by Sean Michael
"It was Lord Salson's party. You were using a very thin invisibility spell. I saw right through it. I saw you."
"You saw me. You didn't raise any alarm. Why?"
"It was a thin enough glamour -- if they could not see you through it, then why should I help them?" Corm shrugged, stroked his chest through his blouse. "And as I said, I wanted you myself. I could hardly have worked you out of my system if you were imprisoned." Corm's lips closed over his for a moment. "And now I am doubly glad I did not raise any alarm -- I would have lost this and it is far more precious than any roll in the blankets."
"Worth twenty-five pieces?" That touch eased him, deep down. Soothed him.
"I would have paid far more to get you here. And that was before I knew what truly lay between us." Corm gave him a sudden grin. "But the scoundrel I used to set you up didn't need to know that."
The temptation to return that smile was huge and he fought against it. "I'm still vexed with you."
Corm pouted at him. "At me? But I brought us together."
"You should have told me before now. I would stand on equal footing in this or I will not stand at all."
"I was worried you'd react..." Corm gave him a pointed look. "Badly."
"I will be your partner, not your thief."
Corm cupped his cheek, thumb stroking over his lips as the dark eyes searched his. "You are my soulmate, Plum."
"And what does that mean?" The pain within him eased, dissipated as he lapped the tip of Corm's fingers.
Corm watched his tongue, eyes following each motion. "It um... means that we are joined deeper than just bodies."
"How much deeper?" The flavor of Corm pleased him.
"I don't know, Plum! As deep as it can go. We're joined. All of us."
"All of who?" His eyes closed and he began to suck, each pull soothing him.
"You and me, Plum. You're not paying attention." Corm's voice had gone thick, and the wizard pressed him up against the wall, hips rubbing against his.
"Hmm?" Warm. Better. Almost good.
"Just keep sucking," murmured Corm, fingers pushing in and out of his mouth.
Plum nodded, licking and lapping Corm's fingertips. His. His wizard. His lover.
One of the maids came around a corner and stopped, making a soft noise before turning and heading back the way she'd come. Corm chuckled and licked at his lips, at his tongue whenever it slid over Corm's fingers.
Plum looked into Corm's eyes, letting Corm's fingers go. "You will let your people know that I belong here? With you?"
"They already know, Plum. Has anyone asked you to leave or what you're doing here? No. Because they know." Corm's eyes were warm, fingers sliding wetly across his cheek.
"I'm trying to be angry with you." Corm was not cooperating.
"Now where's the fun in that?" Corm leaned in to nibble at his ear.
"I..." Plum frowned, focus lost. "What?" Magicked. That was the only answer.
"Nothing. Just kiss me. Make love to me."
"Are there more secrets between us? About us?" He had secrets of his own, to be sure, but none that involved Corm.
Corm shook his head. "No secrets, Plum. Though I cannot speak for the magick."
He leaned in, groaned as the pleasure within him blazed. "This is not wise..."
"No? It seems like the wisest thing on earth to me, Plum. Necessary." Corm's fingers wrapped around his blouse and tugged him even closer, their mouths a mere breath apart.
"Necessary." Yes. Necessary. Happy. Home.
"Mmmhmm." Corm's tongue traced his lips, fingers sliding beneath his blouse to touch the tattoo.
Plum arched, entire body undulating as a sharp pleasure flooded him. His cock leaked, wetting his belly, his trousers.
"Bed," growled Corm. "I want you to bend me over it."
"You are altogether too demanding, wizard." He pushed into a sharp, hungry kiss.
"You love it," Corm told him when their lips parted on a pair of gasps.
Corm stumbled backward, drawing him down the hall toward the bedroom he was growing more and more familiar with. In fact, the room was beginning to become theirs -- his scent was there, his cloak on the peg, his purse on the little table.
Corm whispered and waved a hand, magick sealing the room. He could feel it moving through him, tingling as if he had been involved in making the spell.
"Now the maid won't try to remove us." As she had the day before, coming in and tutting, insisting on making the bed and shooing them to breakfast.
"Mmmhmm. You evil wizard, terrifying your servants." He hid the laughter. These people were well-cared for, spoiled.
"I have a reputation to maintain, Plum." Corm grabbed a vial of oil pushing it into his hands. "Though I fear it’s ruined as far as you're concerned."
"Your reputation? As a wanton?"
"You see? You already know the truth." Corm took his mouth, tongue pushing in as Corm dragged him to the bed.
