STORY EXCERPT

Tom stood at the top of the stairs for a while, listening to his parents speaking in the kitchen, asking if there was anything they could do to put this off for a little while longer, or to change Brutus’s mind.

He loved them so much. They were such good parents to him.

He wasn’t going to let them endanger everything they’d built just because he couldn’t be mature about this.

“I’m ready,” he announced loudly, descending the stairs and walking back towards the kitchen.

There was only one other person in there with them, standing in the middle of the tiled floor, huge arms crossed in a dark leather jacket.

He had black hair that was swooped oddly, probably from flying here, and he was much younger than Brutus was. Maybe not even thirty years old yet.

He glanced over at Tom, and Tom felt the floor drop out from beneath his feet.

He actually almost fell over as that strange pull kicked him in the back of the knees before punching him in the stomach.

Not Brutus. Definitely not Brutus.

Someone much better.

The guy stared right back at him, green eyes flying wide before he seemed to get a grip, stepping forward and offering his hand.

“My name is Stark. I’m with Brutus’s clan.”

Tom felt all the moisture dry from his mouth. “You are?”

Stark seemed just as uncomfortable as Tom did. “I’m…here to take you to your…mate.”

Tom’s knees actually did give out at that point.

* * * *

When the human went down, the first thing Stark did was try to catch him.

He didn’t quite make it, and the young male, Tom, fell onto his ass, staring up at him as though he couldn’t believe what Stark just said.

Stark couldn’t believe it either.

This was Tom? This was the male Brutus wanted so badly? For so many years?

This guy looked as though he would have been wildly underage several years ago, but maybe he just had one of those faces.

Either way, this was the worst thing in the world that could have happened to Stark.

Not this male. Anyone but this male. Stark would find Brutus someone else, anyone else he could have, so long as it wasn’t this one.

“Are you all right?”

“I-I’m fine,” Tom said, sounding very much as though he was not fine and was in some sort of daze.

That was fantastic. He felt it, too. Stark could sense as much from him as he ignored his father and took Stark’s hands, allowing himself to be lifted back to his feet.

The mother bustled around, grabbing ice water and pushing the glass into Tom’s hands. The father put his arm around Tom’s shoulder and asked if he was feeling all right.

Tom finally noticed the glass in his hands and drank, though he barely took his eyes away from Stark.

It was as though he didn’t believe what was happening either.

And Stark’s hands burned from where he touched the man.

This couldn’t be right. This was all wrong. This couldn’t be the male he was expected to hand over to Brutus!

“This is your son, Tom?”

Mr. Moorway glared at him. “You see anyone else in here?”

That was a fair point, but Stark needed to make sure he wasn’t being screwed around with.

It was all so…surreal.

This was his mate. This was his true mate. He could feel it in his bones that this was the man he was expected to love and protect for the rest of his life. The male who would possibly bear his children if their mating was strong enough.

And he was expected to just hand him over to Brutus?

“Right. Was just making certain. I’ve never seen him before.”

Only heard his name and a basic description.

“Why isn’t Brutus here?” Tom asked, glancing around, as though expecting to see the other man hiding in a corner somewhere.

“He sent me to collect you.”

The guy scowled, as though that was the last thing in the world he was hoping to hear.

“Couldn’t be bothered to do it himself, right? Fine. Let’s just go. Wait, did you fly here or did you drive?”

“I flew,” Stark said, already knowing where this was going.

Tom rolled his eyes up, and as though that eye roll had the power to move his whole body, his spine bowed backwards as his hands went to his head before he suddenly straightened.

“Fine! Whatever. I don’t care. Let’s just go.”

“Do you have a fear of heights?”

“No! Let’s go!”

Tom stomped his way to the front door, his father and mother following after him, but Stark moved a little more cautiously.

He clearly had a fear of heights. Brutus hadn’t mentioned that.

Did Brutus know about it?

Did it matter?

The guy was clearly making a power play. Dragons who flew around with their humans were either showing them the time of their lives, or were proving who was really in command.

Brutus didn’t have to be here for this to be a show of dominance.

Stark pressed his lips together as he exited the house.

He didn’t look as Tom’s mother hugged her son goodbye, as though she was saying goodbye to a child who was getting ready for the electric chair.

Tom’s father shook his hand and leaned in close to his son, whispering.

Stark pretended he couldn’t hear what they were saying, even though they could.

“He hurts you, you let me know and I’ll be there with my revolver.”

Jesus Christ, did Brutus not get permission? Stark thought he had the blessing of the family.

Either these people were amazing actors or there was something going on here Stark hadn’t been made aware of.

He needed to be impartial. He was going to find out what was going on here, and then he could bring the man to Brutus.

Maybe.

ADULT EXCERPT

“When you touched yourself back here, how did you like it?”

