STORY EXCERPT

A shadow passed over his face, offering him slim comfort against the heat and light that beat down on him. After a great struggle, Karsten opened his eyes. Above him was a man with extremely short black hair and unusual aquamarine eyes. Surely, Karsten was hallucinating. No way would his savior be the most handsome man he’d ever seen. But maybe after all the abuse he’d suffered, the gods were being kind to him. Or maybe not. Karsten didn’t believe in any gods, so he couldn’t understand why any of them would be interested in his fate one way or the other. This man, whoever he was, if he was real or not, was just another blood drinker who would scrabble at his neck looking for a place to bite. In their haste, they hadn’t tried tools to remove his locked collar. They just shoved the pink leather out of the way and bit him as best they could. The pain had flared to utter agony, but now that his entire body hurt, he hardly noticed one spot anymore.

“I’m sorry I can’t do much but keep the sun off your face.”

Karsten struggled to comprehend. It took a moment to realize that what the man had done was take his hat off and hold it so it cast a shadow over Karsten’s face, blocking out the harshness of the sun. It was the most minor of gestures, but it gave Karsten a taste of hope. Would this man help him?

“I’m Devon. I live here. It’s a tallos farm.” He smiled, but it was clear he wasn’t happy, and Karsten realized Devon wasn’t sad about himself or where he lived, but he was barely able to look at Karsten without wincing. Karsten thought he must look beyond dreadful. “Well, it was a tallos farm, but given what’s happened with the world, we aren’t growing that anymore.”

“No?” Karsten asked only to keep Devon talking. He had a low voice that was somehow powerful yet soothing at the same time.

“No. Well, we’re going to harvest what’s planted now to use for ourselves, but Jonas is teaching everyone to plant and grow food. Not that we don’t have stores, because we do, but we’ll need more. Especially if we get more men out here. We need a few more men.”

Karsten watched as a blush washed over the big man’s features. Somehow, he managed to look even more virile in his embarrassment. Strong but sweet. Karsten wouldn’t let himself believe what he was seeing. He’d thought the mob of gentrymen that had yanked him out of the thrall house was rescuing him from the marauding slammers, but they’d trussed him up and viciously used him. In a very short time, Karsten had learned not to trust anyone. Even this kindly stranger could be planning all kinds of sick perversities behind his compelling eyes.

“Your poor head.” Devon let go of the hat, laying it on Karsten’s chest. He leaned back and took his shirt off. Karsten was going to scream, to struggle, but Devon only folded it up and tucked the roll of fabric behind Karsten’s head. “I know it’s not much, but it will have to do for now.”

To Karsten, it was everything. In the last two days, no one had done anything for him at all. They had taken what they wanted from him—blood—not caring in the least that they were killing him. He couldn’t even remember how he’d gotten away.

Devon picked up his hat and used it to shield Karsten’s face from the sun again. The respite from the pain gave him a flash of memory. The slammers and gentrymen had turned on one another. While they were fighting, Karsten had managed to free himself and hurried away. He wondered if they’d even noticed.

“I guess it’s pretty bad out there.” Devon lifted his head and looked back presumably down the way Karsten had come.

“Every street was filled with madness.”

Devon nodded, which caused the hat in his hand to waver. Sun struck Karsten’s face, making him blink rapidly. He thought about just closing his eyes, but if this man was thinking of taking advantage he wanted to see it coming. Not that he could do anything to protect himself, just that he’d rather know than not.

“Sorry.” When Devon realized Karsten was getting blinded, he moved over so that his massive body blocked the sun. He plunked the hat on his head, shading his eyes but somehow making them stand out. “I don’t have the tools to cut you free.”

Karsten wanted to cry, but he didn’t have the water left in his body to do so. Besides, he couldn’t get any more miserable than he already was. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“I would never.” Devon settled down in the black dirt on his knees. “Soon the others will come and—”

“No!” Karsten struggled to get up so he could run, but all his pathetic attempt did was hurt his already battered wrists.

“Whoa.” Devon placed his big hand on Karsten’s chest to hold him still.

Somehow, his touch contained him but didn’t scare him. How could that be? When any of the others had touched him, he screamed out in fear and impotent anger. Karsten stopped when his cries didn’t bring help but only brought more men who fought to use him.

“My brothers aren’t mindless men looking to take advantage of others. Three of them have thralls of their own.”

“Do you?”

“No.” Devon’s gaze darted away then returned. “But I wouldn’t hurt you, either.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’m not going to last.” Devon’s eyes were enhanced by the yellowish glow, making them richer aquamarine and very intense.

