when he stroked the tender spot within him again.
“Ah, gods! I’ll never leave . . . if you’ll love me like this,” Jason rasped, feeling another surge of ecstasy careen through him.
“That’s it, baby. Give it to me. I want everything.” Cade pumped faster as Jason yelled his name yet again, the cliffs mocking his cries.
They’d spent the afternoon savoring each other’s bodies, and now lay on a large boulder talking about their past adventures, although Jason was reluctant to tell Cade of his times in the mines or anything before that. Jason preferred hearing Cade’s tales and devoured each one with hungry appreciation.
Cade asked about his sire and his bloodbrothers. “So, you’re forever bonded to the lee—your sire?”
Jason gave Cade a sidelong glance at the slur he’d almost uttered. “Yes. The intensity of the bond fades over time as you get older or begin siring your own. But we’ve all stayed by father’s side, and we’re very close.”
Cade frowned at this, so Jason added. “He’s very protective of us and we of him. He’s not some evil monster.”
“Have you had sex with him?”
Jason choked. “What? No, I haven’t. Geez, is that what’s been bothering you?”
Cade shrugged and looked away.
He knew Cade was still uneasy about Alexios and Davina in his home and had a dislike for vampires, but he’d agreed to try and accept his family if Jason made an effort to learn about his vahanan heritage. He hadn’t thought that Cade might be jealous. This revelation intrigued him, and he filed it away for later.
“Tell me about being a drogulis. Are you sure you’re the last?” Jason asked, curious about Cade and his family.
“I am. At least, I haven’t sensed any others. Marcian died about two hundred years ago. She was a water drogulis, with an affinity for ice.” Cade paused, and a haunted expression passed over his features. “She was the oldest living drogulis after my father passed.”
Jason allowed Cade a few moments before he said, “I’ve seen your beast form.”
Cade turned to him in surprise.
“The first night, by the river, I saw the real you. Now, most nights when I wake, I see you there, horned and scaly resting next to me. Very possessive.” Jason smiled.
Cade sat up and stared at Jason with his jaw open, then blinked. “You see my drogulis form? That’s not possible unless I transform.”
Jason shrugged, eyes falling to a waterbug making its busy way across the rock. “I see you. All of you,” he said softly, turning his gaze back up to Cade. “I know it’s like two Cades, yet one. The wild, primal version packaged together with this human-like form, two minds joined in one soul, formed in fire. I see you clearly, Cade.” Jason reached up, lightly running his fingertips along Cade’s sun-kissed arm.
“Jason,” Cade breathed out, eyes of adoration heating Jason’s flesh. Cade opened and closed his mouth then lay back down next to Jason, allowing quiet tranquility to blanket them, one body touching the other, both finding peaceful relaxation on the smooth hardness of the boulder.
Eventually, dark shadows loomed above them on the surrounding rock faces.
“It's getting late. It’ll be dinner soon, so we should head back,” Cade announced after propping himself on his elbows.
But Jason continued to laze on his back, spreading his legs akimbo, hiding a smirk as Cade’s roving eyes lit up at his unabashed nakedness. “Before today, I’ve only been able to drink from my father.”
Cade looked at him sharply, but he continued before Cade could respond.
“It wasn’t by choice. I don’t know why I could never drink from others. But today, I . . . you were my first. And you tasted divine. Like a hot and spicy aphrodisiac. Thank you.”
Cade held his gaze in silence.
Jason could feel himself blushing, but stormy hues of gold and peridot didn’t allow him to look away. Finally, Cade smiled a smile like a kiss of cool breeze fluttering against desert sands that longed for the promise of rain. Jason’s heart leapt with unabated anticipation. Cade’s chest rose before he exhaled a rainbow of prancing flames that weaved like silken threads around him. Jason grinned, reaching out to feel them play warm and cool against his skin.
“You’re also my first, in so many ways. I’ll give you my blood, my fire, all the jargulds of this universe to make you mine.”
