STORY EXCERPT

“I can’t believe Desmond somehow got to Druas,” Tony murmured, sick to his stomach at the thought of the most evil man he knew traipsing around in his brother’s head. It was bad enough to think Druas was dead. It was worse to think he was under the control of the evil son of a bitch who’d stolen Salvatore’s kingdom.

Theron wrapped his arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, leaving his painting where it was propped against the easel. It was a motion of comfort, one he wouldn’t have allowed from anyone else. But they were alone, and Tony felt so damn lost. Not being able to help his brothers was killing him.

“It’ll be all right, Tony. I’m here,” Theron said, rubbing his cheek over Tony’s hard chest. “I’m whatever you need.”

It was one of those times when Tony really wished he had a mate. Losing himself in the arms of someone he loved and fucking himself to oblivion seemed like an excellent idea at the moment. Of course the mere mention of fucking had him thinking about the pretty red-haired princeling sprawled and naked for his pleasure. It was a sheer force of will that he was able to convince his body not to harden.

“Just…don’t speak, princeling. Let me hold you, just a moment.” And hold him, he did. He allowed himself the comfort of his touch, just this once. When the moment passed, they would go back to being just friends or acquaintances or whatever they were, but until then, he was going to enjoy this.

“Hmm.” He inhaled deeply. “You always smell like altar oils and spice.”

“I am of the Green Order, so that makes sense. I spend most of my time meditating at the altar.”

“I like the scent.” It had become synonymous with desire in Tony’s mind. He was embarrassed to admit to inhaling the scent of his companion after they’d sat too close on the couch watching television, trying to bottle that elusive fragrance.

“I like the way you smell, too. Tony, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”

“What?”

“I would stand by you.” There was a promise of more in those words, but Tony didn’t want to go there. He didn’t want to believe in something like that because they were way too far apart to ever approach the subject seriously. Theron swallowed. “You would make a fine husband.”

“I—Dammit, Theron. Don’t say things like that.” He pushed Theron gently and took a step back.

The prince’s cheeks were a lovely shade of primrose. “Tony, I’ve been, um, meaning to speak with you for a while now. I—”

Pounding on the door made both of them jump and interrupted whatever it was that Theron was about to say. They moved apart like two kids caught making out on their parents’ couch.

Tony cleared his throat. “What?” he barked at the door.

“Sorry, Tony,” one of the day guards, Bobby, said, cracking the door. “I don’t mean to interrupt you and the prince’s game, but Druas and the jaguars have just arrived. There is something you should see.”

“I’ll be right there.”

The door shut as Bobby left them alone. Tony took a deep breath, and he jumped when Theron took his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

“What has gotten into you?” Tony asked, unable to pull his fist from Theron’s grip.

“I care about you.”

Tony shook his head, denying him. “No. Not now. I have to go. We can talk about this later.” Aka never. Never is a good time to talk about it. If they talked about it, Tony would admit it. If Tony admitted it, he was lost because they would be together. He would take him to bed and shame himself.

* * * *

“Theron. Where is he?” Druas demanded. Tony was so vastly relieved to see the real Druas again he could kiss the statue who had given him back to them. Then his words registered. Theron? Why would he be asking about Theron?

Salvatore frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Tony spoke up instead, unable to help himself. “He was in his room painting twenty minutes ago.”

“You’ve got to stay away from him. He’s working for Desmond as a spy,” Dru said. He might as well have dropped a bomb in the room. Tony felt like he’d been slapped, and the sharp inhalation from Salvatore and Destin said that they felt the same way. No. Not Theron. Not after… A muscle in his jaw started ticking as his heart wrenched painfully in his chest cavity.

“You’re sure?” Salvatore asked in a tight voice.

“Yes, I’m sure. The Doves were bragging about it. He’s been reporting to Desmond on us. I don’t know how, but he’s been in contact. Three of the Cranes are stuck in the dungeon.” Druas looked a little woozy, but his words were growing stronger with every syllable he spoke. He was absolutely confident. There was no mistake.

Tony’s jaw ticked harder, and he fought back the rage and hurt that warred for supremacy within him. I will not react. “I’ll go take him to the dungeons.”

“Make sure he’s in one of the more comfortable cells. There may be an explanation,” Salvatore cautioned. He looked a little sick himself.

“Yes, my prince,” Tony said. He took the emotions that were inside him and tucked them neatly into the box. The man he’d grown to care so much about was nothing but a fraud. I trusted him. He swallowed. It didn’t matter. He turned from the group and made his way out of the room and into the hallway. With purposeful strides, he walked back to Theron’s room. It was time to do his duty and put away all thoughts of stupid weaknesses like love, especially love for a traitor.

