A King's Ransom

by Lia Black

  "What?" Kaidos had heard Engel clearly, but his incredulity forced him to ask that he repeat it. Engel did not.

  He pulled off his cloak and tossed it across a chest at the end of the remaining bed, then dropped down onto the mattress with a heavy sigh. "You know he'll grow tired of your body," Engel said. "No matter what, you cannot hope to keep him interested for long."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" Kaidos got out of the bed to answer the door as their meals were delivered—this time by a young man. As the man was setting out their meals, Kaidos rinsed his hands in the washbasin. He plunked himself down at the table to eat, not bothering to wait for Engel. The young man departed with a few more coppers in hand.

  "Veyl is very intelligent and prefers men with some culture." Engel pulled off one boot, then the other, picking at a few blotches of mud on his pants before also rinsing his hands and joining Kaidos at the table.

  Kaidos smirked as Engel took a seat and began to load up his plate. "Men of culture? Like you? Well maybe he's seen how that can turn out and now he's trying something different."

  Engel rolled his eyes, "Tell me, Vailinn, if you knew he would leave you, would you still have been willing to go through all of this?"

  Kaidos felt his stomach sour at the thought. He licked the grease from his fingers, setting aside the bone from the chicken leg he'd been eating. "I would." He wiped his hands and face with his cloth napkin, then moved near the tubs and began to strip off his clothing. Without waiting for the water, Kaidos settled himself into the metal tub, leaning back and resting his head on the rim.

  Engel shook his head, muttering softly as he finished the rest of his meal.

  Not long after, another light knock came to the door. Kaidos closed his eyes and heard Engel let in the men who carried the steaming buckets of water.

  "Just pour it on," Kaidos said without opening his eyes.

  The first four buckets were enough to fill Kaidos' tub roughly half way, the next four then went to Engel's bath. Engel waited until both tubs were full and the men had left before disrobing and climbing in.

  Peeking through one eye, Kaidos noticed the scars on Engel's body—likely from battle—and wondered if Veyl had a thing for scars. He tried not to think about the memory of Veyl's fingers tracing along each line of silvery flesh.

  The two sat quietly in their individual tubs, staring at the fire as it crackled in the hearth and weariness settled into Kaidos' bones. He couldn't blame Engel for disliking him, and told himself that these constant jabs were Engel's way of preserving his fragile ego while trying to punish Kaidos for taking his lover away--even though the man understood that it was because of his own actions that Veyl had rejected him.

  Still, the words he chose echoed too closely the things Kaidos heard in his own head. He'd never had such doubts about anything before; even with Adria. With her, he understood that the love he felt for her was not real, and his emotions were based on familiarity, jealousy, and competition. He wanted to be the first man to claim her--the one she would always remember. At one point he believed his existence in her bed and in her heart mattered to him--even if it only mattered to her for the moment. But with Adria there had been no mystery. She was uncomplicated. Veyl was nothing if not complex.

  "You're married, Guard Captain. Do you love your wife?" Kaidos asked without implication.

  Engel frowned and glanced over at him, but Kaidos only saw him from the edge of his vision and remained staring straight ahead at the firelight.

  "What I feel for her is...affection. Why do you ask?"

  Kaidos settled a little lower into the tub. "It's different than what you feel for Veyl."

  "Yes," Engel sighed, "far different. I've often wondered if that isn't some latent magick within him. It would not surprise me."

  "Mm," Kaidos grunted in reply. He stared at the logs turning grey above the orange glow, slowly breaking down into glowing coals of a color similar to Veyl's eyes.

  "It's difficult for me, you know," Engel said softly. "To see him in love with someone else. I am a selfish man; I'll admit it. I expected that he would always be there for me--no matter how much I hurt him--that he'd never find anyone who made him happy enough leave me."

  Kaidos chuckled softly. "He didn't leave you. I stole him away."

  "Yes, you did. In every sense of the word," Ahrn sighed. The sound of the water rippling in the tub as he moved sounded almost cacophonous in the stillness of the room. "And that makes me want to hate you. Unfortunately, it is because I love him that I can't do so. But make no mistake, Vailinn," Ahrn turned his head, looking at Kaidos straight on, "if I ever learn that you have broken his heart like I did, I will come back from the dead if I must to castrate you and leave you lying out for the wolves."

