[Fae Scandals 1]Prince of Submission (10 page)

“Where is he going?” Adrian asked, his heart tripping inside his chest.

“He’s going back to North Carolina, but he’ll probably have issues getting a flight on such short notice. Go after him, Unseelie.”

He’d raced from the hotel then, only to find that he’d just missed Corrin’s flight. It was a death sentence for an Unseelie to violate the boundary line into the Seelie kingdom. Corrin had effectively evaded his pursuit.

Fate had been in his favor, however. When he’d been contacted by the Unseelie king for a mission into the Seelie kingdom, he’d hatched a plan. He was going to seduce the Seelie prince back into his bed and perhaps back into his life on a permanent basis.

Corrin was itching to touch him. Adrian noted how his hands were clenching and unclenching every time Adrian “accidently” brushed against him. The Seelie kept looking over his shoulder at his guards every time Adrian did so.

“They don’t know how much you’re enjoying it,” Adrian said, his voice low and sexy. He watched as Corrin swallowed hard. The Unseelie resisted the growl of satisfaction that threatened to surface as Corrin battled his body’s natural reaction to his close proximity. “They just think that I’m a filthy unscrupulous Unseelie who is getting a kick out of seeing their white prince squirm.”

“But aren’t you getting a kick out of it?” Corrin asked finding his voice at last. He sounded more breathless than annoyed, but at least it was a full sentence.

Adrian grinned unrepentantly. “Quite a kick in fact.”

“You didn’t tell me you were a prince,” Corrin snapped, his temper finally showing.

“You didn’t stick around long enough to find out,” Adrian said. He was still annoyed over that fact. His lover would be getting his punishment for that soon enough though.

Corrin glared. “Yeah, well, what about ‘Unseelie are always blunt and honest’? What a bunch of bullshit!”

Adrian bared his teeth. “I suggest you lower your voice and show some respect. Despite our past, I am a representative of the Unseelie court, and I will not permit news of some Seelie pup talking down to me to reach the ears of my court. So unless you want me to show your guards how very much you enjoy my presence here, I suggest you shut your fucking mouth.” Corrin’s mouth shut with an audible snap. “That’s better. Now, why don’t you take us somewhere we can speak privately?” Adrian asked the last more gently. With a nod, Corrin spun on his heel and stalked up the steps that led into the Seelie palace.

* * * *

Corrin’s face was aflame. His body was throbbing and aching with tension and some unnamed emotion that made his whole body shake. He prayed that his semierect state escaped the notice of the guards and the Unseelie man who walked beside him. He glanced up at the face of his former lover and blushed anew at the knowing glint in Adrian’s eyes. No such luck on that front. Corrin wanted nothing more than to run to his painting room and lock himself up until Adrian left. It was going to be torture to have him within touching distance at last and be absolutely forbidden to touch him.

He surprised himself by leading him to the drawing room that connected to his personal chambers. It was idiocy, but his feet had carried him there before his mind had caught up with the fact. “Richard, have the servants draw us some tea,” Corrin commanded, not bothering to look and see if his head bodyguard was paying attention. He had utter confidence that Richard and Gael would be looking on with rapt attention. “If you’ll walk this way, my prince.” He made the address to Adrian. Corrin gestured him inside.

“This country is as beautiful as I remember,” Adrian said, going to the far wall and looking out over the mountain range as it was painted with the brilliance of spring. Thick deciduous forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Corrin’s heart expanded as he watched his lover surrounded by his things. For some reason it made him very happy to have him in his rooms.

“It’s been a long while since you’ve been here.” Corrin made it a statement, crossing the threshold of the drawing room and arranging the table so that it faced the window.

“Yes. It feels like eternity.” He actually sounded a bit sad about it. “I’m looking forward to dancing among the trees again. Once we finish this deal for the land, I plan on making this trip every holiday. I’m already missing the spring equinox by being here, but seeing the land again it is almost worth it.”

Corrin was surprised at the note of absolute conviction in his voice. “I didn’t expect you to practice the rites of Earth,” he said, referring to the many holidays where Fae celebrated life, death, and rebirth of the seasons.

