by Devon Vesper
Valis shuddered and hurriedly locked the door, putting a shield on it to prevent anyone from unlocking it. If Tavros wanted to go slow, Valis wasn’t about to argue. It had been too long for them both, and the more Valis thought about it, the harder he got. He palmed his dick and whimpered as he watched Tavros shimmy out of his pants. The way his abs tightened when he sat up made Valis’s mouth water.
“Come here,” Tavros said, his voice thick and husky. “Now. You’re too far away, and I need to touch you.”
Valis grinned and turned around, showing Tavros his ass. He arched his back, running his hands down the rounded, muscular mounds and parted his cheeks to show Tavros his prize.
Tavros rewarded him with an almost feral growl. “I said, come here.”
“You were bossy,” Valis said, circling his entrance with the pad of his middle finger. He trailed that finger up his crack and back down with a cracked moan. He let his head fall back and turned his torso and neck just enough so he could see Tavros while still giving him a show. “I think I’ll stay right here.”
“You tease…”
“Yep.” Valis winked.
Then he squawked as Tavros launched off the bed and buried his shaft between Valis’s ass cheeks. He ground his cock against that tight cleft and rolled his hips so his dick rubbed roughly against Valis’s anus. “This ass is mine.”
The low growl against Valis’s sensitive ear made him shiver with want. He replied breathlessly, “Always.”
“And you’re teasing me with what’s mine. How am I going to punish you for that?”
Valis turned around in the cage of Tavros’s arms and licked a stripe from his husband’s collarbone to his ear and whispered against it, “Fuck me. Or make me choke on your cock. I’m not picky.”
Valis bit his lip as Tavros’s hand snuck between their bodies, grabbed both of their dicks and gave a hard, slow pump from root to tip and back again. He started up a slow, sensual rhythm that was the exact opposite of what Valis wanted.
“You’re being mean.” Valis let his head fall to rest on Tavros’s shoulder and rocked his hips in time with Tavros’s hand. “Gods that feels good.”
“I want to make you feel good,” Tavros said against his neck. He lightly nipped along the column and across Valis’s shoulder. “I want to make you fly.”
Laughing, Valis wrapped his arms about his lover’s neck and claimed his mouth with a searing kiss. The way Tavros melted against him, the way he caressed Valis’s tongue with his own, the way he moaned into Valis’s mouth almost buckled Valis’s knees. He broke the kiss after several minutes and smirked. “Your hand stopped. You’re bad at this.”
Tavros winked and squeezed their cocks before resuming his rhythm. That first pull made Valis’s breath hitch. Tavros grinned and nipped Valis’s lower lip. “I can’t help it if my husband can melt my brain with a kiss. Just proves I’m a lucky man.”
“I think, if you don’t fuck me now, I’m going to die.” Tavros rolled his palm across the head of their cocks just then. Valis’s whole body spasmed. “Please, Tav. Please fuck me. I need you. It’s been so long. Please.”
Tavros let out a long, drawn-out groan and leaned in. “Fuck. I love the way you beg. So beautiful, Valis.” He sucked a bruise into Valis’s neck and threw him onto the bed.
Valis squeaked as he bounced and laughed. “Tav!”
“Get your knees up to your chest. I want to eat that hole before I fuck you.”
Valis was quick to comply. His hole clenched and released, begging to be filled. Tavros stalked toward the bed and climbed on. He lowered to his stomach, grabbed two handfuls of ass cheek and buried his face in Valis’s crack without another word said.
The world closed in. Nothing existed anymore except for Valis and Tavros, and that talented tongue that laved his asshole between thrusts through the ring of muscle.
“How do I taste?” Valis asked between gasps and grunts of pleasure.
Tavros let out a filthy moan that vibrated Valis’s anus before he pulled away enough to speak. “I could eat this ass all day. Gods…”
Chuckling, Valis raked his fingers through Tavros’s hair then pulled until Tavros started following the silent demand. “Playtime over?”
