STORY EXCERPT

Rumors were running rampant around the castle. It seemed as though the new king was mating humans with dragons. Mikhail Dubolazov sat on the edge of the bed, his heart in his throat, as he stared down at his lover and clutch leader, Konstantin Victorovich. The two had been together for over fifty years, and he was planning on sticking by the dragon’s side for the rest of his long life.

If the rumors were true though, Mikhail was afraid he wasn’t going to be able to do that. He was worried that Konstantin would be forced to mate the human leader from the west, Grigory Krayev. What would happen to his life then? Would he be forced to watch the man he loved more than anything in the world abandon him completely? Would he have to stand by and watch Konstantin mate with another, grow old with another… and maybe fall in love with another?

He wouldn’t survive it.

“Honey?” Konstantin slowly sat up, the sheet falling, pooling at his waist. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s going to mate you to someone else.”

“Sweetheart.” He sighed. “I already told you last night not to worry about that. It doesn’t matter what the king orders, I will refuse.”

“You can’t refuse.” Mikhail stood up and started pacing. Even he knew that Konstantin had to follow an order from their king. He didn’t want to contemplate what would happen if he refused. “He’s the king. He can command you to do whatever he wants.”

He knew the rumors were true. The staff around the castle were chattering like a gaggle of geese. It felt as if his heart was going to be ripped from his chest. How could he watch Konstantin with another man? He wouldn’t be able to live at the keep any longer. He would have to leave. There was no way Mikhail would be able to sit back and watch as his lover moved on.

“I can and I will,” Konstantin said, his voice strong and full of promise. It was a voice that sent a thrill through Mikhail even after all of these years.

“You won’t be able to say no to the king,” he insisted.

“Do you trust me?” Konstantin asked.

Mikhail’s shoulders dropped in defeat. “You know I do.”

“Then I need you to stop worrying about what the king might do and believe that even if I’m ordered to, I will reject any mating. I love you. I’m spending my life with you.”

“I love you, too.” Mikhail climbed back onto the bed, and Konstantin opened his arms. He moved closer, leaning his head against his lover’s chest. “I’m just…” He didn’t have words for how terrified he was that he was going to lose Konstantin.

“I know.”

“I couldn’t stand…”

“I know.” Konstantin placed a finger under Mikhail’s chin and lifted his face upward. “I need you to stop worrying and start having a little more faith in me.”

When Mikhail didn’t automatically respond, Konstantin raised a brow. Mikhail sighed. His lover was a stubborn ass. “I have faith in you,” Mikhail said. “I love you.”

“Good.” Konstantin grinned and kissed Mikhail’s nose. “Then stop worrying.”

Konstantin took possession of Mikhail’s lips. The kiss started out soft and gentle, but it soon spiraled out of control. Konstantin lay back down and pulled Mikhail on top of him. His strong hands moved down Mikhail’s back and gripped his ass, kneading his cheeks. Using his strength, Konstantin moved Mikhail’s hips back and forth over his erection.

Moaning into his lover’s mouth, Mikhail pushed the sheets away. Naked skin pressed against naked skin, and Mikhail melted into his longtime lover. After all the years the two had been together, he still couldn’t get enough. He’d never get enough.

The fear of losing Konstantin still hovered around his head, a sharp blade ready to come down and ruin his entire life. He knew his lover would fight against the king, but in the end, the king’s word was law. They would be forced apart. Normally, he didn’t believe gossip. People liked to talk trash and cause trouble, but in this case, he knew it was true. Something deep inside his gut twisted, and the fear bubbled up, choking him.

Pulling away, he jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. He barely made it. Mikhail slid on his knees in front of the toilet and gagged before he threw up. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and Mikhail furiously wiped it away with the back of his hand. When a cold washcloth touched the back of his neck, he glanced to the side, watching as Konstantin lowered himself to the floor. He sat next to Mikhail, rubbing a large palm in a soothing circle.

“You’ll never lose me.” Konstantin’s voice was smooth as he comforted Mikhail. “We’re in this for life. I’ve given you my word and we exchanged vows. You won’t be able to get rid of me, Mikhail. If…and that’s a big if. If the king orders me to mate with a human, I will refuse the order. The consequences don’t matter.”

Mikhail took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his stomach as it gurgled and rolled. The fear wouldn’t go away. Stomach acid burned his throat to a crisp, and he gagged again.

