Light And Shadow
The way Declan looked at him made Aquilan feel like a treasure beyond compare.
Declan stood at the edge of the bed between his legs staring down at him with hooded red eyes.
His starlight-colored hair fell across his forehead, shimmering.
His long, lean body with gorgeously defined muscles was mostly still except for when he breathed.
Long, deep breaths that raised and lowered his powerful shoulders.
Declan didn’t even blink at first. Then those eyes slowly moved from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. Aquilan scrunched his toes as he swore that gaze had physical weight.
“This is my first time being naked with someone I… care for,” Declan whispered. The hesitation before “care” made Aquilan think there was another word that Declan really meant but was too uncertain to say.
Do I want him to say love? Shouldn’t I be trying to slow this thing down between us? But I’ve never felt this way before about anyone. I’m certain I belong with him. And I don’t want to stop.
Aquilan’s lips parted. “Oh, y-yes, of course. You said you’d never been with anyone.”
“Never wanted to be,” Declan corrected softly.
Of course, Declan could have been with anyone he wanted.
Even without stripping off the glamor, Declan was gorgeous.
But even if his looks had not been so fine, there was something compelling about the young man.
He was masterful. A born leader. Certain of himself in ways that some people never attained even in an immortal life.
He understood why Vex was so very… vexed by his son.
Declan was no innocent stripling bumbling about the world–much like Darcassan and Elasha–but a fully formed being.
He knew the hard things Declan had gone through had shaped him into this, but it was also something innate in his Shadow.
Blessed by the gods. Meant for great things. To get around Vex’s enchantments, he would have to be. He must have a great destiny.
All of this made Declan incredibly desirable.
In contrast, Aquilan had never wanted to be destined for anything.
His greatest desire had been to hunt, sing, eat good food and drink good wine with wonderful friends.
Finding out that he was Ailduin reborn hadn’t changed that.
In fact, he was still shying away from this revelation.
Pretending it wasn’t true. That he wasn’t missing memories.
That he hadn’t lived an incredible life before this one.
A life that still had an effect on the Aravae and maybe even the Kindreth.
Maybe it was because he had been Ailduin that he didn’t desire to be at the center of things again.
Maybe being destined had cost him everything in the past and he wanted to protect himself this time around.
He pushed that thought aside. There were far more important things to think about. Like the fact that Declan wasn’t alone in having a first this night.
“To be honest, I think this is the first time I’ve been with someone I truly care for, too,” Aquilan said and found his cheeks heating.
Declan tilted his head to the side and the faintest smile parted his lips and showed the hint of fangs. Heat pooled between Aquilan’s legs and his cock pulsed in reaction.
The Kindreth are so like us and so different, too.
There was the sense he was in the presence of someone incredibly dangerous. Not that Declan would ever hurt him. But it reminded him of the time when he’d found himself face to face with a wyvern.
He’d been climbing in the Cithrel Mountains and accidentally stumbled upon a nest. The golden creature had been curled around a single egg that was half as large as him.
The wyvern, too, had red eyes, which had been fixed upon him, but less with desire than…
Well, maybe it was desire. But it was the desire to eat him.
Declan didn’t want to eat him.
Not that way.
He shivered at the pleasurable thought of Declan wanting to do the other kind of devouring.
“I am glad that you feel similarly, but I know you have lived a long time,” Declan answered. “So you have had much experience with lovemaking.”
Lovemaking? No. Having sex? Yes. But the word still sticks in my throat, too, my Shadow.
“Not as much as your father,” Aquilan found himself saying with a wry smile.
Declan let out a huff of laughter. “No one has as much experience as him. And he will proudly tell anyone who asks about it.”
Aquilan chuckled. Vex attempting to give his son sexual advice had been rather endearing if not exactly traditional.
“I hope you don’t mind that I sent him away,” Aquilan said. “I assumed you wanted us to be alone, but–”
“I am most grateful.” Declan’s eyes glowed a sulfurous red and he tossed his head back. “He talks too much.”
Aquilan let out a tinkling laugh. “You truly are bold to say such a thing about the Night King!”
Declan shrugged. “It is distracting and the last thing I want is to be distracted from you.”
