(The Dark Servant)Midnight Matters by A. Ellas (young adult books to read .txt) 📗

hands. “I don’t want to drop you,” Jisten whispered urgently.

“You would never,” Rak murmured, displaying his trust, but he stilled himself, once more balancing perfectly.

Jisten toed open the door to the room. He sat on the bed first and lowered Rak carefully to his lap. Rak’s wings cupped about them as they indulged in a long, deep kiss. Jisten set the salve on the night stand. He opened it, again one handed, and scooped some up. He resumed applying it to Rak’s member.

Rak moaned in pleasure, pushing himself against Jisten’s hand. “I want you.”

“Steady, let me finish,” Jisten replied.

Rak took another deep breath and did his best to remain still for Jisten.

“Did I miss anywhere?” Jisten asked when he had coated all the burns and welts that he could see. Rak shook his head. “

Ix

, and…thank you.”

Jisten oiled his fingers again. “Then, for this.” He entered Rak with them. “Hurt?”

Rak pushed against Jisten’s fingers with a needy gasp. Jisten kissed him to stop the gasp. Rak broke off the kiss to whisper, “Take me, Captain. Please.”

Jisten picked Rak up and slid the Loftoni onto his erection after swabbing it quickly with oil. “Once for need, then a second time for love. Agreed?”

“ Ai.” Rak pushed himself onto Jisten’s shaft, groaning in ecstasy as the man’s cock stretched and filled him so utterly.

Jisten rolled onto his back, keeping Rak on him. Rak settled back onto Jisten’s shaft and used his knees and hips to work himself on it. Jisten gazed up at Rak’s wings, spread to their twelve foot span. Rak gazed at Jisten’s face, but never directly into his eyes. Jisten stroked what wings he could, pumping his hips in time to Rak’s rhythm.

Then the wings began to beat in time with their action, brushing against Jisten on the downstroke, nearly hitting the ceiling on the upbeat. Jisten didn’t last long, between the wing display and Rak’s need thrumming through the bond. Rak muffled his cry as his own orgasm hit, and for the first time, Jisten saw it. His large hand covered it a second later, fingers stroking the smaller man’s cock as he caught the seed in his hand.

Rak shivered and moaned softly as Jisten touched him there. Startled, his eyes met Jisten’s for a fleeting moment before he looked down. Jisten shifted carefully and caught Rak so that he could hold him against his chest. “Tell me what’s bothering you,” Jisten said.

Rak pressed against him, soaking in the warmth and the care. Jisten stroked Rak’s short hair and then stroked the rustling wings against his back. “I mourn when you exit me,” deflected Rak. It was still the truth.

Eventually, Jisten entered Rak again and this time it was slow and sweet, and even more satisfying than the first time. Jethain was still sleeping when the two men returned to their bedside duty. Rak dismissed the vranyxia. The firemane had departed while he was occupied with the captain.

Chapter Eleven: Another Morning

Muster

Rivday, the 38th of Evphormon

The sun was well risen over the horizon when a servant entered with a food tray covered with a distinctive black and tan woven cloth. “Sire, I was told to deliver this to you.” Larin bowed low. “The old lady was very insistent.”

“This must be the crepes.” Rak took

the tray from the servant and set it down. He passed his hand over the food, chanting softly. He recognized the napkin, but such things could be faked. With the Unmaker bent on Jethain’s death, he couldn’t trust anything. The Bitch Goddess was a mistress of deception, and he’d seen Jethain die from poison in his visions. Now that he knew his half-brother, the visions of his death unsettled Rak all the more. He didn’t find any poison so he set the tray before Jethain.

As Jethain took the cloth off and inhaled the heavenly aromas, the queen burst in and exclaimed, “My darling son, we must talk!”

Jethain grimaced. “Mother. You’re up early.”

She spied Rak at Jethain’s side, but her small, fixed smile didn’t change. “Evil soul-stealing demons aren’t welcome here. Go away so I can speak to my son without your vile influence.”

Rak tucked his hands into his sash and stared at her. “I do not wish to leave, and you cannot make me.”

The queen scowled at him, but then her eye fell on the tray before the prince. “What is this? What are you eating? This is commoner food! I forbade that!” The queen swept the tray off the table and the contents smashed to the ground.

Morth snarled as he ducked. Death hounds did not like it when people threw pottery at them, so Rak wasn’t surprised when the hound bristled and growled.

“And you have a dog in here?” Jezaia’s voice climbed to a shriek as she pointed at Morth. “Get that foul, evil beast out of my palace!”

Morth bared his fangs, restrained only by Rak’s hand on his head. “Morth is here to make sure that there are no further unauthorized guests in the prince’s bed. He will not leave any more than I will.”

Jezaia gaped for a moment, the hatred she bore for Rak plain to see, then she masked it and turned to Jethain. “Son, please. Why must you always defy me? Don’t you love me? I’m your mother. Please send the dark one away so we can talk.”

“Mother, anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of your stepson.” Jethain kept his bland court face in place.

“He’s no son of mine,” said Jezaia. She stroked Jethain’s hand. “He’s nothing like you. You’re a good boy.”

Rak decided that rising to her bait would be beneath him. He remained silent, though his glare did not waver.

“He’s changed, Mother,” Jethain said. “He’s not the brat you remember. Please, see for yourself and speak politely to him.”

Her lips pursed. “I see he has you under his spell. I will ask Forael to exorcise you.”

“Mother!” Jethain snapped before he composed