“No one has started yet. There’s no harm.”
Kessen found his will to argue leaving him with every stroke of Tam’s hand. He pressed back, wanting more. His body knew where to find it. Kessen reached behind him. He brushed his fingers over Tam’s loincloth.
A throat cleared behind them.
Kessen jerked away from Tam and faced the one who’d interrupted them. “Father,” he greeted in a shaky voice.
“This may be your first time as a chosen but it is not your first time as a representative of our family, Kessen. I hope you’ll remember that.” Yoav speared Tam with a look. “Both of you.”
Kessen nodded quickly. “Of course, Father. Tam was only playing.”
“Such play is what ruined the virility-fertility rite seven years ago. Only a handful of chosen were able to find their mates thanks to two who couldn’t be bothered to wait their turn. The order of fornication is set and heeded for a reason, Kessen.”
“I know that, Father. There’s nothing to worry about. We know our part and our place.”
“My only worry is that you’ll attract another male rather than a female who will carry on our legacy.”
Tam shifted, moving himself between father and son, and confronted Yoav. “You sound as though you disapprove of the gods’ choice of mate for your son.”
Yoav said, “The gods know their duty.”
“Yes, they do. That is why we are to be a triad, not a couple. We knew we’d be a triad even as we came together at last year’s rite.”
Yoav’s face screwed up into a look of annoyance. He mumbled under his breath.
Tam asked, “Is it that you disapprove of your son with another man or your son with me?”
“You aren’t good enough for my son,” Yoav snapped.
“The gods think I am. Theirs is the only opinion that matters, especially to those like you and Kessen.”
With a parting look of loathing, Yoav swam away.
Kessen waited until his father was out of sight before confronting Tam. “Must you always goad him like that?”
“Your father hates me. Everyone knows it. Why he hates me is still a mystery.” Tam cupped Kessen’s cheek. “One to which you know the answer.”
“Don’t ask me to tell you.” Kessen turned from Tam’s touch. Even if not meant as a sexual gesture, Kessen’s body couldn’t tell the difference. “Not today. It’ll ruin everything.”
“You’re always putting me off. Why won’t you tell me what your father has against me?”
“Not today. I don’t want to fight with you about this. Any other time, I would tell you, but not today.” Kessen pleaded with his eyes for Tam to drop it. The topic would put a damper on the rest of the day, and that would ruin their part of the ceremony. They wouldn’t find their third unless they were both one hundred percent.
Tam sighed. He hugged Kessen to him hard and crushed Kessen’s lips below his in a searing kiss. “Don’t look at me like that. It makes me want to torment you.”
“You are a champion at teasing, beloved.”
“You’re not so bad at it, yourself.” Tam nipped at Kessen’s lips, then released him. “I’m sorry about the stage. I had no idea they’d do this. I wish there was time to change it.”
“As do I.” Kessen looked at the stage one last time, then shook his head. “I’ll just keep my eyes closed.”
Tam wiggled his eyebrows with a lecherous grin. “I have a blindfold and rope. I’d be happy to get them for you. It won’t take but a moment.”
“We’re not doing that today.”
“Later, then, with our third.”
The promise of the rope play or the promise of the third joining them during the rope play -- Kessen wasn’t sure which excited him more but he looked forward to finding out.
He let his gaze roam down the length of the corridor. Kessen sighed and shook his head. It would be a long wait for either scenario.
Chapter Three
Tam punched the sand beneath him and made a frustrated noise.
“Calm down. Calm down.” Kessen made calming motions.
Tam had a better suggestion for Kessen’s hands, but he didn’t utter it. They had retreated to opposite sides of the stage so they wouldn’t touch each other.
He punched the sand again. “I’m ready to pop. Why are we last?”
Kessen waved his iridescent rainbow tail.
“Don’t do that.” Tam clenched his teeth as the shine of Kessen’s tail held him mesmerized the same way it had when they first met. “I’m having enough issues staying on my side of this stage.”
