Grand Redemption (D'Vaire Book 1)

by Kingley, Jessamyn

  “Kind of cheesy,” Ayden decided.

  “How about I love the delicious fit of your sexy, toned physique against the tall manliness of mine?” his mate offered.

  “Too wordy.”

  “Okay, last choice. Your body feels amazing against me.”

  “Still has some cheese factor, but I’ll take it,” Ayden announced.

  “Brat.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been getting that a lot lately.”

  His dragon grinned at him. “Doesn’t bother you one bit though, does it?”

  “Nope, we all gotta be good at something.”

  “You’re a good kisser. You could spend more time doing that and less time being bratty.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been trying, but my mate is a pain in the ass and never gives me much opportunity.”

  “So what you are saying is that you wait for your mate to make all the moves?”

  Ayden was dumbstruck. That is exactly what he had been doing. He couldn’t believe he had been letting Brogan dictate their progress until last night when he had finally demanded that the man kiss him. It was time to start taking what he wanted, and he wanted Brogan.

  Without a word, Ayden leaned forward and kissed his mate. This was no gentle peck; his tongue dueled with his mate’s, and it was not long before Brogan took control of their kiss and had Ayden wrapped in his arms. Ayden wound his arms around Brogan’s neck as one kiss led to many more kisses. His dragon was massaging his back as their mouths stayed connected in the most delicious way. It was impossible for Ayden to keep his moans of pleasure from escaping as Brogan continued his assault. Long before Ayden was ready Brogan pulled back slightly, and Ayden wanted nothing more in than his mate’s mouth back on his.

  “I like it when you take charge,” Brogan told him.

  “I wasn’t finished.”

  “You keep kissing me like that and I’m going to forget we are in the living room.”

  “Please, Madeline and Larissa make out in here all the time.”

  “Good for them, I don’t like sitting in here making out. My dick is pressing against my zipper, and it fucking hurts.” Brogan was beginning to sound irritated.

  “Let’s go to my room then.” Ayden jumped off the couch to do just that.

  “Taking it slow, remember that?” Brogan reminded him from where he still sat on the sofa.

  “Damn it, why did we agree to something so stupid?” Ayden demanded and slapped his hands onto his hips.

  Brogan was off the couch as well as he yelled at his mate, “One: our mating was a fun-filled shitfest until that night in the office and two: you are a virgin!”

  “Well, it’s been going well since then!” Ayden shouted back as they stood facing each other. As always, Ayden had to tilt his head back to look into the furious eyes of his mate.

  “I know and I don’t want to fuck it up!”

  “I’ve been a virgin for centuries. I’ve waited forever already!”

  “You are just going to have to wait longer. I. Will. Not. Fuck. This. Up. AGAIN!” Brogan bellowed.

  “Why are two always yelling?” Aleksander asked, as he walked into the living room.

  “We’re both hard and he won’t do a damn thing about it!” Ayden hollered, pointing at his mate.

  “Okay, I’m just gonna go watch TV in my room,” Aleksander announced and made a hasty retreat.

  “Ayden, please. This means too much to me to make a mistake. We need to this right and stick to the plan, baby. I cannot handle you hating me again,” Brogan begged after their king left the room. Ayden saw the pleading look in his mate’s eyes and felt his anger dissipate. He really didn’t want to hate Brogan again either. They had a real relationship now, and it occurred to Ayden that he had a lot to lose if Brogan decided Ayden’s temper was too much to deal with and gave up. Losing Brogan as his mate would not be as easy to overcome as the ghostly mate Ayden had mourned for centuries.

  “You’re right. This is too important to screw up, but it can’t just be a kiss goodnight anymore. I’m ready for more.”

  “Okay. I will allow more kissing and maybe a little more to be determined on a case by case basis,” Brogan conceded with another of his wicked grins as he took a step closer to Ayden.

  “You will allow? You want to be covered in oozing sores from head to toe?” Ayden was quite satisfied with his threat, but he too stepped closer to his mate. They were now close enough that their toes were touching. Ayden’s head was tilted back so he could still see Brogan’s navy eyes.

