Treasure (28 page)

The mermaids allowed the sailors to drag them off without protest, as Kin ordered the bodies of the others thrown overboard and the deck scrubbed clean.

Raiden withdrew in silence, returning to his own cabin to tidy up his things. His hands shook as he opened his sea chest to find a new scarf, and after finding one, he slammed the chest closed in annoyance. He snatched up his comb from where it still lay on the bed and tied up his hair before he neatly folded and knotted the scarf in place.

A knock at the door drew his attention, and he reluctantly opened it. Taka frowned up at him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

To his astonishment, Taka hit him—hard, square in the chest, and Raiden didn't doubt he'd hurt his hand doing it. "You are not fine! Whatever is the matter? Kyo looks as though he is going to be ill, Kin wants to murder someone over it, and you ran away to hide in your room. What is going on?"

"Bad memories, bad times," Raiden said. "I can't—I can't explain, yet."

Taka huffed out an annoyed breath. "Why do I feel I'm going to be extremely angry with you shortly? Even angrier at Kyo. Why? You two did not even know each other before this voyage."

Raiden reached out and pulled him close, kissed him hard, needing to feel him, taste him, afraid it would be his last chance. "It will make sense soon, I promise. If you want to help, then distract me."

"You're nothing but trouble, merchant," Taka whispered and pulled away—but only to close the door before shoving Raiden across the room and down onto his bunk. "If it is distraction you want, then distraction you shall have."

Taka didn't know what he was thinking—what he was doing. He knew without a doubt that he would regret giving in to temptation, to that softly spoken plea for distraction. But the pain that Raiden was failing so miserably to hide was crushing. Taka finished stripping off his clothes and cast them to the floor in an untidy heap that normally would have irritated him.

He could not be bothered to care about anything just then, however, except the way Raiden looked at him:  as if he were the center of Raiden's world, which was absurd, but addicting. More addicting than Taka would ever admit. If Raiden really wanted him to wear nothing but jewels for him some night, Taka knew he would eventually do it.

He absolutely refused to admit to the small shiver that raced up his spine when he realized he was, indeed, standing there wearing nothing except the diamond and saphir necklace around his throat. Raiden sat up on the bed, grabbed Taka's wrist, and tugged him down to straddle Raiden's lap. He'd done the same earlier, but there'd been clothing between them then. There was still clothing, but Raiden's thin trousers were no real impediment to sensation.

Raiden kissed his throat right above the necklace, teeth grazing lightly, and Taka shivered again. He trailed his hands along Raiden's shoulders, up his neck to cup his face and tugged him up into a rough, hungry kiss. He moved his hands up again, impatiently shoving off the new scarf Raiden had just put there and fisting his hands in Raiden's thick, soft hair. Drawing back, he dragged his tongue across Raiden's mouth, groaning as it turned back into another kiss. Raiden attacked his mouth like a man dying of thirst who had found a spring, and Taka wondered what it said about him that he seemed to like that kind of attention.

When had he turned in to such a person? He didn't like attention. He was a secretary: efficient, quiet, and invisible. It was all he'd been, all he wanted to be. If someone tried to make him be Kyo, he would not last a day. Whatever Kyo said, he thrived on that sort of thing. Taka did not.

But he didn't mind it as he should have when Raiden called him 'my treasure' and acted as if he really would offer Taka the world. Not that Taka wanted it, but he liked that Raiden would offer. Drawing back, licking his own lips, Taka smoothed his hands down Raiden's broad, smooth chest, frowning when he saw the scar that cut diagonally down it, as though he'd been sliced open with a blade of some sort. "What happened? How in the name of the dragons did you live?"

"My brothers," Raiden said. "They saved my life at the expense of their own."

Taka didn't reply, just kissed him again, going up on his knees and gasping into Raiden's mouth when hands grabbed his ass, fingers slipping in to tease. Drawing back, he said, "Why do I suspect you like to be ridden? That completely fits with you."

Raiden just smirked and removed one hand from Taka's ass to fist his cock, stroke it, running his thumb over the head. Taka swore and bucked, tugging at Raiden's hair when he repeated the move. Letting go of his cock, Raiden ran his thumb over Taka's lip. The low noise he made when Taka sucked on his thumb was the most intoxicating sound Taka had ever heard. He licked his lips as Raiden pulled his thumb out.

