***
"He loves you, you know. I'd be willing to wager he never stopped."
Xandor paused on his way past the stables, not surprised to see Aswyn lounging against the wall that divided the lower bailey from the stable yard. "Think so, do you?"
Aswyn nodded and pushed away from the wall, coming to a stop by Xandor's side. "'Tis obvious from the way he looks at you." When Xandor shrugged, Aswyn raised both brows so that they disappeared into the thick nest of his hair. "Don't tell me you doubt it?"
Xandor sighed. "Truth be told, I was so busy plotting a way to save Tynan's life, I never stopped to think how he would feel when 'twas over." He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. "You should have seen the look on his face when he asked me how often he'd be forced to call the wolf. He was well and truly terrified of what he's become."
"Give him time, Xandor. He's lived under a death sentence for so long, I imagine he's still reeling from the fact that he's going to live, much less the knowledge that he's no longer wholly human." Aswyn clapped a hand on Xandor's shoulder. "Don't make the same mistake you made last time. Don't push Tynan away before he has a chance to deal with all that's happened."
Xandor shook his head. Pushing Tynan away again was the last thing he'd ever do. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "You needn't worry about that. If Tynan will have me, I'm his for as long as my heart still beats." His lips twisted in a self-mocking half-smile. "In truth, I'm his whether he wants me or not." He exhaled sharply before moving out of Aswyn's grasp. "If you need me, I'll be at the lake. Perhaps a brisk swim will clear my head."
Aswyn nodded and Xandor continued on, traveling the rocky path that led just behind the castle walls to a small copse of trees at the base of a rolling hillside. No one just glancing at the clump of towering pines would guess at the treasure which lay inside: a clear bottom lake, small enough to be concealed but large enough so that a man could swim off his frustrations. With that thought in mind, Xandor stepped through the trees, made his way to the lake's edge, and stripped off his clothes. Once naked, he braced himself for the cool plunge and dove in.
Even at this time of year, the water was cold enough to momentarily numb his senses, exactly what Xandor was hoping for. Enjoying a quiet moment of not feeling -- of just being -- Xandor swam to the end of the lake and back again, over and over until his arms ached with the strain of it. He lost track of the number of times he repeated the course, but by the time he paddled to the bank where he'd left his clothes, Xandor's every muscle throbbed with the pleasant hum of exhaustion. It was as he pushed himself out of the water that he had the feeling of being watched. The soft clearing of a throat as Xandor again stood on solid ground confirmed it.
He turned to look into Tynan's openly admiring eyes. Though not a modest man by any means, Xandor blushed under the appraisal as Tynan studied every inch of his body with unashamed appreciation. Xandor thought he was supposed to say something, but his sluggish brain couldn't find the words.
In the end, 'twas Tynan who first broke the silence. "You may claim to be half man and half wolf, but I vow there's a bit of fish blood in you, as well. I've ne'er seen anyone as graceful as you are when you swim."
Xandor found his tongue then. "How long have you been watching me?"
Tynan shrugged. "For a while now. I sought you out, hoping to talk to you, but when I caught sight of you gliding through the water like that," he gave Xandor a sheepish smile, "I fear I lost the ability to speak at all."
Uncomfortable as always with praise, Xandor changed the subject. "You shouldn't be out of bed. You've yet to recover fully from your ordeal." He eyed the dark blue tunic and hose Tynan was wearing. His own favorite garments. He and Tynan were about the same height, but because of the sickness, Tynan was far thinner, and the clothing dwarfed him. "I told you I would attire you in the finest cloth Alden has to offer," he said. "You've no reason to wear any man's hand-me-downs, mine included."
Tynan shook his head before taking a step closer. "My father brought some of my own things from Graywald, including these boots." He lifted one leg for Xandor to see before lowering his foot to take yet another step toward closing the distance between them. "But these," he plucked at the tunic with two fingers, "these I found in the chest at the base of your bed. They smelled like you, so I put them on." This time Tynan came close enough so that the two of them were almost touching. "'Tis what I miss most from our time together, you know."