A coy look entered Kessen’s eyes. He continued moving his tail with light flicks, just enough so the rainbow shimmered. “Because of my station, we are anchors in the rite. The energy of the rite will build within us once we come together and then spread out over the chosen and the crowd, aiding all in finding their true mates. It makes the most sense.”
“Sense and sex don’t mix.” Tam jerked his gaze away from his lover.
How much longer?
He swam upwards so he could see over the crowd. The sight made him curse as he let himself drop back to the stage. Three couples stood between them and fulfillment. Being last hadn’t seemed like such a hardship until Tam had remembered he wouldn’t be allowed to touch Kessen for an entire month prior.
Each chosen had to remain completely celibate for the month before the rite. Such a feat had been much simpler before Tam had gotten a mate.
Tam needed to touch something… anything. He looked around. One of the many dildos his friends had fashioned caught his attention. He clutched one in his fist and stroked.
A few strokes later, Tam’s mind substituted Kessen’s member for the dildo. Tam stroked harder, rubbing his thumb over the hood every few passes.
A tiny intake of breath made Tam focus on Kessen, who stared at Tam with rapt attention. Tam grinned. He brought the dildo to his lips and kissed it.
Kessen started panting.
Oh, Tam’s lover was just as desperate. Possibly even more so if the way Kessen was inching toward him was any indication.
Deciding to build anticipation to a breaking point, Tam put aside the dildo and buried two fingers into the sand next to him. He wiggled his fingers, pumped them into the sand a few times, and then withdrew so he could circle the tips of his fingers around the hole he’d made.
“Stop,” Kessen rasped.
Tam only laughed. Kessen’s mouth said no, but his gaze held nothing but greedy hunger.
Every motion was calculated to mimic things Tam had done to Kessen in the past. He speared the hole again with a swift forward motion. Kessen jerked, his whole body quaking. With the way the man acted, Tam would almost swear the hole in the sand was connected to Kessen’s body.
“Stop, please, Tam. For the love of the gods.”
“You know I can’t let my hands be idle. Since I can’t touch what I want…” Tam pulled his hand back and then stuffed his fingers into the hole and twisted his wrist.
Kessen yelped, then looked away quickly. He was breathing hard as he looked over the crowd that was gathering near them. Tam followed his gaze. The crowd had gotten thick while he was distracted tormenting Kessen.
Soon.
Kessen said, “Any of these women could be our third.”
“Women, huh? You’re so sure we won’t attract a man?”
Kessen snorted. “With you being such a possessive alpha male, I doubt it.”
“I can’t help that I don’t like to share what’s mine.”
“You’ll have to share me with our new mate.”
“That’s different. No matter who joins us, your ass still belongs to me alone.”
“How romantic,” Kessen said in a sarcastic tone.
Tam winked. “It’s why you married me.”
The man next to them cried out his release. Tam jerked.
That was the signal. Their time had come. Tam smiled as he let his gaze slide over to Kessen.
The ma
n swallowed and looked a little afraid. That only made Tam hotter. Kessen should be afraid. Tam hadn’t been allowed to touch Kessen for weeks. Now that Tam could, he wouldn’t let Kessen go until they were both sated and completely drained.
Tam pulled Kessen to him, spinning him so Kessen’s back was against Tam’s front. Kessen let his head fall against Tam’s shoulder.
“Shall I finish what I started earlier, lover?” Tam pulled Kessen’s loincloth up so it bunched at Kessen’s waist, and then he slid his fingers into Kessen’s genital slit and coaxed his cock into the open for the crowd to see. Tam heard a few appreciative sounds and was proud on behalf of his mate. Kessen was a handful. He would make their third very happy.
Kessen moaned, then sighed as he pressed back against Tam.
“Patience. Patience. We’re not in a rush. Let’s give these good people a show.” Tam nipped Kessen’s shoulder with his teeth. “Show them how I can make that tail of yours shimmer.”
“Stop talking about it and do it.”
