Claimed by the Order (S-Gods, #1)
Read Claimed by the Order (S-Gods, #1) Online
Authors: J. Johanis
Tags: #BDSM, #gay erotica, #M/M erotic romance, #m/m fantasy, #dark fantasy, #mythology
J. Johanis
C
laimed by the Order
Copyright © 2015 J. Johanis.
Editor: Eve Marie
Cover Design: Indigo Forest Designs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
ISBN: 978-151430826- (pc)
ISBN: 978-0-9960976-1-1(e)
Contains graphic violence, non-con & abuse.
PART I
Capture
Chapter 1
B
ronze Age Greece, 2800 BC
Marduk descended through the clouds until he could see the sun setting over the mountains. Before him stood a temple on the top of a mountain, its tall stone pillars peeking out of the trees, surrounded by lush, green gardens stretching in every direction. The sight of the temple made his heartbeat quicken and a smile come to his lips. He would be attending his first year of college at the Temple of Power. He’d been to the temple many times before, but this would be his first visit alone without his parents.
Inhaling the fresh mountain air, Marduk gravitated toward the temple, until he was floating down through the cypress trees into the clearing in front of the temple entrance. The pillars on either side of the arched wooden doors cast a long shadow over the rows of stairs leading up to the entrance. His heart beamed at the sight. The taste of freedom all around him filled his chest with vigor, but the moment his feet touched the earth, a sickening feeling tore through his gut, and spikes of pain shot through his limbs. Marduk crumpled to the dirt, clutching his stomach as he fell. He gritted his teeth, chiding himself for arriving at the temple in this manner. How could he forget that he would lose his powers when he touched temple grounds? On his previous visits, he had walked up the mountain, feeling his powers leave him gradually. Never before had he felt this way—as if his insides were being torn right out of him. Fire burned through his chest as his powers drained from his body. Marduk fought off a wave of nausea, wondering when the burning would subside. Then a hand stroked his back, soothing away the cramps. He took a deep breath, and the warmth faded from his core, leaving him cold and trembling—a sign that his powers were completely gone.
Marduk finally opened his eyes to behold the great god Shamash crouching over him. He lost his breath, and his stomach turned. An image of Shamash at a sun festival flashed before his mind. He had been dressed all in gold, bathed in a brilliant ray of sunlight with thousands of mortals gathered around to worship him. Marduk blinked. Was he seeing things, or was Shamash really before him? Marduk had desired him for as long as he could remember, but he had only ever seen him from afar.
“Marduk,” the god said, amusement shining in his eyes. “The pain you’re feeling is just the suppression of your powers. It happens to us all, but it’s much less painful if you land outside temple grounds and walk in.”
Marduk sat up and grabbed his head. He must have hit it pretty hard when he fell. Even if he was in this great god’s presence, there’s no way Shamash would know him by name.
“Are you hurt?” Shamash asked, running a hand into Marduk’s thick hair. A shiver trailed down his spine, and his breath caught in his throat. Was the god of his dreams actually touching him? He looked up again, staring into Shamash’s honey colored eyes. Shamash was more handsome than any god he’d ever seen. His eyes seemed to radiate power, and his angular features were framed by a mane of chestnut hair that brushed against his broad shoulders. He wore a brown tunic and wrap around skirt with a rope tied around his waist. Shamash raked his fingers along his short beard, and his kissable lips quirked into a smile. Marduk’s heart seized up in his chest. Realizing he was staring, Marduk looked away, his cheeks burning.
“No, my lord. I’m fine.” Marduk rose to his feet, but the blood seemed to immediately rush from his head, and he collapsed into Shamash’s arms.
Shamash chuckled. Marduk’s eyes fell closed, and he breathed in the god’s earthy smell, reveling in the feeling of their bodies pressed together.
“I think you need to lie down. Having your powers sucked out so quickly can leave you drained for some time. It takes longer to heal on temple grounds, but once you get some sleep, you’ll be back to yourself. Let me take you to your room.”
Marduk wanted to remain in Shamash’s arms, but he hated appearing weak.
“No, I’ll be fine.” He stepped out of Shamash’s embrace and ran his hand through his hair. His face was still hot. “Thank you.”
“Very well. If you feel like you’re up to it, the students have been gathering each night in the college lounge.”
Marduk thanked him again and quickly entered the temple, taking leave of Shamash. He would have welcomed being in the god’s presence under any other circumstances, but his arousal was becoming too hard to hide. Marduk began to navigate the torch-lit corridors. Having visited the temple every year since he was ten, being in the temple felt like home. All the gods of the world gathered at the Temple of Power for the annual tournament, and like many others, Marduk and his parents would often reside in the temple for months afterward. During his extended stays, Marduk became acquainted with many deities from around the world, and a few years back he learned of the college for young gods. Though he’d been anxious to attend, his parents wouldn’t let him enroll until he’d completed their own tailored curriculum.
