Playing With Fire (15 page)

He distracted himself by watching Furn move about the room, cleaning and pottering, setting everything to rights. It was Furn’s obvious love for Zujan, more than anything else, that had made him reconsider. Well, that and the pull he felt for Zujan.

He looked back down, fingers sliding through the white streaks in Sartis’ hair. And damn it all to the seventh gate, the sorcerer needed a single name! “Furn, quit your stalling and go get us some food. The door will let you back in, I assure you.”

Furn blinked over, eyes wide. “Stalling, my Lord?”

“The place can’t get cleaner, we’re hungry and you can’t stay in here forever. Now, go and get us something to break our fast with.” He’d offer to walk out with Furn, but he was comfortable where he was and the louder those damned firefaeries got, the more loathe he was to leave Zujan alone.

“Yes, my Lord.” Furn nodded, opening the door. Sartis, Zujan, whoever he was, cried out and pressed against him at the sound of the angry firefaeries.

He held the small body close, wrapping around Sartis. “I have you and I won’t let them get you. Hurry, Furn, get that door closed!”

The door slammed shut and the thin body in his arms shuddered, relaxing. “Oh. Better.”

“There has to be a way we can kill them.” There had to be, because their effect on Sartis seemed to be getting worse.

“If you kill me, they’ll go, find someone else.”

“I’m trying to save you, not kill you!” For some reason Zujan’s death wish made him very angry. “How come you can’t control them anymore?”

“I never could. They did. There’s something about you? I don’t know.”

“But you treated them like pets! I saw you with them.” He’d had a horrified fascination with them from the start, but now, they repulsed him, now that he knew.

“Not me.” Zujan—No, Sartis shook his head, the silver shining in the firelight. “Zujan. Not me.”

Wintras was hopelessly confused again. “What happened to Zujan then? Why did they leave him—you—frozen like that?”

“Zujan…slipped away. I…I woke up. My Lady Mother called me; she was so loud.”

“Is that the lady you were talking about earlier? The one who you said put the spells on the room to protect you? The one who liked me?”

“Yes. Yes, they burned her, but she…infused herself into the stones, the walls. For me.”

Wintras shuddered at the thought of letting those things take him like that. “She must have really loved you.”

“Yes. Yes, she did. I can almost hear her, here.” Sartis nuzzled, face peaceful. “You make Zujan distant, so far away.”

“Good. I don’t like him.” Sartis he liked though. A lot.

“I don’t either. He hurt people.”

“That still doesn’t help us figure out how to get rid of the life-sucking firefaeries.”

“Maybe she knows.”

“Yeah, maybe she does, but she’s not exactly talking, Sartis.” At least he hoped she wasn’t. Wintras wasn’t sure he wanted to meet a ghost.

Sartis chuckled, snuggling in. “No, not exactly. I will just stay in here. Live in here.”

Wintras nodded. “Yes, I will let you do that.” He wasn’t willing to surrender his power yet. Such as it was.

“Good.” Sartis drew the blankets tighter around them, cool skin sliding against him.

“You’re always so cold,” he pointed out.

“You make me warm inside.”

“Outside, too.” He slid his hand slowly along Sartis’ side, the skin warming beneath his fingers. “But everyone else says you suck their heat out.”

“I do. You’re different. You keep them away.”

“Maybe I just don’t like them more than anyone else.”

“They don’t burn you, though…”

“No, they don’t.” They just dissolved into sparks and disappeared. There didn’t ever seem to be any less of them though.

“Maybe if I stay in here forever, they’ll go away.”

“Maybe.” Wintras didn’t think so though, they seemed to get angrier every single day.

The soft lips brushed his jaw then Sartis stood, one of the furs draped around the thin body as the bookshelves were searched.

“Have you read all these?” Wintras asked, curious. He could read, but he didn’t do it very often. His tutor had always liked doing it though.

“Yes. When I’ve read them all I sne—I get more.”

“Why would you have to sneak around to get more?” Surely Sartis had the run of the place—it had been his.

“I…” Sartis grinned, scooted closer. “I can get away, and they don’t know I’m gone.”

“Oh?”

Sartis nodded then slid behind a tapestry and disappeared. Wintras blinked and jumped out of bed, lifting the tapestry to find a hall hidden behind it. Laughing a little he headed down it, whispering Sartis’ name. Sartis’ giggle echoed, the hint of motion up ahead. Chuckling, he followed, liking this delightful man more and more.

