Omari Haru
FOUR
Nori was waiting for them, looking tired and annoyed, when they returned to the clan. Haru moved ahead of their group and kneeled before his clan leader and uncle, bowing his head.
“Please do not be angry, dear Uncle. Adrian and the others disobeyed you out of fear for me. If you must be angry, be angry with me.”
Nori huffed and grabbed Haru’s arms, pulling him until Haru climbed to his feet. He tapped Haru on the chin, his annoyance melting away. “I’m not angry, you frustrating child. I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t worry. Adrian will stay with me through the night to keep me and the clan safe.”
Another disgruntled noise escaped Nori, as if he knew the methods he planned to use to keep Adrian at his side and his mind distracted from the powers that roiled inside him. “Fine. Fine. I’ve had some food sent to your room. Eat, please. You need to keep up your strength.”
“Thank you for your patience, Clan Leader,” Adrian murmured with a bow of his head. “I promise to watch over him.”
“Good. Do not let him cause you to lose sleep, though. He is too much of a troublemaker.”
Haru bussed a quick kiss to Nori’s cheek, making the old dragon bluster as Haru snagged Adrian’s hand and pulled him deep into the clan’s buildings, heading toward his chambers.
During Adrian’s first visit to the Isle of Stone, he’d not had the chance to show Adrian his quarters. He would not miss the chance again.
Leaving the others far behind to deal with Nori, Haru pulled Adrian along at a quick pace, weaving down corridors and through courtyards until he reached his rooms, close to his sister’s.
“You will sleep with me in here tonight,” Haru announced as he slid the double doors open.
Familiar scents from old incense and the nearby night-blooming jasmine filled his nose.
Some of the tension that continued to tighten his shoulders unwound as he stepped into his domain.
When he’d first returned to his home, he’d not even attempted to sleep in his rooms. He hadn’t trusted his own mind and had wanted to put as much space as possible between himself and his clan mates.
Adrian’s strong arms wrapped around Haru’s waist from behind while he rested his chin on Haru’s shoulder. “It looks exactly as I expected it to.”
Haru blinked, trying to see the room lit by low-burning candles and lamps through Adrian’s eyes.
At the entrance was the main sitting room with an assortment of chairs and a cushioned daybed set by a low table.
He entertained little, but on the rare occasions that he read, he preferred to lounge comfortably.
There was an assortment of delicately painted scrolls on the walls, featuring flowers or distant mountains.
Either his sister or his mother had painted most of them.
To the right and up two short stairs was his barely used study with a desk and several shelves that held books and scrolls.
To the right was his bedroom with its enormous bed and mountain of pillows. Attached to the bedroom was a bathroom with a tub that wasn’t big enough to accommodate him and Adrian. That would need to be changed.
But that was for later.
For now, it was enough that Adrian was here in his domain.
He wanted Adrian’s scent to permeate this room as much as the jasmine.
His mate needed to be at ease moving among his collection of things.
And then Adrian needed to add his own things—clothes, weapons, and items he’d picked up during his travels.
These rooms needed to belong to both of them.
The voices that had whispered nonstop in his mind since he’d first accepted the powers of the Goddess of Nightmares had grown quiet.
He could still sense them there, watching and shifting in his mind.
Coming home had helped to soothe the storm of energy, but having Adrian here had tipped the scales in his favor, giving him peace at last.
“Let’s eat before you bathe and go to bed,” Adrian suggested, pointing to the food that had arrived after they did and was now set out on the table.
There were several dishes under covers and a pot of wine.
The idea of eating while he’d been away from Adrian had largely turned his stomach, but now the promise of food from his home sounded delicious.
Haru caught Adrian’s hand and pulled him to sit on a cushion next to him.
They worked together in silence, lifting the lids to see what had been prepared so late for them.
Delicious scents and spices wafted up on curls of steam, making Haru’s stomach growl.
Yet, he filled Adrian’s plate first prior to diving into his own food.
It was only after he’d inhaled a good portion of his food that he noticed Adrian was picking at his.
“Are you not hungry? Or is this not to your liking? I can go to the kitchen and see what else they have.”
