Strange Charm

by A. Phallus Si

  Dragging in several deep breaths, Jax wondered where this new, cruel Igor had come from. Teasing had never been his game before. Adjusting himself and finding no reprieve, he followed.

  They stood back to back on the stage after quietly conferring in the dark. Igor quibbled a bit and then conceded that any change to their gymnastics routine was ill advised. But the quirk in Igor’s lips alerted Jax that perhaps there would be a surprise or two. Little did he imagine how playful and aggressive his littermate could be.

  They interlocked elbows as the music began. Bright lights shone down and the crowd disappeared as they rose from the floor. Igor thrust himself downwards as he pushed Jax up, his body rotating 360 degrees, drilling towards the ceiling. He slowed, maneuvering his body parallel to the floor and stretched his hands out. Dipping his head backwards he could see Igor propelling himself off the stage, spiraling in a tight somersault. Arching his back, Jax grabbed Igor’s ankles and allowed momentum to pull him as Igor grasped him and they sailed into a circle, their bodies languidly twirling.

  The lights felt warm on his skin and the nubris was more distracting with the added heat and movement. Their suckers were rapidly compressing and decompressing against him, wrapping around his genitals and squeezing. Jax was beginning to see the allure as he enjoyed a particularly strong undulation along his cock.

  Having ceased spinning Igor lay inverted, flat against his back, head to tail.

  Jax spread his legs and reached for Igor’s hands, pulling him through and down along his body, aligning them perfectly. Groins pressed together, they locked legs and arched away from each other bringing themselves to a standstill in midair.

  The nubri in contact with each other began to attach and reattach, as they seemed to be wrestling. Indeed, Jax’s nubris seemed quite keen on attaching itself to Igor’s.

  Jax brought this to his attention. “We’ve got a problem, Igor.”

  “No shit,” he shouted over the music. “You stay there. I’ll sort it out.” Igor straightened and then crawled down Jax.

  “Apparently, I’m more desirable because I’m excreting more,” said Igor as he jacked Jax’s cock, luring the nubris back with the leaking pre-come. Jax was enthralled watching Igor catch the stray floating droplets with his mouth until the nubris glommed on with a ferocity that brought a bite of pain as it increased the pressure.

  “Ouch!”

  “Stop being a baby, Jax.” And he floated through his legs. “X formation,” Igor prompted.

  Jax refocused and bent over with his legs spread even wider and arms pushed upwards and back. He felt Igor move into position, his crotch firmly against Jax as his legs veed wide. Once again, the nubri became agitated. Igor grasped his hips, thrusting firmly into Jax.

  Jax gasped, “Fuckstars, Igor.”

  Igor laughed, slapped Jax’s ass, and pushed it forward, spinning him out while he spun backwards. Continuing through a series of twenty formations, Jax was tormented by Igor’s manhandling and was relieved when they reached the final maneuver. Straightening, Jax raised his arms, bringing his feet down on the stage again. Igor came to rest nestled behind him. Jax and Igor drew in deep breaths, their sweaty bodies vibrating from the performance, the nubri, and the anticipation for having nailed this token. They weren’t the only ones affected. The crowd’s noise was barely discernable over the thumping base, but they clearly evoked a response.

  Jax attempted to readjust the garment cupping him, pulsating with each breath and gently squeezing. He could feel Igor behind him; wished he was still pressed up hard against him. They sauntered over to Q’rcus’s table.

  “Exquisite, kittens.” Q’rcus patted his enormous legs and opened his arms in welcome. Jax crawled up onto one while Igor took the other. “So athletic.” His hand gently rubbed Jax’s back and down his hips. “Most invigorating. I think the audience found you most inspirational.”

  Well, if the breathless attendants running back and forth with various toys and lubricants were anything to judge by, they had definitely caused a rush. The raised volume of the Hetairan chants did little to mask the neighboring moans and grunts.

  He watched Igor fondle himself as he slid into the cradle between the arm and Q’rcus’s leg. Groaning, he pulled at the jeweled nubris barely containing his cock as it pushed against it. Q’rcus gently plucked away the damp strands of hair stuck to his cheek, moving them back over the side even as his other hand caressed Jax’s ribs up and down.

