by Maggie Walsh
He inhaled deeply, letting Thad’s delicious aroma of wildflowers and musk, as well as the scent of Thad’s desire, fill him. His mate’s potent scent alone was like a drug and was giving him a heady feeling. Nicco licked a path up Thad’s hard shaft and then across the tip, taking the bead of honey that had formed there. His eyes closed again from getting his first true taste of his mate, and Nicco’s need increased. His cock filled painfully, and he knew he needed release soon.
“Mmm, gods, Nikolai! That feels so…so…I don’t even know how to describe how wonderful that feels.”
The thought, if he loves that, then he’s really gonna love this, ran through his head, and Nicco sucked the tip of his mate’s pretty cock into his mouth and ran his tongue around it, then under the helmet, and pressed it against the band of nerves. Thad screamed out his name, and it was the best thing Nicco had ever heard.
He sucked Thad to the back of his throat and began to bob his head up and down as he sucked and slurped, worshipping Thad’s thick cock. Using his mind, he willed the tube of lube to come to him from his nightstand and a moment later felt the tube hit his palm. Nicco poured some of the slick on his finger, then pressed the tip of one finger to Thad’s puckered hole, and ran the tip around the tight ring of muscle, slowly opening his man. He didn’t want to cause Thad even a moment of pain. His mate was a virgin, after all, and he needed to show him extra care.
Nicco slid the first finger deep and wiggled it around. Thad moaned and thrashed against him. Nicco opened his eyes, looking up his mate’s body, and watched the erotic show before him. He continued to suck and stretch his mate, adding fingers as Thad’s channel loosened, and Nicco kept his gaze on every move Thad made. His mate’s body trembled, squirmed, and writhed against the bed, and his head shook back and forth, with his eyes closed and mouth slightly open as he panted and moaned. Thad’s arms were down straight by his sides, his hands grasping the sheets below.
Nicco continued to tease and suck Thad’s cock, taking it down the back of his throat and then swallowing. Slowly, he slid off Thad’s cock and licked a path down the vein underneath, to his sac, and then drew the orbs into his mouth, swirling his tongue around them as he pressed a third finger into Thad’s tight hole.
Once Nicco had three fingers moving effortlessly inside his mate, he knew Thad was ready. Nicco wanted Thad to relax more so there would be the least amount of pain for his first time. Nicco knew he was pretty big for his size, his cock being thicker than most, and ten inches long. So Nicco held back his own need a little longer and added a fourth finger as he released Thad’s balls and engulfed his dick again and let it slide down his throat. As soon as he did, Thad screamed out his name again and filled his mouth with his seed.
Nicco swallowed around the head, drawing out every drop, and then quickly sat up. Thad relaxed down against the bed, his limbs visibly slack as Thad panted. Now was the time. Nicco quickly slicked his cock, then grabbed the base, and pressed the leaking tip to Thad’s puckered hole.
“Look at me, Thaddeus,” Nicco said between clenched teeth. He knew this was a bad time, but he needed to be sure. Once Thad opened his eyes and their gazes met, he asked, “Are you sure, mate?”
Thaddeus smiled at him so lovingly, that Nicco was sure he had just seen heaven, and then Thad nodded. “I’ve never been surer, my Nikolai.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, baby, so push out as I push in. Ready?” Once again Thad gave him that smile as he nodded. Nicco needed to feel his mate wrapped around him.
He pressed forward, his cock breaking through the outer ring of muscle, and Thad hissed low. Nicco looked at his face, making sure he wasn’t hurting his mate. It would be the hardest thing he ever did, if he had to stop now, but he would do it for this man. The man he loved more than anything. Finding only pleasure on Thad’s handsome face, Nicco pressed in another inch, and he could feel Thad doing as he said and pushing out.
“Okay, love. Tighten your muscles and hold them until I say to release,” Nicco said, and Thad did as he said. Nicco clenched his teeth again against the squeeze of Thad’s muscles around him, strangling his dick. Once he felt a tremor in those muscles, he knew Thad was ready. “Now relax, love.”
