STORY EXCERPT

As Tyran and the two slaves entered the throne room, he found the book of laws more interesting. Maybe if he never saw their faces, he wouldn’t be plagued with killing them. To him, slavery was death.

Steps lifted him higher than the occupants of the room. The height was enough to keep him separated from the men he passed judgment on. The sound of heavy shoes against the marble floor announced their approach.

“Kwan, I want to introduce my lifemate.” Tyran’s head motioned to the left to an attractive, blond-haired, blue-eyed man. Another head peered out from behind, but quickly returned to its hiding spot.

Kwan squinted, trying to see the second human, but only caught a glimpse of a light fluff of golden blond hair as the smaller man cowered behind Captain Tyran Holden. But there was no mistaken it, these were the two brothers that caused a slight throb in his head and ruined the day. They weren’t what he had imagined. No, he conjured up an image of two sturdy work slaves with strength to fight battles, the complete opposite of reality. A strong wind could knock these two over.

“Cute, but he’s a runaway.” Kwan shook his head, testing Tyran’s proclamation. He wouldn’t put it past his cousin to make a false claim, but still. Lifemates. Lifemates were sacred under their laws, which negated any other claim. It was the only way to keep the human from returning to slavery. Tyran knew the laws, and he used the one loophole that would save the human from his fate.

“Rules are specific and they are considered property.” He continued to push at the claim to test the warrior’s reaction.

“He’s mine,” Tyran said in a low tone that commanded respect and left no room for argument. His two advisors tensed. One even stepped closer to the door as if at any moment he needed to bolt to safety. Stupid. He couldn’t pretend to respect the man. Did he respect any of his advisors? Probably not. The planet’s most powerful family held the positions and lately they appointed the stupidest members to be his advisors.

But the fierce determination in Tyran’s stance told him everything he needed to know. His cousin would fight and kill to keep this human safe. Kwan no longer doubted the claim, but it was far from over.

He lifted a hand. The room stilled.

“Of course. As your lifemate, he’s one of us. That will win any legal challenge, but the brother must go back. That protection doesn’t extend to family.” He pitied the other man. Kwan didn’t write the laws of other worlds, but he was expected to enforce them.

“No. My uncle will sell him to the highest bidder. I won’t let him become a pet to a bunch of perverts.”

Tyran’s lifemate shook with anger. Kwan closed his eyes. The man loved his brother, but even that wouldn’t sway him. Sometimes life wasn’t fair.

He looked at the small human that challenged him in front of a room full of warriors. “You won’t allow it.” With the resolve of a ruler that ensured peace for his people regardless of the personal cost, he silently dared the human to continue.

Tyran wrapped an arm around his lifemate’s shoulder. “Alex is family. He’s my brother.”

Of course his cousin wouldn’t let it go. The warrior won his lifemate’s freedom. Now, he was being greedy.

“We can’t steal another man’s property.” Kwan sighed as the tension started to abate. “I don’t condone slavery, but we can’t disregard the rules of other planets.”

“We’re talking about my mate’s brother. He’s alive and able to make his own choices,” Tyran continued to argue.

Kwan agreed, but that didn’t mean he’d subject his people to the council. No, that headache wouldn’t happen. He looked at his cousin and knew. Even if it meant defection, Tyran wasn’t going to let someone enslave his mate’s brother. The man was stubborn and not someone to mess with, but Kwan was king with far more responsibilities that didn’t give him the liberty to express his beliefs and not worry about the fallout. The chains that tied him to the throne were too strong to ignore.

“Tyran, I recognize your mate, but that’s all. The other brother will go back.” A flick of his hand sent the guards closer. Tyran’s mate wrapped his brother in a fierce hold.

“Zan, it’s okay,” a soft sweet voice said just above a whisper. “I’ll go back.” The smaller human slid from his brother’s hold and walked closer to the throne.

Guards surrounded the group, and the human shook but his head tilted up in defiance and forced bravery.

“I’ll buy him,” Tyran said. “Demand a price. As the king, the man will accept it.”

Kwan studied the blond human shaking in front of him. He was small and weak, but stepped forward in a room full of powerful men to offer his freedom to ensure peace, showing that he too understood the need for sacrifice. The action stirred something inside of him. Was it regret? No, that couldn’t be. But what was it? He studied the smaller man that had instantly earned his respect.

The air filled with the alluring scent of jasmine and vanilla, two of his favorite aromas. His shaft stirred to life. All senses were on alert. Teeth threatened to rip from his gums to drink the man’s sweet blood. Every nerve blazed to life as the fire burning inside demanded action. He clutched the arms of the throne to keep from bolting up.

When the man lifted his head, bright blue eyes met his and he knew. The human that he planned to return to slavery was his lifemate.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’m not sure I belong in a place this nice.”

