Naga's Concubine [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove)

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  “All right,” Sage replied. “But don’t keep us out of the loop. This is as important for us as it is for all of you.”

  Or perhaps even more. Camden still hadn’t understood why Talbot had done such a thing. They might have become alienated, but that didn’t change the fact that Camden was still hurt by his death.

  Prince Sareltae offered him a small sad smile, as if guessing his thoughts. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ve both been missed a great deal, but you deserve a chance to reacquaint yourselves with life in Draechenburg.”

  For once, Camden decided to stop splitting hairs and just take what was offered to him. Nodding, he murmured a soft “Thank you.” He took Sage’s hand and started to pull him away. Sage came willingly, still lost in thought but more than willing to let everything slide for now.

  As they left the room, Sage wrapped an arm around Camden’s waist. “Is it wrong that I want to do just that?” he asked. “To be selfish, if only for a little while?”

  “I think it’s exactly what we need,” Camden answered. “I thought about what everyone else would want or need for too long, and we both paid the price for it. I won’t have it happening again.”

  Perhaps the others meant to keep them out of the main problem, but they could handle that a different time. For now, Camden just wanted to fall into Sage’s embrace, close his eyes, and pretend the two of them were the only people in existence. It wouldn’t even be very hard, since Camden remembered all too well how Sage had mastered his body, making him forget about everything that wasn’t Sage.

  The memory made him shiver, and it awoke an answering arousal inside Sage. The draechen released a little growl and actually stopped in the middle of the hallway. He pinned Camden against a nearby wall, crushing their lips together in a devastating kiss.

  They still had so many things they needed to figure out and handle, but none of them mattered, not when Sage’s tongue licked across the seam of Camden’s lips, demanding entrance. At first, Camden was surprised, but he quickly responded, moaning as he parted his lips for his mate. Sage’s slick muscle invaded his mouth, tasting him, exploring and claiming Camden, giving him a hint of what was to come.

  Camden groaned, wrapping one leg around Sage’s waist. He ground against Sage, the friction making incipient ecstasy course through him. Tension uncoiled through him, the sexuality of the moment combined with his need for reassurance turning into an intoxicating cocktail that made him crave Sage so much it hurt. He needed to feel Sage inside him right this instant, to reassure himself that this was true and not another deception.

  Perhaps they’d have ended up making love right there in the hallway had the sound of quiet footsteps not interrupted them. Truly, Camden might not have noticed them at all, but since mating Sage, his own awareness of the environment and his every sense had grown more agile. Sage and Camden broke the kiss, only to find themselves facing the resident sprite, Lord Alwyn, trying to pass them unobtrusively. His face flamed when he saw Sage and Camden had realized his presence.

  “Sorry about that,” he said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “That’s quite all right,” Sage replied, clearing his throat. “We’re the ones who shouldn’t have started making out in the hallway.”

  Alwyn gazed away, obviously uncomfortable. “This is your home. You should be able to do whatever you want here.”

  Camden still wasn’t very sure if that was the case, but his own uncertainties aside, it seemed clear that his desires would never be fulfilled if they didn’t retreat to their quarters.

  “Regardless, it’s not appropriate,” he said, reluctantly releasing Sage from his intimate embrace. “It’s your home, too.”

  Alwyn didn’t answer to that comment. He just offered Camden a small, awkward smile. “I’ll be on my way,” he said. “Have a good day, Your Highness, Your Lordship.”

  He pushed past Camden and Sage and headed in the direction the two of them had been coming from. Behind him, at a respectful distance, several guards followed. Camden mentally sighed. How could the sprite feel at home when he was watched every time he dared to leave his quarters?

  “It’s a wonder he even did that,” Sage commented. “From what I knew, he tends to stay in his rooms more often than not.”

  Whatever the reason, Camden hoped it wouldn’t cause further problems, especially now that security in Draechenburg would be tightened. He distantly wondered how Alwyn would be treated given his outsider status. Then again, Camden was an outsider, too. Perhaps he should be worried for himself rather than for the sprite.

