Heart of the Warrior

by Donya Lynne

  Sev's fingers dug into the fleshy cheek of his ass, so close to his tenderfoot trail, and the anticipation was almost enough to send him over. God! When had he ever been this turned on? Sure, he had toys and dildos he used on himself when he masturbated, but this was different. This was Sev, whose fingers were so close to going where no man had gone before. It was enough to make his cock weep with anticipation.

  Suddenly, the sound of another shower cranked on and Sev pulled his mouth off his chest and looked up at him.

  Ari’s lungs pumped as hard as his hand and he must have looked desperate because Sev nodded once and pressed forward to claim his mouth. He whimpered softly against Sev’s lips, cranking his shaft harder. His orgasm was close and he couldn’t stop, not when he had waited for this moment forever.

  "I need this. Please." He said the words so softly against Sev’s mouth that he worried Sev didn’t hear him.

  "Then take it." Sev spoke just as softly, but his words held an edge of desire that nearly blew Ari’s toes off.

  It was then that Ari realized Sev was pounding his own cock, their hands in perfect unison with each other. He looked down at their pair of ruddy heads glistening with water and pre-cum just as Severin poked his finger inside his ass. He nearly blacked out from the pleasure, jerking and stiffening. Shit, he didn’t even have time to think. He came instantly, biting back a grunt as his entire body spasmed and his legs stiffened and clamped around Sev’s waist as his release flew out of his cock.

  Ari undulated against the wall, levering himself up with his legs, which were locked hard around Sev's waist. And still he continued to come as Sev's finger probed deeper, staying with him as he slid up the tiles and tried like hell not to cry out as wave after wave pounded through him and out his cock. Finally, his body relaxed in post-orgasmic reverie, and he slipped back down and into Sev's waiting hold.

  Shocked, he lifted his dumbfounded gaze to Sev’s as beads of semen continued to flow out of him and over his hand.

  When their eyes met again, Sev stiffened and sucked in his breath.

  "I’m coming, Ari. Look. Watch me." Quiet, Sev was so quiet.

  How could he not watch? They both dropped their gazes and Ari held his breath in a dazed stupor as Sev’s cock erupted and shot his release over Ari’s stomach to mix with his own. Air rushed out of him as the creamy fluid splattered his skin, and he raised his hand to smear it over his torso with a sense of wonder, as if he needed to touch it to know it was real.

  Sev shook and convulsed. "Fuck, but that’s sexy. Watching you rub my cum over you."

  It felt sexy, too. Ari couldn't stop rubbing the viscous fluid over his body. He wanted to wear Sev's scent like a badge of honor. He couldn't explain it. It just felt right to want Sev's smell on him, and to want everyone to know Sev was his.

  But he couldn't let that happen, could he? If everyone knew, then it was only a matter of time before his parents and Io found out. And then all hell would unleash. So, he was at odds with himself. His heart and every instinctive urge inside him wanted to layer Sev's scent over him, but his conscious mind protested and shot his subconscious down, telling him he was being irrational.

  The other shower shut off and whoever was there flung their curtain open, probably to grab their towel. Ari wondered if whoever it was could smell them and what they had just done. It wouldn’t be the first time the showers had been used for sexual recreation. More than one gay couple worked at AKM and sometimes a guy had to do what a guy had to do. Or a couple of guys, as the case may be.

  Still, Ari didn’t want anyone to know it was him doing the rainbow dance in the shower this time.

  They waited, holding each other with Sev’s finger still probed up his ass and their hands still ringed around their cocks, almost as if they both feared moving would make their time together disappear. Ari didn’t want it to disappear. He slammed his eyes closed against the sting of tears and swallowed his emotions as Sev kissed the side of his neck.

  This had been the most wonderful sexual experience of his entire life and he wanted to hold onto Sev forever. Forever! He liked Sev. A lot. As in, he wanted to see him again, date him, and spend time with him that went beyond just hanging out and catching a beer. He wanted to know Sev and learn about his life.

