Chapter 19 #2
The images fade, and when I lean back slightly, I realize I’m crying. My tears are heavy but silent, and he stares for a moment before leaning in and licking them gently from my cheeks.
“Hurrrt my Dante?”
“No,” I whisper. I can’t seem to make a louder noise than that.
“No, Cielo. Baby. No. Thank you for sharing that. It was so beautiful.” I don’t have the words to express just how much that made me feel.
I see now what shaped him into the Vyastil he is—the kind, loving, strong, brave one that sits beneath me.
He doesn’t have the pampered arrogance that Rathyn has. He’s far removed from those in the capital. He’s rough and raw and from the land, and he is so, so fucking good. And I am so fucking lucky he’s mine.
I fold against him, and he holds me tightly. From his mind, I can feel he’s comforted by this too, that I help by just being here. That being with me takes the edge off the pain, and to me, that means something.
But it’s not everything. He deserves better than this. He deserves his family, his home, and to be happy again. No one should be banished the way he was for doing nothing more than saving a life.
I want to fix it.
I have to fix it.
And while I might not have strings to pull in my world or in his, I know people, and I will do everything in my power to get him home. Even if it’s only for a short moment.
Cielo wakes the next morning, and I feed him my cock. He sucks me gently, his tongue pulsing around my hard length, drawing a long orgasm out of me. I have half a mind to take some of the ruenox, to give him more, but he makes a satisfied purr and rolls over, so I let him sleep instead.
Right now, it’s too early to go to the shop. I have more design work to look over with Luca, but he won’t be up until at least noon. He’s been avoiding me ever since seeing Eissa at the party, so I figure I have time for something else.
After my shower, I do a quick assessment of my body, but I don’t seem to be close to a flare, so I put on a pair of Lycra shorts and a loose t-shirt, then hop in the car and make my way over to the gym.
The parking lot’s nearly empty, and I have no idea if Quilliyn will be there, but the moment I step inside, I see him. He’s on a treadmill doing a slow walk, sipping on a massive tumbler of what looks like a green smoothie.
When he sees me, he grins and lifts a hand in greeting. “Dante!”
I jog over and hop on the machine beside him without starting it. I know what I want to say, but I don’t know how to start this conversation. Not really.
“Can I be rude?” I ask.
He blinks at me.
“Well, more like blunt? It’s kind of a habit I picked up from the Deaf community.” I grimace and hope he doesn’t ask me about it because I don’t want to explain myself right now.
“You can say anything you wish. When have I ever stopped you?”
I blow out a puff of air, then start the treadmill because I need to do something with my body while I say all this. I choose an incline but keep it at a slow walk. “So, uh. You’re not, like, just a monster, right? I mean, a Vyastil. Sorry, shit.”
He huffs. “It’s fine.”
“It isn’t. I’m trying to be better. But I meant what I said. You’re not just some guy. You have power, right? Like…maybe a trust fund baby, or—”
He laughs. I shouldn’t be surprised he knows what that term means, considering how long he’s been living with humans, but it startles me anyway. “Something like that.”
“Is it a secret? I mean, I know you helped Cielo when he was in trouble.”
Quilliyn bows his head and takes a slow, deep breath. “Our society is complicated. It’s run by a monarchy and a council.”
“Like England. Monarchy and Parliament.”
“Yes, only there’s no elected officials. And the monarchy has an unfortunate amount of power.” He sounds bitter. It’s personal. “My eldest brother will take over when the king and queen pass on or abdicate.”
“Oh shit, so you’re like a prince?”
“Something like that.”
I have a feeling he means exactly like that, but I don’t call him on it. “You…don’t sound happy about any of it.”
He grimaces, almost choking on his words. “My brother is cruel. He’s entitled and spoiled and will make a terrible leader. But no one listens to me, and I think they will be sorry for it.”
“Is that why you’re here?”
He gives me a long, quiet look, then shrugs. “Why do you ask?”
Right. Because I have an actual point to all this. “Yeah, so…Cielo is in pain.”
Quilliyn’s shoulders go tense. “Pain? His injuries…”
“Psychological pain,” I clarify, “and emotional. He’s hurting. He misses home. He misses his family. He won’t really talk to me about it, but he, ah—” I hesitate. I probably shouldn’t tell a Vyastil prince that Cielo and I bonded so strongly that we can read each other’s thoughts now.
Even if he seems like he’s on our side.
“He painted a very vivid picture of what Erethar is like and how being away makes him feel, and I don’t know how to help him. I can’t fix it for him, no matter how hard I—” I almost say it.