Adrian laughed. “I am a child of the Earth. Despite the fact your court labels me as a heretic. I practice, same as you.”

Corrin studied him for a long while. “Why don’t you sit down? The servants will bring up the tea and some snacks in just a bit.”

“Can I have you with my tea instead?” Adrian asked.

Corrin’s face bloomed into a bright cherry red if the heat was any indication. Luckily he was saved from answering by the entrance of the servants and the guards. They set up the room, and Corrin tried very hard to avoid his lover’s gaze as they put the tea out and arranged the snacks they’d brought. It wasn’t until they left once again that Corrin could even bring himself to look at Adrian.

After endless moments of quiet study, Adrian finally spoke. “I looked for you,” he said, his voice filling with hurt. “Your ‘dear john’ note was a load of bull.”

Corrin stared down at his plate again. “I couldn’t risk it, Adrian. What I put in that note was true. I wanted to stay, but it was too risky.”

Adrian snorted. “Has it stopped then, Corrin? Did your plan work? Were you able to come home and be the perfect Seelie noble without the ‘tendencies’ that you sought to dispel in my arms? Face it, Corrin, you’re not just gay, you’re a fucking sexual submissive. You found yourself in my arms a year ago, and you’ve been running from it ever since.”

“Yes, Adrian. Yes, okay? I admit it, all right? I loved what you did to me. I loved the way you commanded me, the way you spanked me, the way you…
fucked
me.” The end of the sentence was an exasperated whisper. “But you know what, Adrian? It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, or the week, or the fucking year, I’m still a Seelie prince. My future was mapped out for me before I was even conceived.”

“It is a choice, Corrin. It will always be a choice. You’ve been choosing to run. I’m here to try and convince you to choose to fight.” Adrian reached across the table and grasped Corrin’s hand as it rested on the table.

“What am I supposed to be fighting against?” Corrin asked softly, allowing himself the luxury of enjoying Adrian’s touch.

“It’s not what you are fighting against. It is what you are fighting for. You’re worth fighting for, Corrin. One night was enough to convince me of that, and I’m going to spend as long as I need to convince you of it as well.”

Corrin blushed again and basked in the glow of Adrian’s words.
One night was enough to convince me…you’re worth fighting for
.
The words tripped over themselves over and over again in Corrin’s mind. He knew those words alone would sustain him in the future when he went back to his utterly empty existence.

“Don’t say things like that,” Corrin said, swallowing hard. He had to get a handle on his own emotions before he went crazy.

Adrian’s gaze drilled a hole through Corrin. “It’s the truth. I always tell the truth, remember?”

“I remember,” Corrin whispered. His cock started to harden. The truths Adrian had told him all those nights ago haunted him. “But, we didn’t come together to discuss that. We came to discuss the land your court wants to purchase from my court.” He had to change the subject. He drew back his hand, though he was acutely aware of Adrian’s close proximity. Of course Adrian wouldn’t allow him to direct the conversation in such a manner. He put his hand on Corrin’s thigh underneath the table. The Seelie jumped as if he were being burned.

“Our situation is just as important as the one between our courts,” Adrian said. He rubbed his fingers in gentle circles on Corrin’s inner thigh and gave a pleased grin when Corrin shifted to give him better access.

“Please, don’t,” Corrin begged, glancing at the door in a panic even as he spread his thighs like a wanton.

“Why, Princeling?” Adrian asked in mock innocence. “If it doesn’t matter, push my hand away.”

Corrin closed his eyes, searching for inner strength. “I…can’t,” Corrin whispered finally, staring into Adrian’s ice-blue eyes.

“Why?” Adrian demanded. Just as he had when he’d questioned Corrin in the club months ago, his question was forcing him to face his own desires. He thought that if he pushed long enough the Seelie prince would run out of places to run…Corrin resented the fact that Adrian was right.

“Because…” Corrin hesitated, searching for words. “Because it matters.” He said the last in a barely audible tone.

