The very last thing Sevaleth wanted was to make Jodi cry. As he looked at him and his beautiful mouth again, now Sevaleth understood what had attracted him to the young man. It was his lips, but more importantly, he was fascinated by the notion of doing something to Jodi that would twist his mouth into an expression of bliss.
Sevaleth wanted Jodi to make the same face that he’d seen Dathar’s slave make. During one of his campaigns, Dathar found a male slave and kept him as his sword bearer. When Dathar brought him to the hall for the first time, Sevaleth had watched them with one another. Spying was easy enough to do when Dathar’s cell was directly across from Sevaleth’s. The two men were very tender and spent most of the evening talking and touching. After making Dathar very hard and then slicking him up, the slave had mounted Dathar’s lap and willingly slid down, taking his cock up his ass. The look on that slave’s face was what Sevaleth wanted to see on Jodi’s face. It was a look that mingled pleasure, joy, and even pride. Although, Sevaleth would either have to have a mirror put in or he would have to have Jodi facing him in order to watch his expression. Of the two choices, he’d prefer the latter. That way, if Jodi was looking at him, he could see everything on his face.
Now that Sevaleth knew what he wanted, he still had a problem because he didn’t know how to get there, and worse, he couldn’t ask. But Jodi said he was trained, so he must know. He offered to show Sevaleth this idea of seduction, so all he had to do was act as if he already knew such things even though, to be honest, he knew more what not to do after seeing the other heroes in the hall. The only pair he’d seen that seemed to be happy together was Dathar and his sword bearer. But, well, their relationship was different because Dathar owned the slave. His sword bearer had to stay with him whether he wanted to or not.
“Is the water sacred?” Jodi pointed to the pool.
“No.” Sevaleth knew of a world where water was revered, so Jodi’s question was not a strange one. “I use it for bathing and relaxing.”
“Good.” Jodi grasped Sevaleth’s hand and gently tugged him toward the water.
“I am clean.”
“That’s okay. We’re going to relax.”
“I want you to show me gratitude.” Sevaleth thought he’d been very clear about that.
“I will.” Jodi turned and lifted his face to Sevaleth, showing his perfect features. “Are you in a hurry?”
Sevaleth thought of the pain-filled faces of the rushed slaves in the hero’s hall and shook his head. He wanted to know, but he knew being in a hurry wasn’t the way. He would have to learn…patience. One of the teachers from a long time ago had noted how heroes didn’t seem to understand the concept of biding their time. When it took him three days to make the entire class of men understand, he’d proved his point very well. Mostly to himself. Sevaleth had forgotten about that lesson until now. Generally, when he wanted something, he took it. But that would make Jodi cry. So he would go slowly.
As Sevaleth stepped into the water with Jodi, he noticed that his houseboy had cleaned the water since he’d been in here earlier. That was good, as he wanted things to always be nice for his…Sevaleth frowned. He didn’t know what to call Jodi. Bed warmer wasn’t quite right because he wanted more from him than just that. He wasn’t a slave now, but he wasn’t really a citizen. Sevaleth could fix that issue, but that still left the question of what he would call Jodi.
He wanted to ask Jodi what they called mated pairs on Earth, but he was stymied by the fact he couldn’t ask direct questions. Even though he didn’t like demanding things from Jodi, he really had no other choice. “You will tell me what a pair of people on Earth is called.”
“You mean a couple?” Jodi kept moving into the water until he was close to the part that went outside.
“Yes. Tell me what words they use to name one another.”
Jodi seemed to be considering. “Oh, you mean like lover, mate, boyfriend, companion—things like that?”
“Yes.” Sevaleth pointed. “You can duck and go under the glass wall to go outside.”
“Would you like to do that?”
“If you would.” Sevaleth was trying to be fair in what they would do. It was the best way to show he was not a brute.
“I would.” Jodi grinned, let go of Sevaleth’s hand, and then ducked under the water, swam below the wall of glass, popping up on the other side. He waved.
Sevaleth joined him.
“Oh, it has messed up your hair.”
