Origin (Scales 'N' Spells Book 1)

by AJ Sherwood

  Cameron made a sound like he was swallowing his tongue.

  “Want me to do it again?”

  “Yes please,” Cameron responded faintly.

  Alric repeated the process, leaving Cameron gasping and squirming, back arching. His breath shook, glazed eyes on Alric. Alric was content to do this all night long, to bring Cameron to the peak of pleasure over and over again, but not tonight. Not their first time together. He wanted more. Needed so much more.

  With his face pressed to Cameron’s skin, he smelled of magic and citrus, but so much more. He was flesh and sweat and desire. He smelled like…MINE.

  Alric paused, clenching his teeth as his dragon tossed its head up with a greedy roar. In all his nearly seven hundred years, he and his dragon had always been of accord. His dragon was content to allow his human side to remain in the driver’s seat in all things, but since he’d met Cameron his dragon had been making more insistent demands.

  Claim. Protect. Devour. Mine. Mine. Mine.

  And while he was horrified by his dragon’s ceaseless demands, there was a part of his human side that completely agreed. Cameron was his and his alone.

  “Alric?” Cameron’s voice was soft and needy, but there was a thread of worry that helped Alric climb back into control.

  Lifting his head to meet Cameron’s sharp eyes, Alric gasped out, “Need you.”

  Knowing his eyes must be flashing gold with the depth of his emotions, Alric felt a surge of gratification and lust when Cameron displayed no fear. Instead, his eyes widened with wonder, and he eagerly nodded before he pushed into a seated position. Alric crawled across the bed to the nightstand, grabbing the cream hidden in the top drawer.

  The jar was one of the preferred porcelain types the mages liked to use. He lifted the stopper top out and dipped two fingers in before reaching behind and stretching himself on a sigh. The burn was sharper than he expected as muscles resisted the sudden intrusion. Alric couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d bottomed for anyone.

  “I think that’s my job, sexy,” Cameron breathed against his ear. He pulled on Alric’s hip, toppling him to the mattress in an easy, gentle roll.

  Alric went with it, letting Cameron arrange his legs on either side of his slender body before he snatched up the jar. He made quick work of slicking up his fingers, but then the world slowed down again. As if his lover was treasuring this moment as well. Cameron traced the puckered ring for a moment, teasing him. Bending his head, Cameron pressed a kiss to the side of Alric’s knee and then another on the inside of his thigh.

  “Do you know how long I’ve been dreaming of touching you?” Cameron whispered against his skin. His hot breath brushed against him, leaving behind goosebumps.

  “Twenty minutes,” Alric said, trying to sound unaffected and failing miserably.

  “Weeks,” Cameron replied. Though, Alric wasn’t sure if he’d heard him correctly. Cameron had pushed his finger inside as he spoke, and Alric moaned. The burn was gone now, replaced with pleasure and building need. Cameron worked him slowly, kissing up his leg while carefully adding a second finger.

  Alric let his eyes slide closed, enjoying the sensation. It was always so much better when he had someone else fingering him. But this was so much more than someone. This was Cameron. His Cameron with the intoxicating laugh and winsome smile exploring his body with his hands and mouth as if he couldn’t get enough of Alric. His own hand didn’t bring as much pleasure. His Cameron was setting him on fire, leaving his leg trembling and dick throbbing for release. For the moment, his dragon was silent, seeming to revel in Cameron’s touch as much as Alric.

  “You can’t help it, can you? Always so sexy,” Cameron murmured. Alric had never heard Cameron’s voice dip so low and rough. His lover brushed his lips across Alric’s cock, and he hissed as pleasure crackled through him, straining his fragile hold on his control. “I’m so tempted to see if I can make you come just like this.” Cameron twisted his fingers deep inside him, brushing lightly over his prostate. The jolt knocked the breath from Alric’s lungs.

  “Cameron!” Alric moaned. His fingers twisted in the bedclothes on either side of him. The instinctive move sent a small ripple of pain up his left arm, but this time he welcomed it as it shoved back his encroaching orgasm.

  “But I need inside you. Need to feel you when you come. Rubber?”