“Why does it matter, Corrin?” Adrian pushed, rewarding him by stroking the underside of his balls through his soft pants.

Corrin’s breath hitched, and he began to pant. “Because you said it does. Because
you
matter.”

“Good boy,” Adrian growled using his other hand to grip the back of Corrin’s neck. He leaned forward and crashed his lips down on Corrin’s own. The Seelie prince moaned and opened his mouth under Adrian’s onslaught. Their tongues clashed in a bruising kiss that stretched on and on. Adrian pushed the table away from the two of them and dragged the Seelie prince halfway into his lap.

“God I missed you,” Corrin admitted, breaking to pant before diving back into the tangle. He was sprawled in Adrian’s lap eating at his mouth and gripping his shoulders as if he was afraid to let go. “I know that’s stupid to say, but…I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too, beauty.” Adrian groaned, grinding the ridge of his erection against Corrin’s clothed bottom. Suddenly Adrian pulled back with a curse and pushed Corrin back into his chair.

“W–what’s wrong?” Corrin asked in confusion. Just as he spoke, the door swung inward and his bodyguards soldiered through the door.

“My lord, we thought we heard something. Are you quite all right?” Richard asked, glaring at the Unseelie prince with barely concealed disgust.

“Does it look as if I’m quite all right?” Corrin snapped, praying his lips didn’t look as kiss swollen as they felt. Richard raised his eyebrows and motioned toward the overturned tea cups and scattered food on the table which Adrian had moved.

Corrin swallowed. “Things got a bit heated, but I see no reason for you all to burst in here like there is a fire.” He hoped the disdain in his voice was believable.

“But you never get ‘heated,’ my lord,” Richard said incredulously.

“What’s the matter, Rich? Never seen an example of what happens to a room when two people get involved in some rough loving?” Adrian drawled, a nasty grin on his face. He was playing up the Unseelie image apparently. Corrin cringed.
Goddess
.

“How dare you!” Richard snapped. “Don’t you dare insult Prince Corrin in such a manner, you filthy Unseelie bastard!”

“Enough!” Corrin shouted. Corrin never yelled, and he knew that his bodyguards didn’t remember the last time he’d done so. “Do not insult an emissary in my presence, Richard. I will deal with his words in a manner I see fit. You have no opinion in the matter. Do you understand me?” Authority rang in his voice, and Richard hesitated.
Please, just this once, can you forget that you practically raised me, Rich?

“But, my lord—” Richard began.

Corrin cut him off. He motioned for Richard’s second, Gael, to move forward. “Gael, Remove Captain Richard immediately. I want it noted to the magistrate that he deliberately questioned my orders. Also make a report to my father that you all interrupted the negotiations between myself and the Unseelie prince. In the future, if I make it known that we are to be left alone, neither you nor your men are to interrupt no matter what you ‘hear.’ Is that understood?” He said all of it in the icy tones of an aristocrat.

Gael looked sad as he bowed, which just confused the hell out of Corrin. “Of course, my lord prince,” he murmured, taking Richard’s wrist and motioning the rest of the troops out of the room.

“That brought back memories,” Adrian commented dryly as Corrin stood and quietly shut the door behind them. “You sounded just like your father sounded when he told me under no uncertain terms what an insignificant worm I was at my trial.”

Corrin sighed and rubbed his suddenly aching head. “They still treat me like a child. They’ve been my bodyguards since the beginning. Richard is overprotective as hell, and Gael is equally paternal. Both of them have to learn to take my orders as they would my father’s. Unfortunately, the process is slow in coming.”

“It is not your nature to be as gruff as your father,” Adrian observed, motioning him to come closer.

“No. It is not,” Corrin agreed, coming to sit in the chair opposite Adrian. “That was close.”

Adrian shrugged. “I knew when they hit the hallway. The benefit of being one of the night court is that my hearing and night vision is greatly improved.”

Corrin gnawed on his bottom lip. “You could’ve exposed me then. You could’ve taken the choice out of my hands and got me banished with you…Why didn’t you?”