“I wouldn’t have disturbed you unless it was of the utmost importance, your highness,” Alfred said quickly.
Devlin rolled his eyes. He picked up a roll and sniffed it. It smelled stale but nothing out of the ordinary. Neither did the steaks, the wilted salad, or the baked potatoes. Nothing on the table smelled anything other than stale as if left out over night.
Devlin didn’t think that whatever poisoned Zacarius came from their dinner. That meant it came from somewhere else. Devlin looked around the room trying to remember anything else Zacarius ate or drank.
His eyes settled on the bottle of merlot. He glanced at Zacarius and Alfred. They weren’t paying him any attention. Well, Alfred wasn’t. Zacarius kept looking over at him, a leering glint in his eyes that went straight to Devlin’s cock.
“I am aware of that, Alfred,” Zacarius replied. “Now, why did you disturb me?
Devlin smirked when Alfred’s voice dropped to a mere whisper and the manservant leaned closer to the prince. “The rumors, your highness. They’re everywhere.”
“What rumors, Alfred?”
“The rumors about you and the shifter, sir,” Alfred replied.
“What rumors, Alfred?” Zacarius asked again. Devlin could hear the steel cord in the prince’s voice. He wasn’t happy.
“Everyone’s talking about it, your highness,” Alfred stated. “About you and the werewolf being up here in your suite, about what you’re doing together.”
“And?”
“Your highness, it’s just not done,” Alfred said. “He’s a shifter.”
“It’s not a dirty word, Alfred.”
“Your highness!”
Zacarius sighed. “Alfred, you’re too young to remember things before the war. I am not. There is nothing wrong with a vampire and a shifter being together. It’s just not been done in so long that people have forgotten what it is like.”
The prince shrugged. “Besides, it’s no one’s business what I do or who I sleep with as long as I do not let it interfere with my abilities to govern this coven.”
“But sir, he killed your sister, one of the ruling class,” Alfred said, desperation lacing his voice. “How are people going to understand you sleeping with the enemy?”
“Alfred!” Zacarius growled, causing Alfred to take a hasty step back. “He is not the enemy, and he did not kill my sister. While a shifter did kill her, she brought it upon herself. I hold no ill will toward Devlin or his pack for my sister’s death.”
Devlin grinned at Zacarius before lifting the wine bottle to his nose and sniffing. He immediately pulled the bottle away, his nose crinkling in distaste. He didn’t know much about wine, but he didn’t think it should be that sour. It smelled horrible, like death.
Devlin waited for Zacarius to look at him again before nodding toward the bottle in his hand. Zacarius gave a slight nod then turned his attention back to Alfred. Devlin set the bottle back on the table.
“All right, that’s enough, Alfred,” Zacarius said. “I don’t care about the rumors other people are spreading. I’m sleeping with the shifter, and it’s no one’s business but mine. If people don’t like it, too damn bad.”
Devlin had to hand it to the manservant. Alfred looked like he wanted to argue but kept his mouth closed. Devlin doubted he would be able to keep his mouth shut under similar circumstances. But then, he wasn’t much for authority figures.
“Is there anything else, Alfred?”
“No, your highness.”
“Very well,” Zacarius said. Devlin chuckled. His prince played the part of royalty very well. This time, the possessive words didn’t surprise him quite so much. Maybe he was getting used to them.
“Please have breakfast brought up,” Zacarius directed. “Something light for me and a steak for my guest.”
“Very good, your highness.” Alfred turned to glare at Devlin. “How do you want your steak?”
Devlin grinned. “Juicy.”
Chapter 4
“How are you feeling, my prince?”
Zacarius arched an eyebrow as he glanced over his shoulder at the man holding him. “My prince?”
Devlin rolled his eyes. “Don’t ask.”
Zacarius chuckled. “But I want to ask.”
He turned in Devlin’s arms, leaning back to look up at the man he had become so fascinated with in such a small amount of time. He didn’t have the nerve to tell Devlin of their mating yet. Maybe he wanted to avoid it. Devlin seemed pretty sure a vampire and a shifter could never have a long term relationship. Zacarius didn’t handle rejection well.
“I am a prince, you know,” Zacarius stated haughtily. “I am unused to my every request not being answered instantly.”
“I’m a shifter, prince,” Devlin replied. “I’m not used to answering to anyone except my alpha.”
“You could consider me your alpha for the time being.”