I almost say I love him.
If those words are going to sneak past my lips, I want them to be for Cielo only. But I’m not sure either of us is ready for that.
Quilliyn’s ears droop. “I can’t help. I wish I could. You have no idea how much. But I got myself in a lot of trouble getting Cielo the banishment.”
I thought as much, but it was worth a shot. “No, I get it.”
Quilliyn lets out a heavy sigh. “Let me think on it, okay?”
“No, really. You’ve done enough. Thank you.” I stop the treadmill, and he follows suit.
His hand darts out and closes on my forearm, heavy and warm and comforting. I can hear a faint purr coming from his chest, like he’s trying to soothe me. “Let me try. I like him, and he deserves so much better than he’s been given. All the Outerlanders do.”
“Thanks,” I murmur softly.
He withdraws after a beat and smiles, his fangs poking into his lower lip slightly. Before I can say anything else, his gaze darts to the right, and I see Zane walk in.
Even from here, he looks like he’s hiding something. His gaze catches on Quilliyn’s, like he’s the only creature in the room. Then he stiffens and turns, storming almost angrily to the free weights.
“Zane seems upset.”
“He always does.” When I just make a face at him, he adds, “He’s kind of a dick. But…” Quilliyn trails off into silence. I don’t know if he means to say anything else, but I don’t pressure him. I watch him watch Zane for another few moments before deciding it’s time for me to go.
“I’ll see you soon,” I tell him.
“Hmm? What?”
I grin. “Nothing. Catch you later?”
His gaze goes back to Zane, who’s now doing bicep curls. “Yes. Thank you for coming.”
I try not to burst into laughter as he starts up his run again, now going faster than I could ever hope to. I’m not really here to sweat. I was here for answers, and while I didn’t quite get them, at least I know Quilliyn is going to try.
“Tea,” Everest says, dropping a mug in front of me. I stare down at the contents, and he sighs loudly. “Just zitha this time. I know how the few days after oyen can make you a little—ah—sore.”
He’s not wrong. And it’s not that I don’t want a repeat of the other night, but maybe in a smaller dose. And maybe when I know what’s actually going on. I’m still processing the way it made me feel.
I lost control over all my faculties and couldn’t think about anything except getting that massive Vyastil cock deep inside me. I expected to feel some kind of shame for how fucking wanton I’d been, but I don’t.
“You reliving it?” Everest asks with a smirk.
Sitting back in my chair, I take a tiny sip of the tea, and after a moment, I feel the first tendrils of the monsters’ healing herb coursing through me. The relief is intense, and I drink a few more sips before I answer him.
“Do you still like it? Or do you take it to cope with how intense they are?”
Everest looks a little pale. “Is that how it was for you?”
“What? No.” I flush a little and can’t meet his eyes. “I’ve wanted him since the moment I laid eyes on him, and I feel like whatever the fuck I took just…you know…enhanced all that. I didn’t quite feel like myself, but yeah. I kind of want to do it again.” I take a huge gulp. “Sorry. TMI.”
“No, I get it.” Everest picks at his cuticles for a second, then drops his hands in his lap. “Did it change anything for you?”
There’s something in his tone I can’t ignore, and I look at him. “Change anything?”
“Like…between you two. Are you more…connected?”
I’m scared to ask, but I do anyway. “You mean hearing him in my head?”
Everest brightens. “Shit. Yes! Don’t tell anyone, by the way. Eissa knows about Rathyn and me, but it’s, like, a huge deal in Vyastil society, and Eissa basically implied we could be killed for it.”
I swallow heavily. “Oh my god. Can they all do it?”
“No. As far as I’m aware, it’s some old trait they used to possess, like hundreds of years ago or something.” He leans his elbows on my desk. “Back when falling in love and getting pleasure from fucking wasn’t the most taboo thing a Vyastil could do.”
“God, they’d be so much happier if they were allowed to jerk off,” I tell him.
He bursts into laughter. “You have no idea. Rathyn didn’t even realize sex could feel good for him.”
Fuck, that’s so sad.
“Was Cielo like that?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. It was almost like he was doing it for me and not him at first. But the more we—you know—the more he’s into it.”
Everest’s cheeks are slightly pink. “Yeah. Rath’s basically insatiable now. And not just for cum.”
I snort and finish the tea. The zitha has taken all the edge off my ache, which is amazing, but I’m a little worried I’m going to become addicted. And it’s not like they’ve done extensive studies on the effects of long-term use in humans.
But I’m not going to worry about it now. I just need to survive another day.