by Marie Medina
“I may have growled at one or two people when they brought up my single status.”
“Growled, hmmm? I do that at times.”
They both laughed softly, and Vane drew Arion closer. Their lips met, and Arion lowered his body down onto Vane’s. He didn’t feel overcome with lust, but he felt compelled by how good it felt just to touch Vane. Arion deepened the kiss and soon found his mouth moving lower. He kissed Vane’s neck and then let his lips travel over his chest and stomach, exploring his flesh and enjoying every moment of it. Listening to Vane’s reactions and watching his breathing change proved arousing, especially with Vane’s cock jutting up and rubbing against him. He ran his tongue over Vane’s muscles, happy that the vampire already looked healthier than he had when Arion had arrived.
“Never sucked a cock before,” Arion said in a low voice. Vane’s cock jerked as a moan fell from the vampire’s lips, and Arion chuckled. “Gods, imagine your reaction when my lips touch it.”
Vane gripped the quilt beneath him with both hands. Arion moved to kneel on the bed beside him and took Vane’s shaft in hand. A few drops of moisture trickled from the head, and Arion leaned over to suckle the tip. He slowly pumped Vane as he took the head in. While he wanted to give as good as he’d gotten earlier, Arion couldn’t help enjoying the tease for a while. He watched Vane’s reactions as he licked and kissed the shaft. He sucked down half the length and swirled his tongue around it as Vane murmured incoherently. His thoughts about Vane had rarely been sexual over the years, but the vampire’s responsiveness fascinated him. He almost felt as if he was conducting an experiment. But he reminded himself that he wasn’t.
Stretching out beside Vane, Arion kissed him and looked into his eyes. In reality, Arion needed something to ground himself. The vampire seemed so needful, and Arion wanted to meet that need as soon as possible. “Show me how to prepare you.”
Vane rolled over and across Arion’s body to lie near the head of the bed on the other side of Arion. He threw the pillows aside and grabbed the bottle of oil. He smeared just a bit on his fingers and turned so his back was to Arion. He leaned on the headboard and massaged the puckered flesh. After putting a little more oil on two fingers, he penetrated and moved one finger in and out. When he added a second, he moaned, and Arion looked at his face.
Vane blushed bright red, and his eyes had turned blue. His gaze flicked down when he saw Arion studying him. Arion wanted to ask about the color but held off. Watching Vane’s two fingers move in and out of his ass proved erotic, and Arion took the bottle from Vane and prepared his own cock. He wanted to ask what position they should be in, but Vane moved before he could make himself speak. He lay back on the bed and spread his legs, inviting Arion to climb on top of him again. Arion set the bottle aside and did so, no longer sure who was in control of the encounter. Vane held his legs to his chest but relaxed his hold when Arion moved into place. One leg settled beside Arion while the other wrapped around his back. Vane slowly pumped his own cock as he arched to rub his ass against Arion’s shaft.
Arion reached down to guide his cock, and he felt like an awkward youth again. Yet it was different now. Then, he’d only been curious and a little infatuated. As he entered Vane, he wanted to really feel him, to be one with him. Sex had never had so much appeal before because it had only been pleasure. His partners had wanted him but hadn’t loved him. Arion tried to go slowly, but Vane encouraged him, tightening his channel and arching up to meet the tentative thrusts. Vane reached up and held to him, his grip so strong it was almost painful.
Fingers tangling in Arion’s hair, Vane yanked him down and bit at his lower lip. Arion surged deeper and gasped as Vane wrapped both legs around him. “I’m already yours,” Vane whispered. “Just take me.”
Arion felt a wave of need wash over him, and a growl rumbled from him. Vane’s eyes widened, but Arion could see it wasn’t out of fear. Arion gripped the headboard at his side with one hand and the edge of the mattress with the other.
And then he let go as he never had with another lover.