“I did not like the style anyway.” Sevaleth reached up but then wondered if Jodi had liked it.
“I think it will look better like this.” Jodi used both his hands to tug lightly on Sevaleth’s hair. He had no idea what he looked like, but judging by the spark of lust in Jodi’s gaze, he liked what he had done very much.
Sevaleth was beginning to suspect the way of winning Jodi’s interest was in sometimes letting him lead. Going outside for one and then grooming Sevaleth’s hair for another allowed Jodi to assert his will in a safe way. Already he seemed happier and less afraid.
“I will call you companion. Tell me you like this.”
“I do. You can call me Jodi or companion. I like both.”
“Tell me what you will call me.”
“What would you like?”
Sevaleth considered his choices. “I like great master.”
“I kind of figured you would.” Jodi grinned. “But maybe mate?”
“Mate.” Sevaleth considered. “It is not as powerful as master.”
“True. But a master is one who is feared. Do you want me to be afraid of you?”
“No.” Sevaleth didn’t want that at all. What he wanted exactly he couldn’t really name. Telling Jodi he wanted what Dathar and his sword bearer had wouldn’t mean anything to him since Jodi didn’t know them. But maybe he could show him. There would be another celebration in the hero’s hall tonight. Sevaleth would take Jodi there and hope Dathar and his sword bearer did what they had almost every night. “I do not want you to be afraid of me.”
“Good.” Jodi pressed close but not close enough to make their bodies touch.
Sevaleth wanted to grab him and grind their bodies together, but he would wait. “You show me these erotic arts now.”
“Always start out with touches.” Jodi moved away but rather than break contact entirely, he stroked his hand down Sevaleth’s chest.
When he stroked over the ugly scar there, Sevaleth pushed his hand away. “You will not touch me there.”
“Why?” Jodi held his hand still.
“War marks are ugly.”
“No. They’re not ugly but sad.” Jodi leaned forward and kissed the edge of the worst scar. “I don’t think they’re horrible at all.”
“I am ugly.”
“No.” Jodi frowned. “Is that what you think?”
“I know this is so. I was told this is so.”
“Who told you that?” Jodi continued to touch Sevaleth’s body but stayed away from his war marks.
“A woman.” Into his mind came that horrible woman who had given him a gift to curry his favor, but later whispered to someone else how hideous he was. Sevaleth had been deeply wounded but in such a way no one could see the mark she had made. It was the first time he realized that some could carry hidden scars that none could see.
Jodi laughed.
Anger washed over Sevaleth. “Tell me why you dare to laugh at me!”
“No!” Jodi shook his head so hard he flung water droplets off. They landed on Sevaleth’s chest like tears. “I’m laughing at her for calling you ugly. She clearly doesn’t know a thing about you.”
“All know me. I am a hero.”
“She knows what you’ve done. The places you’ve conquered and things like that, but she doesn’t know you.” Jodi leaned forward and very deliberately kissed the worst scar. As he traced it downward, making kisses all along the way, he looked up at Sevaleth. “To me, you are beautiful.”
Unsure what this meant, Sevaleth simply watc
hed him and found that his cock was getting very hard. He held his breath wondering if Jodi would keep kissing him until he reached his prick. When Jodi stopped with his lips but kept touching him with his hands, Sevaleth wondered how long this would go on. He wanted to know him now. But there was pleasure in waiting. Confused, he decided that he would let the young man show him the way of things. So far he seemed to be very good at what he was doing.
“You are beautiful to me.” Sevaleth wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to say until Jodi smiled at him. That was another expression he had seen quite often on Dathar’s sword bearer.
“Come and sit with me over here in the shade.” Jodi moved over to the far edge of the pool where they could sit and look out at the sea. Shade was cast by a collection of plants with enormous leaves, giving them a break from the harsh sun.
“I enjoy sitting here in the evenings.”
Jodi looked to be on the verge of moving.
“But now is nice, too.” Sevaleth felt very strange. If he wasn’t waging war or planning out the strategy of waging war, he really didn’t know what to do with himself.
“The men who brought us to you said you will no longer fight.”
