by Joey W. Hill
He didn’t want to think of that possibility. It would either happen or not.
“Do it,” Keldwyn said, his voice a harsh command. “Now.”
He bit, sinking his fangs in as deep as they could go. The pain of that full penetration could be extreme, but he sensed Keldwyn would want to feel it. Kel drew in a breath, fingers clutching Uthe’s nape and shoulder before he tugged him closer, holding him so tightly, Uthe’s temple and jaw pressed against pulsing cock and heated testicles. His Master would take him once more before they faced what they faced. The thought made his ass contract and him pull on the punctures in Kel’s thigh more strenuously, swallowing down the rich Fae blood.
It had a tingling magic to it, the tart metallic taste different from humans, like an exotic vintage never experienced before. The first time he’d been too disoriented to appreciate it fully. He didn’t need much, not with what he’d had from Alanna so recently, but he took a couple extra swallows just for the pleasure of it. Not enough to deplete Kel, though. If blood loss could affect the Fae adversely, he didn’t want to take away resources his lord would need.
His lord. He released the first mark, the geographical locater, and Kel’s muscles tightened. The mark was like a form of GPS, making it possible to locate a servant anywhere within those few thousand miles. Humans described the injection of the mark as a sizzling sensation through the blood, not uncomfortable, but Uthe didn’t know how a Fae would experience it.
On the other hand, doing two marks at the same time could be painful. To avoid as much of that possibility as limited time would give him, Uthe devoted his time to other pursuits. Sliding a hand up Kel’s opposite thigh, he caressed and teased his balls, then curled his hand around the base of his cock.
Kel dug his fingers into Uthe’s muscular shoulder. “Get it done, Varick,” he rasped. “I want to fuck you now.”
As Uthe released the serum of the second mark, he could almost feel it searing its way through Keldwyn, a shot of light and magic and chemical reaction through his circulatory and nervous systems. When Kel let out a shuddering breath, Uthe looked up, concerned. He had his head tipped back, his body rocking against Uthe’s rhythmic hold on his cock, his hand still clamped on his shoulder. The tension in his face didn’t look like excruciating pain, but there were a mélange of reactions to manage when the second mark connection activated. Would it work?
My lord? Are you in pain? He eased his fangs from Kel and licked the puncture wounds until they closed. Then he pressed his forehead to them, the way he might press his forehead to the ground right before prayer. Contact with the solidity of earth was a reminder of the miracles of creation. It was a comfort to feel that ultimate connection and gift, just as it was to feel it with Keldwyn now.
He shuddered at the jumble that dropped into his mind, like a child’s spilled treasure chest of gold coins, creek stone, feathers and butterflies. He was familiar with the first disoriented spinnings of a human mind as it adjusted to the connection. Taking in the mind of a Fae Lord was like getting a whole amusement park, an explosion of color, sounds and images. Because he thought of Keldwyn as his Master, Uthe hadn’t prepared himself the way he had with Mariela. With her he’d been ready to filter it down to a more manageable level.
The power of this mind, whirling like a tornado to form the connection with his, was astounding, mesmerizing, and he almost lost himself in it. Fortunately, his fear of what a wandering mind portended brought him back on track. Touching the edges of Keldwyn’s thoughts, he made him aware of the connection and drew attention to the boundary edges between their two minds, so the Fae could find his own balance again.
No. I am not in pain. I am in a remarkable new world. Your mind is as amazing as your words have always made it seem. You are not just clever, Lord Uthe. You are astonishingly extraordinary. A world as complex as the Fae and vampire ones combined resides in you.
He realized then he had his mind wide open, something he would not have done for a human servant, either. Keldwyn caught that, his fingers touching Uthe’s face so he would look up at him. Uthe thought he was looking into the sun, for Kel’s gaze was so brilliant, full of emotion. “I expect it to remain that way, my lord,” he said. “For I am no servant, am I?”
“No, my lord.”
Keldwyn’s expression became even more intent. He pressed Uthe down to the ground, onto his back, the Fae stretching out upon him. Keldwyn lifted one of Uthe’s thighs over his arm, pressing the other into a bent position under his other arm as he probed Uthe’s tight channel, ensuring it was still oiled from their earlier couplings. Too impatient to seek lubricant, Kel added some saliva to his palm and rubbed it on himself to ease his passage. Uthe coiled his leg around him, constricting the muscle, telling him his desire, his need, his want.
