Page 32 of Serpent In White

"Look at me," Drake demands, and I do. "Just tell me this, Darian... Answer me truthfully. Do you like what you feel when I kiss you?"

My cock jerks between us, and my tongue swipes my lower lip. I miss the feeling of his mouth already, so I nod. "Yes."

"What about... when I touch you?" His voice goes softer, his right hand drifting slowly down my neck, over my chest and stomach, down to my crotch. His long fingers trace the shape of me through my pants and I groan a little, biting my lip as my cock flexes into his hand. "You like this?"

"Yes... so much." I squirm, blinking heavy lids up at him while he grins.

"Then these feelings have absolutely nothing to do with him, baby," he rasps, and my cock leaks at him calling mebaby. "He's just an unfortunate blip in your timeline. But we can erase him if you want..." He pauses, eyes widening just a bit. "I mean, you can."

A smile tugs at my lips. "No, you had it right the first time."

He chuckles, leaning in to kiss me again.

And we kiss for a while, so long I hear birds chirping by the time we finally peel off each other.

That night was the start. The beginning of many nights spent kissing and touching, exploring in a tent, all alone in the wilderness.

That night was the start of everything.

I’m snapped out of my reverie when I hear someone coming closer. Not words, but thoughts.

It's Gina, and she's worried about someone seeming distracted... needs to open a new bottle of wine... she wonders what I'll want to drink tonight.

I blink and rub my face, ridding myself of that memory, for now. It was right over there, by the lake I live on. Long before I had this home, or wives, or even a Regnum of people following me. The Principality wasn't even a thought...

We were just focusing on getting by. On figuring out how to live as two teenagers in the woods with no family to speak of, who ran away from pain to search for love.

I turn in my chair as Gina steps into the room, smiling at me. She motions to the door, and I'm already standing, walking over as she says, "Dinner."

I grin at her, well aware that she's here to get me for dinner, and also of every other thought currently running through her mind. We head to the stairs, and she follows me as I descend.

Turning over my shoulder, I ask, "You have any more of Ivan's honey ale?"

She looks momentarily stunned, but then nods and grins. "Sure. Feeling beer tonight?"

I chuckle as we make our ways to the dining table. "Definitely."

Cam pulls out my chair, and I have a seat, glancing up at my wives and the empty place setting for Drake. I give them a quick nod, and their conversation picks back up. I sometimes wish they knew they don't have to make such a production every time I enter a room, like I'm the damn Pope or something. I can already hear everything they're thinking anyway, so it doesn't much matter.

But then there's no way I would ever tell them that. The point of Empyrean, and the reason why I don't allow anyone else to know about it or its powers, is because I'm selfish. Ineedthis control. I want to be able to hear people's thoughts because I never want to make the mistake again of thinking I know someone's intentions who is secretly lusting after something else entirely.

If there's a monster among us, I’ll know about it. I’ll never be caught naïve again.

All people have impure thoughts. It's a part of life and human nature, and this community isn’t exempt from that. The difference here is that Ecdysis keeps us in tune with what Mother wants. And Empyrean helps me lead.

That's not to say we're perfect. No one is.We all have our demons.

Gina darts over to me, holding a bottle of the ale I was asking her about, and I bite my lip when I hear her thinking how she wishes I'd get my own damn drink for once. Sometimes it's really hard not to laugh out loud at the things people think, but I have years of experience in holding it in, not reacting, and most importantly of all, not taking it personally.

When Drake and I first started experimenting with Empyrean, we would be at each other's throats a lot. And there were times I had to step away after hearing a particularly unfriendly thought from one of my Regnum. But the thing is that if you're going to listen to something as personal as what goes on in someone else's head, you can't get mad, or be put-off about it.

After all, if they don't say it to your face, it means they don't want you to know about it. That has to stand for something.

I'm distracted from Gina and the ale she’s pouring when I hear something new and startling, coming from a deep yet raspy source across the room. I take a sip from my drink to disguise myself while my eyes peer around suspiciously, and I listen...

How am I supposed to look at him without remembering...

My gaze slowly lifts.