Chapter 5
5
“ W here are we going?” Lothian fiddled with the tie binding his eyes.
“And why do I have to wear this?”
Dante batted his hand away.
“It’s a surprise. Now that you’re finally back on your feet, I thought it might be nice to get out of the house for a bit.”
Agnes had allowed Lothian to go off bedrest the day before, and he was itching to do something other than read and sleep.
The first few days had been nice, relaxing even.
Ryland had stopped sending posies, thank goodness, and instead wrote to him every day.
Though Lothian had agreed to let Ryland be around more, he was still being cautious with his heart.
He only let the alpha visit every few days.
They sat in the drawing room and talked.
Lothian had learned that Ryland came from a big family himself, with four siblings—three sisters and a brother.
All three of his sisters were omegas and had children of their own.
His brother was a beta who had gone into the clergy.
Ryland told stories of the chaos of having so many children so close in age, but it only made Lothian laugh.
It was pleasant to spend an hour or so in Ryland’s company, but Lothian hadn’t forgotten all the nights of crying.
He was still reluctant to let the alpha into his life.
Apparently, he’d been moping.
Dante suggested this outing to cheer him up and get him out of the house now that the danger had passed.
The carriage rocked to a stop, and Lothian’s heart kicked up a beat.
He strained his ears to see if he could recognize where they were.
The quiet afternoon was filled with the buzz of insects, the clucking of chickens, and the whickering of horses.
The air was scented with hay and wildflowers.
He reached for the blindfold.
“Can I take it off now?”
Dante stifled a laugh.
“Yes, you may remove it now.”
Lothian pulled the strip of fabric from his eyes and blinked.
The sun blinded him for a moment, but then his eyes adjusted and he realized they were in the courtyard of a small castle.
It rose grandly, several floors of gray stone dotted with slender windows.
Silver banners waved on top of the battlements.
“Where are we?”
The breeze changed, bringing Lothian the leather and rum scent of Ryland before the other man stepped up to the carriage door.
“This is my home, and you are most welcome.” He opened the door and lowered the stairs, beaming as he offered Lothian his hand.
Lothian blinked in surprise.
There were people in the courtyard, servants and merchants, but everyone stood there and stared at him as he descended.
He supposed he couldn’t blame them, swollen with pregnancy as he was.
When he stepped onto the soil of Ryland’s home for the first time, a cheer went up.
Heat burned Lothian’s cheeks.
Ryland took his arm and leaned down to whisper in his ear.
“They are happy you bring the heir with you to visit.”
Lothian paused, shock singing in his veins.
“But Ryland! What if he’s an omega like me?”
Ryland tugged him gently forward.
“I hope he is exactly like you. Omega or not, he shall inherit all this. At least, unless we furnish him with brothers and sisters to care for.” He grinned.
Lothian gulped.
Ryland said the sweetest things but had not yet attempted to bond with him.
Did he still want that?
Lothian found himself wishing for the day Ryland would sink his fangs into his flesh and claim him.
His chest grew tight at the mere thought.
“Come,” Ryland said, drawing him into the castle.
“There is much to see.”
True to his word, Ryland showed him most of the castle and some of the grounds as well, though Lothian couldn’t ride.
The tenants were all kind and jovial, and the small town that surrounded the castle was bustling with townspeople who all greeted them happily.
He caught more than a few longing glances directed Ryland’s way, but he could hardly blame them.
Ryland, for all the glances, didn’t take his eyes off Lothian.
That night, they dined in the great hall.
The cook set out a sumptuous feast of ham and pheasant.
There were fresh greens, potatoes, and carrots as well.
Lothian ate until he couldn’t manage another bite.
That was when they brought out dessert.
Lothian waved it away, laughing.
“If I have any more, I’ll likely burst.”
Ryland smiled at him.
“This dessert is my favorite. Perhaps we will save it for later. Shall we retire to the drawing room?”
“As long as you promise not to smoke. It will surely upset the baby.”
Ryland stood and walked to his chair, extending his hand to help Lothian from his seat.
“Then, I promise I won’t. I’m not a big fan of cigars anyway.”
“No?” Lothian heaved himself to his feet.
“Do you prefer a pipe?”
Ryland tucked Lothian’s hand into the crook of his arm and led him into the drawing room, where the fire crackled merrily.
It was a beautiful spring night, but the castle itself was a touch chilly.
Fires and the tapestries lining the stone walls kept the rooms toasty, though.
The alpha helped him take a seat on one of the plush sofas and took his place beside him.
“No, I’ve never been a pipe smoker, either. My father and brother will have a cigar now and again, and sometimes I’ll partake with them, but that’s about all.”
Lothian looked into the flames, recalling a memory of his Ommie and Papa.
“My father used to smoke a pipe every night before bed. He said it helped him settle. When Ommie got sick, he rarely picked it up. I knew something was wrong then.”
“I’m sorry.” Ryland took Lothian’s hand and squeezed it.
“Whatever for?”
“Dante told me you lost your parents young. That must have been difficult. Would you care for a drink? Brandy or perhaps tea?”
“Tea would be lovely.” Lothian smiled at the alpha.
“It was very hard on me to lose both of them so quickly. I think that’s why I had such an iron grip on the idea of finding a mate in a certain way.”
“You wanted to make a rational choice. That’s wise.”
