Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Elijah’s gaze dropped to where Alistair’s hands were moving, unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves and rolling them up to reveal–
“No…”
Alistair nodded, expression firm. “I tried every treatment the military could think of, and when they couldn’t help me anymore and medically discharged me, I spent some time in an institution in an attempt to get better.
None of it worked. I couldn't keep track of my reality. I couldn’t be trusted to not hurt someone with my magic.
I’ve got two kids, and I would have been devastated if I accidentally hurt them.
When someone suggested these, I had to accept that the only way I could live normally again was with help.
If I wanted to be normal, I had to make a difficult choice. ”
“Why are you telling me this?” Elijah breathed, eyes swimming with tears as he touched the magical blockers.
They were created for criminals, to keep the community safe from those who would use their magic to hurt others.
They were beyond cruel. It wasn’t that the person wearing it had no magic.
They just had no access to it. They were cut off from everything and everyone in their lives, and if they ever attempted to use their gift, the punishment was said to be excruciating.
Elijah wouldn’t wish them on his worst enemy.
And he definitely wouldn’t wish them on the protective, sweet man sitting next to him.
“Because I know what it’s like to have to choose between your magic and protecting the community. I understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. But these cuffs won’t kill me. What you’re doing to yourself will kill you, Elijah. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let that happen.”
Elijah’s already tenuous grip on his emotions faltered, and the tears spilled over his cheeks without warning. He wanted to hear what Alistair was trying to say. He knew suppressing his magic went against nature. He just…
“I don’t want to be alone anymore…” he breathed, his voice cracking from the swell of emotion.
“You’re not alone. I’m here with you, and I’m not going anywhere.”
A sob escaped, and when Alistair drew Elijah to his feet and into his arms, he latched on desperately. He couldn’t remember the last hug he’d been given. No one had ever offered him what Alistair was dangling in front of him. And he was terrified to let go.
“Elijah… You’re safe here with me. You can stop holding back. I’m not going anywhere.”
He shook his head, forehead rubbing against Alistair’s chest. He was too scared. He didn’t want to chase the man away. As much as he wanted to believe Alistair would stay, he just couldn’t.
“Let me show you.”
Elijah didn’t know what he meant until Alistair guided his face up with a knuckle under his chin and pressed their lips together in a sweet kiss.
Elijah gasped, but Alistair didn’t take advantage or press for more.
He sipped at Elijah’s lips, waiting for something. Elijah just couldn’t figure out what.
It wasn’t until he relaxed into it that the flood of emotions coming from Alistair hit him.
Concern, affection, worry, want. But the biggest, and the most important to Elijah, was trust. Despite what had happened to him, which Alistair hadn’t shared in detail, but Elijah could guess based on what information he had, Alistair trusted him.
Elijah had never felt that kind of trust before, not even from his own parents.
Unwavering, even as Elijah gave in and slowly released the shields holding back his magic.
His head swam as his magic filled the room to bursting and spilled out into the hall. He could catch the emotions of the two men currently smothering his cat with affection in the kitchen, but it was just background noise. The only thing Elijah was focused on was the man holding him.
Alistair scooped him up, keeping their lips locked together as he walked them over to the bed and laid down with Elijah pressed up against him. Elijah pulled back, blinking in confusion. Alistair smiled ruefully.
“I’m not trying anything. Your knees went weak when you released your magic. I don’t want you to fall.”
Oh. He hadn’t noticed. He’d been so busy soaking in the new feeling of someone’s lips against his that he couldn’t care less what else was going on around him.
He still felt dizzy, and he assumed that would stick around for a while, but at least if they were in bed, he could kiss the man to his heart’s content.
Maybe the release of his magic made him a little reckless, because his tongue ran away with him when he asked, “Would you? Try something?”
Alistair’s eyes turned smoldering, his lips kicked up in a smirk. “If it wouldn’t be taking advantage, I might. Especially when you look at me like that.”
Elijah had no idea how his face looked right now. Needy? That was what he felt. For the first time in his life, someone wanted to touch him, and he wanted more, more, more. He dropped his gaze back to Alistair’s mouth, unable to resist leaning in for another kiss.
When Alistair’s tongue swept along Elijah’s bottom lip, he hesitantly parted them, giving the man an opening to deepen the kiss.
Lust slammed into him both from his own emotions and what he was picking up from Alistair.
With his magic fully free and Alistair so close, he couldn’t help picking up even the most minute changes in his emotions.
He felt when Alistair let go of his concern, giving his full attention to what they were doing.
He felt the lust slowly becoming more dominant in Alistair’s mind.
It all made Elijah a little desperate, and he tugged helplessly at Alistair’s hair in response.
Alistair pulled away with a chuckle that sent shivers down Elijah’s spine. “Eli… You’re not making it easy for me to be good.”
The nickname made his stomach flip, but it didn’t distract him from the desperation. He tugged Alistair by his hair, trying to get closer to the man despite them both being pressed together as close as any two people could get. Well, almost.
“Please,” Elijah begged.
Alistair groaned, dipping his head to give Elijah the hottest kiss of his life.
Their tongues tangled together, and Alistair explored every inch of his mouth, leaving Elijah panting and mewling for more.
When Alistair jerked away, he was just as breathless, his chest heaving as he fought to regain control.
Elijah didn’t want him to have control. He wanted him to take what he wanted, to give it back in turn.
