by Nikki McCoy
Laya stirred. “What about a tranquilizer? When we were at the castle, Dhani was struggling from his wounds. He might’ve died if Rowan hadn’t given him his blood. That must mean Roh Se Kahn’s soul didn’t make Dhani’s body as resistant to injuries as yours. Perhaps if we put him to sleep, the dark God won’t be able to force his will.”
Keenan pondered for a minute, then said, “That might work. So far, it’s the best shot we have.” He met Tailor’s gaze grimly. “I’m going to do everything I can to keep him alive. You know that. But I think you should prepare yourself for the alternative. If Dhani doesn’t make it…” The rest of his sentence was choked off as his eyes glistened with unshed moisture.
Tailor simply nodded. He couldn’t afford to give in to his emotions. His mate needed him to be strong, and until the outcome of the spell was final, he wouldn’t fail to give Dhani every second of happiness he deserved.
Chapter Twelve
Later, Tailor found Dhani in the library where Keenan had returned to scour more of the books he’d confiscated from Roh Se Kahn’s castle. Dhani was lying on the floor with Sevrick, playing with the toys Rowan’s daughter, Adreanna, had outgrown.
While it was odd seeing the affection of his mate for the child of Deirdra’s love affair, he had to agree with Keenan. The two really were good for each other. At five months old, Sevrick was a happy baby and had quickly grown attached to Dhani. Their relationship had also taken Dhani’s mind off the future.
For a moment, Tailor let himself imagine what it would be like to start a family with his mate. He’d never wanted kids in the past, always too scared he might turn into the psychopath his father had been. But he was a different person with Dhani. His mate had a way of making him see the positive in every situation.
Though not the one they faced now.
There were too many loose variables. Too much risk involved to find any kind of solace in the present. The anger over the situation Tailor had been keeping at bay rose to the surface again, threatening to pull him under. Never once had he contemplated suicide in all the years of his fucked-up life, but he knew he couldn’t go on living without Dhani. Couldn’t face piecing together the shards of an empty life after the death of another mate. Not again.
He’d rather damn his soul for eternity than spend one more day knowing what he’d lost if Dhani were to die.
For a brief moment, the vise of his control wavered and he felt a sliver of his fear bleed out into his energy. It was only a second before he mastered his emotions again, though long enough for his mate to notice. Dhani looked up sharply to where Tailor stood in the doorway with an expression of such infinite understanding, it pierced Tailor’s heart like a knife. Somehow, in the past few days, Dhani had come to terms with the possibility of his own death. Yet, it only served to fuel Tailor’s rage over the circumstances.
Dhani deserved so much more than the role of pawn to be used and discarded in the war between their Gods.
Unable to bear the compassion in his mate’s eyes, he pivoted and strode quickly from the library. As he reached the end of the hall, he heard Dhani shout behind him. Reluctantly, he turned to watch his mate jog toward him.
Dhani slowed his approach then placed a hand on Tailor’s chest. “You don’t have to hide your emotions. You can talk to me.”
Tailor let out a bark of derision, taking a step back. “And what good would that do? You want me to tell you how scared I am, or the fact that I think this is all bullshit? Or how about how helpless I feel after a lifetime of training to deal with any situation? You think it’ll make it any easier to talk about my feelings?” He knew it wasn’t fair to take out his anger on his mate, but he couldn’t rein it in.
“I just meant I understand what you’re going through.”
“Do you?” he growled. “Really? ‘Cause if you did, you wouldn’t expect me to go on living if you meet your death. I know that’s what you want. You’re so ready to sacrifice yourself again to save everyone around you that you refuse to see what I want.” He swallowed heavily to steady his voice. “I won’t stay in this world without you. I can’t. And if I can’t save you, the afterlife holds no meaning for me.”
Dhani was silent for several seconds as a myriad of emotions radiated from his energy. Finally, what appeared to be acceptance shone from his hazel eyes and he closed the distance between them. “Then bond with me.”
