STORY EXCERPT

“Baylor, we all take orders from Nicky, whether we know it or not.”

There was a ghost of a smile on Baylor’s face when he turned back. “I suppose you are correct, sire.”

Cooper leaned closer to Baylor. “Just don’t let Nicky hear you say that. We’ll never hear the end of it.”

Baylor paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression furrowing his brow as he glanced from Nicky to Cooper. “May I speak freely, sire?”

“Yes, please do.”

“I am unused to this manner in which you speak of King Nicolas. I know it is due to your familiarity with him added to the fact that you grew up with him merely being a friend and not the king of the galaxy, but are you sure this is not insulting to him?”

“I’m sure.”Cooper was actually warmed by Baylor’s concern. Baylor seemed to care for Nicky’s well-being above and beyond him being king. “Granted, there is a fine line between what is appropriate and what is not, and not everyone is the same on where that line is drawn, but Nicky is cool with it. He knows I love him even when I joke with him.”

“I admit that I am confused by your familiarity with His Majesty, but I also see how happy he is just to be with you. That bond is rare, sire.” Something hardened in Baylor’s dark eyes, giving them a dangerous glint that told Cooper under no uncertain terms that a predator lay just beneath the surface. “Do not abuse the gift you have been given. It will not come again for a thousand years.”

Confused, and admittedly impressed that Baylor was standing up for Nicky, he asked, “What do you mean?”

“Remember that I told you a true bond is rare?”

Cooper nodded.

“It is said that once someone has found their true bond, their souls are entwined for all eternity. If one dies, the other soon follows, unable to be bear the separation. If they are separated, they won’t find each other again for a thousand years.”

Cooper felt a pang in his chest as he glanced at Nicky. He couldn’t imagine living one second longer than his love, but a thousand years without him? “That seems kind of unfair, Baylor. If this love is so great, why a thousand years?”

“No one knows, sire,” Baylor replied, “but I believe it is because this love is so great, and because there is no greater bond, the price is higher.”

That actually kind of made sense. The bond he felt for Nicky was beyond anything he had ever felt in his life. It felt stronger than steel and yet as fragile as a flower. He knew it had to be nurtured in order to grow, and he intended to do just that.

“I appreciate your words, Baylor.” Cooper gave the man a slight smile so he would know there were no hard feelings. “Nicky is the most important thing in my world and I’ll do anything to keep him safe.”

“I worry that it may not be enough, sire.”

Cooper cocked his head as he tried to read the silent message in Baylor’s words. “Why?” he asked when he couldn’t solve the puzzle. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“I worry what will happen when others learn that you are Marsovian.”

“I thought the Marsovians were great warriors.”

“They were, but they have been myth for so long, I fear many have forgotten their existence. If word gets out, many will not believe that it is true. Those that might know of the legend and believe you are Marsovian might try and use you in some manner that is in conflict with the High King’s needs.”

“I would never go against Nicky.”

“You would not want to,” Baylor said, “but if your total loyalty is to King Nicolas, what would you give if someone tried to use him?”

“You’re talking about that situation with Melakon Tempest, aren’t you?”

“That is a good example, yes.”

Unfortunately, Cooper understood where Baylor was coming from. He just didn’t like it. He crossed his arms, his unease growing by the second. “Do you have a suggestion?”

“As much as I dislike saying it, you might consider talking to that monk at the Monastery of the Sourak.” Baylor’s lips thinned for a moment as he paused, a hard glint coming into his eyes. “I don’t trust this monk. I don’t like the fact that he is demanding your presence. That feels wrong to me, but he may be the only man alive that truly knows of the Marsovians.”

“If my being a Marsovian is such a problem, why would we even bring it up?” Cooper asked. The answer seemed simple enough. “Why not just keep it a secret?”

“People will know, sire. Secrets never keep. There will come a point when something will happen and you will not be able to hide what you are. It is better to be prepared for that eventuality than to think it will never come.”

Cooper glanced across the room to where Nicky was chatting with Brian and Councilman Turlock. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Baylor was right. He just didn’t know what to do about it.

