by Jana Downs
“Mine,” Abraxas growled, and Layden nodded in acknowledgment. “Both of you are mine.” His eyes flashed in Devon’s direction as he moaned at the feel of his fingers sliding in and out of him.
“Yes, I’m yours, Abraxas,” he said, breathless.
Abraxas fucked Layden, bringing him close to coming as he stroked the length of Layden’s cock with his free hand. Just before he came, Abraxas withdrew from him, reluctantly pulling himself out of Layden.
Layden looked at him with pleading eyes that begged him to come back, and Abraxas shook his head.
“No, I want you inside Devon when you come.” Abraxas’s gaze darkened with desire at the thought of his Layden coming inside Devon’s tight hole. Layden furrowed his brow but didn’t protest as he made his way over to Devon. He lifted Devon’s hands above his head and replaced his fingers with his cock. There was nothing subtle in the way Layden fucked him. He drove into Devon hard, and Abraxas imagined just how good he must feel around his dick.
Abraxas wasn’t about to let Layden off so easy, and he maneuvered himself behind Layden, coaxing his thighs apart, until he had access to his ass. Layden turned to give him a questioning look.
“I want to fuck you while you fuck Devon,” Abraxas explained. The lust in his voice was undeniable, and he didn’t wait for Layden to respond. Instead he shoved his own hard cock inside Layden’s tight ass. The sensation had Layden bucking against his cock and moaning in pleasure. Abraxas could only imagine how good it must feel to be in between them, having his dick buried deep inside Devon and then having his ass fucked with every retreating thrust.
Abraxas took control of the rhythm, forcing Layden in and out of Devon’s ass. It didn’t take much before Abraxas felt Layden’s muscles begin to tighten around his own throbbing sex. Layden spilled his desire in Devon, sending him over the edge as he drove into him one final time. Abraxas quickly joined them as he buried his hard dick deep inside Layden’s tight ass, filling him full with his cum.
His heart beat wildly as the tingling feeling of bliss filled his body. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed with both his lovers, but he knew they didn’t have the time for that. Instead, he stood up, grinning like a fool, and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He looked down at Devon and Layden, soaked in sweat from their lovemaking.
“Who’s up for a shower?” He cocked a half grin and held his hand out to help them up.
* * * *
Devon couldn’t stop smiling. It was as though all his worries and fears had been washed away and the only thing he could think of was Layden and Abraxas. He stood in his light-colored, ripped blue jeans and black tank top, staring out at the miles of desert sand that stretched out before them. He held his hand above his eyes and squinted to see if he could see anything other than sand dunes in front of them.
“So where are we headed?” he asked Druis, who approached with a bottle of water in hand.
“Just a little ways north.” He pointed in the general direction. “If you look hard enough, you can see the volcano from here.”
Devon’s eyes narrowed on the direction he’d pointed in, and sure enough there was a distinct outline of some mountainous structure. It looked farther away than it was from the desert heat’s distortion.
He sighed. “This is turning out to be one hell of a vacation.”
Dru just grinned and continued walking as Devon glared at his backside and wished he were back in Asher’s palace, curled next to Abraxas and Layden instead of out here in the desert heat, trudging toward an active volcano.
He felt someone wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him forward. Devon looked up to see Asher’s smiling face as he raised an eyebrow at his startled expression.
“Come on, babe. There’s nothing to worry about. You forget, I have power over the fire domain.” He held his hand up and conjured a flaming sphere to demonstrate, and Devon rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, show off.” He shrugged Asher’s arm off but smiled warmly back at him. “Call me a pessimist, but collecting the past two gems hasn’t exactly gone easy for me, and I seriously doubt this next one’s going to be a piece of cake.”
“It’s okay, Devon,” Layden said reassuringly as he tossed him a bottle of water. “You forget I have power over water. There’s nothing that I can’t handle in that volcano.”
Devon took a swig of the water and eagerly gulped it down. Layden’s reassuring words did little to comfort his fears. Something in his gut told him that whatever waited out there for them was not going to be a walk in the park.
“We’ve got your back, love. Please don’t worry,” Abraxas’s seductive tone whispered near his ear as he came up behind him. He wrapped his arms around Devon’s waist and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
He sighed in defeat. It was no use. So long as he had Layden and Abraxas in his life, he felt as though they could overcome any obstacle.
But you won’t have them in a few more weeks.
The reminder lingered in the back of Devon’s thoughts. Looking at them now, leaving was the last thing he wanted, but he didn’t see any way around it. In less than a month, he’d be returning to his own world and back to everything he’d thought he’d wanted, but now…now he didn’t know what he wanted. His heart was telling him to find a way to stay, and his mind was telling him to be rational.
Logically he hardly knew them, and what if their relationship didn’t last? Then would he be stuck in a world with no career and no family? And what about Brandon? He couldn’t just abandon him. He was probably already freaking out. Devon furrowed his brows as the smile slowly faded from his face.
“What’s wrong?” Layden drew his eyebrows together as a concerned expression crossed his face. He placed a hand on Devon’s shoulder.
Devon stared up into his beautiful blue eyes and smiled weakly.
