Ilno

by Toby Aden

  Ilno climbed back onto the bed, pulled Ciran’s lithe body into his arms, and curled around Ciran’s back, dropping a kiss against his mate’s nape. “What do you want to do for our matingmoon?”

  “Hmm. There’s a mountain retreat to the northwest of here. I always thought I’d take my mate there if I ever found the one,” Ciran said.

  “And you want to go there?” Ilno asked.

  “Yeah. It’s beautiful and the one place I can seem to settle for longer than a month without itching to move. You’d love it, Ilno, especially when it snows and everything looks different.”

  “Snow? What is that?” Ilno asked, curious.

  “It’s just like ice crystals. Tiny white flakes falling from the sky. You’ll see when we get there.”

  “It snows?” Ilno asked in shock, having never seen such a phenomenon before.

  Ciran laughed, nodding. “Yeah. It seems to be the only place which experiences two seasons. It is an anomaly. No one understands why that is.”

  “I can’t wait to see it,” Ilno said, then dropped a kiss to Ciran’s shoulders. “Good night, mate.”

  “Night, Ilno,” Ciran mumbled before allowing himself to fall asleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Two days later, Ilno and Ciran took off for the mountain retreat, riding through the city. They rode hard and fast, wanting to get to the mountain retreat as early as possible to begin their matingmoon. It was a two-day ride with them taking breaks and camping for the night until they reached their destination. Ciran led them through a series of mountain mazes, the route so confusing that only a person who knew the place like the back of his hand could find his way through and out of here.

  The house they came upon was situated between two mountains and built like every other Earth homes, unique in its structure, yet the luxuriously decorated house was simple in its building plan. It was a very beautiful building with an amazing view made of stone and glass.

  “It’s very beautiful. I love it,” Ilno said, complimenting the house.

  “Thank you. This place belongs to me. It’s more of a home to me than the castle. My family has their own buildings scattered around here. We normally only come when we need a few days away,” Ciran explained, carrying their little belongings with them and entering the house.

  “Who owns this place and how is it that no one has ever ventured here before or mentioned it?” Ilno asked as he trailed after Ciran.

  “There are a few inhabitants here and the mountain is their habitat, but we bought a few lands from them. Just the royal family, mind you. We have an agreement with them, and in return for keeping their existence and presence a secret, we were free to come here,” Ciran explained.

  “Why make a deal like that? What makes them want to be secreted away from the rest of the world?” Ilno asked, not understanding.

  Ciran dropped their bags on the floor and settled into a couch in the sitting room. He had a pensive look on his face, and Ilno went to sit close to his mate, waiting for an answer to his question. They were silent for a while, and everything was so quiet that the regular buzz of the city was absent for the first time Ilno could remember.

  “Because, Ilno, they fear extinction. It was not always so, but apparently, our ancestors before the new laws came into place long, long ago, several centuries ago, they were being hunted for what they could do. You cannot repeat this to anyone,” Ciran said, staring back at Ilno.

  “I will not. Whatever you tell me remains between us both.”

  Ciran nodded. “There are a lot of our histories lost because of the selfishness of people back then and their desire to keep lining their pockets well. Do you know why it is mandatory for all royal Fae to tour the four kingdoms after they hit their hundredth year?” Ciran asked.

  Ilno frowned. “To maintain balance and checks?”

  Ciran shook his head. “No. That was a means to an end. Not the real reason why. The reason that law was made and done in a way that cannot be reversed is because of the selfishness of people as I explained earlier. Those who live here are winter fairies. They are a people who possess great power. In those days, people conquered the world and took over, anything that would ensure they gained more power even to the detriment of others was done. The fairies didn’t mind. After all, why should they? If we wanted to destroy each other, that was our choice.” Ciran paused to gauge Ilno’s reaction to this revelation. “That was their opinion until men who sought to use them discovered their identity and began hunting them down to drain them of their powers. They began to run and go into hiding. For several more centuries, they were left alone, but their numbers were dwindling. Our world was dying because of the imbalance of powers and not enough energy to sustain it. The fairies banded together and placed a curse on the Fae.”