Kwan held him by the bed. “Not only do you belong, but this room is ours. Yours and mine. This bed is pure like you. No one but me has slept on it. Tonight, you’ll become mine on top of it.”

That sounded like heaven. All thoughts disappeared when kisses pressed into his neck. Large hands rubbed his stomach. One moved up and one moved down, reaching their targets at the same time. Fingers tugged at his nipple, while the other set of digits slid open the waistband of his pants. He hissed as the hand tried to move down his pants, but the material was too tight and the hand too large. Instead of giving up, he heard the pants rip. He opened his mouth to protest, but the hand slid down, silencing all thoughts. He only felt as fingers brushed his cock.

“I’m going to touch every inch of your skin, leaving no doubt that you belong to me.”

The possessive tone had him nodding in agreement. “I want to be yours,” his voice begged and pleaded. He closed his eyes and relished the feel of the touches that wanted to own him.

The heat threatened to overflow. He was half-crazed, needing more, but it wasn’t enough. Fingers pinched at one nipple before moving to attack the other one. He felt them harden. The hand down his pants brushed over his shaft before pulling free. He cried in protest, but then his back hit the soft mattress. Kwan hovered over him. Long, wild hair fell in his face. Alex pushed back the king’s dark strands.

“Do you know what I’m going to do to you?”

Alex nodded. He squeezed his ass together in anticipation.

“No, tiger, you don’t. I’m going to rip off your pants. Then I’m going to taste every inch of you. And when you’re hard and ready, I’m going to sink into your ass. Is that what you want?”

Heat rushed to his cheeks. That’s exactly what he wanted. No longer able to trust his voice, he nodded before placing a gentle kiss on Kwan’s lips, but soon the kiss turned into something more as he opened to his mate. It took a minute before he gasped and pulled away, trying to catch his breath. Oxygen filled his lungs, but his heart still pounded. His skin tingled with need.

“I’m almost past my limit. Careful before I take you before you’re ready.” Kwan’s husky voice warned.

Alex shook his head. “I need this. The longer we wait the more nervous I’ll get. Don’t stop yourself.”

“Oh, tiger. That’s not nerves, but anticipation. Every time I touch you a part of you will want more. Feel it.” A hand reached down and rubbed his cock. “It twitches at my touch. You want it bad.”

“But…” He wanted to argue and tell Kwan that he wasn’t sure what he wanted, but a finger pressed over his lips.

“No arguing.”

It no longer mattered because he couldn’t remember any words. His body only felt as his mind checked out. Kwan’s powerful scent filled him, but it wasn’t enough. Then his king moved down his body, pulling his pants and undergarments off. His ass loved the softness of the comforter under it. He spread his legs when Kwan pulled away. The king stood next to the bed and stared down at Alex with lust that promised more than a quick first time. He shivered as Kwan pushed down his pants.

The cock jutted up from a nest of dark, curly hair. It was monstrously thick and long. The head was already moist and ready to breach him. No matter how scary the big fat shaft looked, Alex couldn’t focus on anything else. He doubted it would fit, but he still wanted it inside of him.

Kwan was back on the bed, slowly crawling over him. He gasped when the large body covered him. They pressed together and once gentle kisses turned into urgent needy ones that curled his toes. Never before had he felt so wanted and worshiped. If he felt like this just from kisses, sex would be amazing. All fear disappeared as he accepted every touch from his king.

As Kwan’s lips met his, hands wandered down his body. Which sensation should he focus on, the tongue thrusting into his mouth or the fingers pulling at his hard pecks? It didn’t matter. He was lost to both of them. The fingers continued downward leaving a path of needy flesh to his cock. Kwan pulled his mouth away.

“No,” he whined, but then stopped as kisses landed on his jaw line. He arched his head back to give better access and Kwan’s sharp teeth lightly bit into his neck. Not enough to break the skin, but promised much more.

“Can’t wait to be inside of you?” Kwan whispered into his ear.

When did he move? He turned his head to the side and a soft breath blew into the sensitive flesh. Then the devilish tongue traced a path along it. “I promised to taste every inch of you. And you’re delicious.”

“More,” he begged, but he still couldn’t think.

“I’m eager to please.”

Kwan moved down his body, placing kisses along the way. He found the sensitive nipples that fingers were pulling at just moments before. He sucked and pulled with his teeth. Alex cried out, trying to get a handle on the pleasure mixed with pain.

“They’ve turned red just like your blushed cheeks.” He tugged again before pulling away.

Alex looked down. A red glow filled Kwan’s gaze. The desire sucked the air from his lungs. Soon, he’d be owned in every sense of the word and he couldn’t wait to take more.