  It took a minute for Alric’s brain to climb back into higher functions and formulate an answer. “Don’t need it. The lube in your hand is a potion. It prevents any spread of diseases.”

  Cameron’s hand stopped for a moment, staring at the jar with wonder. “Seriously? Remind me to get Lisette to teach me that next.”

  “I believe you’ll remember,” Alric drawled, amused at him.

  “You’re probably right. Because not having a condom between us right now is getting me all hot and bothered. I mean, safe sex is sexy and all, but still.” Cameron quickly slathered on more of the cream. Even from his position, Alric could see the tremble in Cameron’s hands as he readied himself. With his right hand, he grabbed Alric’s left leg and placed it over his shoulder. He paused, his eyes questioning. “Shoulder okay?”

  Shoulder? Alric was pretty sure the only thing he could feel was his aching dick and the tingling need to come in every damn nerve ending. He certainly wasn’t in any pain. “It’s good,” Alric quickly replied.

  Alric had intended to ride Cameron earlier, but having his lover over him like this was wonderful as well. This way he could see Cameron’s every expression, every emotion as it crossed his face.

  The head of Cameron’s cock brushed against his hole once, and then he was pressing forward. Alric pushed outward until Cameron finally forced his way past stubborn muscles. A hiss escaped Alric before he could catch it, and Cameron froze. The burn and pain were back, sharper than before.

  “Been a while,” Alric gritted out, trying to get his damn body to adjust to Cameron’s girth faster.

  Cameron’s grin turned surprisingly wicked as he wrapped his long, slender fingers around Alric’s semi-hard cock. “Don’t hate me, but…good.”

  A moan jumped from Alric’s parted lips as Cameron stroked him, but his mind was still turning over Cameron’s words. He was glad Alric hadn’t bottomed for another in a while. Cameron wanted him. Cameron wanted him all for himself. Alric’s dragon proudly stretched and preened inside of him. The damn beast would have been contentedly blowing smoke rings if Alric let him, but now was not the time. Cameron was pushing deeper, and the burn had given way to the most delicious pleasure.

  Cameron paused, adjusting, then slid out again on a long glide. He continued at this pace, sinking into Alric’s body inch by slow inch until Alric had finally taken all of him. He pulled back out in the same steady pace.

  Reaching up with his right hand, he grabbed a hunk of Cameron’s hair and pulled him down for a deep, soul-stealing kiss. Cameron moaned into his mouth, and Alric swore he could taste his desire. He’d never felt so full, so connected to another person in all of his long existence. He wished they could stay just like this forever, but the need burning through him left him wanting to beg Cameron to fuck him hard, straight into oblivion.

  “Cameron, don’t tease.” Alric meant for that to be a demand, but it came out a touch too plaintive. It felt good, yes, but he wanted so much more.

  “I really, really want to,” Cameron told him, then groaned. “I can’t find the patience for it. I’ll tease you later.”

  Alric had a smart comment, but it was lost to his moan when Cameron pulled nearly completely free of his body before slamming home again. His devilish lover set a bruising pace, and Alric still wanted more. The feel of Cameron moving inside of him, the stretch and pleasure singing through his body, chased one cry of pleasure after another up his throat. He wanted to feel embarrassed for the noises he was making, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t feel anything but exquisite joy and the electric tingle of his own orgasm demanding to be set free.

  Rea
ching for his cock to give himself some relief, Alric cried out when Cameron batted his hand away after just a couple of strokes.

  “That’s mine,” Cameron informed him even as his strokes picked up the same rhythm as his thrusts.

  “I’m—hahnn—not about to argue.” He thrust his head back into the pillow. Cameron was grazing his prostate with every thrust, while also stroking his dick. It all drove him straight for the edge of the cliff.

  His hand shot out and caught Cameron behind the neck, pulling him down. He slammed their mouths together. It wasn’t so much a kiss as a desperate clash of teeth and tongues. He needed to be connected to this man in every way possible.

  And then the world exploded. Alric shouted as his orgasm broke free, sending a splash of cum across his chest and stomach. Cameron stroked him through it while his thrusts lost their rhythm. A second later, Cameron cried out and a dizzying heat poured into Alric’s body.

