A King to Be Protected

by Brea Alepoú

  Kail turned just in time to see Lonzo launch himself at Titos as Jameson went around to his back. For them both to be so sure of themselves, Kail would have thought they wouldn’t attack together. Titos looked unbothered. Just as Lonzo reached him, he easily dodged and ducked. The brothers collided above Titos.

  Kail laughed at the headbutt as the brothers cursed from the impact. Titos’s leg swept under Lonzo, sending him crashing to the ground. He pointed his elbow up as he drove it into Jameson’s chin. In a quick flurry of movements, Titos kicked Jameson between the legs before bringing his knee up and connecting it with his nose. The crunching sound of Jameson’s nose breaking resonated in the room.

  Jameson staggered back, blood gushing from his nose, his face surprised. Lonzo got up from the floor, and Kail watched with bated breath as Lonzo went for Titos while he was focused on Jameson. Just before Lonzo made contact, Titos turned around, his eyes glowing, and sent Lonzo flying.

  His body crashed into the wall, the impact putting a dent in it. He slid to the ground and didn’t budge. Kail turned back around to watch what Jameson would do.

  Jameson kept his eyes trained on the pile that was his brother before slowly lowering himself to the floor onto his knees. Blood still gushed from his nose, covering his face as he lowered his head to Titos.

  “Forgive me, my king,” Jameson said.

  Titos didn’t reply, and the room grew silent as Jameson stayed on his knees. Kail glanced over to Lonzo who hadn’t even twitched, watching his chest to make sure he was still alive.

  Titos stood there, looking down at Jameson, and Kail could feel the power pouring off him. When Kail had first felt it, he’d thought it was dangerous, but now, watching Titos, he didn’t get that feeling. All he got was a feeling of want; he looked to Seth, Mazki, and Adom, and they all watched Titos. The only difference was they could feel things Kail couldn’t. They were connected to Titos on a level that Kail hadn’t experienced. One that he was growing to want more than anything. He wasn’t denying the attraction he felt toward Titos or the others, but unlike them, he’d grown up not knowing what or who he was.

  “You can stand,” Titos said.

  Jameson stood, his head still down. Titos turned away from him and moved back to the couch, sitting between Kail and Seth. There was blood on his brand new pants. Kail’s eyes traveled up to Titos’s face. Titos stared back at him, his eyes still glowing. It was the same glowing that they had done in the truck when Kail had to pull the car over. If he recalled correctly, Mazki and Seth had come multiple times because of something Titos had done.

  Kail wanted to reach out to Titos; he wanted the connection. He wanted to feel the pull of belonging to Titos. Titos’s lips curved up at the edge, smiling at him as if he knew exactly how much Kail wanted him.

  “I do apologize, Your Majesty,” Ginger said.

  Titos turned to look at her, and Kail ached from the loss of the small connection he had felt, but he too turned to look at Ginger. The plump woman truly looked sorry, her head bowed as if she had planned for the brothers to come in and start something.

  “Did you plan for them to test me?” Titos asked. He sat back, his hand reaching out and landing on Kail’s leg.

  “Of course not. I would never,” Ginger pushed.

  Titos nodded, the glow of his eyes dimming back to the normal green. “I didn’t think so.”

  Ginger nodded vigorously, green strands of hair coming loose from the braid.

  “Jameson,” Titos called out.

  Jameson moved fast, tripping over his own feet as he tried to get in front of them once more. His nose continued to bleed.

  “You’re getting blood on my floor,” Titos remarked.

  The edge to his voice was one Kail would associate with a ruler.

  “I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Jameson said, his voice sounding nasally.

  “I never got to say what I wanted if I won,” Titos said as he laid back against Seth. Relaxing was a sign that he saw them as no threat, like the fight he had allowed was simply a fun game of tag.

  “Ple—” Jameson started.

  Titos’s raised hand stopped him before he could plead for something he didn’t deserve. “I’m sure you just wanted to make sure you got a strong king and not some weakling.” Titos sighed. “The problem is, I don’t like tests, and what you did today was clearly a test. The question is… do I banish you or—”

  “Anything but that. Please, sir,” Jameson rushed out. He looked back at his brother still on the floor. “If you must punish someone, please let it be me. My brother was only following my direction.”

