Bastian shrugged at his raised brow. “Can’t blame a guy for trying to increase his chances at living.”
The man had a point. Downing the contents, he traded his empty glass for the other one Bastian handed him and took a seat in the armchair while his friend got a drink for himself. Lucas held his tongue as Bastian sat across from him. His friend stared into the golden liquid in his glass for several moments before looking up at him.
“I knew he was the reason for why you used your power. I thought he was just some guy and I was angry that you would throw away your freedom to help out a human who I thought had no comprehension of what you’d sacrificed.”
Bastian took a sip, contemplating his next words. “In a moment of sheer stupidity, I blamed him and said some things you would probably castrate me for. There’s no excuse for my behaviour.” Leaning forwards to stand, he said, “Let’s get this over with before I drink too much. You’ve got one hell of a punch and I don’t want to puke my guts up.”
“Sit down. As much as I’d love to kick your ass right now, I promised my mate I wouldn’t.”
Bastian paused in confusion. “You did? Why?”
“Because he doesn’t think I should blame you. Said that you were only trying to protect me. For whatever reason, he disobeyed me by not answering me through the link just to save your sorry ass from my anger.” Dumbfounded, his friend could only gape at him. “I suppose I should have told you that he was my mate, but then again, I expected you to treat anyone I would willingly give over to you for protection with respect.”
Bastian was the picture of contrition. “You’re absolutely right. Wow, he really tried to defend me? You’ve got one hell of a mate. Not that I particularly want a beating, but damn. Where the hell did you find him?”
Lucas sighed, willing himself to let go of some of the wrath still pumping through his veins. He had no doubt that his friend had his best interests in mind, but the man could be denser than a brick at times. “He worked for me at my store. One day he called in and quit. I went to his house and found him locked in a closet, practically half dead. His boyfriend and brother had been keeping him as an abused slave for five years.”
“Mother fucker,” Bastian whispered.
“I took him home and the first time we made love, he cared about me so much that he gave me his soul without even realising it.” Lucas cleared his hoarse throat. “His ex set fire to my store to distract me long enough to kidnap Kyle after that. Even using my power, though, it wasn’t enough. I got there before the man killed him but not before he…” Taking a deep breath to regain control of his broiling emotions, he said harshly, “The guy was going to use a Taser on him after he was done beating him. Kyle wouldn’t have survived.”
Neither one spoke for a long time. Finally, Bastian rose to refill their drinks. “I accused him of being a spoilt little human. I couldn’t have been more wrong. There’s got to be some way I can fix my mistake. I’ll do anything. Does he like games? Computers?”
“He’s been living in forced seclusion since he was sixteen. Electronics don’t really mean that much to him right now.”
“Well there went my pride for the next decade.”
“Look, the man knows the difference between good and bad. He didn’t give a flying fuck about whether I left his ex alive or not but he stood up for you despite your epic fail. If he hasn’t already forgiven you, he will. The only thing you can do now is show him that he doesn’t have to be afraid of you.”
Nodding grimly, Bastian swallowed his shot. “I can do that. You know I’d do anything to help you, but I want you to know that my loyalty extends to your mate as well. I’d give my life for both of you, and not just because he carries a part of your soul.”
“I know. He’s a better man than either of us. Speaking of help, though, you could start by going to the store. I didn’t have a chance to pick up more bruise cream and Bacitracin. He was hurt pretty badly.”
“It’s gonna take me years to look at myself in the mirror again. I’m on it. Would you uh…mind if I stay here afterwards until he wakes up? I think a little more grovelling is in order.”
Lucas chuckled and felt the last of his anger being released. Bastian was a good man once you pulled his head out of his ass. “Sure. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Lucas returned to his seat. After closing the door, he pondered his next move. He’d come to this house first knowing that if the Mackaeo caught up to them, Bastian would be able to ‘port Kyle to safety without the Order knowing. As far as anyone but he and Bastian knew, his friend was just another Tsielen who lacked power. They couldn’t track him if they didn’t know. It seemed that now, however, he might need Bastian to travel with them for a while. At least until he was positive they weren’t being followed.