Valis pulled him down for a kiss, tasting himself on his husband’s tongue. When he pulled back, Tavros’s eyes were glazed over. “Playtime’s just begun. Fuck me before I burn to nothing.”
“So dramatic…” But Tavros rocked his hips against Valis’, grinding their cocks together. Then, without a word of warning, he wrenched himself away and headed for their packs.
He came back with their jar, and Valis moaned. He pulled on his dick while Tavros walked to him on his hands and knees across the bed. He tugged harder, faster while his husband worked his asshole open with the lube. And when Tavros finally pressed the head of his cock into Valis’s ass, Valis wrapped his legs around Tavros’s hips, dug his heels into his backside, and pulled him in.
Tavros let out a short shout before laughing. “You really are hungry for it, aren’t you?”
“Don’t pretend you aren’t, too,” Valis moaned. “Fuck me!” Valis gyrated his hips. “Stop teasing!”
Tavros pulled back slowly, taking his time while he silenced Valis’s complaints with a hungry kiss. Then he slammed his hips forward and started a feverish pace that had Valis keening within three thrusts. Then he angled his hips just right and Valis saw stars. He stopped tugging on his dick and wrapped his arms around Tavros’s back, digging his nails in until his lover grunted in pleasured pain. “Harder,” he said, his voice hoarse.
“Gods, Valis…”
Valis dug in harder and drew his nails down the length of his back before grabbing Tavros’s ass, digging his nails in there and bringing them back up to his shoulders. He clenched his ass tight, pushing until Tavros cried out. “Gods, yes! Do that again.” Valis did it again, watching Tavros’s face as his facial expression melted from focused concentration to ecstasy.
“Valis… I need…” His jaw bulged as he gritted his teeth. “I need…”
Valis needed it, too. He started tugging on his cock frantically and moaned, “Come for me.”
Tavros roared as he came, his seed searing Valis’s insides. Five more tugs and Valis followed spurting long, thick stripes of cum over his abdomen and chest. Tavros lowered himself down, hooking his forearms behind Valis’s back to grip his shoulders. He buried his face in the crook of Valis’s neck and they lay there, panting together for a long time before someone started knocking incessantly on the door.
“You two done in there?”
Valis groaned. Dawn had impeccable timing, or she just waited while they finished. The latter was embarrassing, but he felt too good to care. Though, when she kept knocking, his elation started to die down and he realized that he had sticky semen gluing his chest to his husband’s and groaned. “Give us a minute…”
“Get some pants on,” Dawn ordered. “I’ve been waiting for over thirty minutes for you two to finish. I’m bored.”
Snickering, Valis pressed a gentle kiss to Tavros’s shoulder before giving him a push. “Come on. Let’s get up before she tries to break down the door.”
After taking a damp towel to their chests and cleaning up as best they could, Valis and Tavros donned pants and Valis opened the door. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
She smirked. “No, you’re not.”
Valis gave her a huge grin. “No. I’m not. But I probably should be. What do you need?”
“I just came to tell you that you’re both free to go.” She motioned to Tavros and looked him over as she said, “Tavros isn’t wheezing much anymore, and you’re both well past the contagious stage now.” She turned her attention back to Valis and nodded toward the window. “Your army is getting restless, and you need to go take care of them.”
Then she sniffed and backed away from the door. “But before you two do anything, go bathe. You reek of sex. I’ll have the boys fill your tubs.”
“Will we see you again?” Valis asked.
She grinned and shook her head. “You should hope not. But if you find yourself this way again, feel free to stop in.”
Valis nodded. “Thank you, Dawn. For everything. I greatly appreciate it.”
“Yeah,” Tavros said, amusement heavy in his tone. “I appreciate still being alive. Thank you.”
“No problem, boys. Now, get ready for a bath. I and my nieces stole your clothes and supplies and laundered them. They’ll be returned to you once they’re dry.” She patted Valis on the shoulder. “You boys be safe, you hear?”
Valis and Tavros replied in unison. “Promise.”
