“I can’t believe you lived here. The place was hardly fit for anyone to call home.”
“Tell us about it,” Benton complained. “And he wouldn’t fix shit.”
“Okay, but I don’t know how you were surprised by that,” Victor said. “That place we all used to live at was the ugliest condo on the planet. Chand doesn’t give two shits about interior design.”
“Which reminds me, I’m going to need you and Evergreen to help with furnishing decisions when we get to that point for the Sentinel Brotherhood’s new complex,” Chander said.
Victor clapped his hands together. “Consider us your design team. Oh, this is going to be so much fun.”
Chander smiled and then turned to Alaric. “Kiss me, because I have a meeting to get to.”
Alaric did as he was told and then they went their separate ways. Later that evening they’d be reunited, and Alaric couldn’t wait.
Chapter 26
After another one of Victor’s delicious meals, Chander had rolled up his sleeves and had a productive meeting with Alaric and the Skeleton Seven. He’d toiled the afternoon away with the architect, but they were making progress. There were still more decisions to make and work to be done—however, the plan was to get going as soon as possible. Since the materials for the original design had already been ordered and the crews were waiting on the sentinels, Chander hoped by the following week they’d be under construction.
“I think things went well,” Alaric said as Chander gathered up the notes he’d scribbled.
“They’d tell me if I called them by the wrong name, right?”
“They’re sentinels. They would feel compelled to correct your mistake.”
“And yet the two formerly attached to my soul failed to mention I used to live here.”
“I’ll admit I’m still confused as to how they think that’s matchmaking,” Alaric revealed as they watched the assembled sentinels chat on the other side of the large space.
“Who knows?” Chander replied. “Tell me, do you have guest rooms upstairs?”
“If you want to sleep over, Chand, you’ll be in my bed.”
“I don’t have time for sex. I have a massive building project to get off the ground.”
“That excuse isn’t going to work for long.”
Chander lifted a brow at his formidable mate. “Oh really?”
“Yes, I’d like to get my hands on you.”
“You’re good with your hands, but I was thinking of something wider and longer than a finger,” Chander said. “But like I said, give me some time. I need this project started.”
“I’m getting cock-blocked by a building complex.”
“How do you even know that word?”
“Bax.”
“Figures,” Chander muttered. “Look at it this way—if you ever want those separation papers shredded, we need to break ground on this project. And your sentinels need a home.”
“I see your point. So, why did you ask if I have guest rooms?”
“I figured Bax and Ben would have made you build one with the idea it would eventually be theirs.”
“There are several guest rooms.”
“Good, because they’ll need a place to stay when you and I start having sleepovers.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I love the way your body feels wrapped around my—”
Chander had noticed several heads turned in their direction and so he placed his palm over Alaric’s dirty mouth. Their sex life had been fantastic, and he welcomed the chance to rekindle their passion, but their focus needed to be on the emotional component of their relationship. That had been where he’d fucked up and where he needed to rebuild the trust he had destroyed. He wasn’t going to make either of them wait forever, but they’d only been back together for a handful of days. They didn’t need to rush or have an audience listening to their intimate conversations.
Alaric winked at him and then removed Chander’s hand. He leaned over and gave Chander a kiss. Chander caressed Alaric’s cheek before turning back to the small army of sentinels in the room. “We’ll meet tomorrow, and I’ll give you guys the apartment renderings from the architect. Friday night we can skip our meeting so all of you can get the numbers we need for each layout. If it’s all right with everyone, we can meet sometime on Saturday to confer again. Sound good?”
All the men nodded and Chander reluctantly rose to his feet. He had a meeting the following morning and had work to do before then. Alaric stood as well, and sentinels began offering good-byes and shimmering out.
“Since we’re not having a meeting on Friday, am I going to see you?” Alaric asked before Chander prepared to teleport back to his hotel room.
“Absolutely.”
