Come Undone: Romance Stories Inspired by the Music of Duran Duran

by Kim Carmichael

  A couple times since they’d left the market, Zerek found himself smiling as he remembered the ridiculous explanations Arri had heard about his miraculous escape from Stony Gate. Not knowing the answer must be whipping the Hilruda into frothing fury. Considering he was still feeling the ill effects of his single fight at Stony Gate, it was no more than they deserved, may their festering balls rot and fall off.

  They'd made good time to the stronghold, but it had been an arduous trip. Much to his annoyance, Essian had more stamina than he did, and Zerek continued to push himself harder than normal in an effort to impress the reserved Essian. Even in top form, he'd be hard pressed to match the Kadrussian’s athleticism.

  In minutes, they stood before a heavy, wooden door, the only way through a substantial stone barrier. The upper levels of the stronghold were visible above the wall, more resembling a rocky outcropping of the mountain than a building. Tired and disheveled, Zerek took in the number of guards he could see. There were probably more he couldn't. If Essian was wrong about getting in to see the clan leader, they would be dead in seconds. He should have fucking pressed Essian for details. He blamed his stupidity on the Hilruda trying to eat him and his cock for appropriating more than its fair share of blood.

  Both of them remained hidden under cloaks, and Zerek drew his closer about him. No matter that humans resided in clan lands, there weren’t enough that his humanness would go unnoticed and unremarked. Flaunting it wouldn’t be wise.

  Essian approached the guards, Zerek following closely enough to help if things went badly. Few Kadrussians bothered with weapons, but Zerek had insisted on taking at least a couple of knives with him. Not like he had poisonous fangs to rely on. Even in simple strength, Zerek would be hard pressed to hold his own with many clansmen. The guards, though, carried spears tipped with sharp points that appeared far more functional than ceremonial.

  "Your purpose?" The guard that spoke was a muscular woman, not nearly as big as Essian or the other guards, but that didn't make her any less dangerous.

  "I am a Seeker on a true mate quest."

  Zerek's eyes widened. What the fuck was going on? Nevertheless, a ripple of excitement seemed to emanate from those who heard Essian's words. Essian stepped back, and they waited.

  Questions bubbled up in his throat, and only the fact that the guards were still observing them kept them locked behind his teeth.

  In surprisingly short order, a man whose bearing resembled Essian's bodyguard took charge of them as he led them through the stronghold.

  He stopped at a guest suite and opened the door. "You may rest and refresh here. Someone will come to fetch you for your audience with the clan leader. Are you both Seekers?"

  Essian shook his head. "No. My companion serves as guide. The paths between our lands grow treacherous."

  "Indeed. The Hilruda dogs have become bold."

  Zerek didn't know if that meant the guard would be in favor of Essian's plan to unite the clans against the Hilruda, but then, it wasn't the guard they were here to see. Of course, he didn't know everything that was going on. Zerek may have heard of true mates, but he didn't know what a true mate quest or a seeker was, and he was furious that Essian had decided on this subterfuge without preparing him. Assuming he hadn’t been lying his ass off to Zerek the whole fucking time about the purpose of this journey.

  The second they were alone, Zerek slung his pack into the corner, yanked off his hooded cloak, and turned on Essian. "What is going on? We had hours of traveling. At some point you could have shared something. How does this help?"

  Zerek should probably be gratified by Essian's apologetic expression, but he wasn't. He didn't even feel one bit of remorse for yelling at a clan leader.

  Essian gestured for Zerek to quiet down.

  He drew in breath to get even louder when he felt it. The prickle of eyes on him. Or if not eyes, then ears. He might have been taken by surprise, and be somewhat out of his element, but there was a reason he'd never been caught. Without someone betraying him, anyway.

  Instead, he stalked over to a table with food and drink. So very similar to his experience in Essian's territory, he could almost imagine that they'd walked for days and ended up in the same place.

  Essian joined him, and the food was almost gone before the Kadrussian clan leader looked at him.

  "You're probably not familiar with a true mate quest."

  "You would be right." Zerek didn't even try to keep his tone from conveying his disgruntlement.

