“The necromancer who participated is strong, so if this spell is ancient and the man or woman is still alive it would narrow down the participants greatly,” Chander said. “They’d be some of our most powerful people. There is a level of familiarity about the magic, but I can’t say with certainty who to connect it to. It’s just too damn old.”
“His memory might return if he spent time away from the compound,” Baxter suggested.
“He’s not going to be content staying here full-time—not even with the spell gone,” Chander countered. “Like all good leaders, he is duty-bound to care for the sentinels and he’s had that area of his mind amplified for a very long time. Possibly since he got past his resurrection sickness.”
“That would make this spell two thousand years old if the Order of Necromancia records are to be believed,” Drystan responded.
“Yeah, and I know a few people who were alive then,” Chander stated.
“You aren’t suggesting your elder council might know about this, are you?” Drystan asked.
“Would you seriously put it past them?” Chander retorted. “They hate sentinels.”
“I’m ready to finish,” Vadimas announced and then each sorcerer pulled hard on what was left of the terrible spell. A cloud of smoke, crackled lightning, and light poured out of Alaric’s head as they freed him.
“Chand, I’m hesitant to remove the sedation,” Dra’Kaedan said. “He has had maybe two millennia of bone-weary fatigue. Can I cast a spell on him to let him get a good night’s sleep?”
“What do you guys think?” Chander asked his sentinels.
“I think he fucking deserves it,” Baxter insisted.
“Go ahead,” Chander instructed Dra’Kaedan and the warlock nodded. Dre’Kariston went to the closet and pulled out a blanket. He handed it to Chander.
Chander walked up to the bed and stared down at his peaceful looking mate. What had been done to him was a crime, and he hoped someday they were able to hold whatever party who still lived, if any of them did, responsible for it. He covered Alaric with the blanket and tucked him in for good measure.
“Two thousand years. What if he needs a week to get a good night’s rest?” Benton asked.
Dra’Kaedan chuckled. “My magic will only hold him in this state until morning. My guess is he will still be tired when he wakes up but not so much he’ll want to stay in bed. His body will take care of catching up after that now that he’ll be able to sleep.”
“Thanks, everyone, for your help,” Chander said.
“Our pleasure,” Dre’Kariston replied. “I wish we’d been able to help him sooner.”
Chander had no response to offer. He knew every sorcerer in the room was now aware his ceremony was the first time he’d touched Alaric. If he had so much as laid a finger on him before, he was too powerful not to discover Alaric had this spell on him. It had been cleverly disguised for a lesser magickind, but he’d never been an ordinary necromancer.
“I’m really pissed someone did this to our leader,” Benton all but snarled.
“I think we can all guess as to who would want the sentinels to have a leader who was tied to the compound,” Chander said. “It was the same people who sent them there in the first place. The Order of Necromancia had no business creating the sentinels, and they certainly shouldn’t have created the compound.”
“Why would you resurrect a leader for people you wanted to go away in the first place?” Conley asked.
“I resurrected the leaders of the Order of the Fallen Knights before I gave you soldiers,” Chander responded. “Perhaps Alaric was the first sentinel.”
Drystan nodded. “Makes sense.”
“This is stupid,” Benton griped. “We should know when he was resurrected and why we were all sent to that damn compound. Why don’t we?”
“It’s a good question,” Chander replied. “But it may be a mystery we never solve. The sentinels don’t remember, and I can guarantee you the living necromancers who may know will never tell.”
“I don’t like mysteries,” Drystan retorted. “Especially when they surround a crime. I’m not going to stop until I get some fucking answers.”
Conley scowled. “Good thing we have an eternity. We just might need it to get to the bottom of everything about the sentinels.”
“Secrets have a way of never staying buried,” Dre’Kariston stated.
“That’s true,” Drystan agreed. “And Alaric might be able to shed some light on it—especially if spending more time away from the compound frees his memory.”
“There’s no guarantee of that,” Chander responded. “It’s only a theory.”
“Right now, it’s about all I’ve got,” Drystan replied. “Your elders aren’t going to answer questions.”
“No, they aren’t,” Chander replied. “Unless we can get enough evidence to force them.”
“I guess we have our work cut out for us then,” Drystan said.
Chander just nodded. He didn’t know what if anything would come out of this. The Order of Necromancia had buried as much information as they could about sentinels and the elders weren’t exactly his friends. He could question them until he was blue in the face but if they didn’t want to divulge details, he’d be wasting his breath. They had no love for sentinels, and he wouldn’t put it past them to have orchestrated this. It disgusted Chander; they had so much political power, yet they were hardly fit to lead. They each had a separate agenda and most of them were completely self-serving. Being one of the original races of the Council, their bylaws were old and would require the cooperation of the Council to be amended. He was stuck with a pack of men and women who were probably better suited to being villains than elders.