  “A curse? We’re cursed?” Ilno asked in surprise.

  “Well, that depends on how we prefer to look at it. The Fae were multiplying faster than the fairies and with the imbalance and our dying world to deal with, the fairies banded together and began attacking those who were detrimental to the safety of our world, draining them of all the powers they’d acquired including theirs until they were left with just enough to live and not die. They released those energies back into the elements, earth, water, fire, and wind.”

  “Wait, why did they just not keep it for themselves?” Ilno asked.

  “Because, Ilno, they cannot. That much energy would kill them and their sole role is keeping balance throughout our world. They are more or less like watchers until they have no choice but to intervene.”

  Ilno nodded, waving for Ciran to continue his story. “Okay. Go ahead.”

  “Before they released the power and energy back to the elements, a few volunteered to do what needed to be done. They came together, combined all the energies and weaved a spell to create and enforce the mating call and all its consequences. Because the spell was too powerful, those who volunteered to cast it did so with their lives, dispersing the energies to their natural elements.” Ciran paused and allowed that to sink in before adding, “Those who survived went to each kingdom and threatened to take the last of their energies, which the Fae knew would kill them unless they agreed to send every royal-born Fae on a mandatory tour of the other kingdoms. You can imagine which the Fae chose, knowing that the fairies would make good on their threats. After several centuries passed, people forgot why and how the law came into place and just followed through with it because logic showed them the effect when they went against those two laws.”

  “By the fates!” Ilno exclaimed, then whistled. “How is it you know all this?”

  “The history, Ilno. It was drawn into a cave on these mountains.”

  “By whom?” Ilno asked.

  “No one I’d assume. Most likely it imprinted on when all this was happening. There’s just something magical about this place. You can feel it, yes?”

  Ilno nodded. “I want to see this cave.”

  “We’ll go there some time later. Right now, I’m tired from all the riding.” Ciran hit his palms against his thigh then stood up, stretching his hand out. “Come. Let me show you the lay of the house.”

  Lifting his hand, Ilno placed it in Ciran’s, and the man pulled him to his feet then turned and began showing him the house.

  “That’s the kitchen right there,” Ciran said, nodding toward the space to one side. The kitchen was clearly visible through the sitting room, separated by a counter.

  He led Ilno to one door and pulled it open. “The house is a three-bedroom villa. This one is the master bedroom; that means ours.” He waited while Ilno glanced around then pulled the door shut.

  Ciran led Ilno to the other door facing opposite each other. “These are the guest rooms.” He pointed to a glass door on the other end, where recliners were visible on the patio, and said, “That’s the rear exit, and this is us.”

  “It’s very simple yet elegant, beautiful,” Ilno said, his voice filled with approval.

  “I think so, too.
Now what do you prefer we do? Take a shower then dinner, or dinner first before we take a shower?” Ciran asked, seeking his mate’s opinion.

  “Shower first, please. I feel grimy, and I would like to wash that off first if you don’t mind,” Ilno said, holding the material of his clothing away from his body.

  “Then a shower it is. Mind if I join you?”

  “On the contrary, it would be my pleasure.”

  * * * *

  “Why do you always insist we take idris before making love?” Ciran asked one day as they lay on a lounger out in the sun.

  Idris was a type of herbal potion which prevented pregnancy during the fertility period, and each time Ilno suggested they drink it before making love, Ciran stared at his mate in confusion.

  “You said you didn’t want children. I am merely trying to prevent an unplanned pregnancy,” Ilno said, going for blunt honesty.

  Ciran stared at his mate in complete shock and confusion. “I said I didn’t want children? When did I say that?”

  “You do not remember? It was during the night of our mating when I asked what you thought of children.”

  Ciran face turned blank as he regarded his mate. When realization dawned, he gasped and threw his hands in the air. “By the fates, Ilno. Never said I didn’t want them. Just that I’d never given much thought to having one. That is not the same thing.”

  “But I thought…”

  “You thought wrong. I do want children with you, Ilno…unless you don’t.”