  “I think that is more disgusting than the enormous damage you wanted to cause earlier to my ass.”

  “Give me one of those pecks you are so fond of and let’s go get a snack. We can talk about that little more you mentioned.” Ayden reached his arm out and then slid his hand into Brogan’s large palm.

  “We ate lunch less than an hour ago,” Brogan said, after leaning down to drop a kiss on Ayden’s willing mouth.

  “You got a point?”

  Chapter 14

  Brogan had spent his whole life imagining how different it would be if he ever found his mate. Century after century had passed, and the dreams had become more involved and seemingly more real, but nothing had prepared him for the reality of it. Ayden made him feel fully alive for the first time since his very first shift into dragon form. Your first shift could lead to death if you and your beast do not manage to accept each other. Nothing like your own demise to get all of your blood pumping.

  Being with Ayden felt like that, the exquisite tightrope walk between complete failure and the rush of hitting the sky with your wings unfurled under the sun. Ecstasy and agony. His fiery mate made each day one to look forward to; Brogan loved being kept on his toes by Ayden’s intelligence and wit. The agony came mostly in small pockets. Without warning, Brogan would feel a sense of doom that Ayden would reject him again, and he would no longer be a part of his life.

  Night was another kind of agony since they were still at the kissing and petting stage, but Brogan was determined that Ayden be brought along slowly and get to enjoy every stage of seduction since Brogan was his first everything. Every other moment was the ecstasy, the absolute joy he felt in Ayden’s company made Brogan realize he was falling in love with his mate. While that was certainly something to celebrate, he had no clue if Ayden felt the same. Never allowing himself to forget that Ayden was reluctant to make this work right from the start, he could only hope that time would convince them that they were perfect for each other. It would be devastating if he rejected him again, Brogan had already lost his heart to the little familiar.

  Staring at his mate had become a strange new hobby for Ayden, it had not begun intentionally, but it seemed these days he was doing it all the time. Brow slightly furrowed, it was obvious Brogan was thinking very hard about whatever rattled around in his brain. Okay, that was probably unfair, his mate was far from stupid. They were probably very intense thoughts, Ayden knew he strayed into that territory pretty often these days. Those intense thoughts always circled around his dragon and their mate bond. Keeping up reserve and caution had been impossible, Brogan had slipped under his defenses with his affection, kindness, and humor.

  His mate was his newest best friend. Although a friend was probably not the most accurate description for someone you made out with at every opportunity, but he refused to use the word boyfriend. Whatever the right word was, the dragon had stolen his heart. Ayden no longer wanted to consider any spell that would end their relationship. In fact, he now felt guilty and embarrassed by the way he had treated Brogan from the start. Not wanting to relive their past in any way, Ayden didn’t bring it up and hoped that his mate had forgiven him for acting like an ass.

  “You are thinking way too hard, baby, and you are staring at me again,” Brogan said from next to him on the couch. They were supposed to be watching a movie in Ayden’s bedroom. Somehow, Ayden had managed to convince him that his room would be more comfortable than the den. The close proximity of the bed was wr
eaking havoc on Brogan’s brain. His mind was busy thinking of all the positions he could have Ayden in and no matter how hard he tried he could not convince his hormones to just shut up and watch the damn movie.

  “You are more interesting to watch than this crappy movie,” Ayden informed him.

  “It does suck.”

  “Then why is it still on?”

  “Because there isn’t anything else on.”

  “Turn that crap off,” Ayden ordered and Brogan hit the remote, ending their torment.

  “What are we going to do now?” Brogan wanted to know.

  “Arts and crafts?”

  “I suck at arts and crafts.”

  “You could go get me a snack,” Ayden suggested.

  “Baby, you have had chips and popcorn and that is just in the last hour.”

  “Fine. Then get naked.”

  “Huh?” Brogan managed, stunned by Ayden’s request.

  “I said, ‘Get naked.’ You know, remove all articles of clothing.”

  Brogan wasn’t sure whether to continue to sit there in shock or rip his clothes off as fast as possible, “Why would I do that?”