Kel slid into him, sinking all the way to Uthe’s heart. “You fed as you should?” he asked, coming to a stop, holding there, eyes on Uthe’s face.
“I did. Now let me give you pleasure, my lord. Though I fear there is no way to fill you as you have filled me.”
The skin around Keldwyn’s eyes crinkled. “I find your size more than adequate, Lord Uthe. No need to denigrate yourself because you lack a Fae’s substantial girth.”
Uthe shot him a droll look, despite the intensity of his own body’s reaction. “Your glamor magic has infected your brain with the delusions it imposes on others, my lord. But don’t fret. I’ve had difficulty of late separating fact from fantasy. It’s what happens to us older folk.”
Keldwyn bit Uthe’s shoulder, a not-so-playful nip that made Uthe’s body rise against him, another groan slipping from his throat.
I will take you now, my lord, and you will have no say in it.
Kel’s words branded themselves in his brain, the sensual threat sending electricity through the rest of Uthe’s body. Keldwyn started to thrust in earnest, his eyes burning on Uthe’s, his mouth set, fingers digging into his hips. Uthe’s cock bounced rhythmically on his belly, a repetitive impact that branded him with pleasure, the shaft becoming stiffer with every thud. Keldwyn’s gaze flickered to it, and he licked his lips. Uthe locked both legs around him, his arms sliding around the Fae Lord’s shoulders, bringing his mouth down to him. Keldwyn gave him that, a deep, tongue-tangling kiss. He wished Kel’s hair was loose to brush Uthe’s face and shoulders, but he could settle for having the Fae’s cock driving into him, the heated skin of his chest muscles rubbing against Uthe’s.
“Now,” Keldwyn demanded. “Come.”
Uthe complied without thought, a response that grew even more intense as Keldwyn reached between them, wrapped his fingers around his cock and worked it relentlessly, milking every spasm out of Uthe until he was moved from groans to shouts. When Keldwyn’s fingers convulsed and the Fae Lord began to release, ramming into him, harder, tighter, deeper, Uthe cried out with the further pleasure of it. They were under the open sky, under the grim shadow of the Shattered World, with the simmering thoughts of a demon growling in the base of his brain, but none of that mattered. Not right now.
Keldwyn slowed, putting his head down against Uthe’s. “There. You will not be lost to me. I forbid it. You have marked me; I have marked you.”
From his mouth to God’s ear, and may God have mercy on them and not take the declaration as arrogance. Or perhaps God found Keldwyn’s arrogance as appealing as Uthe did. They were all His creation, after all.
Pulling apart was a reluctant process, but both of them knew they could delay no longer. Still, as they cleaned up with the help of an anemic stream at the bottom of the hill and then donned their clothing, there were frequent touches, a stroke of a bare hip, a trailing of fingertips along a curved back. Uthe shook his head at the remarkable nature of the world. Now, when he stood at the end of his life, he was finally besotted, acting like a fledgling with his first love. Keldwyn’s smile only made the feeling more poignant. When they were dressed, Keldwyn put his mouth back on Uthe’s, and held them there until Uthe’s knees started to wea
ken and his cock started to fill with blood again. Then the Fae pulled back.
“There. That should also help us find one another.”
Uthe glanced down. “I’m not sure it works as a compass pointer, my lord, but it looks fully capable at the moment.”
Keldwyn nudged him roughly, but his expression was warm. They went back up the hill and faced the gray void. “We simply walk forward?” Uthe said.
“There is naught to it but that. There are multiple safeguards on it now to prevent accidental entry like those earlier stumblings, but the Queen will have adjusted it for our passage, as she agreed. She will know when we have entered. She has worked out a complicated marking magic that may pull us out when it’s done, but she warned nothing is certain because we know so little of this dimension.”
“And she may decide she prefers to leave you there rather than deal with you anymore.”
Kel’s lips curved. “There is that.”
“All right then,” Uthe took a breath. “May God go with you, my lord. If He wills it, I’ll see you on the other side.”