“I don’t think so, Zac.” Devlin chuckled, shaking his head. “I think I’d prefer to keep our relationship on an equal footing.”
“So, you do admit that we have a relationship?” Zacarius couldn’t keep the slight tremble out of his voice. He knew that when Devlin frowned.
“We have something, your highness,” Devlin replied. “I just haven’t figured out what.”
“You’ll let me know when you do?”
“You’ll be the first to know,” Devlin murmured as he lowered his head. “Promise.”
Zacarius groaned as Devlin’s lips took his. Oh, he could kiss like no one Zacarius ever met before. He didn’t just kiss, he devoured, stealing every last breath from Zacarius’s lungs. Zacarius could live on Devlin’s kisses all day long.
When Devlin’s hands moved under his robe to grasp his naked ass, pulling his body against the larger man’s, Zacarius knew he needed to revaluate that idea. Maybe he would like just a little bit more.
“This would be so much more fun if you got naked,” Zacarius whispered against Devlin’s lips.
Devlin pulled back, grinning as he stepped away from Zacarius. “That’s one order I think I can follow, your highness.”
Zacarius’s mouth dropped open as Devlin quickly shed his jeans then stood before him in all his beautiful glory. He’d seen Devlin naked the night before, but hadn’t been in any condition to enjoy it. That wasn’t the case now.
Zacarius looked his fill, wanting more. He wanted to touch, to lick, to explore every inch of the magnificent body displayed before him. Zacarius grinned. What the prince wanted, the prince got, and he wanted Devlin.
Zacarius began walking backward toward the bedroom, crooking his finger at Devlin. He knew from the very beginning he would have this man in his bed. It was just a matter of time and that time was upon them.
“Come with me, my darling.”
Devlin smirked. “And you’ll rock my world again?”
“I can guarantee it,” Zacarius assured his lover as he dropped his robe to the floor.
Devlin flexed his arms muscles and growled. Zacarius squealed, turned and ran to jump on the bed. A large weight landed on him, pushing him into the mattress. Zacarius squirmed as a long wet tongue raked up his neck. He started to turn over, grunting when Devlin pushed him back into the mattress.
“No, stay,” Devlin ordered.
Zacarius started to argue, to tell Devlin that he gave the orders, he didn’t take them, when he felt the tongue lapping at his neck move down his to his back. Large, strong hands massaged his ass cheeks.
He could learn to like orders.
“You smell really good, Zac,” Devlin murmured against his skin then swiped again with his tongue. “You taste even better.”
Zacarius hoped so. He wanted Devlin to take pleasure in what he did, so much so that he lost all self-control. It probably wasn’t a good thing to wish for considering his lover was a shifter, but Zacarius couldn’t help it. The thought of Devlin shifting and taking him curled Zacarius’s toes.
Before Devlin could stop him, Zacarius used his superior speed to turn over and roll the man underneath him. Devlin stared up at him in surprise.
“What did you do that for?” Devlin asked. “I was enjoying myself.”
“I think you’ll enjoy this more,” Zacarius drawled seductively. He leaned down and ran his tongue from Devlin’s bellybutton up this one nipple. He felt Devlin’s body tense under his as he stroked his tongue over the small nub.
He nipped, a small droplet of blood splashing across his tongue as Devlin cried out. Zacarius sucked harder, drawing in the sweet essence of the man before moving to the other nipple and biting that one.
He didn’t often indulge in blood play during sex. It felt too intimate for a one night stand or a simple fling, but with his mate, it wasn’t only permissible but encouraged. Each little bite was followed by a droplet of blood, increasing Zacarius’s arousal and fueling Devlin’s.
Zacarius didn’t bite too many times, just a bite here and a bite there, never drawing more than a drop of blood, but it was enough. He wanted to increase Devlin’s lust, not incapacitate him.
Devlin’s body began to shake, and Zacarius hadn’t even reached his cock yet. Zacarius glanced up to see Devlin’s head pressed back into the pillow, his jaw rigid as he fought for control. It pleased him.
But he wanted more. Devlin hadn’t lost control yet. He hung onto it by a thread. Zacarius figured just a little more might send him over the edge. He moved further down Devlin’s body until the man’s hard cock stood straight in front of him.
Yum!
Zacarius could barely control himself. He wanted to dive onto the cock, swallow it down and suck until Devlin gave his all. He knew that would satisfy them both but not as much as what he planned.
