The Copper Horse #2 Pride (25 page)

“Why would you
say that?” Reuben frowned, but had no choice but to follow. “Horses
are kind, and loving, and fun.”

“And they love
taking it up the ass.”

Reuben fell
silent and hung his head. John was apparently set on upsetting
him.

When they
eventually reached the stable, the silence was becoming unbearable,
and fortunately John spoke first.

“Do you want me
to take the poncho off?”

“Why? Are you
missing Master Erik so much you want to see some male flesh?”
Reuben raised his eyebrows, hoping it would be a nice little pinch
at John’s stuck-up self. Who wouldn’t be upset about the loss of a
man as fine as Erik?

John’s body
stiffened, even though his face remained a mask of calm. “Who told
you?”

Reuben kicked
some invisible dust off the floor. “One hears things here and
there.”

“I was
not
employed for that purpose.” John poked Reuben in the
ribcage with his index finger.

Reuben huffed
and backed away a few steps. “Oh, so you just
chose
to take
it up the ass.”

John’s jaw
tightened. “I did, but it was on my terms, and I would have never
let anyone dress me up as an animal.”

“Well, some of
us don’t have a choice like that.” Reuben started walking towards
his pile of hay in hopes that John would follow, because otherwise
he’d be forced to stop.

But John
dropped the reins and walked over to a wooden bench. “And yet you
lecture me on horse care.”

Reuben rolled
his eyes and dropped to his knees in the hay. “If I have to be
here, I might as well make the best of it.”

“You seem to
have adjusted well.” John sat straight, as if he were expecting a
bunch of servants to drop by and give him an elegant dinner. “Have
you stopped thinking about escape, then?”

“I have. There
is no escape,” Reuben stated and let himself fall into the hay with
a pleased groan. It smelled so good. He was only a bit disappointed
that Erik always made Jack take out the piles he fucked him in, but
he wouldn’t say that out loud. There was no smell like sperm and
hay.

Reuben fidgeted
from side to side, trying to find that sweet spot. The inner tail’s
absence made him strangely anxious to be filled later. He hoped the
news Frey brought wouldn’t take Erik away from him at night. His
master was overworked as it was already.

“Are you
enjoying yourself?”

“Hm?” Reuben
looked up at John before rolling to his stomach. With his outer
tail sticking up, it seemed to be the most comfortable
position.

“You don’t seem
unhappy.”

“No point
dwelling on misery. Mister Fry will make a pie for me. What’s not
to like?” He grinned at John, whose lips twitched into a small
smile.

“This really is
the best you could ever get in life, isn’t it?”

Reuben frowned,
unsure what to make of John’s words. “Are you trying to make me
feel bad?”

“I’m merely
curious,
Copper
.” John’s gray eyes drilled small holes in
Reuben’s head.

“I dunno. I
didn’t have it good back in London. Had plans, though.” Reuben kind
of wished John wasn’t here after all. He could hump the hay
then.

“The Plague
took it all from me, so I can relate to that on a certain level.”
John pouted and nodded at the wall.

“How come? What
happened?” Reuben was eager for a bedtime story.

John groaned,
and the bench squeaked under his large body. “My father imported
high quality fabrics from India, but after the Plague, it all fell
apart. My parents died of influenza, and I couldn’t finish my
education, which is why I am stuck at a post far beneath my
aspirations. Not that you could ever understand that,” he finished
in a sour tone.

“Why do you
think I can’t?”

Reuben could
practically hear the sound of gritted teeth.

“Maybe because
your life has improved, but mine deteriorated.”

“But you said
you wouldn’t want to be an animal.” Reuben couldn’t understand
John’s reasoning.

“Yes, I
wouldn’t.” John frowned, lifting his head with a pout. “I wanted to
leave my mark on people’s minds.”

That got
Reuben’s attention. “How?”

John bit his
lip. “I wanted to be a writer.”

“Oh! Our master
is a writer. You want to follow in his footsteps?” Reuben fumbled
in the hay to sit up. He couldn’t miss John’s smirk.

“No, silly
horse. Our master is a
forger
,” he said as if Reuben were a
small child.

“No, no! He
wrote a book! He did!” Reuben nodded vigorously.

