Page 18 of Devil May Hunt (The Devils of Vitality #8)

“More.” Brennon wrapped his arms around the alpha, clinging to him. He buried his face against the crook of his neck and shamelessly inhaled, that spicy scent causing his dick to jerk and his balls to tighten. “Don’t stop.”

“I’ve got you.” The alpha shifted over him, pinning Brennon more securely to the couch.

A laugh bubbled past his lips before he could help it.

“Something funny, pretty lover?” the alpha asked.

“We only fuck on couches.”

“That’s not true,” he disagreed, slamming into him hard enough to make Brennon toss his head back and cry out. “We’ve done it on the floor, and over the desk. I had you against the window an hour ago. Don’t you remember?”

“No.” Wait. “Maybe.”

“I promise,” the alpha nipped at his earlobe, forcing Brennon to turn his head and present his throat so he could lap at it with his warm tongue, “the next time we do this, it’ll be in a proper bed, and you’ll be of sound mind. Agreed?”

“Whatever.” He dragged his nails roughly down the alpha’s side, gripping his hips so he could pull him down and make the next thrust shove that cock even deeper. “Just screw me.”

“I’ve been breeding you for six hours,” Gunho growled. “Greedy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Your fault.” It definitely was, even if Brennon couldn’t exactly recall why at the moment. “You did this.”

He should be mad—was mad—but it was hard to grasp onto that emotion with the feel of burning, solid steel ramming his insides, keeping him distracted.

The stretch and the burn was so good, it was almost painful.

He felt himself squeezing around that massive cock every time Gunho dragged it out of him, needing it deeper and longer.

Brennon rocked up into him, unable to match the wild pace of his thrusts, but chasing after more friction anyway.

His nipples were sore from all the sucking on them Gunho had done, and his dick was rubbed raw from being dragged against the carpet, the smooth surface of the desk, and the window.

Not to mention how many times Gunho had stroked an orgasm out of him with his rough palm.

“I hate you.” He whimpered as soon as the words were out of his mouth, partially afraid he’d anger the alpha and the man would stop and pull away.

Instead, Gunho kissed him, the languid glide of his tongue tangling with his and the soft press of his lips a sharp juxtaposition to the way he continued to drive his cock into him. “I know, Brennon. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”

“Can’t.”

“I’ll find a way. For now,” he moved, turning so the side of his throat brushed against Brennon’s mouth, “take it out on my flesh.”

“What?”

“Bite me. Complete the bond, pretty lover.”

“I don’t want to. I want—”

“I’ll go so deep you’ll see stars. Deal?”

Brennon liked the sound of that. He cupped the back of Gunho’s skull to keep him in place with one hand, dug his nails into the fleshy part of the alpha’s left shoulder with the other.

And then he did as he was told.

Brennon sank his teeth into Gunho’s neck and clamped down until he tasted blood.

* * *

It took him a moment to figure out why he felt like roadkill again, but as soon as the memories returned, he was cursing and tossed the thick covers off of him.

Brennon sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pausing only long enough to process he was in a room he’d never seen, before allowing the anger to take control.

It hurt to walk, but not nearly as much as it had the morning after when he’d woken in the hotel alone.

In fact, the more he moved, the more relaxed his body seemed to become, until he was practically light on his feet by the time he’d made it to the end of the hallway and the top of the stairs.

The banister overlooked the main floor, and he caught sight of the living room where he’d stupidly trusted that doctor.

He wasn’t quiet coming down the stairs, or when he came to the landing and spotted Gunho in the kitchen. His intentions were pretty clear as he advanced, already gearing up to swing.

The punch landed against the alpha’s right cheek, snapping his head back. He stumbled, catching himself on the counter, but otherwise made no moves to retaliate.

Brennon pulled back and retreated a few steps, putting a safe amount of distance between them.