The bed shook violently—the entire house seemed to shake—as Arion let all of his frustration pour out. He needed release, but more than anything he felt the instinct to stake his claim, to fill Vane with his seed. The primal need was one of the most basic for a lycan, even when it was two men. Or so Arion had been told. His brain seemed to be throwing so much at him at once, and yet his body had only one focus, the man writhing beneath him.
Vane came with a cry, and Arion felt the hot cum shooting between their bodies. He looked down at the evidence that he had pleased the vampire—no, that he had pleased his mate—and he thrust hard and deep to fill Vane. His head spun as he came after a few more thrusts, and he roared as he spilled into Vane. He felt dizzy, but he also felt elated. Staring down at Vane, Arion struggled for breath and eventually said, “Now you’re really mine. Consider yourself claimed, vampire.”
Vane stared up at him, unblinking. Arion hadn’t planned to say anything at all, but for the second time that day, touching Vane had overwhelmed him.
Vane caressed Arion’s cheek. “I love you.”
Hearing the actual words made Arion’s chest tighten. He pulled his softening cock from Vane’s body and rolled to his side. Moisture gathered in his eyes, and he could see the drops on his eyelashes. He closed his eyes and buried his face against Vane’s chest as he prayed the vampire wouldn’t comment. He wanted Vane to hold him in silence, but it seemed Vane knew that wasn’t what was needed right now.
“Tell me what you’re feeling. Don’t hide it,” Vane said.
To Arion’s shame, a sob broke from his lips. “I wish I hadn’t forced that promise from you.” He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to calm his shaking. Vane held him tightly now as he went on. “I wanted to come back. Wanted you to break your word and come find me. Took the gods half killing you to get me to see sense. I’m a damned fool.”
Vane rolled him to his back and pinned him to the bed, fixing him with a stern and determined look. “No. You’re my mate, and we’re going to have centuries together. Many, many decades to make up for the mere two we were apart.”
Arion started to speak, but Vane bit him on the neck almost violently. The pleasure surged so high Arion thought he might come again, but then he grew lightheaded as Vane took more and more from him. His vision blurred, but he realized Vane had bitten his own arm. He urged Arion to drink, and Arion saw what he was doing. Arion licked the wound, surprised by how good the blood tasted, and then he began to really drink it down. Everything blurred again, as if he was looking at the world from under water, and he felt his chest tighten. Something changed within him, and he held to Vane as the internal transformation took place. He felt the need to shift, but he held off as long as he could.
****
Vane watched as his blood took effect. He didn’t care who might judge him for turning Arion without express permission. He’d turned Arion to protect him, to keep fate from ripping his happiness away again. Arion rolled over, touching his chest. Vane knew the second heart, a small gland under Arion’s heart, had been activated. Now, it would renew Arion’s blood, just as Vane’s was renewed every day.
But what happened next took Vane by surprise. Arion rolled off the bed and began to shift into wolf form. Once he’d transformed, he stretched his legs and looked around. His gaze landed on Vane, and he came over and licked his hand and then his thigh.
“Are you all right?” Vane asked, even though he knew Arion couldn’t answer without shifting back.
Arion nuzzled against his stomach and then bolted to the door. Vane hurriedly put his breeches back on and went to open the door for him. Arion dashed out and began running and jumping in the grass and among the wildflowers.
“Can I assume you’re not angry?” Vane asked.
Arion stopped and became still, and Vane watched him transform again. Arion got to his feet, a wild look in his eyes as he strode forward in all his naked glory. “No. I’m not ang
ry.” He held one hand up and flexed his fingers. “I’ve never felt so alive.”
“Usually I’d need permission from a family member to turn you, but I don’t think they’ll mind.”
“Are we officially mated now?”
“No. I’ve turned you, but it’s not the same. There’s a small ceremony, similar to a wedding. But we can discuss that whenever you like.”
Arion cast his gaze down. “I didn’t mean to break down like that. Sex has never been … so intense before. Everything just came flooding out.”