Tipping up his chin with his index finger, Alaric filled Chander’s mouth with his agile tongue. Before anything could get too heated, Alaric pulled away and they promised to see each other the following day.
“Be careful,” Alaric warned.
“I will,” Chander replied before returning to his hotel. Baxter was already there and a second later, so was Benton.
“I don’t like this idea of the elders trying to kill you,” Benton declared after removing his hood.
“I’m not an easy target.”
“Don’t get cocky and do something stupid,” Baxter demanded.
“I’m always around sentinels.”
Benton frowned. “You’ve snuck out, Chand. We’re not idiots.”
“I won’t do it again, Mom.”
“Good, or you’ll get grounded and only good little boys get to have sleepovers at their friend’s house,” Baxter said.
“I’d love to see the look on Alaric’s face if you told him I couldn’t go to his place because I was grounded.”
“You see, Ben? This is why it’s a bad thing he’s mated to the Lich Sentinel.”
“You’re both annoying. I have work to do.”
“We’re going to help,” Benton replied.
“Great, your first task is to figure out where the hell I put my laptop.”
* * *
When Baxter finally got Benton alone, the other sentinel was not in a pleasant mood.
“What the hell, Ben?”
“Chand isn’t done working, and I don’t appreciate you dragging me in here. This is for the Sentinel Brotherhood. It’s more important than your dick. If you’re that horny, you do have a hand. You don’t need me each time you have an itch to be scratched.”
“Wow, I love you too.”
“Bax, this doesn’t have anything do with love. It’s about sex, and you don’t need it every hour of the day despite what your dick says.”
“What the fuck crawled up your ass?”
“Chand is trying to get this building going, there’s a lot to do, and he can use my help—not to mention yours. That’s my fucking problem.”
“We’re at a good stopping point. Chand said so himself.”
“That’s because you kept putting your hand on my thigh and making him uncomfortable.”
“When Chand gets involved in something, a bomb could go off right next to him and he’d never notice. He could have cared less that I put my hand on your thigh. Besides, you’re my mate. He is used to me touching you. Even on the thigh.”
“It would have been impossible to miss the innuendos you’ve been tossing my way all evening.”
“Ben, the only one who can hear me is you. I used our mindlink.”
Benton stared at him with irritated blue eyes. “You have the answer to everything, don’t you?”
“Not to why you’re in such a foul mood.”
“I told you. Chand needs us, and we’re in here because you want to have sex.”
“It’s two in the morning. Chand needs sleep. So do we, and he’s not going to go to bed if someone doesn’t tell him to go. He has a meeting in six hours.”
“It’s two?”
“Yes, dumbass,” Baxter replied as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Now say you’
re sorry that you yelled at me.”
“I never raised my voice.”
“I’m waiting.”
“I’m sorry Fate gave me such an idiot mate.”
“Keep it up, and I’m not going to have sex with you before we sleep.”
“I swear, you’re like a cat in heat.”
“Victor doesn’t appreciate that expression.”
Benton was unmoved. “Good for him. He’s not here.”
“Ben.”
“Fine, I’m sorry I jumped down your throat.”
“Thank you, now let’s get naked.”
Benton tossed his daggers onto the nightstand and pulled off his T-shirt. “I don’t know why I’m putting up with this right now. I need sleep too.”
Baxter reached out and fondled Benton’s hardening cock. “Because you want to.”
“What’s wrong with me?” he asked before rocking into Baxter’s hand. “Damn, that feels good.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Baxter replied as he continued to milk Benton’s cock through his pants. “You’re gorgeous. Hung. And you have a perfect mate.”
Benton shoved him back so he could sit down and remove his boots. “Perfect is not the word I would use.”
“Liar,” Baxter said as he tugged off his footwear. Next came socks, pants, and underwear. Once naked, he grabbed the lube from the drawer and tugged the sheets down. Benton’s palm snaked over his hip.
“What’s the plan?” Benton asked.