Jason sat up, grabbed Cade by the neck and pulled him in for a kiss. “I think, I’m already yours.”
∞∞∞
Dinner was well underway by the time they made their return to the village. On their way down, Cade had Jason practice using his gryphinx talents: extending his vision and hearing, although he was still unable to raise a protective shield at will.
So, Cade knew there were more vampires in the camp. Jason had been excited, not only because he could see over large distances with great detail, but that his bloodbrother was there. Cade, however, was not looking forward to seeing the large, blond-haired vampire, Brandr. But he was glad Jason was in high spirits and beamed inwardly, knowing he was mostly responsible. All eyes rested on them as they emerged from the brush, hand in hand, but Cade settled his on the newcomers who stood against the flickering light at the tree line.
“Brandr!” Jason yelled despite the hushed silence. Off he went, bounding up to the blond brute and launched himself into his arms.
Cade bit his tongue.
“Jason, my brother. I’m glad you’re alright. Alexios told me of your ordeal,” the vampire said, squeezing Jason before leveling Cade with a stare that could laser through the granite hills of Lalmon like they were water. Beside him stood Alexios and another dark-haired male, whose lips were pulled to a line of suspicion.
“I’m glad you’re here. You won’t believe this place. Cade’s been showing me a lot.”
“I’m sure he has,” was the responding growl.
Cade tensed. From the aggression pouring off the vampire, trouble would be served along with the evening meal.
Jason turned to motion Cade over.
“Jason, tell me you haven’t fallen in with his lot?”
“Brandr—”
But Brandr pushed Jason aside and stepped forward. “If you think you’ll get away with kidnapping my brother, you’re sorely mistaken. I’ll have you—”
“Hey, stop. It’s not what you think. Cade’s not the bad guy here.”
Brandr’s eyes grew wide as he twisted his head toward Jason, staring at him in silence.
“You slept with him!” he roared. “The one who attacked us and took you? This guy?” He pointed at Cade. “Jason, why? Why do you always do this? He’s not for you!”
“Brandr. I’m not a child! I can be with whoever I damn well want!”
They stood glaring at each other, both red-faced and tight fisted.
“Well, as much as this has been quite entertaining, we should settle down and return to dinner to get more acquainted,” Karina said with a smile—one of glee, since she thoroughly loved gossip, especially pertaining to Cade’s private affairs.
“Yes, let’s. We can discuss this privately,” Alexios said, motioning to his sons to join those at the fire who, Cade noticed with annoyance, had been eagerly listening to the exchange with rapt interest, including the vampire queen who laughed outright with Tyrus snuggled next to her. He’d have to talk to the pup, again, to warn him away from the vampire.
Cade stood aside to allow them to pass, Alexios giving him his usual wary look. As Brandr moved by, he wheeled around and punched Cade squarely in the jaw.
He stumbled back as Brandr landed another blow to his gut, the force of which rushed the air from his lungs, doubling him over. Loud gasps and furious shouts echoed through the twilight.
“That’s for Jason, and the
second was for trying to choke me,” Brandr spat.
“Cade!” Jason knelt next to him while he fought to keep himself from retaliating.
Tasting blood in his mouth, he thought about how happy Jason was just a few minutes before, and how it would probably pain him to see his bloodbrother’s skin flake into the wind as blackened dust. He gritted his teeth, swallowing the rush of fire in this throat as Jason helped him to his feet.
He’d let it go . . . for Jason’s sake.
“Enough! There will be no fighting in my presence. Is that clear to all?” Karina said, cracking her staff against the earth, which trembled under their feet.
“Thank you,” Jason said quietly beside him, his yellow, hawk-like eyes boring into him. “For not taking it further. I’ll talk to him. He’ll come around.”
“It’s alright.” Cade stretched and cracked his neck. “I had it coming. But I won’t be so forgiving next time.”
Jason smiled, taking Cade’s hand into his. “I’ll make it up to you later.”
Cade grinned wickedly, his cock stirring in his pants. “Oh, my vampire, you will.”
