He’d have liked to use his powers to help his mate along, but he couldn’t because of the device on him, so he tried to do it the old-fashioned way. His hands were trembling, though, and his arousal and desperate desire made him clumsy. Graham didn’t seem to mind. He took Caelyn’s hands and kissed them. “Let me,” he said out loud.
The gentleness tamed Caelyn’s desire, or rather molded it to Graham’s will. Caelyn could do nothing but submit to his mate as the werewolf continued on his task. His mind swirled with desire, and before he knew it, his mate had discarded Caelyn’s shirt and was working on his pants.
It was a little harder with this troublesome garment, but Caelyn managed to toe off his shoes and at least help Graham this way. Graham undid Caelyn’s zipper, pulling the slacks down and revealing Caelyn’s erection.
As Graham removed Caelyn’s pants, Caelyn was left sitting naked on the cold floor, only in his socks. There was a general chill in the palace, probably caused by its location, but now, after the battle, it had grown even more prominent. Even if Graham’s passion was keeping him warm, his mate nevertheless noticed the potential for discomfort. He quickly created a nest from Caelyn’s own clothes and gestured for him to lay there.
Caelyn saw what Graham desired through their bond. He sat back on the clothes, facing his mate. Instead of rushing into the act of penetration like the draechen had undoubtedly expected, Graham crawled on top of Caelyn and brushed a butterfly-light kiss to his lips. As he moved away, he licked down Caelyn’s collarbone and over the hollow of his throat, re-acquainting himself with Caelyn’s erogenous zones.
It was just like the time they’d made love after Caelyn had confessed being pregnant. No, impossibly, it was even slower, gentler. Graham seemed to want to map every part of him, not leaving an inch of skin untouched. He lingered over Caelyn’s nipples, fellating them with the same eagerness he’d once used on Caelyn’s dick, but he was just as enthusiastic when he kissed down Caelyn’s legs and reached his feet. He rolled off Caelyn’s socks, which almost relieved Caelyn since he thought he must have looked ridiculous with only them on. Of course, that idea became irrelevant when Graham took Caelyn’s foot in his mouth, swirling his tongue around each toe, groaning in obvious delight.
An avalanche of pleasure swamped Caelyn’s senses, and Graham hadn’t even touched his dick yet. Just as Caelyn thought this, Graham decided to rectify what he must have considered an unforgivable error.
Abandoning Caelyn’s feet, Graham lowered his mouth over Caelyn’s dick, taking it all the way into his throat. There was no gentleness in that, just the raw passion of a barely leashed wolf who wanted to claim his mate. And oh yes, Caelyn wanted to be claimed, to be devoured by Graham’s passion.
As Graham began to move his head up and down, Caelyn writhed under him, clutching at the nest of clothes, but unable to get a good grip on anything. In the end, he went with the only thing that could possibly anchor him and held onto Graham’s hair. Surrendering to his need, he thrust his dick into the heat of his mate’s wet cavern.
But in spite of the mind-numbing sensations, a part of Caelyn didn’t feel complete. Underneath the carnal pleasure Graham’s mouth drew out of him, Caelyn craved more. Distantly, he was aware of his own voice crying out, “Graham, oh, yes… Beloved! Please… Fuck me.”
He didn’t know if he was speaking out loud, or through their bond, but nevertheless, Graham understood. Releasing Caelyn’s dick from his mouth, he flipped Caelyn onto all fours. Biting his lip, Caelyn closed his eyes and pushed his ass out, waiting for his mate’s touch.
Graham’s breath caught, and through their bond, Caelyn could feel the werewolf’s awe and almost overpowering desire. Perhaps both of those emotions urged Graham to slow down again. He brushed Caelyn’s long hair aside and pressed a kiss to Caelyn’s nape. “I love you so much,” he murmured out loud. “No matter what happens, always remember that.”
Those words felt too much like good-bye, so Caelyn’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you, too.”
He didn’t care if the draechen heard them. Caelyn and Graham’s love was a private emotion, but they had been forced into this situation. Let the draechen see. Maybe then, they’d realize what they were doing.