Tom shuddered again. “Well enough, I guess. I…fuck, I didn’t do it much, but it was okay.”

Right, so he hadn’t done this too often. All the more reason for Stark to pay attention.

Thank God they were mated, and he could feel what was going on inside the man’s head. Otherwise this would have been so much more stressful.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re ready for me.”

“God, I think I’m ready for you now,” Tom moaned, pressing his face into the sheets.

Stark didn’t think so. Otherwise, he would have just gone for it. There was no way he was going to push his cock inside Tom’s hole until he could at least get three fingers in there without seeing the man wince.

Even though it was currently killing him and his stupid dick was looking up at him, pulsing angrily, as though demanding to know what the hold-up was.

Tom didn’t notice. He may have been open to what Stark was feeling through their mating, but he was too horny and enjoying Stark’s fingers too much to notice.

Two fingers were able to fit in now just fine. Tome thrust back against them.

Fuck, Stark was sweating now just watching him, wishing it was his cock inside the other man instead of just his fingers because then he would have really been able to make the man moan for him.

He tested a third finger, felt the way Tom hesitated in his thrusting before gently easing himself down on it.

As though he was trying to get used to what was happening back there.

Then he did, his body swallowing all three of Stark’s fingers as his head went down, ass still up, and Tom moaned into the sheets as he started the slow, back and forth thrusting again.

Stark couldn’t handle it anymore. More scales formed on his arms and hands. He didn’t have to fight to keep his claws in. He supposed that was a sort of instinct to keep himself from harming his mate.

Thank God for that, but never before had he felt more animal than he did now, and he needed to fuck. He needed to claim. Tom might not entirely be ready for this, but it didn’t matter because Stark needed to take him right now.

Pulling his fingers free, he listened with pleasure as Tom moaned at the loss.

Stark had to force himself to reach for the bottle of sunscreen again, adding more to his hands as he slicked his cock with the greasy stuff.

“Sorry, I can’t wait,” he said, the best he could do in the way of any kind of apology as he pressed the head of his thick cock against Tom’s hole.

He pushed forward. There was resistance, because of course there was. Even his three fingers hadn’t compared to the full expanse of his prick.

He pushed forward, was forced to stop when Tom hissed and his body clenched too tightly, stopping him from sinking any deeper. Then, finally, it gave way and he was able to sink all the way inside with a satisfying groan. His dick taken to the hilt. Stark glanced down to see how far the other man had him, and it was most definitely all the way.

Stark panted for breath, his hand petting and stroking Tom’s waist.

“Are you good?”

“Almost,” Tom said through clenched teeth. “Just…one more second.”

Stark gave him a little more than that, knowing what the other man really needed.

It was enough. Now that he was at least inside, Stark was able to catch his breath and focus on the task at hand. He held still, enjoying the heat and the sweet clench of Tom’s body around his cock.

This actually was a form of heaven.

Finally, Tom gasped, but it wasn’t a pained sound. More as though the tension in his body was finally giving way.

Stark reached out and could feel what the other man felt.

His shock that it wasn’t so bad, that the pain had left him that quickly. Apparently, he’d been certain it would hurt the whole way through.

He’d never had sex with a dragon before, that was certain.

Stark tested the waters, so to speak, with a gentle forward thrusting motion. A shallow move, he barely pulled his cock back so much as he was just rolling his hips.

“How does that feel?”

Tom wet his lips. “Really…good.”

Good. Perfect. This was exactly what Stark needed to hear. He pulled back a little more this time, until he could see part of the base of his cock before pushing forward again.

Tom opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Just another short gasp for breath.

“So good,” he sighed. “So… Oh fuck, keep doing that. That’s nice.”

Stark was nothing if not eager to please, and so he did as his mate commanded, pushing back and forth inside him, keeping his thrusting shallow, for now, as his mate got used to being filled.

Again, he could sense what Tom felt, his astonishment that he was so full, that everywhere Stark’s cock touched felt nice.

Stark could even sense that Tom was considering not touching his own cock at all. The man wanted to see how long it would take him to orgasm without that much stimulation.

Stark enjoyed looking into the man’s thoughts like this. It wasn’t as if he could listen into the man’s inner voice, but getting this much information was most certainly helpful.

He decided to encourage that idea by leaning down, his chest pressing against Tom’s back as he fucked into him, holding onto his hands and whispering hotly into his ear.

“You want to come without touching your cock?”

Tom moaned, forehead still pressing into the sheets. He refused to look back at him.

“It’s okay, baby. I got you,” Stark said, fucking a little harder into the man. The bed beneath them creaked.

He really hoped the woman downstairs wouldn’t be able to hear it. “Feels good, doesn’t it? You like it when I fuck you?”