Marduk came to the end of the last corridor, rounded the corner, and climbed a flight of stone stairs, arriving at the door to the college lounge. Two mortal servants waiting outside opened the door to reveal a candle-lit room filled with young gods and goddesses. The fading light of day shone through three arched windows carved into the back wall. The opened shutters were framed by long white curtains, and sheets of blue embroidered fabric covered the stone walls. Marduk moved among the white fur-lined chairs and sofas until he spotted Nanya and Shala. The dark-haired Shala sat in the middle of a sofa while the beautiful goddess Nanya lay on her back with her head in Shala’s lap. Nanya’s blond hair lay splayed over Shala’s white chiton dress, and Shala’s hand rested lovingly on Nanya’s full breasts.
Shala’s gaze met his, and her eyes lit up. “Marduk!” Shala explained, beckoning for him to join. Marduk smiled, giving them both kisses before sinking onto the sofa beside Shala. Nanya and Shala lived in the same palace with him in Uruk.
“I’m glad you finally made it,” Shala said, placing her free hand on his leg and squeezing. “So, are you going to tell us what that was all about with Shamash?”
“What do you mean?” Marduk’s cheeks flushed.
“Well, we were over by the window and happened to see Shamash holding you in his arms.”
Marduk’s stomach constricted. “I guess I had an incident.”
“Oh, your crash landing?” Shala said with a wink. “We saw that too, but your royal reception was much more interesting. The way Shamash ran his hand through your hair, and the way you reacted to his touch. I nearly fell over just watching you.”
Suppressing a smile, Marduk took a deep breath and looked away. Though he shared most things with his goddess friends, he had never spoken of his obsession with Shamash.
“So, Marduk,” Nanya said, sliding her body over Shala’s lap until her head lay on Marduk’s legs. “Are you going to come over and play with us tonight?”
Marduk laughed. “I should be offended by how you two use me.” Though he was nothing more than a prop in their bedroom, he was used to acting as their toy.
“You know, Marduk, we have something special planned for you,” Shala chimed in, grinning mischievously.”
Marduk’s lips curled into a smirk. “So how do you plan on torturing me tonight?”
“It’s a surprise. I can’t tell you until you’re tied up and defenseless.”
Marduk shook his head and chuckled. “Okay.”
Nanya squealed and Shala pulled her into her arms and kissed her.
Leaning back, Marduk closed his eyes, ignoring the kissing goddesses in his lap and let the rumble of conversation lull him. Though he felt a little drained, he had almost completely recovered from having his powers yanked out of him. He remembered how Shamash had caught him and pulled him into his arms. The god’s masculine scent invaded his senses again, making blood rush to his groin. Marduk shifted in his seat and slid his hand over his crotch, assuring Nanya’s head was nowhere near his growing erection.
He opened his eyes once more, and let his gaze drift over the room. A group of fair-haired goddesses in white chitons mingled by the doorway, and several young, Mesopotamian gods lounged in a sofa across from him. Some gods he recognized, but there were a lot of deities he’d never seen before. His gaze fell next on the beautiful Egyptian god Aya, lounging in a fur-lined chair across from him. His heartbeat quickened. He had first seen Aya at the temple several years back, and he had been drawn to him ever since.
He had yet to kiss a god, but the thought of touching Aya made his blood run hot. The god’s black hair partially covered his eyes, and long silky strands fell over his black, silver-embroidered tunic. Marduk looked away. He wasn’t sure why Aya affected him like he did. Aya was young like him with no connection to the elites, but for some reason, Marduk still lacked the courage to talk to him. The thought of approaching him made his skin prickle.
Marduk felt Shala’s eyes on him and knew he had been caught staring.
“He certainly is gorgeous,” Shala said, eyeing him slyly. “Why don’t you go talk to him?”
“Shala, please,” Marduk sighed, sliding his hands beneath his legs. “It’s not what you think.”
“No, Marduk. I know you well enough. If he was a goddess, you’d walk right up to him and sweep him off his feet. What’s stopping you?”
Marduk shook his head. “Shala, he’s a god. I can’t approach him the same way I would a goddess. Hell, I don’t even know if he desires gods in that way.” He leaned forward and rubbed his temples.
“Need I remind you how beautiful you are?” Shala ran her fingers into his black hair and planted a soft kiss on his neck. “I can only imagine how turned on a god would get if he could grasp your thick hair like this and kiss your perfect, luscious lips.” Shala pressed her lips to his, groaning into his mouth before breaking their embrace. “Oh Marduk, if I was a god, the things I would do with this beautiful mouth of yours.”
“What the fuck, Shala.” Marduk laughed, pushing her back.
Shala smiled, running her hand down his arm. “Seriously, Marduk, you have nothing to worry about. If he has a taste for gods, he’s definitely going to be into you. If nothing else, you should just go talk to him and let him know you exist.”
“I’m sure he knows I exist, I just—well ... I don’t know.” Rubbing his forehead, Marduk glanced over at Aya once more, and this time their eyes met. Marduk’s breath caught in his chest. Had Aya been watching him? Just then, he realized how ridiculous he must have looked with one goddess lying in his lap and another kissing him. He blushed and looked away.