At first, Tailor was too stunned to respond. “Dhani—”
“Did you think I didn’t already know you would seek your own death if I died?” He shook his head with a humorless grin. “When I was in that alternate realm, I wondered a thousand times if you were ever thinking of me. Then when Roh Se Kahn cast me out and I found you, I expected you to reject me again. A part of me wanted you to. It would’ve been so much easier, but you didn’t. Every time I wanted to give up, you were there.”
Dhani looked away and a single tear spilled down his cheek. “For the past two days, I’ve been asking myself if I could go on living if you were the one to die, and I can’t keep lying to myself. I love you. There is nothing in this world for me without you.”
For the first time in his life, Tailor tore down the walls caging his emotions and let them flow freely. He poured all of his anger, bitterness and love into his energy, holding nothing back. When Dhani sucked in a breath and met his gaze with wide eyes, he threaded his fingers through his mate’s hair and tilted his head back, saying gruffly, “I love you, too.”
Dhani released a breathless laugh then lunged into Tailor’s arms. Tailor barely had time to catch his mate when his breath was devoured in a fiery kiss. Dhani wrapped his arms and legs around him and pressed their mouths together, flicking his tongue erotically over Tailor’s.
Dhani’s eagerness washed over him like a teasing inferno, scattering his thoughts and making him crave more. He took command of the kiss and backed his mate to the nearest wall. Fire burned in his blood and his dick thickened against the rough material of his jeans. He ground it into Dhani’s own rigid length and felt his skin tighten at the rush of pleasure that shot up his spine.
Dhani moaned into him, submitting in the way he always did without giving up full control. The feel of his sinuous body yielding to Tailor’s larger frame was utterly seductive, and one of the things Tailor loved most about him. Not many people could survive what Dhani had and come out with their sense of self intact. In bed, Dhani always surrendered to him, but it didn’t diminish his strength. If anything, it gave him a power unlike anything Tailor had ever known.
The courage Dhani showed in the face of impossible odds was overwhelming and humbled Tailor like nothing else could. All this time, he’d been fighting to save his mate when it was Dhani who was saving him.
Tailor reached for the nearest door and shoved it open, uncaring of whose room he entered. When he saw it was a bathroom, he locked the door behind them then set Dhani on the counter next to the sink. Arousal surged through his system as Dhani ripped open his shirt then lowered his head to suck one of Tailor’s nipples into his mouth. The stinging bite of Dhani’s teeth sent a wave of pleasure to his groin, making him throb painfully with desire.
He kicked off his shoes and shed the rest of his clothes as Dhani jumped down to do the same. As soon as they were naked, he lifted Dhani back onto the counter and crushed their mouths together, not bothering to curb the wild hunger driving his instincts to stake his claim. To ravage every part of Dhani until there was nothing left to define them as individuals.
In the back of his mind, he knew he should slow down. This could be their last time together and he wanted it to be special, but he couldn’t hold back. For more than a year, he’d been consumed with making Dhani his, and in Dhani’s absence, he’d thought he had lost that chance forever. Now that the moment was here, the past no longer mattered. All that existed was the warm body against his, making him whole again.
He reached between them and fisted their cocks in his large palm, echoing Dhani’s groan as he squeezed
their steel lengths together mercilessly. The pressure made his adrenaline flare and he began to stroke them furiously even as he inhaled his mate’s panting breaths. Dhani clung to him and threw back his head on a loud moan, gyrating his hips in rhythm with Tailor’s hand.
The sight of his mate’s desire and the knowledge that it was just the two of them nearly pushed Tailor over the edge. There was no interference from Roh Se Kahn or hidden reason to Dhani’s passion as there had been before—when Dhani had used him to quell the storm of his inner battle with the dark God. This was real, and the energy flowing between them made the need to bond with his mate fierce.
When Dhani’s moans rose in volume, Tailor clamped his fingers around the tips of their cocks to stave off their orgasms. At Dhani’s whimper, he smiled and kissed him lightly. “Not yet. I have to be inside you.”
