by Nicki Ruth
“Mmm, yeah. Give it to me.” Jason thrust his hip upward to receive Cade’s final plunge. Cade exploded, letting out a reverberating growl that Jason felt to his core. Pulse after hot pulse emptied into Jason, who relaxed into the pillow, holding onto Cade as he rocked through his release. Cade’s seed pelted hot inside Jason, and it was delightfully blissful.
They shuddered together until finally Cade rolled to the side and tucked Jason in beside him. Jason squirmed when Cade began licking him. He sighed, giving into Cade’s unusual instinct.
Nuzzling his hair, Cade whispered, “That was worth the wait baby. So good. Do you feel okay?”
Jason chuckled and turned to face Cade. “You were worth the wait, Cade. My sexy, fiery dragon.”
Cade grumbled. “I’m not a dragon. A drogulis.”
“Ummhmm,” Jason murmured running the tips of his fingers across Cade’s cheeks. “Thank you for today. It meant a lot to me.”
Cade opened his eyes and propped himself up. “For you, anything.” He pulled on a brown lock that clung to Jason’s damp forehead. “As long as we promise to be open and honest with each other. You’re officially mine now, and I’m never letting you go.”
Jason’s lips curled, and he snuggled closer. “Such a possessive beast,” Jason teased, but he relished Cade’s promise.
He didn’t want Cade to ever let him go. He belonged here, with Cade. Safe and loved, and free to be vulnerable and face his fears.
“Today, I felt like I was having a panic attack. It felt suffocating. I just couldn’t shake that something terrible had or was happening. I was worried about my father. And all I could think about was getting back to you. That you would help me, get me back to reality,” Jason admitted.
Cade squeezed him. “It’ll get better over time. And we have a lot of time to get it better.”
Jason sighed in contentment. It would get better. He would try.
He had Cade’s encouragement, and his family—who all came to show their love for him today. He smiled at that, still marveling at how many were there today and had said kind words to him. But he’d caught himself looking for a face that had been missing.
Marius.
Jason sat up against the headboard and peered at Cade, who remained flopped over on his side. “Cade, I want you to come with us to find Marius.”
He heard Cade muffle a groan into the sheets before he tipped his head up to Jason.
“Jason, we need to find a new home for everyone. I’ve found one prospect I think we should check out first.”
Jason looked at him in silence for a moment before saying, “No. The priority is Marius. The vahanas are safe here for the time being. Besides, no one knows who or what they are. And they seem to be having fun with all the amenities they’d been missing cooped up on Rosthos.” Jason gave him a knowing look.
On Rosthos Cade had forbidden electronics of any kind saying they could be tracked or bugged. “I think they’ll wish to stay for a little while longer under the protection of the queen.”
Cade only narrowed his eyes. “Deftly done, Jason.” Then he sighed. “Seems like you’ve already made up your mind.”
Jason shook his head. “I’m going. I need to find him. Father has to stay here and . . . I think the situation with Marius is just worsening my anxiety. He could be suffering, or worse. Cade, I can’t not do anything now that I have these new gifts I can use to help. And babe, you found me out of zillions in the universe. You can help me find Marius.”
Cade rolled over to his back, pondering.
“Please, babe. I need you.” Jason knew he was pouring it on thick, but he needed Cade to agree to this mission. He needed Cade to go because he wasn’t sure he could bear to be apart from him again. Jason eased back under the sheets and laid his head on Cade’s chest.
“Please, help me,” he pouted.
Cade hesitated. “Well, I’ve spoken to your sire about it. After some wrangling he’s agreed to let you—and Brandr—go searching for your bloodbrother. He’ll make sure we have what we need.”
Jason sprang from Cade’s chest, eyes beaming. Cade had already orchestrated their journey? Gods! He loved this man!
“The condition is that I am in charge of this mission and taking your sire’s ship. She’s being supplied, but we’ll have to expedite the orders if you want us to leave sooner.”
Jason threw himself on top of Cade who grunted at his weight. “Stop, Jason.” Cade fussed as Jason kissed every inch of his face. “Get off you brute. You need to save your energy to break the news to Brandr about whose orders he’ll be following.”
Jason stilled as the meaning of Cade’s words parted the wave of euphoria like a drill through sand. “Oh no, Cade. What have you done?”
Cade grinned wickedly and pulled Jason back into his chest. “I love you babe. We’ll make a great team. And . . . the captain gets the biggest bed on the ship.” Cade wiggled his eyebrows.
Jason laughed and kissed his love again. It was in these moments his creeping fear and loneliness were chased to the shadows on the brightness of Cade’s fire, and all Jason needed was to turn his face into the soothing heat of his flames.
Epilogue
Jason watched Cade as he busied himself checking inventory for the ship. Brandr had yet to show, and Jason had a bad feeling their travels wouldn’t be smooth. They were stocking for a couple months, and Cade had ordered several high-capacity weapons and other tech that Jason barely knew how to use, or why they needed them. They were heading to Xanthus, where their last intel on Marius put him. Cade had been there once, and insisted on the need for such high-grade tech.
“Cade,” Jason said as Cade scrolled through items on his handheld tablet. They were on the bridge of the ship, overseeing the final preparations before take-off.
"How did you get Father to agree to you captaining his ship. It should be Brandr’s responsibility.”
“Ummhmm,” Cade murmured absentmindedly.
“Well?”