  "And true mates?"

  Zerek waved a hand. "Fated lovers, or spouses, or something." Sounded like bedtime stories his grandfather told him when he was a kid. Most of his grandfather's stories revolved around the time before the Bitter Silence, stories that were forbidden by the Hilruda, but his grandfather had been a biologist before such professions were outlawed. He'd been fascinated by the different species sharing the planet.

  "I won't try to convince you about the truth of the matter, but true mates are revered. Not everyone finds theirs, and some don't care if they find them. But a true mate quest is sacred among our people."

  "I still don't know..." Zerek glanced around the room. It wouldn't take long for people to figure out he was human, which meant this explanation could be innocent enough for anyone listening in. Anything he didn't infer from what Essian couldn't say, well, Zerek would beat it out of him on the way to the next clan.

  "Although it's largely ceremonial, all Seekers are granted an audience with the clan leader. A gathering of suitable mates will be organized in fairly short order, and if I am deemed worthy, the group will include candidates from the clan leader's family. A true mate quest is the cause for much festivity."

  Great. He was smuggling Essian across half of Kadrussian territory so he could go to fancy parties. And attempt to find a "true mate." The only thing that kept him from flipping the table upside down and leaving Essian here to fend for himself was that Essian would be meeting with the clan leader. He wasn't telling Zerek everything, that was for sure, but there had to be a point in this ceremony where Essian believed he'd have enough time alone with the clan leader to discuss plans for uniting against the Hilruda.

  Essian leaned across the table, and Zerek got a noseful of his spicy, masculine scent, somehow smelling more intoxicating despite their physical exertion since bathing in the creek. Despite the impossibility of the situation, he instantly hardened. Logic didn't matter to his cock.

  "You must always refer to me as Seeker." The pupils of Essian's eyes flared as his tongue snaked out briefly.

  Zerek shifted in his seat, trying to hide his erection. "Why?"

  "True mates are equals. Identity, rank, and status should be immaterial, and shouldn't affect one's decision to accept the bond."

  Huh. Zerek actually liked the way that sounded. "Then why are some candidates held back?" He'd pump Essian later about how "worthiness" was determined.

  Essian laughed, his happy one. "It wouldn't be much a quest if there were no obstacles, would it?"

  Cultural differences—sometimes they were simply incomprehensible.

  "We'd better get bathing, if we're going to be ready." Figures no one gave them a precise time.

  But Essian shook his head. "I will bathe first. But you will have to remain here."

  "No. Unacceptable. You can't leave me here like an unwanted pet."

  "A human has yet to observe a true mate quest. To allow one would make this journey more gossip worthy than it already is."

  Gossip. Fuck. He'd known the Kadrussians he'd seen in the stronghold had been vibrating with excitement.

  "If there's gossip, how do you expect to remain anonymous?"

  "It is a matter of honor. It doesn't matter if you know the identity of the Seeker. We are honor bound not to discuss it until the quest has been completed."

  "Fine. I can use an early night in a proper bed."

  Essian stood, but before he went to bathe, he leaned down, lips close enough to kiss his ear. "Al
l clan leaders will know me by sight. They will comply with my request to talk alone, and respect the need for secrecy."

  The warmth of Essian’s breath tickling his neck made his cock fully harden with almost painful swiftness. Breathing deeply, he waited until Essian closed the door to the bathing room, then he groaned and dropped his head. Somehow he was going to have to hide how attracted he found Essian for days and days. This was only the first of five stops, and if they didn’t encounter any problems, that meant at least three weeks together, but more like three and a half. Torture. Or humiliation. No, both, which was even worse.

  Zerek made a show of taking his pack apart and meticulously repacking it to give him something to do, but that didn’t stop him from imagining Essian in the water. All he had to do was call to mind that afternoon in the creek. He knew how incredible Essian looked naked and wet. All he was doing was making his cock harder.

  Essian banged out of the bathing room, startling Zerek and making him hunch over the pack.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Essian’s tongue flicker out, but Essian was fully dressed again. Too bad.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Just repacking the bag. See if I can tighten it up any.”