  Kail doubted that was the case, but it did show that Jameson wasn’t a complete ass.

  “Very well. I’m guessing there are a few hunters that follow you?” Titos asked.

  Jameson nodded.

  “How many exactly are we talking?”

  “There are twenty-five that are practiced hunters. Most edoli in this territory live their lives like humans,” Ginger answered.

  “All twenty-five need to be brought in. I want to speak to all of them. That’s when we will decide who will lead the hunters. I also want to speak with other edoli who hold positions of power within this territory.”

  Titos stood, and Seth, Mazki, Adom, and Kail all stood with him.

  “Umm—” Ginger stood.

  “I know that’s what you had planned Ginger, but now I’m tired. I’ll meet the rest later.” Titos headed toward the door.

  “Your Majesty,” Jameson called out.

  “You and your brother are fine to stay. Ginger, please have them both looked after,” Titos said as they walked out.

  “As you wish,” Ginger said.

  There was a “thank you,” but they kept walking.

  “You should’ve let me burn them to a crisp,” Mazki whined.

  Titos laughed. “Yeah, while you burned, Seth could chew them like a chew toy.”

  Kail shook his head at the notion. Seth may have been some type of wolf beast in his other form, but seeing him with a chew toy would be a funny sight.

  “And what are you laughing at?” Seth asked, his deep voice closer to Kail then he’d thought he was.

  He turned to see Seth had moved closer to him. A flash of the kiss they’d shared had Kail’s hands sweating. His eyes darted to Titos and then to Mazki and then to Adom. They all stood there, staring at him. He’d been attracted to Titos right away, but the others… He couldn’t lie—they were all sexy as sin, and he’d be damned if he didn’t want to sin.

  “Looks like our bad boy is done holding out,” Mazki taunted.

  Holding out was the last thing Kail had been trying to do. He’d just wanted to make sure what they had was what he wanted, and it was definitely what he wanted. He leveled Mazki with a stare. He was fucking cute with his rosy cheeks and dark blue eyes. Kail still couldn’t get over the fact that he was older than all of them, even Adom. He looked back at Titos, wanting to know if it would be okay, if he still wanted him. The want in Titos’s gaze had Kail’s toes curling and his length hardening.

  “We should… Ummm, go to a room,” Kail said.

  Titos’s smile was bright and pure joy. He nodded and turned, going toward the steps that would lead to the bedroom.

  Mazki smirked at Kail. “Race you,” Mazki said, dashing up the steps.

  Titos laughed but was running behind Mazki, taking two steps at a time. Kail shook his head but chased after both of them. If he let Mazki win, he wouldn’t hear the end of it. He shifted halfway up the impossibly long staircase, his darkness moving quickly down the hallway, passing Mazki just as he was about to open the door. Kail slipped under the crack. He shifted back and stripped off his clothes just as the doorknob turned. He jumped into the bed, propping his knee up and resting his head on his hand.

  Mazki opened the door, his jaw slack as his eyes roamed all over Kail’s naked body. “No fair,” he pouted, stripping out of his clothes.

  Titos came in right behind Mazki
, stopping in his tracks. His eyes traveled up the length of Kail’s body, and he swore he felt it like a caress against his skin. Goosebumps rose and he moaned.

  “Are you trying to get started without us?” Seth said.

  He moved farther into the room, his shirt coming off and showing off all his delicious muscles encased in golden brown skin. Kail licked his lips, admiring Seth. He was far stronger than him and could do so much to Kail, things no other person before could ever do.

  “I do have to admit, he does look appetizing on display for you,” Seth said, moving behind Titos.

  Kail watched as Seth’s hands slowly lifted Titos’s shirt until his light brown nipples showed. Titos’s shirt came off and his pants soon followed. Kail drank in the sight that was Titos—his body small and compact, but when Kail looked at him, he saw the king that everyone referred to Titos as. Even so small, everything about him was powerful. How could those fools not see it?