“It’s nothing,” he lied. “I’m just nervous about the next gem, but I know it’ll be fine.” He couldn’t tell them his fears. He was afraid of what they’d say or worse…what they wouldn’t say. What if they didn’t want him to stay? That was a very real possibility, and as much as it pained him to think about it, he had to be prepared.
“Here. Take this.” Abraxas reached for his pants leg and revealed a hidden dagger he had placed there. He handed Devon the beautifully crafted piece of metal, enclosed inside a leather sheath. He turned the surprisingly lightweight weapon over in his hands, inspecting every inch.
“Wow, thank you.” His surprise was evident as he looked up at Abraxas with gratitude in his eyes.
“No problem.” He cocked a half grin. “It was given to me by my father when I started my warrior lessons, and I thought you might feel a little safer if you carried it.”
“But, are you sure it’s okay if I have it? I mean, it must be special if your father gave it to you.” His excitement quickly dissipated as he looked down at the ground.
Abraxas placed his hand under his chin and lifted Devon’s gaze until it met his.
“Devon, it’s fine. I have plenty of other weapons he’s given me since then. Besides, I think it suits you and you need to have something to protect yourself, especially going into such a dangerous place.”
He tilted his head to the side and cupped Abraxas’s face with the palm of his hand. “Thanks. It means a lot to me,” he said softly.
Abraxas kissed the inside of his hand and grinned.
Devon slid the weapon into his boots, allowing for easy access, and continued following the others toward the volcano. He had to be strong and be prepared for any outcome, even if the outcome ended with him leaving the only two people he had ever really cared about.
* * * *
The sun hung low on the horizon. Night was approaching, but Druis had insisted they push on. The looming shadow of the cave was cast overhead as Devon hesitated in the entryway. He really didn’t want to go down there. The heat from the volcano rose up and warmed his skin as the smell of sulfur filled his nostrils.
S
ighing, Devon could see no way around it. The unmistakable signal of the gem they sought was emitting rather strongly from the direction in front of him. He glanced back at the group of expectant men and licked his lips.
“I’m picking up the signal from inside here,” he said reluctantly.
Druis checked his maps. “That’s close to its last known location. We should go ahead and see if we can’t find it.” He looked up at Devon with raised eyebrows.
“Fine,” Devon said with reluctance. He made his way past the charred rock and headed deep inside the cave. He kept pressing onward until he could no longer see the rays of sunlight trickling in.
“Here, allow me.” Ezekiel pulled on his shoulder, stopping him from moving forward any further. He could hardly make out his shape in the darkness that surrounded them as Ezekiel lifted his hand. Dancing lights flew almost instantly from his fingertips into the space above them, illuminating the path for them.
“Thanks,” he said, grateful to finally be able to actually see where he was stepping. He looked out at the space they were in and realized the small entryway they’d passed through was opening up into a much larger room.
Devon carefully made his way down the remaining rocks and jumped to the flat dirt ground below. Moving to the side, he made room for the rest to follow. He glanced around, taking in their surroundings. It was a sight unlike anything he’d ever seen before. In front of them was a river of flowing molten lava that disappeared underneath the stone wall. On the opposite end was a wall completely covered in the red-hot liquid as it cascaded down, filling the river below.
“Which way?” Dru asked, jumping down next to him.
Devon closed his eyes and tried to focus on the gem’s presence. When he was sure he’d pinpointed it, he opened his eyes and cringed.
“What? What is it?” Dru’s voice was filled with concern, but Devon didn’t bother turning to look at him. Instead, he pointed a shaky finger in the direction of the gem.
“Aw, shit,” Dru cursed as he looked at where he was pointing. The wall of oozing lava was clearly in their way, and Devon dreaded to see how they were going to get around this one. He looked hopeful to Asher and a big Cheshire cat grin spread across his face.
“What? That’s what you worried about? That’s nothing.”
Devon stepped aside, allowing Asher room. “All right. Let’s see you get past it.”
Devon watched Asher approach the waterfall of lava. He held a hand up, reaching into the liquid, and Devon grimaced in anticipation of the injury he was sure to come. But to Devon’s surprise there were no screams of pain to follow. Instead, the cascading liquid separated, parting to expose a hidden passageway behind the waterfall. Asher glanced back at Devon and smiled.
“See, what’d I tell you? Nothing to it,” he stated as though it were normal for people to stick their hands in molten lava and not suffer fatal injuries.
Devon shook his head and walked past him, hesitating only slightly as he passed under where the lava had previously been.
He could feel it more strongly now. The gem’s presence was unmistakable as the force of its strength nearly knocked him down.
“It’s definitely here,” he said, grabbing hold of a neighboring wall for balance as he adjusted to the power resonating inside the room.
“Yeah, but where?” Asher’s question confused him at first, but then he noticed the mound of treasure piled from floor to ceiling that had caught his attention.
“Why can’t anything ever be easy?” He groaned as he reluctantly made his way over to the pile to begin sorting it out.
* * * *
“I think I’ve found it!” Devon exclaimed. They had spent what felt like the past five hours sorting through all the treasure before he’d discovered the unusual gem. He wasn’t sure at first, but holding it in his hand now he knew that this was what they’d come after.