Chapter 18
The next couple of days passed, toppling haunting suspicions and spinning colorful new bonds into vibrant swathes of kinship and acceptance. Cade grudgingly admitted that the vampire queen, Davina, was charming and enjoyable.
Of course, vampires are not so bad, look at their beautiful queen, he heard daily.
Didn’t you hear how the queen stopped Mortimor’s bleeding when the axe felled him?
A besotted Tyrus strutted and pawed like a peacock for the queen, courting her favor like the lovesick puppy Cade teased him of being. To his paternal relief, she seemed enthralled by the cub and kind to his youthful infatuation. He didn't bother to object when Karina enlisted the help of Sunni, a trained mechanic, to assist the vampires’ downed ship. Sunni, a young graemlin, was ecstatic to get his hands on the machinery, since Cade didn’t allow any electronics in the sanctuary in order to preserve their secret presence.
Cade also didn’t bother to argue with Karina about inviting more of the vampires to the sanctuary, not when it made Jason more self-assured. Gone was the fidgety uneasiness that Cade witnessed before, although sometimes Jason seemed lost behind a wall of sadness and suffered from restless sleep Cade was unsure how to breech or soothe. But every morning, they took to the skies, surveying the land, sweeping past the outstretched grasp of jagged mountain peaks and corralling scurrying clouds.
Cade was pleased to see Jason delighting in the assured agility of his raven-feathered wings. He remained captivated by Jason’s flushed, windblown cheer, which only the rush of flight could bestow.
Similarly, he relished knowing their time among the clouds banished Jason’s aversion to his vahanan traits; they even made time for Jason to practice using them, and they came naturally to him, with the exception of his protective shield.
Cade was surprised to learn how supportive Alexios was of Jason’s acceptance of his heritage. He didn’t underestimate his influence over Jason who, like Tyrus, still pursued the paternal favor he seemed to need from his sire. But Cade saw the pride in Alexios’ eyes the first time he saw his son take to the air.
They spent their nights in sweaty pursuit of sexual fulfillment. Jason was wild and eager in Cade’s arms, loudly responsive and lustfully pliant. His eagerness to please made Cade the recipient of Jason’s wet mouth and seeking fingers all over his body.
His thoughts were consumed with Jason—his infectious curiosity, his kind charm, and his boyish smile that made Cade take leave of his senses.
Cade grew desperate to mark Jason as his own, to claim him as his forever mate, and see his flames blossom across Jason’s chest—the place he envisioned his mark would reside. Once a drogulis did this, they would want no other. Cade mentioned this to him one night as he lay on Jason’s chest.
“Will it hurt?” Jason asked as he fingered Cade’s hair.
“It may sting.” Cade moved his palm across Jason’s warm flesh, seeing the fire beneath his hand in his mind’s eye.
“Haven’t you done it before?”
“No. There’s been no other I’ve wanted to claim, but you already knew that. There’s no other like you for me.”
Cade closed his eyes, tempering the beast inside who roared for its claiming. He rose above Jason with a sudden need to be inside him; to be engulfed in his warmth. Without warning he sunk himself inside Jason once again with a groan, reveling in the smooth softness of his vampire. Jason gasped at the unexpected intrusion then relaxed into his arms, drawing Cade closer so that they were chest to chest as he thrust over and over into Jason’s willing embrace.
“Say you’ll be mine,” Cade moaned into Jason’s ear.
Jason only whimpered his release, shaking and spasming through his climax. “Gods, I love you,” he said with a sigh, before drifting off to sleep.
Cade’s wings escaped from his back, ready to take flight to follow after his heart as it soared through the heavens.
∞∞∞
What are you doing? Do you really think things have changed?
Jason woke in a cold sweat. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the cold sensation that stalked up his spine was only the terror of a bad dream. The voices of his past echoed through his hollowed chest. Don’t leave me! The scent of bread and honey tickled his nose, and he froze.
You’re nothing. Worthless!
Did you think he would want you? Forever? Don’t make me laugh. No one wants you.
