Arslan turned and walked away from him then, across to a set of decanters tucked away safely in a sideboard on the far side of the room out of the usual range of Luther and Blaine’s roughhousing.He poured dark amber liquid into two glasses and carried them across to Ellery.
“It’s a human tradition to toast when an understanding has been reached.”He handed Ellery a glass.
Taking it, Ellery held it up and let the light shine through the liquid.Touching the rim of their glasses together, he waited politely for Arslan to lift his drink to his lips first.
The lion tossed the contents back the same way a child might swallow down some foul-tasting medicine, in the hope he might be able to make it jump over his tongue and miss his taste buds all together.
Ellery sipped cautiously at his own drink, wary now of what might be in it.Brandy slid past his lips, full and rich and undeniably superior to anything he had tasted in the past.It caressed its way down his throat like molten perfection.He took another sip, holding it in his mouth to savour it, warmth embracing his tongue as the brandy danced on his taste buds.
It obviously wasn’t to a lion’s taste.A nod toward humanity, perhaps.Ellery smiled slightly over his glass as Arslan quickly set his own empty one aside.Unwilling to rush such fine liquor, he continued to appreciate it while Arslan alternated his attention between him and the fire.
He’d only just finished the last of it when he felt someone other than Arslan watching him.At the same instant, he saw Arslan look over his shoulder.
Kefir stood in the doorway, his eyes darting from his master to his leader and back again.
Ellery nodded for him to approach.He slipped easily into the gap between Ellery’s arm and his body, more sure of his welcome at his side than any human sub Ellery had ever known.
“The food’s ready, sir,” he whispered.
Arslan obviously had bloody good hearing.He nodded to them both before walking briskly out of the room, leaving them alone together.
“Are you under the impression I need a babysitter, kitten?”
Kefir shook his head, but the concerned little line between his eyebrows didn’t fade.
Ellery dipped his head and brought their lips together.His hands settled on Kefir’s back, holding him close, and he felt him tense as their mouths met.Kefir pulled away just a fraction, before quickly leaning back into the kiss.
He licked delicately at Ellery’s lips.For a moment, he seemed to be trying to take control of the kiss, and Ellery automatically tightened his grip on him.He was more than ready to reach for Kefir’s wrist and remind him exactly who was in command of the situation when he realised he was being an idiot.
Apparently, there were some werelions who liked human flavours more than others.As Kefir purred his pleasure at the second-hand taste of fine brandy, Ellery smiled.As he let Kefir explore his mouth, he had to wonder just how many other things the kitten had yet to be introduced to.He also made a mental note to acquire some good brandy to toast with after the collaring ceremony he was about to arrange.
Chapter Fifteen
Kefir sat very still on the edge of the group of lions, silently observing the other members of his pride.He’d watched the other lions and their mates, so many times, and he hadn’t really understood any of it.But he did now.
As Ellery stepped through the door, the atmosphere changed, and Kefir smiled to himself.Yes, he got it now.He really understood the way the other lions had found peace when the men they loved walked into their lives.
Ellery ran his gaze over the room in a quick but through inspection.He always did that, as if he thought every space needed to be checked for threats before he could rest easily there.But his attention soon settled on Kefir, just as it always did, and his expression lightened when their eyes met.
Bouncing up off the rug in front of the fire, Kefir went immediately to his master’s side.
“Did you have a good day, sir?”
Ellery nodded as they brushed their lips together.His kiss didn’t taste the same as it had when Kefir had caught him speaking to Arslan.His lips were still perfect, but that touch of something else that had lingered there that day wasn’t back.The slight scent of leather and petrol was all present and correct though.It clung to Ellery’s bare skin in exactly the same way it always did when he first came home to…to his pet.Kefir smiled slightly as he applied the word to himself.
He was allowed to call himself that now and not feel like he was letting down his leader every damn time.Kefir leaned into Ellery’s body as Ellery straightened up and took his lips out of kissing range.Burying his face in Ellery’s shoulder, he couldn’t help but try to soak up his scent, his feel, everything about him.
“Kitten?”
Kefir managed to make a little sound in the back of his throat to let Ellery know he was listening and that he always wanted to hear whatever his master had to say, but that didn’t seem to be enough.
Ellery made him lift his head properly.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing, sir.”
He didn’t believe him.Kefir knew that without Ellery needing to say a word.A slightly different look in his eyes was all it took to make Kefir aware of Ellery’s moods now.And Ellery had developed good instincts when it came to Kefir’s disposition in return.