A noise stole his attention and he turned to see his mate standing timidly at the foot of the stairs. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I couldn’t sleep without you.”
Lucas smiled and opened his arms. “Come here.” Kyle curled up in his lap, rubbing his face along the column of Lucas’ neck. “How are you feeling?”
“Better, Sir. Are you and Bastian…?”
“We’re fine. He wants to speak with you when he gets back. Is that okay?”
Kyle nodded. Lucas revelled in the way his mate’s slender body fit so perfectly against his and felt himself harden against the soft mounds of the man’s ass. Talking about the ordeal Kyle suffered at the hands of Craig had refreshed the desperation he’d known in those long hours of having to wait until Kyle woke up. Of having to feel his pain through their bond until his mate was finally able to give him the location of the cabin. He needed to assure himself that Kyle was here with him and safe.
Lowering his mate gently to the floor, he grazed his lips across Kyle’s—lightly at first—then kissed him passionately. Putting as much tenderness as he could into the strokes of his tongue, he made his way down the crease in between Kyle’s ear and Adam’s apple. Inhaling deeply, the scent of his mate permeated his lungs, intoxicating him. The lithe form shivered beneath him as he licked along the throbbing pulse in Kyle’s neck down to the dip between his clavicle bones.
Lucas brought his lips back up to Kyle’s mouth and began drawing in each panting breath, sweeping his tongue over the luscious curve of those red lips and nibbling on them hard enough to earn several ragged gasps. He brushed his fingertips underneath the hem of Kyle’s shirt and along the defined ridges of his abs, relishing the feel of firm muscle beneath the softest flesh he’d ever had the pleasure of touching. A guttural moan was drawn from him as his mate’s slender pelvis lifted and rolled seductively against his own. The friction of their cocks rubbing together sent bursts of colour blazing behind his eyelids.
It was the most sensuous feeling in the world. Never had he felt more in control, yet sensitive to the every movement of the pliant, welcoming body under his. He wanted to take his time exploring the gentle curves and hidden caverns of Kyle’s body—to caress his tongue across every inch of pale skin—but the sensations were too much for his patience.
Unable to wait any longer, Lucas quickly removed the offending material between them. Shirts were ripped away and he reminded himself at the last second to ease Kyle’s pants off with care. Grabbing a pillow from the couch, he lifted his mate’s behind then slid the cushion underneath.
Leaning his much larger frame over Kyle, he grasped both of their cocks in one hand and stroked them together in long, demanding pulls. With each pass of his palm across their engorged heads, he gathered clear pearls of pre-cum and used them for lubrication. He created a fierce rhythm that had them both shuddering with such ferocity that when their lips came together, they mashed with frantic intensity.
“Please, S-sir. I need you in me. Please!”
The begging and provocative whimpers coming from deep within Kyle’s throat escalated Lucas’ arousal until the drive to possess him became too much to control. “Don’t move,” he said roughly. He snatched a bottle of lube out of the drawer in the coffee table and slicked his fingers.
Kyle laughed brightly and smirked at him. “Always prepared, huh?”
“With you I have to be. You drive me insane.”
His mate’s next laugh ended in a sharp hiss as he eased one finger deep into Kyle’s tight hole. Bending down to suck and bite at the man’s hardened nipples, he stretched Kyle as fast as he could. Pants soon turned to loud cries as he pegged Kyle’s prostate over and over again.
Lucas removed his fingers once he was satisfied and lifted his mate’s ankles to rest on his shoulders. After lining up his cock with Kyle’s quivering hole, he slammed himself in, grunting with the overpowering feel of muscles clenching his swollen member. Kyle’s lashes grew damp and Lucas searched his emotions for any sign of distress, but there was only excitement and need. Growling, he pounded into Kyle’s sheath, feeling the pain of his rough entrance mix with pleasure in his mate.