Once Thad relaxed his hold, Nicco’s cock slid the rest of the way into the warm, silky cave, until he felt his balls kiss Thad’s ass. Thad tightened his muscles again, and Nicco saw stars. Shit, his mate was tight to begin with, but with him gripping him like this, Nicco was not going to last long. His cock throbbed and felt as if it thickened as Thad squeezed him.
“If you don’t want me to come right now, baby, you need to stop. My dick is about to explode,” Nicco hissed.
Instantly Thad’s muscles contracted, and Nicco could breathe again. Taking a few moments to get his need under control, Nicco enjoyed the feel of being inside his mate. Their bodies were now connected, and Nicco knew he had been right―once would not be enough. Now that he had enjoyed Thaddeus’s body, felt how perfectly their bodies fit together, he would need to have Thad again and again. The next year was going to be hell sharing his body with his mate, but not claiming him, but damn what a ride it was going to be.
“Nikolai,” Thad said breathlessly, and he could hear the plea in his mate’s voice.
Nicco grabbed Thad’s hip and pulled back until just the tip of his cock remained inside, and then slowly thrust back in. He and Thaddeus both moaned from the motion, and Nicco had to feel it again. He repeated the action, and his head filled with pleasure he had never known before. Thrusting again and again, Nicco’s need grew, and his pleasure consumed him.
A sexy moan escaped Thad’s lips, and Nicco opened his eyes and looked down upon his mate. Thad looked like a debauched angel lying there beneath him. His chest covered in a thin layer of sweat, his hair a mess, with a few wet strands sticking to his face, skin flushed, lips still plump from their kiss, lids heavy, with a glazed look of bliss in his eyes. Gods, he was sexy as sin. Nicco closed his eyes momentarily and sent up a prayer of thanks to fate for giving him this wonderful man. Thad might still be young, but he was a good man. A man Nicco was proud to have by his side and call his.
Nicco kept his gaze focused on Thad as he continued to thrust in and out of Thad’s body, making them one. He stared down at where they were connected, watching in awe as his cock spread Thad wide as it disappeared inside him, then reappeared, and the muscles around Thad’s hole tightened again, as if not wanting to let him go.
Nicco could feel the bond growing, and his fangs broke through his gums as his claws elongated. He was careful not to cut Thad with the sharp nails as he gripped his hips tighter and picked up his pace. Thrusting harder, deeper. He needed. Needed to come, to feel Thad come on his cock, to feel all of Thad. He needed to claim what was his, to connect their bond, and have this man in his arms and his life for always. But in the back of his mind he heard the warning. Take what is yours. Enjoy the flesh, but don’t claim.
Bite. No, don’t bite. Nicco fought with his vampire. Claim. No. No, I can’t claim. Just enjoy what we can have for now.
Nicco’s balls pulled up tight against his body, and a tingle settled in his lower spine. He knew it was time, and even though he wanted this moment to go on forever, he was also relieved that he was ready. The faster he quenched this desire, hopefully he could appease the other need and hold it off.
Thaddeus's cock was filled and leaking copious amounts of his juices all over Thad’s stomach. Nicco wrapped his hand around the base and began to stroke his mate in rhythm with his thrusts. Picking up his pace, Nicco powered into Thaddeus, his orgasm racing for completion. With the force of a tsunami, his climax hit, exploding from his shaft and filling his mate, claiming him in the basest way. Nicco’s body went rigid as he sat fully seated inside his mate and enjoyed every wave of sensation that ran through him as he emptied and called out Thaddeus’s name. At the same time, Thad screamed his name and orgasmed, shooting up his abs and chest as his inner muscles rippled and stroked his cock, dra
wing every drop from him.
Carefully, Nicco slid from his mate’s body and rolled off the bed. After quickly cleaning himself in the bathroom, he went back to Thad with a warm washcloth and gently cleaned his mate, before tossing the cloth in the laundry basket in the corner.
He climbed into the bed and lay beside Thaddeus, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. Thad’s eyes were closed, his face relaxed, and he wore the most beautiful smile. Nicco’s heart filled with the love he felt for his mate, and relief spread through him knowing that he had given his mate so much pleasure, but at the same time had been able to control his need and not claim Thad yet. If he had, Nicco would be in trouble with the paranormal council, and it could have meant his death. The thought of being ripped away from Thad too much for him to bear. That was what kept him from giving the claiming bite.