Tam smacked Kessen’s rump, which made him yip in surprise. A few in the crowd giggled. Kessen bucked against Tam’s fingers and sucked in a shaky breath. Tam whispered, “Easy there, lover. You almost came, and I’ve barely done anything.”
“You feel it, too.”
“Gods, do I.” He rolled one of Kessen’s nipples between his fingers and sucked Kessen’s earlobe. “Go ahead and come. Once will take the edge off, and then we can truly play for the crowd.”
Though it sounded like he was giving Kessen a choice, he wasn’t. Tam continued pumping his fist up and down Kessen’s shaft while he slipped the fingers of his other hand inside Kessen’s genital slit. He stroked the throbbing vein hidden at the base of Kessen’s hard flesh.
A few rubs, and Kessen convulsed as jets of ejaculate left his body.
“That’s my good boy,” Tam crooned.
Kessen was still hard in his hands but his body no longer quaked with unspent need. The true act could begin.
Tam sat against one of the pillars and cradled Kessen sideways on his lap. The other man twisted around and kissed Tam, forcing his tongue past his lips. Tam smiled at Kessen’s urgency, but didn’t question it since he felt the same.
If Tam wasn’t sure they would find their third, he wouldn’t have put up with abstaining as long as he had. Tam broke away from the kiss and trailed his tongue down Kessen’s neck and chest until he reached one nipple. Kessen clutched at Tam’s shoulders as Tam nibbled at the taut bud, then flicked it with his tongue.
Tam curved his free hand around and stroked the opposite nipple. Kessen writhed against him. The little sounds coming from his partner’s mouth made Tam want to be buried deep inside but still he held himself back. The power of the gods was all around them and building within them. He and Kessen had to climax together to make the call to their third that much stronger.
Tam smoothed his hand down Kessen’s spine. With his thumb pressed into the small of Kessen’s back, Tam ran his pointer finger over and over Kessen’s anal slit. His rainbow-tailed lover wanted more, if the way he clutched at Tam’s wrist was any indication.
“Easy, lover. Let it build.”
“Gods, Tam. I’m about to explode.”
“Not without me, you aren’t.”
Tam shoved three fingers deep inside his lover, and Kessen shouted. One hand at his rear and one working his erection -- Kessen wouldn’t last long. Tam was amazed when his lover continued moaning and undulating his tail but didn’t come.
“Are you ready for me?” Tam asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
Kessen reached between them and scraped his nails over Tam’s stomach in answer.
“A little lower next time. You know I like the rough stuff,” Tam whispered.
He removed his fingers. Kessen made a disappointed sound followed by a deep chest moan. Tam drove his hard cock in to the hilt, then grunted. “Move for me, lover.” It was all Tam was capable of. He couldn’t move yet. The feeling of Kessen clenching around him was too much. It took all of his concentration to keep back his release. They had to come together. That was his chant. The world faded away, and Tam focused on that one thought.
They had to climax together.
Kessen arched, curving his arms back behind his head and embracing Tam. He laid a kiss on Tam’s chin as he moved his body. Each time Kessen’s body welcomed Tam’s thrusting cock, Kessen churned his hips.
Both of them panted, and the power of their union grew.
A tiny gasp from a woman in the crowd sparked Tam’s release. He clutched Kessen close. That was the only cue Kessen needed, as well. Both of them made a guttural noise of fulfillment as they finally reached release.
Kessen lowered his arms and looked into the crowd.
Tam followed his gaze. A caramel-colored beauty with large brown eyes and braided black hair hovered at the edge of their stage. He thought she was human at first with her leggings and lack of gills, but she didn’t have a transition amulet.
A half-breed.
Somehow that didn’t surprise him. Their little voyeur was tweaking her nipple through her shirt. Her other hand looked like it wanted to go between her legs, but she gripped her thigh to stop herself. It was a shame, too. Tam would have liked to see her pleasuring herself. He’d also like to see her as he pleasured her.
He met her gaze. She jerked back with a startled noise, then turned away quickly, swimming away from the stage.