All thoughts of his foes vanished as Graham kissed down his spine until he reached the small of his back. Caelyn’s breath caught, his dick throbbing as his anus clenched in anticipation.
Fortunately, Graham didn’t make him wait any longer. The werewolf’s hands were like hot brands when they came to rest on Caelyn’s ass. Slowly, Graham parted his cheeks, revealing the hole hidden there.
Rapture exploded Caelyn as his mate licked over his crease. He couldn’t have controlled his cries if he’d wanted to. As Graham’s tongue wriggled into his ass, stretching and preparing him, Caelyn pushed back, fucking Graham’s face. The sinful caress awoke every nerve ending in his body, which seemed impossible since Caelyn had been convinced that Graham’s previous ministrations had already managed that. But then, no matter how much pleasure Graham gave him, the werewolf always had something more, always added another layer to Caelyn’s bliss. And it wasn’t over yet, not by far. They hadn’t come together in that unique way that made Caelyn touch the heavens.
In response to Caelyn’s thought, Graham removed his tongue from Caelyn’s ass and pressed another kiss to his shoulder, steadying his hips as he did so. He positioned his cock at Caelyn’s opening and slowly, ever so slowly, slid home.
Caelyn cried out as pleasure-pain rushed over him in a torrent of lava. Oh, he couldn’t deny that it hurt a little. After all, it couldn’t not hurt. In spite of the little rimming session, saliva couldn’t account for real lubricant. But that pain, the burn of the stretch, just added to the sensations, making him feel more alive than he’d ever been.
Of course, Graham remained mindful of Caelyn’s comfort. As he fully seated himself inside Caelyn, he stopped, allowing him to get used to the penetration. Caelyn didn’t actually need it, at least not for the pain, but it was useful to keep him from coming outright.
But soon, that small comfort became a frustration. He felt like he was burning, no, like he and Graham were burning together in a firestorm that seemed impossible to quench. His mate’s need echoed his own, and Graham pulled out of him, only to thrust back in seconds later.
In the process, he struck Caelyn’s prostate with such force that Caelyn nearly found his peak on the spot. He somehow managed to avoid it, but he did lose his balance, and he’d surely have fallen if his mate hadn’t wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him.
From that point on, everything became a blur. Caelyn melted into a receptacle of passion, his own and Graham’s. He received everything Graham gave him and demanded more, his bond with Graham glowing with the bright light of their desire.
Even the hold the disruptor had on him was a distant, forgotten thing. Its power couldn’t hope to circumvent the potency of the moment. It was like a distant, nagging fly trying to make its way over through a hurricane.
The technology would have still kept him from casting any spell, but as Graham fucked him, he clutched Caelyn’s hair and pulled hard. In the process, he managed to dislodge the disruptor just a little, enough to allow Caelyn to use the spell they required.
Caelyn felt actually surprised that Graham had managed to remember to do his part of the plan. Until now, Caelyn had completely forgotten there even was a plan, having lost himself in their passion. But now, he did remember. It didn’t scare him, though. He had faith in his bond with Graham. Something so deep and beautiful couldn’t be destroyed. He was sure of it.
Over and over, Graham moved in and out of him. His groans mixed with Caelyn’s cries, echoing in the cavernous room and filling it with their intoxicating passion. Every stroke of Graham’s dick hit Caelyn’s prostate, until Caelyn could practically taste his orgasm, so very close.
He needed one more thing, one last thing to make this moment perfect. He tilted his head, offering his mate his nec
k. Instantly, Graham struck. The rush of ecstatic agony burst over Caelyn, and with another cry, he came.
As their minds became fully connected, love, truth, and rapture engulfed them, a physical and emotional link that could never be broken. Two bodies, two souls, and two identities became one single entity. It was a perfect instant of purity and bliss, during which Caelyn truly felt no one could harm them or separate them.
Slowly, that bright rush of orgasm started to fade. Graham slipped out of him, but even then, that feeling of togetherness didn’t vanish. Caelyn collapsed in the nest of clothing, content and satisfied.
The beauty of the moment was shattered when a cold female voice said, “Well, that was interesting. I believe it’s time to end this. Shtamakarein?”
