Page 7

Zaryen was not going to survive being bonded.

They weren”t even bonded yet, not officially, but if this, right here, was any indication… Yeah, he was going to perish.

He”d die the happiest he could be, though.

While his body slowly calmed down, he was still attuned to the man lying against him and could sense an answering hum of pleasure. Meveris hadn”t come—proof of that was evident in the small space between them—but with his face tucked into Zaryen”s neck and his hand simply holding Zaryen”s spent cock, he seemed perfectly happy anyway.

Which was nice, of course, but not enough. Meveris deserved more and Zaryen wanted to give it to him—give him everything that he could, everything that he was.

He nudged Meveris”s head up so that he could look into those beautiful eyes. He”d never seen a color like that, warm and bright, but he also had never seen a dragon up close. He brushed his fingers over the lines of Meveris”s face, then towards his ears and behind, where he could see a few scales. Rubbing over them, Zaryen expected them to be rough, maybe even sharp, but they were smooth and warm, though hard when pressed.

They were also apparently sensitive, because Meveris closed his eyes and sighed, tilting his head to lean into the touch. And when Zaryen ran a nail along the edges of the scales, Meveris moved even closer, his erection hot and insistent against Zaryen”s thigh.

”I”ll remember that,” Zaryen whispered, then rolled them over again until he was straddling Meveris. He”d moved a little lower so he wouldn”t touch Meveris”s cock, but it was difficult not to reach for it as his fingers tingled, eager to explore. Eager to make his companion feel good.

Later, though, he promised himself, sensing his body was getting ready for another round.

He pulled back to grab the lube he”d already known was there next to the bed thanks to a mortifying conversation with the future king, but he couldn”t think about it now. Instead, he might have deliberately brushed against Meveris”s body, softly, just a little bit. Enough to—

”Tease,” Meveris murmured, sliding his hands up Zaryen”s thighs.

Biting down on his lower lip, Zaryen hummed, enjoying the touch. Wind”s curse, he enjoyed every little bit of this.

”I may suck you off first, if you want.” He glanced between Meveris”s eyes and his cock, then back up. ”But I thought you may want to get to the main event and leave blowjobs for later.”

Meveris smirked. ”Seems like nobody has ever properly blown you if you don”t think it can be the main event in itself. I can”t say I hate the idea of being the one to show you that, though.” He rubbed his thumbs along the dips of skin where Zaryen”s thighs met his hips, causing Zaryen”s breath to catch in his chest. ”But yes, I”d love to get inside you now.”

Zaryen nodded, unable to form words. He”d thought of himself as confident in bed, but there was something about this moment and about the man under him, that made him feel brand new and overwhelmed.

”You want it like this?” Meveris asked quietly, a smirk forgotten now as he paused his hands so close and yet so far away from Zaryen”s cock. ”We can do this any way you want, but if you want me to watch you stretch yourself and sink down onto me, I”m not going to say no.”

Zaryen almost dropped the lube.

Yes.

”That,” he whispered, feeling his blood rushing south as his whole body tingled at the idea. ”I want that.”

Meveris smiled, but there was a fire burning behind his eyes, too.

Zaryen wasn”t alone in his hunger, his need.

He was never going to be alone again, in anything.

His breath hitched again and he swallowed hard, seeking distraction by leaning down for a kiss. It started softly, almost as another tease, but they were both too wound up to keep it soft for long. Once Meveris licked into his mouth, it was as if he”d breathed fire into Zaryen”s body, setting it aflame from the inside.

Zaryen was once again on the brink, but it was too fast, too soon. This time, it had to be slower—and he was taking Meveris along with him.

He pulled away and rose on his knees a bit as he poured lube onto his fingers. Then, without looking away from Meveris, he reached back and circled them around his opening, once, twice, the third time.

Meveris”s hands clutched at his thighs as Zaryen slid a finger inside himself and sighed, tossing his head back. The strong hold made his heart stutter.

He”d known this would be different. He”d known. And yet, every little reminder seemed overwhelming.

He still wanted more, though.

”You”re so beautiful,” Meveris murmured, and Zaryen met his gaze again. ”The most beautiful man I”ve ever seen, and you know that, don”t you?”

Zaryen shook his head, even as he slipped another finger inside, stretching himself further. Yes, he knew he was relatively attractive, he knew how to present himself and show off his best features, but this, here… This was different.

”I don”t mind,” Meveris went on, licking his lips. ”I”ll gladly look at you for the rest of our lives. I promise to do my very best to make you want to look back, too, and to be with me like this.”

”I already do.” Zaryen slammed three fingers into himself, too hungry now to be patient. ”I never want to be anywhere else but with you. I never want to be further away than this, too.”

With that, he removed his fingers and scooted higher, resting one hand on Meveris”s smooth chest to lean on it as he positioned himself right above Meveris”s cock.

”You ready?” he whispered, curling his fingers over the hot length to hold it in place.

”Born ready,” Meveris whispered back, and this would be cheesy and over the top with anyone else, but here, with them, it was…

It was…

”My companion,” Zaryen offered like a blessing as he lowered himself slowly, his body stretching, stretching, stretching, adjusting itself around Meveris. Welcoming him in.

Meveris”s eyes were shining and bright as he nodded. ”My mate.”

This was their bonding ceremony, right there.

Zaryen wouldn”t need anything more.