“You mean that
indecent pamphlet?”

“No, his book
about the Pegasus. He read fragments to me. It’s really good—I
mean, well written.” He wouldn’t want John to think he liked all
the filthy things described in the book. He was reading it bit by
bit when no one was around, and every time he ended up rubbing off
on something. He liked to pretend
he
was Pegasus, Erik’s
loyal and loving mount. If only he could fly him into the clouds
like Pegasus himself, Master Erik would surely keep him forever. He
hoped carrying him in a saddle one day would be enough.

John raised an
eyebrow at him. “Have you ever read a book in your entire
life?”

“I can’t read
much.” If Erik knew Reuben could read and lied about it, he
wouldn’t be happy.

John let out a
mocking laugh. “Then how can you express any opinion on
literature?” He got up from the bench and walked over to the wooden
horse, where the book was still kept.

“I’ve been read
to sometimes. And I’ve seen plays in theaters.” He looked up to
John, who slowly nodded.

“You are quite
eloquent. For a horse.”

Reuben groaned.
He didn’t know how to talk to John. “Would you read to me?”

“What, the
master’s book?” John hardly contained a self-satisfied smile.

“Yes, please.”
Reuben got to his knees. He never had enough of this book.

John shook his
head and picked up the book, returning to the bench. The thing
squeaked again and he opened the book, looking through the
pages.

“Do you not
like it?” Reuben barely suppressed the will to put his head in
John’s lap. Would the man pet him, like Erik or Mister Fry did?

“No. Our master
should not try to penetrate new territories.”

“What do you
not like?” Reuben frowned at the offense to his favorite book.

John shrugged.
“It’s crude, and there’s virtually no plot or philosophy to
it.”

“But it’s
touching. The Pegasus is so magical.”

John looked up
at him, then read:

“Pegasus arched
back, showing his pale ass to his beloved master. His toes curled
with lust as he waited for that long cock to fill him. He never
felt more complete than when Master Erik was riding him. His pulse
quickened when he felt hot skin brush against his pucker, but when
it simply stayed there, not entering, Pegasus couldn’t stop a
wanton moan.”

Reuben felt his
cheeks go hot as he watched John’s lips, completely mesmerized. The
story continued.

“”
Master,
please, I need you so much! I thought you were dead!”
’” John
made sure to add an appropriate amount of desperation into the tone
of his voice.

Reuben licked
his lips. He’d already read this story a few times before, but he
wasn’t the quickest reader, whereas from John’s lips, it seemed to
just flow. He inched closer to the bench.

“No, you can’t
suck me.”

The stern tone
took Reuben aback, and he bit the inside of his cheek. “I wasn’t
gonna!”

John waved at
him. “So stay where you are. I feel threatened.”

Reuben pouted,
but followed the order. “You don’t like your cock sucked?”

“I’m not
interested in putting it just anywhere.”

Reuben couldn’t
help but give him a cocky grin. “I am a prized stallion.”

That closed
John’s mouth for a few moments, but he skimmed through the book,
opening it on the last page and read:

“’You are my
prized stallion and you can take me into the sky even without those
wings.’”

Reuben
swallowed. He liked that ending. It made him feel just how special
Pegasus was to Erik. “That’s very beautiful.”

John raised his
eyebrows with a snort. “Is it? Oh well, I assume in comparison to
some bawdy songs you probably know, this sentence
is
classy.”

Reuben smiled.
“Like master Erik.”

John’s brows
rose as high as they would go. “This sentence is exactly like
Master Erik.”

Reuben nodded.
“Classy and gentle.”

John sighed and
dropped the book to the bench.

“Do you think
Master Erik would want a man with wings?” Reuben suppressed the
impulse to nudge John’s knee with his nose.

John gave him a
blank stare. “Are you asking me whether he’d like to fuck an
angel?”

Reuben
shrugged. “I suppose so.”

“Yes, I’m
pretty sure that’s what he wants.”

“Would
you
like to fuck an angel?” Reuben cocked his head.

“No.”

“How are you so
certain?”

John groaned.
“Because I like my men less than saintly.”

