by A Y Venona
“Shhh, relax,” Alexander whispered to his ear. And just then as if a god had spoken, he relaxed and let himself once again enjoy his lover’s ministrations. He felt every thrust inside him, the delicious constriction he felt of his lover’s cock burning, throbbing inside him. Jason, for the very first time, let himself be dominated, utterly yet deliciously conquered; and he loved every second of it. Anything for Alexander.
After they both cried for their synchronized release, Alexander laid his head on his chest, his breathing evening out to normalcy. Jason’s arm automatically wrapped around his lover while his other hand was playing with his lover’s golden hair so silky in his fingers.
"It was fantastic," Alexander softly said, his breath warm under Jason’s skin.
“Thank you.” His eyes softened watching Xander yawn.
“I need to go somewhere,” Xander said, frowning as though he just realized it himself.
“Yeah, me too. I’ll have to meet the guardians today,” Jason said, his voice teasing.
Xander’s forehead furrowed. “You? You’re the one Delvin wanted me to meet?”
“Yours truly.”
After another bout of torrid kissing, Jason let Xander go as they both finally realized that it was time to clothe themselves. A wry smile sneaked out in the corner of Jason’s mouth at the thought of Xander walking around Pershiane wearing Jason’s shirt. Xander stared back at him, looking as though he too had some naughty image playing in his mind. The buzzing at the door broke his little moments of silent communion. Xander moved to the door to open it and froze.
Chapter 11
Standing at the door with a herculean mass that looked like a Viking with brush cut hair was Riker Ono.
“What are you doing here?” Xander asked.
Riker glanced over Xander’s shoulder. His amber eyes fixed upon Jason’s own ice blue. Jason was sure he saw steam coming out of his ears.
“Riker, not a good idea,” Xander said.
But Riker ignored Xander and stalked into the room, his gaze never leaving Jason. .
“Now why don’t you leave as Xander asked you to,” Jason said, meeting him half way.
Xander ran around Riker and pushed him away from Jason and stood between between them. His arms stretched out on both sides.
“Relax, boys. I can arrest you both for this. So calm the fuck down!”
“Yeah, right. You can’t arrest the captain of the guardians,” Riker said huffing at Xander.
“You’re not the captain yet,” Xander said. His voice was admirably calm.
Jason advanced a few steps but was blocked by Xander.
“And I’ll make sure you’ll be limping as you walk to your coronation,” Jason said, taunting.
Riker growled. Jason growled back.
“Seriously!” Xander exclaimed.
Riker tried to move around Xander saying, “Why don’t you find yourself a territory to piss, werewolf.” But Xander followed him. Frustrated, Riker hollered, “This one is mine.”
Jason went to the other side of Xander and Riker met him and halfway they collided. Jason clawed Riker’s biceps. Riker hissed. With one swift smooth, Riker was able to grab Jason’s arm and twisted it behind him. Jason howled and elbowed Riker to the face. Holding his face, Riker sneered and jumped to kick Jason in the gut. Jason stumbled a little backward, but when he found his bearing, Jason retaliated by spearing Riker in the ribs, his full body slammed on him. They both stumbled over to the door, into the hallway, and their combined weight collapsed into the elevator door. The metal dented at impact while the tower shook like a magnitude of an earthquake. Strength to strength. Jason tried to twist Riker’s neck, but the latter had a firm hold of his biceps, pressing them hard that made Jason wince.
A sudden strong force shocked Jason and threw him away from Riker who also went flying at the opposite direction. Jason got up, eyes not leaving his opponent. Xander’s hands were glowing.
“Leave,” he barked at Riker.
Riker rose to his feet.
“I’ll meet you again, werewolf,” he said before leaving.
✽✽✽
“So what’s the asshole’s claim on you?” Jason said wiping the blood off his mouth with the cloth Xander handed over. He was sitting on the couch, his blood still thrumming with left-over adrenaline from the fight.
Xander’s eyes flashed with irritation.
“It’s a long story,” he said instead. He was standing in front of his door staring at its devastation.
Jason did not buy it for a second that it was nothing. He rose from his chair and started pacing.
“Well, clearly he thought you’re his!”
“Oh, well, in his dreams, but I don’t want to discuss it when you’re at the moment itching for a face to smash. So drop it.”
Werekin scents suddenly wafted through the air. Delvin came in first, shaking his head, and then followed by Anthony with his eyes bugging out of his sockets.
“Must be a hell of a fight,” Anthony said.
“There’s a dent on the elevator,” Sara said, coming through the door. Her gaze appraising the room. “I don’t see any dead body, so how is it possible?”
“You all have no idea how crazy it was,” Xander answered.
Delvin’s gaze narrowed on Jason. “So who did you fight? You shook the whole tower.”
Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s Biker something barging in here like he owned the place.”
They all turned to Xander for clarification, but Xander was too upset to provide any elucidation. Jason’s blood was still boiling in anger just by thinking about how Riker was behaving around Xander. Jason would cut those hands to keep his paws away from Xander.
“Is there no one here going to ask the obvious question, one pertaining to…” Sara fixed Jason a gaze. “You? Who are you? And what are you doing here?”
