by Pelaam
He watched Lachlan slide on a condom, and wished his lover was bareback. Then he angled his hips up a little, to encourage Lachlan to be inside him.
“Here I come. Try and relax.”
Emer couldn’t stop a low groan as Lachlan pushed inside him. His lover’s dick was longer and thicker than his fingers, and Emer’s body protested the invasion, despite his arousal. Lachlan stopped moving and kissed across Emer’s shoulder blades.
As the feeling of pressure eased, Emer pushed back. “I’m okay. Please, Lachlan.”
“Anything you want, babe.”
This time Emer was more prepared, and hitched his hips a little, to accept Lachlan. The sensation of the hair at Lachlan’s groin pressing against his ass cheeks told Emer his lover was buried fully inside him.
He clenched his inner muscles, the deep groan from Lachlan catching him by surprise.
“Keep doing that, sexy, and this will be over before it’s begun. Fuck, you feel so good.”
“Move, Lachlan. Move.”
Easing back a little, Lachlan peppered a train of kisses across Emer’s shoulders and then pushed forward. He repeated the action, each time easing back a little farther until he was thrusting in a slow, controlled tempo. Each time Lachlan’s cock brushed over Emer’s prostate, intense pleasure swept through his body. Despite his recent orgasm, Emer’s dick was already half-hard again. Emer tried to reach his cock, but Lachlan’s hand intercepted him.
“My job.”
The deep, rasping sound of Lachlan’s voice sent Emer’s arousal spiralling upward. He spread his legs wider, trying to make access easier. A soft moan of pleasure escaped him as Lachlan encircled his dick in a firm hold, and stroked in time with his thrusts. Emer found a rhythm of his own, pushing back onto Lachlan’s solid shaft.
The dual stimulation made Emer pant harshly as a familiar tightening in his belly heralded his impending release.
“Let it go, babe. I’m here to catch you.”
A final hit to his prostate coincided with Lachlan flicking his thumb across the highly sensitised head of Emer’s cock, and Emer lost himself in an orgasm even more powerful than his first.
Lachlan groaned Emer’s name, and Emer’s pleasure spiked when Lachlan’s body shuddered through his own climax. Emer sagged into the mattress as he let himself float in a sated afterglow. Lachlan remained inside him, the weight of his lover’s body adding to Emer’s post-orgasmic bliss.
“Gonna pull out, babe. Just relax.”
As Lachlan withdrew, Emer felt empty. The feeling was partly assuaged as Lachlan pulled him into his arms. Emer rested his head against Lachlan’s chest.
“That was incredible.” Emer whispered the words into Lachlan’s chest.
“It was everything I dreamed of, sexy.” Lachlan kissed the top of Emer’s head. “Damn, I wish I’d realised sooner.”
Draping an arm across Lachlan’s chest, Emer smiled. “It’s fine. Everything is perfect.”
“I guess it is, too.” Lachlan yawned loudly. “How about we rest here a while and see what we feel like later?”
“Sounds perfect to me.” Emer angled his head, and they kissed tenderly. He couldn’t say the words he wanted. His heart screamed for him to declare his love, but he couldn’t. It was too soon, and he knew it. He snuggled close, trying to push everything but their shared pleasure from his mind.
He would just have to wait and see what Lachlan wanted.
Chapter Seven
Do not forget your friends at all
For they pick you up when you fall
Do not expect to just take and hold
Give friendship back, it is pure gold.
Gillian Jones
The Blood Gate Aydin and Sean used brought them to New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington. They then needed to fly to the south of the South Island. While at the airport, Sean bought a change of clothes, basic toiletries, and an overnight bag. He’d buy more when they finally reached the small coastal town that was their ultimate destination.
His glamour in place, Aydin walked shoulder to shoulder with Sean, neither man paying attention to the curious, or even envious, looks they attracted. A motel room had been booked for them for two nights, with the option of extending their stay. Aydin didn’t expect to complete the investigation that quickly, but he preferred to see if the motel was well situated and whether it was to their tastes.
Once settled, Aydin and Sean sat at the table and reviewed their limited information. Sean trailed a finger over a map of the area. He pointed at one spot.
“Bluff is actually more famous for its oysters. But the paua grow well in the shallow waters around here. They’re big business for New Zealand.”
A cloud of smoke huffed from Aydin’s nostrils. He tapped the map. “And this is where our supplier is meant to be located. You know, for something a goblin king is involved in, it feels strange that we had a tip-off. I can’t imagine knowledge of his business would be freely available.”
“A traitor in his midst.” Sean shrugged. “What else can it be? Perhaps it’s a case of shutting Gethin down, so that someone else can take a step up. The other option is what we thought originally. That one supplier is looking to shut down the other to be the sole provider for Gethin.”
A rumbling growl of sound came from Aydin’s chest. “Maybe. But something seems off about this whole thing.”
“I guess the first step is going and checking this place out tomorrow.” Sean tapped the map where they’d circled a small property close to the beach.
“I’d like to spend some time watching it first. Get a feel for it, maybe check it out, and see if we can find the Blood Gate. Then go in early evening. It’s got a lot of land attached. If we know the terrain, then it’s harder for our supplier to escape. That okay?”
