by Nichols, TJ
Angus winced and lay back. “I’m tired.”
Not so exhausted that the arousal had faded. Saka inhaled and swore he could taste it on the air. “You could ask for help.”
Angus’s head jerked up so he could stare at Saka like his horns had fallen off.
“That would be another ritual.” His words were slow and carefully formed.
“Yes. But you don’t jump straight into having sex. It’s too easy to lose focus.” It was a progression, and Saka already knew that Angus was willing to try, and wanting to learn. They were the two biggest hurdles.
“What am I signing up for this time?”
Saka considered the human for a couple of heartbeats. “You don’t like getting cut, so no knife—though I should warn you there will be times when it has to happen.” Angus flinched. It was a quick method for rebalancing, one those who paid for their magic used if they couldn’t handle the thought of having ritual sex. It wasn’t for everyone. “So that leaves sex magic.”
Angus bit his lip and nodded. “How?”
“You start by taking off the rest of your clothes.”
“And you?”
“I will be staying fully dressed this time.”
Saka could almost see the wheels turning in Angus’s mind as he weighed what he was willing to do. Would he back out and go for the familiar knife? If he did, Saka would let him come this time. He wasn’t cruel. He wasn’t doing anything that hadn’t been done to him as part of his training. It was all a test to find limits and to learn to work within them—and sometimes push them.
Slowly Angus stood. He undid his pants and pushed them over his hips. “No knife, and I get to come?”
“Yes.”
A smile formed on the warlock’s lips, and then he took his pants off.
Chapter Seven
Totally naked, the breeze caressed Angus’s skin, and for the first time since arriving in Demonside, his eyeballs stopped feeling like they were sweating. It was still hot; the floor of the tent was warm beneath his feet from the sand. Spices scented the air as people cooked their meals. He was hungry. However, there would be no food now until afterward, to ground them after the working of magic.
Angus used his hands to cover himself. The idea of getting with a demon shouldn’t be making him hard. But it had and he hadn’t been able to get close to getting off on his own.
Saka walked around him. His fingers traced Angus’s spine to his tailbone. Angus drew in a breath. Warm fingers traced over one hip, and then Saka was in front of him. “Uncover yourself.”
Angus did as he was asked. The air was too thick and hot to breathe, and they hadn’t even started yet.
Saka ran two fingers along Angus’s hard length. “I am glad you want this.”
He couldn’t lie and deny it, but he didn’t want to admit that he found the demon intriguing either.
Saka brought both hands to Angus’s face. He rested his forehead against Angus’s, the base of his horns also touching Angus’s skin. The horns were cool. For a moment they stood there. Angus wanted to move, to fidget. He was too naked and vulnerable, but his magical training kept him still and his breathing even.
After a while, he couldn’t say how long, they were breathing in sync. The magic around them pulsed in time with his heart.
They had started.
They had started before their lips had touched.
Saka was actually getting ready for the ritual. This wasn’t what Angus had done with Jim. They’d simply made a circle and had sex.
“You are distracted.” Saka’s voice was low. There was a hum of power beneath the words.
Angus’s father had always raised his voice when working magic. Most wizards and warlocks did, as though noise gave them strength. The quietness was infinitely more powerful.
Saka’s voice seemed to reach into him. “Breathe.”
Angus closed his eyes and obeyed. Their breathing fell into sync again. Saka’s thumbs brushed his cheeks, and then his mouth was covering Angus’s. Saka’s lips moved, demanding a kiss.
Angus let his lips part as Saka’s pointed tongue sought entrance. The heat of his hands, his mouth, and tongue was a constant reminder that his lover for tonight was a demon. There were names for warlocks who got too close to their demon, who let the demon take control. None of them were nice, and he’d never thought that they’d ever apply to him.
No one needed to know.
They would suspect. Those in power would know the magic had been rebalanced, and they would ask how. Angus flinched.
“Focus,” Saka murmured.
Angus dragged his attention back to Saka and the way his lips moved, the way his mouth tasted hot and like burned honey. For a few moments, nothing else existed except the two of them. He was aware as Saka created a circle and then pushed it out. In his mind Angus felt it become one with the walls of the tent and solidify. He wouldn’t be able to escape Saka’s circle while Saka lived.
He drew in a heavy breath and opened his eyes. Soft light seemed to be coming from their skin as though they were glowing with magic. Around them the white walls of the tent shimmered with the blue of the circle that had been cast. He was starting to love visible magic.
Saka took his hand and led him back to the cushions. He indicated for Angus to make himself comfortable. The rapid beat of Angus’s heart suggested that wouldn’t be possible. However, it was entirely possible to be aroused and yet full of nerves at the same time. This was all too different. A part of him wanted to hide until he was rescued—they would retrieve him, they had to—the rest of him wanted to take this opportunity.
This was more magic than he’d done in college, more than the basics all wizard kids learned. He wanted to revel in it. Experiment with it. Magic pulsed with every beat of his heart.
He took a step, then dropped to his knees not sure what to do.
Saka kissed the back of his neck. “Stay like that. I like it.”
