by Jana Downs
His father considered him for a minute. “I suppose that would be a possibility. If you think it will help, I’ll leave it in your hands.”
Corrin could barely suppress the excitement that trembled through him. He couldn’t wait to tell Adrian.
* * * *
“So you’ll get to attend the spring rites bonfire with me as a guest. I know you wanted to attend, so I told my father we might gain an advantage by allowing it,” Corrin told Adrian as soon as they were sequestered in Corrin’s drawing room.
Adrian smiled. “That’s excellent, beautiful. I’m very pleased.” He knew that Corrin was desperately avoiding the subject of his imminent departure. Adrian planned on asking him to leave with him when the moon’s energy reached its zenith tonight. “Which god are you dressing up as?”
Corrin grinned and wrapped him arms around his lover. “I’m dressing as the god of fertility and virility of course,” he said coyly, tracing the contours of Adrian’s backside. Adrian swatted him away with a laugh. The childish humor Corrin displayed amused him to no end.
“You’ll make an excellent Green Man,” Adrian said. “You’re definitely randy enough to challenge his virility.”
Corrin laughed and blew him a kiss before tossing off his suit jacket. “And who are you going to dress up as?” Corrin asked, toeing off his shoes.
“I’m going as Dionysus, god of wine and plenty,” the Unseelie said, distracted by Corrin’s stripping. “So, uh, why did you come here instead of going to get ready?” His beauty was very sexy when he was getting naked. Maybe he’d arrange for him to give a private strip show later. The idea had definite merit.
Corrin unbuttoned his white dress shirt. “I wanted a little attention from my Master before I went to get my hair done.” He licked his lips as he spoke.
Adrian chuckled. “You are certainly prissy tonight, my Seelie prince.”
“Screw you, Unseelie,” Corrin groused.
“Temper, temper, my prince. You’re going to have to control your dirty mouth around me.”
Corrin stuck out his tongue at him. “You corrupted me, remember?”
“Hmm, so I did. Though I am not responsible for your smart mouth. Last I checked, you came with that when I met you,” Adrian teased.
Corrin’s shirt came all the way off then and got tossed into Adrian’s face. “Fine. I’ll be a good Seelie and sneak off to my servants without making out with my Unseelie Master.” He turned toward the door. That won’t do at all. Adrian took two strides and wrapped his arms around Corrin’s waist, hauling him backward. Corrin laughed.
“You never disappoint me,” Corrin said, nuzzling his arm. “You know we haven’t known each other very long. Do you ever think that one day we’ll wake up and realize our differences are too great?”
Adrian kissed his neck. “No I don’t. Our differences are not insurmountable.” Here was his opening. “As matter of fact, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something for a few days now. It’s about my departure.”
“Oh, I’ve already got something worked out,” Corrin said, tilting his head to give Adrian further access. “I’ve convinced Father that we should keep up communications between the courts, so every other month I’ll be traveling to meet with you just as a sort of peace-keeping measure.” He smiled, obviously pleased with himself. “Isn’t that great? I can be with you and not be exiled. We’ll have to be discreet of course, but it’ll work out, I’m sure.”
Adrian felt himself go cold and his stomach did a sick twist of pain. “So I’m to be the dirty little secret you run to every six weeks? I’m going to be your ‘fix’ to keep your ‘tendencies’ in check? What the hell, Corrin? I’d rather have nothing but fond memories of you than have you treat me like some sort of leper.” His voice was thick with anger. “Let me tell you something, boy, I left the Seelie court because they couldn’t accept me because I was a ‘pervert.’ I will not go back to pretending that I don’t feel the way I feel just because you don’t have the balls to step up to your tyrant of a father.”
Corrin jerked out of his arms and squared his stance to face him, answering hurt and anger in his gaze. “Well, what was your idea to be together? You want me to go to my father and confess my undying love for a man I’ve only technically known for a handful of weeks and then get kicked out of my own fucking court. You want me to leave everything I’ve ever known behind?”