“Hand me the little bottle of blue stuff in the drawer, my darling.” Zacarius chuckled as Devlin looked at him in complete confusion. He pointed to the nightstand. “If you expect to get your cock in my ass, Devlin, I need the lube.”
Comprehension came to Devlin in a flash and he grinned, reaching over to the nightstand drawer to grab a bottle of lube. Zacarius went to grab it but Devlin held it out of his grasp.
“I can do this if you can do that,” Devlin stated, pointing to his cock.
Zacarius grinned. He turned around, straddling Devlin’s chest, his ass hanging just inches above the man’s face. Zacarius heard Devlin pop the bottle of lube open and squirt some out on his hand. He waited until he felt the first gentle touches of his lover’s finger press into his ass before lowering his head to Devlin’s cock.
He immediately realized he might have made a huge mistake. It would very hard to concentrate on sucking Devlin’s cock when the man fucked him with his thick fingers. It might even be impossible.
Zacarius was determined to give it his best shot though. He swallowed Devlin down until the head of his cock hit the back of Zacarius’s throat. Using just the tip of his canines, he came back up. It wasn’t enough to break the skin, just enough to give Devlin a hint of what would come.
Devlin shuddered. The finger in Zacarius’s ass paused for just a moment then the thrusting increased in speed and depth. Zacarius grinned as Devlin added a second finger. His lover started to lose control. Maybe just a bit more would be all it would take.
Zacarius increased his efforts. He sucked Devlin down then came back up before dropping the organ in his mouth to lick his way down to Devlin’s balls, sucking one deep into his mouth.
He almost lost his grip on Devlin when a third finger pushed into his tight hole. If he got this aroused just from having Devlin’s fingers thrusting into him, Zacarius couldn’t wait until he felt the werewolf’s cock. It promised to be mind blowing.
“Zac!”
Zacarius wiggled his ass. “One more, my darling, add just one more.” Zacarius had seen a werewolf in full shift. Three fingers weren’t going to cut it. He’d need at least four fingers to stretch him enough to accept Devlin in wolf form.
Four fingers pushed into him. Zacarius overloaded. It was almost more than he could take. He could feel his own cock leaking pre-cum all over Devlin’s abdomen. He pushed himself up on his knees, his cock hitting Devlin in the chin. He sucked Devlin’s cock back into his mouth hoping the man could read his unspoken signs.
Devlin got the hint. A moment later, warm lips covered him and Devlin’s slick tongue licked the droplets on the head of Zacarius’s cock. Devlin’s fingers continued to thrust into him, curving in to stroke against Zacarius’s sweet spot.
Zacarius bit down on the cock in his mouth. Hot, sweet blood splashed across Zacarius’s tongue, filling his mouth. His suction created a two-fold effect. It allowed him to swallow the blood filling his mouth and added to Devlin’s pleasure.
The sweet taste of Devlin’s life essence, the feel of the man’s four fingers thrusting into his tight grasp, the hot lips wrapped around his cock, all came together in one sensual explosion that made Zacarius shout around the cock in his mouth as ropes of pearly seed erupted from him.
Zacarius shuddered as Devlin swallowed down everything he gave him. He extracted his teeth and laid his head down on Devlin’s thigh. His body felt languid, melted. He couldn’t catch his breath.
He barely felt the powerful hands lifting him up and laying him back against the mattress. He didn’t become aware until Devlin’s clawed hands dug into his hips and a soft growl sounded in his ear.
“Zac.”
Zacarius didn’t even open his eyes. His hand curled around the back of Devlin’s neck and drew him down for a kiss. He raked the other one down Devlin’s back, his own claws digging in, leaving small red welts in their wake.
Devlin growled again, nipping at his lips. Zacarius could feel the Devlin’s canines begin to drop. He opened his eyes to look up at him. Devlin’s face looked like a thing of beauty, making the breath catch in Zacarius’s throat.
His mouth was clenched tight, a small tick the only sign of the rigid control he exerted over himself. The normally tanned skin of his face flushed red as he tried to keep the beast at bay.
Zacarius grinned, cupping his hand around Devlin’s face. “Let it go, my darling. I promise I can take it. I’m a lot stronger than I look.”
Devlin shook his head swiftly, but Zacarius could see the light sparkle in his darkening eyes. He wanted to, he craved it. Zacarius was determined to give it to him. He grabbed a handful of Devlin’s hair and yanked his head back, baring Devlin’s neck.