STORY EXCERPT

Qis’s attention had been on the feelings of having another mate. What he had not done was focus on Lawson Armstrong. He knew nothing about him. This mate he was not going to be cautious with. Lawson was ill, and Qis would not hold back, would not lose his soul mate. Lawson met Qis’s gaze. Before, he’d noted how striking the man’s eyes were. Now he took in the rest of the man. Much shorter than himself, witches and wizards tended to be short and slender, sometimes skinny as their bodies were constantly burning energy with the use of magic. They reportedly consumed a great deal of food to restore energy. Part human, part wizard, Law possessed wizard magic and had a gift.

About five feet five and well underweight, there was no doubt he was ill. He looked pale and gaunt, eyes far too large for his face of hollowed cheeks, sharp, high cheekbones, short slender nose, and smooth jaw. Lawson was nice to look upon, his eyes his most striking feature. Qis found himself drawn to Lawson. His mate felt refreshing. He saw through his gift the troughs and loops of life, moments of sadness and adversity, and hopes. Law was full of hopes and the small pleasures in life. And possessed a deep feeling of right and wrong.

His other mate, Desta, felt like one of those people who you sought attention from. He was cool, slightly out of reach, not mean, but set apart. Confident, doing his own thing, Des had his own crowd and life. Contrasts. This is how Qis saw himself and his mates.

“You’re really big.” Lawson looked Qis up and down. “What are you the fate of? Can you tell my future? Do I have a future?”

“By claiming and bonding, your future, mine and Des’s are all greatly improved.”

“Will I become a full wizard?” Lawson’s eyes widened, and there was hopefulness in his voice.

Qis smiled, relaxing now. Lawson had begun to lose the reservation toward Qis, and he was seeing a fun side of his mate. Inquisitive, Lawson telegraphed his thoughts and emotions freely.

“You will remain exactly who you are, a human with a touch of wizard. You will be free of disease and pain and heal faster, have more strength and quicker reflexes, but not to the level of a paranormal. You will remain who you are, Lawson, but once being claimed and bonding, your health will be restored…” Qis paused a moment, his fate gift flashing and working. A fate whose gift was exclusively about mates would immediately know how Lawson would be changed after mating. Because Qis was older and his gift well developed, and as he was the fate of everything, he could see also that with mating and bonding their life forces, Lawson’s life would be sustained, and he would become immortal.

“Are you using your gift? Your eyes narrowed a teeny bit.” Lawson peered at Qis curiously. “What are you seeing?”

Qis found himself growing to like this inquisitive nature of Lawson’s, and he was pleased his young part wizard had no reservations toward him. Reaching out, he lightly brushed Lawson’s dark hair from his forehead.

“I am seeing how claiming and bonding will restore your health and keep you well. You will be faster, stronger, immortal, and you will be able to sustain and control your gift. Mates are connected in ways like no other. We are the other half of one another. I will become an intricate part of you, as you will me, and forever fused. I will quickly love you, for always.”

“Really? Even if I…don’t always fit in?” Law said quietly, his face pinched.

Qis stroked Lawson’s left cheek. “I see nothing but kindness, a strong streak of right and wrong, and fun in you, mate. We all have our particular ways, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Categorizing others, which has been done for centuries now to fit into what society feels comfortable with, can be incredibly harmful. We must rise to be open to changes and differences. I can see who you are, Lawson. I see no weirdness. I see a unique individual who enjoys unhealthy food far too much.”

Lawson smiled and leaned closer to Qis. “I’d like to be well. I’d like to eat a huge pizza with lots of sauce and melted cheese and then an entire block of chocolate.”

Qis had no idea why the pizza was relevant. He was enjoying Lawson’s humor. “May I claim you, Law?”

“Umm, okay – wait, it doesn’t hurt, right? And then I’ll be better and not look like a zombie?”

“You will be better and quickly regain your health,” Qis assured. “This will not be instantaneous. What I can see is you are gravely ill, Lawson, mostly kept alive with witch and wizard healing and numerous potions. After claiming, I believe you will possibly be in a healing sleep for at least twenty-four hours.” Qis studied Law. “There is nothing odd about you, my mate. Though, I can see an instance of dipping carrots in hot chocolate sauce.”

“You should try it,” Law shot back, and the forefinger on his right hand twitched. Witches and wizards were so easily offended and often used their magic on others.

“I like pickles with yogurt,” Qis said truthfully.

“I’ll have to try it!” Law smiled, his face lighting up. “Do you w-want to…” He took a quick breath. “Come to my room and c-claim?”