Irritated with life in general, Chander headed out of the guest room with the other magickind and wondered what the hell Alaric would say when he woke up. For his sake, Chander hoped he had more answers than questions, but that was likely wishful thinking. The others seemed to believe Alaric would begin spending more time here now that he could. Chander had no idea what to think about that; he hardly doubted the Lich Sentinel had any incentive to be here. At least as long as his petition was still in review. Perhaps once he could bring his men here, he would make more time to stay. He certainly couldn’t have any interest in a necromancer who lacked good judgment skills and failed to care for himself. Chander had no idea what crazy reason Fate’d had when she paired them together.
Chapter 18
Baxter shut himself and Benton into the guest bedroom they were using at Court D’Vaire. He leaned against the wood while he watched the gorgeous blond he was destined to spend eternity with begin pacing and throwing his hands up in the air. They were close enough that he could feel the man’s irritation and anger. The good news was that it wasn’t Baxter he was pissed at; Benton was still fuming over finding out their leader had been under some messed up spell for perhaps the last two millennia.
While Baxter was definitely on board with the whole rage thing, right now he wanted to get Benton to focus on them. They’d bound their blood together and were now mated. It was time for another first and that was something Baxter had been anticipating since he saw Benton. He wanted to get fucked. Then he’d see about doing the same to Benton.
“Can you fucking believe that spell?” Benton asked.
“I’m glad it’s gone.”
“Me too,” Benton said. “I bet those damn elders know all about it too.”
“I wouldn’t put it past them, but they’ll never tell us if they did.”
“That’s because they are a bunch of assholes.”
“Hubert is okay.”
“When he’s not being manipulated by the others.”
“Ben?”
“What?” Benton asked as he put his hands on his hips. At least he stopped pacing, Baxter thought.
“We were mated today.”
Benton’s baby blues softened. “Yeah.”
“You think maybe we can think about Alaric tomorrow?�
�
Benton walked up and wrapped his arms around Baxter’s neck. “Yeah, I guess I could do that.”
A swarm of warm emotions flooded Baxter and he kissed Benton’s nose. “I have something to announce.”
“Announce? What is this, an assembly session?”
“More important than that,” Baxter insisted with another peck, this time on Benton’s cheek.
“If you’re going to say I love you,” Benton began as Baxter glared, “then you are shit out of luck because I just said it first.”
“Wow, you are a real fuckhead.”
“But you love me.”
“And to think I was going to let you have your wicked way with me tonight.”
“Bax?”
“What?”
“I’m still going to have my wicked way with you.”
“Fine,” Baxter said. “I love you.”
“I know.” Benton pulled away. He went to the bed and sat on it before he began untying the laces of his boots.
“I expect you to make it special.”
“Oh shit, you’re nervous.”
Baxter squirmed. “Not really. We’ve been playing around. I like your fingers in me. It’s just I’ve seen your manmeat. It’s not small.”
“I can feel your nerves, dumbass. Don’t lie to me. We’ll go slow. If you want to back out, then you can fuck me, and I’ll make fun of you for an eternity for being a chicken.”
“You’re only saying that because you can feel I want it more than I’m afraid.”
“Of course, now get over here and take your boots off at least. I don’t want you messing up all this light bedding.” Benton patted the mattress next to him. Baxter walked over and sat at Benton’s bidding before tugging off his footwear.
“I’ll go first if you want,” Benton whispered as he ran his hand over Baxter’s back.
“No, you sucked me first, and I’ve had to listen to you bragging about it,” Baxter said. “I get to win at this.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re both going to win at this.”
“You saying you didn’t win when you were sucking my dick?”
Benton rolled his eyes before yanking his T-shirt over his head. “Don’t be an idiot. Of course not.”
Baxter pulled his own top off. “I really do want you inside me.”
“I know, I can feel you getting hornier thinking about it.”
“Then why are you still wearing pants?”
Benton stood and unhooked his belt. “I could ask you the same question.”
Baxter used the speed sentinels usually reserved for training and within seconds, he was completely naked. Benton laughed as he finished disrobing at a more leisurely pace. Lying down on the bed and propping himself up on his elbows, Baxter enjoyed the unveiling of all that pale flesh and his body began to heat. Benton was covered in long muscles and it was glorious. Once Benton had his clothing tossed onto the floor, he climbed onto the bed and fit his mouth to Baxter’s. Their tongues dueled before Benton pulled away. Baxter could see he was growing hard. He lifted one arm and ran a hand down Benton’s length.
“No touching,” Benton demanded.
“Oh, fuck you,” Baxter replied as he continued stroking his man until he was rigid. Benton’s cheeks flushed and he could feel the only thing on his mind was their mutual desire.
“I love that I can feel how much you want me,” Baxter said through their mindlink before sealing their mouths together again.
“Don’t make me come,” Benton ordered as he humped Baxter’s hand.
Letting go of the other sentinel’s hardened flesh, he grabbed the lube he set out earlier and handed it to Benton. “Get to work.”
“I’ve been thinking about this all week. I want you on all fours.”
Baxter sat up and grabbed Benton’s face in his hands. Stabbing his tongue through Benton’s lips he kissed him until they were forced to come up for air. Between his own desire and Benton’s, he knew it was not going to take much to push him over the edge. He knew what it was like to have Benton pleasure him in all but this one way, so he was confident they were going to experience something scorching. The ability to feel Benton’s emotions ramped it up and he slowly did as the other sentinel ordered and distributed his weight evenly over his spread knees and hands.