Nicco kissed the top of Thad’s head and then relaxed, letting his eyes close as he listened to the music that softly played in the background. They had been listening to the radio earlier when their make-out session began, but once things got under way, everything melted away from around them accept his Thaddeus and what they were doing. He listened to the music and smiled as the words came to him. “I’ll stay with you for all time. If I could, then I would, I’ll go wherever you may go…”
“I love you, Thaddeus, with all my heart,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Nikolai.”
He fell asleep with his heart full and that song playing in his mind. When he awakened the next day, the song stayed with him all day, filling him with his love for his mate. He now found that it was his favorite song. “Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling.
Until later that day, when it had changed and become the one song he never wanted to hear again.
The memories assailed him, as well as the lyrics to that damn song, and Nicco clenched his teeth against the pain in his heart. Anger began to boil within, and Nicco knew he needed to pull it back and control it. A wave of indifference washed over him, and suddenly all the feelings of love and loss that had taken him while lost in the past vanished, and he was once again left feeling nothing when he thought of his mate.
Nicco sat up quickly, his eyes opened wide. He had always known that when Thad came to mind, or was spoken of, that he just felt nothing, empty, but now with Thad here, he was starting to feel. He had spent all these years happy knowing that Thad’s memory wouldn’t destroy him, but now it seemed things were changing. Even though he had just accepted it as the gift it was when Melinda cast the spell, he hadn’t truly realized the consequences of that action.
His body, mind, and soul had gone numb to all things Thad, which helped him survive the loss of his mate, but was it wise to still be like that? Especially with the man only a few doors down and unconscious? He was still indifferent toward all things Thaddeus, but now it seemed it brought out anger and pain, and Nicco didn’t like it. As he thought of that, the reason of why he didn’t like it hit him, which only made him angrier. He didn’t like it because he knew his attitude was hurting his mate, and he couldn’t bear to think that he was causing his mate pain. But that wasn’t right. With the spell, that shouldn’t be a part of his thinking. His heart clenched and began to beat erratically. Nicco lay back down, willing his body to settle. There had to be a perfectly good explanation as to why little fissures were starting to open around his heart, and the feelings were beginning to seep back in, allowing his love for his mate to spring to life. Surely the spell should still be working.
* * * *
There was a pounding in his head and a voice calling out to him. “Nikolai?” Thad heard himself ask in his mind. He looked around, not knowing where he was. Everything was dark, but a swirl of gray smoke began to form around him. Slowly Thad walked, trying to figure out where he was.
“Eakul,” the voice called to him from somewhere far away.
Thad turned in circles, but found nothing but the darkness and the gray smoke. As he hesitantly walked on, he was filled with a sense of danger, that maybe he should turn back.
“Come to me, Dax. Or should I now call you by your true name, Eakul? I have waited long enough. It is time,” the voice said.
No. He knew he had to stay away from it. He didn’t know why, but something inside him told him to run. Thaddeus turned and ran in the other direction. He didn’t know for how long he had run, but he was panting heavily, and his lungs burned.
“Stop running, Eakul. You will never be able to get away from me.” The voice sounded cold and unfeeling, except for the desire to own. It chilled his bones. He had no idea who it was and what their intention was, but he could feel that it wasn’t good. The voice frightened him.
“Don’t listen to it, Eakul. Fight him,” he heard a softer voice say, but didn’t know who it came from. A vision of the man with the long hair from Dante’s office came to mind. What was his name? Nobin. That was it. Nobin was the other voice.
“He can’t hide you any longer, Eakul. Now the time has come, and you will be mine.”
“Who are you?” Thad yelled into the darkness.
“I am the one who will be beside you for all time,” the voice answered, sounding like a promise.
Thaddeus’s heart skipped and filled with joy. “Nikolai?”
“Not the damn vampire! He is nothing! He doesn’t even want you, so give him up and finally claim your destiny, Eakul.” The voice came from so close beside him that Thad spun around, afraid of what he would find, but there was nothing there.
