Chapter 18 #2
Luke calculated the time that would leave them. If the drive revealed Hale’s involvement—or gave Luke any indication of what Hale expected him to deliver—he needed those answers before the call.
“I’ll need time to understand whatever Koios finds before nine.”
“You will have it,” Tyson said.
“Good.”
“You also require rest,” Connal added.
“I’m fine.”
Gomez pointed a chicken nugget at him. “You’ve been attacked twice, dragged across realms, and forced to spend an unreasonable amount of time with men who think shirts are optional. Go to bed.”
Asterius glanced down at his human clothing. “I am wearing a shirt.”
“And yet you still look shirtless. It’s a gift.”
“I have often thought so.”
Luke ignored them. “I’m not arguing with the plan.”
“You’re arguing with the sleeping part,” Gomez said.
Luke opened his mouth.
Gomez raised the chicken nugget in warning. “You’ve delivered my food, so your responsibilities here are officially complete.” He gestured toward the chamber doors. “Go. Rest. Do whatever magical soulmates do when their best friend is safely supervised.”
Luke looked around at the pixies, gargoyles, and warriors surrounding the bed. “Supervised may be overstating it.”
Fizzwick landed on Gomez’s shoulder. “I will protect him.”
“See?” Gomez said. “Perfectly safe.”
Luke stood and retrieved his backpack. “I’ll see you before we leave.”
“You’d better.”
Luke left the chamber with Connal beside him as the others began to disperse. Zer collected Avaneel, who carried one final fry into his hair. The gargoyles remained with Gomez, Fred still holding his new toy, while Asterius and Keir left in search of whatever food had survived the pixies.
By the time Luke and Connal reached Connal's chamber, the castle had quieted around them.
Luke closed the door, shrugged off the backpack, and removed the drive from the watch pocket of his jeans.
Hale had told him to keep it secure. Someone else had been willing to kill for it. Tomorrow, Luke might finally learn why.
He opened the backpack and tucked the drive inside an inner compartment.
“It will be safe in my chambers,” Connal said.
“Safer than sleeping with it in my pants.”
Connal’s gaze dropped.
Luke noticed. “Especially since I don’t plan on wearing them for long.”
“Rest,” Connal said. “You require it.”
The order might have carried more weight if Connal’s gaze hadn’t taken its time returning to Luke’s face. Luke had managed to keep their morning in the bathing chamber out of his thoughts while dealing with Hale, the drive, and the chaos in Gomez’s chambers.
Now he remembered every second of it.
Luke pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on top of his backpack. “I’m not all that tired.”
He toed off his shoes and socks, then opened his jeans and lowered the zipper.
Connal watched his every move.
Luke pushed the jeans over his hips, revealing his tight black boxer briefs. They weren’t doing much to hide how happy he was to be alone with Connal again. “But if you’d prefer to sleep, I can take care of this by myself.”
Connal yanked his tunic over his head and flung it across the room. “I am a warrior. I have more than enough strength left for you.”
“Do you?” Luke teased.
Luke pushed his jeans the rest of the way down and stepped out of them.
Connal’s hands stilled at his own waistband, his gaze fixed on Luke.
“If you intend this to be a challenge, you should be prepared for me to answer it.”
Luke reached into his boxers and stroked himself. “Consider yourself challenged.”
A man as big as Connal shouldn’t be able to move so damn fast. Before Luke knew what was happening, Connal had crossed the room, dropped to his knees in front of Luke, and then his hot, wet mouth replaced Luke’s hand.
Luke grabbed Connal’s hair and held on. He didn’t know what was hotter, the sight of Connal on his knees or the slurping and smacking sounds Connal made as he bobbed up and down on Luke’s cock. After one particularly hard suck, Luke’s knees nearly buckled.
It took Connal less than a second to have one of his big hands against Luke’s back, pinning him in place. It took less time than that for Connal’s hand to slip lower, dipping between Luke’s cheeks to tease at his entrance.
Luke clenched Connal’s hair and tried to gently ease him back. “Connal, this is gonna be over fast if—”
Connal sucked harder and the tip of his finger breached Luke’s hole.
“Oh, fuck.”
Connal moaned around him and pushed his finger the slightest bit deeper. He drew back until only the head of Luke’s cock remained in his mouth, then wrapped his other hand around the base. Between hand and mouth, Connal found a rhythm that sucked every brain cell out of Luke’s head.
Luke’s breath came hard and fast. With one final pull, Connal sucked his orgasm free and held him through every tremble and twitch.
When Luke was nothing more than a spent mess, Connal released his cock and stood.
He had Luke on his back on the bed seconds later.
Connal’s eyes were wild with need. Luke lifted his knees and planted his feet on the bed, spreading his legs wide. “Show me.”
Connal settled between them, his broad thighs pressing Luke’s farther apart. His cock suited the rest of him—thick, long, and intimidating enough that Luke couldn’t look away. Connal wrapped one hand around himself without breaking eye contact.
“That’s it,” Luke said.
Connal stroked himself hard and fast, adding a twist at the end.
Luke gasped at the sight. His cock gave a valiant twitch, trying to fill again.
“Come, Connal. Give it to me.”
Connal braced one hand beside Luke’s ribs and continued stroking himself until he came in a hot, sticky mess across Luke’s stomach.
It was the sexiest thing Luke had ever experienced.
Connal leaned down over him, then collapsed to the side.
He threw one big thigh over Luke and pinned him to the bed.
Luke’s stomach flipped. Connal raised his head and studied the come streaked across Luke’s skin, then lifted his gaze to Luke’s face.
“The bond is pleased.”
Luke frowned. “How can the bond be pleased?”
Connal’s expression softened. “It responds to our closeness, even while it remains unfinished. If you choose to complete the bond, you will feel what I do.”
Then Connal settled against him and, within seconds, the warrior who’d claimed to have more than enough strength began snoring against Luke’s neck.
The sound should have been annoying. Instead, it soothed something inside Luke that had been braced for danger since the first attack.
Tomorrow could have its questions.
Tonight, Luke was exactly where he wanted to be.