  He was snapped out of his musings when Sage took him in his arms, holding him close almost fiercely. “You’re not an outsider,” Sage said through their bond. “You’re my mate, and the Tersain know that.”

  Before Camden could even come up with a reply, Sage started to carry him through the corridors. Sage’s previous quarters hadn’t been in the actual palace, but rather, in an area reserved for the military personnel. Since Camden’s arrival, the emperor had apparently deemed those inappropriate, as their shared apartment was much more lavish, even in comparison to what attentions Camden had received before in Draechenburg.

  For Camden, though, the most important convenience was that it was close to their current position. In no time, they reached their quarters and burst inside. Finally in private, Camden allowed himself to say what he’d wanted to for quite some time. “Fuck me, Sage. Please, fuck me.”

  * * * *

  Camden’s words made the lust inside Sage flare to life. He took a deep breath to control himself and carried his mate to the bed. His dragon was already rearing to mark and claim Camden as his, but even it acknowledged the necessity of taking this slow, of not hurrying Camden.

  As Sage deposited his mate on the mattress, he stood back, scanning Camden’s face. There was such desire and such trust in Camden’s gaze that Sage was in awe with him. He joined Camden on the bed, his own eyes never moving away from his lover’s face. “Sage,” Camden said again, reaching for him with trembling hands.

  “Shh,” Sage murmured, grabbing Camden’s wrists. “Just let me take care of you.”

  It was both a plea and a command, and Camden registered it as such. With a small whimper, he went limp in Sage’s hold, automatically responding to the order. Sage held Camden’s arms immobilized over his head with one hand, using the other to explore his mate’s body. He began with Camden’s beautiful face, brushing his fingers over the flushed cheeks, the wide forehead, and the aristocratic nose. When he reached Camden’s lips, they parted for him, just like they had for Sage’s tongue. Sage couldn’t resist, and he pushed his digits inside Camden’s mouth. With a little moan, Camden started fellating Sage’s fingers in earnest, lavishing as much attention on them as he would have on Sage’s dick. In fact, the suction felt so good that it went directly to Sage’s prick, little tingles of pleasure sweeping all over Sage’s body, making his balls ache and his dick throb with the need to bury himself inside Camden’s body.

  But he didn’t want to rush things. Camden deserved better than that. They both did. Instead, Sage rescued his fingers from Camden’s mouth and released his mate’s wrists. As much as he liked to exert his dominance over Camden, for them, sex wasn’t just about the actual copulation. It was so much more, and about so many things that neither of them had allowed themselves to feel at first. It meant loving and being loved, touching and being touched back, taking care of each other. Sage had never actually thought he needed to be protected, but Camden completed him in every way.

  As soon as Camden was free, he reached for Sage’s garments, practically vibrating with sexual tension and need. He was frantic, and his wild desire fueled Sage’s own. But that was all right, because for once, they had time. There was no one looking over their shoulder. They could bury their burdens in their passion for each other and forget about everything that wasn’t this moment and their two bodies, coming together in a dance as old as time.

  Eager for the feel
of skin against skin, Sage started to remove Camden’s clothes. Camden released a pained moan when Sage started to unbutton his shirt slowly, and Sage got the hint, speeding up. In his excitement, he ended up tearing off the last buttons, but Camden didn’t seem to mind. He wiggled impatiently out of the shirt, all the while trying to return the favor for Sage.

  One thing Sage had learned during his mating with Camden was that more often than not, when Camden tried to help with this, he failed. He ended up tangling in Sage’s clothing or making it harder for Sage to finish the task himself. Not that it bothered Sage. It was actually kind of endearing, and so Camden that it make Sage’s heart swell with affection. But at the same time, Sage could read Camden’s urgency, and he felt it echo deep inside. So, he stopped Camden’s efforts, not by pinning his mate down, but rather, by slipping a hand between their bodies and cupping Camden’s clothed dick. As he squeezed Camden’s cock, he brushed his lips over his lover’s and said, “Let me.”