Fumbling in the sheets briefly, Raiden finally found what he sought:  a small glass bottle, two thirds empty, the remaining liquid inside gleaming in the lamplight with a faint gold sheen. "Someone's been having fun."

"Someone has been quite desperate to get you to cooperate," Raiden replied and uncapped the vial, slicking his fingers and returning them to Taka's ass. Taka hissed as the first one breached him, absently trying to recall the last time he'd tolerated someone enough to permit fucking. "You're tight," Raiden murmured as he added a second finger.

Taka yanked on his hair again. "You're an idi—" He broke off on a moan, head falling back as Raiden proved he was not entirely an idiot, or at least knew what to do with his fingers.

"Lovely," Raiden murmured, seeming unaffected by the repeated abuses levied against his hair. His lips were hot as they trailed over Taka's chest, biting his nipples and then raking them with his tongue, and Taka really should have been doing some more touching of his own, but he could not seem to make himself do more than succumb to Raiden's desire.

He whimpered when the fingers slid out of his ass, but eagerly lifted himself up when Raiden got his pants out of the way and grabbed his cock. Slowly Taka lowered himself down on it, guided by Raiden, moaning when the head pushed inside. He rested his forehead on Raiden's shoulder, and then sat up and sank down further, taking Raiden's cock bit by torturous bit, panting once Raiden was fully seated.

"Tight," Raiden said again, a fine sheen of sweat on his skin, and Taka loved the way his mussed hair fell in his face. It gave him a dark, unkempt, rakish air that was so unlike the smooth, bright merchant he was otherwise. Raiden kissed him, dug his fingers into Taka's hips, and Taka gladly took that as a tacit order to start moving.

Raiden's mouth and hands seemed to be everywhere as Taka fucked himself on Raiden's cock, hands splayed along that fine chest as he rose up and shoved back down, taking Raiden's cock as deep as he possibly could, moving faster and faster, groaning as Raiden thrust up in time with his movements, hitting that spot inside him. Taka could not remember the last time he had enjoyed being fucked so much, biting his lip so hard he drew blood as he held off coming for as long as he could.

But then Raiden thrust just so, that little bit harder, and Taka did not bother to muffle his shout as he came—not even needing Raiden's hand on his cock—spurting messily between them, pants heavy and loud in the sudden silence.

"Beautiful, my treasure," Raiden murmured, grabbing Taka's chin and tilting his face to lick away the blood on his lip. "I would keep you this way always, if I could."

"With your cock in my ass and stuck on this ship?" Taka asked dryly. "I don't think so."

Raiden chuckled. "There you go being practical again, and here I thought I would break you to decadent yet." He reached up to stroke Taka's skin around the necklace, trailing his throat, and his chest, teasing his nipples again.

Taka sucked in a breath, cock twitching despite having just spent. "Stop that," he said, and he grabbed Raiden's wrist to halt his movements.

"If you insist," Raiden said. Taka whimpered when his cock finally slipped free, not at all protesting when Raiden rose up and swung Taka down to lie on the bunk and more than a little pleased when Raiden discarded his pants and stretched out on top of him.

They lay there, quiet and comfortable despite the limited confines, smelling of sweat and sex and sea. "We'll be landing soon," Taka said softly. "I wish I knew what was going to happen."

"All will be well," Raiden said, kissing his throat. Taka wanted to believe him, and he almost did. But he'd seen the looks that had fallen over Raiden and Kyo's faces, the way they'd shut down and fled the main deck to hide in their respective cabins.

Something was going on, and it was long past time someone told him what—but he could not bring himself to ruin the mood. He would find out soon, and that would have to suffice. He settled for holding Raiden close, trying to imagine 'them' as a normal part of his life. He was rather frightened at how easy it was to imagine. "So if I were to avoid returning to Kundou, where do you recommend I go first?"

"Pozhar," Raiden replied almost immediately. "You would like it there, despite the tensions of hunting the Vessels. Not to be trite, but the people there are very warm. The Vessels, their worship—fear—of a god of rebirth, gives them a very different outlook on life. They believe their High Priests can see the past lives of every person. That every life is a chance to fix the mistakes of a past one, a chance to work toward something even better in the next life. No one believes that as deeply as the people of Pozhar. They also excel at beating back the cold that plagues their country much of the year. Warm, in many ways."