He pulled away from the kiss, turning Corm and pushing him down over the footboard, the wood pressing into that fine belly. Then he stepped close, fingers tugging off Corm's trousers. As soon as the trousers were off, Corm's legs spread for him, his wizard eager for him. The sweetest, wanton moan came from Corm.
"I want to watch you touch yourself, slick yourself for me."
A shudder moved through Corm. "Plum..." His lover turned to look at him, eyes heated. Then Corm reached out, fingers trembling just slightly.
He leaned down, kissed the small of Corm's back. "Let me see."
Corm nodded. "Oil my fingers, love. I do not believe I can do so myself." Corm's voice was thick, and he licked his lips.
"Call me love again." He uncorked the oil, slicked the long fingers.
Corm moaned, fingers sliding with his for a moment. "Love," Corm said softly, fingers sliding away from his, gleaming in the light from the window.
"Yes. Love." He kissed one buttock, then the other.
Groaning, Corm twisted and rubbed his hole with a slick finger. Then he slowly pushed two inside. "Is this what you wanted to see, love?"
"Yes. Show me." His finger slid in alongside Corm's. Show him.
"Plum!" Corm jerked, body pushing back against his fingers. Another low groan came from Corm, and the wizard moved his fingers in and out. They slid slickly against his own, everything slippery and wet and hot.
"Beautiful." He kissed along the thin spine, licking and nuzzling, adding another of his fingers to the touch.
Corm gasped loudly, whole body going tight for a moment before opening to him, trusting him. "So full, Plum."
"Mmm. My cock now. I want to feel you all around me."
"Oh, please. Yes." Corm's fingers slid away, his ass pushing back in blatant invitation. His cock slid in, spreading Corm wide as he buried himself deep. Heat. Such heat. He needed. Corm cried out, ass squeezing him tight. "More."
Plum pulled almost completely out of Corm's body, then pushed back in to the root. Corm's back bowed, another cry sounding.
"You are mine as I am yours." He slammed in again, burying himself inside that perfect heat.
"Yes! Yes, Plum." Corm's arms spread to the sides, fingers curling around the wood of the footboard.
He nodded, hips rocking, driving his cock into his wizard, into his lover. Corm began to meet his thrusts, rocking back against him. There was a soft sound, a moan, a groan, a whimper, to match each slap of their flesh.
"My love..." The words escaped him, slipped from him.
"Yes, yours." Corm shifted slightly, and shouted out. "There, Plum!" There. He closed his eyes, focusing on the motion, pegging Corm over and over. "Plum! Yes! Yes!" With each thrust Corm shouted, voice growing hoarse as they came together with more and more force.
"Come for me. Show me. Please." He leaned, kissed Corm's shoulder. "Please."
"For you." Corm shuddered and squeezed him tight, seed splashing against the footboard in long pulses.
"Love." He nearly sobbed, but the pleasure was too go
od, too much and he was caught in it.
"Come in me," Corm begged. "Mark me inside."
Seed pulsed from him in waves, Plum's world going white-bright and sparkly about the edges. Corm worked his ass, squeezing around him, making the pleasure continue on.
"Mmm... such heat, love."
"Yes." He nodded, leaned against Corm's shoulder. "Yes."
Heat. Love. He was caught.
Corm reached back to pat whatever he could reach, so much magick in those fingers as they slid over his hip. None of it was used on him, though. He had not been trapped by Corm, even if he had been lured.
"Love." He kissed Corm's shoulder, once more.
"Yes, Plum. Yours. Now let me up -- the footboard is digging into my belly and I want to hold you while we lie abed like slugs."
Plum laughed, tickled through, and swatted Corm on the backside as he pulled away. "Ridiculous wizard. Whatever shall I do with you?"
Corm mock-yelped, and turned, grabbing his hands. They were each brought to Corm's mouth and given a kiss. "Keep me, of course."
"Of course, given you are the one who stole me."
Corm's eyes grew serious. "I'm wish I could say I was sorry I deceived you, but given the results, I cannot."
"And would you do it again?"
Corm's fingers slid over his face, tracing his features. "Yes, my Plum. I would do whatever I must to bring us together."
"As long as you will keep us together." He kissed Corm's thumb, allowing the magick to take its course.
"Always, love."
Corm's free hand looped around his waist and drew him close. He rested his cheek against Corm's shoulder. Like a moth to a flame, Corm's fingers slid beneath his shirt, tracing the mark on his chest, making it tingle.
Magick.
He whispered a cantrip, letting the wind blow, caressing Corm's cheek.
"Mmm... your magick is stronger, Plum."
"Is it?" He tried again, the candles around the room lighting up.