  Cameron released him and fell into the cradle of Alric’s legs, his head nestled on Alric’s right shoulder. Their desperate pants were the only sound in the room. Alric closed his eyes, just letting the feel of Cameron’s weight sink into him. They stayed like that, warm and tangled together, for several minutes and caught their breath. Alric stroked a hand along Cameron’s spine, enjoying the afterglow with a smile on his face.

  Their mingled scents filled the air, and Alric smiled at the feeling of sated peace coming from his dragon at last. His other half had been endlessly restless when it came to Cameron since the very first day, but now, at long last, it was happy. There was still a whisper of possessiveness, a need to claim Cameron officially, but this had at least bought Alric some time and a little peace and quiet. The happy sigh that escaped Cameron was proof enough to the dragon that the man in his arms wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  “Can I do that more often?” Cameron asked against his skin.

  Alric closed his eyes against his own feelings of peace and contentment. He had zero desire to move ever again. “You can do that whenever you’d like.”

  “Awesome,” Cameron whispered. He sounded so relaxed that he was practically half asleep. “Because you, sir, are incredibly fun to have sex with. And I feel like sex needs to happen as often as possible in the future.”

  Alric’s body shook lightly with a soundless chuckle. “I’m certainly not arguing against it.”

  Cameron lifted his head and kissed him, a gentle, sweet exchange. “This position is good for you?”

  “It is. Most of them are.” Alric felt touched Cameron had obviously thought about it. Tried to arrange them to put the least amount of stress on his body as possible. “Anything that demands strength on my left side is not possible. I also can’t lay on it for any length of time. I go numb.”

  “Gotcha.”

  “When you sleep over, I need to be on my right side or flat on my back,” Alric continued and then held his breath. He didn’t know how Cameron’s generation handled dating, or sex, or sleeping over. He could only ask for what he wanted and see how Cameron took it.

  Cameron came up to rest on one elbow, his thumb caressing Alric’s cheekbone. “If that’s your way of inviting me to stay the night, I’d love to. I should warn you I’m a heat-seeker. So if you’re not much of a cuddler, I will steal all of your blankets.”

  Alric relaxed, the uncertainty fading. “I like to cuddle. I run hot anyway; you can have the blankets if you’d like.”

  “I’d much prefer to be wrapped around you.” Cameron grimaced, looking down between their bodies. “And as much as I’m enjoying this, we are starting to stick together. Let me get us cleaned up. Then we can cuddle and talk.”

  Alric didn’t want to lose the feeling of Cameron inside of him or wrapped around him, but the young man was right. The sooner they were clean, the sooner they could be tucked into bed and cuddled again.

  They cleaned up with a soft, wet cloth before returning to the bed. Alric propped up on a pillow and invited Cameron into his right side, where the younger man happily snuggled in. It was lovely, laying like this with Cameron, skin to skin and not a worry intruding.

  They stayed like that for an indefinite time, Cameron’s fingers lightly ghosting over his skin in a wonderful caress. The young mage seemed relaxed, but he could almost hear the wheels turning in his brain. He wasn’t surprised when he finally spoke up.

  “Alric?”

  He hummed, tucking Cameron a little tighter against him.

  “Can I ask you some personal questions?”

  “You can ask me anything you like,” he replied, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice. Cameron’s hesitance seemed odd considering they were snuggled naked in bed together.

  “I’ve seen a gold flash sometimes in your eyes. What is it?”

  “Hmm, you can think of it as a hint of my dragon side. When I’m excited, or my blood is pumping, fire leaks through.”

  “Ohhh, that’s cool. I did wonder, as I couldn’t figure out a rhyme or reason to it.” Cameron ruminated on that for a moment, and when he opened his mouth again, his tone was far more tentative. “Second question. It’s about your scars. How did you get them?”

  Alric tensed. He couldn’t stop himself, and he knew Cameron felt it. The damn things had been a sore subject for him since he’d first gotten them. Of course, he’d never had to speak of them because until recently, everyone in the castle knew exactly how he’d gotten his scars. What they cost him.