  With a groan, Camden obeyed, allowing Sage to take the lead. Given this chance, Sage hastened things along a little. He ended up ripping his own shirt off, his patience growing thin. After that, he progressed to a more interesting step, which was unwrapping the beautiful present that was his mate. He pulled off Camden’s shoes and socks, then helped his mate out of his pants. Camden clenched his fists into the sheets, moving his hips just so in an attempt to dislodge the tight garment without hindering Sage.

  Still, it seemed to take forever until Sage finally managed to get Camden naked. He ended up ripping the seams of Camden’s trousers, but just like with the shirt, Camden encouraged it. His need swept through their bond like a living thing, making every atom in Sage’s body aware of Camden’s emotions.

  With every second that passed, the urgency grew more and more, so much so that, when Camden lay naked on the bed, Sage didn’t even dare to look at him for more than half a second. It was practically a crime not to admire his beautiful mate, but if he looked at Camden now, he’d just end up staring at Camden in an enraptured haze. Really, he had better uses of this time together, and better ways to prove to Camden how much he was loved and wanted.

  Clinging to that thought, Sage briefly broke away from Camden and started pulling off his own clothes. With their bond so close to his heart, he could feel Camden’s gaze on him like a physical caress. He found refuge in the discipline he’d cultivated for an entire lifetime and took a couple of deep breaths as he toed off his shoes and removed his shirt. If he even tried to reach out to Camden now, he’d come like an inexperienced hatchling without even getting the chance to get inside Camden.

  It wasn’t easy to hold back, not when Camden was already imagining how it would feel like to have Sage inside his ass, in his mouth, to kiss him and touch him all over. And then, Camden decided to actually act on his ideas. A soft hand landed Sage’s shoulder, kneading the tense muscle. Camden’s lips brushed against Sage’s skin, the kiss an invitation to more.

  “And why would that be a problem?” he asked. “I trust you to be able to come, over and over and over again.”

  His other hand snaked into Sage’s lap, reaching for his zipper. With a groan, Sage twisted around and pushed his lover back down on the bed. In a maddened rush, he tore off his pants. One would have thought that, with his ice dragon nature, he’d be able to hold himself in check a little better, but he had no defenses against Camden. His mate was simply too beautiful, and the connection between them glowed with too much passion for him to even attempt a measure of control.

  They were both naked now, so Sage could finally do what he’d wanted for what seemed like forever. At first, he allowed himself the luxury to steal one more kiss from Camden’s sweet lips. Camden’s moans were drowned out by Sage’s fervor, but the emotion behind them was still very much there, encouraging Sage to do more, so much more. When the lip-lock stopped being enough, Sage reluctantly broke the kiss, and with a wicked grin, delved down for his prize.

  Crawling lower on his mate’s body, Sage took Camden’s prick in his mouth. His mate released a garbled cry, his hands twining in Sage’s long hair, holding on tightly. As Camden’s hold on him tightened, Sage groaned, his enjoyment of the act stemming not only from his bond with Camden—who was naturally enjoying this a lot—but also from the pleasure he himself found in tasting his beautiful lover. The flavor of Camden’s pre-cum was like a drug he simply couldn’t get enough of. There was something absolutely sinful about having his mate at his mercy like this, while also worshiping Camden like the naga deserved. Reveling in it, Sage bobbed his head up and down Camden’s prick, alternating hard sucks with teasing licks. He stabbed his tongue into the tiny hole at the head, making Camden arch and writhe under him.

  But this time, Camden wasn’t one to just sit back and take. In spite of the pleasure that Sage could feel echoing through their bond, Camden pulled on Sage’s hair, small whimpering noises leaving him even as he thrust his dick in and out Sage’s mouth. It was as if he couldn’t decide whether he should force Sage to stop or encourage him to continue.

  Sage had taught Camden a little trick, though. Their bond was so strong that they could literally will their thoughts into each other’s minds, conveying their desires at a visceral level through the power of their imaginations. And Camden certainly had a very rich imagination, because his hunger for Sage flooded their connection, manifesting in Camden’s need to taste Sage as well.