“This is so.” Sevaleth was saddened by the thought.
“What will you do now?”
“Celebrate others who wage war.” That was the most important thing he would do. He supposed to some it would be a great thing to have such a life of leisure, but Sevaleth was bored before he’d even done it for a few days.
“You don’t sound honored.”
Sevaleth was used to keeping his thoughts to himself, but after watching Dathar, he figured that was probably one of things he enjoyed with his sword bearer—telling him the thoughts in his mind. Since he couldn’t ask Dathar, he could only guess, but it wouldn’t hurt to share with Jodi. “I thought I would be dead by now.”
Jodi’s expression was clearly horrified.
“Not that I long for death. I am happy to be alive and to be here. But drinking each night and cheering on those who have been successful where I once was…”
“It seems like a letdown?”
The phrase translated a bit awkwardly, but the sentiment was the same. Sevaleth nodded.
“What would you rather be doing?” Jodi moved closer and held Sevaleth’s hand. It was very minor contact but felt unbelievably good.
“I do not know. Even though I made war all my life, I have no interest in doing that anymore.” Sevaleth leaned close to Jodi. “I am not afraid, but I find I want more.”
“More?”
“More of something like you.”
A smile lifted one edge of Jodi’s mouth and then the other. It was slow and almost hesitant. For a moment, Sevaleth thought he was going to laugh again, but he didn’t. He smiled and then leaned close, pressing his mouth to Sevaleth’s. The contact was foreign but so sweet he longed for it to be as familiar to him as the feel of a blade in his fist. What he would never tell Jodi was that he could slay with the power of his kiss. He had barely brushed against Sevaleth when he was ready to lay down his arms and surrender.
As Jodi deepened the kiss by moving closer still, Sevaleth gripped the seat he was on to make himself resist the urge to move. Again, he wanted to grab Jodi and thrust blindly until he managed to get his cock into him, but he knew that was not the way. Seduction. It was a completely unfamiliar concept, but that didn’t mean Sevaleth couldn’t grasp it. Many times when he waged war he had to quickly understand the ways of the people he wished to enslave. He could adapt and react very fast when he needed to. So while Jodi kissed him, he gripped the edge of the underwater bench and kept still.
“You’re a good kisser.” Jodi stroked his finger over Sevaleth’s bottom lip and then moved close again, this time opening his mouth.
Sevaleth followed suit and gasped when their tongues touched. How could something so simple feel so good? Now he wanted to kiss again and taste more of the unique flavor that was his companion. Jodi seemed to instinctively know what Sevaleth wanted because he pressed closer and opened his mouth wider. Pleased, because clearly their interest was mutual, Sevaleth continued to stay where he was and allow Jodi to lead.
When Jodi dueled his tongue against Sevaleth’s, he turned his head so that he could flick his more firmly against Jodi’s. This was a kind of war he’d never fought. But he quickly realized the goal here wasn’t physical superiority, but mutual pleasure. Sevaleth knew the right strokes to make when Jodi moaned softly and gripped his hand tighter. Paying attention also helped Sevaleth to not get lost in the moment, which seemed very easy to do. His hunger for more was great, but he didn’t want to hurt his companion.
They kissed until they were gasping, but Jodi pulled away first. Sevaleth almost went after him, desperate for more, but he thought this might be part of Jodi’s teaching. Since Sevaleth had to pretend to know what was going on, he allowed their lust to cool even though he really didn’t want to.
However, he took pleasure in watching Jodi play in the water. Jodi was a strong swimmer, and he was able to swim effortless circles around Sevaleth. Normally, his competitive side would have demanded he triumph, but this was like the tataan in his bed. He had no need to assert his dominance over all he encountered. The world would not collapse just because he wasn’t always the best at everything around him. Besides, Jodi was wonderful to look at. His body was very strong and so perfectly proportioned. When he rose up out of the water, he was like one of the large sea fishes.
Catching him around his waist, Sevaleth pulled him tight and enjoyed the feel of his body sliding past his own. The contact was wonderfully sensual, but brief, and in no way frightened Jodi. Encouraged, Sevaleth found other ways to bring their forms near for brief moments, and in so doing, his erect cock rubbed against Jodi’s. The moment was over so fast, but the thrill it gave him lingered long into the day.