  Cameron’s head popped up as he pushed away from Alric. Even in the darkness of the room, Alric could read the worry on his lover’s face. He didn’t want that. His mage should never hesitate to ask him questions.

  With his right arm, Alric pulled Cameron close again, tucking him against his chest. It seemed easier to speak about the past with his lover pressed close, as if holding Cameron in his arm made the memories a little less painful.

  “They happened near the end of the Great Dragon War. We were marshalling forces in what would become Algeria. A group of mages and a number of dragons were working together on a new defensive strategy. The Jaeggi staged a surprise attack. We were outflanked and outmatched.” Alric paused and licked his lips against the inevitable tightness in his throat that formed when he thought of that battle.

  Cameron’s hand slid up Alric’s chest, coming to settle over his heart. “It’s okay. I’m right here.”

  Alric caught his hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing his knuckles. “Thank you, Liebling. My father was there, helping with the evacuation. I stayed behind to make sure the last of the mages escaped with dragons. My attention…my attention was not on the Jaeggi.” Alric’s voice caught in his throat as the memories of the burning sun and the smell of the smoke permeated his mind. It was all still as fresh as that day.

  His fingers tightened a little on Cameron’s hand, and he brushed that soft skin across his lips, letting it settle him. “It’s amazing the things you forget in time and the strange things you remember. Like…I can’t remember the spell they used that nearly killed me, but I can remember I had mutton that day. The first in nearly a month. A dragon had brought it in from Greece the night before when carrying in new supplies. Lisette would know the spell, but it doesn’t really matter.”

  “Alric?”

  “I was concentrating on the mages when the spell hit. I was in my dragon form. My father flew in from above me, took the brunt of the hit, but some of it ripped through my left wing and down the left side of my back.”

  “Oh god!” Cameron said in a harsh whisper.

  “There were enough of our forces remaining to hold back the Jaeggi so they could rescue my father and myself. Our remaining mages did everything they could to save my father’s life, but it was too late for him. He held on long enough in excruciating pain to tell me he loved me. To be brave. To protect our people.”

  Cameron wrapped his arms around Alric’s neck, pressing so close that nothing could slip between them. “Oh, Alric. I’m so sorry.” Warm tears smeared damp streak
s on Alric’s shoulder, and Alric threaded his fingers through Cameron’s hair. His sweet mage.

  “Shhh, dearest one. It’s okay. My father was a brave and wonderful leader. He was happy to give his life for his people, even his headstrong son,” Alric murmured.

  “But your wing? Your arm? Why couldn’t they heal you?”

  A soft sigh escaped Alric. “They might have been able if I’d allowed them to try. I wouldn’t let them. I wouldn’t let a mage tend to my wounds. I commanded them all to use their powers and knowledge to save my father.” He paused and shook his head. “By the time he passed, the wounds were too deep and had started to scar. They did what they could to ease my pain and heal what they were able, but it was clear I would never fly again.”

  Cameron settled his head on Alric’s shoulder, and Alric lifted his left hand toward the mage. There was a low dull ache at the movement, but that could have just as easily been thanks to their earlier exercise. Very lightly, Cameron’s fingertips followed the scars from his fingers up his arm to his elbow before dropping his hand to Alric’s stomach.

  “Do you see your scars as some kind of penance because your father died instead of you?”

  There was no stopping the low chuckle. “You are too smart for your own good.”

  “Really?”

  “I did. For a long time. I told myself I should have been paying more attention to the Jaeggi. That I should have been faster. Or stronger. The spell had been meant for me, not my father. I thought our clan would have been better off with him instead of me.”

  “You don’t think that now?”

  Alric shook his head, though it wasn’t entirely true. There were still a lot of days he felt that way, but they grew fewer as the years passed. “No. The spell was meant to kill. The Jaeggi were happy with it killing any dragon. It was just a horrible thing that happened. My father saved me, and by not recognizing that, I failed to appreciate my father’s sacrifice. The only way I can live up to my father’s gift is to be the best king I can be.”

  Tilting his head up, Cameron pressed a sweet kiss to Alric’s chin and another on his jaw. “You are an amazing king. Your people love and respect you. Your father would be so proud of you.”