Saka murmured something, and the soft glow that had enveloped their skin went out. Suddenly lights appeared around the room. The glass orbs filled with light, and the gold writing on the walls came alive.
Saka had not been joking about being a mage of some skill. Angus realized that he was completely outclassed. How had he ever thought to control such a magnificent being?
Saka’s fingers brushed Angus’s cheek. Angus turned into the touch. Saka’s thumb brushed over Angus’s lower lip. Lust filled his veins in the place of blood.
With that simple touch, the glass orbs burned brighter—fed by magic.
He didn’t want to be the only one naked. He wanted Saka naked. He wanted to have sex. “What about you? Are you sure you don’t want to…?”
“No. This is ritual, not fun. I have trained for the difference. You have not, but that will just make this more interesting. As a warlock in training, I am sure you will not embarrass yourself.” There was a hint of a smile on Saka’s lips.
Lust tightened and knotted in Angus’s belly. This wasn’t just about sex; this was a magical challenge. And oh so different than what he’d done previously.
The demon knelt behind him, his hands trailing over Angus’s shoulders and down his arms. Saka pulled Angus’s wrists behind his back. For a moment Angus resisted, but the demon was strong.
“I would prefer that you obey, but I can make you. Here you do not have the power. On Humanside you would, but this is not your world.”
Angus bit back a laugh as he imagined himself getting busy with Saka in class to draw up power. He wouldn’t need to do that. The demon would be there, acting as a channel for the magic. He frowned. Death magic was forbidden, but he knew wizards without demons used blood and sex.
“Sex with a demon on my side would raise more magic than just channeling.”
Saka nodded. His hand slid around to close around Angus’s shaft.
Angus tipped his head back against the demon’s shoulder. His touch felt so good.
“Tomorrow there will be time for unraveling. Whe
n you return there will be time for seeking the truth. Tonight you are mine.” Saka moved closer. The length of his cock pressed against the crease of Angus’s ass. There was cloth between them, but the promise of more was there.
Angus struggled to keep breathing.
With his hands behind his back, all Angus could do was absorb each sensation. Each kiss. Each lick. Each touch. Each stroke of his length.
The demon’s thumb swept over the head and then slicked its way down. If he kept going, it would be all over. He didn’t stop. Angus’s balls tightened. He thrust into Saka’s grip, well aware that precome was smoothing each stroke. So close…. He had to regain control.
Didn’t he?
He struggled for a moment, and then Saka released him. The demon’s hand traveled over his body. He nipped Angus’s neck and pinched one nipple. Each sensation drawing a gasp. It was like spinning one way only to be turned around and sent in the other direction.
The room got brighter as magic gathered in the glass orbs.
Beyond the cloth walls demons were talking or singing. There was music filling the air and being carried on the breeze.
Just as Angus felt he had gathered up control, Saka wrapped his hand around his shaft again. Angus groaned. His hips moved even though he wanted to be still. Heat enveloped him.
He turned his head and tried to free his hands to push away. He wanted to come. Saka stopped stroking and squeezed just below the glans of Angus’s cock. Angus sucked in several breaths. His skin was too tight. He wanted to grab his own dick to finish.
His cock was throbbing and his balls heavy. The entire tent had taken on that soft glow. The gold symbols shimmered and danced as the breeze buffeted the cloth. He watched them as he steadied his breathing and tamped down on the need coursing through him.
There was a peace in the movement of the gold sigils, a calming.
Saka ground against him, and Angus pushed back. He wanted more. He was struggling to remember this wasn’t about the sex, but about the emotion and the magic.
There was plenty of magic. It was everywhere.
The tent was glowing.
The demon’s tail was between his legs, teasing. Then Saka was stroking, his grip firm.
“When I say.” His voice was soft in Angus’s ear.
Angus closed his eyes. He gritted his teeth, torn by the need not to screw up the ritual and the need to come. He had to focus on his breathing, not on every sensation. Heat raced down his spine, lodged in his hips, and spread. His stomach muscles contracted.
“Now.”
He was already there and unable to stop. His hips jerked, and he thrust into the demon’s hand, his climax tearing through him. He swore he could feel the magic flowing out. Static energy moved across his skin, and the room brightened as though he was under the midday sun.
He leaned his head back against Saka’s shoulder and sucked in great lungfuls of the warm air. All the tension that had been in his body was gone. He half expected Saka to push him away, but the demon held him in his arms as though they were lovers.
Angus didn’t fight. No one had held him like this since Jim.
Gradually he opened his eyes. His heartbeat had settled, but he couldn’t stay like this. Saka wasn’t his lover; he was his demon, which made Angus his human. In that moment he glimpsed what the demon-human relationship should be. The use of magic, then its return. All balances kept.
Somewhere along the way that had been twisted by those in charge.
Saka broke the circle, and the glass orbs winked out.
“What are they?” Angus pointed. The orbs hung all around the tent.
“Collectors. Without them there would be magic whipping around and making a mess.” Saka eased away. There was a smile on his face as he looked at Angus. “Every time you have sex here, a little magic is restored.”