Adrian snarled. “You like the human world, and I would help you adjust, Corrin. I would introduce you to people like us, who understand us. I’d make it as painless for you as possible. I’d do whatever I could to help you. Outside this kingdom exists a world that is far more open to us than you could imagine—”
“Don’t patronize me like I’m some sort of naive child!” Corrin interrupted. “I lived among the humans for five years. I know what exists out there. It’s so easy for you to tell me to leave, but you don’t understand what I’m leaving behind!”
Adrian’s eyes bulged. “I don’t understand? I was brought before the damn magistrate at sixteen, put on an imaginary trial, and then banished from everything I’d ever known. I was alone in a world that I knew nothing about with no one to help me. I’m telling you to fucking leave on your own because you won’t be able to live your double life forever. I’ve been there, Corrin. I know how this drama ends. It may not happen tomorrow or even fifteen years from now, but it will happen. You’ll get caught with me, and you’ll get kicked out, and it’s not how they teach you in school. They hurt you in ways that you can’t imagine. I’m offering you a chance to forgo that humiliation and pain. Come away with me and be spared from that.”
Corrin turned his back on Adrian and stomped over to his things. “I am not discussing this with you anymore. It’s out of the question. Just let me have tonight without the worry of tomorrow. Let me enjoy the festival with you. Goddess, Adrian! This, this could be our last night together.” He sounded near tears, but that didn’t help the situation at all.
Adrian gritted his teeth but sighed in defeat. He’d have to rethink his strategy because Corrin was being exceedingly stubborn. “Fine. Tonight we will not discuss it, but tomorrow you and I are going to have a long talk about this. Now, come here and give me a kiss.”
“I’m not really in the mood right now,” Corrin grumbled, turning to go to his room.
“I gave you an order, Corrin,” Adrian said. His voice was soft but filled with menace. “So you better decide right now, am I your Master or not?”
* * * *
With a groan of defeat, Corrin turned and launched himself into Adrian’s arms. Adrian caught him midleap, and then Corrin was kissing him with all the anger and passion he could muster. He punished his Master with the intensity of his kiss, grinding his lips and teeth against Adrian’s until he tasted blood. He’d busted Adrian’s bottom lip on accident. Without thinking, he sucked the Unseelie’s bleeding lip into his mouth and was surprised when his Master cried out in what sounded like partial protest. Corrin wrapped his legs around Adrian’s hips and locked his arms more tightly around his neck. Corrin was drunk off the power that he tasted in Adrian’s blood and felt an electric thrill at the taste.
“Is this how you feel?” he thought, lapping at the already healing wound. “Is this how you feel when you drink my blood? Goddess, you taste so good.”
“You have no idea how good you taste, my Seelie prince.” Corrin was shocked as Adrian’s voice rang through his mind. His eyes popped open to see the laughing eyes of his Master.
“Y–You can hear me?” he asked silently.
Adrian’s mental chuckle sounded. “I warned you what would happen if we exchanged blood. We’re bound now, Corrin. It means that we will be able to communicate this way from now on. Stubborn beauty, you’ve all but wed us. So much for not committing to me.”
Corrin licked at the wound he’d made. He should’ve felt a lot more concern at the words than he did. “Can’t stop tasting you. This is good. Why is it so good?” He sounded a bit in
toxicated by his estimation.
Adrian’s groan vibrated against his chest. “This is the first exchange we’ve had. This is the first step in the conversion into an Unseelie Vampire class. It works almost the same way as a human Vampire I suppose, with a few differences.” Adrian pulled his lip from Corrin’s mouth. “Stop, love. You’re tempting me. Go get your hair done and I’ll meet you in the hallway in two hours.”
“One more kiss,” Corrin begged, hands winding in Adrian’s hair. The Unseelie sighed and gave him his way. They kissed for what seemed like forever before Corrin finally had the will to let go. What have I done? Does it matter anymore? He’d always known that Adrian was his. It’ll be a onetime thing. That was the only way he could logically forgive himself for it. He banished all his bad thoughts. Tonight was for celebrating, tomorrow was for thinking.
