STORY EXCERPT

“What are you doing here, boy?” A great voice boomed from right behind him. Tobias turned and gave a little squeak of fear as he looked up into the yellow eyes of a massive cat in human form. He was handsome enough and certainly attractive, but the smirk on his face and the dead look in his eye made him absolutely terrifying.

“I, um, I…” His tongue tripped over itself as those eyes regarded him with cool calculation. He swallowed. “I−I came with a message f−from Master Flavius.”

The shifter sneered. “Oh? What does Master Flavius want with us, eh?”

“Gregori, what the hell are you doing?” Another voice cut into whatever stammered reply Tobias was attempting to formulate. Tobias felt relief for a second until he saw who had spoken. A huge man with white-blond hair and glacial-blue eyes who was nearly as big as the first giant stepped to Tobias’s other side. Tobias was sandwiched between the two, and it was the last place he wanted to be.

“Having a little bit of fun with the help. Got a problem, Cassisus?” Gregori snarled.

“Shut the fuck up. You’re scaring him.” Cassisus rumbled, taking Tobias’s arm and pulling him from between them before promptly putting Tobias behind him. Tobias blinked. Seriously? A cat was defending him? Gregori snorted before turning on his heel and stalking toward one of the weapon-clad tables a few feet away.

The cat who’d saved him turned his attention back on Tobias. “Hi, little one. You okay?” Their eyes met, and Tobias felt his head spin. His mother had always warned him that the eyes of cats could entrance. He knew what she was talking about now. Aside from being a good guy, his savior was gorgeous, and his coloration was so exotic that he looked like something out of one of Tobias’s dreams.

The cat tilted his head to the side, studying him. “You smell good, little one.” He seemed to have realized what he said, because he shook his head as if to clear it. “Um, back to that first question. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Tobias said breathlessly. Wow, the cat was pretty. Tobias just wanted to curl into him. Which was insane. He was a gladiator, a cat, something Tobias had been warned to stay away from his entire life.

The gladiator’s nose twitched, and a low growl sounded. “Hmm, what’s your name, little one?”

“T−Tobias.”

The human cat started purring, and the deep rumble made Tobias’s body tighten. Why was that so sexy? “Nice to meet you, Tobias. I’m Cassisus.” He smiled, revealing straight white teeth. “But everyone calls me Cass.”

“Hi,” Tobias managed as his eyes fixated on the other man’s lips. He wondered what the cat tasted like. His hand found its way to pet Cassisus’s chest, feeling the vibrations of the purring as it stroked along the sweaty flesh. The cat didn’t seem to mind in the least, and in fact, he seemed to purr louder as the petting commenced.

Cassisus leaned down, his lips separated from Tobias’s by less than an inch. The cat’s breath fanned Tobias’s face, and Tobias started panting at the unasked question. He’d never been kissed before, but suddenly he could think of nothing better than to have Cassisus’s lips on his. His body screamed for it, every nerve tingling in awareness that he’d never experienced before. The cat licked his lips, obviously as entranced as Tobias was.

“What the hell is going on here?” The question brought them both out of the haze of enchantment. Tobias’s cheeks blazed as he looked up at the cat who had stolen his sanity for the past thirty seconds.

He turned, ready to flee. A big hand grabbed his arm, and he whimpered at the touch. It hurt. It felt like a thousand stinging insects were biting his arm wherever the hand touched the skin of his arm. Cassisus snarled, a very feline hiss of displeasure sounding in the small space. The hand released him. He looked up into the brown eyes of the man who had grabbed him. He was even bigger than the other two men he’d met. What do they feed people down here?

“Who are you?” the brown-eyed giant asked.

“His name is Tobias,” Cassisus answered for him, stepping in front of the giant as if to protect him. Tobias didn’t understand the urge, but he grabbed ahold of the edge of Cassisus’s pants to let him know where he was. It seemed to settle the cat.

“Flavius’s Tobias?” the giant asked.

“No.” Cassisus growled. “Mine.”

“I−I belong to Master Flavius. I’m his personal servant.” Tobias stammered through the sentence. “I−I’m supposed to be talking to C−Corbin, the lanista.” Cassisus turned his head and met Tobias’s eyes over his shoulder, a look very near disappointment on his face.

“Then you’ve met him.” The brown-eyed giant stepped around Cassisus, who seemed frozen to the spot. “I am Corbin. Did you have a message?”

Tobias nodded and felt a moment’s panic as Cassisus pulled out of his touch. The acute sense of loss was painful. He rubbed his chest where his heart was hammering like a battle drum, and a dull ache that was settled there grew sharper. “Yes. He wants the gladiators lined up to be presented to a guest. He wants Cassisus and Faustus in front.”

Corbin inclined his head to acknowledge Tobias’s words. “You heard him, gents. Get lined up for presentation.” He pointed a finger at Cassisus. “That means you, too, Cass.”

