Laoch

by Kate LaMontagne

  Remi shot Laoch a startled look. “Damage and noise?”

  “You’ve already experienced some of it.” Laoch smirked at Remi, reminding him of the times Tiger had lost his temper and knocked Remi on his ass with a burst of power from his spelled bracelet.

  “Oh… yeah.” Remi paled and winced at the memory.

  “The open area will give us room for weapons training, including swordplay. I understand that Tiger is quite a talented swordsman. Since we both have dragon swords, we’ll be able to practice with our native weapons on an equal basis.”

  Remi frowned, glancing at Tiger. “Is that safe? I mean, shouldn’t you use practice weapons?”

  Not answering immediately, Laoch sipped his tea distractedly. He hadn’t been aware that Noah would be joining them. The memory of those tight pants had him shifting uncomfortably on his chair.

  “Laoch?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I said is that safe?”

  “It is necessary. To be proficient with a weapon, one must practice with it. A dragon sword will have a different weight, a different feel. It must be wielded against an equal weapon. While Tiger has won many tournaments using a lesser sword against lesser opponents with lesser weapons, he has not fought using his dragon sword against an equal or possibly better swordsman.”

  He cast Tiger an apologetic look. “Modern weapons are all well and good, but there will be times when he will be called upon to defend himself against challengers who will wield more archaic weapons. Honor will dictate a level playing field. Also, there will be times that Tiger may be asked to attend Fae events on Old Earth and Fae do not carry modern weapons there.”

  “It’s okay,” Tiger agreed. “I understand what you’re saying. I’m aware that my experience is severely limited. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to utilize Dragon Slayer to his full potential against another dragon sword. Um… by the way, does your sword have a name?”

  Tiger had always been ridiculed for naming his sword. He bit his lip, hoping for some form of vindication from Laoch. Did others name their swords, or was he the idiot everyone else thought he was?

  “Díoltas,” Laoch replied softly, dropping his eyes. It means revenge.”

  He slid his chair back, rising and taking his dishes into the kitchen. Tiger followed his movements as he rinsed them and placed them into the cleaning unit.

  “Finish up your breakfast Tiger,” he said as he passed by on the way to his room to get dressed. “We need to meet Tony and Noah shortly if we’re going to get the warehouse whipped into shape.”

  Midnight bounded ahead of Laoch down the hallway and waited for him at the door. Tiger turned back to his breakfast and pushed the food around on his plate, his appetite gone.

  “I’m worried about him. He’s pushing himself too hard. It’s like he has some deadline to meet. I know he’s trying to hold it together for now in order to help me out, but he seems really driven. I wish there was something I could do to help him.” He looked up and met Remi’s gaze. Remi and Laoch were constantly on each other’s last nerve but he knew Remi would put up with Laoch just because he was Tiger’s kin and had made Tiger’s continued well-being a priority. He’d filled Remi in on Laoch’s situation, so Remi was trying to be more tolerant of the prissy aristocrat.

  Remi reached out and massaged the nape of Tiger’s neck. “He’s a strong man; a fighter. Keep an eye on him. If you think he needs anything, more help or whatever, let me know. We’re all in this together.”

  “I can help,” Jake offered.

  “Nice try. You are going back to school today bud. Go on you two. Hop to it. I’ll clean up before I head out.” Standing, he pulled Tiger up tight against his groin, squeezing his ass with both hands as he planted a scorching kiss on his mate’s lips. Tiger moaned and gripped the front of Remi’s shirt, pulling him down to keep the kiss going.

  “Oh, barf! Take it to the bedroom guys!” Jake jumped up and headed for the stairs. “I’m gonna go blind if you keep this up!”

  Tiger and Remi started giggling. Remi spun him around and gave him a slap on the butt.

  “Off with you now. Stay out of trouble today. I’ll check in with you later.”

  Chapter 5

  When Laoch and Tiger reached the warehouse they found Tony, Tae, and Noah already there, sitting on the bed of the big hauler Noah had driven over from the fort. TJ knew they were going to need something large enough to haul in construction materials and equipment, so he didn’t see any sense in sending smaller trucks.

