“Easy, buddy. I was just kidding.” Was it just him, or did Drekk look guilty? “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”
“Look, don’t read anything nefarious into this.”
“’Nefarious?’ Must be something pretty bad if you’re pulling out the big words.” Ryen joked but he felt anxious. He didn’t want his incredible happiness to end. Yet a part of him insisted it wasn’t real, that Drekk was too good to be true.
Drekk remained silent and Ryen stopped them on the street. “Drekk?”
“It happened that first night on the pier, when you fought the barbarians.”
“We fought too, as I remember.” Just the start of a budding sexual relationship. Ryen recalled his confused attraction. “If I’d known that would have led to stellar sex, I’d have—fuck it. What are you hanging your head about? What did you do?”
“I didn’t realise I was ‘hanging my head’.”
“I know you.” And he did. As understanding dawned, Ryen relaxed. Whatever Drekk had done might annoy him, but it wouldn’t be the worst that had ever happened to him. For all that Drekk aggravated and bossed him around, he’d always done it with the intention to help, not hurt.
“Yeah, well. That night you pissed me off. I took you down and made you drink some sarfa, to put you out.”
“Sarfa? That shit increases arousal.” The little bastard. “What did you do to me?”
“If you weren’t such a stubborn drun, I wouldn’t have had to do anything. You weren’t healing right and you wouldn’t let me help you.”
“So that’s why I woke up feeling so much better. What did you do, bleed on me?” He narrowed his gaze. “You fucked me. In the ass?”
“No. I, ah, I fed you my semen.”
Ryen blinked. “You made me suck you off while drugged?” Had anyone else admitted to this, Ryen would have pounded him into next week. Yet the enormous weight of conscience that sat so heavily on Drekk’s shoulders forced Ryen to consider that the circumstances must not be what they seemed. Even stranger than this news, an odd sense of respect for Drekk grew; Ryen had never considered him so devious.
“I’m not a rapist,” Drekk growled. “We pleasured each other. You wanted me before I’d drugged you. The sarfa was to ensure that you took everything I gave you. Swallowing my seed healed you from the inside out.”
“Too bad I didn’t remember it.” Ryen inwardly smiled at the guilt on Drekk’s face. His scar whitened, as it normally did when the male was annoyed with something. “You know, you can make what you did right.”
“What I did was right,” Drekk insisted. “I healed you, didn’t I?”
“How would you feel if the same were done to you? ‘For your own good.’” Drekk flushed. “I’d be fucking pissed. What the hell do you want from me? I helped heal you, you giant ass.”
“You owe me.”
“What?”
“Some payback.” Ryen shrugged, concealing his excitement at the prospect. “You took a night from me. You owe me one in return.”
“A night?”
“Yeah, a night where you’re completely mine.”
“Sure, whatever.” Drekk seemed relieved Ryen wasn’t more angry.
“Seal the deal.”
Drekk swore at him in several languages.
“Once you seal the deal, no welching. It’s against Mardu custom, yes?” And legally binding, as Drekk well knew.
“You are such a controlling asshole. Fine.” Drekk put out his hand and they shook. “I owe you one night. The deal’s sealed.”
“Perfect. Remember Drekk, I’ve always been a controlling asshole. It’s in my nature. Submitting to you in bed is something else entirely.” Something I can’t live without.
Drekk gave him one of those looks he still couldn’t figure out. A glance filled with emotion that spoke so much without a word between them. They continued walking down the road in companionable silence.
“We’re here,” Drekk said and turned to Ryen before they entered Rafe’s—Cheltam’s—dwelling. “I haven’t mentioned this before, but I want you to know I’ll keep what we shared private. It’s up to you if you choose to take our association public. You know I have no qualms about doing so.”
Ryen started, not having thought about that. He’d been so consumed with happiness and lust he hadn’t thought about how others might see him and his lover. To some, like his deceased Handler, same-sex relationships were evil, impure. He narrowed his gaze. Then again, Drekk hadn’t said ‘relationship’.
“Association?”
Drekk shrugged. “Call it what you will. I know what we shared.” But do you really? Hell, for that matter, do I? Ryen had just learned how to live in peace.
He had yet to truly test himself around others. Now that he understood sex with Drekk could heal him, not just physically, but emotionally, should he try to experiment with other males?
Was it truly a gender issue, or was it that special something only Drekk possessed?
“Ryen?” Drekk waited, a frown on his rough, sensual mouth.
“Let’s go, associate. I want to talk to my sister.” Drekk muttered under his breath and opened the door. He didn’t seem pleased with Ryen, and his annoyance gave Ryen the boost he’d been needing. So Drekk knew what they’d shared, hmm? Then maybe he wouldn’t mind explaining to Ryen what that meant, in detail...
Chapter Nine
Rafe of Mardu smiled at his wife and winked. When the woman was on a tear, she could set him off with just one kiss of that carnal mouth. He loved the sparkle in her magnificent eyes.
“Glad to be seeing your brother again?”
She twined her arms around Rafe’s neck and kissed him solidly on the mouth.
Squirming over his erection, she deliberately teased. “I’m so happy, Rafe. I’m going to show you how happy after they leave.” She whispered what she planned on doing and his forehead beaded with sweat.
He lifted her off him and glowered at her smirk. “Do you really want me to sport a hard-on when Drekk’s coming? He’s got a thing for me, you know.” Erin rolled her eyes and fixed herself and Rafe a drink. “We all do, darling. In fact, just yesterday Mearla at the club was telling me how much all the ladies miss you. You have quite a reputation downtown.”
Rafe inwardly groaned. “That was all before I met you, honey. You know I’d never look anywhere else but at you.” She released a dose of pheromone into the room that had him ready to blow. “Shit. Cut it out,” he breathed, willing his erection away. That a Xema warrior should be so lacking in control around his woman... Her wicked grin made him laugh. “I love you so much, baby. Just wait until we’re alone again.” Drekk’s signal at the doorway distracted him.
“I’ll get it,” Erin offered. She wore sturdy trousers and a bland, sleeveless shirt. Still, the woman had been created to appeal to every male in the System. She could wear a sack and men would be panting after her.
“Fine, but no kisses or hugs.” He loved Drekk like a brother, but Rafe didn’t like anyone around his mate.
“Not even Ryen?”
“Only Ryen.”
Erin left him and returned minutes later between Drekk and her almost unrecognisable brother. In the few days since Rafe had last seen the male, Ryen’s demeanour had done a one-eighty. Though he still possessed that hulking frame and dangerous mien, his stance seemed normal, not as aggressive and battle ready as he normally was. Damned if he wasn’t smiling.
“Drekk.” Rafe stood to take his friend’s arm. “You’re looking much better.” A glance at Ryen showed Rafe had misjudged him. Just as feral as he used to be.