Braving the Storm

by Xenia Melzer

  Renaldo slung a green silken cloth around the intertwined hands of the three men, while Canubis started to talk.

  “Standing here again so shortly after my brother has found his heart to tie the knot between our eldest Emeris and their chosen one is an honor and a joy that words can hardly express. I still remember the day when Aegid and Kalad brought Daran to the Valley as their slave because he had tried to steal from them. In the beginning, we all thought he would last only for the winter, as a substitute for yet another brazier.”

  Chuckles erupted in the hall. The desert brothers’ need for warmth during the winter was legendary.

  “I have to admit, I was rather surprised when they kept you, Daran, throughout the following summer, but it became quickly apparent that you were more than just a meaningless fling for them, and nobody besides Aegid and Kalad is happier than me and Renaldo that you also turned out to be our first Echend’dim. To make it short, this day is as perfect as it can get, and it is my honor to marry the three of you. Would you now please say your vows?”

  Daran was the first to speak. His voice was shaking slightly, and the happiness he emanated made him glow from within.

  “Ne, Daran, ana Echend’dim te elendio remaro net elendio muoro, renosor aremao net tarenar nelen memosos Aegid net Kalad.”

  I, Daran, Echend’dim to the Wolf of War and the Angel of Death, swear to love and respect my mates, Aegid and Kalad.

  The desert brothers gazed at their precious lover with so much love, it forced some of the mercenaries to avert their eyes. They spoke in unison, thus expressing how interwoven their personalities were.

  “Ra, ana brestere eltame, ana rieto La’id net ana mearo La’id, Emeris te elendio remaro net elendio muoro, renosor aremao net tarenar raes memoso, Daran.”

  We, the kindred of the heat, the unbending man and the spirit man, Emeris to the Wolf of War and the Angel of Death, swear to love and respect our mate, Daran.

  Renaldo and Canubis placed their hands on top of the silken cloth. They, too, spoke in unison, their voices booming through the hall like drums of war.

  “Ra, elendio remaro net elendio muoro, karenar ana lerindo. Alte ana rodono anoso te’li.”

  We, the Wolf of War and the Angel of Death, bless this union. May it prosper for all time to come.

  Applause broke out among the mercenaries when Canubis undid the cloth and the newlyweds turned around. Kalad allowed his brothers-in-arms to cheer for a few moments; then he held up his hand, a broad grin on his face.

  “Time for the gifts.”

  Sic stepped forward, an open box in his hands. Inside were three identical bracelets, about a hand’s breadth, the gold hammered so thin it felt like a second skin. Etched into them were the names of the three men and a complicated pattern of stylized runes telling the story of their love. It was another masterpiece from Sic that had cost him a couple of sleepless nights and a splitting headache when he had sketched the runes. Seeing them on the wrists of the three warriors reimbursed him for his trouble, since they looked more than just stunning. They were the perfect jewelry for the three men, who wanted to show their union openly. Sic retreated with the empty box to make room for the slaves who carried the trunks filled with the gifts Aegid and Kalad had chosen for their beloved mate. It was a shower of riches similar to the one Casto had received, with the exception of slaves. Daran hadn’t wanted any, his reason being that it didn’t make a difference to whom they belonged. After the last trunk had been brought in, Daran thanked his husbands with a deep bow and an even deeper kiss. Before things could get out of hand, Renaldo declared the feast opened.

  AT MIDNIGHT, Kalad, Aegid, and Daran left their drunken, high-spirited brothers-in-arms and returned to their chambers for the three days of seclusion. The desert brothers were a bit miffed, since Daran had declined having sex with them in front of all the mercenaries. He smiled when he pictured their faces once they found out the reason for it. Aegid closed the door, and for a moment, an uncharacteristic silence spread. It was Daran who ended it.

  “So we’re married now. Feels unreal.”

  Kalad smiled. “It does. As if everything has changed while still remaining the same.”

  Aegid stepped forward, pulling both his desert brother and Daran into a tight embrace. “I’ve never felt so content in my life. We’re home.”