  Essian gave a little hiss of agreement? Praise? Zerek had to figure out more of the Kadrussian non-verbal cues.

  The door swung in with a bang. A slender Kadrussian man entered carrying a large tray, which he placed on the table and retreated without a word.

  “Good. Here’s some food for you.”

  “For me? That’s a lot of food for me. Aren’t you eating?”

  “There will be food at the ceremony. Don’t wait up for me. It could be late before I return.”

  Zerek blinked, and Essian was gone, leaving a swirl of spicy scent and the echoing bang of the door slamming shut. Stunned, he stood there for a few moments, mouth hanging open. Fuck that. He wasn’t getting left behind.

  He sprinted to the door, intending to follow Essian, regardless.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” The door was locked. Locked! They were serious about him not observing the ceremony.

  Slumping down on a chair by the table, he considered his options. There weren’t any windows for him to escape out of, since the entire stronghold had been built into the side of a mountain. He could make a ruckus, try to break out, or he could be the good little untrusted paid help.

  He lifted a cover on the tray and sniffed. At least he’d be well-fed paid help. First, though, a bath.

  Minutes later, he was sliding into heated water. Such a luxury. As he was soaping himself up, he suddenly realized he was alone. All alone in the suite, and unlikely to be disturbed because of Essian’s private ceremony. His hands began to caress more than they cleaned, and his cock didn’t need much coaxing to revive.

  The soap slicked him perfectly, and he started up a lazy stroke from base to head. Only the tip of his plump cock broke the surface of the water, his arm’s movement creating ripples.

  He paused for a moment, wondering if he was maybe being observed, but then decided he didn’t care. It had been too fucking long since he’d had any release and anyone observing the bathing room had to expect to get an eyeful of cock. Another stroke of his erection and his brief concern faded.

  Would Essian touch him gently, or rough? What about that tongue? Zerek’s cock jumped in his hand, and he squeezed it just a little harder. That tongue would probably feel amazing sliding up his cock, flickering around the head, moving lower.

  Zerek cupped his balls with his other hand, massaging gently. Didn’t feel like a tongue at all, but the touch sent him deeper into the fantasy.

  Maybe Essian would even lick further down. Not many men had licked his hole, but it would be a shame to waste that agile tongue on nothing more than cock sucking.

  It would open him up, provide some initial slickness. Zerek rubbed a finger over his hole while he stroked his cock, firm and tight.

  With a guttural groan, he shot into the air, each pulse landing with a tiny splash in the water. Before the cum could separate and get gross, he swept it up in a washcloth and flung it on the floor.

  Sated, relaxed, and clean he sank down into the tub, but when his eyes fluttered closed he pushed himself up. This trip would be immeasurably more humiliating if Essian returned to find him sleeping naked in icy bath water. Assuming he didn’t just drown.

  Hoisting himself out of the bath was tricky, as his muscles were twitchy. It had been a fine orgasm for one self-induced, but it shouldn’t wipe him out like this. Not even after his days of constant hiking.

  Fucking turd juggling Hilruda. How long was it going to take before he recovered?

  He dragged on a clean pair of pants and looked sadly at the spread of food. Never mind breaking out of here and chasing down Essian, he didn’t have enough energy to do the food justice. He grabbed a thick hunk of bread and chewed on it before trudging to the nearest door that led to a bed chamber. At least he didn’t have to share a bed with Essian. Keeping his hands to himself under those circumstances might be impossible.

  Snuggling under the covers, he had to admit that considering the circumstances, this wasn’t so bad. Sure, he was pissed at being left behind like an unruly pet, and his curiosity was champing to observe the super-secret ceremony, but having some alone time to deal with the urges Essian elicited wasn’t the worst thing. Nor was getting to sleep early in a comfortable bed. For now, he’d play nice. And whether or not Essian was truly on one of these mate quests, the idea made a decent subterfuge.

  All hail sacred tradition.