  Titos sauntered over to the bed where Kail lay. He watched every tantalizing step he took to bring them closer. His breath hitched when Titos finally made it over to the bed. He stood over Kail, his eyes glowing as they locked gazes once more. Kail forgot what breathing was in that second, too wrapped up in everything that was Titos.

  “I’ve waited long enough. Are you ready to become mine?” Titos asked.

  Kail wet his lips, his mouth suddenly going dry. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours,” Kail commented.

  Titos’s head tilted to the side, and there was a little laugh. “I’m not patient,” he said as he shrugged.

  Kail laughed. Sitting up, he reached out and pulled Titos on top of him, easily rolling over to be on top. “Good, I don’t know how much longer I could wait.”

  Titos opened his mouth, and Kail took the chance, pressing their lips together. He drove his tongue into Titos’s sweet mouth, tasting him and enjoying the small moans that left Titos. He ate them up like he was at a Chinese buffet with an all-you-can-eat coupon.

  With strength that Kail didn’t see coming, Titos flipped them over and pinned him to the bed, rubbing their bodies against each other. Kail shivered from the strength, and Titos smiled as he pulled back. “You're a bad boy.”

  Kail rolled his eyes. His tattoos and long hair always made it seem that way. Sure, Kail had lived outside the law, but that's because he never belonged inside of human laws. He thrust his hips up, earning a moan from Titos.

  "I'm your bad boy," Kail said. It was cheesy on a whole new level, but the way Titos’s breath hitched and he practically vibrated on top of him, it was worth it. Kail stretched up until his lips were next to Titos’s ear, his soft brown curls touching Kail's cheeks. "I want you to be my master," Kail whispered. He kissed the shell of Titos’s ear. "I want to be connected to you… Please."

  He never thought any of those words would ever leave his mouth. Less than twenty-four hours and an information overload and he couldn't think of anywhere else he would rather be. He wanted Titos more than anything. He wanted the connection. He wanted to help protect Titos.

  His eyes looked over to the door where Seth, Mazki, and Adom stood. They nodded their approval, all of them gloriously naked. Kail couldn't wait to touch them. The shower the night before had only been a tease as he'd simply watched.

  Titos moved, and Kail's focus was back on his soon-to-be master. Titos pressed their lips together once more, in a sweet but overpowering kiss.

  Titos’s whole body felt hot, he was flush against Kail's body. He was only a little bigger than Titos, but still, it turned him on to no end that his bad boy was sexy under him, his hips moving so their dicks rubbed together. It sent delicious tingles down Titos’s spine, but more than anything, he felt the urge to connect them. The same hunger he had felt with the others, and he knew what would happen next.

  Within a span of a few seconds, Titos went from being on top of Kail, kissing him, to being nowhere. He looked around, but there was nothing—nothing his eyes could see. It was black everywhere he turned. He moved his hand in front of his face, and even that was swallowed up by the darkness.

  Although he couldn't see anything, there was no panic rising in him. He knew this darkness. It felt safe. Not exactly clinging to him, but he needed to see what it was. He knew it was Kail’s form, but he wasn’t sure how to bond with nothing. Unlike the others, there was no form that Titos could see. He closed his eyes—it wasn’t like he could see anything with them anyway. He reached out differently, feeling for a form, something he could connect with.

  He drifted around in the darkness, searching. Something finally tugged at him. It was gentle and barely there. If Titos hadn't been looking for it, he would have skipped over it. Titos caressed against the thing he felt, and it shrank back. Titos tried again, trying to show it that he meant no harm. He could feel the ice-cold fear that penetrated him to his core. Titos felt it as his own; the thing was terrified.

  Titos hesitated. He didn’t want to harm Kail or his beast, but a part of him knew leaving would only do more damage. Titos lowered himself to what he figured was the ground—it was all in his head, but he still sat. His eyes still closed, he felt the eyes of Kail’s beast on him. Titos stretched his arms out and sat there. There was no talking, but Titos made sure to convey his acceptance and love for Kail.