Xandor swallowed. "What's that?"
Tynan looked at him with unblinking honesty. "Being bathed in your scent. You'd make love to me all day and hold me all night, wrapping me in both your arms and your scent." With one finger, Tynan reached out and traced the straight slope of Xandor's nose. "Know what you smell like, Xandor?"
Xandor could do nothing more than shake his head.
"Wild, like the mountains and the dells. Solid, like the walls of Alden Castle." Tynan leaned forward to press a soft kiss at the base of Xandor's throat before pulling back to say, "Mine, Xandor. You smell like mine."
Xandor shivered, his uncovered cock hardening until he thought sure 'twould break. He wanted nothing more than to take Tynan into his arms and never let go, but first he had to be certain Tynan understood what he was doing.
"You still want me then, even after what I did to you, what I turned you into?"
"You saved my life, Xandor." Tynan cupped Xandor's cheek in his hand. "You gave me the chance to live, to love you again." He smiled. "How could I ever regret that?"
"But you said -"
"I know what I said, and if you'd bothered to let me explain, you'd know I meant only that the transformation burned like fire and I was hoping 'twould not hurt so every time." He sighed. "I've had so much pain these last years, Xandor. I fear I was a coward."
"Coward?" Xandor almost laughed. "You're the bravest man I know. You faced down death and disease with more fortitude than most men ever possess. And as for the wolf, if any man can come to terms with it 'tis you. I'll not lie to you and say that there isn't a spot of pain with each change, but the first change is always the worst. 'Twill only get easier from here on in." When Tynan still looked doubtful, Xandor took a step back and said, "Want me to show you?"
"Yes." Tynan smiled as Xandor's bobbing prick swayed with the movement. "I don't think he wants to wait, though."
Xandor grinned. "They'll be plenty of time to deal with him later." The grin faded a fraction. "I won't be able to rest until I know you've made peace with this."
Tynan nodded, and Xandor took yet another step back, beginning the change as he went. So used to it was he, Xandor barely noticed the jarring crunch of the shift. Besides, he was too busy watching Tynan, who was staring in wide eyed amazement. Once the shift was completed, Xandor sat back on his haunches and waited for Tynan to follow his lead.
Tynan didn't disappoint. Though Xandor could smell his fear, Tynan overcame it, just as Xandor had known he would. "I'm not certain I know how to call the wolf forth, but I suppose there's only one way to find out." And with that Tynan reached for the hem of the borrowed tunic, pulling it over his head and dropping it onto the ground. His boots and hose soon followed until at last Tynan was standing nude before him.
A low growl rumbled from Xandor's throat as his sharp, wolven eyes took in Tynan's nude beauty. Thin as he was, Tynan was still the most glorious creature Xandor had ever seen. He wanted nothing more than to shift back and lay Tynan on the ground, kissing every delectable inch of his flesh, but he knew that wasn’t what Tynan needed. Not yet. For that reason, Xandor kept still as Tynan readied himself.
Stretching out his right arm, Tynan swallowed and said, "Here's to it, then." Closing his eyes, Tynan called forth the beast within.
As Xandor had known it would, Tynan's second shift went far easier than the first. Within moments, a sleek, golden wolf was sitting in the place where Tynan had stood. After resting a moment, Tynan rose on four shaky legs and padded over to Xandor, nuzzling him muzzle to muzzle in a show of accep
tance. Then, to Xandor's amazement, Tynan lay down belly-up on the grass, sprawling himself before Xandor in a show of submission. Xandor understood the gesture. Tynan was giving himself freely into Xandor's keeping. Not only had Tynan accepted himself as a wolf, he was accepting Xandor as his mate.
Unable to contain the rapture of the moment, Xandor threw back his head and let loose a joyous howl, the sound echoing through the trees and bouncing off the water. Tynan soon joined in, the two of them setting up a noisy chorus that startled birds to flight and sent small animals scampering for cover. With a canine wink, Tynan jumped to his feet and took off running.
