PROLOGUE
December
Lionel was one of a dozen Omnia students who wasn’t selected today by a King. The sting of that rejection wouldn’t go away, especially after dedicating years of your life to it. But when each young man walked through the gates of Omnia Academy, they knew, and agreed to, what they were signing up for. They dedicated themselves to one of the oldest secret societies on earth: the Reges Dei.
After four years of intense studying and grooming, they’d graduate and go one of two ways. Either they would be selected by a King of the Reges Dei as their Omnia—a lifelong personal assistant—or they’d take on a role at Omnia Academy.
Lionel was set to begin working in the academic department as an assistant to the professors. He’d have everything he’d need and would find fulfillment in being part of something bigger by serving the Reges Dei through his work at the academy.
Over the grunts, panting, and slapping of flesh, I heard a man clear his throat. Ignoring it, I continued to pound away at Lionel’s ass as he knelt on the Victorian sofa. Graduationweekends were usually like this—the young men who weren’t selected by a King of Reges Dei took part in a massive party. Basically, it was a multi-room orgy between the graduating class and Omnia staff.
I reached out, grabbed a fistful of Lionel’s jet-black hair, and tugged his head backward while I slowly moved my thick, pierced cock in and out of him. The sound of a throat clearing again appeared to be closer this time. I didn’t turn my head but looked out of the corner of my eye to the right of me.
“Please excuse my interruption, Mr. Christos,” the fully clothed messenger whispered, “but the King would like a word.”
I chuckled and didn’t take my eyes off my cock as it disappeared inside Lionel.
“Which one? There are hundreds of them,” I replied.
The messenger quietly said, “TheKing, Mr. Christos.”
I stopped moving.
TheKing. William Stone.
Without looking at the messenger, I nodded once. I slowly pulled out of Lionel and patted his hip. He looked over his shoulder at me once our connection was lost. “Sir?”
“I need to leave, Lionel.” I quickly tucked my dick into my pants and smiled tightly at him. “You did fine.” I leaned forward and braced the weight of my body by placing my hand on the top of the sofa. “Please don’t second guess your performance,” I said as I tapped his cheek. “Go enjoy yourself. Have fun tonight.”
I stood upright and walked toward the messenger, Kenneth, who waited for me near the entrance to the room. I followed him into the hallway and then turned toward the restroom.
“I need a moment, please.” Without waiting for his reply, I stepped into the empty restroom and stood in front of the mirror. As I stared at my reflection, my mind raced as I tried to think of what this impromptu meeting with the recent King could be regarding. Satisfied that my appearance would beacceptable totheKing, I left the restroom. Kenneth was waiting for me, holding a hanger with my black wool coat on it.
“I took the liberty of collecting your overcoat, Mr. Christos.” He took the coat off the hanger and held it open for me.
“Thank you.” My arms slid with ease down the charcoal-colored silk liner. I shrugged the coat over my shoulders and buttoned it as we walked toward the door.
Before stepping outside into the freezing drizzle, Kenneth took an umbrella out of the stand. Blocking my path outside, he opened the umbrella and moved to the side to give me room to exit the building. I walked beside him to the parking lot as he shielded us from the sleet with the umbrella.
I hated being out in this dreadful weather. Everything about it could easily turn my mood sour. All the extra clothes, getting wet, and the miserable, bleak sky.
“On days like this I wish it would make up its mind and either snow or rain,” I muttered.
Kenneth agreed with a subtle, “Mhmm.” I wasn’t expecting much more than that from him. He’d been a trusted messenger between the powers that be of the Reges Dei—known as the Kings of Jupiter—and the Omnia Academy Council. Kenneth knew more and saw more than most, and he kept it all to himself.
I recognized the black Bentley that waited for us at the end of the cobblestone path. It was Stone’s private car. Kenneth and I walked in silence the rest of the way, and once we reached the end of the path, he stepped out from under the umbrella to open the passenger door to the back seat while holding the umbrella over my head.
“Thank you, Kenneth.” I stepped from the curb into the Bentley and leaned back against the soft tan leather seat.
“Good evening, Mr. Christos.” The driver, Oscar, turned in his seat to look at me. Outside, Kenneth closed the umbrella andgot into the car, taking the passenger seat in the front. “There’s a chilled bottle of water for you in the cupholder. If you’re warm or cold, you can adjust the temperature here.” The driver pointed to a set of controls near the base of the console.
“Thank you,” I said and turned to look out the window at the campus of the academy.
There weren’t any students outside. The graduation ceremony took place yesterday, and a handful of those students were selected earlier today by current Kings. The rest of the school would be enjoying this week before the New Year and then the next term would start.
I had been a mentor for Omnia students ever since I graduated when I was twenty-three. Now that my most recent student had graduated, I had plans to shift my work from mentorship to working with the Omnia Academy Council.
The drive to Stone’s penthouse in Manhattan wasn’t bad, even given the lateness of the day. The drive typically took about fifteen to twenty minutes from Omnia Academy with moderate traffic. What slowed us down a bit today was the rainy weather. We pulled up to the entrance of his building within twenty-five minutes.