“I am everywhere. No matter where you run. No matter where you try to hide. I will always be there, just as I have been since your birthday, Eakul. I will make all of them disappear like I did your bandmates. Anyone who dares to try to get between us will perish.”
“No! I belong to Nikolai! He is my mate!” Thad called out.
“Your mate? Silly man, Jinn cannot mate outside their own kind. You are mine, Eakul. You were promised to me, and I have come to claim what is mine. Once your powers are done bonding to your soul and the spell is broken, I will come for you,” the voice stated.
“No! I am not a Jinn. I don’t belong to you. I am Nikolai’s!”
“That’s it, Eakul, fight him. Don’t let him win,” Nobin’s voice rang in his head.
“Nobin? Where are you? Where am I?”
“I’m here, little brother. Watching over you as is my duty, and I won’t let him get you. But you have to help me. You have to fight him. Keep your love and faith in Nikolai as your guide. Don’t let go of your hope for him to come back to you. Fight, Eakul.”
“You will be mine!” the voice yelled, the sound crashing into his skull and piercing his ears.
Thaddeus grabbed his head with both hands as he clenched his jaw against the pain. Fear engulfed him, and he ran again. He had to get away from whoever this was. He needed to find Nikolai. His mate would save him. He knew Nikolai was hurt and angry, and he had a spell on him to keep his own heart safe, but Thaddeus knew they could find their way back to each other. He had to keep the faith and believe in his mate. They had been so deeply in love once, and those feelings never left for him. They might have hidden for a while, helping him to move on without Nikolai, but they never left. His love for his mate was always there, guiding him. He had to hold onto that love and expose it to Nikolai. His mate needed to see that he still loved him and couldn’t live without him.
Thaddeus ran for what seemed like hours, but every time he turned around, he could feel the menacing presence there. He couldn’t escape it.
“No, you will never escape me, Eakul,” the voice replied with a maniacal laugh.
“No! I only want Nikolai! Nikolai!” Thad screamed, calling to his mate.
Suddenly everything stopped. Only the darkness remained, and Thaddeus felt his body go limp.
* * * *
“Are we sure this will work?” Viktor asked.
Nicco stood by the window in the living room just looking out into the night. He could hear Vik, Zane,
Cass, Kia, and Shay talking, but he didn’t pay too much attention. He didn’t know if what they had planned would work, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted it to or not.
They wanted Kia to walk around in his memories to find the moment Melinda cast the spell on him so that Zane would know which one and hopefully find the counter spell. But was this what he really wanted? Did he want to allow all that pain to encompass him again? He didn’t think he could survive the weight of it once it returned.
Wait. What? How did he know that? For all these years, he knew that Melinda had placed a spell on him, but once it was done, he never gave it much more thought. He kind of remembered in the beginning, thinking how wonderful it was to not feel that anguish any longer, but as quick as the thought had hit, the thought that he was okay and his life could go on entered his mind, and he just went about his life. He never again thought of the love he had lost or how deeply it injured him. Now it was all he could think of, and he was afraid of letting it back in.
“Ready, Nic?” Vik asked.
He closed his eyes and sighed. How could he tell them no? His best friend had gone through so much to help him, and he didn’t want to let Viktor down, but really? Did he really want this? He turned to face his friends and opened his eyes, his gaze locking with Viktor’s.
“I know that look, Nic, and all I can say is please don’t not do this. I know because of the spell that you feel nothing when it comes to Thaddeus, but it’s not right. I went along with it in the beginning because I was worried about you being crushed under the weight of it, but I always hoped Thad would come back to you so that you could have your happiness. Now he’s here, and you need to face him. Remember what Aurora told us? We all must face our pasts if we are to move forward and face Minos and Hades. If for nothing else but that, Nic, you need to do this and face your past.”
He knew Viktor was right. Even if he and Thaddeus could never come back together, he needed to do this so that he would be ready to stand by his leader, his people, and his brothers, as they faced their death in battle. If he did, and followed Aurora’s instructions, then maybe their chances would improve, even without Thaddeus joining in the fight.