The heat of the crackling fire is nothing compared to Leth’s burning blood. The last of the ice melts from his veins, and he’s surprised his breath doesn’t rise like steam. His hips buck up as Evain gets his trousers open.
“I wish I could share my power with you,” Evain says as he draws out Leth’s cock. “So you could feel in your soul exactly how much I want you too.”
Leth’s breath stutters. Surrounded by Evain’s honeyed voice and the confident fingers encircling his cock, he can’t think about anything else. Every expert touch ignites his nerves, and he arches into Evain’s grasp. He doesn’t know what to do with his hands and ends up clawing bruises into Evain’s thighs on either side of him.
Spurred on by the bruises, Evain twists his fingers to the base of Leth’s cock, then reaches farther to palm Leth’s balls. Leth’s toes curl, and his eyes roll back—and Evain stops moving. Justholdshim, as Leth jerks up instinctively against his grip. He’s desperate for more. Everything is so much, so intense, his eyes start to sting.
“Evain,” he whispers, the closest he can get to begging.
“That name sounds good on your lips.” The smugness in Evain’s voice is equal parts maddening and delicious. “Say it again?”
Leth just sucks in air through his teeth as Evain resumes stroking his cock. It’s easier with his eyes closed. Easier still when Evain brings his other hand up to cover Leth’s eyes, like a living blindfold, blocking out the rest of the world. Keeping Leth pinned in place with his head against Evain’s shoulder, even as he squirms with every movement.
Each time he squirms, he feels Evain’s cock rock-hard against his backside. Evain’s breath grows more ragged in his ear as well.
“Call my name, pretty Leth,” Evain purrs. “I’ll let you come either way. I’m a gentleman. But I really want to hear it.”
“You arenota—” Leth breaks into a moan. Evain’s grip tightens, and Leth’s mind blanks out in pleasure. Safe in the darkness behind Evain’s palm, he shudders through his release.
Whether he calls out Evain’s name or merely thinks it, he isn’t sure. But when his mind clears, Evain is murmuring smug nonsense into his ear. So maybe he did call out. Leth’s too exhausted and spent to care either way.
Not too exhausted to remember his sense of fairness. Evain is still hard behind him. Leth isn’t going to be any good at this, but he should still—
There’s a wet sound next to his ear. Leth pulls Evain’s hand from his eyes and turns to find Evain leisurely licking Leth’s come off his long fingers. The curl of his tongue seeking every last drop makes Leth’s softening cock twitch briefly. Evain’s eyelids lower, and he sighs in pleasure.
Leth touches Evain’s chest. His belt. “Let me take care of you too.”
Evain covers his hand. His skin is damp where they touch, and the visual of him licking come off his hand spikes through Leth’s hindbrain again. “I’m too tired for more tonight. Let’s just sleep, all right?”
“You mean you thinkI’mtoo tired,” Leth accuses. But he can’t deny it. His eyelids are heavier with every moment, and the sweet warmth of the fire and his post-orgasm languor combine into a powerful sleeping drug. “I can stay awake.”
Evain kisses the corner of his lips, then tilts his head and takes his mouth fully, devouring the last shred of resistance from Leth’s breath. “Don’t think I’m being polite,” Evain says when he breaks away. He unfolds his long legs and rises to his feet. “I’m keeping track, and I expect to settle the score next time.”
He reaches down. Distracted by the mention ofnext time, Leth doesn’t even think before taking his hand and letting Evain pull him to his feet.
They don’t have much in the way of supplies, only what Evain had packed on Daziroth. A few days of travel food. Evain’s ridiculous, impractical red silk robe. No tent, and only one bedroll, which Evain spreads out by the fire. Leth is asleep as soon as his head touches the ground.
***
Leth wakes to comfort and warmth. Evain’s steady heartbeat under his ear, and Evain’s wicked hand wandering lower and lower down his back. Leth’s eyes crack open just as Evain finishes his journey with a gentle squeeze of Leth’s ass.
“Didn’t realize you were a morning person.” Leth’s voice is rough with sleep, and he makes no attempt at moving. One night’s sleep wasn’t quite enough to restore him after yesterday’s ordeal.
Low laughter vibrates through Evain’s chest, into Leth’s bones. “I most assuredly am not a morning person.” He gives Leth’s ass another lingering squeeze. “I much prefer to stay in bed until noon.”
His hand stays firmly in place as Leth half sits, bracing himself on one arm over Evain. There are no windows in the ancient library, and the fire has burned low. The enclosed space holds the heat well, but the light is dim. Spread out on the rough bedroll, Evain looks like a painting. His ink-black hair scatters loose all around him, somehow just as smooth and glossy as ever. Reflected firelight suffuses his tanned-gold skin, and the red silk robe falls open over half his chest. The gold and ruby piercing gleams against his nipple.
But surely no painting could capture the intensity in Evain’s eyes. Leth senses that behind the sensual facade waits a ravenous predator, fixed on his prey. With every fiber of his being, Leth wants that attention. He doesn’t want Evain to look at anyone else like this. He wants to be devoured.
Leth lacks a silver tongue for flirting, so instead of replying, he leans down and covers Evain’s lips in his.
Evain’s enthusiastic response proves he just might be a morning person after all. By the time they part, Leth is panting. Evain touches Leth’s hair and says, “Perhaps I should have mentioned this earlier, but I prefer to top. Is that all right?”
“That’s fine,” Leth says, thoughfineis an inadequate word for the images seizing his mind.
“Wonderful.” Evain pulls Leth down for another brief kiss before sitting up. “Don’t move.”
Leth leans back on his hands as Evain bends over by the packs. He doesn’t need to rummage around—instead he directly opens a specific pocket and retrieves a gilded glass flask. By the size, Leth first assumes it’s liquor, until Evain saunters back and sets the flask on the floor next to him.