Keldwyn reached out a hand. “As childlike as it might seem, we might as well attempt it.”
“Sometimes the simplest gestures have the strongest magic of all.” Uthe clasped it, feeling the strength of Kel’s hold, and his gaze returned to the void. As he paused, Kel stilled beside him, sensing the direction of his thoughts. While he could read them from Uthe’s head, Uthe chose to speak them aloud.
“I have sought a Master to ease my need for centuries, my lord. God gave me that succor, but I think He knew the time has come for an earthly balance to what he provides in a heavenly manner. As you said”—for he now knew the words had come from Keldwyn—“that may be the purpose of love in our world. To remind us it is the ultimate gift He provides, if our hearts are open to it. To give us breadcrumbs to show us His true face, and to guide us to one another.”
Keldwyn’s grip constricted in response, a mute agreement. Uthe began to move forward, drawing the Fae with him. Kel fell into step with him. One stride, they were still together. Two strides, Uthe felt Keldwyn’s shoulder brush his. Three strides…
Nothingness closed in on him.
Chapter Fourteen
Something was crawling on him. Uthe started up, sending sand torqueing around him. As he blinked and focused, he saw the pair of scorpions scuttling away. His body felt unusually weighted. Glancing down, he discovered he was wearing his mail hauberk beneath a tunic with a red cross on the breast. The Crusader uniform. The white Templar mantle, with the cross on the left shoulder, fluttered over it. A sword was belted over the tunic. No helmet. He’d had one, but had hated the thing, the way it obstructed his sight. He’d usually made do with the mail coif of his hauberk instead. He pulled it off to rest on his shoulders and grimaced. The tightly knit links of mail were excellent at grasping and pulling out hairs. As he ran a hand over his scalp, he noticed carrying the dagger had accelerated his hair growth. It was a good half inch longer. Perhaps that was why Kel had been inclined to pet him so much these past couple days.
The dagger was in its scabbard and the pouch with Rhoswen’s amulet was still firmly attached to his belt, thankfully. He felt around his neck to make sure the pendant with the sorceress’s weapon was there. It suggested the outfit was an illusion, if the things he’d had with him on the other side were still in the same place, though the weight of the mail felt quite real. But that was the danger of illusions—they did feel real.
He focused on his surroundings. It was much like the part of Syria where they’d gone to claim Fatima’s magic. Sand, rock and scrub. But he could be standing in the middle of a lush forest, by a babbling creek, with Keldwyn trying to return him to their reality. Waking up in clothing he wore a thousand years ago, in the middle of a desolate wasteland, that could be the illusion. How did he know the stress of crossing into this dimension hadn’t catapulted his brain into one of the Ennui episodes?
The panic that gripped his bowels angered him and he shoved it away. The demon might fuck with his mind right along with the Ennui and the Shattered World. It mattered not. He knew what his task was, and he would accomplish it. So the Shattered World liked to play games with fantasy and reality? Uthe was uniquely prepared. He’d told Kel that, hadn’t he? Time to live up to his bravado.
He took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. Keldwyn.
No response, but that wasn’t the only way to find him. He turned his energy toward the blood link. Nothing. Pushing back a sense of foreboding, he reasoned it out. There was no way of knowing what fields of interference might exist, magical or otherwise. He could start walking. The sun was beating down like the fires of Hell and, while it was a Fae realm where the sun didn’t have the draining properties it did in the mortal one, it was still uncomfortable. He could handle discomfort.
This was the worst case scenario, wasn’t it? No connection to Keldwyn, no sense of which direction to go, no idea if what he was experiencing was the Shattered World’s reality or his mind’s dementia. He felt disconnected, adrift. Helpless. Rage, frustration and bloodlust started to stir and gather momentum. Lord Brian had postulated that the more volatile effects of Ennui were incited by a vampire’s baser instincts. If Uthe had revealed his condition to the scientist, Brian might have concluded Uthe had experienced only memory loss and disorientation thus far because of prayer and meditation, keeping the more violent symptoms at bay. The same way he’d controlled the impact of having a demon in his head.
Of course. He shook his head at himself. A thousand years of routine, and he’d forgotten the most important part of it. Pushing away anxiety and the despised panic against a foe he couldn’t fight, he put his trust in the Ally he understood the least but believed in the most. The One who had brought Keldwyn’s faith, support and yes, love, to him in this final phase of his life.