“What’s your
type, John?” He nudged John’s knee in the end, which earned him a
look of scorn.

“Why do you
care?”

“‘Cause you’re
so boring.” Reuben rolled his eyes. “I wanna talk.”

“I am
not
boring!” John looked at him as if Reuben had just
suggested he should partner up with a mongrel. “If anything,
you’re
the boring one, sitting here all day, doing
nothing.”

“What do
you
do then, when you’re not cleaning Master’s shoes?”
Reuben sat on the heels of his feet, amused by the outburst.

John gritted
his teeth. “Master Erik hasn’t given me the task of entertaining
you with conversation, and my good will is now over.”

Reuben
straightened his back. “I work hard and bring electricity to the
house.”

John looked
away from him. “Of course. Now go to your shed.”

Reuben pouted
but did as told and once again fell into the hay.

John was no
fun.

In the end,
Reuben fell asleep again, but he only noticed when John woke
him.

“Is it feeding
time?” he mumbled, still half asleep.

“I am not your
groom.” John sighed, towering over him with a frown. “The master
wants you in his office.”

Reuben yawned
but got up without complaint, and minutes later they were on their
way through the house. They met Lady Victoria on the way, and he
gave Reuben an appreciative pat on the ass. During his stay in
Erik’s home, Reuben really had gotten used to unusual displays of
affection he sometimes received. He even learned to appreciate
them. Eventually, he and John reached the office and found Erik
waiting sprawled on the sofa.

“Oh, there you
are, my precious!”

“John was
entertaining company, Master.” Reuben grinned and walked over to
him with a bounce to his walk.

“Oh, was he?”
Erik smiled at them both. “He shall be rewarded, then.” He opened
his arms in invitation, and Reuben kneeled on the carpet, leaning
into the embrace.

“What do you
think John needs? I will get it for him.” Erik leaned in for a
small kiss.

“I think John
needs the company of a man.” Reuben smiled into Erik’s lips. He was
sure if John had some cock, he’d be less uptight.

“Does he?” Erik
pulled Reuben close to his chest, but Reuben could feel John’s
tension from afar. “Do you think he should be the one doing the
fucking?”

“He said he
wants a man who isn’t an angel. So maybe a demon? Sinful like
Coal.” Reuben looked back at John innocently. The man was a picture
of self-control, except for the dark flush that spread all over his
face. He kept his gaze down.

“Oh? You want
him to be bred by Coal?”

“Humans and
horses can’t breed, master,” Reuben answered with a smile, which
Erik reciprocated.

“Good boy! You
remembered!” He ruffled Reuben’s hair and gave him a sweet peck on
the lips. “They cannot have children, but they could fuck.”

“Well, John
does seem to be lonely.”

“Should I
arrange this then?” Erik was slowly stroking Reuben’s cheeks.

“Only if John
would like to meet a beast like Coal.”

Erik sighed and
straightened to look at his footman. “John, do you fancy a
beautiful black stallion on your back?”

“With all due
respect, sir, there is another prize that would make me happy.”
John looked up, and Reuben noticed something new in his eyes.
Urgency.

Erik nodded.
“What is it, John?”

“If I could get
three days off, to travel to the National Gallery in London, I
would be more than happy to entertain your pony frequently, sir.”
He bowed, and Reuben blinked in surprise. Who would choose a
gallery visit over Coal’s big, hard cock?

Erik snorted.
“You don’t want to flee, do you?”

John smiled. “I
am not held by force, sir. I enjoy the service and the privileges
of your household. I just wish to see artwork I’ve only read about
before.”

Erik rolled his
eyes before dropping his gaze to Reuben’s face. “What do you think,
darling?”

Reuben nodded
eagerly. The last thing he wanted to be was malicious. He was happy
to help John in whatever boring endeavor he was up to. “I think
John works hard and deserves it. But only if he brings me back a
present from London.”

Erik nodded,
signifying Reuben’s reasoning made perfect sense. “What do you
want?”

“I want
something exotic.” Reuben had everything he needed, so he might as
well ask for something that he didn’t.

“What do you
mean, Copper?”

“Something
different. That will make me special.”

“You mean you
want something to wear?” Erik was massaging Reuben’s nape.