“It’s late and you were snotty. All you’re getting is a mutual hand job.”
Benton didn’t argue; he lay down on the mattress and rolled to his side. Baxter joined him, and their mouths met. Tongues tangled while Baxter ran his hand over all of Benton he could touch. He liked the smooth feel of his skin and the catch of his breath when he discovered a spot that pleased him. His cock filled with blood as they touched and kissed. Even though it was late and he was tired, Baxter wasn’t rushing.
Desire simmered along his nerve-endings and he wondered how he’d ever lasted a day without this. Without Benton. It was incredible the way he made Baxter crave him by doing nothing but existing. He was moaning as they made love and wriggling his body closer. It put their fully rigid lengths in perfect alignment, and Baxter could almost smell the smoke of his well-intentioned plan to savor his man go up in flames. Somehow Benton, crafty sentinel that he was, had snagged the bottle of lube from Baxter’s grasp.
The sad part was Baxter, clearly Benton’s superior in everything that made them assassins, didn’t even notice until his mate took both of their dicks into his hand and began stroking. He hadn’t taken the time to warm it first, but even the coolness was welcome. Baxter gripped Benton’s hip and tore his mouth free so he could latch it on to his neck. He groaned out Benton’s name as he bit down and the other sentinel began jerking them faster. Baxter knew neither one of them was going to last long and he couldn’t care less. What he wanted now was satisfaction. Not just his own but Benton’s as well.
They thrust against each other as they tried to gain the advantage in this most intimate of battles. Though Baxter’s balls were begging for release and his nerve endings were screaming at him to let go, he wouldn’t give in. Benton’s hold tightened and became all business. Between Benton’s grip and the feel of his cock, Baxter was driving himself crazy by delaying his release.
“Come, damn it,” Benton ordered and Baxter decided to obey without question. Throwing his head back, he came all over Benton’s hand. The buzzing in his head hadn’t even stopped before he heard Benton shout and his wetness splashed onto his belly.
When he had his breath back and Benton had freed his dick, Baxter said, “You stole the lube.”
“That’s what happens when you’re mated to a superior sentinel,” Benton replied as he mopped them up with a dirty T-shirt before tossing it on the floor. “Now shut up, I’m tired.”
“If Chand sneaks out tonight, I’ll kill him.”
Benton yawned in his face after kissing him. “Better. We’ll tell his mate and let Alaric kill him.”
“Good plan. Do you know what I wish?”
“I’ll tell you what I wish. I wish you would shut the fuck up so I could sleep.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Ben.”
“Fine, I’m a genie in a bottle. Tell me your wishes.”
“You’d be hot in a genie costume.”
Benton rolled over. “Good night, Baxter.”
Spooning his man, Baxter said, “I wish Chand had just ordered me to kill the elders when he was young. His life would have been so much better.”
“Would never have happened.”
“I know but sometimes it’s tough being a sentinel. It’s not honorable to kill unless the person is attacking someone right in front of you. We’re completely incapable of jamming a dagger down the throat of someone who’s an asshole.”
“Nice to know if you were any other race you’d be a homicidal maniac.”
“You’d still visit me in prison, wouldn’t you?”
“Sleeping now,” Benton said. “Good night.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too. Try not to kill anyone while I’m sleeping.”
Chapter 27
It was Friday night and the Skeleton Seven had opted to stay at the compound for the evening. When Chander and Alaric had decided they could continue working on the building project without them, the other three people in the condo elected to enjoy their time instead. Victor had called up Evergreen who had shown up with Dudley and after dinner, the five men retreated to the cat shifter’s private living space to watch a movie. That left Chander alone with Alaric. They had tackled details that needed to be solved but somehow a few hours later, things took a more intimate turn.