He turned a corner then Sartis pushed into his arms, kissing him playfully and taking off once more. Grinning, he sped up, giving chase, getting into the spirit of it. Sartis was surprisingly quick and knew the complicated twists and turns, leading him deeper into the maze. It was dark, but not musty or damp and with his hands held out and following Sartis’ noises, Wintras didn’t get hurt. It did occur to him though that if Sartis stopped making noises he could be lost in here.

The tunnel grew uncomfortably tight, pressing around him, threatening. It was almost enough to make him backtrack, but there was light ahead, bright and warm. He pushed on, stumbling out into the kitchen, blinking at the sudden light. Sartis grabbed a sweet roll, staying quiet, along the walls.

He took one as well, moving to stand near Sartis. “How come they don’t find you?”

“They aren’t close enough. They think I’m still upstairs.” Sartis grinned. “Sometimes? I think I’ll just go, leave this place and go.”

“Could you do that?” he asked, arm tugging Sartis close.

“No. No, I…I don’t know how to not live here. It’s just a wish.”

Wintras stole another sweet roll and grabbed Sartis’ hand. “Let’s go back.”

Sartis nodded, pulling at him, the trip faster this time, dark and dizzying. He held onto Sartis’ hand tightly, not wanting to get left behind. They slipped back into the little book-filled room, both panting hard.

“So you’re not stuck in here after all,” he pointed out, pulling Sartis toward the bed.

“I never said I was. I just said I was staying in here.”

Wintras sat and pulled Sartis down onto his lap, eating a bite from the roll in Sartis’ hand. Sartis chuckled, pulled it away. “That’s mine.”

“But you’re mine, so it’s mine, too.”

“How come I’m yours?”

“Because…you are.” He was going to say because he’d taken the castle, but that wasn’t right, wasn’t really the truth. The truth wasn’t as easy to pin down.

“Oh.” Sartis nibbled on the roll. “How long will you keep me?”

He’d intended only on making Zujan his slave for a single moon, paying in kind for his own time here. But now…now, he found that just wasn’t going to do. “Forever.”

Those eyes, those amazing clear eyes blinked up at him. “Really?”

Wintras nodded, surprised at himself, but it felt right, good. “Yes. Yes, I think so.”

“They’ll be angry at you.” Sartis motioned to the door as he arched his pale throat.

“Yeah, well I’m not exactly happy with them.” Especially for what they’d turned sweet and lovely Sartis into. Wintras bent, licking at Sartis’ neck, finding the pulse point and sucking up a mark there.

“They…Oh…They want Zujan back…”

“Yeah, well they can keep him—but they can’t have you.”

“Do you vow it?” A woman’s voice asked, soft and sweet.

Startled, he hugged Sartis to him, protecting. “Who’s there?”

The smoke from the fire seemed to coalesce, a dark haired woman blinking out at him.

He pushed Sartis behind him. “He’s mine.”

Sartis blinked, pushing at him. “Mam?”

“He is. We have waited generations for a prince to break the bar’cha spell. We thought you might never come.”

“You’re his mother, the one who died to protect him.” Wintras drew himself up, stood naked and proud, still protecting Sartis. “That’s my job now.”

“Yes. Yes. It is your job now. Your presence dislodged Zujan from his throne within my son. Beware, they will find another host. Zujan will return and hunt you.”

“I defied him once, I’ll do it again.” He had more reason now, too.

She nodded, smiled, the look in the dark eyes happy and warm. “You have my blessing. Come to me, my son. Let me see you.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” She seemed nice enough and she was saying the right things, but she was made out of fire and maybe those sneaky little firefaeries were pulling out their best tricks now.

Sartis looked up at him, eyes huge. “No? She’s my…”

He looked down and stroked Sartis’ cheek. “What if she’s not? I’ve seen them take on human shape before.”

Sartis’ eyes were huge, but that cheek, that cool, smooth cheek rested in his hand. He put his arm around Sartis’ shoulders and moved a few steps toward the fireplace. He wasn’t willing to trust her any further than that.

One ghostly hand reached out, stroked the air in the shape of Sartis’ face. “I cannot remain, beloved. I must drive the bar’cha away from this place, allow you to grow strong enough to battle again.”

Sartis shook his head. “No. No, Mam, please. I can stay here, in this room. Safe.”

Wintras shook his head. “No, let her make them go. They’re getting stronger and angrier every day. We need them gone.” He hated them. Hated that they were holding Sartis prisoner like this, though if Sartis could leave, maybe it was his Mam who kept him here. Which meant he wanted her gone, too. Sartis was his, if anyone kept him prisoner it was going to be Wintras himself.