At once, Caelyn remembered his circumstances. He gasped and turned, catching a glimpse of Karein as the draechen prince approached. Graham was already on his feet, as if intending to attack and seeming seconds away from shifting.
But Karein didn’t give them a chance to even utter one word. When the blow of magic came, it stole Caelyn’s breath. An iron-like vise seemed to squeeze his lungs, and his vision grew faint. By his side, Graham collapsed onto the floor, incapacitated by Karein’s power.
The time had come to go through the plan. Karein had promised it wouldn’t hurt Caelyn’s child, but Caelyn was still afraid. Instinctively, he curled what little power he had left within himself, trying to keep his baby safe. Somehow, though, Karein managed to stay away from the spark of new life growing inside Caelyn.
It was the strangest thing, as if Karein’s presence and will was crushing him from the inside out. And yet, it didn’t hurt, at least, not very much. The draechen was being deliberately gentle.
Finally, Graham went limp and still by his side. Caelyn couldn’t move either, but then, the hold of Karein’s power released him. Focusing on his natural skill, Caelyn summoned the simplest of illusions, the only one he could have created in this moment.
It was a basic spell, one that muted the sounds of his and Graham’s heartbeats and breaths and masked the motions of their chests. However, it wouldn’t last for long, so Caelyn gave everything he had in an attempt to steady the enchantment.
At last, there was nothing left to give without risking harming their child. It was all in Karein’s hands now. Hoping the illusion would hold, Caelyn sent a prayer to Jenarra and surrendered to unconsciousness.
Chapter Thirteen
Karein looked at the bodies of the two men he was supposed to have killed. The memory of the way they had moved together refused to leave him. It had been sexy, yes, but for some reason, it had made him uncomfortable. He had said that werewolves were nothing more than rutting beasts, but it hadn’t been like that at all. He’d felt like a voyeur, spying on something private that shouldn’t have been used for a petty purpose such as entertainment. Of course, he hadn’t shown it, but he’d seen similar discomfort on the faces of some of the draechen present.
Everyone was quiet now, no cheers echoing through the throne room. They gave him wary looks, perhaps even without realizing it. Of course, they were always wary of him, but never because of having witnessed what was, essentially, him doing his job. Something had changed. They were uncomfortable with the light of a mate bond being extinguished, for whatever reason it might have been.
As he faced his parents, Karein hid a smile. His father had meant to humiliate Graham and Caelyn in front of the entire court, but the only thing he’d managed to do was to show the other draechen a side of the werewolves they hadn’t known existed. Actually, Karein himself had been surprised. He wondered now what other things he must have missed in his dedication to uphold his ancestor’s legacy.
But Karein had other, more pressing concerns right now. His mother must have realized what had happened as well, because she narrowed her eyes in displeasure. She left the throne and slowly approached until she reached his side.
Nudging Graham’s body with the sharp tip of her shoe, she scanned the fallen forms of the two men. Karein waited, hoping and praying that the illusion would hold. Behind his mother, he could see his father examining Graham and Caelyn, too. If they took much longer, Caelyn’s spell would collapse.
By some miracle, his mother pulled away and returned to the throne. “Very good, Shtamakarein,” she said as she sat back down on the throne.
“What will you have me do with the bodies?” Karein inquired, keeping his voice steady and neutral.
This was the flaw in his plan. Here was where it would all go wrong. He couldn’t offer to dispose of the bodies himself, not outright, because it would look suspicious. After all, it wasn’t a job for a prince to do. But if someone else was assigned to the task, they would throw the incapacitated couple off the cliff, and that would kill them indeed.
“Get rid of them,” his mother ordered. “You are dismissed.”
Karein suppressed a sigh of relief. Bowing again, he gestured a few guards forward. As the draechen in question picked up the fallen couple, Karein saluted. “I live and die by your command.”
With the guards in tow, he left the throne room. He almost thought he’d escaped, but then, Sage fell into step next to him. “A word with you, General?” he asked.