  He bent down to kiss Daran, while Kalad started fumbling with the belt around the Echend’dim’s hips. With considerable difficulty, Daran managed to free himself from their grasp and to retreat a few steps. When he saw the hunger in their eyes, he treated them to a seductive smile. Slowly, he opened the belt and let the sword clatter to the floor. Then he reached for the fasteners on his tunic. The cloth fell with a soft whisper, exposing Daran’s naked, tattooed torso. Aegid and Kalad stared at him, wide-eyed.

  “This is my gift for you, my mates. I hope you like it.”

  “Like it? We love it!” Kalad sounded breathless, his excitement already showing clearly.

  “So that’s what you’ve been doing the past three days. You really managed to surprise us.” Aegid’s voice was so deep and guttural, Daran had trouble understanding him. Without warning, both men pounced on Daran and dragged him to the bed. How they got rid of their own clothes so quickly was a mystery Daran had no inclination to solve. He was too busy groaning while they licked first the tattoo and then his entire body. It didn’t take them long to make him climax the first time. The almost four days of abstinence as well as the tension from the wedding made Daran easy prey. Aegid, who had sucked him when he came, flipped Daran on his belly and spread his legs. Daran felt Aegid’s fingers entering and stretching his hole, and then a warm sensation when the giant let the semen from his mouth dribble into Daran’s body. He moaned, hardly able to wait for the wonderful feeling when Aegid would penetrate him.

  Kalad reached for Daran’s head and kissed him deeply before he pulled him upward. Daran realized Kalad was propped up against some cushions, his penis hot and eager at Daran’s thighs. Aegid helped his desert brother to position Daran right over his cock. While Kalad slid into the Echend’dim, Aegid bit him playfully on the neck. Then Kalad was completely in, but instead of starting to thrust, he slung his arms around Daran’s chest and pulled him close.

  “Do you trust us, little thief?”

  Daran shuddered. He felt a feverish anticipation growing inside, a heat that spread like wildfire. Knowing what they wanted to try, he gave his consent without thinking twice—not that thinking was still an option in his current state.

  “Yes, I do.”

  He could feel both men tensing. Aegid reached for a bottle of oil and applied the contents generously around Daran’s stretched hole. Then he started massaging the taut ring, slipping in first one finger, then two, slowly accustoming Daran to the additional strain. When all Daran was able to utter were moans and lustful whimpers, Aegid positioned himself between the young man’s legs and slowly pressed his massive erection against the creamy, twitching hole. For a moment it seemed as if it was too much, but then it went in with a soft, wet sound that almost drove all three men crazy. They paused, savoring this new, most intimate feeling.

  Kalad’s voice was hoarse. “Are you all right, little thief?”

  Daran groaned, unable to muster a coherent sentence. To express his consent, he licked Kalad’s lips while at the same time shaking his hips, albeit carefully. He liked the feeling of being so completely stuffed, of owning both his lovers at the same time. Over Daran’s shoulder, Kalad’s and Aegid’s eyes met. They had always been connected in ways most people would never understand. Now they suddenly realized that the thing they had been looking for, the goal they had been trying to reach since the day they had first met, was finally there. It was Daran, forever and always Daran. He was the part of their union they had been missing, the final piece. They both smiled and started to thrust.

  IT WAS already noon the next day when Daran finally woke. Even though he was Echend’dim, he still felt sore and e
xhausted from the previous night. His husbands had taken him four times in the new position, and each time they acted greedier, their lust so insatiable that Daran drowned in it. With a groan, he sat up. Aegid and Kalad had obviously cleaned him and the bed, but he had no memory of it. Daran had swung his legs over the edge of the bed to get out of it when Kalad’s voice stopped him.

  “Where do you think you’re going, little thief?”

  Daran looked up. His mates were standing in the door to the chamber, stark naked, hunger plain in their features, and obviously ready for another round. Daran shook his head.

  “Forget it. I need to go to the bathroom and then I need to eat. You did me pretty hard.”

  There was a hint of contrition in the desert brothers’ eyes, yet not for long. The memory of what they had done only added to their arousal. Daran’s shoulders slumped. He knew that look; it meant he wouldn’t have breakfast anytime soon. Somehow he managed to fend them off long enough to make a trip to the bathroom, but then there was no escaping them anymore.