“Jason Dyeus,” he introduced himself to her. “I’m…” He paused. Jason would say he was Xander’s mate, but would Xander agree to that? Thankfully, Sara seemed to understand what was going on in his mind.
“So you fought our to-be-captain,” she said. “Did you win?” She winked.
“Well, he just got the taste of how it’s going to be during the challenge,” he answered.
“And suddenly the challenge became all about me…again,” Xander said, throwing his hands in a gesture of defeat.
“Of course, it’s all going to be about you! I don’t care about any position. You think I came over here to get a job? I came here for you! To follow you!”
Xander’s gaze bore into him, and it frustrated Jason to no end that he could not decipher what that look meant.
“Jason, being a captain of the guardians is not just a job. It’s an honor. And the most deserving only gets it, the one who cares about saving lives and keeping the peace in the world,” Xander said, tears now running down his flushed cheeks. “We had one. And now he’s gone.”
Sara came over to Xander’s side and let him cry on her shoulder.
Jason did not know the story of this former captain, but he must be someone special for Xander to shed tears.
“Can we bring this conversation to my house?” Delvin said, forcing everyone to move.
✽✽✽
“Uncle Xander, uncle Xander!”
Two sets of footsteps came running toward them and all racing toward Xander. Ryan jumped onto Xander who needed to bend over a little to catch him. When Avian came barreling, Delvin intercepted and caught him instead.
“You two are heavy for your uncle Xander to carry,” he said.
“Yes, Delvin, what exactly are you feeding them?” Xander said.
“And no hugs for your uncle Ant?” Anthony said, pouting.
“We smelled Xander first,” Avian explained. When Delvin put him down, he immediately sprinted onto Anthony’s arms. “Avian, you’re much heavier than yesterday.”
Avian chuckled. “Watch, I’m going to be taller than you.”
“Oka
y,” he answered.
Warmth coursed through his body as Jason watched Xander with Ryan. His lips parted in a frozen smile listening to the conversation between the two. It amazed him how Ryan seemed more conversant and less timid talking with Xander. They both looked beautiful. Xander looked stunning with a kid, and he would be more stunning with his own…
He suddenly became self-aware of where his thought was leading into. The nudge on his arm jerked him out completely on whatever catatonic state he seemed to have fallen into.
“You’re staring,” Hearst said.
How deep was he in his thought that he did not notice Hearst coming to stand beside him. Aaron waved when their eyes met. He too came to stand next to Hearst.
“So aren’t you going to introduce us?” Hearst said.
Jason cleared his throat that got everybody’s attention. “Xander Brunn, these are Hearst Hammel and Aaron Haim.”
“Hello,” they both said to each other irritation.
“Hello,” Xander answered. “Nice meeting you two.”
Both Aaron and Hearst stared at Xander with their eyes wide and mouths open.
“Okay, that’s enough,” he told them.
“Hi, I’m Sara Larsa. Pleasure to meet you,” she said with a warm smile.
Anthony introduced himself as well as though they already met them earlier. Daniel came to get all the kids. Delvin ushered them all to the library.
“So you got a sample of Riker’s strength,” Anthony said, his arms crossed. He was leaning against the wall near the door.
Only Aaron and Hearst sat on the red couch. The rest preferred to stand.
“He’s strong, but I can handle it.”
“Handle it?” Hearst said. “Jason, you overpowered people easily. Saying you can handle it at your level means it might be a little of a challenge to you.”
“He’s not an ordinary human,” Xander answered. He was perched on the armrest of the couch. Standing up, he said, “He is a House from the line of Hector. He is strong. His animal gift is a bear.”
“Damn, bear trumped a wolf,” Hearst remarked. “How are you planning on defeating him?” he said to Jason.
“I don’t need a plan. I already know his weakness,” Jason said, smirking. His gaze went back to Xander who squinted his eyes, seemingly assessing the truth in those words.
“So how are we going to explain to the world why Jason and Hearst did not attend the academy?” Anthony said changing the topic.
“The only exemption to the rule is when you’re trained by the academy professors. Otherwise, I think you two need to join the academy at least ask for short-term residency,” Sara answered.
“Oh, no, I’m not going back to school,” Hearst said.
“It’s a different kind of school. It’s a warrior school. You get to have challenges and then real war experience at the fort,” Sara explained.
“I don’t care. Marcus trained us himself. So I think I’m good.”
Sara shook her head. “You’re not understanding what I’m saying.”
“Oh, you’re speaking perfectly clear.”
“Jason, where did you get your pet?”
This caused the whole room to erupt in laughter.
“Jason cannot be both a student and a captain,” Delvin said when the noise had died down.
“If we can get my father to sign him saying he went through similar training as in the academy then I think we have a good chance of convincing the Elders for exemption,” Xander said.
Xander’s gaze moved to Jason and then he smiled. A smile that seemed to appease the growing tension inside of Jason. Question upon question barraged his mind as he thought about meeting Xander’s father. And then…if his father was only around so he could introduce Xander to him. It would have been perfect. The thought of his father brought the pang of guilt in his mind. Did he all suddenly forget about him? How serious was Jason with this captain business? Did he really want to be the captain? He wanted to beat Riker’s ass though. At least that one was clear in his head.