Now Chander was being pressed into the sofa cushions by his large sentinel mate and loving every minute of it. Their mouths were lazily engaged and Chander’s body was humming with pleasure. His hands were tangled in Alaric’s messy hair, and the sentinel leader had one muscled thigh between his legs. Chander’s sex was snug against it and he relished the pressure. He ached for more, but it was a vague need compared to the bliss he was feeling.
Alaric’s palms were buried beneath his thin T-shirt, and Chander was enjoying the heat of them. He had no idea how many hours had passed since their interlude had begun and he didn’t care. When they were together before, Chander had lived with a constant sense of low-lying anxiety. He’d never just let himself appreciate the beauty of having a man who adored him and wanted to possess him in this way. Now Chander delighted in it. He could finally appreciate what a gift Alaric was.
“Come to bed with me,” Alaric whispered against his ear.
Chander wanted to but it wasn’t supposed to be this fast. “I thought the plan was to take it slow.”
Alaric lifted his head and his gleaming eyes were burning with desire. “Is that what you want?”
“No.”
Alaric kissed him and then peeled his body off Chander. He could feel his demon stirring inside him; he was apparently not going to tolerate their mate leaving him in this unsated condition. Alaric held out his hand and Chander took it once he too was on his feet. Chander was led to the bedroom he’d once slept in alone. Like the rest of the house, it had been made over. It was smaller than he remembered, but perhaps that was because there was a great deal more furniture inside.
The centerpiece of the space was a large bed covered in a charcoal gray duvet with a pile of chartreuse and white pillows stacked on top of it. The walls were papered in matched damask with a metallic shimmer to it. A black tallboy was between two large windows draped in flowy fabric. An enormous chaise with fat green cushions resting on the dark dragonskin sat in front of another long dresser. Under his feet was the same wooden flooring used throughout but it was partially covered by a rug in gunmetal and pewter.
“I love your room,” Chander said.
“I’m
glad.”
Alaric took his face into his hands and reunited their mouths. Chander slipped his fingers into his new favorite nook, between his mate’s hips and the glowing weapons that represented his race. Their bodies bumped into each other and Chander rose to his naked toes to get closer to Alaric. Though he was heavily aroused, he didn’t feel desperate to demand satisfaction. He slid his tongue along Alaric’s and exulted in delight at the hard cock poking into his midsection. Only he could make Alaric respond this way. He’d been the first one to show Alaric the joy of two people coming together for fulfillment. Fate would allow Alaric no other lover. It filled Chander with a sense of self-satisfied contentment he’d been missing when they had been together before. Alaric belonged to him and he gloried in the knowledge.
Alaric’s mouth traveled over his jaw, sucked up a spot on his neck, and then tormented his earlobe. “Come to bed,” he murmured.
Chander nodded and the sentinel stepped back to remove his daggers. He placed them on the black nightstand and then yanked his T-shirt over his head. Alaric’s chest was bereft of hair, so the sight of his ample muscles was unencumbered. Chander appreciated the view of all that chiseled flesh, but he was not content to simply stare at his man all night. He tugged off his own shirt and tossed it to the floor. His jeans and briefs were next to go. After shoving them to the floor and stepping out of them, his cock slapped his belly.
Alaric had moved faster than him and Chander’s vision was filled with the sight of his taut backside as he pushed the throw pillows onto the carpet and drew the sheets down. Chander crossed the area rug under his bare feet and climbed onto the large bed. Alaric mirrored his actions and came down on top of him. Chander’s hands smoothed down the rigid lines of Alaric’s back as the sentinel brought their lips into contact. Bracketed by Alaric’s biceps, Chander kissed him with teeth as well as tongue.
His mate’s body settled against him, and Chander moaned as his dick hit Alaric’s sculpted abs. Another time, he might have been content to simply rub against those perfect ridges, but he needed to be filled by Alaric, so he refrained from rutting against him like an animal. Not that he didn’t hump against him to get a little friction on his needy sex—but he managed to keep himself in check enough not to end things quickly.
Fall of the Arch Lich (D'Vaire, Book 6) Page 18