Still he needed more. The memory of the haunted look in Kyle’s eyes earlier, his refusal to respond through their link, sparked an undeniable urge to reassert his dominance—to dispel any lingering doubts in his mate’s mind that he was cherished, claimed by the one man who understood just how precious he was.
Lucas stopped his thrusts, his cock pulsing with the need to conquer the demands of the constricting channel that gripped it. “
Look at me.”
Kyle’s head ceased its thrashing and eyes dazed with turbulent lust met his. “
Do not deny me again. You are mine.”
Each word was punctuated by a deep, hard lunge that enforced his command, yet his emotions portrayed the yearning desire he had for his mate to accept his authority of his own volition.
The supple body beneath his quivered and Kyle wrapped his small hands around his wrists. Kyle angled his pelvis higher and added his own strength to the slow, merciless pummelling. “
Never again, Master.”
The feel of Kyle’s willingness to surrender everything charged through Lucas in an empowering rush. Increasing the speed of his strokes, he let loose his inhibitions and took what was his.
When Kyle arched his back suddenly, Lucas knew he was close to coming but unable to warn him. “Come, boy. Now!” With a shout, Kyle climaxed and spurted ribbons of cum across his chest. Lucas came seconds later, filling the man’s battered channel with streams of warm semen. The bliss on his mate’s face was enough to rob him of what little air remained in his lungs.
A loud harrumph coming from somewhere in the kitchen brought both men back to awareness.
“You know, as appealing as the scenery is from your kitchen window, I think I’d much prefer to be doing unspeakable things with someone
in my
own living room, thank you very much. So whenever y’all are done in there…” Bastian called out with more than a little hint in his voice.
Lucas cursed and leaned over to kiss the blush rising in his mate’s cheeks. He used the remains of his shirt to wipe the cum from Kyle’s chest, then wrapped him up in the blanket from the couch before Bastian made an appearance.
“Go on up to the bedroom and dress, then come down and join us.”
When he’d made sure Kyle was out of sight, he yanked his pants on and called out to his friend to let him know it was safe to come back in.
Bastian, a smartass who never disappointed, started off with, “You know, if y’all wanna get really kinky, I got a vidcam in the back seat of my car that hasn’t seen any action since I was with that hot little…”
“TMI…”
“Just saying. Y’all were gettin’ pretty frisky with the…”
“One more word, Bastian…”
“Damn, you’re grumpy after you get a piece of…”
A pillow sailed across the room and smacked Bastian in the head, ending his sexual tirade. “Ouch!”
“Serves you right. Your timing stinks.” Lucas didn’t miss the bulge in his friend’s pants as he walked over and handed him the bag of medicine. “Thanks man. Listen, I was thinking about where Kyle and I will go from here. My original emergency plans will work for the most part. I have enough alternate identities and properties to lose them within a matter of months, but I never planned on having a mate with me. I was wondering…”
“Way ahead of you, man. I put in for a leave of absence at work while I was out. Soon as I beg your lovely mate for forgiveness, I’ll go pack my bags. Just let me know whenever you want to leave.”
Grinning widely, Lucas clapped his friend on the shoulder. “I’ll owe you for this.”
“No,” Bastian said, the humour fading from his expression. “All my life you’ve been protecting me. This is my chance to return the favour. Whether it takes a few months or a century, I’m with you. Feel me?”
“Yeah. Now go grab some beers before I get all teary-eyed.”
Bastian laughed and shook his head as he walked into the kitchen.
Chapter Nine
“Take the pillow.”
“I don’t need it anymore. I feel fine.”
“Quit trying to top from the bottom and do as I say.”
“Top from the…what?”
Bastian hardened his eyes. “Disobey me. Now take your pillow.”
“But the bruises are almost gone.”
“Really.”
The man moved with blurring speed, spinning him around by the arm and smacking him solidly on the ass. Kyle yelped in pain and cupped his sore bottom with both hands.