  “Hey, guys” Tiger greeted. Eying the truck, he said “Go big or go home, eh?”

  “You know TJ” Tony said. “He doesn’t do anything on a small scale. This was the biggest truck we had in the motor pool. I practically had to throw a rope ladder down to Tae for him to climb aboard.” Tony’s native husband was only about five foot four, but his enthusiasm made up for his lack of stature.

  “Tae wanted to come along and help, and he wanted to see his best friend.” Tony and Noah jumped down from the truck bed and lifted Tae down. As soon as his feet hit the dirt, he launched himself at Tiger and hugged the stuffing out of him. Tiger introduced Tony and Tae to Laoch.

  Laoch stood a foot taller than Tae. When Tae looked up and saw the beautiful Fae’s violet eyes and long platinum hair, he was entranced. Even though he had met Laoch at McNair’s compound, he didn’t recognize Laoch because he had used a glamour to hide his true Fae appearance from Tae, looking instead like a nerdy professor in glasses.

  Corvan natives from the northern region didn’t meet many non-humans. They had been fascinated by Tiger, and Tae’s reaction to Laoch was no different. He reached out to Laoch tentatively and Laoch surprised everyone by dropping to one knee, allowing Tae to touch his hair, which he’d left loose that morning.

  “So beautiful,” Tae whispered in awe as he touched the silky strands and looked into Laoch’s eyes. Laoch smiled at Tae, then stood with a courtly bow.

  “It is my honor to meet my cousin’s friends, and it is very gracious of you to offer your services in setting up this training center. We hope all of Tiger’s friends and family will feel free to make use of it. Thank you. Well then, shall we get started?”

  Laoch unlocked the door and they all entered. Looking around at the enormous space, Noah whistled, and the sound echoed back at them. “This place is huge! I think we’re going to need more help,” he said. “Let’s look over the plans and see where we should start.”

  They looked over Laoch’s rough sketches and figured out what supplies they needed and how many men they’d need to get the job done. Even though Laoch was heading the project, Noah had construction experience and leadership skills, so he unofficially became the project foreman. He took the hauler to gather the materials they’d need for the first day while the others started clearing out and cleaning up the area. He came back two hours later with a truck load of materials and four more men.

  By the end of the first day, they had a finished bathroom and laundry room. The stuff they’d cleared out was loaded into the hauler and would be dumped before picking up more construction materials the following day.

  Standing back to admire the results, Laoch was deeply impressed with the quality of their work and how much they’d already completed. They were all covered in sheetrock dust, dirt and various and sundry other things that Laoch could not and would not identify. He clapped Noah on the shoulder and congratulated them all on a job well done.

  They all agreed to meet at one of their favorite bars for drinks later, on Remi’s tab of course. The additional men Noah had brought left in their vehicle, offering to drop Tony and Tae off at their place on the way. Once Tiger, Laoch and Noah were the only ones left they discussed what the plan was for the next day.

  Being absolutely filthy, Laoch made up a shopping list for cleaning, laundry and bathing supplies so they’d be able to clean up in the new bathroom at the end of each day. Remi was borderline OCD about the cleanliness of his home and Laoch kn
ew he’d have a hissy fit if they tracked through the house in their current state. As it was, they’d probably have to strip at the front door that night before heading for the bathrooms.

  With a plan in place, Noah took off in the hauler and Laoch and Tiger headed back to Remi’s house (now Remi’s and Tiger’s home). Laoch was right. Remi met them at the front door, took one look at them and made them go around to the back yard. He put a laundry basket out, pointed to the pool towels and told them to strip. They had to rinse off under the pool shower before he would let them set foot in the house. Once the first layer of dirt was removed, they were allowed to enter and use their own showers. Hot water and soap never felt so good.

  Even though Laoch looked like a pampered royal, he was no stranger to rough living. He was a warrior after all and used to living off the land and getting his hands dirty. That didn’t mean he liked it. He could appreciate a good soak in lavender water as much as any other Fae royal.