Now that he’d gotten that out of the way, rational thinking was worming its way to the forefront of his mind, reminding him the alpha was older, bigger, and a hell of a lot more experienced with combat than he was.

“Why didn’t you dodge?” he snapped once Gunho had straightened but didn’t speak.

“I deserved it,” the alpha said. “But it won’t happen again. This isn’t the type of abusive relationship where we’re allowed to use our fists to take out our anger.”

“No, just the kind where you’re allowed to drug and force me?” he hissed. “I should have shot you in the face with a blaster.”

“And make yourself suffer for the rest of your life?” Gunho moved back to the island he’d been standing by and grabbed a mug. “Coffee?”

“Screw you.”

“You can,” he drawled, “Later. I think we should talk first.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say they had nothing to talk about, but Brennon caught himself.

“Is it true?” He crossed his arms and glared. His symptoms had certainly felt real, and he remembered how good it’d felt to be fucked, how desperate he’d been. How the pain had subsided almost immediately after taking the alpha’s cock.

He felt great now even. Better than he had in months, more rested and relaxed, despite what was going on and how he’d ended up here.

“You could try contesting the mating claim now,” Gunho replied, pouring a cup of coffee from a French press, “but you’ll only hurt yourself in the end. Even if the I.P.F. somehow sided with you, you can’t break our bond.”

“Our fake bond.” He held out a hand, scowling when the alpha offered the mug. “I don’t want that. Give me the antidote.”

“Oh.” He sipped at the cup himself. “There isn’t one.”

“Bullshit.”

“There isn’t.”

“You want me to believe you used a drug that’s still in the testing stages on me without any sort of backup plan in case things went sideways?”

“Why not? We’re virtually strangers. Just because I want you, doesn’t mean I have to care what happens to you, right?”

Brennon flinched.

“I’m playing with you, pretty lover. Of course I don’t mean that.”

“So then give me the antidote.”

“No.”

“Gunho—”

“Alpha,” he interrupted. “I’m older than you and your alpha. It’s rude to call me by name.”

“Yeah, well this is Vitality, not Synastry, and I’m Vital, not an omega.

” Even if he did now have to experience heats or whatever the fuck that’d been.

Which he wasn’t a fan of. The thought of going through that again…

“Be’tessi. I’ll call you that. That’s as far as I’m willing to go to compromise. Take it or leave it.”

Gunho thought it over. “It’s alpha in the bedroom. Otherwise, agreed.”

“Fine.” Brennon risked propping a hip against the edge of the island, bringing himself a little bit closer to the imposing man. “Give me the antidote.”

“I won’t budge on that. We’ve exchanged mating bites, and I’ve knotted you more times than I can count.

I brought you home, cleaned you out, and tucked you into bed.

You’re mine, Brennon Cree. Accept that, so we can start setting terms and agreements on other things. Things you actually can control.”

He hated that his interest was piqued, and yet… “I’m listening. Like what other things?”

“Do you intend to remain at the Academy?” he asked it casually, but Brennon bristled all the same.

“Don’t you dare try to mess with my life.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. What about your dorm room?”

“What about it?”

“You’re mated now. It’s inappropriate for us to live apart.”

“I’m keeping my dorm room,” Brennon insisted. “And I’m not moving in with you.”

Gunho took another sip of his coffee. “The weekends then. I’ll allow you to remain at the dorms during the week, but you return here, to me and our home, without fail every Friday before ten pm. Understood?”

“No.”

He sighed and set the mug down with a sharp clack against the marble counter.

“I could chain you up and refuse to allow you to leave this house ever again. You’re no match for me, I can easily overpower you.

If you think your friends or family can help, think again.

Kelevra Diar doesn’t seem to like you very much, certainly not enough to interfere with my wishes regarding my Royal Consort on your behalf. ”

“Royal Consort?”

“That’s what you are.” Gunho tilted his head. “Did you not realize that on your own?”

How the hell was he this guy's Royal Consort?