Aquilan’s throat became tight. He’d had attentive lovers.
He’d had lovers who had composed poetry about his beauty.
They’d sung songs about their adoration for him.
And it wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate their efforts–or know how precious it was to inspire such artistic expression–but this felt different.
Having all of Declan’s attention meant more than any epic poem or romantic ballad.
“I am honored,” he admitted.
“As I said, I know you have had much experience in this so I do not believe it will be as momentous for you–”
“It will be,” Aquilan breathily cut him off. “Shadow…”
Declan slow-blinked at him, obviously enjoying his pet name.
“Shadow,” his voice dropped, “quality always trumps quantity. But, more importantly, this is our first time together and I can assure you that I have never experienced something as meaningful.”
Declan slow-blinked once more and nodded. “I understand. This matters as much to you as to me.”
“Yes.”
“I am so glad. I cannot… words are not my friends, as you know. But that truly makes me happy,” Declan said, proving, yet again, that words were his friends. He always expressed himself so beautifully.
“Now that we’ve got that out of the way. Tell me what you want to do,” Aquilan urged.
He is new at this and I will guide, but let him take the lead. Not that he seems uncertain or shy…
Like in all things, Declan appeared to be studying the situation and coming up with a strategy to conquer. His toes curled again.
“We will only do what you are ready for, Shadow. Whatever you want,” Aquilan hurried out as he prepared to offer them just to lay beside one another.
But Declan said, “I wish to be inside you. May I?”
Aquilan blinked.
He blinked again.
Faint lines formed between Declan’s brows and he lowered his head, digging one foot into the grass. “I am sorry. Perhaps I have said this wrong. Or maybe you do not want–”
“No! You’ve said nothing wrong, Declan,” Aquilan assured him. “You’ve said everything right and I do want that. I was just… surprised. You’re new at this and I thought you’d want to take things slow.”
“I do not know if I can,” Declan admitted. Then quickly he added, “But if that is what you want, I will control myself and–”
“No, no,” Aquilan laughed a little hysterically. “I am more than eager to have you inside of me.”
Another of those fang-showing smiles. “Good. I promise we will do things slowly afterwards. But I am too on edge and I… I must have you.”
Another blink. A slow blink. The Kindreth were different. “Oh, well, I understand that.”
Did he?
He wasn’t sure.
But he was willing to learn as they went.
“Do you know how this goes?” Aquilan asked. Again, Declan was new to this and likely did not know about lubricant or preparation or any of it. “I am happy to give guidance–”
“I know.” Declan had one knee now on the bed between his thighs. With a wry smile. “Father left instructions in my mind.”
“He–he did?” Aquilan’s voice cracked. He cleared it and repeated more firmly, “He did?”
A soft snort. “Yes, but for this I am grateful. And I will have to thank him for it. Which will likely just encourage him, but it cannot be helped. I want you to experience as much pleasure as possible.”
I want you to experience as much pleasure as possible.
“This is your first time. Your pleasure is paramount,” Aquilan got out.
He was acting like the virgin here and, really, he had to get a hold of himself, but just feeling the heat of Declan’s body near his own was short circuiting his brain.
Declan caressed his left cheek and drew his thumb across Aquilan’s lips. It left a trail of tingles. “There is nothing more pleasurable to me than pleasing you completely.”
“Oh.”
Again, lovers in the past had said similar things. And perhaps they had really meant it. Not because he was king, but because they truly cared for him. But when Declan said it… it was more like some kind of solemn pact. He’d never felt so treasured. So loved.
“I want to touch you first. May I?” Declan asked.
“Y-yes,” his voice was a breathy acquiescence.
Declan’s hands dropped to his waist. He framed it.
With slow, careful movements he slid those hands up Aquilan’s sides.
His stomach jumped at the slightly ticklish yet erotic touches.
They were sure and strong. Declan was a warrior.
His muscles were well-trained to wield a sword and he used that strength to cause Aquilan’s breath to catch.
Declan’s thumbs circled Aquilan’s nipples causing them to peak. His Shadow tilted his head to the side as he ran one thumb over his right nipple. He watched carefully as Aquilan’s breath caught again and his cock quivered.
Noting it for later?