Benton crawled behind him, and Baxter was punched by a wave of lust. He placed his palms on Baxter’s outer thighs and slowly slid them up his body. Lips caressed his ass and Benton’s tongue flicked out as he moved across both cheeks at a snail’s pace. Benton’s thumb pressed against his anus and he let out a moan. Then that sexy mouth latched on to his hole and Baxter yelled out in both surprise and pleasure.
“Oh yeah, you like that,” Benton said as he continued to drive Baxter insane.
“Don’t you dare fucking stop.”
He heard Benton’s laughter trickle through his mind but he couldn’t care less. He pushed back to get Benton to be more aggressive. Benton slapped his hands to Baxter’s derriere and spread him wide open as he ate him out. Baxter’s dick was hard, his balls snug against his body, but he would not allow himself to come until he and Benton were joined.
“Are you close?”
“Use your fingers so I can have your dick.”
Baxter sent his thanks up to Fate when Benton did as he requested. His vacuum cleaner mouth and talented tongue were removed and then two cool fingers pushed inside him. Benton wasn’t going to allow him to get too far away from the edge, and Baxter let out a long groan as those clever digits slid over his prostate. Once would have been enough, but Benton kept right on punishing him as he hit that ball of nerves on each downstroke.
Two fingers became three and Baxter was ready to scream. He wanted Benton to shove his dick in him until they were nothing more than mindless machines careening toward an explosion, but the other sentinel seemed intent on making him suffer. Baxter went down on his elbows and smashed his face into the cool sheets as he fisted them. Rocking back, he was desperate to come.
“Hurry up, Ben,” he pleaded.
“You ready?”
“Fuck, yes.”
The slick fingers left him and Baxter heaved out a sigh of pure relief. He knew he wasn’t going to last long, and he could feel the same desperation from the other sentinel. Benton’s thick cock pressed against his hole, and he forced himself to stay relaxed as he was stretched around it. Benton was considerate and took his time as he worked his way inside. Baxter wasn’t aware of any pain, and it was a relief when the head of Benton’s prick popped through the first ring of resistance.
“Okay?”
“I will be when you shove that monster all the way in.”
Benton continued to show a patience Baxter doubted he’d be able to replicate when their roles were reversed as he glided in. Once his mate’s pubes were tickling his ass, Baxter was ready to be fucked and fucked hard.
“Ben, pummel me. Hard. Fast. Now.”
His hips were taken in an inflexible hold and then Benton began pistoning in and out of him in swift strokes. Baxter met him thrust for thrust and within seconds, their movements became wild and reckless. This was just what he needed, and he reveled in the hunger they were both trying to satiate. Moisture slicked their skin as their bodies collided. Benton shifted his angle ever so slightly and his dick crashed into Baxter’s prostate. He shouted Benton’s name as his nuts tightened. Without so much as a fingertip on his cock, his orgasm crashed through him. His seed splashed under him as his body stiffened, and he heard a distant yell from Benton just before he lost consciousness.
When he came to, he was being smashed into the mattress by Benton who was still inside him.
“Ben?”
“What?” Even in his head, Benton’s voice was groggy.
“You’re kind of heavy.”
Baxter could finally breathe comfortably when Benton rolled off him and onto his back.
“Sorry, I forgot when I decided to do it with you on all fours that Gavrael and Gedeon sai
d at the beginning they lost consciousness right after they came.” Benton kissed Baxter’s shoulder.
“I didn’t really believe that would happen to us.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know, I guess because I didn’t really believe it happened to them.”
“An exaggeration perhaps?”
“Yeah, we fucked each other so hard we blacked out.” Baxter grinned. “Now does that sound plausible?”
“No, but it happened.”
“I know, I’m lying in my spunk and I can feel yours oozing out of my ass.”
Benton laughed before climbing over Baxter to grab a T-shirt from the floor. Baxter eased himself up off the bed as Benton cleaned up first his back and then his front.
“Better now?”
“Hey, if the worst part is cleanup, I’d still sign up to let you do that to me about a hundred times a day.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” Benton replied. The two sentinels tangled their limbs as they lay back down far away from the wet spot.
“You will too.”
“I know.”
“Today was an amazing day,” Baxter said as they kissed.
“It was. Thanks for being my mate.”
“Thank Fate, but I’m glad you agreed to bind your blood to mine.”
“I’m still the better sentinel.”
Baxter smirked. “Keep dreaming.”
“When I dream about you we aren’t training.”
“I should hope not.”
“Bax?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” Baxter said. “My ass loves your dick.”
“My dick loves your ass.”
“As soon as I get feeling below the neck, my dick is going to love your ass,” Baxter responded.
“I’ll be lying on my back.”
“I’m still going to pass out and squish you.”
“Yeah, but you’re going to make sure I come first. I’ll regain consciousness first and then I can toss your ass off me,” Benton said.
“You’re so romantic.”
“Aren’t you lucky?”
Rise of the Lich Sentinel Page 13
