Takashi put his hand on Zack’s neck and caressed the edge of his jaw. He missed the feel of Zack’s pulse, but oh, the touch of him was something divine. Wishing for happier news would not make it so, and he couldn’t ignore the information Zack needed in favor of seeking comfort. Though the longer he stood besidehim, the more he craved crawling into bed and keeping him close.If only Roger were here …
“Carver’s gone,” Takashi whispered, hoping that by keeping his voice soft, he might not break the gentle air between them. “The wound he took was grave, and I don’t believe he survived it. I don’t know what’s happened to Kit or Vincent. Roger’s alive. He’s not here. He’s out there.”
“You’re sure?”
“I saw him running from the mansion two nights ago,” Takashi said. “Anton said that he had come looking for us.”
“But he left without you.”
“He had others with him, and he was carrying Dmitri.” Takashi rested his forehead against Zack’s. Many of his lovers had been taller than him, but Zack was shorter. Or he had been, at least by a smidge. Zack must have been standing straighter because they were equal height. “You know Roger has a good and cautious heart.”
“Yeah,” Zack said softly. His voice hitched as he continued. “I don’t think mine’s that good.”
And Takashi could feel what he meant. Zack was radiating with a brimming desire to reach for more. The touch of that want was addictive. Takashi longed to strip him and discover what else might have changed about his lover. There would be no need to be as gentle with him anymore, not unless the moment called for it, and Zack … oh, Zack had been fun in bed before. Takashi wondered what his cock would feel like inside him. If he was as cold everywhere as he was in his hands and face.
Those longings weren’t entirely like Takashi, though. Well, wanting sex wasn’t out of the ordinary for him. He had those cravings. But his lust was building when he should have remained focused on the present.
“Zack, what are you thinking right now?” Takashi murmured.
“I should be thinking about how we kill Seamus and escape,” Zack replied hoarsely.
“Wasn’t the question.”
“The answer goes back to my heart’s not good.”
“Good is entirely relative.”
“I don’t think ‘good’ would be thinking about ripping off your clothes and fucking you senseless on the couch. Or the bed. Or in the shower because I’m fucking filthy,” Zack whispered.
With those words, Takashi could finally source the desire rising in him. Some of it was his own—that was how it had slipped past his notice—but Zack’s power was mingling with Takashi’s lust. He wasn’t forcing his way in. It was more like Takashi had turned on a bath faucet and Zack had cranked up the flow of the water. Takashi could turn it off. He should.
But he had spent three and a half nights isolated and longing for both of his lovers. Now one was with him. And they weren’t in immediate danger. And they were different and the same, and they both wanted more.
“Then I’m not very good either,” Takashi said. “Because that’s all I can think about, too.”
“Am I picking that up from you? I have this, like, pop-up on my mental screen, and it makes this feelright.” Zack slid his arm around Takashi’s waist, and their groins brushed more firmly against each other. Zack was half-hard.
Takashi was thickening in response. “We’re in a feedback loop.”
“One of us got a little bit horny, the other’s picking up on it and giving it back, and it’s more and more?” Zack murmured.
“Mmhmm.”
“That doesn’t sound different than normal lust.”
“In many ways, it’s not. But it can be more … intense.” Takashi leaned his head back. Touching was only increasing the loop. He put his hands on Zack’s shoulders. He should push himaway, put distance between them. “You’re new to your abilities. Saying no might become difficult.”
Zack pulled Takashi tighter against him. Light sparkled in his ruby-red eyes. “I don’t want to say no.”
“Zack …”
“You’re worried about me. That’s sweet.” Zack leaned in and brushed his lips against Takashi’s. His touch was brief and featherlight and refreshingly chilly.
All Takashi wanted was more.Forget good and bad. I deserve him.
So he kissed him in a slow, gentle slide of their lips. Zack had the faint remnant of blood on him, a little old but tangy. Whoever Zack had drunk from was dead, but that was common on a first night. Takashi grabbed onto his suit jacket tightly, the shirt underneath losing a button as it was pulled too taut in his grip, and traced the seam of Zack’s lips with his tongue. A bit of dirt mixed with the blood and the taste of Zack.
“How are you warm?” Zack pressed a kiss to Takashi’s cheek, then his neck. He started undoing the buttons of his shirt and slid his hand inside to caress Takashi’s chest.