Cassisus turned and took a step away from Tobias. “Wait!” Tobias cried out without thought. He wasn’t even sure why he did such a thing.

The gladiator turned. “Yes?”

“I, um, thank you,” Tobias managed, clenching his fists to keep from reaching out to the cat again. What is wrong with me?

“You’re welcome, little one.” Cassisus took a step in his direction before stopping. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” Tobias answered automatically, though he had no idea what sort of relevance that had in their conversation.

Cassisus smiled. “Good enough.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I could talk you through your pleasure,” Tobias said huskily. His hand went to the button on his pants, and he popped it free. It took only a few seconds for his dick to spring into his hand like an eager display. He felt so wicked even making the suggestion. I have to tell him. But it would ruin the moment. After, I’ll tell him after.

Cass groaned. “You already are. God, your smell, Tobias. It’s so good.”

“I’m touching myself, Cassisus. I’m thinking about you.” Tobias played with the head of his prick, smearing the pre-cum there down the length of his shaft as he stared at Cass’s rock-hard ass.

He saw his mate’s back and flanks tremble as the words sank in. “As fast or as slow as you want it,” the cat murmured, working his length faster. He was being good, so good. Out of all the gladiators, Tobias would never expect Cassisus the Vain to be a gentleman.

“What do you want to do to me?” Tobias asked, trying to keep the fascination out of his voice. His cock was hard and hot in his hand, images of Cassisus swirling in his mind in a never-ending kaleidoscope of desire.

“I want to have you suck my cock while you play with yours,” Cassisus rumbled. “Then I want to sink into your hot core, stretch your virgin ass for me and me alone.” He swallowed, the muscles in his throat working so his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Have you ever had anything inside you?”

The question sent a rocket of want skittering up and down Tobias’s spine. “No.” Not that he hadn’t been curious, had even circled the entrance with his finger before. But he’d never gotten the balls to press inside.

Cassisus groaned. “Mine. First. Last. Always.”

“Slow, we’re going slow.” Tobias didn’t start freaking out until Cassisus started talking about forever. Forever was a very long time, especially for a slave. His cock waved at him insistently. There were more pressing concerns than the state of his relationship. Great. Now I’m in a relationship. Christ on a Ritz Cracker. Why can’t I make this slow down?

“As slow as you want, Tobias. I’m not even touching you,” Cass promised.

“But I want you to,” Tobias confessed, panting lightly. “I want to feel you against me. I don’t want to want you, but I can’t help it.”

Cass growled. “Good. Want you to want me. Are you going to come for me, little one?”

Tobias nodded but then realized that Cass couldn’t see him. “Turn around. Let me see,” he begged. He wanted to get more than glimpses of Cass working his hard cock.

His mate obliged him. Tobias’s mouth went bone dry at the sight. “Beautiful boy,” the cat murmured. “You’re a damn tease, though.”

Tobias licked his lips. “Not.”

“Prove it.”

It was always a challenge with Cassisus. The cat was always pushing him into independence, into aggression. It was bizarre and wonderful and empowering. It was like Cass wanted him to think for himself.

“Put your hands on your head then,” Tobias said. He was going to prove to Cass that Tobias was not someone to be toyed with.

The cat quirked an eyebrow up at him and a slow smile stretched his face. “Showing me who is boss, little one?”

“Do you want me to prove it or not?” Tobias asked boldly. He wasn’t just a mouse to the gladiator. He was a man. He always felt like a man with Cassisus. In a way, it was as freeing as Cassisus claimed.

“Yes,” Cass rumbled. He raised his hands and put them on his head, leaving his hard cock hanging free. Tobias slid off the bench and to his knees. This couldn’t be too difficult. Cass had managed it through iron bars. He could do this. Cass’s eyes shot wide as he put his hands on the gladiator’s thighs. “Have you ever done this before?”

Was it that obvious? “No.” He was kicking his own ass for being a virgin and a prude all his life.

Cass’s cock jerked. “God, boy, you’re trying to kill me. Virgin ass, virgin mouth, all mine. Fuck me.”

“I’m trying. Do I just lick it?” Tobias strained his brain to recall what his cousins had said about intercourse and blow jobs. He certainly wanted to lick it. He wanted to lap the head of the cat’s cock and taste the pre-cum decorating the mushroomed tip.

“In the name of all that is holy!” Cass cursed, his cock jerking. “You kind of lick it and suck it and stuff.”

“Well, you’re informative,” Tobias muttered. That was about as instructional as a Tootsie Pop commercial. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth. The last time he’d caught a glimpse of a porn vid he’d been thirteen years old. But he remembered the bare bones of it. He wrapped his lips around the head and lapped at the pearled tip.

“Jesus,” Cassisus moaned. He kept his hands above his head despite the increased trembling in his thighs. “Hmm, that’s it. Good boy. Right there. Deeper, baby. Suck it just like that.”