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“If you saw what I’ve seen, you wouldn’t talk like that. You arrogant fuck. You—” But his fighting stopped, until all he could do was moan at the friction of their cocks sliding together. He opened his eyes, expecting smug triumph, but Daven only looked hungry.

“Tell me what you’ve seen.”

Ryneth winced as the memories flashed. Daven’s mouth touched his own, then dragged to his cheek, his temple, leaving featherlight kisses in their wake.

“Tell me,” he urged.

“They came at night,” Ryneth shivered. “Mara locked all the doors. We killed the lights. The block was loud. People were crying, shouting. Then there was this knock on the door. Light, we were so scared. We all sat huddled together.”

Ryneth hissed at the recollection of that night.

Daven’s palm pressed against his, erasing some of the ache. “And then?”

“Nothing. They left. We all survived. But the next morning, when we came outside, we heard that they’d taken over twenty people from a neighboring block.” He turned his head and found Daven’s mouth, needing the touch.

“Did they take them across the Ward?” Daven asked against his lips.

“I don’t know.” Ryneth rolled his hips against Daven’s. “Please⁠—”

“What do you need?”

You.

Ryneth couldn’t say it. “Make me feel better.”

He hated how true it was. The fear in him hadn’t eased until Daven touched him, and now his whole body had begun to chase that relief like it already knew where safety lived.

Daven dipped his head and nuzzled Ryneth’s throat.

“I need more,” he whined. “I need⁠—”

Daven’s teeth bit his flesh, marking the sensitive skin under his ear. Ryneth howled, pain skyrocketing through him until it burned through his oversensitive groin.

“Fuck.” That felt good.

Daven licked the sensitive spot, humming when he looked up to admire his work. “You look pretty like this, aethera. Marked. Desperate. You want me to stop your mind from tumbling? Want me to make you feel good?”

“Yes, yes,” Ryneth moaned before his brain could catch up.

“Such a good boy.” Daven tapped his chin. “Open for me.” He spit inside Ryneth’s mouth, then dove right in. Their kiss was slow, a clash of teeth and dominance as their tongues played.

Hooking one leg around his shoulder, Daven slicked his fingers with lube, then traced the tips down Ryneth’s weeping cock, over his balls to his rim. “You have such a beautiful cock. Such full balls. We’ll empty those soon.”

Ryneth tensed automatically when Daven prodded at his hole, but after a tssk he forced himself to relax.

“You are mine now, baby. So this…” He dipped a finger past Ryneth’s clenching muscles, “Is mine.” Leaning forward, Daven claimed his lips once again. The Imperial kissed him slowly, the play of their tongues matching the speed of his finger, working him open. It drove Ryneth mad. He bucked and pulled himself closer, but all he got was a slap against his ass and a dark chuckle.

Good Light.

“I can’t—please…”

Daven pulled back, watching him with lust-filled eyes. “To hear you beg is the sweetest fucking thing in the world. It makes me want to edge you the whole day, to play with your holes as you scream for more.”

Ryneth wanted to snarl, but he no longer had the energy. “Please⁠—”

Daven licked the trace of his lips. “You want me to fuck you nice and easy? Is that what you want, aethera? To claim you over and over again, until you finally understand that nothing and no one can take you away from me?”

Yes. Yes, he wanted that.