Adrian sat Corrin down as the Seelie prince continued to nip at his mouth. “Go,” he commanded, giving the Seelie a soft push toward the door. Corrin went but it was reluctantly. Why do I feel like I just opened the door for more than what I bargained for?
Chapter Twelve
“Corrin, you look happy,” Gael said gently. The prince had just got out of the shower and was sitting at his dressing table, his guard combing out the silken tresses.
Corrin smiled. “I am.” His cheeks were red, and his countenance was almost glowing with joy.
“Care to share what you’re so happy about?” Gael asked. He liked seeing the boy he’d practically raised be so overfilled with joy. Though he suspected the cause of his happiness would probably fill him with something like dread if it ever came out. He only hoped that Corrin’s father didn’t get a gander at the paintings Corrin had been doing.
The prince shrugged. “Hmmm, I don’t know. I guess it just feels like everything is right for the first time in my life.” His eyes were sparkling with light, and he touched his lips for what must’ve been the fiftieth time in the last hour. The unconscious movement was beginning to confirm Gael’s suspicions.
“You’ve taken a lover,” Gael said.
Corrin’s eyes widened and his mouth formed a nearly perfect O. “W–why do you say that?” he asked.
“You never could hide anything from me, Cor,” Gael said, running his hands soothingly through Corrin’s fair hair. His childhood nickname invoked pleasant memories of endless days of play from years past.
“Is it that obvious?” he asked, fear in his tone.
“Well, to me it is,” Gael admitted, beginning the elaborate braids that Corrin would wear in the rites this evening. “Richard seems to think that you and your Unseelie are…involved. I admit to my own suspicions about that, even though I’ve reassured Rich that you are in no way involved with Prince Cadence.” He met Corrin’s gaze in the mirror. “You are involved, aren’t you?” Corrin hesitated just long enough to answer Gael’s question without speaking. Gael sighed. “Corrin, you know better.”
“I know,” Corrin said, rubbing hands over his face in obvious frustration. “I just—with him I feel like who I was always meant to be. Does that make sense?”
Gael considered him. “Once upon a time, before you were born, a Seelie warrior who worked in the royal guard was assigned to a new unit under Captain Dorian Levene. Dorian was a fair guard, and he really cared about his men. He was also ungodly handsome. He had the most piercing ice-blue eyes and pale-blond hair as white as yours. It was his manner though that really cinched it. He was hard on everyone, but he was also very kind.” Gael sighed as he brought up the memory, one of the only pleasant ones he was allowed to relive. “Perhaps because of that, the warrior fell in love with him. He kept it to himself for fear he would be exiled. Dorian chose the warrior to go out on the yearly scouting mission in the mountains, and while they were there, they ended up consummating the warrior’s desires. When they returned, they decided to continue their affair. Dorian didn’t tell him he was already wed to a beautiful woman named Juliet, and the warrior was angered by the supposed deception. However, she told him that Dorian hadn’t sought to deceive him but was simply searching for the key to his heart. You see, they knew that something was missing in their relationship but didn’t know what until Dorian had met the warrior. They both welcomed him into their bed, and the warrior was never happier.” The next part of the story always made Gael want to throw up.
He continued. “They were caught and all brought up on charges. Dorian took the blame, claiming that he was a believer in Unseelie principles and he had corrupted the two of them and was immediately exiled. Juliet chose to follow him into exile as his wife. The warrior was given a choice, go into rehabilitation or be exiled with his lovers. The relationship was so new, the warrior was too afraid to leave the comfort of his kingdom, so he went into rehab and…He always regretted the decision.” His fingers had continued to work even as he’d spoken, so Corrin’s hair was a quarter of the way done.
Gael swallowed hard and chose to focus on the task at hand. “The point is, you’re not the only one who has had to face this. Love is too rare of a thing to just throw away because of fear. I’m not saying go into exile or anything so extreme, but, Corrin, if you love him, hold onto him with everything you are.”
Corrin looked like he was about to cry, and Gael hoped that he had gotten the message of his little fairy tale. It was probably the first time in his life that he had heard someone that wasn’t human approve of his desires.