“I’m an Imperial in the line of succession,” he reminded. “I’m allowed a Royal Consort, and I also happen to be of a species that takes a singular life partner. It’s stranger to assume you wouldn’t be given that title than it is that you have been.”

“Maybe for you.” Brennon ran a hand through his dark hair. “Slow down.”

“Too late. I’ve filed the paperwork. It’s official.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You think I don’t understand how this works? I’m a born Royal. There was a fifty-fifty chance I’d wake up and discover my parents had sold me off on some marriage contract every day from the moment I turned of legal age.”

“I did ensure they understood and signed off on our binding when they handed over their company,” Gunho unhelpfully supplied.

Interesting how his mother failed to mention that at all when she’d called him.

“Perfect.” So he’d found himself basically sold off to the highest bidder, chemically tied to a man he barely knew, and now had no family business to fall back on if his ventures in the Academy failed. “It’s every man’s hope and dream to be treated like his opinion doesn’t matter.”

“Of course your opinion matters.”

“But I can’t contest this, and I can’t leave you?

” Brennon grunted when Gunho’s expression confirmed that for him.

“Why are you settling for a mate who doesn’t want you?

You’re attractive, hell, you’re the most attractive person I’ve ever seen.

There’s no way you’re struggling to find a suitable omega back home, so why does it have to be me? ”

“Because it does,” he said. “Because it is. It’s you, Brennon, whether either of us are comfortable with that or not.

I’ve never been attracted to anyone else’s scent before, and you aren’t even omega.

It might not seem like a big deal to you because you’re Vital, but for me, tuning into our partners' pheromones isn’t just a lifestyle, it’s a necessity.

Why do you think I’m so careful during my ruts?

It’s not just because of my grandfather, it’s because an unmated alpha who can’t even take comfort in an omega is volatile. ”

“Oh please. Not being able to smell someone doesn’t prevent you from fucking them.”

“No, but it prevents my instincts from being able to react the way they were meant to. The slick of an omega does more than ease the way for my cock. It helps with hormone imbalance. It’s the same with scent.

The smell of a compatible omega can be as soothing as it is enticing during a rut.

You’ll make me better, less irritable. I can do the same for you.

Once you stop resisting, you’ll see we’ll be good together. I promise.”

“You can’t promise me something like that.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t guarantee it will be true.

” What if they ended up hating each other?

What if Brennon was a morning person, and Gunho was a night owl?

Brennon was laidback and preferred not to overly complicate things, but the alpha was used to being in charge and was clearly driven.

Brennon liked espresso, not French press.

“What if the sex is the only good thing between us?”

“Impossible. I’m already a fan of our banter. Aren’t you?”

It was…Okay, yeah, it was kind of fun—when the controlling nature of the alpha and this whole situation was stripped away, of course.

“What are the other side effects of those drugs you gave me?” he asked, and he didn’t need to elaborate for the alpha to pick up on where he was going with that.

“The drugs won’t change your perception of me,” Gunho said. “It’ll just make you crave and need my cock. That’s all.”

“But you smell…better.”

“Sniff me now.”

Brennon hesitated but then did, brow furrowing. “I don’t really smell anything.”

“Come closer.”

“I’m fine right here, thanks.”

He chuckled. “If you get close, you’ll probably be able to pick up on my natural scent, but it won’t be anywhere near as extreme as it is when you’re experiencing a heat.”

“A fake, chemically induced heat.” His eyes narrowed. “Which, if I’m not mistaken, are meant to happen once every three months.”

“It’s doctored to force you into it weekly so you’ll grow addicted to me,” he confessed.

“You could at least pretend to be a little guilty, you know.”

“I was brought up learning a true alpha does whatever it takes to procure his mate. I won’t apologize for playing dirty. You’re mine. You’ll stay with me, let me pet you, take care of you, fuck you to both our hearts' content. Or you’ll suffer the consequences like you did yesterday.”