  “Because I want to see you naked.”

  It seemed Ayden was ready to move past just kissing and fondling. Brogan felt like shouting for joy, “I see. So you expect me to sit here in the nude while you do what exactly?”

  “I suppose I could take my clothes off as well,” Ayden’s tone suggested he was reluctant, but those witchy green eyes quickly going blue were saying something entirely different. They were hungry, and Brogan could only hope Ayden wasn’t thinking about his next meal. You just never knew with his mate, he appeared to worship at the altar of food.

  “I like that idea, baby. You go first.”

  “Uh uh. My idea. Get naked.”

  Brogan loved arguing with his volatile mate, but this time he was going to give in quickly and gracefully, “If you insist.” Brogan stood up slowly and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Ayden was watching unblinkingly as Brogan reached for the snap of his jeans. Having no desire to delay getting Ayden to disrobe, Brogan moved swiftly to lower his zipper. He yanked down his boxers and jeans in one motion. Socks were pulled off one by one and then he stepped out of his pants that were pooled around his ankles. Brogan watched Ayden swipe his tongue over his top lip as he stared at him. His mate obviously approved.

  “Your turn,” Brogan reminded his mate softly.

  Ayden reacted by springing off the couch like a rocket, “Oh. Right.” Tugging his T-shirt off, Ayden then made quick work of his own socks, pants, and underwear. His little mate looked fucking amazing without clothes. Ayden wasn’t bulky with muscle but was he ever ripped. Those washboard abs and the curved muscle of his bicep begged to be tasted by Brogan’s eager tongue. Below those chiseled abs was a nest of red curls that drew Brogan’s eye to Ayden’s half-hard cock. Long in comparison to what the diminutive familiar should have been packing, Brogan noticed it didn’t lack girth either. It was growing stiffer and darker under Brogan’s watchful gaze, and his own dick was ready to play as well.

  “Baby, your body is incredible.” The words were barely more than a growl.

  “Same goes. Enough chatter. Kiss me.” Brogan laughed at his mate’s order and stepped forward to bring their bodies close enough to almost touch.

  “Come here, baby,” he requested huskily and Ayden complied by closing the small gap between them and wrapping his arms around Brogan’s waist. Of their own accord, Brogan’s arms closed around his mate, and he leaned down to bring their mouths together.

  “Is that what you wanted? A kiss?” he teased Ayden.

  “No, I want you on the bed.” Brogan stepped back from his mate and took his hand to lead him to Ayden’s bed. Climbing onto the soft mattress they were hastily wrapped in each other’s arms again.

  “Why do I have to keep telling you to kiss me? I thought you had enough experience to know how to do this,” Ayden complained breathlessly, and Brogan let out a chuckle. He decided it was best not to reply with words and once again captured Ayden’s mouth. The feel of his body, the taste of his kiss, and the intoxicating scent of his being was setting Brogan on fire. His cock was leaking all over Ayden’s hip, and he could feel the wetness on his own stomach where Ayden’s dick was pressed. Ayden had begun almost a constant stream of moan after sexy moan from the moment their lips had touched. Brogan’s hand found its way to Ayden’s luscious backside, and he used it to bring their bodies even closer as they rubbed against each other.

  The friction from the closeness of their bodies was already threatening to make him come. That thought had barely registered when Ayden suddenly broke their busy mouths apart and arched his body impossibly closer to Brogan’s. He threw his head back, curled his lower back and Brogan watched his full lips part. Ayden held his breath and then yelled out Brogan’s name as he came all over his stomach. Brogan had never seen anything so gloriously sensual in his life.

  Grabbing Ayden’s backside roughly, he snapped his hips as he ground against his body against his mate. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for his shout to follow Ayden’s as he came all over his gorgeous little mate.

  “I did it again.”

  “Yes, you did. You look amazing when you come, baby. So sexy,” Brogan mouthed against the side of Ayden’s neck after he’d had enough time to catch his breath. His heart was still jack hammering in his chest from the force of his orgasm; easily the best one of his life.

  “No, I came too soon,” Ayden grumbled.