He knew Konstantin would do anything to keep them together, but he couldn’t seem to believe that everything would work out in the end. He hated the fact that he doubted his lover. He was so ashamed that he didn’t respond at all. He didn’t want Konstantin to know he held doubt in his heart. Mikhail cleared his throat and swallowed repeatedly, trying to rid his mouth of the nasty taste.

“I’ll be right back.” Konstantin kissed the top of Mikhail’s head before leaving the bathroom. He wasn’t gone long though. Konstantin was back fairly quickly holding a glass of water.

“Thank you,” Mikhail murmured before taking a sip of the ice water. The cool liquid helped to ease the burn in his throat.

“You’re making yourself sick for no reason, my love.” Konstantin sat back down next to Mikhail and started rubbing his back once more. “The king is not going to separate us.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Konstantin stopped and wrapped his arms around Mikhail, pulling him against his muscular chest. “I love you.” Konstantin trailed a line of kisses along Mikhail’s shoulder and up his neck.

“I love you, too,” Mikhail breathed out on a moan.

Konstantin wrapped his arms around the back of Mikhail’s neck and brought their mouths together. Their lips moved in unison, and Mikhail opened his mouth, welcoming Konstantin’s seeking tongue. Their tongues danced and twirled as Konstantin skimmed his hands down Mikhail’s arms. He leaned into him and Mikhail leaned back, loving the pressure of his lover’s body on top of his.

The telltale sound of the oil container opening made Mikhail grin and his cock jerked in response. After years of having Konstantin as his lover, Mikhail’s body was ready for the pleasure he knew was coming.

“Move to the center of the bed,” Konstantin ordered.

Mikhail readily obeyed. Konstantin didn’t give Mikhail anytime to settle back. Before his head could even hit the pillow, Konstantin sucked his hard shaft into his mouth.

“Fuck!”

He moved his head up and down, swallowing Mikhail’s length down his throat. Konstantin tightened the suction around his mouth, and Mikhail gripped the sheets. He couldn’t hold back his reactions. He pushed his hips up, fucking Konstantin’s beautiful mouth.

When strong fingers slid between his ass crease, Mikhail’s muscles fluttered in anticipation. Konstantin rubbed the pads of his fingers against Mikhail’s asshole before pressing the digit inside his body. He moaned and squirmed as Konstantin’s fingers sank deep. When Konstantin started fucking him, Mikhail’s eyes rolled back.

“Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me,” he chanted repeatedly, begging for the dragon’s dick.

Konstantin pulled off his cock and grinned wickedly. “You’re so sexy, baby.” He wiped the excess oil onto his shaft before flipping Mikhail over onto his hands and knees. “Stay.”

The blunt head of Konstantin’s erection pressed against Mikhail’s ass. He pulled back and pressed forward—teasing Mikhail with the frills along the head of his shaft—until he thought he might lose his mind. The blunt head kissed his rosette before slowly pushing forward past the tight ring of muscle. As he slowly sank in, deeper and deeper, Mikhail blew out a breath as sparks of pleasure jolted his system.

“Oh, god,” he moaned.

Mikhail gripped the headboard for support as he swiveled his hips, forcing Konstantin even deeper. His lover moved his strong hands up Mikhail’s back and around his chest, holding him tight as he continued to plunge in and out of Mikhail’s ass. It was intense. Every time they were together, Mikhail knew he wouldn’t be able to live without Konstantin in his life.

“I love you,” he babbled. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, baby.”

Konstantin pulled his shaft back, and goose bumps broke out along Mikhail’s skin as the nubs along the sides of Konstantin’s shaft rubbed against the sensitive flesh. On each stroke, he hit Mikhail’s prostate gland.

His toes curled.

His muscles flexed.

His eyes rolled back inside his head.

“Oh, fuck! Don’t stop…” he begged.

The strong arms that held him tight, kept Mikhail from floating off the bed. He hit Mikhail’s sweet spot again and again, and Mikhail slowly started losing control. Konstantin slammed into him as if sensing how close to the edge he was. Covering his back, Konstantin ran the sharp edges of his teeth over Mikhail’s shoulder.

He wanted to bite down, to mark and claim the man he loved, but he didn’t. He pulled himself back from the edge of sanity and remembered that he couldn’t. They were different ranks, and although Konstantin loved Mikhail and planned to spend the rest of his life with the other dragon, he couldn’t leave the mating mark.

Konstantin pounded his hard shaft into his lover, and Mikhail went wild, pumping his hips frantically.