Anyway, now that he'd met and befriended Euclid, how could he entirely regret his path?Though he'd always hate what he'd been forced to do, hate the people who had forced him to do it when they had not listened to him.
"Nigh impossible to find, but worth it when you do," Euclid said into the silence, discarding his own empty cup once more before turning to face Dipak."Enough of that for now.This was not meant to be so serious a visit."His eyes were so very, very blue, as deep and endless as an evening sky, and stole his breath as effortlessly as a winter wind.Normally they were not so vivid; Euclid must bank them or something ordinarily."You have not seen my bedchamber yet, hunter.Would you like to?"
Dipak was many things, one of them a fool, but he wasn't entirely stupid.All this talk of match potential and being willing to give lovers things without expectation of trade, and now this?He let out a shuddery breath."I'm not inclined toward casual flings, dragon."
"Neither am I," Euclid murmured, reaching up to trail his fingers along Dipak's face, lingering over his lips, skin soft and warm, but also burning in a way Dipak would feel the rest of his life.How would they feel inside him?"We do not know what we can be if we do not try, and I would rather know now if we must draw a line than later when drawing it will hurt so much more.I only worry for you, hunter, all the hurt and pain that clouds you, that you must still be healing from."
"I rotted with it in prison for months.I've made my peace with it, as much as I ever will.Show me your bedchamber, dragon."
Euclid stood, took his hand, and led him away.
Chapter Nine
Euclid's bedchamber was sumptuous.In pride of place was an enormous bed, covered in fine sheets, soft blankets and furs, and still more of the ridiculous pillows that Euclid clearly was fond of.Low lights had been lit at some point, and there was another stove here to keep the space warm."I always assumed you slept as a dragon."
"Sometimes, especially in the warmer months when I can sleep outside.But much like their food, humans enjoy rest and respite in a wholly unique and pleasant way."
"You do seem fond of pillows."
Euclid grinned, then stepped forward, grabbed the lapels of his jacket, and leaned down to finally kiss him.
Dipak had never been kissed so ardently.Passionately, angrily, impatiently, affectionately.But even Lochan had not kissed him with this ardency.It left him dizzy and aching, terrified he might never experience it again and suffer the loss the rest of his life.
He sank the fingers of his left hand into Euclid's soft hair, gripping it firmly, throwing back his right hand to brace himself on something, a dresser maybe.From there it was no effort at all to back up and rest his full weight against it, shift his arms to Euclid's waist, gather him close and sink into the claiming kisses that bled into each other endlessly.
When they did finally draw back, his lips ached slightly and he had to pant for breath.Euclid loosened his arms where they'd moved to wrap around his neck, slowly dragging his fingers across the back of his neck and then trailing his hands down Dipak's chest, resting there against his wildly beating heart."A good start," Euclid said in a low tone barely above a whisper.He teased a final kiss across Dipak's mouth, then stepped back and pulled Dipak with him enough that he could shove Euclid's jacket from his shoulders.It had barely hit the floor when Euclid went to work on the buttons of his shirt, and that too was shoved out of the way, leaving Euclid only in trousers, boots, and undershirt.And what a lovely sight to see, all that warm, flawless skin begging to be touched.
Refraining for the moment, Dipak set to work on his own clothes.He had to sit on a low bench at the foot of the bed to undo the laces of his sturdy hunting boots, and his breath lodged in his throat as Euclid knelt to help him.His cock jerked at all the things Euclid could do from that position, but he only stood again to get rid of his pants and underclothes, finally standing naked in the middle of Euclid's room.
Euclid's eyes were blue fire as he looked Dipak over like a man examining his hard-won prize."All those lovely muscles, hunter.Watching you work has been a pleasure and a torment."
"You never showed any sign of that," Dipak said with a startled laugh."I don't look much different to anyone else in this kingdom."
"If that was true, you would not have caught the eye and heart of a king."Euclid smoothed his hands across his chest, eyes burning hotter than ever.His thumbs rubbed over his nipples, making Dipak shiver.Most men he'd been with had not been affected one way or another by such a touch, but it had always been a weakness for him.
"Dragon…"
Euclid put his mouth to one nipple and pressed his nail, suddenly sharper than seemed reasonable, into the other.Dipak jerked, groaned, would have likely toppled right over if Euclid was not holding fast.
"Have you ever considered jewelry here, pretty hunter?Gold or silver hoops for ordinary days, decorated with jewels when you are where only my eyes can see?"
"That—" Dipak pinched his eyes shut, a hard shudder rolling through his entire body."I would never get any work done, having to feel that all day."He might do it anyway, simply for the look on Euclid's face.For all the things that Euclid would do to them with his mouth.
"Get on the bed," Euclid murmured.
Dipak obeyed, though only barely, as his legs did not want to function.The bed was the right combination of firm and soft, smelled faintly of wildflowers, and the sheets were even softer than they had looked.The fur he'd settled on was softer still, wickedly so, and the pillows all seemed to be filled with costly down.
He only noticed these things absently, though, his eyes entirely for the lean, muscular body being revealed to him, that beautiful brown skin as flawless as a painting.The heavy cock hard and wet-tipped.Dipak wanted to hold it, learn its feel and weight, then taste it, take it as deeply as he could and then deeper still, until his jaw hurt and he couldn't breathe.
"I like when you look at me like you're hungry for something only I can give you," Euclid said, and crawled onto the bed and over him, spreading Dipak's thighs and settling between them like he owned the space.He skated his hands along Dipak's skin, lingering on his thighs, those blue fire eyes consuming."I like you in my bed, hunter."
"Well, so far I like being here," Dipak said breathlessly."Kiss me, dragon.I really like the way you kiss me."
Euclid answered the request without hesitation, curling a hand into his hair, those too-sharp nails scratching his scalp delightfully, the other hand still heavy on his thigh.Eventually, Euclid tore away to put his mouth elsewhere, trailing hot, wet kisses down his throat to his chest, where he once more lavished unbearable amounts of attention on his nipples, until they were red and sore and throbbing, and Dipak was shuddering with a need formore more more.
"Dragon—" He broke off, moaning as a hand wrapped teasingly around his cock, too loose to be satisfying, to firm to be ignored.
"Stay right there," Euclid said, and let him go and moved away.Dipak nearly wept with frustration, but took the opportunity to shift up higher on the pillows.He watched as Euclid rifled through a basket on a set of shelves near the bed, finally grabbing a small, purple glass bottle and tossing it onto the bed close to Dipak."There we go."