Heart pumping with sheer exhilaration, Xandor gave chase, racing through the trees at top speed and easily gaining on the still recovering Tynan. Cautious of Tynan's fragile state, Xandor tackled him with infinite care, catching him just as he'd quit the tree line and darted up the slope of a short hill. The two of them wrestled and rolled, coming to a stop once again by the side of the lake.
Xandor licked at Tynan's muzzle, nuzzling and relishing the feeling of having him so close. Tynan returned the favor, but soon it wasn't enough, and fur melded back into skin as licking muzzles gave way to frenzied, human mouths. A moment later, Xandor was holding Tynan in his arms at last.
"So long," he whispered as he rolled Tynan beneath him on the grass of the bank. "So long since I've held you."
"A lifetime." Tynan kissed the base of his throat. "I used to lie awake at night, listening to the snores of my fellow soldiers, remembering the weight of you on top of me. You'll never know how I prayed that one day you'd hold me again."
Xandor traced the shell of Tynan's ear with the tip of his tongue. "Must have been hard for you, serving with that forsaken army of Elwin's."
"Nothing compared to losing you, Xandor." Tynan's eyes burned into his. "Nothing could be worse than that."
"Don't think of that now." Xandor licked a trail down the thin column of Tynan’s neck. "Indeed, I can think of much more pleasurable pursuits to focus on." He rose above Tynan, balancing himself with his arms. "Give yourself to me, Tynan. Become my mate. Stand before the Creator and say you'll be my husband rightly wed. The High King himself will bless the union and -"
Tynan pressed a slender finger to Xandor's lips. "I'm already yours, Xandor. Yours for the taking."
Xandor needn't be told twice. First, though, was to make Tynan ready to receive him, a task Xandor intended to savor. Rising onto his knees, Xandor backed up a space before reaching for Tynan's legs and spreading them wide. The beauty of Tynan's thick erection lay bare to him, a temptation Xandor was beyond resisting. Lowering his head with quiet reverence, Xandor took Tynan fully into his mouth.
Tynan gasped and arched his back, a low moan spilling from the back of his throat. The sound was music to Xandor's ears as he reached up and lifted a finger to Tynan's mouth. Tynan took it willingly, sucking Xandor's finger with the same zeal Xandor gave to Tynan's cock. A moment later, Xandor slipped his finger free and brought it to Tynan's waiting entrance. Careful not to rush it, Xandor slid the finger slowly inside, all the while keeping Tynan's rigid prick securely in his mouth.
Tynan whimpered, letting free with a stream of incoherent babble. "So good. Xandor…please, so long. Need too…"
Knowing exactly what Tynan needed, Xandor increased his efforts, taking Tynan all the way down his throat until Tynan's beautiful balls grew heavier and his body clasped tighter around Xandor's finger. Tynan all but screamed, and a moment later Xandor's mouth was flooded with a sweetness he'd dreamed about since the day he'd pushed Tynan away. Not willing to waste a single drop of the precious essence, Xandor released Tynan from his mouth and moved lower, showering the warm liquid onto Tynan's opening and slicking him up before adding a second finger to the first.
Still reeling from the pleasures of his release, Tynan lay catching his breath as Xandor stretched him wide. Lifting himself, Xandor looked into Tynan's eyes and said, "Are you ready for me, love? I pray the answer is yes because Creator knows I don't believe I can wait any longer."
Tynan opened his arms in invitation. "I've waited a lifetime for you, Xandor. I've never been more ready."
'Twas all Xandor needed to hear. Lining himself up carefully, he slid inside Tynan's welcoming body at the same time he claimed his beloved's mouth. He stilled as he reached bottom, plying Tynan with tender kisses until he was certain 'twas safe to move. Once assured Tynan was ready, Xandor began a delicate rhythm, thrusting short and shallow, then alternating to long and smooth, all within the space of a heartbeat. Tynan was tighter than he remembered -- hotter and deeper than any man had a right to be -- and though Xandor had hopped to bring Tynan to release once more before taking his own pleasure, he soon realized he hadn't the stamina. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Sorry, love, but this isn't going to last."