"It is -- I can feel it as well as see the results." Corm waved his fingers and the wicks burned higher, brighter. Another wave and they faded back to normal. "As is mine."
He chuckled, unfastening Corm's blouse buttons with a thought. "Perhaps I was holding back. One never knows."
"Cynic," Corm accused.
"Romantic." Two could play that game.
A wicked smile danced at the corners of Corm's mouth. "Thief."
"Wizard."
"Yours," Corm countered, feet guiding them around to the side of the bed.
"Mine." He slipped his shoes off, sighing with the warmth of the bedding. "Yours."
"Yes." Corm whispered something and a lily, purple so dark it was almost black, appeared in his hand. "For you."
He held his arms open and nodded. "Yes."
Epilogue
Lady Arnasi's parties were a must-attend for anyone who was anyone, second only to the Duchess’. Corm, unfortunately, was counted among that number. He far preferred the coarser parties thrown by Plum's acquaintances and friends, but he dutifully put in attendance at these soirees.
With Plum on his arm of course. There were still occasional scandalized looks thrown their way, but no one would dare say anything. Especially as in the last few years, Corm's power had grown. What the nobles and royals didn't know was that he was more powerful now because of Plum. The magick worked through both of them with far more power than it ever had through him alone. It was quite intoxicating really.
Arnasi's ballroom glittered and shone, and her banquet table groaned under a huge selection. Corm wandered slowly from group to group, listening more than he spoke -- he and Plum would compare gossip, a prize going to the one with the juiciest news. Speaking of Plum... he looked about for his lover, wondering what mischief his thief was up to this evening. Plum never failed to provide some entertainment for the two of them.
Plum was dancing with a ghastly man, florid and horrid, groping at his lover.
"I beg your pardon Lord Delacroix?" The Robins' girl was looking at him with alarm, and Corm realized he'd been growling.
He gave her a bow. "I'm sorry, my Lady. There is something to which I must attend." He magicked a rose from thin air, presenting it to her with a flourish.
"Oh! How wonderful!" She clapped, his growling forgotten.
Unfortunately, her enthusiasm drew others and Corm wasted several moments producing more roses. He finally bowed away from the group and headed toward the dancing couples, searching for his lover and the interloper.
The air about Plum near crackled with dangerous energy. His lover was losing grip on that flash-point temper. He could feel the magick building, readying for Plum and he hurried over, tapping the vapid lord on the shoulder before the man was turned into a toad. "Excuse me, but I was promised a dance."
"You wan' dance with me?" Oh, dear. The air nearly crackled.
Corm managed to keep his laughter inside. "Actually, while I'm sure that would be delightful, I want to cut in on you and dance with your partner."
Plum's hand slid into his, the lovely eyes sparkling as he was nearly dragged into the crowd. "These things were more fun when I was working."
He did laugh then, stopping Plum to take a hard kiss. "We could make our own fun, love."
"We usually do, wizard." The term was affectionate now, not a criticism.
He could see Aransi barreling toward them, so he took Plum into his arms and began to dance back toward the middle of the dance floor. "What tickles your fancy tonight, Plum? Fireworks indoors? Rats afoot?"
"Spirits coming up from the floorboards."
"You'll give them all heart attacks, love. It'll be the talk of the town for weeks!" He grinned. He'd been right all that time ago, when he'd seen Plum and wanted him. He'd known Plum could relieve his boredom, his malaise. He just hadn't known it would be a lifelong joining and that he would love his thief more than his own life. Or that the magick would make them far more than the sum of their parts.
"We are always the talk of the town, wizard. You fascinate the masses."
"Me? I believe it is you who fascinate them, love." Almost as much as Plum fascinated him.
"Nonsense." They swung around, Plum's golden hair catching the light.
"Not at all. You shine, love, brighter than anything else at this party." It was that light that had originally caught him, when he'd first seen Plum stealing from these very people.
"Only to distract them from our play." Plum's lips brushed his ear.
His breath caught in his throat, the passion between them flaring hotly as it always did. "Then let us cause our mischief and go, love. I want you."
"You have me, wizard."
And who would ever have thought that was all he needed in the world? He certainly wouldn't have. But the magick that had held him close since he was born knew, and had taken care of this as it did all things.
"And I shall keep you."
For an eternity.
end
The Wizard and the Thief
Copyright © 2006 by Sean Michael
All rights reserved. No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Torquere Press, Inc., PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX 78680
Printed in the United States of America.
Torquere Press, Inc.: Single Shot electronic edition / January 2007
Torquere Press eBooks are published by Torquere Press, Inc., PO Box 2545, Round Rock, TX 78680
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