Lust, face twisted, angled his head slightly. “Why, in fate’s sake, is his member so small?”
Ghreid feared he’d gain his first wrinkle with how tightly his lips pursed and jaw ticked. “Perhaps it’s the way the window is curved?”
Falustus reached up to fiddle with a latch and swung the window inward to stare out. His face twisted further in disgust. “No. Decidedly not.”
Outside air, much cleaner than it had been but laden with mildew and moss, blew back at them. The damp air lacked a lot of the salt that it did closer to shore, but it still lingered. “Why on earth would they make a man that small?”
“It’s… Ahem. It’s a sign of—” Lurin muttered something that didn’t quite make sense to Ghreid.
“Excuse me?” Lust glanced over his shoulder.
“Large phalluses are said to be a sign of inferior intelligence and brutish violence.” Lurin’s shoulders pinched.
“One wonders how smart you are.” Lust glanced the boy up and down and earned a squeak of protest.
“If that’s intelligence, then I amthrilledto announce my stupidity and brutish nature to the world.” Lust sniffed in amusement. “Ghreid?”
Ghreid shrugged. “Answering that question either way has implications that I will happily say I do not fit the stereotype of.”
“Th-that answer.” Lurin cleared his throat.
“Hmm. Remains to be seen.” Falustus waved a hand dismissively and sauntered off, inspecting room after room with growing disappointment.
Ghreid followed, and as disappointed as Falustus was, Ghreid was equally amused.
“Where are your sacramental baths?” Lust wheeled on a heel, magenta flashing in his eyes. His silken tunic, cropped beneath his rib cage, clung to his skin, revealing inches of bronzed flesh, tinted slightly with a light freckling of his dark,dark-red’s scale color. White fangs flashed as silence, all but for the whisper of a breeze in the rafters, stretched on.
“Orgy?” Ghreid raised a brow.
“No!” Lurin rushed forward, digging white-knuckled fingers into the hem of his shirt.
Lust stared the boy down and lifted his hands, hesitating for a moment before running long, thin nails through his hair. Just the touch seemed to soothe the boy as he pulled back with a flinch. A complicated expression twisted Lust’s face, disgust turned into pity. The pity turned into something kind. “Of course not. This building is yours in ways, and I’ll respect it up to a point.”
Lurin balled his fists to himself, cheeks aflame with flush.
“But youwillremember that I am a dragon. I am an embodiment of sexuality, and I am master of this domain. You will respect my station and my authority, and I will respect your humanity.” Lust tapped the boy’s nose.
“But this is Baltheir’s house.” Lurin flinched, as if waiting for a strike.
Ghreid and Falustus glanced at one another uncertainly. Lust spoke first. “It was, but we’re moving on from that.”
“Are you certain he should still remain here?” Ghreid glanced toward the boy as a visible shudder ran through his thin frame. Lust would break the poor boy.
“Very.” Lust stared at the boy again, that complicated expression twisting. “He’s not ashen, but there’s something.”
Ghreid pursed his lips. “Don’t ruin him. And don’t get attached.”
“You, boy, are meant for something. I’ll figure it out.” Lust tapped his chin and whipped around, marching on to finish his inspection. “Now, on to those baths! We may use it as a birthing pool for your mate. He is a water dragon after all.”
Lust halted mid-step. “No. Scratch that. I can’t fuck where my niblings will be born.”
Ghreid shrugged. “We have our baths ready in case that’s what he needs. Even Graylan isn’t certain. Speaking of, I need to go back home. The moon comes soon.”
Falustus leaned over and glanced out one of the many tall windows and squinted up. “A day or two. Take your time. I’m sure Varis is tired of being flitted about.”
“He loves being doted on.” Ghreid glared at Lust, who flattened his expression.
“No, Brother. All he wants is sex, food, and to be left alone. You’re doing two of those for himverywell.” Lust put his hands on his hips. “That reminds me. I need soundproofing in my bedchambers.”
