When the horses cry out from the other end of the encampment. Surprised shouts from other travelers pepper the air, and Bell jumps back, hand outstretched towards the forest.
Rakos’s gaze snaps up in time to see an expanse of stars vanish.
The immense shadow swoops overhead in a great arc. Up from the west, heading north and east. Behind it wheel two more shadows, blocking out the stars in a vee-formation.
The shadows circle once, then disappear northwards as the horses settle. Yearning seizes Rakos. A chasm of loneliness between his ribs.
“Was that…” Bell swallows. “Was that a dragon?”
“Three dragons,” Rakos says distantly, as his yearning gives way to loss. Betrayal.
Anger—at himself.
He’s been a coward ever since he woke up in that waystation. Skulking through trees and dodging ordinary drasgard. Soldiers he could take out ten at a time if he held his ground to face them. He’s been hiding, with the excuse that he doesn’t know who his allies and enemies are.
But he’s done nothing to solve those questions.
Maybe the bloodmasque is the opportunity he needs to start taking action and finding information. If dragonriders are there, Rakos will know them.
Later. Later. He can delay all that a little longer, because suddenly Bell is pressed against him, demanding his full attention. Bell’s touch anchors Rakos’s spiraling emotions in place. Bell grabs Rakos’s jaw and pulls him down, eyes dark beneath the starry sky.
“I’m done thinking,” Bell says fiercely.
Rakos stops thinking too when Bell kisses his loneliness away.
?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bellamy
Rakos is motionless at first, and Bellamy savors that instant of surprise. That he managed to shock the man. Then Rakos yanks him close and deepens the kiss, and Bellamy can’t think of anything but the all-consuming pleasure. His blood heats. His breath. Rakos is a master at this.
If this is all Rakos can give him, Bellamy will take it.
Right now, all he wants is this unguarded moment. Rakos’s full attention. All Bellamy needs is the certainty that he’s the one drawing that sound from Rakos’s throat. Not Merry. Not anyone else.
“Remember,” Rakos says against his lips. “This is just casual.”
“Obviously.” Bellamy winds his fingers into Rakos’s long hair, anchoring them together. He tries matching Rakos’s movements, but once again finds himself swept away. Kissing never tasted this good before. Certainly never worth the trouble Julien goes to for it. But Bellamy would miss a hundred banquets for this.
Broad hands slipping inside Bellamy’s coat and cupping his ass, Rakos murmurs into Bellamy’s ear: “Do you want me to blow you out here, or inside?”
Bellamy’s cock twitches in his trousers. “I’ll admit I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
Rakos laughs into his hair. His fingers dig into Bellamy’s ass. “Really? I’ve definitely been thinking that far ahead.”
The words alone have Bellamy rocking forward with a stifled moan, the growl in Rakos’s voice shooting straight to his cock. He tears himself away and jabs his finger into Rakos’s chest. “Inside, now.”
Under the moonlight and distant lanterns, Rakos waits poised to pounce, like a fellcat prowling the jungle for very willing prey. Bellamy scrambles into the wagon with Rakos hot on his heels.
The wagon is cramped for two men, and the enclosed space heats quickly when Rakos latches the door. Barely any moonlight slips through the canvas walls. They’ve already piled the merchandise crates towards the front end for the night but haven’t spread out their bedrolls yet. Bellamy doesn’t have time to wonder whether they should before Rakos crowds behind him.
Teeth tease his nape, and Bellamy shivers with anticipation.
The few young men and women Bellamy has kissed before were so gentle with him. Bellamy was gentle with them too, because he was too nervous for more than the sweetest of kisses. Even the time he jerked off with Emile Pellerin, they were careful not to leave telltale marks. To this day, nobody knows what they did in that closet on Bellamy’s eighteenth birthday. Especially Claude, who was beside herself over Bellamy going missing for thirty whole minutes.
Everyone is watching you,Claude always instructed him.Everyone is a threat. Be ever cautious.