  Kaidos turned to mirror Engel's expression. "I take that as a compliment, Guard Captain. For you to say that a man like me would have the power to break Veyl's heart means I must be doing something right." Kaidos smiled and turned back towards the hearth, his expression slipping into something melancholy. "You were right when you said I don't deserve him. But I am going to try my damnedest to earn that right. I just need him to be safe so I can have that chance."

  "Soon, Kaidos," Ahrn said softly. "We'll have an audience with the archduke and get this sorted out."

  Kaidos stirred in the water, turning his body towards Engel in surprise. "You just called me by my first name."

  Ahrn's jaw set. "I don't know what you're talking about."

  "I think that means you kind of like me."

  "Like hell I do, Vailinn. Now get out of that tub and get some sleep. You obviously need it if you're coming to conclusions like that."

  Kaidos smiled; crinkling his eyes. "As you say, Guard Captain...or should I call you Ahrn?"

  "You should do nothing of the sort if you know what's good for you, thief."

  Kaidos chuckled, getting out of the bath and drying off. He appreciated what Engel was doing to try and keep him from worrying about events back in Dandre. Although that strange emptiness remained inside of him--something cold and too still.

  Kaidos laid out the clothing he'd wear to meet the archduke in the morning as he tried to keep his mind calm and focused. He wanted to scream and go running back to Dandre--back all the way to Aaullsworthe, where he would have realized what a valuable treasure Veyl was--worth more than any amount of coin he had been promised. Kaidos took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he heard Ahrn rising from his bath.

  "Vailinn?" Engel's voice held a measure of concern.

  "Fine," Kaidos answered automatically. "You're right, I'd better get to sleep."

  *~*~*

  Veyl was sitting on the stone railing of a high terrace, overlooking a garden below. He wore long, crimson velvet robes that fit tightly to his slender arms and hugged his narrow torso. His hair was unbound, shimmering in the light, as radiant as the sun itself. He turned his face when Kaidos approached, giving him a smile that set his heart on fire.

  "Where are we?" Kaidos asked, uncertain if they were in the castle. It certainly looked like the castle in Dandre, but if it were, this was no part of it that he'd remembered seeing.

  Veyl shrugged, but continued to smile, "Does it matter?" He rose in one fluid motion, the long skirting of his garments whispering around him, as Kaidos drew near enough to take him into his arms. Part of Kaidos understood that this was a dream, but seeing Veyl in any venue was so precious that he didn't care.

  The velvet material under his fingers, the heat and scent of Veyl as Kaidos held him tighter, certainly felt real enough. He could feel the smooth, firm planes of flesh and bone as he worked his hands over his back, then to Veyl's slim hips. Veyl's hot breath caught against his ear as Kaidos moved his hands round to cup the firm globes of his ass.

  "Kai…kiss me."

  Veyl's fingers were in his hair, the orange flames of his eyes partially obscured behind his golden fringe of eyelashes. Kaidos moved in to kiss him. He groaned at the slide of Veyl's slick,
warm mouth against his. Veyl's soft lips and tongue were yielding as Kaidos tasted the familiar sweetness of his mouth. No. This could be no dream—Kaidos could feel everything, from the beating of Veyl's pulse against his fingertips as he pressed his hand against Veyl's slender neck, to the heat of their exchanged breaths.

  Veyl nipped playfully at Kaidos' lips as they each parted from the kiss. Kaidos groaned and pulled Veyl closer, delighted to feel the hardness of his erection pressing back through the velvet skirts. With one hand cupping the back of Veyl's head and the other rubbing small circles over his buttock, Kaidos moved his lips to Veyl's pointed ear.

  "I want you…" He whispered, feeling Veyl's body shiver as the delicate cartilage was rasped by Kaidos' stubble.

  "I'm yours," Veyl sighed, his fingers still woven through Kaidos' hair.

  Kaidos moved his lips lower, kissing Veyl's jaw, then down his neck. He tongued the dark hollow of his clavicle before dropping to one knee.

  Kaidos rubbed his cheek against velvet stretched over the prominent bulge growing between Veyl's thighs. Veyl gasped, swaying, and his fingers tightened on Kaidos' scalp as he opened his mouth against the material and blew a searing breath to heat his skin through the fabric.