“Are you sure? I mean, it looks kind of plain compared to the others,” Cerilius questioned. Devon ignored him.
“Here, let me see it.” Ezekiel held out his hand, and Devon made his way down the heap of stacked gold and jewels. Before he could reach him, the gem’s energy fluxed, knocking Devon on his ass as he instantly released the stone. The gem didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, a red light emitted from it as it pulsated with energy.
“Get ready,” Abraxas ordered and the men drew their weapons in anticipation while Devon scrambled to his feet.
The Mercer clan ancestor appeared from the gem in a flash. He looked around the room at the group of men, and a wicked grin spread across his face.
“You think you can come in here and take from me?” His eyes flashed red as the room began to shake. “Think again.”
Lava oozed from the ceiling and Devon had to jump out of the way before it landed where he’d previously stood. The liquid began to pool as humanoid shapes began forming from all seven of the openings. Devon moved in closer to Layden and Abraxas as he drew the dagger Abraxas had given him.
Not that it would be much use against lava creatures.
The humanoids moved toward them, incinerating everything they came into contact with along the way. They were completely surrounded.
“Now what?” Abraxas asked over his shoulder at no one in particular.
“Now we fight.” A vicious grin spread across Asher’s face as he licked his lips in eager anticipation.
* * * *
The first two sluggish creatures lunged at Layden, but he was prepared as he conjured enough water to turn the molten forms to rock, freezing them in place.
“Nice,” Abraxas complimented. “Now you just have to take out five more.”
Layden looked at him with panicked eyes. “Five more? I’d be lucky if I got one more. There’s not enough moisture left in the room, and my powers are depleted.” He held his hand up to show the few droplets of water left in his palm.
“Shit,” Dru cursed as he tried to fend off one of the creatures with a mound of dirt he’d summoned. It didn’t even faze the humanoid as it melted through the rock.
“Be careful, Dru. If you use too much power, you’ll bring down the cave,” Cerilius warned as he dodged the lava form in front of him. Devon stood there, unsure of what to do. He looked at his dagger.
This isn’t going to be much help.
He backed against the far wall to give the others more room to fight, not that there was much fighting going on. None of the others could even get close to the molten forms for fear of coming into contact with the creatures and being incinerated.
His gaze shifted to the spirit. If he could only get close to him, maybe he could find some way to stop him. Devon stepped in his direction. He raised his hand defensively before Devon had time to react.
“Pathetic. This is growing tiring. I think it’s time to speed things up a bit.” A ball of fire materialized out of thin air, and the spirit hurtled in Devon’s direction. He glanced around trying to find a place to move to, but there was nowhere for him to run. The creatures had enclosed around them.
Asher turned and charged in front of him, knocking Devon into the wall behind him as the flaming sphere engulfed Asher.
“Asher!” Devon exclaimed as he pushed himself up from the ground and scrambled to his side. The flames were already dissipating when he reached his limp figure. He pulled him closer to inspect the area where the fire had impacted. His clothes were completely seared through, but amazingly there were no marks on his body. Devon touched his chest. It was surprisingly cool. Asher’s eyes fluttered opened, and a sideways grin spread across his face as he looked up at Devon.
Devon helped him to his feet, and Asher brushed off the pieces of dirt that clung to him during the fall.
“Glad you’re okay,” Dru said breathlessly as he hurled another rock toward one of the creatures, attempting to slow it down. “But we’ve got a bit of a problem.”
He gestured to the additional lava forms that had surrounded them. They were growing in numbers.
“Don’t
worry. I told you, I got this covered.” Asher closed his eyes. A red light engulfed his body as he lifted his arms in the direction of two of the creatures. With a flick of his wrist, they disintegrated into a pile of rubble. He moved to the remaining creatures and easily disposed of them. Devon stared at him in shock. He knew he had power over fire, but he had no idea he could do something like this.
“I’m impressed,” the spirit said, sounding a bit surprised.
Asher turned to look at him, his cocky attitude evident in his posture. “You should be. Not every red dragon has such control over their powers. It took me years to master them, and believe me, I’m not afraid to use them, even if it’s against my family ancestor.”
Asher’s eyes narrowed as though he were daring the spirit to come any closer.
The spirit gave an audible sigh as he held up the gem. “You have proved to be a worthy opponent, and I can only say I am proud to have someone as gifted as you leading my people.”
He tossed the stone in Asher’s direction. Asher reached out and caught it. “Thanks, old man,” Asher called after the spirit just as it faded out of sight, the remainder of the treasure disappearing along with him.
“Only two more to go.” Asher tossed the gem to Druis. “So what now, oh fearless leader?”
Druis raised his eyebrows and looked him up and down. “Now we get the hell out of here and get you some clothes.”
Chapter 10
Abraxas sat on the edge of the bed with his elbows on his knees and chin resting gently on his fists. He could hear the others’ laughter from outside the tent reminding him of what he was missing. Sighing, he pushed himself back against the mattress. He laid there in nothing but a pair of pants as he thought of what tomorrow would bring.