Cade let out an aggrieved sound. “Jason, I told you I convinced him I was the best man for the job. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”
“I worry about Brandr. He’s not going to like this.”
Cade shrugged and continued taking inventory.
“Can you at least tell me how the conversation went?”
Cade placed his handheld on the table and turned to Jason with his arms folded across his chest.
“I simply told Alexios that if I had to go—and I do, for you, and the fact that he clearly needs my expertise—then I should be captain.” He gave Jason a crooked smile.
Jason answered with a frown.
“Okay. Look. I promised I would make sure nothing happened to his youngest. And Brandr, of course,” Cade threw in. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one among you packing the most fire power, which I literally had to demonstrate to Alexios.” Cade rolled his eyes. “And Brandr is a hot head and prone to making hot-headed decisions. On this, Alexios agreed, so, I’m captain.”
Jason narrowed his eyes. “Why can’t I be captain?”
“There can only be one captain. Besides, your hands and mouth will be busy with other things,” Cade said with a smirk.
Jason’s eyes darkened, blood instantly rushing to his cock. He bit his lip thinking of the things he would be doing with, and to, Cade, all cooped up on the ship—for months.
Cade chuckled. “Get your mind out of the gutter. You’ll be tracking coordinates and on comms duty for Alexios. Do you think of nothing but my cock?”
Jason grumbled and waved Cade away as he left the bridge to look for Brandr. He spied his brother lugging his gear as he got to the gangway.
“Brandr. Cutting it close there. We leave in an hour.”
Brandr stopped in front of Jason, red-faced and tense. “The only reason I’m here is because I want to find my brother. You’ve gone and got yourself mated to the lizard, fine. But don’t expect me to respect or follow his orders. So, keep him out of my way. I don’t
care what Alexios says.” Brandr stalked by, roughly brushing Jason’s shoulders.
Jason grimaced. This was going to be one hell of a trip.
Literal hell.
“Yo! Jason!”
Jason turned to see Garland waving as she jogged up to him. She wore another one of her outrageously bare outfits. A sheer midriff top, shorts that barely covered her ass, fishnet stockings, and knee-high boots. Chestnut hair that still only covered half her head was braided behind her neck.
She’d come to Damurios with them after she escaped Paxor’s ship. Jason sensed she was at least part vahana and something else he didn’t know.
“Hey. Hear you’re headed out. Can I come with?”
“Uh. No. Too dangerous. Didn’t I hear you were heading to . . . somewhere or other?”
“Yeah. I’m going with you. You’re gonna need a gal like me to help take care of you guys.”
Jason’s jaw dropped.
“Not like that you dolt! I mean to keep things calm and in order. I also have a set of skills you may find useful.”
Jason folded his arms. “Oh, really? What type of skills? Opening doors?”
Garland stuck her tongue out and made a face. “Sarcasm. Nice. But really, I can get into places without being seen or heard, among other skills. Trust me, you’re gonna need me.” She took out her sais swords and made a show of twirling them—expertly, he’d admit—in her hands before returning them to either side of the leather belt on her hip.
“I don’t know . . .”
But Jason thought maybe she could help him defuse the situation between Cade and Brandr. Maybe provide Brandr with a distraction. Surely, it wouldn’t hurt? And since Cade insisted Wushien stay behind, and Amir remained with the queen, they probably needed more hands on deck.
“Fine. As long as the captain approves, you can come.”
Garland grinned and pumped a fist into the air. “Yes!”
Then to Jason’s amazement, she mumbled something and snatched a large satchel from a void-like space that appeared in the air. A portal?
At Jason’s surprised look she smirked. “See, I told you you’ll need me.” She hefted her load over her shoulder and added. “So, about my fee.”
“Fee?”
She gave him a withering look. “I don’t work for free, Jason. Girl’s gotta eat—and buy weapons,” she said, gesturing to her hip.
At Jason’s sour look she added with a wink, “Don’t worry. You get a discount.”
Jason groaned. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
∞∞∞
“So, you’ve proven yourself. Welcome to da brigade. I admire yer spirit and hope you survive long enough. Many youngsters like you don’t,” his burly captain said, his scars tightening across his face.
The captain extended his hand to clasp the one in front of him. Currently, he was the longest serving leader of this group of rebels and tough as granite.
“Tell me though. What happened to make ye hate dem leeches so much? They drain yer family?” He asked, stroking his red beard as he regarded the young man in front of him.
“They did what leeches do, sir. I won’t rest until every last one of them is dead,” he ground out. “And if this rumor is true, then it’ll be easy to wipe out their entire existence.” He clenched his fists behind his back, fresh pain lancing him.
His captain nodded, hand still smoothing his beard. “I agree. But for that, we need to get to Damurios. I assume you’ll be volunteering for that mission?” He turned and picked up his ledger. “What’s your name again?”
“Dar’quis, sir. And yes, I’m volunteering to head to Damurios. I won’t fail.”
***Next in the Bonds of Damurios Series: Queen’s Blood Claim. Coming Early 2019.***
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About the Author
Nicki Ruth is a romantic at heart who loves a bit of history, a splash of adventure, and all things paranormal, especially vampires, shifters, fae, and all others. An avid reader, Nicki’s debut novel, Dark Blooded Desires, began as a dream of a dark-haired brooding stranger gazing into the deep recesses of space. This became chapter one.
She loves good food, good wine and good friends, and writes from her balcony overlooking a parking lot.
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