  Ilno sat up fast from his recliner and settled his legs on the floor, staring at his mate. “I do want them. I was disappointed when I thought you didn’t, but I was willing to live with it.”

  Ciran shook his head at his mate then stood up and went to straddle him. “You are an idiot, Ilno. I don’t want you giving up things you want just because you think I don’t want them, and next time, be sure to clarify things with me before jumping to conclusions,” Ciran said, the exasperation clear in his voice.

  “I am sorry. I realize now that I was not clear when I brought the subject up,” Ilno said.

  “Good, and besides, why would I not want them when I enjoy the process so much?” Ciran asked before leaning forward and taking Ilno’s mouth with his, swallowing the man’s response.

  Something fell on Ilno’s nose, and pulling away from his mate, he looked up to see white flakes trickling down. “What is this?”

  Ciran looked up, held his hand out, and let the snow fall on it, chuckling. “That, Ilno, is snow.”

  Ilno glanced at his mate then back at the falling flakes. “This is snow?”

  Ciran shook his head. “Hmm-mm, but it’s just starting. Let’s give it a day or two, and soon, you won’t recognize this place.”

  Ilno eyed his mate skeptically then glanced at the anomaly in action. “These little things would make the area unrecognizable? Really? I do not see how that is possible.”

  “Oh-ho. You’ll be sure to eat those words soon,” Ciran said then leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ilno’s lips. “Now, let’s go inside and get back to what we were doing before.” Ciran kissed Ilno again then stood up and held his hand out for Ilno.

  “Sure,” Ilno said then placed his hand in Ciran’s, allowing the other man to pull him up.

  Their hands clasped, Ilno and Ciran walked through the glass doors of the modest house, passing through the open-plan sitting room slash kitchen. They walked through the beautifully decorated room until they reach the door that led to the bedroom. Ciran pulled it open, leaving it that way as they stepped in and began pulling their clothes off, eyeing the other.

  Chapter Eleven

  The moment the last of their clothing fell away from their bodies, they pounced on each other, not knowing who moved first but not caring either, just as long as they continued touching each other. Ilno landed on the bed with Ciran crawling up his body, dragging kisses from Ilno’s torso to his shoulder, to his neck, to his chin, then finally his lips.

  Before Ciran knew what Ilno was about, Ilno hooked his legs over Ciran’s and flipped them over so that Ciran was lying beneath him and Ilno began kissing down Ciran’s body. He pulled back slightly to admire the happy trail that snaked from Ciran’s navel in light smattering to his cock.

  “I think it’s my turn to make love to you,” Ilno said before getting back to driving Ciran mad with lust.

  Ilno dipped his tongue into Ciran’s navel to taste while holding onto Ciran’s hips to keep the man still. Ciran was especially sensitive there, and Ilno drew his tongue back to bit down gently around his navel before licking the sting away and seeing his mate shudder in his arms. He ran his tongue down Ciran’s trail then began snaking one hand down Ciran’s legs to grip his thigh.

  “Ilno!” Ciran moaned, turning his head to watch what his mate was doing to him.

  When Ilno’s tongues wrapped around the tip of Ciran’s cock, the man whimpered, closing his eyes briefly then popping them open to keep staring. Ilno went straight for the slit in Ciran’s cock, and the man shot up from the bed, moaning loudly and thrashing his head on the bed.

  Ilno used his hands to hold Ciran down to the bed, leaving him open to his whims. Ilno swallowed the tip of Ciran’s cock in his mouth, playing with the member before opening wide to carefully take more of his mate’s length in his mouth. The monster couldn’t possibly all fit in his throat, but he was determined to make it a very pleasurable experience for the man.

  Ilno grasped the root of Ciran’s cock as well as the rest that did not fit in his mouth and began stroking it as he moved up and down on Ciran’s shaft.

  “So good…Ilno…so, so good!” Ciran cried, trying to buck his hips but unable to with Ilno’s tight grip.