Drawing the sword, Uthe drove it into the ground and knelt before the cross formed by the hilt. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes. “Lord give me the strength to do Your bidding, to fight Your enemies and be Thy servant in every way. I am armored in obedience to Thy Will. I will fear nothing but Your might. If it is Thy Will I die like this, then I submit to that decision. But if You desire me to complete my quest, then I ask Your help to see past what blinds my eyes. Help me serve You. I pray for Keldwyn’s protection and a safe return to his own world.”
Varick.
Uthe’s lips curved as a breeze touched his face. I should have known. All I had to do was start praying, and you would interrupt me. Heathen.
He lifted his head, and the landscape around him had changed, to a surreal vision of color. He knelt in a meadow of long blue grass with tufted green crowns. The sky was orange, the trees red.
Kel. I’ve fallen into a melted box of crayons. He chuckled. As he rose, he saw he was still in the Templar mail and tunic, still armed with a sword, but he was heartened by the change of scenery, especially as he saw Keldwyn working his way across the blue field to him. He’d gotten used to having the Fae around, all in all. Was this dream or real?
Stop it. Keldwyn’s voice. You’ll drive yourself into insanity with that nonsense. It’s either real or not, but you have no control of knowing the difference, not here. You simply keep your intent before you and either you’ll reach it or… He reached Uthe then and spoke aloud. “You’ll live out your life in a box of melted crayons.”
He didn’t give Uthe a chance to respond, instead grabbing a handful of the tunic and yanking him forward to plant a violent kiss on Uthe’s mouth. It wasn’t seductive or gentle, but a pure, rough branding, the reconnection a lover would crave after a prolonged absence. It had only seemed like a few minutes to Uthe, but it didn’t make him any less receptive to the greeting. He gripped the Fae Lord’s tunic as Keldwyn settled both hands on his face, holding him still to plunder his mouth, scraping Uthe’s fangs with his teeth. His fingers pressed into the sides of Uthe’s throat so he felt the beat of his own pulse.
Keldwyn�
�s body leaned fully against his, so forcefully Uthe would have been pushed back a step except Kel snaked an arm around him. When he drew back, staring into Uthe’s face, Uthe’s still logy mind was unable to sort anything but the throbbing need in the Fae, which found an answer in his own body and heart. Since he wasn’t one to speak his feelings when he could barely think a straight thought, he asked the first innocuous thing that came to mind.
“How do you know what crayons are?”
Keldwyn eased back, his expression becoming less feral and closer to the norm. “Humanoids have had the desire to create pictures for thousands of years,” he said. “Plus, children are children, regardless of the world. We have crayons. We do not call them that, but they are the same thing. A mix of wax and dyes. After the last Council meeting, Kane found me and showed me a picture he’d colored. He wanted to know if I thought it was good. I said it was, but he was not satisfied. He knows when he’s being patronized. He made me sit down with him and show him how to make it better.”
Uthe visualized the Fae sitting next to the vampire child and coloring. It wasn’t as unimaginable as it once had been, because he now knew his lord loved children. “Did you do that kind of thing with your sons and daughters?”
He wasn’t sure why he was pursuing the subject right now, but his mind was still adapting to his environment. He felt like he was waiting for…something. Something that would be found right here. He sank to his knees in the long grass and came face to face with a purple spider perched on top of a feathery tuft of meadow grass. The legs were like long threads, the body the size of an unshelled peanut. It bounced at his appearance, like a daddy longlegs. Uthe glanced up at Keldwyn. “Sit with me a bit,” he said. “I think we need to wait here for a while.”
Keldwyn was studying him, but he dropped to a mirror position of Uthe’s pose, bracing his hands on his knees. “Yes. Shelessia loved creating pictures. She could make them come to life for short periods of time. If she drew a dragon, it would leap off the page and play with her. It would retain all the characteristics of the drawing, the strokes of the crayon, the dark outline. The places where she’d gone outside the lines became jagged scales stuck out at odd places on the dragon’s body. When she fell asleep in my arms for her nap, it melted back into the page, becoming two dimensional once more.”