  It would have taken a stronger man than Sage to deny his lover’s request. He had to dislodge Camden’s hold on his hair, which was regrettable but necessary. Camden allowed it, his anticipation a palpable thing that filled the air with sensual energy. Shaking with need, Sage changed positions, bringing his cock above Camden’s face.

  Making a choked, greedy noise, Camden grabbed Sage’s prick and took it all the way into his throat. The world grew white around the edges as Camden’s wet heat engulfed Sage’s erection. His forked tongue played with Sage’s dick, swirling around the head, tracing the largest vein with the prehensile muscle. Rapture exploded through Sage, filtered through Camden’s senses and his own. As much as he enjoyed giving his mate a blow job, the experience was different for Camden. He had nerve endings that registered things Sage had never imagined before, and through Camden, Sage experienced a whole new world of ecstasy.

  When Sage had met Camden, he had noticed a certain chill to the naga, both physically and emotionally. But that had all disappeared now, so much so that Sage wondered if he hadn’t imagined it all. Those memories, like Camden’s originally distant behavior, melted into the rising lust between them. They lost themselves in the simple carnality of the act, in the suction and the pleasure they shared through their connection. The obscene sounds of slurping and muffled moans created a symphony that muted everything else beyond the here and now. It almost became a contest, because Sage didn’t want to come before Camden, and Camden aimed for the same thing. Sage had to try to focus on what he was doing and not on Camden’s ministrations, but that was harder than any battle he’d ever fought.

  For his part, Camden was chipping away at Sage’s already cracked armor with every flick of that naughty tongue. He seemed undecided on what he enjoyed more, licking Sage’s dick like a lollipop or taking it deep into his throat. Torn between a million sensations, Sage growled around Camden’s dick, pouring his desperate lust into his own efforts to make Camden come. As he feasted on Camden’s dick, he rolled the naga’s balls in his hand, massaging the wrinkled skin.

  When he reached for Camden’s ass and rubbed the hole hidden beneath those tempting cheeks, Camden finally surrendered the battle. His cock pulsed in Sage’s mouth, releasing hot streams of salty-sweet cum. Camden’s orgasm pushed Sage over the edge, and with a groan, he came as well. Even as he shivered through his climax, he gulped down Camden’s seed, the flavor of his mate’s pleasure the strongest aphrodisiac in existence.

  In fact, it was so potent that Sage found his lust never settling, instead rising once again, fueling itself
with the force of their shared climax. His cock never went soft, and that probably had a lot to do with the way Camden protested when Sage started to pull away.

  He removed his cock from Camden’s mouth and released his own prize, his body still buzzing with the afterglow, feeding his uncontrollable lust. Camden made grabby motions with his hands, like he wanted Sage’s dick more than anything in the world. Sage had every intention to give it to him, but this time, it would be on Sage’s terms. Sage’s dragon would not accept anything different.

  Obviously intercepting his thoughts, Camden stilled on the bed, the lust in his eyes and his still-jutting dick the only clear sign of his desperate need. Of course, Sage also felt it through their bond, and it ushered him to move quicker, to bring their bodies together, in the way they both craved.

  Sage reached for the nightstand and retrieved a tube of lubricant from inside. They hadn’t gotten the chance to unpack much since the entire situation with Talbot’s attack had erupted, but the lube was among the items that had been there when they’d moved in, along with a couple of other things, discreet gifts from the emperor.

  Camden had been a little embarrassed at first, but now, they were both more than thankful for it. Sage quickly uncapped the tube and poured a generous amount of the liquid on his fingers. Camden reacted by lifting his legs, exposing his winking hole. Sage’s mind just about broke at the sight. No matter how many times they made love, he could never get used to the thought that this man truly belonged to him, that Camden had willingly foregone the ways of his people to be with him. At times, he couldn’t even believe that someone so beautiful existed in this world so full of hostility and mistakes.