  “Where did you learn this crap? That was fucking fantastic.”

  “That’s how it is in romance novels. Or porn. Those dudes seem to always amaze their partners with their stamina.”

  “Baby, I don’t give a shit what happens in any book or video. I’ve never come that hard in my life, and it was mostly from just watching you, so knock off this shit about not lasting for a week or whatever fucking unrealistic nonsense you have in your head. I am your lover; you only need to please me, and you did.”

  “Okay,” Ayden replied quietly.

  “I mean it Ayden. I don’t want to hear this shit again and I sure as fuck do not want you thinking it either.”

  “Okay,” his mate repeated.

  “Do you understand me?” Brogan roared into Ayden’s face.

  “Stop fucking spitting on me. I said okay!” Ayden yelled back, and Brogan let go of his mate to fall on his back as laughter overcame him.

  “I guess we just wouldn’t be us if we have normal pillow talk after sex,” Brogan chuckled, as he glanced at Ayden.

  “Shut it, you are the one that started yelling at me.”

  “You know I have no complaints, right?” he asked gently, as he pulled Ayden back into his arms.

  “Yeah, now let go of me. I’m sticky, and this shit is starting to dry.”

  “We need a shower.”

  “You are washing my back,” Ayden informed him.

  “Only if I get to scrub that fine ass.”

  “Then I get to wash your dick,” his little mate countered.

  “Best get the balls while you are there.”

  “If you insist.”

  Ayden handed his mate a towel as he stepped out of the shower. They had washed, gotten each other dirty again, and then cleaned each other a second time. Brogan had wrapped his big hand around Ayden’s cock and once again he had come quickly, but he decided he wasn’t going to let it bother him anymore. His dragon hadn’t lasted long after Ayden had fisted his dick either. Either this was normal when the two of them got together or neither one of them had any stamina. The end result left them breathless and satisfied, so why should he care about the quickness of it all. Not having to spend his night jerking off was the important factor here and being with Brogan was absolutely mind-blowing.

  His dick was huge, and Ayden had almost tackled him onto the bed just so he could touch the damn thing. The size of it did give him a moment’s pause when he thought about it up h
is ass, but they had to complete their mating ceremony before that could happen, so he had time to get used to the idea. He wasn’t going to waste time dwelling on his fear; Fate had supposedly matched them in every way possible. Just because it looked like a physical impossibility was no reason to panic. Right?

  “Wow baby, are those scars on your back?” Brogan’s question interrupted his runaway thoughts.

  Ayden’s back was covered in lines of silver scars, “Yes.”

  “How can you scar when you can heal yourself? These look like symbols, Ayden,” Brogan said, as he got closer to get a better look and ran his hand over Ayden’s back.

  “They are symbols. Spells actually. I guess the best way to describe them is unmagic burns. I was told they were neither light nor dark magic, which makes them impossible to remove. Carvallius gave them to me.”

  Brogan was still running his fingertips over Ayden’s back. It felt wonderful. “There are a lot of them.”

  “Remember how I told you I heal Latarian constantly. This is how. Each symbol represents a spell that is either constantly cast or cast in a certain situation.”

  “A certain situation?”

  “Yeah, like someone attacking me. Shit like that. My magic attacks first and then asks questions.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  “Yeah, but you get used to it.”

  Brogan’s frown made it obvious he was not happy with Ayden’s answer, but there was nothing either one of them could do about it. “They look kind of cool, I guess,” his mate offered.

  “Can I get dressed now?” Brogan had grabbed Ayden’s hip to keep him still while he explored Ayden’s back, and he had yet to let go.

  “I prefer you naked.”

  Extricating himself from his mate, Ayden pulled a purple pair of pajama bottoms decorated with bright yellow sheep from his dresser. He added a matching yellow T-shirt. “Too bad. I love my pajamas.”

  “Larissa does find the most interesting fabrics. No, underwear?”

  “Not when I sleep,” Ayden replied, as he climbed into bed. Brogan headed for his pile of clothes and Ayden decided to nip that right in the bud.