Even as he said it, though, Tynan was tensing beneath him, and to Xandor's relief, his nails bit into Xandor's back and he cried out his release just as Xandor collapsed on top of him with a triumphant shout.
***
Oskar smiled as Tynan again adjusted the elaborate tunic he was wearing. "My son, you look exactly the same as you did the last time you fiddled with that shirt. I declare you're as nervous as your mother was the day she and I said our vows." Oskar’s eyes glittered with misty remembrance. "Ne'er have I seen a more beautiful sight than she as she stood before the priest and vowed to love me the rest of her days."
Tynan stepped away from the mirror and sat down beside his father on the bed. "You miss her still, don't you?"
Oskar sighed. "Every day of my life." He patted Tynan's hand. "Let us not dwell on that today. I know your mother is smiling down on you right now, wishing you and Xandor a lifetime of happiness. Feeling her presence as I do -- and having you hale and hearty again -- is comfort enough." Oskar stood. "Come. We mustn't keep Xandor waiting. In truth, I'm surprised he's let you out of his sight for this long. In the fortnight since your healing, I swear this to be the first time I've seen one of you without the other."
As if to punctuate Oskar's words, Xandor stuck his head through the door. "What's keeping you? The priest is ready and the guests are assembled."
Oskar winked at Tynan. "I'd best go downstairs and seat myself," he said. "Try not to get…delayed."
As Oskar look his leave, Tynan rose to his feet. "My father and I were talking and I lost track of time."
Xandor smiled. "'Tis all right, though in truth, I was afraid perhaps you'd changed your mind and decided not to marry me after all."
Though Xandor made the statement in jest, Tynan knew that a part of Xandor was still afraid of losing him. As he took Xandor's hand and the two of them headed down the hall, Tynan vowed to spend every day of the next fifty years erasing Xandor's worries. Planting a soft kiss on Xandor's cheek, Tynan said, "Sorry, love. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
"I'd wait a lifetime for you." Xandor's eyes burned with conviction. "Two lifetimes, in fact."
Tynan believed him. In essence, Xandor already had. As the two of them walked down the stairs, Tynan said, "I've a new life standing before me now. A life with you. Let us not waste a moment of it by looking back."
"You're right, as always." Xandor tugged him toward the door as they made their way to the great hall. "Come on, then, and we'll make sure this new life of ours begins with a rousing start."
Tynan was right beside Xandor all the way, not having to be told twice.
Here Kitty, Kitty: Playtime
BA Tortuga
Jax had a terrible urge to scratch the sofa.
Really, really terrible.
His claws flexed in and out he wanted it so bad, and his nose quivered and...
Jax sighed. Damn this whole freaking... disease, disability, whatever it was. Now he had a snaggletooth.
"Adam? Babe? I wanna go play." He sounded whiny as hell, but he couldn't help it.
"Pretty one, it's raining. You sure you want to go out?" Adam was at the drawing board, but wasn't
sitting head down, so he wasn't working.
Stretching, Jax watched the end of his fingers. In, out. "I want to scratch things."
"You stay away from that sofa." Adam stood, pulled a key from his pocket. Oh. Oh, the playroom. Adam saved it for special occasions, special times -- the multilevel tiers covered in carpet were perfect, the whole room designed just for him.
"Oh." That just made him purr, padding behind Adam, his whole body just itching. Yeah. Yeah.
Adam looked back, eyes warm, happy. "You sure you want in, pretty one?"
A growl slipped out, sort of yowly and don't you dare tease. "Uh huh. Need."
One soft, gentle hand stroked his belly, Adam giving him a look. "Have I ever left you hanging, Jax? Ever once?"
"No." He moved close, nuzzling up, dipping his chin in apology. "Not ever."
Shifting Too Page 13