Lothian shook his head, his heart hammering.
“Yes and no. I was thinking only with my head, and neglected the fact that there’s more to mating than mere thought. It involves bodies and spirits as well.”
Ryland leaned closer, his scent washing over Lothian.
Lothian shivered, though the room was quite warm.
He licked his lips.
Ryland’s gaze followed the movement.
“I must confess something, Lothian.”
Lothian drew back his shoulders and cupped his hands over his swollen belly.
“What?”
“I brought you here for a reason.” Ryland glanced around and ran a hand through his hair.
“I want to claim you. Here, in my home. Tonight, if you’re willing.”
Lothian swallowed.
His throat had gone dry.
“I—”
Ryland took Lothian’s hands in his and kissed them.
“Please, Lothian.”
Lothian met his gaze and tried to find a response.
He could no longer say he didn’t know Ryland.
Dante had been right about that.
He knew the important things.
He knew Ryland wanted him, cared for him.
And he cared for Ryland, too.
They would soon be raising a child together.
Could he take that step and bind them together forever?
Lothian didn’t have to think long.
He reached for Ryland and lifted his face into a kiss.
Ryland sighed, the breath fluttering against Lothian’s lips, and wrapped his arms around the omega.
The kiss grew deeper and was followed by another and another, until they were both shaking with arousal.
Ryland pulled back.
“Wait.”
Lothian bristled.
“What?”
Ryland smoothed Lothian’s hair back from his face.
“Not here. We should do this properly.”
Lothian kissed him again.
“If we’d been doing this properly , we wouldn’t be where we are now.” He gestured at his burgeoning belly.
Ryland chuckled.
“I suppose that’s true. But this part, I would like to do right.” He stood and swept Lothian up into his arms.
Lothian gasped.
“Ryland! You can’t possibly carry me!”
“I can and I will.” Ryland grinned and set off toward his bedchamber.
Lothian clung to his neck.
When Ryland set Lothian down near his bed, he grew shy, twining his fingers in his skirts.
“Are you sure you want to?”
Ryland lifted Lothian’s chin and met his worried gaze.
“More than anything.”
He slowly stripped Lothian’s clothing away, piece by piece, dropping kisses on each inch of exposed skin.
He spent a long time caressing Lothian’s rounded stomach before getting on his knees and taking Lothian’s cock in hand.
Lothian gasped, eyes widening as Ryland lowered his head and sucked the tip into his mouth.
“Ryland!”
Pleasure zinged up Lothian’s spine.
His muscles tightened.
He swayed with the intensity of the sensation.
It took mere minutes for Lothian to be nearly as lost to arousal as he had been in heat.
He reached for Ryland and drew him to his feet.
Ryland grinned and dropped a quick kiss on Lothian’s lips.
“You taste sweet.”
A flush crawled up Lothian’s neck.
“You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to.” Ryland took a moment to shuck his own clothes before returning to Lothian’s side.
He lifted the smaller omega in his arms again and laid him on the enormous bed.
Then, he crawled between Lothian’s spread thighs.
“I want to do this, too.”
He bent to kiss Lothian’s belly, then his pelvis and his thighs.
He kissed and licked Lothian’s cock before sliding farther down the bed and licking a stripe between his cheeks.
Lothian’s back arched in pleasure.
Ryland took his time, licking and sucking at all that tender flesh until Lothian was writhing on the bed and chanting his name.
Finally satisfied with having driven Lothian to the brink, he climbed back up his body until they were face-to-face.
“Are you ready?”
“Please, Ryland! Yes!” Lothian’s whole body throbbed with need.
His hole ached.
He gripped Ryland’s shoulders and drew him into a kiss, tasting the sweet and salt of himself on Ryland’s tongue.
Ryland slid slowly into him, drawing out the sensation until Lothian groaned.
Once he was fully seated, stretching Lothian so deliciously, he began to move.
His golden gaze focused on Lothian’s flushed face.
“Lothian, love, I needed you so badly.”
“You have me.”
Ryland bent down to run his nose along Lothian’s neck, his hips still working to bring them both pleasure.
He inhaled deeply.
“Gods, you smell amazing. I’ll never get enough of you.”
Lothian wrapped his arms around Ryland’s neck and buried his hands in his hair.
“Come here, then.” He drew Ryland’s mouth against his pulse point, turning his head to give the alpha vampire better access.
He didn’t want to wait another second to be bonded to this male.
“Feed.”
Ryland’s teeth pierced his skin with a pop.
Blood seemed to rush through Lothian’s body to meet the bite, and a deep, sweet languidness began flowing through him.
It was wondrous.
He couldn’t contain the cry of delight that flew from his lips as his orgasm crashed down on him.
His whole body shook.
Growing up, omegas were often instructed about the bonding bite.
It was a momentous occasion, after all.
Their teachers had said there would be pleasure with the bite, but no one had said how much.
Lothian didn’t think anything had ever felt so good.
Ryland took another mouthful of blood, and Lothian actually felt the bond snap into place.
There was a tie now, between him and the alpha, that could never be broken.
A moment later, Ryland followed him into bliss, his voice hoarse and body shaking.
Lothian felt the warm spread of his seed, the stretch of his knot locking them together.
He recalled feeling like this the first time, that his body and Ryland’s had been made to fit together.
And now they did.
Lothian sighed.
“Perfect.”