“Sure.” Sean yawned widely, and Aydin’s laughter hissed free. Sean glared at him. “Just because you don’t need real sleep, just that reverie thing.”
“Go to bed, sleepy. Before you do, pick what food you want, and I’ll order it to be brought here to the motel. I’m not in the mood for walking around town tonight. We can do that a little tomorrow. See if I feel anything down by the harbour.”
Yawning again, Sean nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Watching Sean shuffle off to his room, Aydin smiled affectionately. Knowing his partner, Sean would have willingly gone into town if Aydin had suggested in, but a journey through a Blood Gate, followed very swiftly by a plane ride and then a drive out to the town, had drained his energy. They’d stayed in their room and had food brought in. An early night for his partner was better all round. Then they could start their investigation refreshed in the morning.
Drumming his fingers on the map, Aydin looked down at it, and noticed the shifting colours on his arm. Whatever was causing the phenomenon, it had links here. He’d felt a growing agitation the nearer they’d come to the town. The difference now was that his protective instincts had sharpened. It wasn’t as if he wouldn’t have worried about Sean’s tiredness, but the need to care for his partner was heightened.
He hoped to resolve his own situation along with shutting down the supply of paua. If he didn't know better, he'd swear his mate was endangered. Except he didn't have one.
Chapter Eight
If fairies but lived in this world of ours,
And all the wild legends about them were true;
Anne S. Bushby
The day passed quickly for Aydin. He and Sean wandered the full perimeter of the land to get a good knowledge of the area. They’d also wandered around the beach that was so close by. The place was beautiful, but held a canker that Aydin intended to purge.
There was a lot of activity, so he and Sean bided their time, just monitoring the place until everything grew quiet.
“Let’s go.” Sean tapped Aydin’s arm.
They headed along the road. Approaching the house, Aydin hissed angrily, and smoke billowed around him. �
�Fuck! He’s recognized me. He’s running.” He took off at a loping run toward the back of the property, Sean trailing in his wake.
“There they go.” Aydin pointed to a horse and rider. “Follow as best you can. I’ll stop them.”
He tore off his shirt and let the glamour fade away. Arching his back, he growled gutturally as his wings extended beyond their small, almost decorative size. He ran forward, gathering speed before leaping once, twice, beating his elongated wings. On the third leap, he lifted into the air.
He flew faster than the horse ran, and it only took him a few minutes to overtake the fleeing man and swoop down. The horse stumbled, trying to turn aside, and the rider lost his balance. Aydin landed, folding his arms, and stood like a sentinel. The man remained unmoving where he fell, but the horse shimmered into a human form.
That same strange protective feeling flowed through Aydin as he watched the naked púca fuss over the stunned human. He frowned, and leaned toward the púca, inhaling deeply. The scent spiked his need to protect the púca. This made no sense, especially as there was no sexual pull. Even seeing the púca naked wasn't arousing Aydin in any way. He growled his annoyance.
“Aydin! Aydin, you okay?”
“Fine over here.” Aydin returned Sean’s shout as his partner came running through the foliage.
“You got them. Well done.”
Aydin shook his head slowly. “Something’s not right. How’s the human, púca?”
“He’s all right, no thanks to you. He might have broken his neck.”
A small smile curved Aydin’s lips. The púca might be the smallest of the four of them, but he was a feisty one. “Then you shouldn’t have run. More to the point, you shouldn’t be making drugs for goblin lords. Let’s go back your home. Sean, give him your T-shirt. That should be long enough to cover his modesty.”
“I wasn’t running.” The púca glowered at Aydin. “We were just out for a ride. We do it regularly.”
Grumbling, Sean removed his sweater and tossed his T-shirt over. As the púca pulled it on, Aydin ensured his own glamour was back in place before offering his hand to the human who sat staring at them all.
To his surprise, Aydin actually felt that the púca was telling the truth. He focussed on the human. “My name is Aydin. My partner is Sean. We’re here to shut down the drug smuggling between here and Vargr you and the púca are involved in. Co-operation is highly recommended.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, and I’m seriously wondering if I’m actually still unconscious.” The human put his hand to his head.
“He’s not involved. Please leave him alone. I’m the one you’re after, but I have to supply him.”
The púca was a picture of abject misery. All his anger had gone, leaving fear and misery in its wake. Tears spilled down his cheeks. Despite his confusion, the human instantly went to the púca’s side, and hugged him tightly.
“Why? Why would a púca living here, apparently happily running a restaurant, also be a drug supplier to a goblin lord?” Aydin monitored the couple, trying to sense anything that would prove they were lying or hiding something.
The púca sniffed loudly before burying his face against the human’s shoulder. “Because he holds Cavan, my younger brother, as a hostage back in Vargr.”
Something shifted deep in Aydin’s chest, a brother, and he glanced at Sean. “Let’s get them home and hear the full story.”
Chapter Nine
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Edgar Allan Poe
Grateful for the warm presence of Lachlan sitting so close to him, Emer looked at the men in front of him.