“No! No, this is good. I ate earlier. I guess I don’t have much of an appetite.”
Haru set aside his bowl of rice and picked up the pot of wine to refresh his and Adrian’s cups. “You’re still angry.”
“Yes.” Adrian exhaled.
“At me?”
“No. Yes. I’m madder at Tyche for hurting you.”
“Don’t be angry at Tyche.” Haru reached out and brushed his fingertips along Adrian’s rough cheek.
His lover had not shaved in a while, and there was a thick growth of stubble that felt almost like sandpaper.
It was interesting, since Adrian always endeavored to remain clean-shaven.
“I’m touched by your concern for me, but we must think about it from a logical point of view.
We saw the devastation that Cirina wrought with her powers in Bellcairn.
I’m sure it would have been ten times worse if she got her hands on her sister’s powers.
None of us would have been able to escape.
I chose this to keep you and everyone else safe.
If you must be angry, be angry with me.”
“Maybe…” Adrian mumbled. It sounded as if he agreed with Haru but wasn’t ready to release his stubbornly held anger at the God of Luck.
Adrian’s concern for him charmed Haru, but he didn’t want Adrian to harbor misplaced anger against Tyche.
“If he were so worried about keeping the powers safe, why didn’t he take them? He’s already a god.”
“True, but he’s not a warrior like I am.
” Haru lowered his eyes to the remaining food on his plate, moving it about with his chopsticks.
“I think it says a lot about his inner strength and self-control that he chose not to take the powers. While no one has said it to me, I have pieced together the idea that the Goddess of the Hunt rose to power by killing gods and stealing their powers. What if Tyche had to watch this mad goddess murder other gods and goddesses he knew? What if he experienced years of fear and was forced to hide to protect himself from Zyros? Tyche would not wish to create another situation like that, so he chose me.”
Adrian lifted his dark gaze to Haru, and the hint of a smirk toyed with his plush lips, making Haru want to lean in and steal a kiss. “And you don’t want to go around killing gods so you can become the most powerful creature in all of Thia?”
The idea was ridiculous. Nothing within Haru craved power and domination like that. However…
“Would you like me to become a god? I will become so powerful that even my cousin must bow to me, and I will obey only my Adrian.”
A sharp bark of laughter broke from Adrian’s throat, and he shook his head. “No. I simply want my Haru back. No extra powers, please.”
“Good.” Haru leaned close, stealing a kiss.
There was no hesitation on Adrian’s part.
His mouth opened the moment their lips brushed, welcoming Haru deep inside where their tongues slid together.
There was a vague hint of the mellow peach wine they’d been drinking.
The rest was all Adrian. The sweet, wonderful mate he’d missed so much.
His heart picked up its pace, and the powers resting low in his chest stirred, but Haru shoved them aside, wrapping them in his own energy to muffle them while trying to give Adrian his full attention. Nothing could distract him from this man.
“Haru,” Adrian groaned into his mouth. He broke off the kiss but didn’t fully pull away. Adrian dragged his lips down Haru’s jaw, kissing his neck. “You need to finish eating.”
He closed his eyes and sighed at the feel of those soft, nipping kisses. “I find my appetite has shifted to desiring something else.”
Adrian chuckled low and sat up straight. “Then let’s get you into the bath so we can get ready for bed. Tyche and Caelan are going to have us up early for boring meetings. And Nori has made it very clear that we need our rest.”
A wicked grin spread across Haru’s lips, and Adrian laughed even harder. Sure. They’d get their rest, but they knew Haru wouldn’t be allowing either of them to sleep until he’d tasted all of Adrian first.
They paused only long enough to place what remaining food there was under covers.
Haru rose and pulled Adrian to his feet, where he stole yet another kiss before Adrian could break away.
He didn’t give the man a chance to admonish him.
He just guided him through the bedroom to the bathroom, where he started the water flowing into the tub.
“There isn’t enough room for both of us,” Adrian observed as he stared at the pristine white tub. It was long and slender, which was perfect for Haru’s tall, narrow frame. However, Adrian would struggle a bit with his wider, more muscular body. It would not be a comfortable fit.
“I will wash quickly.”