"I would imagine you also have bought most of the rubi they produce."

Raiden chuckled. "I do have more than a few rubi in my collection, yes. Their goldsmiths are also quite extraordinary."

"Hopeless."

Still chuckling, Raiden shifted, raising himself up slightly to begin pressing kisses to random points all over Taka's face and throat and torso, occasionally exchanging lips for tongue or teeth. Taka groaned, angling his head to give him better access and shivering when hands joined mouth.

With agonizing slowness, Raiden worked down his body, and Taka swore when that wicked mouth teased over his cock only to then pull away. He spread his legs eagerly, breath leaving him as Raiden thrust inside him. Taka knew he'd be sore later, but just did not care, meeting Raiden full measure as he began to fuck Taka hard, bending down to kiss him with the same heat and force.

Taka had no idea how he had lasted so long without surrendering to Raiden. No doubt the reasons would return, but he rather hoped they took their time.

Raiden wrapped a hand around Taka's cock and stroked him off hard and fast, and Taka cried his name as he came. Raiden followed him almost immediately, muffing his own cry in the crook of Taka's throat. Taka whimpered when Raiden withdrew and curled into him, suddenly ready for a nap. "How sad that after these months at sea, I'm going to be too tired to move when we finally reach land again."

Laughing, Raiden sat up long enough to untangle the blankets and settle them in place. Taka felt a kiss on his brow and tried to say something, but could tell it just came out a senseless mumble as he drifted off to sleep.

*~*~*

He woke to someone shaking him and blinked blearily up at Raiden. He frowned, confused, to see the remarkably plain robe Raiden wore. It was the same dark blue as his hair and had been secured with a white sash that had a pattern of waves, touched with seed pearls upon it. "What?" he grumbled.

"We just made land," Raiden said. "I thought you would prefer to get cleaned up and dressed, though I certainly don't mind if—"

"Hold your breath," Taka cut in, and pushed him far enough away he could stand up—and yelped when Raiden grabbed him, yanked him close, and kissed his sore lips until they throbbed. "Brat."

Raiden kissed his brow and let him go. "Get ready," he said softly and left the room.

Taka stared after him, heart suddenly beating far too quickly in his chest. Dragons, what was going on? Shaking his head, he went to the pitcher and bowl that had been left for him and quickly cleaned off, and then pulled on the dark green robe and white and green striped sash that had been left for him. He used Raiden's comb to tidy his hair and sat down to pull on the ankle boots set out. He wondered if it was Raiden or Kyo who had gone through his clothes and surmised Raiden. Kyo did not favor stripes most of the time.

Finally dressed, but feeling far from prepared, Taka left his cabin and headed up to the main deck. When he got there, he saw that the crew had just begun disembarking and were climbing down into the longboats that would take them to shore. He stared out at the island they had come so far to visit. It seemed largely barren, though he saw some scrub here and there. "Why this place?" he asked aloud.

He jumped when Kin said from behind him, "That is what I would like to know. But your storming brother snuck onto the first longboat and now is somewhere on land. I have no idea why he did it, or what he is doing, but he knows I can't leave the ship yet."

"Storms have mercy on us," Taka replied. "I'll go after him."

Kin gave a jerky nod, and called out to the sailors loading the next boat. Taka climbed awkwardly down the rope ladder Kin showed him, mostly falling into the boat at the bottom. He took his seat, wondering belatedly where Raiden had gone. "Where's Raiden?"

"Went in the last boat," a sailor replied.

Taka frowned, not liking that Raiden and Kyo had both slipped away. What in the dragons' names was going on with those two? He was going to soak their heads when he caught up to them.

He barely waited for the boat to hit the sand before he had climbed out. "Where are Raiden and Kyo?" he demanded of the sailors working on the beach organizing supplies and coordinating the longboats.

Two sailors pointed, and one of them said, "They both went that way. Didn't look happy, I wouldn't—"

Taka didn't wait to hear the rest of the statement, just strode off in the direction indicated, a bad feeling churning in his gut and the buzz of dragon magic making his head ache. He trudged across the sand, and then walked more carefully over uneven rock, swearing when he slipped, grazing his knees and the palms of his hands on the landing. Fantasizing about all the violent things he would do to Raiden and Kyo when he found them, Taka clambered to his feet and resumed walking.