Karsten rose up just enough to slide Devon’s cock up and down the split in his ass. Each pass he made, Karsten pressed the head of his prick a little deeper into his hole. From the way Devon was tightening his body, it was clear he was doing everything he could not to move. His struggle was somehow beautiful. Erotic torture enhanced Devon’s need and aroused Karsten’s to a point where he forgot everything that had led him to this moment with this man. He was here fully and had no intention of stopping until he claimed him.

Rising up onto his knees, Karsten leaned over and kissed Devon. It was hungry and almost frantic, spelling out his need more clearly than his throbbing cock. As Karsten positioned the knob of his prick against his hole, Devon’s eyes opened wide.

Eye to eye and heart to heart, Karsten moved slowly back, taking his mate within the gripping heat of his body. The outer sphincter was tight, fighting each incremental bit of Devon’s prick, but Karsten kept up the pressure. After an excruciatingly long time, his knob popped inside. Karsten whimpered, and Devon growled. For a moment, Karsten held steady, enjoying the first level of penetration. Rolling his hips caused his rectum to clench around the tip of Devon’s cock. Around he went until Devon was straining against the ropes. Every muscle in his arms, chest, and even his neck flexed. Somehow, seeing that power constrained excited Karsten more than he thought possible.

“More.”

“I do believe my captain enjoys being scallywagged.”

“Zooks, yes! You can have the boat and everything on it if you’ll just keep letting my cock sink into your tight little hole.”

“Everything?” Karsten toyed with him by rising up until Devon’s cock almost pulled all the way out, but then he’d sink back down to the same spot. Nothing in the world had ever felt as good as Devon’s prick. Nothing he’d heard in class or from his fellow thralls could adequately describe the feeling of fullness, of completeness, that was taking his mate’s cock inside his body. It was indescribable. “You’re willing to let me have everything?”

“All of it.”

“Body, soul, and blood?”

Devon met Karsten’s gaze and all the playacting fell away. They were suddenly just man to man with nothing between them but honesty.

“Body, soul, and blood.” Devon lifted his head up so he could kiss Karsten. Unlike his earlier frantic kiss, this one was soft, sweet, and sealed their deal.

Karsten lowered himself a bit more, watching Devon’s reaction. Each incremental bit deeper made him catch his breath and hold it for just a moment before he released it. When Karsten had taken him about halfway, Devon lifted his head and growled, showing that his canines were fully extended. A burst of fear caused Karsten to clench around Devon’s cock, but he relaxed in the next breath. He was safe. He was in charge. And quite suddenly, the idea of being bitten wasn’t nearly so scary. Somehow, it was different. Not just because he was with one man rather than a gang of them, but because he was with a man he cared about. A man with whimsy, kindness, and compassion. As Karsten sank down a bit lower, he realized he was falling in love with Devon. He gasped at the recognition. Love was something every thrall hoped for and so few probably found.

When Devon looked up, his gaze searching Karsten’s face, he saw a flash of it there. Just a hint of love that would bloom fully with time. If Karsten made the effort to nurture what had just barely been planted, he’d be rewarded with a mate who would stand by him no matter what happened to the world.

“Captain?”

“Yes?”

“I think I’m falling in love with you.” Before Devon could answer, Karsten took the rest of his cock into himself until he was pressing down completely against Devon’s hips. Having him fully within only intensified the feeling of bonding to him.

“I think I’m falling, too.” Devon uttered a stunned kind of growly breath. All his muscles tightened, but he didn’t buck, and Karsten knew he wanted to.

Since his mate was bound and determined to let Karsten lead, he lifted and lowered himself, sliding Devon’s cock in and out.

Devon watched him with heavily lidded eyes. “It’s like you’re dancing on me. A very sensual dance.”

Karsten lifted his hands. Using his entire body, he writhed upon his mate, loving the way his cock twitched every time he took him all the way inside. When Devon got too close to release, Karsten would continue to dance, but he would relax the grip he had on his cock. When he wanted to increase his torment, he tightened his entire body.

“You wicked, wicked man.” Devon grinned.

“And to think you have already given me your ship and yourself.”

“You want more?” Devon gasped as Karsten suddenly plunged down and tightened hard.

“I do.” Karsten lifted up until Devon’s cock was entirely outside his body. He held the tip pressed against his hole, loving the look of erotic torment on Devon’s face.

“Anything! Just don’t stop!”

“Next time when we play this game, you’ll have to scallywag me.”

“I will. I swear that I will scallywag you until your eyes—cross!”

Karsten chose that moment to plunge downward, taking all of Devon’s cock inside him at once.