The haze of lust in Dhani’s eyes changed to concern as he lifted his hand to touch the collar at his neck. “Are you sure we can bond? I can’t even feel my spirit.”
“The collar only inhibits its communication with you. It’s still there. I can feel it reaching out to mine. Don’t be afraid.”
Dhani met his gaze clearly. “I’m not.”
Tailor kissed him again then knelt down to search the cupboards below. He found a bottle of massage oil and poured it onto his fingers. With ease, he picked Dhani up and turned him around so that they both stood facing the mirror in front of them. He watched, mesmerized by the rapture on Dhani’s face as he pushed two fingers past the tight ring of Dhani’s ass, then another, stretching it to accommodate his thickness.
He twisted and hooked them to find his mate’s prostate, grinning in satisfaction when Dhani braced himself against the countertop and let out a sharp gasp. After several torturous seconds, he grabbed the oil again and poured more onto his straining cock. The restraint it took to enter his mate slowly was nearly unbearable. Dhani’s hot ridges against his sensitive skin, grasping him to the point of pain, drove all thought from his mind.
He wanted to be gentle, to draw out the moment as long as he could, but his control fled at the look of aching need on Dhani’s face. He withdrew then slammed into his mate, going as far as he could go. When Dhani yelled, he hesitated, worried he might have hurt him.
Dhani shook his head and met his stare in the mirror. “No, don’t stop. Please.”
It was all the encouragement Tailor needed. He lunged in again and again, burying himself so deep, he could feel the pressure of Dhani’s ring contracting around his root. Sparks danced beneath his skin as he clutched his mate’s narrow hips and yanked him back onto every one of his thrusts. Dhani’s mouth was open and his eyes glowed with the ecstasy of his spirit.
The primal urge that had been riding Tailor blazed to the surface and his canines exploded from his gums. He pulled Dhani’s hair to one side then sank his teeth into the soft flesh of his mate’s neck. Dhani’s shout rang out in his ears as the sweet tang of his blood flooded Tailor’s mouth, carrying with it the alluring scent and essence of his mate. It eclipsed Tailor’s mind and filled him with more power than he could ever have imagined.
As he swallowed his mate’s nectar, he could feel Dhani’s spirit and soul intertwining with his own, melding together in a bond that not even death could sever. It was exhilarating and too much all at once.
With as much effort as he could muster, he pulled away to lick the puncture wounds on Dhani’s neck. In one swift move, he spun Dhani around and lifted him until Dhani’s arms and legs were wrapped around him. As soon as he’d lined up the head of his cock with Dhani’s ass, he plunged in again, grunting at the searing heat that engulfed him.
For a brief second, Dhani paused and creased his brow.
“Do it,” Tailor rasped as he pumped into his mate furiously. “You won’t hurt me. You never could.”
Dhani pushed aside the blond locks of Tailor’s hair then bared his canines. The feral look in his eyes made Tailor shiver with anticipation. The moment Dhani’s teeth pierced his skin, pain seized Tailor’s muscles, only to give way to a tide of pleasure so strong, his entire body trembled. He felt his mate take several strong pulls before Dhani jerked his head up and stared at him with wide eyes.
“I can feel you,” Dhani whispered.
A smile of triumph stretched Tailor’s lips. “And I, you. You are mine.”
He began to thrust into Dhani again with rapid deep strokes, holding him close in the band of his arms. The friction between them increased, setting fire to his nerve endings. His balls tightened as his imminent climax swelled, bringing him to the peak of his rapture.
As one, he and Dhani tipped their heads back and shouted out their orgasms. Ropes of cum spurted from Dhani’s hard length even as Tailor filled him with his seed. The bond tying them together burned white-hot in Tailor’s soul, encompassing him in the brilliance of Dhani’s emotions. All the love and yearning of his mate wove into his own until he no longer knew where Dhani left off and he began.
They clung to each other in their embrace as aftershocks shook them, prolonging the strength of their release. Finally, Tailor lowered his mate and asked softly. “Can you still feel me in you?”