After their baths, Valis and Tavros headed back to their room to pack. When they entered, Valis felt a gentle smile stretch his lips. Rather than the laundry staff dropping off a basket of clothes, the items were neatly folded and their cleaned bags, tents, and bedrolls sat in tied bundles next to their clothes.
With that kindness, Valis and Tavros were able to pack up their gear and clothes in no time at all, and they headed out of the inn to find their army.
It didn’t take long. Maphias rode toward them and as soon as he saw them, he reined in his horse and dropped down from the saddle. “There you are.” He grinned. “Glad to see you two out of your cell. I was just coming to get you. Dawn said she’d release you today but didn’t say when.”
“She did a while ago,” Valis said, “but we had to bathe and wait for our laundry before we could leave the inn.”
“Just as well,” Maphias said. He gently rubbed his horse’s face. “Most of us had our laundry done today, too.”
“Is everyone ready to head out?” Valis asked. “As much as I enjoyed having a bed and warmth, I’m ready to get underway. We’ve lost a lot of time.”
Tavros groaned. “I’m sorry…”
“No, love.” Valis squeezed his hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the back. “It wasn’t your fault. No one will blame you, especially not me. We just have to make up for lost time by leaving soon.”
He focused on Maphias. “Where are our horses? And where’s Jedai? You two have been inseparable.”
Maphias laughed. “Jedai is getting our things ready. We figured you would want to leave today, so the entire army is packing their shit.” He motioned back where he’d come from. “Your horses are being pampered shits in the stables. The kids who ran along the line with us when we came into the city? They all decided to pitch in to help take care of all the horses. They’re especially fond of the Kalutakeni mounts, so Rasera has been getting carrots and apples galore.”
“Gods.” Valis shook his head. “He’ll be insufferable now. But let’s go. I still need to have a scrying session and talk with the reliquary guards before we leave.”
“Yes, sir,” Maphias said. “Follow me.”
They followed him through the city toward the rear gate where the main stables were located. “It’s been crazy. We’ve overtaken almost every stable in the city. Your horses are in their rear stables. They kept the front stables open for emergencies.
Valis and Tavros got their horses and rejoined the army. They congregated just outside the residential district in what would have been a pleasant park if there weren’t four feet of snow on the ground. When they got near, someone shouted, “They’re here!”
Everyone turned their heads toward them, most eyes on Tavros, and the cheer that went up was deafening.
“Glad to have you back, Tav,” Shyvus said. “You had your boy worried.”
“More than worried,” Phalin muttered. “He was so distraught, he was almost useless. …Almost.”
Valis ignored him. “Is everyone well-rested and ready to go?”
Phalin straightened up and nodded. “Yes, Grand Master. A few of us are still packing as we just got the last of our laundry a few minutes ago, but it won’t take long.”
“That will give me time to scry.”
“And give us time to catch up with Tavros,” Shyvus said. He pulled Tavros away and with him occupied, Valis pulled his pocket watch out and flipped down the cover.
First, he scried after his father. The moment the darkness shrouded the gold surface of the pocket watch cover’s smooth surface, Valis made it two way and murmured, “We’re coming.”
Valis heard a faint grunt, then a hacking cough that turned into desperate wheezes for air. “Gods… Father… I’m coming as soon as possible. Hold on. Promise me.”
It was quiet for so long, Valis fought against the fear that Darolen had died. But then he heard a gasp and then a hoarse whisper, “I promise.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, my son. Now go… before they hear you.”
Valis changed the scry with a heavy heart. But duty needed to be done. He couldn’t focus on his father right now. The anchor team needed to be his primary objective.
But when he scried after them, it was just the anchor team. “What? Where are they?”
Adjusting his scry, Valis searched for the scouting team who was supposed to meet up with the anchor team to keep them from advancing toward their assigned objective. He found them about two miles away from the anchor team, still searching as evidenced by the way the scouts scanned the fresh snow for any signs of tracks. With a frustrated sigh, he tried to connect a two-way scry, but all of their reflective surfaces were covered in cloth. Even their armor was wrapped in their bedrolls and tents so they could dress for the weather.