  When Ilno saw that Ciran was getting close, he pulled his mouth away and squeezed Ciran’s cock to stop his release. Ilno ignored the whimpers demanding more and reached for the small container of oil on the bedside table then squirted some onto his hand and flipped Ciran onto his stomach, raising his ass up in the air.

  Ilno slipped his oiled hand to Ciran’s puckered hole. He prepared Ciran well to take his cock, fingering the man until Ciran began riding his fingers. He prepared the man properly until Ciran was well oiled and ready for him, then he used his slick hand to wipe against his cock, positioning himself at Ciran’s entrance before pushing in gently.

  Ilno moaned when the head of his cock slid in and was gripped tightly by the walls of Ciran’s ass. “Fuck! You feel so damn good.”

  Ciran grunted, wiggling his ass. “More.”

  “Are you sure?” Ilno asked.

  “Go deeper, Ilno. I can take it,” Ciran said then pushed back against Ilno as his mate pushed into him until Ilno bottomed out in his ass.

  Ciran bit the pillow, shuddering at the feel of Ilno deep inside his body, electricity jolting through his body, and unable to hold it in, he screamed out loud “Fuck me harder, Ilno!”

  Taking his mate’s word for it, Ilno began pumping in and out of Ciran as though his life depended on it, grunting and moaning, and the bed creaked with their forceful movements. Ilno set a punishing pace, thrusting into Ciran over and over again with the other man’s ass tight against his dick and gripping him hard. Like two men possessed, they loved hard.

  “You feel so good around my cock. So perfect,” Ilno praised as he continued thrusting into Ciran.

  The heat of their bodies caused them to begin glistening with sweat, but neither minded. Ilno shifted and pushed against Ciran’s prostate, hitting it with each thrust in, making Ciran’s eyes roll into the back of his head.

  “Oh fates…oh…ah…yes,” Ciran cried

  Unable to hold back his orgasm, Ciran spurted out his release, coming just from Ilno fucking him like there was no tomorrow. He stared down at his dick from half-lidded eyes, surprised that he had not had to stroke himself.

  It wasn’t long before Ilno was groaning and yelling out his mate’s name, following quickly after his lover and creaming the man’s ass with his see
d. When the stream of cum stopped, Ilno carefully withdrew his cock and flopped down beside his lover.

  “Are you okay?” Ilno asked, his throat patched as he began massaging his mate’s back and dripping ass.

  “Mmhmm. That was amazing.” Ciran sighed.

  “We need a shower. But before that, water. I’ll go get us some,” Ilno said then stood up from the bed and padded out the room into the kitchen.

  He poured two cups of water and carried them to the bedroom, handing one to Ciran, who drank it still lying in bed while he drank his sitting. Once done, he put the cups on the bedside table then lifted Ciran off the bed and carried his exhausted mate into the bathing chambers, settling them into the water.

  Ciran cuddled into his arms, his arms wrapped around Ilno’s neck and his head on the man’s shoulder. Gently, Ilno began washing his mate, doing a quick job of cleaning both of them without lingering. When they were both clean, Ilno stood, pulling Ciran up on his feet and walking them toward the towel holder.

  Ilno briskly wiped Ciran down then himself and replaced the towel, hanging it to dry before leading his mate back to the bedroom. He stripped the soiled sheet from the bed, bunching it up in his arms and going in search for clean sheets. He quickly rearranged the bed with Ciran’s help, and they flopped onto it, cuddling together.

  “We did not use the idris,” Ciran said triumphantly.

  Ilno had though Ciran asleep, but obviously not.

  “No, we didn’t,” Ilno agreed then stared searchingly at Ciran. “You could get pregnant. You don’t mind?”

  Ciran sighed, wishing his mate would just take him at his words. “No, Ilno. Quite frankly, I’d say I enjoyed every moment of it.”

  “But…”

  “Ilno. It’s fine. Really.” Ciran saw Ilno’s skeptical gaze and frowned. “Look, if you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it to you by showing you that I can settle. We’ll stay here for six months and I’ll try to resist my wandering nature. If I do this, you will not say another word on this subject, right?”