Dhani turned his head sadly. “I felt your soul for a moment, but it slipped away.”
Tailor kissed his forehead then pulled him close. “When this is all over, you’ll feel me again. I promise.”
They stepped into the shower and took their time bathing one another, in no hurry to return to the reality of what had to be done that night. Tailor caressed every inch of Dhani’s body as if he were exploring it for the first time. He could feel Dhani’s emotions inside him, rising to his touch and flitting across his mind like sensuous feathers.
As they made love again in their bedroom, it was with all the gentleness Tailor should’ve shown him when they’d first met. And when nightfall finally came, they dressed wordlessly and left to meet their fate as one.
* * * *
Dhani pulled out a clean outfit from his luggage and got dressed, trying to ignore the trembling in his hands. He’d known this time would come all along, yet he felt completely unprepared for it. It wasn’t just his life he could lose anymore. Tailor would follow him into death if the spell didn’t work. So much was riding on the unknown and his faith was dwindling fast.
He turned as his bedroom door opened and his mate stepped in. Tailor looked every bit the blond, unyielding warrior he was. Black leathers hugged his long legs and a black shirt strapped with a weapons harness defined his muscular chest. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, sharpening the handsome angles of his face and regal countenance. Everything about him screamed of a potent savageness contained only by his strength of will.
Dhani held his breath, still unable to believe the man was his. In all his life, he’d never imagined he would be so lucky as to find a mate like Tailor, or to have a future with him. At any second, he expected it all to be ripped away. And it still might be, he reminded himself. The night wasn’t over yet.
Tailor strode to him and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. “Are you ready?”
“No!” Dhani said emphatically, then sighed. “But I guess I can’t put this off.”
“I’ll be with you the entire time. We’re going to get through this,” Tailor reassured him.
They walked to Rowan’s parlor room, where Keenan would perform the incantation. Everyone was there, including twenty of Rowan’s personal guards. They lined the walls and each was armed with a small arsenal of weapons. Dhani’s apprehension spiked at their stone-cold expressions. While he knew they were necessary should Roh Se Kahn break through the effects of the tranquilizer, it still shook him to know he was, quite literally, facing a firing squad.
Keenan approached him first and paused when he saw the puncture wounds on Dhani’s neck. He glanced at the identical wounds on Tailor then back to Dhani. “You two bonded?” At Dhani’s nod, concern creased Keenan’s face and he looked to Manning.
Manning’s face took on
an expression of surprise that quickly changed to sorrow. Dhani knew what they were thinking. They would both lose Tailor if things went south. He expected them to yell at him for being so reckless with Tailor’s life, but Manning simply nodded in acceptance.
Keenan’s smile was bittersweet as he hugged Dhani tightly. When he didn’t let go after a while, Dhani tapped him, saying, “I’m not dead yet.” He laughed nervously as Keenan pulled away. “Besides, haven’t we been here before?”
Keenan’s face grew somber and his lips thinned. “I’m not going to let that bastard take you from me again. This ends tonight.”
“I know you’ll succeed,” Dhani replied, putting as much false bravado as he could into his voice. Unfortunately, his friend wasn’t buying it.
“The tranquilize will put you out for hours, but I’ll only need a minute to recite the spell and contain my father’s essence long enough for it to leave this realm. Oh, and I’ll need you to drink this.” He reached behind him to the glass Rowan proffered then handed it to Dhani. “It’s a concoction I found in one of the spell books that’ll put you into a deeper sleep.”
Alarm spread through Dhani. “The tranquilizer won’t be enough?”
“Maybe. Better safe than sorry.”
Dhani took the glass and upended it, then immediately started coughing. “What the hell’s in this?”
“Other than the rum I spiked it with? You don’t want to know. Trust me, it’s better with the rum.”
He forced the rest down then handed the glass back. Quinn hugged him next, offering words of encouragement, then Tailor led him to a bare, cast-iron table situated in the center of the parlor. With steel wrist and ankle cuffs welded to its sides, it was utterly out of place among the modern furniture.