  “So, little mates, you are not solely bound together?” Q’rcus’s palm rested on Igor’s chest awaiting an answer. Suddenly, his misunderstanding of littermates didn’t seem very important.

  “No.” Igor tugged at the nubris again. “Help me, Jax.”

  A large hand tumbled him off his perch and he landed with his face in Igor’s crotch. “Take it off him, kitten.”

  Well, gee. Since you asked so nice. Forget that. Jax just wanted Igor, naked and ready. He pulled the thin straps down; Igor moaned as the tentacles’ barbs unhooked and then squirmed as Jax peeled back the body of it as Igor lifted his hips. The nubris slithered into a corner of the box where Jax dumped it. Q’rcus snapped his fingers and an attendant was pouring warm oil into his hand before he’d turned back. He looked and Jax nodded before that large palm encased Igor in a tight grip. His breathing rate increased with Igor’s writhing.

  “Take off yours.”

  Quickly, Jax plucked the strands loose ignoring the ripple of pain and pulled them free through his legs, dropping it, with little regard, to join the other nubris. Hopping back up, he rubbed against Q’rcus as he watched him jack Igor relentlessly.

  Pinching a nipple Q’rcus asked, “Igor prepared you?”

  Jax had no idea what he was asking, but at this point he was prepared for anything. “Yes... YES!” He agreed, wanting to push Q’rcus along. Igor’s moans were almost enough to set him off.

  “Good. I want to see the rest of what didn’t happen on stage.” Q’rcus pushed and flipped Jax over his thigh. Jax grabbed Q’rcus ankle to hold on as he heard another snap. A large thumb and forefinger spread his cheeks and a warm liquid drizzled down, tickling as it coated his pucker and balls.

  “I would never fit without much training and stretching. It would probably take weeks.”

  Jax grunted as a thick finger, slick with oil, circled, teased, and then pushed in. The pressure so divine in this empty wanting. Easing in and out, then harder. Jax started begging, “Please... more.” The finger continued its measured pace. Suddenly, it disappeared and a larger, thicker presence took its place. “Please... Yes! God, fuck me. Fuck me. Now.” He tried to push back, but a pair of hands stayed his hips. “Please, Igor.”

  “Shush. Don’t make this end too quick, kitten. Be patient and he’ll give you what you need.”

  Maybe Igor had a point about being called baby because kitten was certainly starting to annoy him. Igor rubbed up and down, pushing ever so gently. He felt the initial press and burn, a warm body coming to cover him as he slid deep and delivered a kiss just below his shorn hair. The hands tightening, marking him, bruising as Igor finished seating himself in him. He felt so good.

  “So pretty.”

  Igor slowly pulled back a little and then pushed in harder, tipping Jax even further over Q’rcus’s leg. Then started a steady pace, pulling out, almost until he popped free and then sliding deep. It was impossible to distinguish whose grunts and moans were whose. Gripping the leather of the boot, rubbing his face against it, and licking it.

  “Oh god.” Jax desperately wished he had something in his mouth to distract him from the intense pleasure. He was never going to last long. Suddenly, a thick finger was pushed between his lips and firmly against his tongue. He sucked hard and squirmed.

  A deep grunt reverberated through Jax as Igor pulled free. Crying out in protest as Jax was hauled up to straddle Q’rcus’s thighs. His own legs spread wide, pushed flush against the broad chest and soon breathless, as Q’rcus overpowered him with a kiss. Ja
x felt a rough and demanding push as Igor recommenced fucking him—hard.

  Freed, he gasped air into his lungs. Igor pulled him back to rest against his chest, his fingers playing with his abdomen, tickling up over his ribs and slowly teasing his nipples. Jax groaned as he tugged harder making them respond. So tight they hurt.

  Q’rcus had opened the placket to his trousers and pulled out his enormous cock. No way they could possibly envelope it. Jax felt Igor grab his cock, rubbing it up and down Q’rcus’s prick; he groaned.

  “After I’m done fucking you, we’re going to lick that.” A sharp thrust of his hips punctuated Igor’s statement, grinding Jax into Q’rcus, whose substantial pre-come lubricated the way for Jax to slide and grunt between the two.