If there even could be anything more than this—their bodies moving together, falling in sync right away, as the rhythm started slowly at first, then getting faster, harder, more desperate.

Soon enough, Zaryen was dripping with sweat and moaning loudly, his rapid heartbeat thundering in his ears. He was the human of the two of them, and yet he was the one clawing at Meveris”s chest, leaving red marks on his light skin. They disappeared quickly, thanks to the dragon healing process, but Zaryen figured he could always leave more, especially since Meveris clearly liked them, groaning and pressing into the touch.

And he was beautiful beyond words. His skin was slick now, too, and his muscles tensed in an obvious effort to hold himself back. Dragons were much stronger than humans, so if Meveris released all that strength he”d likely break him in half, but a part of Zaryen craved seeing it in action. Not to hurt him, no, but to lift him up and slam into him, setting up a pace that would leave him breathless. Or to hold him down and make him take it, as slow or as fast as Meveris would like.

The sharp bursts of pleasure hit Zaryen hard and fast, and he couldn”t do anything but tremble and moan as he came, spilling over his companion”s chest. He fell forward, panting and too weak to hold himself up any longer, but Meveris kept him in place as he slammed into him a few more times before coming, too.

Zaryen moaned again at the tight grip, knowing that it would definitely leave bruises and loving it.

Until he had a permanent bonding mark from Meveris, he wanted marks like this, all the time.

Several of them.

For a few minutes, there were no sounds other than their loud breathing and rapid heartbeats slowly getting back to normal. The only thoughts in Zaryen”s head came down to yes, this, good, so good.

And mine.

”Mine,” Meveris echoed out loud, as if he could hear him.

Zaryen grinned, not ready yet to lift his head from where it was lying against his companion”s chest.

”Yours. Like you”re mine.”

Meveris ran a hand up Zaryen”s spine before settling it on the back of his head.

”Yours.”

Another minute passed, then the next one, and the next, before Zaryen”s body vehemently protested the position he was in. Right as he was gearing to do something about it, though, Meveris secured his hold on him and turned them over carefully, back onto their sides. His cock slipped out easily, and Zaryen sighed, briefly tightening around nothing, then straightening his legs in relief.

”You good?” Meveris brushed his fingers over Zaryen”s cheek. ”Need anything?”

”I”m excellent.” Zaryen settled his hand over the scales on the Meveris”s lower back and petted them lightly. ”Sore and in need of a shower, but excellent.”

Meveris nuzzled his neck, inhaling deeply. ”You smell amazing.”

Zaryen snorted, but before he could protest, Meveris added, ”Like us.”

Like us. The teasing that had been at the tip of his tongue a moment ago disappeared into thin air.

Because there was nothing better, was there? Nothing better than smelling like the two of them, sharing the same breath, touching everywhere.

Nothing better than them, together.

Pressing himself closer, Zaryen ignored the rapidly drying mess in order to seek another kiss from his companion.

”I”m so glad you”re here,” Meveris told him as they broke for air. He splayed his hand wide on the side of Zaryen”s neck, and it made Zaryen”s knees weak for some reason.

Then he realized it.

He felt safe.

After looking over his shoulder for so long, after months of planning, and worrying, and waiting for the right time… He was here. He”d made it to the Academy, but most importantly, he made it to his companion, who instantly became his touchstone and the center of his universe all in one.

And Zaryen was finally safe, because nobody could take it away from him, now. Nobody could hold him—them—back.

He gripped Meveris”s wrist and leaned into his companion”s hold, staring straight into the warm pool of Meveris”s eyes.

”I”d do it all over again to have you here with me. Every sleepless night, every mistake, every risk… It was all worth it. Worth this.”

Meveris”s nostrils flared as he touched his forehead to Zaryen”s.

”I wish you hadn”t had to,” he whispered into the slim space between them. ”It sickens me to know what you had to give up to get where you belong. But I promise you, now that we”re here, you”ll never stand alone ever again. I”ll be right by your side until my dying day.”

Inhaling sharply, Zaryen felt something buried deep in his chest unclench at that. A tension that had been there for so long he”d gotten used to it, now disappeared with his next exhale.

”Have you ever been to the Academy before? For someone else”s ceremony?” Meveris asked.

”No. My older brother was never interested in attending the Academy, and the rest of my siblings and cousins are all girls.”

”There”s a pledge a dragon makes during the bonding ceremony, about fighting by his companion”s side.” Meveris rubbed his thumb over Zaryen”s cheek gently. ”But I like the one at the graduation better. ”I want to fight every battle with you, and I will fight every battle for you.” And I don”t want to wait four years to tell you that.” He pulled back slightly and tilted Zaryen”s face to meet his gaze again. ”Because it”s already true. I”m already willing to do everything in my power to take care of you.”

Oh.

Zaryen needed to quickly blink away the tears before they fell, suddenly overwhelmed all over again.

This was so much, so good, so quickly.

He”d heard it could be like this. He”d read, and listened, and then dreamed about it. But having it, now… It was more than he could ever imagine.

He put a hand on Meveris”s chest, right over his heart.

”I”m willing to do everything in my power to take care of you, too.”

His voice held strong, because while his heart was hammering so hard his whole body seemed to be trembling, there was no doubt in his mind that it was true.

He wanted to be taken care of, yes, but he also wanted to be there for Meveris.

Mine. Yours.

They belonged to each other now.