Except he didn’t want Sartis to be a prisoner. And Sartis wasn’t. Unless he wanted to leave without Wintras and Wintras wasn’t sure he could allow that. Which maybe scared him just a little because it wasn’t about revenge or getting back anymore and it was a pretty powerful emotion.

“But Mam…you can’t leave me here alone.”

Those dark eyes twinkled. “I would never leave you alone. Never.”

Wintras nodded. “You’re not alone, Sartis. You have me.” He squeezed Sartis and smiled down at him.

“Yes.” The soft voice grew stronger. “Be wary. Zujan will return and attempt to retrieve what he believes is his.”

“I won’t let him.” His voice was firm. Solid. He had survived Zujan’s mastery once and left the sorcerer weak enough the firefaeries had consumed him. Wintras would do it again if he had to.

“Love him well, prince. He is the purest magic. My beloved son.”

Sartis reached for her as she faded, the very stones seeming to shake and shudder. Wintras wrapped Sartis in his arms, a little worried the castle was about to come down around their ears, but the shaking faded and the stones held, seeming solid again. Sartis sobbed quietly, holding tight and shivering.

“It’s all right,” Wintras told his lover. “I’ve got you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

He turned Sartis’ face up and kissed away the tears, licking at the salt. The long hair was silk against his fingers, his Sartis’ cheeks even softer. It might have been his imagination, but Sartis’ hair didn’t seem to be as streaked by white anymore, as if Sartis’ mother had somehow imbued him with more life.

The door opened with a crash, Furn wide-eyed and pale. “My Lord! The firefaeries! They flee!”

Wintras automatically shielded Sartis, relaxing when what Furn had said sunk in. “We’ve won, Sartis. You’re free.”

“How? Why?” Those eyes clung to his. “How did you do it?”

He shrugged. He wasn’t a wizard or a magician, but he didn’t like those firefaeries, had made it clear they weren’t welcome. And he guessed that the lady of the fire had been true, had chased them away. “Your Mam said she’d drive them away after I made it clear I wasn’t letting them have you.”

Furn gave them both a smile, a nod. “Should I have the main bedchamber readied, my Lord?”

He looked around and shook his head. “No, we’re comfortable here.” He looked down at Sartis. “Right?”

Sartis gave him a relieved look, a smile dawning in those eyes. “Oh. Yes. Yes, Wintras. Very comfortable here.”

He nodded. He’d never needed the grand trappings himself and this room was cozy and had the secret passage ways. “Furn, with Lavan gone, I need a new head man. I think you’d do an admirable job in the position.”

“Me? But…I’m just…” Furn’s mouth opened and closed.

“What? Able bodied, loyal, hardworking, smart? I can’t think of anyone else I would trust in the position, Furn. And I know you care for Sartis and will protect him with your life if need be.”

Furn’s eyes shone and the boy bowed deeply. “Yes. Thank you. I would. I will.”

Sartis chuckled. “I think you broke him.”

“No, I’ve ensured he’s going to remain loyal and hard working,” he murmured, licking at Sartis’ neck.

“What about me? Who will I be?”

“Mine.” He took Sartis’ mouth, proving it, passion flaring, need consuming him.

A soft cry pushed into his lips, the thin body arching into his heat. His hands slid down to grab Sartis’ ass, pulling them together, rubbing his need against Sartis’ belly.

He heard the heavy door close, Furn giving them privacy.

Sartis’ legs wrapped around his waist, the furs falling away. He carried his lover to the bed, laying Sartis out on it and kissing, settling on top of the slender body. His pale lover warmed to his touch immediately, Sartis appearing to swim in the long, dark hair.

So beautiful and wanton, all his. He bent to Sartis’ hip, mouth closing over the skin next to the bone and sucking, wanting to leave his mark there.

“Oh!” Sartis arched, vibrating under his lips.

Wintras moaned around Sartis’ flesh, the heat of the long, thin cock brushing his cheek, enticing him to turn and lap at the leaking tip. So hot, so pretty beneath him. He licked from the top to the bottom of Sartis’ shaft, nuzzled the sweet balls in their soft sac and then worked his way up again, mouth finding Sartis’, opening it. Soft cries pressed into his lips, his lover rubbing against him, their pricks sliding together. He pushed with his hips, driving their movements; it was so hot, like being on fire.