Arslan let Ryland’s dick slip from between his lips as he looked up in query.
“Come if you don’t stop,” Ryland managed to explain.And he knew he couldn’t come right then, because he wanted to come when Arslan’s cock was buried deep inside him.He wanted to be wrapped in Arslan the way he had been in front of the fire when the whole world had stopped existing, all except for that very perfect bit of it that contained them.
Arslan didn’t question any of it—he just nodded as if he understood it all without needing the kind of information that could be broken down into letters and words.Ryland watched as Arslan retrieved a tube of lube from his bedside drawer.He slicked his fingers but shook his head when Ryland would have rolled over onto his hands and knees.
Ryland thought he saw what Arslan wanted in his eyes, but it was impossible to be certain.Not sure what else to do, he gave his instincts full reign.Lying back again, he pulled his knees back towards his chest.For now, at least, his instincts seemed to have held him in good stead.Within seconds, Arslan had two slicked fingers working inside him.
Ryland bit his bottom lip in the hope he could keep the sounds of his enjoyment to himself, but one look from the professor was all it took to inform him that he was mistaken in the belief that quieter was better.The instinct to please Arslan came back full force, and everything else became irrelevant.
Ryland released his tooth-hold on his lip and let Arslan hear his whimpering responses when Arslan’s fingers played across his prostate.When he saw pleasure flare in the professor’s eyes, it was suddenly impossible to care if he was acting like a human or a lion or anything else.Ryland’s master was pleased with him, and nothing else mattered.
As much as he wanted to just let go and let Arslan do as he wished with him, and as much as he wanted to show Arslan that he could follow his lead and not question his decisions—it was impossible to do that forever, or even for another full minute.Ryland just knew if he let Arslan’s fingers continue to play inside him much longer, he wouldn’t just come too soon, he might actually lose his mind all together.
“Need,” he managed to whisper.“Need.Now.Please, sir.”
Arslan leaned over him and touched their lips together in a quick little taste as he took his fingers away.A moment later, his body covered Ryland’s.The tip of his slicked cock brushed against Ryland’s hole.
“Please,” was the only word left in Ryland’s head.If he had any of those instincts that Arslan wanted him to trust, every one of them was screaming at him that he needed his mate inside him.He reached out and caught hold of Arslan’s shoulders, tugging at him, trying to show him what he needed so badly.
As he looked up, and their eyes met, Arslan pushed into him, slow and steady, filling him, stretching him and taking over his whole world.Ryland’s hands tightened around Arslan’s shoulders.His nails bit into Arslan’s skin as if some part of Ryland really thought he could mark a lion the same way Arslan had claimed ownership over him.
All too soon, Ryland felt himself rushing to the edge.He scrambled to hold onto any sort of control, but it was impossible.He bucked as Arslan thrust into him harder now, faster.Before Ryland could even reach for his cock, he came, spilling between their bodies.
Just like in the meeting room a lifetime ago, Arslan kept thrusting into him, riding him all the way through his orgasm, until Ryland finally fell still.Blinking open his eyes, Ryland gazed up at Arslan, mesmerised by the expression on his face.
One more thrust, another, and Arslan tossed back his head and roared his own pleasure up to the ceiling.This was nothing like the angry roar from Arslan’s dealings with the pride earlier that evening.This sound was completely different, and it sent a fresh wave of pleasure tingling through Ryland’s whole body.As the sound faded away, Arslan stilled, bowing his head to look down at Ryland.
Ryland stared up at him for a few seconds before he slowly let his eyes drop closed, just so he could fix every detail in his head before they slipped away.Leaning over him, Arslan brushed his lips across Ryland’s closed eyelids as if in praise for giving in to the instinct to do that.
Ryland smiled up at Arslan as Arslan moved away—just far enough to let Ryland to roll onto his side facing him.They both lay there, still and silent for a long time, just catching their breaths.Eventually, Arslan nodded to the door that seemed to lead into an en-suite, inviting Ryland to make use of it before they settled to sleep.
When he came back into the room, Ryland was left entirely alone as Arslan took his turn in the bathroom.Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked around the room.It looked like a perfectly normal room, kept by a person who liked a high degree of order and neatness, but still, a perfectly normal human room.There wasn’t a trace of lion in it.
Ryland’s eyes fell on the door that led out into the hallway.There was a large old-fashioned lock just below the handle.There wasn’t a key in it.
“Yes, it’s locked.”
Looking back to the door leading into the en-suite, Ryland saw Arslan standing in the doorway.“Is it wrong that part of me likes knowing that, sir?”
“Knowing that your master cares for you, that he wants to keep you close?It seems to be a very sensible thing for a pet to like.”
Ryland dropped his gaze to the rug by the side of the bed.
“That’s what a pet is,” Arslan said.“A man who likes to be looked after by his master, who likes to be kept close and safe, to know that there’s someone looking after him, watching over him.”
“It’s not…it’s not someone who…” Ryland dropped his gaze, not sure what the right words were.
“It’s not an insult.I wouldn’t use the term with you if it were.”There was no room for argument in the professor’s tone.“You are my pet, and you’re my mate, and both are very good things.”
“Would the human word for pet be submissive?”Ryland hazarded.“Like—lions are naturally dominants, and the humans in relationships with them are usually subs?”
“Perhaps,” Arslan allowed.“Some of the humans who’ve volunteered to be sacrifices use terms like that.”
“Um…I don’t know much about…”
Arslan smiled.“Everything you need to know you’ll learn over time,” he promised.
Yes, the professor liked people who were willing and able to learn, there was no rush.Ryland nodded to himself.But there was one thing that he would prefer to learn that night.“You said you would show me what you look like when you’re a—” he blurted out.It was the wrong time.Part of him knew that, but the part of his brain that just might house his instincts wanted to be able to tell Arslan that he accepted every part of him, just as Arslan had so carefully accepted his mistakes and his humanity, just as Arslan had accepted every part of him.