“So when do you want us to meet with your father?”
“The proclamation is three days from now. So it has to be before that. Tomorrow if he agrees to meet you.”
Chapter 12
There was a lot of staring, laser-sharp gazes that was aimed at Jason. Xander’s parents displayed finesse in intimidation, which could easily overwhelm an ordinary mortal and a not-so-ordinary mortal but with personal intention with their son. So Jason sitting on the couch with his heart knocking in his chest. Lawrence was pleasant to the eye, stunning and glorious like Xander, but his gaze could roast a soul. Hector was built like Jason, Herculean in mass, and golden like Lawrence but with roughness of a mythical warrior. Together they looked like a pair of statues that only came alive at night time.
“What’s the name of your father?” Hector asked, a glass of wine in his hand while he sat with one leg crossed over his knee, his whiskey brown eyes assessing Jason as though he were the next big threat.
“Marcus Dyeus,” Jason answered, glancing at Xander who was seated to his right.
“He’s a delta alpha, Hector,” Delvin said. He was seated on the single couch next to where Jason was sitting. “He’s our best chance to get the captain-ship from Riker. You said it yourself, you don’t trust Riker.”
“You have no chance against Riker,” Lawrence said, walking toward the couch and sat beside Hector. He opened a new bottle and poured an empty glass with it. “He is a house.” He turned to Xander. “Where did you find him?”
Xander rolled his eyes. “I met him at Midland. He was searching for his missing father. And I saw him fight Riker. I think he has a good chance against him.”
Hector finished his half-empty wine and put the glass back on the center table. He had that look of a man who was considering his options.
“If I’m not lying for you,” he said. “But if you challenge Riker and you win, I will personally inform the council that I’ll train you personally.”
“He can serve as captain while still on training,” Xander said, irritated.
“Let me ask you this, Jason.” Hector’s eyes sharpened. “Do you want to be the captain of the guardians?”
Jason gulped. “Yes.”
“How badly do you want it?”
Jason glanced at Delvin.
“Just what I thought,” Hector said. “Challenge Riker tomorrow and I’ll convince the council to honor that challenge. Beat him and that will be enough to embarrass him publicly. The gods will have to choose for another candidate. And who knows, they might choose you to be the next captain.”
Both Delvin and Xander showed their obvious disappointment. Delvin had asked Hector to think about it and reconsider while Xander came out as some sort of pouting, which to Jason was sexy as hell. Jason, however, continued to be polite. If he could not get them to approve their request, perhaps he could convince him that he was fit enough for their son. Xander looked irritated every time he addressed Hector and Xander with the word ‘sir.’
“Delvin,” Hector called when they were getting ready to leave. Delvin raised his brow at the seriousness in Hector’s tone. “Mobilize your alphas next week. We’ll be expecting an attack.”
There was a sudden halt in the air. It was as though everybody stopped breathing as they all stared at Hector in disbelief.
“What do you mean?” Delvin asked.
Beside Jason, Xander sighed loudly getting all the attention to him.
“It’s—” Xander started.
“The gods will be sending the vampires to Pershiane to force Xander to marry Riker,” Lawrence finished for him.
Bile burned at the back of Jason’s throat. His growl rumbled in the room. An image of Riker’s head being crushed between Jason’s hands popped in his head.
Xander glared at Lawrence. “You didn’t have to tell him that!”
“I thought they could use some added motivation,” Lawrence said.
“Lawrence, I don’t t
hink the gods will appreciate you sharing it to the werekin,” Hector said, but his warning bore no teeth.
“I warned them not to cross me, but they did without regard what it would do to us,” Lawrence said. “I’m no puppet to them.”
“But there are other ways to handle it,” Xander said. “Let’s go.” He told both Delvin and Hector.
“Where are you going?” Lawrence asked.
“Somewhere not here.”
On their way back to the island, silence fell inside the hover. Delvin was sitting across Jason while Xander was at the helm.
“Don’t worry, I’ll have the alphas ready,” Delvin said.
“You don’t have to,” Lawrence said, gazing out of the glass window.
“I’ll break his bones so that he wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding,” Jason said.
Silence returned after that and even when they reached the island. Jason was itching to talk to Xander, for them to be alone. And when finally Delvin decided to leave them and go back to the suite, Jason immediately turned to Xander.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Not here.”
They rode on the elevator. Xander refused the small stalk that Jason attempted to initiate twice. When they reached the Xander’s suite, Xander went over to the mini bar and poured two glasses of wine. He emptied the first glass and then poured himself another one.
“I’ll marry you,” Jason said as he watched him freeze, his mouth still glistening with wine residue.
Xander closed his eyes and then when he opened his eyes were glowing. Really, glowing. “I was working on the courage to ask you that.” He paused, his eyes misty. “Jason, I don’t want us to be forced together out of fear. If I had a choice, I would have wanted us to take it slow, learn from each other. Marrying me because of the threat and not out of love is in itself its own tragedy, don’t you think?”