  Igor was saturated in come and busying licking more off when Jax heard the chirring and noticed their company. “Sirdar!” Eyes wide, Igor mewled. “Ajax.” Turning, “Igor.” Those gold eyes pinned them down. Jax could hear the soft pants of Igor’s increased breathing.

  Sirdar focused on Igor. “You missed the Genetics Summit.” His eyes wandered back and forth between Igor and Jax and then Q’rcus and the club. “I was concerned when Leo presented your findings.”

  Igor stuttered, “Unimportant conclusions... the allele splicing failed initial testing... I was with Ajax...” He tried to stand up as Sirdar stepped closer, stumbled and grabbed Jax’s shoulder for balance.

  “So I was informed.”

  Noting the pause in the exchange, Jax jumped in. “We were just finishing, Sirdar.” He picked the token up off of the floor between Q’rcus’s legs where it had fallen at some point during the post-stage frivolity.

  The golden gaze swung down, relentless in its observance. “Good. You have a new position waiting, Ajax. It is time to go.”

  Sirdar didn’t ask for an introduction and Q’rcus didn’t seem interested either, so Jax didn’t bother. “We should... get dressed.”

  “Excellent. I’ll meet you at the bar.” No adieus, just his back.

  Jax smiled at Q’rcus. “Sorry about that. He can be a bit single-minded at times. Thanks for the use of the antigrav.”

  “No worries, little mates.” He grinned and looked to both him and Igor. “That was very entertaining and the pleasing... was more mine than the audience’s. But, there are perks to being the boss.”

  Igor stepped near, pulling Jax closer. “We should go.” And then turned to Q’rcus. “Thank you.”

  If I Knew Then...

  Getting all that spunk off took a bit of scrubbing, but the aquajets felt fantastic. Jax almost wanted to go get dirty just to wash up again. He let the warm liquid rinse away the last of the cleanser, lingering just a bit. Months of sonic showers couldn’t compare to the decadence of The Root’s bathing chambers. Remembering Sirdar was waiting, he shut it off, dried, and dressed quickly. Igor was still valiantly grooming his hair, which appeared to have been the primary depository for Q’rcus’s impressive load.

  Jax scrambled out and spied their sirdar near the cages. He was watching the performers gyrate with a smile. It was odd to think of their elder pursuing his own conquests. Then again, it was good. After all, it meant he could expect the same. The conversation stopped as Jax approached, and Sirdar excused himself and settled on a seat a few feet from the delicate, furred dancer then pushed a drink over to him.

  “Have you made a decision, Ajax?”

  “Regarding what?” Jax didn’t like vague leading questions. He’d been tricked into things one too many times to jump on it.

  “Solitary assignment.”

  “Didn’t think I had much of a choice.” Jax grunted taking another swig of his drink and enjoying the burn. Nice distraction from the corresponding one in another orifice. By the stars, no more Thylacines or Baumans for him.

  “Don’t play ignorant.” The impatience in Sirdar’s voice was perplexing.

  “Wha...?”

  The glass slammed down and Sirdar searched his face. “You still haven’t figured it out? How long will it take?” The growl that followed surprised Jax. Not once in years had he heard Sirdar growl, and never at him.

  Feeling inadequate he stammered, “I... yeah, no... I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  A loud grunt and Sirdar glared at him. “You don’t. Do you?” It was followed by a deep sigh and then silence.

  Jax waited, trailing his finger through the condensation, making patterns with the moisture. He hoped if he was quiet and patient his sirdar would tell him. It was clearly important and the fact that Sirdar was angry with Jax for not knowing was distressing. He didn’t like this feeling.

  Finally. “Ajax, you’ve had ambrosia. What does it taste like?”

  Alright. Not the expected conversation trajectory. “It has no flavor,” he answered. “No. That’s not right. It has no description... for each the taste is perfect.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Yes, perfect.” Ajax nodded in affirmation.

  “How many perfect things have you known in your life?”

  Igor’s fucking hair, he loved it. No, pay attention before Sirdar gets cranky again. “Besides ambrosia?” He thought about it. Searched his memory and just got frustrated. What could he be referring to? “I don’t know.”