Insofar as he could like anyone, Karein liked Sage. He had earned his position as Karein’s second-in-command, and while Sage shared Karein’s disdain for the ninth caste, he was never unnecessarily cruel. However, out of everyone in his company, he was the most likely person who could figure out Karein had something planned.
“What is it, Sage?” he asked. “Better yet, can it wait?”
Sage stole a look at the guards carrying the bodies of Graham and Caelyn. “Actually…” he began to say.
He was about to ask Karein to stop to talk to him. The result could prove to be catastrophic as the guards might find it natural to dispose of Graham and Caelyn themselves. Releasing a frustrated sigh, Karein gestured the guards to a nearby receiving room. As he entered the empty quarters, he ordered, “Leave the prisoners here. Sage and I will handle it, as the Emperor requested.”
Fortunately, the men didn’t question him. Perhaps they thought he wanted to personally get rid of the sprite who’d betrayed him. Or maybe they just feared him. Today’s little show had reminded them that there was very little anyone could do to stop him if he ran amok, and under the circumstances, they were not inclined to question him. Thank the Overlords for small mercies.
The soldiers saluted and fled, closing the door behind them. So far, so good. Now, he only needed to get rid of Sage. “What is it?” he asked with far more calmness than he felt.
For a few moments, Sage remained quiet. “I just…I know it is not my place, Highness,” he said finally, “but the company has been concerned about you.” He shook his head and amended, “I have been concerned about you. What with your two hundredth birthday approaching—”
“Now is hardly the time for this conversation, Sage,” Karein said, interrupting him. “I appreciate your concern, but I have a duty toward the Emperor. That will have to be enough.”
Likely, he was far harsher that he usually would have been, because Sage frowned. “Highness, I can sense something is wrong. I have been loyal to you for decades, Highness. Trust me. I will not fail you.”
Karein would have trusted his lieutenant with his life, but this was a far more delicate issue. Nevertheless, Sage was too smart for his own good and had already figured out something wasn’t quite right. Granted, he thought it was connected to Karein’s two hundredth birthday, but still, he had felt it.
Taking a deep breath, Karein decided to take a leap of faith. The truth was that, while he had a plan in place, walking through the palace carrying both of them would draw attention. “I’m getting them out of here. They’re not dead.”
Sage’s eyes widened. “But how? They weren’t breathing. Their hearts weren’t beating. I looked.”
“It’s a spell,” Karein answered. “I don’t have time to explain
it now. Since I drained them of energy, it’s going to fade soon.”
Indeed, just as he spoke, the illusion making Caelyn and Graham seem dead cracked. Karein had expected it, but he still cursed. “All right, you have to help me. We need to take them out onto the cliff and down into the forest.”
From that point on, he was very much relying on someone else, but the circumstances had forced him into solutions he wouldn’t have normally considered. Overlords, involving Sage was already something he’d have preferred to avoid, but he couldn’t change it now.
“As you wish, Highness,” Sage answered.
He took Caelyn in his arms while Karein draped Graham’s body over his shoulder. “Don’t hold him like that,” he said to his second-in-command. “Someone will see his chest move or his eyelashes flutter.”
Immediately, he changed the position to echo the way Karein was holding the wolf. As they exited the room, Karein added, “Keep a steady stream of conversation. We need to cover the sound of their breaths.”
They started walking down the hallway and few awkward moments passed. Neither he nor Sage had ever been too open. It just wasn’t their way. The only time they even spoke was when he conveyed orders, with few exceptions, such as inquiries on Sage’s twin sister, to whom he was very close. But those times were few and far in between, and it would be a little strange to discuss family when he’d just killed someone.
In the end, Sage was the one who broke the silence. “Has the identity of the prisoners’ accomplices been discovered?”
Karein twitched. Out of all the possible topics of conversation, why was that the one Sage had picked? “Not just yet,” he replied curtly. “We’re looking into it, but all clues lead to mercenaries.”
His own personal inquiries had led him to the identity of the man who’d shot him back in Sacramento. He hadn’t shared it with anyone, not even Hareem, and he congratulated himself for it now.
Hyacinth, Scarlet - Werewolf's Way [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 21