“Thank you, Gael,” Corrin whispered.
“Not a problem, Cor. You’re like a son to me, and I don’t care who your lover is.” He kissed the top of Corrin’s head in affection and prayed to the goddess that she would watch over his ward.
* * * *
Adrian tapped his foot nervously on the floor. The boy was late as per usual. More often than not, he kept Adrian waiting. Where it took Adrian twenty minutes to get ready, it always took Corrin over an hour.
“Worse than a bloody woman,” he cursed under his breath, willing the door to open and Corrin to walk through it.
A voice from behind him caused him to turn. “Aren’t I worth it though?” The sight took his breath away.
Corrin’s hair was done up in elaborate rows of circular braids that gave the illusion of a crown. Entwined in the braids were vines of ivy. Glittering specks of green could be seen clinging to the strands of hair throughout, and he played nervously with the French braid that tamed the rest of the hair down his back. His face was freshly washed and shined with ivy designs snaking down one side of his face. He was naked to the waist, powdered with gold that made him appear to be more otherworldly than ever. He had a gold waist chain on to signify the fragile but unbreakable bonds of nature. His pants were a tight pair of dark-green deerskin, and his calves were covered in soft, supple brown hide. He was breathtaking.
“Oh god of the wood, you are more than worth it. I’d wait for days to look on you as you are right now,” Adrian said, clearing his throat to get the hoarse sound of want and pride out of his voice.
Corrin smiled and turned around to display the bejeweled ivy designs that painted his back. “You’re pretty yummy yourself,” he said, using his modern terminology with unerring dexterity.
Adrian wore a crown of grapes and vines, and he wore a necklace of wine-red stones about his neck. Tribal swirls were intertwined with his regular tattoos on his chest and arms. His bottom half was encased in a pair of black leather pants and kick ass leather boots with silver buckles. He looked good enough to eat, and he knew it. He definitely embodied the god of wine and plenty, but he was nothing in comparison to his lover. “I’m looking forward to painting myself in the gold from your body tonight.”
Corrin shivered visibly. “Well, let’s get to the bonfire so we can hurry and get back here so you can fuck me until you’re gold and I’m sore.” Adrian’s nostrils flared in answering desire.
“Can we skip the bonfire?” Adrian asked, licking his lips and looking the Seelie prince up and down. Corrin laughed and crossed the room to place
a kiss on his lips, careful not to smear his gold chest against Adrian’s. “Do you think it was a good idea to enter from your bedroom? It might seem suspicious to anyone else.” Adrian put his hands on Corrin’s beautiful hips.
Another voice in the room caused Adrian to jerk back as if he’d been burned. “The only people who would be suspicious already know.” Adrian turned. One of the royal Seelie guards reclined against the doorway into Corrin’s bedroom, his chestnut-brown hair hanging about his shoulders. Adrian looked between Corrin and the guard in confusion.
“I know you are having an affair with Cor, Prince Cadence. You better be more observant tonight than what you just displayed. Not everyone else would be so approving,” the guard said. Amusement shone in his apple-green gaze.
“I wasn’t expecting someone to come out of my lover’s bedroom quite so suddenly. Last I heard, he’d forbidden you all from bursting in on our ‘meetings,’” Adrian said, embarrassed to be caught so unaware.
“Gael!” Corrin hissed, glaring. “You scared us.”
“Indeed,” Gael said, clearly amused by the two of them. “Corrin, you are expected to make an appearance at the bonfire tonight, so you two best get going. The woods will be filled with couples after the dance, and you two can sneak away then. I’ll cover your exit, but you both need to make a decision on your future by the morning. Enjoy tonight, both of you.” With that Gael crossed in front of the couple and let himself quietly out of the room.
“Whoa,” Adrian said. “That was…uh, different. Are you sure he isn’t going to run to the magistrate?”
“Gael was present at my birth, and he’s always cared for me. Plus I have the sneaking suspicion that he understands us more than either of us can determine for sure. Tell me, do you know an Unseelie named Dorian Levene?”