  Why? Because he wanted to have a relationship with him. There. He admitted it. Maybe he hadn't declared his intentions out loud to the world, but confessing them to himself was a start. He was happy – happier than he could recall in a long time. And the day had started out so bleak, too. Who could have known this would happen?

  When the water started to cool, Sev finally stood back and quickly splashed them both to rinse away the residue of their orgasms. Ari unlocked his legs from around Sev’s waist and stepped down. The moment was over too soon.

  "I’ll go first," he said, sounding sad.

  Sev quickly grabbed him and yanked him back, kissing him hard.

  They looked at each other, and Ari knew he probably appeared like a deer in the headlights. A happy deer, but in the headlights nonetheless.

  He grinned secretly at Sev then stepped into the outer curtained area to retrieve his clothes before darting to his locker. He quickly unlocked it, grabbed his towel, and dried off before pulling his clothes over his still-damp skin.

  Severin joined him a couple of minutes later and did likewise.

  They were silent for a minute.

  "So…" Ari said, the magical tension blossoming between them again like a blooming rose.

  Everything had just changed between them. Their shower encounter hadn't been a repeat of six weeks ago – a clumsy, spontaneous outburst of sexual discovery in Ari's kitchen. What had just happened had been something else, premeditated, and not spontaneous. They both knew what they were doing this time around. They both wanted it in the shower, and it was clear they both wanted it again. For Ari, the time of holding back and restraining himself from following through on his feelings was gone. There would be no going back from where he and Sev were with each other now.

  Sev turned and sat down beside him, straddling the bench. "So…"

  They stared at each other. Ari felt himself losing control of his emotions again, his heart splitting wide and yearning to be back in Sev’s arms. He took several shorts breaths then swung toward Sev as if he'd been pushed. In one fluid motion, their lips locked together again and Sev’s hand cupped the back of his head.

  He needed him. Oh God, but he needed him. Not just sexually, but as in Sev was the other half of his life and he didn’t think he would survive if Sev wasn’t there. He didn't know how he knew this. He just did.

  The door to the locker room clanked on the other side of the locker bay and the two jerked apart. Ari leaned into his locker as if he was looking for something.

  "Hey." Bauer, one of the day walkers from Stryker’s team, shuffled into view. "I thought you guys were off tonight."

  "Yeah. We are," Sev said. "But you know how it is. Can’t get away from the place even on a day off, know what I mean?"

  Bauer nodded. "Fuck, yeah. I know what you mean." He rolled his eyes. "Well, have a good one. I’ve got to get ready for my shift."

  Bauer disappeared into the showers, and Ari quietly shut his locker before glancing at Sev. "What are you doing tonight?"

  "Nothing. Why?" Sev playfully bumped his knee against Ari’s.

  Because I need you. "Want to come over and watch the game?" He nudged his foot against Sev’s.

  "Who’s playing?"

  Who cares? "The Bulls."

  "Want me to bring anything?"

  Just you. "Only if you want."

  "I can bring beer."

  Can I pour it over you and lick it off? "That’s fine. I was going to order a pizza."

  "What time you want me there?" Sev scooted closer on the bench and surreptitiously stroked his fingers against the side of Ari's leg.

  How quickly things had changed between them. Not even an hour ago, they were at each other's throats, and n
ow they acted like two men who were in love and never said a harsh word between them. Clearly, both of them had been holding in a lot of repressed emotion from their first encounter in his kitchen last month. Ari knew that was true for him.

  He suddenly realized the ache he had suffered in his chest off and on for weeks was gone, and he knew it was because he had finally acknowledged his feelings for the male next to him.

  Ari glanced down at Sev’s hand. The back of one strong, masculine finger stroked the nylon fabric that covered his thigh, creeping lower until it dipped under the seam of his shorts and grazed bare skin. He swallowed and took a shivering breath as he lifted his gaze to Sev’s.

  "Right after sundown would be good. I can’t go home until then."