“I’m not sure going to see this monk is the best plan, Baylor.” Reluctantly pulling his eyes away from Nicky’s laughing face, he looked back at the man. “Isn’t there anyone else that knows about Marsovians?”

 “I’ll look into it, sire, but I do not believe so.” The man clasped his hands behind his back, once again looking like the confident captain that he was. “The myth of the Marsovian is so ancient that most only know about it from obscure history books and legends told down through the ages.”

“I’m starting to feel like a fossil.”

Baylor blinked. “I’m sorry, sire. I do not understand your reference to preserved remnants of the past.”

Cooper chuckled. “You keep referring to my Marsovian DNA as something ancient, a myth. It makes me feel old.”

“That was not my intention, sire. I merely wanted to point out the danger of not learning everything we can about being a Marsovian.”

“No, I got that part, Baylor.” Cooper drew in a breath, his eyes going back to Nicky. “I just hope whatever we learn doesn’t make me extinct.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Cooper grinned at Nicky for a brief moment before retrieving the man’s pants. Sure enough, there was a tube of lube in his pocket. Cooper quickly popped the top and poured some out, liberally lubing his fingers.

When he moved back between Nicky’s thighs, the man spread his legs wide. Cooper almost swallowed his tongue. Instead, he put his tongue to good use, licking Nicky’s hard cock from root to tip while pushing a finger deep inside the man’s tight ring of muscles.

“Coop!”

Cooper winced when Nicky’s hands fisted in his hair. While he relished the man’s high cry of pleasure, the hair-pulling hurt. It got even worse when he pushed a second finger into the man’s tight hole.

Finger number three nearly made Cooper bald, but the added stimulation had Nicky climaxing within seconds. Cooper felt Nicky’s entire body tense. Hearing Nicky’s low cry of release as he arched his body, Cooper almost came himself.

He moved back to watch, because it was quite a sight. God, he was so responsive. Cooper loved that about Nicky. “Oh yeah, baby, come for me. Just like that.”

Cooper knew he had to get inside Nicky in the next few seconds. He was ready to blow now and it was all he could do to hold himself back. He quickly pushed his boots off with his feet as he reached for the buttons of his pants, unbuttoning them before shoving them down his long legs.

As his pants hit the floor, he settled himself between Nicky’s slick thighs, his hard cock rubbing against Nicky’s groin. He quickly lathered his cock up with more lube and then drizzled a little between Nicky’s ass cheeks.

To get his love nice and lubed up, Cooper used the tip of his cock to spread the lube around. Each time he moved his hips, he slid along Nicky’s hard cock, arousing Nicky until he arched again, moaning out his pleasure as yet another orgasm swept through his body and ropes of pearly white cum shot out of his cock to coat his abdomen and chest.

God, this beautiful man climaxed at the drop of a hat. Cooper found that to be so exhilarating. He always knew when he was making Nicky feel good.

Cooper grabbed Nicky’s leg with his arm, pulling his hips up. He drove into his tight hole in one quick lunge until he felt his balls slap against Nicky’s ass. Nicky was so tight, Cooper thought his head would explode.

Nicky’s hands braced themselves on his shoulders as his head swung back and forth on the mattress, his cries growing louder by the second as Cooper drove into his silky depths over and over again.

“Cooper,” Nicky whispered as he reached for him.

Cooper’s eyes were half closed with arousal. He was so turned on by the sight and feel of Nicky as he pumped his cock in and out of Nicky’s tight ass that it was all he could do not to come right there and then. Cooper leaned down to kiss Nicky, pinching the man’s nipples between his trembling fingertips.

“Nicky,” he whispered when he could catch his breath again.

He reluctantly pulled himself from Nicky and flipped his body over so that he was on his knees. Nicky moaned as Cooper sank into his tight hole again, holding still with his cock fully lodged inside his mate.

He reached under Nicky to grab his cock, stroking him from root to tip. He used his other hand to pull at his nipples again, wringing a low moan from Nicky.

That sweet sound snapped the tether Cooper had on his control.

He grasped Nicky’s hips with almost bruising force as he thrust in and out as hard and as fast as he could. He could feel each and every little quiver of Nicky tightening around his throbbing cock as he pounded into him. He knew Nicky was on the verge of another orgasm.