  5. SHATTERED TRUST

  “IN TWO days we’ll be holding the Spring Ceremony as the sole masters of Ana-Darasa for the first time. I hate to admit it, but I’m actually giddy.”

  Canubis sounded so overly smug and content, Renaldo couldn’t help but grin. He, too, was excited. This Spring Ceremony was indeed a very special one. The only thing that diminished his good mood was the contract they had signed with Queen Xe’lien. Neither Renaldo nor Canubis was entirely sure whether a guerilla war was a good idea at this point, but given the circumstances, they had no choice. Since the bargain was struck, there was no use pondering the wisdom of their decision any further. Renaldo rose from his chair.

  “I’ve got to go now, brother. I need to get Casto’s present.”

  Canubis made a dismissive gesture.

  “So you’re doing it again? Rewarding him for being stubborn and disobedient?”

  Renaldo shrugged. As close as Canubis and he usually were, they would never reach an understanding concerning Casto.

  “I’m open to suggestions that don’t involve beating him into submission. Which would never work, as we both know.”

  Canubis leaned back in his chair, the expression in his eyes slightly mocking. “Somehow I’m glad that this is your problem and I’m just the one who points it out to you. I would hate it if I had to deal with a heart as difficult as Casto.”

  “I love you, too, brother. A lot.”

  Renaldo went to get his mate’s present while the Wolf of War stayed in his chambers, wondering about the nature of love and the necessity of Casto being just the way he was.

  “YOU REALLY are an idiot.”

  Casto glared at Daran, who was covered in silver dust, the bracelet from the wedding and the golden belt Sic had given him the only clothing he wore.

  “You’re an Echend’dim, husband to two of the most powerful members of the Pack, and you still behave like a slave. I just don’t get you!”

  Daran smiled sheepishly. He had known Casto wouldn’t approve of him going to the Spring Ceremony as a favorite and had been prepared for some harsh words, but the utter fury he felt from his friend was far worse than he had anticipated. For various reasons, he had pondered the wisdom of going as a favorite again. In the beginning it had been a joke between him and his husbands, nothing any of them contemplated seriously. The longer Daran had thought about it, though, the more torn he had become. When he had discussed his musings with Aegid and Kalad, they had been opposed to it first, for political reasons similar to those Casto had just voiced. At the same time, Daran had sensed how much they longed for him to take on the role of slave once more. All three of them enjoyed their new, more mature, and balanced relationship, but there were times when they missed the straightforward connection they had shared in the beginning. In the end they decided to treat it as a very kinky role-play game, something Daran would never tell Casto. It had been bad enough to see the salacious grin on Canubis’s face when he had asked his permission to go as a favorite. Explaining to Casto why he found it highly erotic to submit to his husbands in such a spectacular manner was a place Daran did not wish to visit. In fact, he would rather bite off his tongue than discuss this intimate topic with Casto.

  Noemi stepped next to them, her golden skin glittering in the light of the torches.

  “Leave Daran alone, Casto. It’s not his fault that you hate the Spring Ceremony. He’s doing it out of love for his mates, and even Canubis respects his decision. It’s not your place to criticize him.”

  Daran flinched. He wasn’t sure whether Noemi truly believed he was doing this out of love and not for purely carnal reasons, or if she just wanted to tease her brother-in-law. The impact of her words was clearly visible, though.

  Made even angrier by the reprimand, Casto glared at Noemi. “I’m not a child, Noemi, so cut it out.”

  “But you do behave like one, and unless you stop, I won’t either.”

  Just when Casto was getting ready for an acid retort, Kalad, Aegid, Canubis, and Renaldo appeared. The desert brothers kissed their mate lovingly and with a telltale glint in their eyes before they chained and led him away. Renaldo approached Casto, a radiant smile on his lips that did nothing to improve the king’s mood.

  “My own. You are beyond beautiful.”

  “Cut it out, Barbarian. Just let us get this over with.”

  Renaldo and Canubis shared a long look behind Casto’s back, but neither of them commented any further. Instead they led their hearts to the main hall in silence, filled with nervous anticipation of what was to come.