  Sev leaned toward him. "I could stay here with you." The timbre of his voice was suggestive, seductive in a way that nearly broke Ari’s will. Sev’s fingers crept higher on his thigh and his body heated.

  "Too many eyes here. It’s too risky. Let’s wait until tonight."

  Their eyes met again and Ari’s heart backflipped.

  "Tonight then." Sev nodded but his hand stayed under Ari’s shorts.

  They were only inches apart, drifting closer to one another until their lips drew together again like magnets. Ari couldn’t get enough of Severin. It was like the proverbial dam had burst and he was overflowing with his need to be in constant contact with the guy, especially mouth-to-mouth.

  Sev held him like a cherished treasure, their lips sliding easily against one another in long, languid caresses as his hand slipped to the inside of his thigh and squeezed. Ari’s fingers wove into the long, damp tresses that hung around Sev’s face and his mind carried him back to the shower and Sev's gift to him: His first real experience with a male. The rushed encounter in his kitchen didn't count, because Ari hadn't known what he was doing then. Now, he did. Now, he knew what he wanted.

  Warmth filled him, and the feeling was pure joy. Always until now, sexual experiences had been cold and unfulfilling, even miserable, because he had been forcing himself to be something he wasn’t. Not anymore. Severin had shown him who he was and what he wanted to be, and right here in Sev’s arms was where he belonged.

  The shower shut off and Ari jerked back, remembering where they were.

  Sev gently pulled his hand out of Ari’s shorts and smiled at him as if he thought Ari was the most adorable creature he had ever seen.

  "Okay, so, yeah." Ari cleared his throat and took a deep breath before adjusting the semi in his shorts and standing up. "I’ll see you tonight then?"

  "Count on it."

  Ari nodded and looked over his shoulder then at the floor then back at Sev. "Good." As he started to walk away, he held his hand ever-so-slightly away from his body, his palm facing Sev, who glanced at it before looking away and lifting his own hand just enough so their palms slid one over the other. Their fingers lingered together for just a moment and curled around each other before Ari broke the connection and headed toward the exit.

  Don’t turn around, don’t turn around. He knew if he did, he would never be able to walk away.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Severin watched Arion until he disappeared behind the bay of lockers then grinned. When he had decided to come to AKM for a workout today, he hadn’t counted on the heavens breaking open and raining down a whole lot of good fortune on him. Hell, he hadn't even known Ari was here. If he had, he wouldn’t have come, and what a mistake that would have been in light of what had occurred in the past hour.

  He and Ari were on new ground with each other, and Sev knew the field of play was a brighter, happier place all of a sudden.

  The door to the locker room opened and closed and Ari was gone, leaving him with his big-ass cheesy smile and the most incredible sense of contentment he'd ever felt.

  What had just happened here? Really? Sev couldn’t have been imagining the powerful feelings spilling out of Ari, but this had all happened so suddenly. He looked back in the direction Ari had gone, wanting to go after him. He didn’t care who knew how he felt about Ari, and he didn’t care who found them together. He was in love with the male, and had been for a while. He knew that now. But it seemed Ari wanted to keep things between them low-key.

  Was that why he hadn’t said anything about their one time together before today? Had he simply wanted to stay under the radar? Who knew? It didn’t matter anymore. He and Ari had just taken a huge step in the right direction with one another. And yay him! He had a date with the guy tonight.

  Bauer appeared from the showers wearing a towel around his waist, and Sev stood up like he had just been getting ready to head out instead of sitting there like a love-struck dummy.

  "See you later, man. Don’t work too hard," he said.

  Bauer smirked and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Stop rubbing it in and get outta here."

  Bauer disappeared and Sev shut his locker, grabbed his duffel, and made for the exit. As he passed through the gym, he stopped and stared at the sparring mat where everything had started. He grinned. Ari was a scrappy fighter, full of surprises. He had tossed Sev around a couple of times, which was saying something with Sev’s skilled hand-to-hand background.