There was so much he’d dreamt about without ever thinking he’d have a chance to experience it.
He’d read Avery’s books. He didn’t want to stop now and potentially lose the opportunity to experience it all with the man who was quickly stealing his heart.
“Please.”
Alistair’s resolve wavered, then broke entirely when he saw the heavy lidded desperation in Elijah’s eyes.
He didn’t want to take advantage after such a difficult day and the heavy conversation they had earlier, but he didn’t want to leave Elijah wanting either.
And secretly, he wanted the man against him just as much.
He wanted to connect with him, to surround himself in the warm comforting presence that had settled over him the moment Elijah let go of the hold on his magic.
It was the first time since he put the magic blockers on that he’d felt magic of any kind to that degree, and he wanted to bask in it like a cat in a patch of sun.
Elijah whimpered, tugging again at Alistair’s hair. It had obviously been a while if the man was this desperate. Alistair felt the same. It had been years. He got the feeling this wouldn’t last long for either of them.
Hoping to drag things out, he slowly peeled away Elijah’s jacket before starting on the buttons of his shirt. Elijah seemed too star-struck to do more than just lie there, but Alistair didn’t mind. It gave him free access to touch, and he wanted a chance to explore.
He smiled at the smudged glasses that sat crooked on Elijah’s nose from their kisses. Alistair plucked them off, asking, “How far can you see without these?”
“A couple feet, maybe,” Elijah breathed, his attention on Alistair’s mouth. “There’s a special surgery that can fix it, but I never found a druid willing to work on a telepath.”
Irritation flashed through Alistair, there and gone again in an instant. He didn’t want to think about the rest of the world right now. He wanted to focus on the man in his arms.
He chuckled when he pushed the shirt out of his way and saw the freckles sprinkled over Elijah’s shoulders. He brushed his fingers along them, his voice low as he said, “I wonder how far these go.”
He went exploring after helping Elijah out of his shirt.
There were more on his arms, and he thought he saw some on the man’s back while helping him remove his shirt, but not many were on his chest. Instead, it was all flawless creamy skin and light pink nipples that begged for attention.
Elijah made a choked sound when Alistair drew one into his mouth, a cry escaping him when he sucked lightly.
He huffed out a laugh, lifting his gaze to look at the man who was practically putty in his hands.
“Sensitive?”
Elijah was too far gone to reply. His eyes were glued to Alistair as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his own shirt and pulled it over his head. He wanted to feel skin on skin, and they both moaned when he settled on top of the telepath again.
Hands slid down his back, Elijah finally getting brave enough to explore a little.
Alistair snagged his mouth in a kiss, letting himself enjoy the touch for a long moment.
When was the last time someone touched him like this?
So sweetly and full of eagerness. Before his marriage maybe?
He wanted to stay wrapped around each other like that all night, but he could feel Elijah’s length pressed against his hip, hot and hard and so needy.
It got him back on track, and he shifted to the side so he could shed the rest of their clothes more easily.
Elijah made a sound of protest, trying to pull Alistair back on top of him. Alistair chuckled against his lips. “Just a minute, Eli. You’re wearing too many clothes.”
The way Elijah’s eyes widened was cute, but it was the eager way he helped in shedding the rest of his clothes that made Alistair laugh.
Shoes and socks were kicked off the bed, pants and boxers were tossed aside, and when Alistair didn’t move fast enough for Elijah’s liking, the telepath made an attempt to help him as well.
He mostly just got in the way, too distracted by Alistair’s kisses to truly do much good, but Alistair enjoyed it either way. He always preferred an active partner.
When he rolled back on top of Elijah, this time without a scrap of clothing between them, their cocks lined up just right for him to grind their hips together.
Elijah lost his ability to be quiet, moaning into Alistair’s mouth almost constantly.
His fingers dug into Alistair’s sides, his legs wrapped around his hips to keep them close.
Alistair loved every second of it and gave into the need to rock his hips.
He refused to rush it, despite the needy whines coming from Elijah.
Each slow grind had hot pleasure spreading through him like magma, lighting his insides on fire.
Ripping his mouth away from Elijah’s, he pulled back enough to watch the expressions on his lover’s face as they both got closer to release.
They were both panting and groaning, but the expressions of Elijah’s face were just as sexy as the sounds he made.
Surprised, like he didn’t think anything could feel this good.
His eyes clouded with lust. And underneath it all, Alistair saw something warmer.
Like affection, but more. It made him reckless, trying to draw out that expression by picking up the pace of his hips.
“Ah! Ah! Alistair!” Elijah cried, fingers digging into the point of bruising as he jerked his hips and writhed beneath him.
“That’s it. Let go, gorgeous. Come for me.”
Elijah’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes crossed as he finally let go. The pulse of his cock against Alistair’s had him lifting enough to watch. Seeing the man come set him off and with one more thrust, he came as well, flooding the space between them with his release.
Slowly, their breathing returned to normal, and Alistair’s heart rate settled. Elijah seemed to need a little longer, so Alistair peppered kisses along his nose and cheeks, trying to cover each freckle. When Elijah hummed and melted into the bed, Alistair lifted his head, smirking at him.
“I get the feeling it’s been just as long for you as it has been for me.”
Elijah blinked up at him, confused for a moment, before realization dawned. He shook his head. “Oh. No. I’ve never done that before. I’ve never even kissed someone before tonight.”