  After cleaning up in the shower he ran a hot bath in his spa tub, adding a generous amount of bath salts. He climbed in, turned on the jets and leaned back, stretching out and relaxing his sore muscles. He and Tiger had done a lot of the heavy work due to their enhanced Fae strength. It was grueling work, especially in his weakened condition.

  The warmth of the water and the rumbling jets lulled him, and he dozed lightly, dreaming about Noah. Noah was in the shower at the warehouse, cleaning up after a long day of working on the construction. He was backed up to the showerhead and his head was tipped back, water sluicing down his face and slicked back hair, running down his broad chest over ripped abs and Apollo belt into the nest of dark curls that surrounded a shapely cock.

  He reached out and picked up a bottle of body wash and poured a generous amount into his hand. Settling the bottle back on the built-in shelf, he stepped forward a bit, so the water was hitting his back and running down his perfect butt. He started to lather the soap over his hairless chest, working it across his muscular pectorals. Laoch could see a dark treasure trail through the bubbles, descending from just below his navel to his groin.

  Noah worked his hands down over the ripples of his abs to his flat belly and finally to his cock. He took himself in hand and started stroking slowly, giving a little twist each time he reached the crown and rubbing his thumb over his slit. Clear drops bubbled out of it.

  Propping one foot up on the corner bench, he reached around with his other hand and penetrated himself until he found his sweet spot. Stroking his shaft faster, he rubbed the gland harder until finally he cried out as ropes of his creamy seed spurted out again and again. “Laoch!” Gasping and shuddering, he stepped back under the water and let it wash away the soap and the evidence of his orgasm.

  Noah turned his body to face into the water, leaning a hand forward against the wall. That was when Laoch saw the vivid tattoo that covered his shoulders and back. A phoenix in flight, covered in red and blue flames.

  Laoch jerked awake, gasping for air, his eyes wide and darting around the bathroom. His heart pounded in his chest.

  There was a light knock on the door and Tiger called out “Laoch, dinner’s almost ready.”

  Laoch blinked hard several times, forcing himself to calm down.

  “Laoch? Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Yes, I’ll be right out. Thank you.”

  He opened the drain and rinsed off quickly. He felt a little light-headed as he stood and dried off.

  “Sorry,” he said, joining them at the breakfast bar. “I’m a little tired and dozed off in the bath. I should probably just stay here tonight and rest. I trust you’ll give my apologies to everyone at the pub?” he said to Tiger.

  “Oh… sure,” Tiger replied. “They’ll understand. Hey, Remi, come with me. We won’t stay long. Tomorrow will be another early call, so we’ll hit the sheets early.”

  Remi’s eyes lit up at that comment. “Sounds good to me.” He squeezed Tiger’s thigh under the counter, grinning wickedly at Tiger. Jake choked on a mouthful of food and cleared his throat.

  Once dinner was finished, Remi and Tiger headed to the bar and Laoch went to his room. He stripped down and crawled into bed, deciding to read until he could sleep. The memory of his dream of Noah still haunted him. He felt guilty lusting after Noah so soon after Aidan’s death. Even though he’d promised Aidan that he’d move on and find another mate, he knew he’d never have another fated-mate Only one was ever granted to the Fae.

  He dropped off eventually into a fitful slumber, until a noise woke him. He listened to determine what it was that had disturbed his sleep.

  “Remi! Yes! Do that again! Ooohh… my god… aah… aah… aah… harder!”

  Unfortunately, the rooms in Remi’s house were not as well insulated as Tiger thought they were. They might have been fine for human ears, but a full Fae’s hearing was many, many times sharper. Laoch couldn’t begin to count the number of times Remi and Tiger’s love-making had woken him and left him hard as stone in the middle of the night.

  Feeling like a voyeur, Laoch couldn’t stand it anymore and he grabbed his shaft and started stroking himself in time with the squeaking of the bed upstairs. He closed his eyes and imagined that Noah was riding his cock, picturing the sweat sliding down his torso and his wavy brown hair hanging over his forehead, damp curls clinging to his face.