“What’s wrong, love?” Tavros sat beside him on the bench Valis had settled on. “You look tense.”
“The team I sent out to stall the anchor team hasn’t found their objective. They’re lost. So, we need to find them before we head after the anchor team. I can’t afford to lose more men and women by sending out yet another team.”
“Everyone is almost ready to ride,” Tavros said. He gripped Valis’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. It helped Valis drop some of his tension. “We’ll find them.”
“They’re only about two miles separated. Hopefully, they stay that close to each other.”
Valis thought about scrying for Thyran to give a report, but thought better of it and put his pocket watch away. Might as well save that report for when he had some good news. He’d do it after the Braywar mission.
Rasera snuffled at Valis’s hair, drawing him out of his thoughts. He chuckled and stood. “Yes, Ras. It’s time to go.”
He gave Tavros a quick kiss and Tavros followed his lead as Valis mounted up and headed for the main bulk of the army. He called out, pitching his voice to carry. “Mount up! It’s time to ride!”
Cheers broke out in the mass of bodies, and Valis could only grin. It felt good to be outside—even in the cold—with his husband at his side. He glanced over at Tavros just as Tavros glanced at him. Tavros reached over and took Valis’s outstretched hand. “And what’s that look for?”
Valis shrugged. “Just happy you’re beside me again instead of in my lap. Not that I don’t like it when you’re in my lap, just not when you’re so sick you almost die on me.”
Tavros squeezed his hand, and Valis gave him a grateful smile before turning his attention toward the mass of men and women. Everyone was mounted up, so Valis and Tavros led the way toward the front gate. “Let’s ride!”
The cheers that chased Valis out of the city hurt his ears, but he couldn’t stop grinning.
“How long until we get there?” Shyvus asked as he rode up beside Valis.
“Scrying says twelve days until we find the two lost teams. Then I’d guess there to be another two to three days to the border of Ges and Tonemor. The estate sits on the southern border between Ges and Tonemor on the Ges side.
“Then it should be another two days after that where we’ll reach the estate.”
Shyvus nodded sharply. “I’ll inform the ranks.”
Chapter Eighteen
“How close do you think we are?” Tavros asked.
It had been fifteen days of hard travel, but
everyone seemed energized from their stay in the city that no one complained. It was amazing what baths, soft, warm beds, and clean clothes could do for a person. They all seemed content. Valis had to admit that he felt fairly content, as well. He just wished he could keep that feeling running through his army for the rest of their journey.
Valis sighed and looked down at his map. “I’m not sure.”
“That town in the distance might have more targeted maps and people who know where the estate is,” Shyvus said from Valis’s other side. “It’s not far out of our way.”
Nodding, Valis stared at the short rock and mortar wall that surrounded the town. They could reach the border within twenty minutes at their current pace. “We need to refresh a few of our supplies, anyway. We might as well. If they don’t have what we need, surely they can point us toward a town that does.”
“Excellent.” Shyvus rolled his shoulders back, a sign of stress that Valis had been noticing in his friend for the last few days. He frowned at the town, almost as if it had offended him in some way. “If only it was large enough to have the inn space needed for us all to have warm beds tonight. Venoz City really did spoil me.”
Valis snorted and turned toward the town. “You aren’t the only one. I think they spoiled the entire army. But we’ll persevere. The faster we get our objectives done, the faster we can go home.”
“Isn’t that a novel concept?” Shyvus asked. The wistful note to his voice wasn’t lost on Valis. “I’ve been on longer missions than this. Much longer. The longest was four years and eight months, Valis. And that didn’t feel half as long as this journey feels. It makes me want home all the more.”
“I can understand that,” Valis said. He urged Rasera to head for the town, knowing his husband, Shyvus, and the rest of the army would follow him without question. “I think it’s that way for almost everyone because of the blizzards, fields of endless snow, the bone-deep chill, and the short days.”
“The fact we have to melt snow in order to make any progress doesn’t help,” his friend muttered. And Valis couldn’t fault Shyvus, because he was getting tired of constantly casting the pyre spell, too.