  He wondered if Ari would toss him around tonight, and the thought turned him on. What was Ari like in bed? Did he take control or enjoy being more passive? Would he make the first move, or would Sev have to? Shit, what was he thinking? It was just a date. There were no guarantees they would even have sex, and it was probably better if they didn’t. They really needed to talk, like his mom had suggested.

  He was still lost in thoughts when he pushed through the door of the training center into the hall and almost ran into another member of Stryker’s team, Devon.

  "Oh, excuse me."

  Devon gave him an odd look then stepped back as if he had a contagious disease. "No, that’s okay." Devon quickly looked away and hurried off.

  What the hell was that all about? Sev stared after him for a second, paranoid. He always worried someone would find out about his mom and then he would be up shit creek. Surely, Devon hadn’t learned he was half-dreck. He kept that secret too tightly guarded.

  Well, whatever was up Devon’s ass would have to keep. He needed to scoot.

  It took everything he had to keep walking past the elevator instead of taking it up to the third floor to Ari’s room, but he forced himself to continue toward the exit. Tonight. He would wait until tonight. He checked his watch. Just a few more hours until sunset. Would he survive that long?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Gina woke up from her nap and rolled toward the windows. She had drawn the vertical blinds then closed the opaque drapes over them to shut out the sunlight, and the room was pleasantly dark. A check of the time showed it was almost nightfall.

  Her stomach growled and she recognized the familiar ache for blood riding just underneath her need for food. Time for room service. She called down and ordered a full dinner then hopped in the shower while she waited. The knock came on her door just as she finished drying her hair. She answered the door wearing only a silk robe and matching satin bra and panties.

  "Room, uh, service." The uniformed man tried not to gawk, but his gaze performed a cursory sweep of her revealed skin, and his feet refused to move.

  "Good, come in." Gina gripped his mind into compulsion.

  The glands in her mouth were already secreting the tiny dose of venom that would both numb the pain of her bite as well as heal it. He was a handsome fellow. If she had more time, she would keep him there for a while. He could please her body’s physical needs, as well as her hunger for blood.

  He did as he was told and closed the door behind him as she directed him to push the cart of food to the foot of the bed. Then she pulled him to her, licked his neck twice, and sank her fangs in to his flesh.

  Aaaahhhh, that's what she needed to get her night off to a good start.

  He didn’t know it, yet, but he was catching a cold. Her body would process out the vi
rus so she didn’t have to worry about getting sick, but still, it made his blood weaker than she preferred. Even so, it was delicious and would get her by.

  After taking her fill, she released him, and the bite instantly sealed. He grinned like a lovesick puppy from the euphoric side effect of the small dose of venom she'd injected. Not enough to kill him, but enough to make him feel really good for a few minutes and heal her bite. She imagined he was sporting half a hard-on in those black uniform pants, and she casually glanced down. Sure enough, he was a happy fellow.

  She wished she could play. He looked like a hung specimen and it had been a long time since she had felt a male body against hers. But alas, there wasn't enough time.

  She handed the young man twenty dollars and released him from compulsion. "Thank you."

  He blushed, probably because he realized he was staring at her satin-covered breasts and displayed a decent woody begging for attention inside his pants. Gina pretended she didn’t notice as she opened the door for him.

  "Please do come back," she said.

  "Uh…um…sure. Enjoy your dinner, Miss Carello."

  She smiled and watched him walk out then shut the door.

  "Well, I already had my appetizer," she said under her breath, and then licked his taste off her mouth.

  With a satisfied smack of her lips, she plopped down on the foot of the bed and flipped on the TV before addressing her dinner: Salad, gourmet cheeseburger, and French fries. For dessert, a wedge of chocolate cake that looked like Heaven on a plate beckoned her to eat her dinner in reverse. But no, she would be good.

  As she ate her salad, she clicked the channel changer until she came to the pregame show for tonight's basketball game. She might be able to catch the first few minutes of the game, but not the whole thing. She had work to do and a vampire to kill. She would have plenty of time to goof off and catch up on her sports after Severin was dead.

  CHAPTER EIGHT