  He tugged and fondled his balls with his free hand, biting his lip to keep from making any noise. Tiger might not have full Fae hearing, but he wouldn’t risk his cousin hearing him getting off to their love-making. He came at the same time he heard Tiger cry out, his back bowing up off the bed as an explosive orgasm tore through him.

  Gasping for breath, he rolled onto his side and reached for some tissues to wipe off his release. He threw the tissues in the trash next to his bed and pulled the blankets up over his shoulders, drifting off at last to a deep sleep.

  He was in the laundry room at the warehouse, loading the dirty clothes from their day’s work into the washer. The shower in the bathroom next to the laundry room was running and steam wafted out through the slightly open door. Somehow, he knew that it was Noah in the shower.

  Entering the bathroom, he stripped and dropped his clothes to the floor. He slipped behind the shower curtain, moving to stand behind Noah who had his face turned into the warm spray of the water. He could see the phoenix tattoo in great detail. It was stunning. Wings spread in flight; the head was thrown back as the flames ate at its body. He could see every detail of each feather, so realistic he felt like he could reach out and take it onto his arm.

  Wrapping his arms around Noah’s waist, he pressed up against his back and took his shaft in his hand. He stroked Noah’s cock as he teased one of Noah’s nipples with his other hand, his own shaft hard and sliding against the cleft of Noah’s cheeks. Noah leaned back against Laoch’s shoulder, tipping his head to the side to give Laoch access as he sucked a mark onto Noah’s neck. “Laoch!” he gasped.

  Laoch lurched up in his bed, his chest heaving as he looked around the room. The sun peeked dimly through the crack between the curtains, indicating that sunrise was imminent. He crawled out of the bed and dragged himself into a cold shower, effectively killing the throbbing erection he’d awoken with. This was going to be a long day.

  Chapter 6

  Laoch had a headache he just couldn’t seem to get rid of. The pounding of the hammers and the high-pitched whine of saws and drills cut through his brain like a dragon sword being wielded by a sadist. There was nothing to do about it, though; they were close to finishing the construction. Once that was done, they just had the finishing work inside… painting, installing the equipment, and so on.

  They’d worked hard over the last few days, finishing way ahead of schedule. The laundry room was an addition they hadn’t originally planned on, but it allowed everyone to clean up and put on fresh clothes before leaving each day. Laoch threw all the dirty clothes in the wash at the end of the day, so they’d have clean clothes to change into the next day
.

  Once training started, he and Tiger would be able to clean up before going home. One time of having to shower outside in cold water was enough for Laoch.

  “I’m going to need to stop by the store for more laundry supplies. Washing clothes for nine people every day is going through soap faster than I expected,” Laoch lamented.

  “There’s a store just down the street,” Tony said. Give me a list of what you need, and I’ll send Tae to get it.” Tae perked up, eager to help. He was too small for most of the work they were doing, and he loved shopping. Stores were non-existent where he came from, so he loved any excuse to shop. He’d been helping by making lunches to bring in every day and acting as a gofer.

  Laoch was also teaching Tae to do laundry since he was basically a house-husband to Tony. That was one less headache Laoch would have to deal with. Tae was smitten with Laoch and would do just about anything he asked of him. Tony didn’t mind; he knew it was just hero worship. Tae’s heart was forever chained to Tony’s.

  When Tae returned with the supplies, they decided to break for lunch. Once lunch was more or less finished, the rest of the guys goaded Laoch and Tiger into giving them a demonstration of their sword handling skills. They finally acceded and squared off against one another while the men circled around them, cheering them on.

  Even in his weakened state, Laoch handily beat Tiger the first few times. Tiger was a quick study, however, and the last set ended in a tie. Their swords flying faster and faster in a continuous back and forth parry and thrust, clanging metal echoing off the warehouse walls, till they both stopped at the same time their chests heaving and gasping for air. Laoch laughed and gave Tiger a snappy salute with his sword, and Tiger returned it, then bowed modestly to the sensei.