ADULT EXCERPT

“You want me to make you feel good, boy?”

Theron shuddered at the almost angry note in his voice.

“Answer me. Do you want me to make you feel good?”

“Yes,” Theron murmured. The sound of rending fabric filled the air as Tony took his underwear in his hands and ripped them right off. Tony threw the shreds aside before he slid down Theron’s taut body and took his prick into the back of his throat.

Theron screamed. He couldn’t help it. He’d never felt anything like it before. The warm, wet haven of his mouth was unreal. His hips moved of their own accord, pushing upward into Tony’s mouth as Tony sucked and licked his hard dick until Theron’s eyes crossed. He babbled without knowing what he was saying, begging Tony for something he couldn’t name. The Ravyn seemed pleased by the words though because he growled around his cock.

“Gonna… gonna—gods, Tony!” He came before he could get the warning out of his mouth, shooting his seed between Tony’s willing lips. The Ravyn didn’t miss a beat. He continued to suck him until his body went limp and he started to soften between Tony’s lips.

“Gods,” Theron whispered as he started coming down from the high of his orgasm. “That was amazing.”

“Good,” Tony said, smirking. Gone was the hesitancy and awkwardness of before. Whatever his flaws at courtship, Tony had no such qualms about sex apparently. “You ready for the next level?”

Theron swallowed as fear rose in the place of his mind-splitting arousal. It wasn’t that he was afraid of Tony hurting him. He was just afraid of the unknown. “I—” He cut himself off. He didn’t want to be selfish. Suddenly he became perfectly aware of his nakedness. A blush infused his face as the heat of embarrassment rose. He stared up at Tony’s shirtless torso and blushed harder. The man was thicker than his brothers, all heavy muscles with just the light sprinkling of hair on his chest and down his six-pack. The decidedly large bulge at the front of his black pants told him that every aspect of his body was to scale. He was gorgeous.

“You don’t have to,” Tony murmured, cupping his cheek. “You can make me feel just as good without the fucking.”

What a gentleman you are underneath all that warrior. “I want to make you feel good,” Theron said. He may have been afraid to let Tony fuck him, but he was more than ready to touch him anywhere the warrior wanted him to.

Tony popped the button on his pants and carefully lowered the zipper. His cock all but leapt out of its confinement, eager and darkened with its own unique flush. Theron’s mouth watered for a taste of the thick, long, cock with its pre-cum-decorated tip. Tony’s eyes darkened as he stared at his prick. “Want a taste, boy?”

“Yeah,” Theron said breathlessly. Tony reached down and stroked himself from base to tip, and Theron groaned. “Hell yes.”

“Then suck me, Theron.” Tony rolled off him and leaned against the wall. Theron moved to his belly before pushing himself up on his knees between Tony’s legs this time. He tentatively reached out and gripped the base of Tony’s cock. The Ravyn groaned at his touch, and Theron couldn’t help but smile. He liked this. This made him feel powerful, in control, two things he hadn’t been in his entire life. Tony put his hand on the back of Theron’s neck and squeezed. He knew exactly what he wanted.

Theron leaned forward and lapped at the pre-cum-decorated tip of his cock, licking the salty drop away with a swipe of his tongue. The flavor burst over his taste buds, and it wasn’t unpleasant. So he repeated the motion.

Tony made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. “For gods’ sake, Theron, stop playing with it. Suck it.”

Theron obeyed, sucking the tip into his mouth and running his tongue over the flared head. Okay. Now what? He tried to figure out what he was supposed to do next. His heart fell. What if he sucked at this?

Tony looked down at him, considering. “Have you never sucked a cock before?”

Theron pulled his head back with a pop. “No,” he said apologetically. Tony’s nostrils flared, and a possessiveness filled his gaze that made Theron shudder. “Show me?”

“I know the theory,” he rumbled. He’d never pleasured with his mouth before either? He’s way better at it than I am. This annoyed Theron for some reason as a competitive streak surfaced. Tony patted his head. “I mean, I’ve had blow jobs before. We’ll learn together, hmm?” Theron nodded. “Take it in your mouth and concentrate on sucking it like a sweet or something. Then kind of…um, move up and down. Ah, just like—Good, ah, just like that.” Theron pushed his head down, swallowing the length of his cock into the back of his throat. Tony made a strangled noise, and Theron started choking. “Easy, boy. Not too deep. Use your hand for the rest.”

Eventually Theron managed to pick up the rhythm and bobbed his head up and down in time with his sucking. The noises Tony made as he pleasured him were getting him hard again. This is what I’ve been missing? Dead gods, I’m never going without again.