“Yes. That is exactly what I want to do.”

Lawson frowned. “What a-about Des? Is h-he okay? Does he need to claim me too?”

“Are you happy for him to claim you?”

Lawson’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t answer my question. Does he need to claim me too?”

ADULT EXCERPT

Des leaned back into Qis’s body and turned his head, raising his chin. Deep treacle eyes locked on Qis. He captured Des’s plump lips with his own in a deep, heated kiss. His hands moved from Des’s back to his mate’s front, stroking up to his neck, over shoulders and chest, where he paused and worked brown nipples into hard little pebbles, then continued stroking, brushing his fingers over ribs, caressing with the palm of his hand along the curly hair of Des’s treasure trail and tangling his fingers.

“Beautiful,” Qis murmured against Des’s lips.

He wrapped one hand around Des’s aroused cock, his thumb flicking over the head and spreading the drops of pre-cum. His cock throbbed between their bodies. Qis moved slowly in time with his hand as he wrung Des’s thick cock, his thumb dipping into the little slit in the head, rubbing lightly over, and spreading the warm liquid. Their lips devoured with slow, needful kisses, straining in rhythm, a tempo that was impossible to maintain without one, or both, coming.

Leaving his hand that was stroking Des’s cock, Qis broke the kiss as he reached out with his other hand for the lube he had left on the bistro table. Grasping the bottle, he felt sharp teeth nip his exposed throat. Shocked thrill zipped through Qis’s entire body, his balls rolled, and dick spurted pre-cum. Des’s amber eyes crinkled at the corners with a devilish grin. He took the lube, flicked the lid open, and held it up. Qis caught on quick, holding his hand out, and received a liberal amount. Des then poured a little onto his own dick, groaning as Qis rubbed it from top to root, then tightened his grip and stroked firmly.

The first few times mates came together was said to be a frenzy of overwhelming need. Qis now had firsthand experience that this was true. He may be old, but he felt as if he had never learned to pace himself. And he didn’t give a damn. Des was sensual, needy, and they had all night. Qis was going to enjoy every orgasm.

With this in mind and shivering with driving need, he fisted the lube and then dipped his now wet fingers between Des’s ass cheeks. His mate accommodated, thrusting his ass back a little to assist with access.

“No need to be delicate, hon. Slide on in,” Des murmured huskily.

Taking his mate at his word, Qis only took a moment to rub the tight muscle at Des’s entrance before slipping a finger in. He could feel his mate relax, the muscle giving way as he pressed into the snug chute. All the while, Qis continued stroking the engorged cock in his other hand, the lube warm and slippery.

Lowering his head, Qis brushed his mouth over Des’s shoulder, his tongue tracing a large tattoo of a bare tree that covered his lover’s shoulder on his right side all the way down to the top of his ass. He would make time to trace the entire tree with his mouth and hands next time. Inserting the tip of another finger into Des’s heat, he wiggled until the muscle loosened enough for him to move his finger in alongside the other. Des groaned, eyes closing. His cock was red and dripping. Qis slowed the pace of his strokes and increased his stretching, scissoring his fingers and moving in and out. When it felt right, he slipped a third finger in.

They were both breathing heavy and well past restraint. He didn’t waste time now, stretching then removing his fingers. With his mate in his arms and the ocean in front of them, Qis was experiencing a lot of emotions and sensations. Des gripped the balcony rail in front of him, Qis stroking a hand down his mate’s smooth back. Letting go of Des’s cock, he took his own in hand, and as Des pushed his ass out, Qis pressed just inside, the muscle giving way.

Des wrapped one hand around his own cock and pushed back as Qis pushed in, driving him deep. The sensations were almost too much. The snug fit, muscles rippling and massaging his cock, the heat, the combination nearly drove him to lose his load with one thrust. Des’s strangled moan told him he wasn’t the only one affected. Wanting this moment to last, Qis concentrated on moving. He gripped Des’s hips as he drove into his mate over and over, finding the knot of nerves and making sure he brushed them with every stroke.

Their coupling was hot, fierce, and hurried. They were caught up in each other and what they were sharing, yet there was tenderness. Qis wanted the tenderness. He wanted this with his mate and showed it with every stroke and thrust.

The sensations were intense. Their attraction and the chemistry between them were like crushing waves of pleasurable electricity swirling throughout his body. With one hand on his mate’s hip, Qis moved the other up into Des’s hair and urged his head to the left, exposing Des’s throat.