  He grinned up at Veyl. "You should take this off…wouldn't want to ruin it."

  "Like I care," Veyl smiled back. His cheeks were flushed pink, his lips swollen from their kisses.

  Kaidos reached underneath the long skirt, sliding his hand along the inside of one of Veyl's satin-smooth legs while Veyl worked to unfasten the stays on the top and pull the gown up over his head.

  "Gods, you're incredible…" Kaidos felt his heart lurch against his ribs as he looked up at Veyl standing naked above him. He bent down and laid a kiss atop each one of Veyl's bare feet.

  Veyl leaned back, supporting himself against the stone railing and lifted one knee, raising his foot higher. Kaidos met Veyl's dreamy gaze and cupped Veyl's smooth heel, then guided his toes to his lips.

  Veyl hissed in a sharp breath and groaned as Kaidos flicked his tongue over his toes, then took each one into his mouth and sucked on it.

  "Ah! Kai!" Veyl gasped as his cock jerked and his knuckles went white on the railing.

  Chuckling softly, Kaidos released his foot with a nibble to the instep that made Veyl giggle.

  "You're still dressed. Not fair." Veyl chided and tugged Kaidos to his feet. His hands moved to unfasten his breeches as Kaidos nearly ripped his own shirt off over his head. Veyl walked him backwards and his knees hit the corner of a plush mattress, buckling and sending him onto his back with a laugh. He hadn't seen the bed earlier, although he tried to convince himself it had been there all along.

  Every passing moment that rational thoughts came to the surface, Kaidos fought them back, not ready to accept this as a dream and wake up.

  Veyl pulled off Kaidos' breeches, leaving him naked and on his back with his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. Slowly he began to slither back up, his tongue tasting and lips grazing as he went. When he took Kaidos into his mouth, the sensation made Kaidos' eyes roll back into his head. He could feel the silken glide of Veyl's tongue, his hot breath and the slight coolness to the air on his moist skin when Veyl drew back.

  Kaidos plunged his hands into the soft waves of Veyl's sun-gold hair, holding without controlling the movement of his head. His fingers tensed on Veyl's scalp when he felt a finger pressing against the flesh behind his balls.

  Veyl paused.

  "No—it's okay…it's good," Kaidos reassured him breathlessly.

  He felt Veyl nod his head before he wrapped his fingers around Kaidos' cock and moved down to tongue at his scrotum, carefully taking each sensitive weight into his mouth.

  Kaidos was afraid to climax because he worried that would be the end of his dream, but at the same time the things that Veyl was doing to his body were bringing him closer each second.

  "Ah!" Kaidos' hips thrust involuntarily upwards as he felt Veyl's tongue suddenly flicking hot and wet against his entrance. One hand still moved along his length while the other lifted and massaged his balls as Veyl's tongue circled the tight pink star.

  "Veyl, please—inside…I want you inside me," Kaidos panted, certain at any moment he would explode and miss out on that deep physical connection he yearned for.

  Veyl's breath caught and he slid up, looking down into Kaidos' face. In his eyes Kaidos saw reflected the love, and the pain of their real-world separation.

  "I love you, Kai," Veyl whispered, pressing his forehead against Kaidos'.

  "I love you, Veyl." Kaidos' sucked in a sharp breath when he felt the head of Veyl's cock press against his opening. He swallowed hard.

  "Breathe, Kai, breathe for me," Veyl's lips pressed against his neck. One hand moved lazily across his chest, stroking him and relaxing as much as it aroused. Veyl pushed up with his hips, the pressure increasing below, but not forcing his way inside. He waited until Kaidos began to take slow, deep breaths.

  "More," Kaidos begged, his voice husky with need. He raised his legs, spreading himself open wider.

  Veyl complied, beginning a steady, slow push until he breached the opening. He shuddered, and Kaidos could taste the salty sweat on Veyl's neck as he kissed it. He reached down cupping Veyl's ass and pulled him completely inside as he rocked his hips up to meet him. Veyl cried out his passion, sweet music to Kaidos' ears as his lover stretched and filled him. The petal soft skin of his pubic bone pressed against the expanse of sensitive skin where they were joined.