“Right, as I said earlier, I’m Aydin, this is my partner Sean. We came here to shut down a supply of ground paua that in our world is both an aphrodisiac and an extremely addictive drug. Gethin, the goblin lord who’s behind it, is being very careful about his distribution, but we got a tip off that led us here. So, do you want to talk to us about your involvement?”
Glancing at Lachlan, Emer was surprised to see the smile and nod. Lachlan seemed to be taking things so well. He twisted a little to look more fully into Lachlan’s eyes. There was something there.
Lachlan reached up and caressed Emer’s cheek. “For the record, my great grandmother was Irish and was seduced by a fairy or sprite. My family was already firm in their belief in the world of fairies and other mystical creatures. Where my family lived, they saw a lot of them in the woods. The fairy didn’t or couldn’t stay with my great grandmother, but he did make a gift of gold that was the origin of my family’s wealth. My family used some of the money to move to New Zealand and settled on South Island. They claimed her husband remained behind and then died. Things like that were much easier to do in those days. She married, and had the usual flurry of children, but I’m directly descended from her first child.”
“I always thought there was something different about you.” Emer’s voice was soft, and filled with wonder.
“I didn’t know you were anything but human. I just felt an incredible attraction to you, but you didn’t seem willing to move beyond friendship.” Lachlan laughed softly. “You know, the irony is, it took Jane to make me realize what you were hiding.”
“Jane?” Emer squeaked the name. Given her normal withering looks, that seemed very unlikely.
Lachlan laughed a little louder. “She actually asked me why I put up with you trailing after me, with your huge puppy dog eyes.” Lachlan shrugged. “I looked a little harder then, and realized you were probably as nervous as I was of ruining what we already had.”
“What about Gethin?”
The firm tone from Aydin cut through Emer’s haze of happiness.
“I was born here of a púca father and human mother. My mother and younger brother, who was born in Vargr, went back there to live with Father, but this is my home. My parents are footloose and travel constantly, but my brother is still at our Vargr home. Or was. I always visit him around Christmas. Last year he wasn’t home, and the place looked like there’d been a struggle. A couple of goblins jumped me when I ran out, and I was taken to Gethin. He has my brother and so long as I keep supplying him with the ground paua, my brother is safe.”
“Let me get this straight.” Sean stood up and began to pace. “You didn’t create the paua shell drug? Gethin is forcing you to do it?”
Emer nodded. “Apparently, you only get the right results if you crush the shell within a minute or two of removing the paua. Any longer and it doesn’t have the same effects. I have two sets of bags I take to him. One is pure paua shell. The other is half green lip mussel shell. So the effect doesn’t last as long, and the user comes back much quicker.”
“How’s your brother doing?”
The concern in Aydin’s voice brought tears to Emer’s eyes. “He’s okay. Thankfully the goblins don’t care too much for a half-breed. And Gethin gave me his word that nothing would happen to him so long as I keep supplying paua.”
“So that’s why you asked who else was fishing if I couldn’t bring you paua.” Lachlan took hold of Emer’s hand and squeezed it. “There has to be something you can do.” He looked over at Aydin and Sean.
“We get a tip off about you supplying Gethin, and it turns out you’re really not a part of his operations. They were already up and running. So our other mysterious supplier must have been supplying Gethin previously.” Sean stopped pacing and turned to Aydin. “What do you think?”
“I think you need to stay here. See what you can ferret out. I wonder if the other supplier sees Emer as a rival to be knocked out of business. After all, the manufacturer is the real kingpin, not Gethin. If his supply of paua shell stops, he can’t replace it with anything in our world. Maybe someone is getting a little greedy or power mad.”
“The other supplier must be here.” Sean waved a h
and around. “Too much of a coincidence for Emer to be targeted, and the other supplier be in another part of the country.”
Aydin nodded. “I think it’s someone local, who also makes use of the same Blood Gate. I’m also thinking that I’m in need of a little help with my love life. Perhaps I need to pay Gethin a visit. Emer, is there something you can give me as a token to show your brother I’m a friend?”
Easing away from the comfort of Lachlan’s warm body, Emer stood, and went to a photograph on his wall. Stroking the frame, he took it down, and took out the picture. He went to Aydin and handed it to him.
“Cavan and I both had this on our walls. Our favourite family picture. Show this to Cavan and say ‘race.’ After the picture was taken, he and I transformed into horses and galloped along the beach. He won the race.” Emer looked into Aydin’s eyes. “He’s their slave. He cooks, cleans, everything. They treat him like he’s nothing because he’s a half-breed. But he’s my brother and I love him. Please, save him.”
Aydin leaned closer, his nostril’s flaring as he inhaled deeply, then he nodded slowly. “I give you my word that I will do nothing to deliberately endanger your brother.”
Returning the nod, Emer went to sit next to Lachlan once more.
“What do we do?” Lachlan asked.
“You and Sean look similar. Introduce him as a cousin, and just do everything you would normally do. I’ll be in touch.” Aydin stood, and looked at each of them in turn. “And take care. All of you.”
Chapter Ten
Break not an ancient friendship; keep it hale;
Stir round its roots, that it be green of heart;
Let not the spirit of its growth depart:
It is a power to brave the strongest gale.
William Wilsey Martin