  He sat there for a what felt like forever until Kail’s beast brushed against his hand suddenly. Titos didn’t move until the beast did it again. Titos opened his eyes. He was still surrounded by darkness, but in the darkness near his hand were two red eyes staring back at him. Titos smiled, not sure if the beast could see it within the darkness. He cupped his hand, slowly stroking his thumb against the tangible darkness.

  The eyes moved, and they were in front of Titos’s face, mere inches away. There was no breath coming from the beast, no sign of life besides the glowing red eyes. In a flurry of darkness, Titos was engulfed. He could feel the difference, like Kail’s beast was trying to eat him. A moment of panic had his heart racing and his mind trying to find a way out.

  A child crying had him opening his eyes, not realizing he’d closed them. He was no longer in the dark room, but a bare bedroom with a cot pushed up against a wall and a barred window above it. The room was no bigger than a closet, but still the child found a way to look tiny in the corner. Titos walked over to the child. Kneeling, he reached out only for his hand to pass through him.

  Titos examined his hand and tried again, but nothing happened. The child was still wrapped in a tight ball in the corner. Little sobs escaped as his body trembled. Titos looked around, unsure of where he was or why he was there. A sound came from outside the room before banging rattled the flimsy door. The child flinched and crouched in on himself even further.

  "You ain't nothing but the devil," someone shouted through the door.

  The child didn't say anything; he just sat there trembling. More banging came, and the door looked as if it was going to fall apart. The banging abruptly stopped. Titos stared at the door for another second before turning his focus back to the scared little boy. He didn't try to reach out, knowing something was off. He wasn't really there, simply observing. He looked around the room again, searching for the reason why he was there.

  The door flew open, and the boy jumped up, slamming himself farther into the corner. Titos didn’t even look at the intruder. The deep brown eyes he knew so well, tear-stained cheeks, and olive skin. It was Kail.

  “Nothin’ but the devil.”

  Titos turned, and there stood a huge man with a wooden paddle in his hand. There was a bleeding cut covering half of his face in blood, making him seem like a mad man.

  “Let you in this house and you bring nothing but sin in here,” the man shouted as he raised the paddle.

  Titos stood in front of a scared Kail, trying to block the blow that went through him like he was made of air and made a smacking sound as it connected with Kail’s flesh. The scream that came from Kail brought Titos to his knees. The man didn’t care that Kail was cry
ing in the corner and afraid; he raised the paddle again and hit Kail in the side. Titos shook as he watched the man continue to hit Kail repeatedly, the blows sounding as if they were getting harder by the second.

  Titos felt sick to his stomach, and he kept reaching for Kail, but to no avail, his hands slipping through him. He tried to call out, to scream for the man to stop, to see that he was hurting a defenseless child. The man’s arm arched farther back, tensing as he gripped the end of the paddle harder. As he swung with so much force, the air made a whooshing sound. Right before the paddle connected with Kail’s frail body, he collapsed to the floor. The paddle hit the wall, splintering to pieces with the force of the blow.

  Titos looked him over as best as he could, unable to turn Kail over to inspect him properly. He lay down and saw Kail was still breathing, but barely. The man stumbled back a little, and Titos turned to glare at him, wishing he could tear out his throat. No, that was too kind. Instead, he wanted to slice off body parts while keeping the man alive until finally breaking him down to nothing. Only then would Titos kill him, slicing his throat shallowly so that he would bleed out.

  A predatory side of Titos—that had only been useful before during hunts—was there, ready to make the man pay, to die for what he’d done to Kail. Kail belonged to Titos, and what was his would never be hurt if he could help it.

  An ungodly scream came from the man, and Titos looked up just in time to see the large man cowering in fear. A silhouette taller than the man reached out for him with hands like claws, but the rest of its body was darkness. The man turned to run, but he didn’t make it to the door before the darkness swallowed him whole. There was no sound, there was nothing. No evidence that the man who had just hurt Kail had even been there. The darkness erased it all. Red, glowing eyes turned toward Titos.