  They remained locked in that position for several heartbeats. Kaidos could feel the pulse along Veyl's length sheathed completely inside of him. The initial bruising pain of Veyl's quick entry receded to a deep, welcome throb and Kaidos let his body relax around him, seating him even more comfortably inside. He moved his hands, caressing the soft skin of Veyl's back and buttocks.

  "Kai…" Veyl lifted his head, his cheeks flushed as he looked into Kaidos' eyes.

  "Kiss me," Kaidos' rumbled, and when Veyl moved to comply, Kaidos rolled his hips again, moving Veyl inside.

  Veyl whimpered against his lips. He followed the direction that Kaidos' body offered him, rocking him gently as the slick muscle of his tongue tangled with Kaidos' own.

  Gods, this was ecstasy! Kaidos couldn't control the gasps and cries that burst from his throat. Veyl pulled out, teasing with only his crown moving against him inside, then thrust in hard and deep, finding that knot inside that unraveled to the most incredible pleasure. Kaidos breathed in the scent of Veyl's hair and the sweet musk of their mingled arousal. He felt the heat of Veyl's body both inside and outside until he could no longer discern where he ended and Veyl began. A slow realization brushed the edges of his logical mind; he could feel his body as both penetrating and enveloping heat--as if he were two bodies, yet one. He touched and was touched simultaneously, and tasted the flavors of himself mingling with those that were distinctly Veyl's. In this world—be it dream or otherwise—they had truly become one.

  And then Kaidos felt the sharp pull of orgasm from deep in his bones. He heard Veyl cry out as he thrust deep and his cock pulsed against his gripping insides, filling him with his molten desire. A moment later, Kaidos' awareness was completely his own as climax forked through him like lightning and his muscles locked as he arched upwards, sending jets of warm ejaculate between their bodies.

  Aftershocks made them both shudder, and Kaidos' body gripped Veyl's slowly softening cock, wanting to keep him nestled inside. He could feel Veyl's pulse through his body as their hearts matched rhythm. It would end soon, Kaidos knew this encounter would be temporary, though prayed that the link would remain.

  "Are you dreaming too?" Kaidos asked Veyl softly as he caressed his silken waves.

  "No, my love," Veyl's voice vibrated with a resonance that was neither male or female, but distinctly his own, "I'm only sleeping, but it's time for you to wake up."

  Kaidos winced as he felt Veyl's weight becoming incorporeal.
<
br />   Veyl's lips brushed his own, a whisper of heat. "Don't worry, love, I'll be waiting here for you. For as long as it takes."

  Despite his desire to remain dreaming, Kaidos began to feel the lead of his own flesh and bones, the straw mattress beneath him, and an uncomfortable cooling wetness against the blankets covering his hips.

  He opened his eyes to the dim silver tones of early morning and saw Engel glaring at him from his own bed across the narrow aisle.

  "Thank the gods that's over," Engel grumbled and rolled so his back was to Kaidos. "Now maybe I can get some sleep."

  CHAPTER FORTY

  The Archduke's Demesne

  Kaidos remembered why he'd always tried to avoid politics.

  First thing in the morning, Engel had to hire a messenger to deliver a carefully crafted letter to the Archduke's steward. Then they waited for a reply, which took half the day. After that, Engel sent another letter, then more waiting until that evening a representative and his bodyguards were sent to the inn to size them up.

  It was already past supper when the man, flanked by two huge guards, arrived. Although they were not dressed in the uniform of the Archduke's military in an attempt to remain "inconspicuous", it was obvious that the three men were far more than common travelers.

  Kaidos stood behind Engel, trying to keep his body still and his mouth shut. If it had been him he would have cut through all of the choreographed political prancing and stormed right through the gates; which was why he was very glad to have Engel along.

  The representative was a small, middle-aged man with a round belly hanging off a thin frame. If he'd had breasts to match, he would have looked like he was carrying a baby under his tunic, but Kaidos deemed it best not to ask about the probable sex of the fictional child. The man was clean-shaven with little brown eyes that shifted constantly between the shadows and Kaidos as he sat with Engel at the table in their rented room. He hadn't removed his hat—some dark slightly floppy thing trimmed with fur—and Kaidos suspected he was mostly bald underneath.