“When it’s been bottled up so long, it needs to come out. I’m sure it’s not the last time it’s going to happen. For either of us.” Vane pulled Arion to him and looked up into his eyes. “Always express what you’re feeling. I never want there to be a rift between us again. Tell me everything I do wrong. I’ll fix it.”
Arion studied him. “Your eyes are gold again. That’s happy.”
Vane nodded.
“What’s blue?”
Vane cleared his throat. “When were they blue?”
Arion grinned. “While you were preparing yourself for my aching cock.”
“Was it aching? Glad we got on with it then.”
Arion tilted his head and smirked. “And blue means?”
“Shy. Embarrassed. Along those lines. It felt odd to have you watching me do that.”
“You usually do it in private, of course.” Arion, still naked, moved closer and rubbed against Vane. “You weren’t too tight. Yet I believe you’ve been mostly chaste, so that must mean…” Arion grinned. “You have a toy collection.”
“Are you really going to tease me about that? I can’t help it I’m not as high minded and controlled as you are.”
“I think you’ve cured me of that. Tell me about them.”
“Tell you about them?”
“Yeah. You hide them under the bed?”
Vane cleared his throat again. “Maybe.”
“What are they made of? Marble? Leather?”
“Why the sudden interest?” Vane asked.
Arion ran his hands over Vane’s ass. “I loved watching you. The whole time. All of your reactions. Turned me on.” He bit the shell of Vane’s ear. “I’d like to watch you pleasure yourself. I have a lot to learn, after all.”
Vane shivered against Arion. “No, you don’t. I’ve never been fucked like that before in my life.”
“That a good thing?”
“What do you think?”
Arion smiled, but then he sobered. “Was I too rough, though? Did I take too much blood from you? It was easy to forget your illness as we touched.”
Vane smiled. “I feel stronger than ever. I think I’m out of the woods, but we’ll see.”
“Then we should stay here in these woods as long as possible. I don’t want a bunch of people watching us. We wouldn’t have made this kind of progress at the castle.”
“I agree. It was a good idea.”
Silence fell between them, and Vane caressed Arion all over, walking around him and admiring him. Arion laughed nervously. “At least we did this before I got too old.”
“I wouldn’t have cared. I’d have come to your deathbed to save you,” Vane said, taking Arion’s face in his hand. “I won’t deny how much I love the way you look, but it’s more than that. Say you believe me.”
Arion licked his lips. “I do. I really do.”
Vane took his hand and pulled him back to the cabin. “Let’s feed you again so you can keep up your strength.”
“I’m even stronger now that you’ve turned me. You might not want me to keep my strength up.” Arion pushed him into the cabin and kicked the door shut, pinning him to the wall. “I think you’ve woken a beast.”
“About damned time,” Vane said as he drew Arion into a deep kiss and arched against him.
Chapter Six
Arion tried not to laugh as he left the room, but he had little success. He and Vane had stayed away from the castle for nearly two weeks before Vane’s brother Byron had come to check on them. They hadn’t been able to hide the fact that Vane seemed to be fully recovered, so they’d decided to come back with Byron. Now, Vane sat on his bed being poked at and prodded by his steward, two human physicians, and a healer. Vampires didn’t need their own physicians, but all the local men of medicine had taken an interest in Vane’s health. Orman had insisted on Vane letting them examine him, but Gwynn had been the one to get Vane to sit down and actually let the men do it.
Arion looked up and down the hall, eventually spotting Gwynn next to a large window that overlooked the gardens. She spoke with Vane’s mother, and Arion made his way over slowly. Both women smiled at him as he came up to them.
“We have a connection I didn’t know about,” Gwynn said.
“We do?” he asked, wondering what it could be.
“Aye, you met my mother, Alice. She was the one who helped catch that bandit in the act.”
“Oh.” He thought back. “Yes. She was very sympathetic. Felt so bad about what had happened to me. She tried to convince me to stay, to make me feel better.” He remembered her bringing Vane down to the cell and laughed. Both women looked at him in puzzlement.
“What is it?” Gwynn asked.