  One black brow rose. Silence.

  “I mean... there’s lots of things I like—a lot.” Jax was gesticulating. “I love when the pack goes up into the mountains and we all hunt and rumble around together.”

  “Hmmm...”

  That sounded promising so Jax continued. “My blade collection. Love them. Especially that tsin dagger Igor gave me during my presentation ceremony.” He had been so proud of finishing his examinations and being inducted into the Stealth Division when so many of his peers were assigned to Sentry. And then Igor’s gift and the partying after the recognition dinner; it was perfect.

  Sirdar snorted. “All right. As a military attaché, your love of weaponry makes sense. I think I got a little too enthusiastic when selecting those allele profiles. Just... Please tell me you’ve stopped sleeping with them.”

  “Only one,” Jax promised with a sly smile and then shrugged. “Habit.”

  He could feel Sirdar waiting for him to continue. Obviously, whatever the goal for this line of questioning was he hadn’t reached it. Damn. What could he be referring to and how would this affect his new position? Solitary was a test, several years of intense internal focus with little outside interference or interaction. There was only one consideration taken when solitary was assigned and that was coordination with mates, but since Jax didn’t have one... He nearly dropped the slippery glass.

  “Why are you asking about solitary when the only factor in the decision is accommodating a mate?” He couldn’t look away from Sirdar. The silence was palpable.

  “I created this pack. You and your siblings are my design.” He paused. “But, nature has ways of twisting things and creating surprise in even the most perfectly planned endeavors.” There was something like pain... No, Jax couldn’t figure it out, but he saw it in Sirdar’s expression.

  “I have a mate.” What the fuck?! He gulped down the remainder of his drink.

  “You don’t have to choose your mate. Life with others can be perfectly satisfying. It’s like cake. Still delicious, but not ambrosia.”

  Oh hell, no. “I have a mate,” he said a bit more forcefully. Who? When? The room wasn’t spinning, but he felt dizzy. “I have a mate.” He slammed down the glass. Fuck this.

  Igor.

  His heart felt like it just went supernova, racing... expanding, consuming his chest and leaving no room for his lungs. Jax struggled to breathe. Sirdar just watched and waited. “You’ve known.” A nod. “Has everyone known?”

  “A few,” his sirdar conceded.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Fuckstars! Did Igor know?

  “It can’t be given; it must be acknowledged.”

  “It might not be given, but it sure could be hinted at,” growled Jax.
Sirdar seemed unperturbed by his show of aggression and, for some reason that just aggravated Jax more. “All that wasted time.”

  Sirdar smiled at his outburst. “Never.” He pulled Jax into a hug. “Blessed from the beginning.”

  It had been so long since he felt the solace and absolute security of his sirdar’s arms around him. Everything felt not so bad when he was there. “That’s why you kept reassigning Igor and me.”

  The hum of accordance reverberated through him like a short purr. “Focus is always better when in near proximity to one’s mate. Clarity and intent is strengthened.” Jax melted into the comfort of the petting. “Not to mention, anxiety diminished. You may not have realized it since you are rarely divided, but when separated for extended periods discomfort increases.”

  Jax relaxed into the haven of this embrace. “The Tamar fever. It wasn’t, was it?” He had been so excited to attend his first galactic-wide training seminar in the Cygnus quadrant, but he fell ill about sixty-five percent of the way through the exercises and had to be transferred for treatment, bypassing the facilities there.

  “No. That’s why you were treated at the Endox facility, where Igor was studying.”

  Jax whined and the arms held him tighter. He imagined that keeping unacknowledged mates close, yet unaware of their condition, had entailed quite the maneuverings on Sirdar’s part. His whole life. How could he not know? He knew he was closer to Igor than his other littermates, but he assumed it meant they’d be coalition partners.

  “There was no wondering with you two. The birthing celebration was summarily interrupted as soon as Igor was plonked down and you dragged him into a corner by the scruff, hissing and swiping at anyone who approached.”

  Why wasn’t this in the records and vidclips? “Really?” He grinned against Sirdar’s shoulder.

  Sirdar laughed, reminiscing. “You know the scar on Ocet’s cheek?”