It was infinitely better than getting cut. He didn’t want to think about how much he had enjoyed it—too much.
“You didn’t….”
“Someone had to be in control. You don’t know what you are doing. Yet. You could learn. The better you get, the more magic would be returned.” Saka rocked back on his heels, then stood. “We should eat.”
Angus nodded. He glanced at the cushions. While it was too dark to see, he knew there would be a mess. “Um, what about the—”
Saka pointed at a vial to the side. “Two hands and a tail.”
That Saka was taking little pieces of him, first blood and now come, was unsettling. There were too many things a magic user could do with them. “Why did you collect that?”
Saka broke off a piece of the bread-like food and passed it over. “It is a gift for Miniti so she will see you have more value alive.”
“What will she do with them?” Angus hoped it wasn’t what he thought she was going to do.
“Eat them in lieu of your soul.”
Angus shuddered.
He didn’t feel like eating after hearing that but knew he had to. He was disconnected from his body after being involved in two rituals. He shoved a piece of the flaky bread into his mouth. It was surprisingly nice. Somewhere between a dessert pastry and fruit bread. He swallowed and took a drink. The small amount of food had grounded him so he didn’t feel so fragmented. He wasn’t used to working such big magic.
It was odd, but he didn’t feel as though he’d lost anything in returning the magic. He was more concerned about Miniti. It must have shown on his face.
“Do not worry. There will be no lasting effect. We do not use body parts in magic here. That is considered distasteful and unethical.”
“You took without asking.”
Saka sipped his water. “Not true. You agreed to participate.”
“You didn’t explain the fine print.” He would’ve liked to know in advance what would happen to what Saka collected.
“Perhaps eat is not correct. Miniti will absorb some of the energy that you returned to Demonside. A gift to Miniti is required. She is our leader. It isn’t something I have a choice in. Nor will I have a choice if you summon me to Humanside… demons summoned have no choice but to obey. You have your rules, and I have mine.” Saka drained his cup and got up. “Follow.”
“You could ask, instead of ordering.” The moment of intimacy that they’d shared had evaporated. Saka was back to being the distant, bossy demon—not unlike many of his lecturers—he much preferred the demon who’d held him and kissed him. But it had been an illusion. All Saka had wanted was the magic, and any human would have done. That distasteful feeling of being used crawled over his skin, but Saka was right. He had agreed. And he had enjoyed it at the time.
Saka considered Angus for a moment. “I could, but I want you to know how it feels so when you summon me, you think twice before you speak.”
Chapter Eight
Angus lowered his gaze. Saka considered the human for a moment. He seemed to have found a little fight. Saka liked that. He didn’t want to crush the warlock, only to open his eyes to the reality of life on Demonside. He might be the head mage, but he wasn’t free to do as he pleased.
Not all the time anyway.
He picked up two cloths. He handed one to Angus who held it in front of himself as though he had only just remembered he was naked, and then Saka took off his pants and wrapped one around his waist. He noted that Angus had looked even though he had made a show of not looking.
Humans were so strange about nudity.
“Where are we going?”
“To bathe.” Saka didn’t wait to see if Angus was following him to the baths.
The night air was cool on his skin, but the sand still held the heat of the day. He glanced up to the inky sky to see how late it really was. The town was mostly silent. A couple of pet ghirns woke as he walked past but then laid their scaly heads down on their hooves. Saka walked to the edge of the town.
He waited by the doors of the latrine. “Throw sand over when you are done and then refill the bucket.” He pointed to the pile of sand that ha
d been made when the holes had been dug. Whenever the town moved, facilities had to be set up. Latrines and baths. It was the mage’s job to make the location habitable by making sure there was water.
Then Saka went through one of the flaps. He was aware of the growing distance between them. They didn’t need to be friends, but they needed to be able to work together. They were stuck together until one of them died.
He finished, then filled the sand bucket and waited.
Maybe he was being too harsh on Angus. He was young; he had talent but not the experience or knowledge. He should’ve been more careful. And run the risk of Miniti devouring Angus? No.
Someone would open the void and retrieve Angus once the twenty-four hours were up. Then things would really get interesting. For both of them. Would Angus be as willing when he was back on his side of the void, or was this simply for survival?
Angus came out and filled the bucket of sand. “I’m guessing water is a limited resource.”
“Was it the endless sand that gave you that impression?”
“Are there oceans or rivers or forests?”
“Not here. Not within walking distance.” Not like there used to be. Even when he’d been born, forests had been something that someone else had seen. He’d never been to the ocean either. Rivers could be raised, but he remembered when they had snaked across the landscape and there had been grasses and great herds of animals.
“What is walking distance?”
“Anywhere that can be walked to before the water that you carry runs out. Only mages have the power to tap into the underground rivers and draw them to the surface.” They walked back through the town and stopped at a tent decorated with depictions of water. It was hard to miss.
On the outside was a pump and tap for filling jugs and urns. On the inside was the shower. The tent was divided into six big wedges. People usually went with their friends. Showers were quick, but the preparation wasn’t.
Angus looked at the combs and pots on the bench.