“I was just remembering how she managed him. Just the way you do at times. He was in worse shape than I was.” He sighed. “But it’s all fine now. Is your mother still here?”
Gwynn shook her head. “No. She died when I was very young.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. I’m sure she’s looking down on us, happy as a lark that things worked out.” She grinned. “I don’t hear any crashing in there, so I’ll be off. Lots to do. You will come to the wedding, won’t you?”
“Yes, I’ll be there,” Arion said.
Gwynn waved to them both, and Arion looked back at Evane, who seemed preoccupied.
“My lady? Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” she said, though the next moment she burst into tears.
Arion had no idea what to do. She’d seemed fine when he walked up. “Here, come sit down.” He took her arm and led her over to a bench off to the side. “Is there anything I can do?”
She grasped his hand and smiled despite the flowing tears. “It’s all sort of hitting me. I’ve been trying too hard to be strong for everyone.”
“What’s hitting you?”
“The fact that you’re really here. That Vane isn’t alone anymore.”
No one had seemed surprised or upset about Vane having turned Arion already. They’d all been overjoyed, even though he and Vane hadn’t really said anything else about their relationship. “You love your children very much. I wish you could’ve met my mother. She’d have knocked some sense into me and gotten me back here much sooner.”
“I would’ve loved that. You must miss her.” Evane wiped at her eyes, though they still glistened with more unshed tears.
“I do.” Arion took her other hand, feeling he had to say something. “Vane’s loved me all this time, hasn’t he?”
Evane pressed her lips together and nodded.
“You have my word I won’t leave him again. It’s still new and strange, yet … it does feel right.” He glanced back down the hall to be sure no one was coming. “And I do think I love him. Or I’m starting to. Stupid really, but I’m scared to say it.”
“Scared to take the risk? Seems to me you’ve already made the decision. Is it just saying the words?”
He squeezed her hands. “It’s guilt. We both made mistakes, but he only hurt my pride and my feelings. I really broke his heart.”
“But then you healed it. Most men would never have forgiven him for what he did.”
“I know, but bitterness wouldn’t change things. Hate wouldn’t either.” He smiled a little. “Have I really healed his heart, you think?”
“You saved his life twice, and based on the way you two looked when you came back, I daresay other things are falling into place.”
Evane laughed as she wiped at her cheek again. “Not to be crude, but you’ve given him a kind of glow. And it’s not just that he’s recovered from the Dissolution.”
Arion laughed, though he averted his gaze a moment. When he looked back, he said, “He’s a wonderful man. I’m looking forward to getting to know your other sons.”
“I’m glad. Especially Byron. He needs convincing that anything is possible.”
“What do you mean?”
“He has his own little set of issues with his mate. And he’s been almost as tightlipped as his brother.”
“I was amazed Vane had told everyone so little about me. Another thing I admire about him, how hard he worked to keep his word and leave me alone. I guess he felt guilty about what I’d been through.” Releasing her hands and sitting back, he asked, “What has Byron told you?”
“His mate is male. He’s very young. And he’s terrified of vampires.”
Arion waited, but she said nothing more. “That’s it?”
Evane nodded. “Won’t even tell us how long ago they met. Problem is, Byron doesn’t stay in one place for long. The lad could be anywhere.”
“Hmmm, but doesn’t sound like we could go out searching for him.”
“No, but I believe in miracles now, so I’m not going to give up.” She glanced down the hall. “Though I may run away for now. He doesn’t look happy.”
Arion turned to see Vane striding toward them, smoothing his robes and murmuring to himself.
“They satisfied, darling?” Evane asked.
“They fucking better be,” Vane said, blowing his breath out in a show of frustration.
“Such language in front of your mother! Please control yourself. I know you have a more refined vocabulary than that,” Arion said, putting his hand to his heart in a show of mock offense.
Vane gave him a withering look before rolling his eyes. Arion poked him in the ribs. “Oh, stop that.”
Evane stood up. “I’ll leave you to handle him. We have a wedding in three days, after all.”