“We should eat.” Jodi seemed to be gazing beyond the glass at the table inside.
Sevaleth realized he should have offered his slave something straight away, but in his typical fashion he’d been far more focused on himself. And then he realized he’d just called Jodi his slave. At least he hadn’t done so out loud.
“Don’t make that face.” Jodi reached up, cupping Sevaleth’s chin. “I would have told you earlier if I was hungry.”
“I wish only to be good for you.”
“You are.” Jodi grinned and kissed him.
Reassured, Sevaleth called for his houseboy, who, like his groomer, bowed so deeply he practically wiped his nose on the tiles. He returned a short time later with half a dozen other slaves carrying trays of food. They placed everything on the shaded balcony table then departed.
Jodi, who was still floating about in the pool, looked uncomfortable, prompting Sevaleth to wonder why. He waited until they had the balcony to themselves.
“You are troubled.”
“I’m not used to being waited on like that. I guess it makes me uncomfortable.”
“You belong to me now. You will get used to being waited on.” Sevaleth rose out of the water then offered out his hand to Jodi.
Jodi took his hand but did so rather warily.
“Tell me what is wrong.”
“Well, that, for one.”
“I do not understand.”
“I get that this is the way things are for you. Having all these people—aliens—whatever—waiting on you hand and foot. I get that. And I’ll get over my dislike of having servants, but I don’t like you ordering me around.”
Sevaleth wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong.
“Can’t you ask me what’s wrong instead of ordering me to tell you?”
“Girakor heroes do not ask. We take.” He went to the table and sat down. “It is not to harm you but a custom of my kind.”
“Right.” Jodi sat down and considered the food.
“Tell me—” remembering what Jodi had said, Sevaleth tried another way. “Is the food not to your liking?” It felt very
odd to have a question come out of his mouth. He immediately looked around to see if anyone else was near enough to hear. When he reaffirmed that they were alone, he was glad.
“I don’t know. It’s so different from what I’m used to.” Jodi sampled a bit of everything then gravitated toward the simplest items.
Sevaleth made a note of this so that he could tell his cook to make things that Jodi would be sure to enjoy. Fruit and protein seemed to be his favorites, just like Sevaleth’s. That was good. There was plenty of both on Girakor. He noticed that there was a large pitcher of grog, but that he ignored. He was still paying for his indulgence the night before.
When Jodi tried some, Sevaleth watched him with great curiosity. Only men enjoyed grog. If Jodi did, then he was in effect declaring that he was a man. Jodi sipped the small amount he had poured and then seemed to swish the liquid in his mouth before swallowing it.
“It’s like beer.”
“Tell me what that is.”
Jodi laughed lightly rather than get angry at Sevaleth’s inability to ask.
“Beer is a drink on Earth. It smells and tastes almost exactly like this.” Jodi poured himself some and drank it with his meal, pleasing Sevaleth greatly. Knowing he was a man made what he wished to do with him far more comfortable. He did not like to think of himself as taking advantage of another.
When their meal was over, Jodi yawned, pleasing Sevaleth all over again.
“You seem to be well attuned to our customs.”
“I do?”
“Now that the meal is over, we will sleep.”
“We will?” Jodi looked at the bed with more fear than anticipation.
“We sleep now so that we can stay up late into the night.” Sevaleth pulled Jodi toward his bed. Just as he anticipated, his servants had freshened it up and they had also closed the drapes against the harsh afternoon light. He looked around for Raptor and discovered he’d managed to find a patch of sunlight on the other side of the room.
Sevaleth slipped between the covers, and Jodi followed him. What shocked him was when Jodi didn’t lie on his own side, as was the custom, but curled up next to Sevaleth. He was so excited he almost forgot to breathe. He almost warned Jodi that this was a time for slumber, not more erotic learning, but then again, he didn’t want to disappoint his companion.
Enslaved By a Hero [Sold! 7] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 4