You’re loathsome, not fit for anyone’s love.
Alone. You’ll always be alone. It’s what someone like you deserves.
Cade shifted behind him, drawing him closer, but his heat did little to stop the frosty vines that crept across Jason, grounding him to a cold tomb of dread.
“What’s the matter, love?” Cade murmured at Jason’s neck.
Jason untangled himself from Cade’s heavy frame and got up, silently donning his clothes.
“What’s wrong? What’re you doing?”
“I have to go.” Jason was glad it was still dark. Maybe Cade wouldn’t see the tremor in his hands or the wetness pooling in his eyes.
“What? Go where? It’s still dark.”
“I have to go.” He repeated this as if the words willed him to do what he was about to do, despite the desperate feeling tugging at him to return to bed.
Cade rose from the bed to approach, but Jason sidestepped him and headed to the exit.
“Jason. Wait.”
His heart pummeled his chest. What are you doing? You don’t want to leave him. Not someone you . . . love. No! You don’t deserve him. It’s only a matter of time.
He shook his head, urging his feet to move faster when he heard Cade scrambling behind for clothes. He got to the cliff entrance of Cade’s mountain home and paused, unsure about what was right, what he should do. Hating himself all the same, choking on his fear.
“Wait. Look, I don’t know what has you like this, but if you just tell me, we can work through it.” Cade came to stand beside him, his hand reaching out to touch, but Jason flinched. “Don’t do this babe. Not when we’ve gotten this far,” Cade pleaded.
Jason shook his head, looking at the sleepy valley below. “I have to go.”
“I’m here for you. Please know that. Whatever has put that expression on your face, know that I’ll do all to banish it.” Cade’s voice hitched. “I feel your pain and your panic, but you don’t have to be afraid of me. I’m not going to hurt you. Come back inside and tell me how I can help.”
Jason wanted that desperately. But wasn’t that an elusive dream? He knew the inevitable. Jason exhaled, his breath a white cloud in the chill of the night.
“Cade. It doesn't matter. We’ve had a great time together. That’s all. I’ve enjoyed my time with you. And you’ve taught me a lot, but now it's time for me to go.”
“Go where? You belong here. With me.”
“I don’t. Not
here, not anywhere. Soon, you’ll see that. Goodbye.”
Even as he stretched his wings—wings he once despised—and sailed across the darkened night sky, he tasted the bitter regret in his words. Higher and higher he launched himself into the weightless oasis on restored wings, which scattered the pieces of his crumbling heart.
∞∞∞
After several minutes of pacing and replaying the day’s events through his mind, Cade was no closer to understanding what just happened. He stopped himself from chasing after Jason to demand answers.
The look on Jason’s face was one he’d seen before—on his ship, in the forest. It was a look of defeat and despair, of an abyss of sorrow, and Cade was at a loss as to why someone like Jason, who breathed joyful playfulness, would be struggling with the heavy weight of melancholy.
Did something happen? Was it about being a gryphinx?
He grumbled to himself, wondering how he would get through to Jason, to make him understand that he didn’t have to feel such pain or sadness with him; all Cade would ever want was to see his amazingly infectious smile.
Cade needed answers, and he knew where to get them.
As he strode through the village, sunken mist tugging at the hems of his pants, and a shadow emerged from behind a tree. Cade stopped, waiting for loiterer to reveal himself.
“You should leave my brother alone.”
Cade suppressed an irritated groan. He didn’t need Brandr getting in his way. He needed to talk to Alexios.
“Where is he?”
Brandr stepped out into the shielded light from the looming planet Scian. “Jason is too good for the likes of you. He’s too naive and too forgiving. I won’t stand for anyone hurting him, and you’ve already crossed that line with me.”
“I’m not trying to hurt anyone. Where’s Jason?”
Brandr shrugged. “He comes and goes as he pleases. Just as he loves and beds as he pleases. You aren’t the first he’s thought he’s fallen for and won’t be the last. So, do us a favor and leave him alone.”