“It’s her,” Kessen whispered. He separated from Tam and swam after her. His movements were a little uncoordinated. A proud sight in Tam’s mind.
Though not so proud was another mate trying to run from him. Tam was starting to wonder if his sexual energy really was scaring them away. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. That couldn’t be it.
A little steadier than his well-used lover, Tam zipped past Kessen to bring back the vision that had sparked his climax.
* * *
“Shoot! Wrong side.” Maya looked at the row of male-male couples with disinterest. She’d rather watch the male-female couples having sex. She faced the direction she’d come from and stopped. A wall of mermen blocked her way.
What’s worse, many of the people in the crowd had started petting and kissing the people surrounding them. The rite was almost over, and it had started to affect people. Several in the crowd had already paired off.
Maya didn’t want to chance it. There was no exit that way.
She faced forward. The crowd wasn’t as dense, and the patrons seemed more concerned with the couple on stage than each other. It was the safer of the two directions. But it meant being trapped in the male-male couples’ passage.
“Joy,” she muttered, then pushed off.
It would be easier with her tail, but it was too late to change, and being naked in the middle of orgy land for the required time it took to form her tail was out of the question. The mood of the crowd had a heightened sense of urgency that was even making her antsy.
She picked up speed, since she wanted to be in a safe place -- away from gropers -- so she could watch the finale and then escape quickly.
A shot of something hot raced down her spine, and she stopped swimming. It happened again. She hugged her arms as her whole body shivered. Her heartbeat quickened, and breathing became a little more difficult.
What was wrong with her?
A loud smack followed by an excited cry drew her attention… or more like, it compelled her attention. The sounds had originated from the two men situated on a stage with two giant penises as a backdrop. They were the last couple before the exit. The anchor couple.
Both men were well muscled and shaved bald with matching goatees but that was where the similarities ended. One had a navy blue tail. He was the dominant. He had his rainbow-tailed partner trapped in front of him as he gripped the man’s cock. His other hand was buried in the other man’s genital slit, but Maya couldn’t tell what he was doing. Whatever it was, the rainbow-tailed man seemed to be enjoy
ing it.
Maya wanted to know what the navy-tailed man’s hands would feel like if they touched her. Of its own volition, her body moved her closer to the stage. The heat running up and down her spine spread until her skin felt hot and electric. She continued hugging her arms, but that was only to keep from running her hands over her skin. Whether to soothe the feeling or make it stronger, she didn’t know.
The men had her complete attention. She moved close enough to the stage that she could almost touch them but held herself back. They had to finish. She wanted to see them finish.
Maya’s breathing turned shallow as she watched the two men. Their every touch and caress reverberated over her skin. It was almost as though she could feel them herself.
Everything felt too close, too tight. She moved closer to the stage.
Of their own accord, her fingers skimmed over her breasts. Her nipples were taut and sensitive. She pinched one nipple and rolled it between her thumb and forefinger. That wasn’t enough, though. She wanted more.
Her other hand moved down her side and over her belly. She realized what she was about to do and gripped her leg.
When the rainbow-tailed man grunted as he pressed against his lover’s body, she gasped.
Both men jerked, then climaxed. Maya felt her own body uncoil, and the heat dissipated as they spilled themselves. She panted a little, still clutching at her breast and her thigh.
She’d just watched two other couples. Why did this one affect her so? Man-on-man had never turned her on this much before.
Her answer would have to wait, as she’d gained the attention of the couple on stage. They looked at her.
Maya realized she was in the middle of a crowd fondling herself while she watched two men having sex. She immediately turned away.
She kicked her legs, careful not to hit anyone as she fled. Her momentum wasn’t fast enough for her tastes but she didn’t want to stop long enough to grow her tail.
“What’s your hurry?” the man with the navy blue tail asked. He cut across her path, brushing her nose with the tip of his caudal fin.
She jerked to a stop and switched to a new direction, but the rainbow-tailed man blocked her. He reached out to her. She pulled back but not enough because the tips of his fingers feathered across her cheek.
Rite Men for Maya Page 3