  Chapter 5

  BY LATE AFTERNOON the next day, they were hours away from the Philae stronghold, heading for the next clan lands. He’d slept so soundly he had no idea when Essian returned to the suite, but Essian had been in the other bedroom, asleep, when Zerek awoke and finished off the remains of dinner. If not for the food and sleep, Zerek could only imagine how much worse he’d feel. It was like he’d aged five or ten years. His general listlessness wasn’t debilitating, it just wasn’t normal. All he could hope for was that he would recover, the sooner the better, may all Hilruda rot into oily slime.

  Since they’d left the Philae stronghold, they’d not said one word to each other. By nature and practice, Zerek was reticent, but this was ridiculous. His voice might malfunction entirely if he didn’t use it more than this. And Zerek’s mind was dipping far too often into sexual fantasies, which made hiking that much more uncomfortable.

  He wanted to ask if Essian had gotten the cooperation or agreement he needed from the Philae clan leader, but he suspected that information might be considered confidential. Part of him wanted to ask if Essian had found his true mate, but mostly he wasn’t sure he wanted to know that. There was also a part of him that was still a little annoyed about being left behind and locked in, despite the fact he’d managed to get a good night’s sleep.

  Sulking didn’t become him, but he also wasn’t sure how to open the lines of communication. After all, they’d already spent the better part of a week together without doing more than snatches of small talk in between long stretches of silence. He wasn’t sure if he could handle a whole month of it.

  “You told me earlier that your crew was your family. How is it you don’t have any other family?” The sudden explosion of words in the silence was almost startling, but Essian’s tone was sympathetic.

  Zerek wanted to kiss Essian for saying something, anything. Okay, so he wanted to do that anyway, even if it meant navigating those fangs, but he had to consider the question. After all, his rule of thumb was always to keep his personal stuff personal so it couldn’t be used against him. Then again, his gut told him Essian wouldn’t do that, and Zerek’s head couldn’t find any logical reason Essian would want to.

  “My parents died when I was a baby. The Hilruda force their servants to live and work under atrocious conditions, and sickness spreads quickly. One such infection was quite deadly, and according to my grandfather, seem
ed to target healthy adults more than it did the elderly, infants, and the infirm. My grandfather raised me until he died, and then I was on my own.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Twelve.”

  “Twelve? You’ve been on your own since you were twelve? Why?”

  Zerek shrugged. “My grandfather was the last of my family, and no one else had time or food to spare for an orphan boy. I made do by stealing and surviving off garbage. I had two goals—find enough food to survive and avoid running afoul of the Hilruda.”

  “I’m surprised the Hilruda didn’t put you to work. They would have considered you fit enough at twelve to do a number of tasks.”

  Zerek grimaced slightly. At least Essian hadn’t sounded as if he agreed with those shit-squelchers, that kids of twelve should be put to work, especially under the “optimal” conditions the Hilruda developed.

  “Let’s just say I come by my hatred of the Hilruda honestly. My grandfather remembered the time before the Bitter Silence. He’d tell me stories about it, when no one was around to hear and turn him in. He didn’t want me to live and die like my parents, and when he sickened, he helped me prepare for a life on my own. A lot of it I had to learn on my own, but I was motivated.”

  He told a couple of stories about childish pranks he’d played on the Hilruda, Essian rewarding him with that hissing laugh of his. Better to tell the good stories than the ones where he hadn’t been sure he’d survive.

  “So how did you get into smuggling?”

  “I started out stealing food, but soon graduated to more valuable items. Smuggling seemed a natural progression, and I started developing contacts all over, including a few Kadrussians in the border clans.”

  During which, he created his crew, eventually becoming his own little ramshackle family.

  “Smuggling people into the clan lands was a natural progression?” Essian’s doubt was probably justified, and Zerek laughed.

  “Okay, maybe not. But after a while, just being a thorny problem for the Hilruda wasn’t enough. I wanted to do something more significant. Remember, I was raised on stories of the human condition before the Bitter Silence. Right about when I was looking for a new purpose in life, I chanced upon one of the masters whipping a pregnant servant girl. She was my first relocation, and suddenly I had new goals and aspirations.”