  After Canubis and Renaldo had spoken the traditional blessing, the mercenaries sacrificed their blood. It was when the first drops hit the floor that the divine brothers registered the change. It started slowly, like the first hesitant drips of rain after a particularly long drought, and quickly turned into a torrent when the assembled warriors started to engage their lust. The two gods felt as if they were struck by lightning. All the raw energy from the countless pairings that had previously gone to Ana-Isara and Ana-Aruna hit them full force, filling them up to the point they felt as if their bodies would just dissolve. Everything they had thought made them what they were was drowned in the sheer power of their natural right. For the first time, Canubis and Renaldo truly understood what being a god meant. Reality turned soft under their glare, turned into something they could mold the way they wanted it. They were the only substantial things in a world made of shadows. They and their hearts. Noemi and Casto appeared like beacons in the blur, drawing the gods in, anchoring them to the real world. The light Casto emanated was the most beautiful thing Renaldo had ever seen. And it was his.

  Full of hunger, the Angel of Death turned to his heart. His vision was focused on Casto alone, and he was no longer able to think at all. The beast had woken, eager and determined to have it all tonight, because if it did not, Renaldo would drown in the energy directed at him. Possessing Casto was no longer just a whim: it had become an absolute necessity.

  Because of his perfectly honed instincts, Casto sensed immediately that something was off. The Barbarian stared at him with a strange look in his eyes, one Casto had never seen on him before. It was so intense, he felt shivers running down his spine. Dread pierced through the haze the Nerula oil had created and made him wary. Casto was about to retreat a few steps, ready to escape from Renaldo, who looked as if he had taken some powerful drug himself, but the god was faster. With a grip like steel, he grabbed Casto’s upper arms and pulled him close to force a kiss on him.

  Casto, who had by then completely shaken off the effect of the Nerula oil, bit down on Renaldo’s tongue with all his might. They both felt the coppery taste invading their mouths like a curse. The Angel of Death winced; the grip he had on Casto hardened. The beast was now fully awake and furious. How could this worm dare to defy him? How could he go so far as to draw blood from him? He was elendio muoro, the god of death. His will was law, and his heart had the duty to obey.
Without thinking, Renaldo entered Casto’s mind, telling him exactly that, forcing him to submit. Casto fought against Renaldo with all his might, his iron will enabling him to withstand the Angel of Death for a few heartbeats.

  Renaldo roared when he was confronted with such utter defiance. The energy coming from all their followers burned through his body in search of an outlet, an outlet only his heart could provide. That was Casto’s main and most important task, the reason for his existence—to shield his god from the void that lurked behind the power, ready to consume those not strong enough to bear it. Casto had to share both the power and the burden. If he did not do that, they both would perish.

  As quickly and swiftly as a sword cut through flesh, Renaldo’s will overwhelmed and subjugated Casto in an attempt to save them both. It left the king defenseless and unable to fight his god anymore. Almost bursting with lust and longing, Renaldo bent his prey over the table, exposing his firm asscheeks and the hole hidden between. He thrust inside with all his might, enjoying the sensation of tightness almost as much as the knowledge that he had Casto completely under his control. And it felt so good to channel the power, to let it flow through his body and pour into his heart, where it was purified before given back to him.

  Beneath the raging Angel of Death, Casto dug his fingers into the table until splinters of wood pierced the skin. He focused on that pain in order to endure the rape of his mind. He had always known that Renaldo was not only physically but also mentally stronger than him, which was one of the reasons he had been so shocked the first time the Angel of Death had used his mind to make his wishes clear. Being prey to Renaldo’s strength was his worst nightmare come to life. He also felt the stream of power Renaldo forced into him with every thrust. It felt as if he was stuffed until he would break, as if he had eaten too much and would start throwing up at any moment. When Casto thought he couldn’t endure it anymore, the energy started flowing back to the Angel of Death. In the rhythm of their violent pairing, they also exchanged power. Being used as an outlet as well as a whore and a possession made Casto seethe with rage, yet he realized that there was nothing he could do, that he had to accept what his god demanded of him, simply because Renaldo was beyond reason at the moment. The injustice of what was done to him filled Casto with helpless rage and humiliation. Beaten by the man he loved, his mind screamed in despair.