“There aren’t many large settlements left in Lyrisenia. My—my family lived ten miles outside a village of about fifty people, and we only visited a few times a year.” Shae turns around and leans back against the windowsill. Backlit, Arthur has to squint to see his face. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m talking about this.”
There’s a pang in Arthur’s chest. “There doesn’t need to be a reason. I don’t mind.”
“I mind.” Shae pushes away from the window and crosses the room to check the door latch. He moves to the table and starts unlacing his boots. He keeps moving, like a prowling wolf. Or maybe he’s the deer, always on the run, looking over his shoulder. “Last time I was here, nobody looked twice at me. I didn’t have the rings and charms yet. I didn’t know I’d need them. I didn’t feel the cold yet.”
The words are rough, like they’re dragging themselves from his unwilling throat.
“You won’t have to deal with that anymore soon, right?” Arthur says. “Once you banish the demon, you’ll be able to take the rings off. Nobody will know what you were.”
Shae glances towards the window, and the sunlight gilds his expressionless face. “Right. Everything will be fine, afterwards.” He whips around to stare at Arthur. There’s no sunlight in his gaze, just burning cold. “And I won’t have to leech off people for warmth anymore.”
There’s a question there, or an accusation, prickling under Arthur’s skin. “I’ll admit, that part of it hasn’t been bad for me.”
It must be the right thing to say. A smile curves Shae’s lips, and he stalks forward barefoot. “Is that so?” He comes to a halt at the edge of the bed and settles himself in Arthur’s lap, straddling his thighs. He breathes against Arthur’s lips, “I’m cold right now. Would you mind warming me up?”
Arthur answers with a kiss, tasting the chill of Shae’s mouth. Shae opens up to him easily and lets him explore. The touch warms Arthur too, pulling blood close to the skin with hums of pleasure. Every time Shae moves, their cocks rub through their clothing. The friction and pressure is so sweet that given time, Arthur could come from this alone.
Shae seems to have more ambitious plans than that. He breaks away, panting slightly. “Will you fuck me?”
Arthur groans and grabs Shae’s ass. Squeezes the firm flesh and tugs him in closer, harder. “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”
Shae kisses him again, rough and ravenous, until Arthur bites his lip and says, “Take your clothes off for me.” He gives Shae’s ass one more squeeze before letting him go.
While Shae strips, Arthur looks through his pack for the jar of denseed oil—though he keeps glancing over his shoulder to take in the show. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of watching Shae’s layers fall away, baring all that pale, scarred skin for Arthur, and Arthur alone. He’ll definitely never get tired of the hungry expression in Shae’s eyes. The way that silver gaze digs under his own skin, seeking for the very core of him.
Shae’s down to his unlaced trousers when Arthur rejoins him. He tosses the oil on the bed and slides his hands around Shae’s waist. His fingers dip beneath his waistband, digging into the curves of his ass, as he drags Shae towards him. Shae’s breath hitches, and he tugs at Arthur’s tunic. “Fair’s fair.”
“Are you sure?” Arthur grins. “People usually think the uniform is dashing.”
“It’ll look more dashing on the floor.”
“I’ll trust your judgment,” Arthur says, and reluctantly lets go of Shae’s ass to strip his clothes off. It’s worth it for the way Shae looks at him, like a feast he’s ready to devour. Desire flares between them like an all-consuming fire.
Shae finally takes his trousers off, nearly tripping as they catch around his ankle. As soon as he straightens, Arthur crowds into him, touching his neck, his waist, his hip. Shae kisses his neck, with a hint of teeth that takes Arthur’s breath away. They stagger to the bed still entwined and fall onto it together.
The next few moments are a blur of bare skin and clawing hands, limbs sliding against limbs, mouths barely reaching mouths in their desperation to kiss. Arthur has to sit back and dig the heel of his hand into the base of his cock, breathing through the pleasure, to keep from orgasming too soon.
He opens his eyes and sees Shae sprawled out on the gaudy green and yellow quilt, his skin starkly pale and his hair fanning soft around his face. His eyes are the same bright silver as the rings in his ears. His legs spread on either side of Arthur, hiding nothing.
Arthur reaches for the oil, mouth dry with want. “Tell me if any of this hurts, all right?”
A smirk ghosts on Shae’s lips. “You don’t have to go easy on me, paladin.”
“What if I want to?” Arthur leans down and kisses Shae’s stomach. Feels the soft flesh jump under his lips. “You’re very handsome, and I like you a lot. I want you to feel good.”
“It’ll feel good,” Shae says, wrapping his ankle behind Arthur’s hip, “if you get around to fucking me before the sun sets.”
Arthur swears and kisses the inside of Shae’s knee on his way back up. “You’re in a rush today, huh?”
Shae just licks his lower lip.
Arthur dips his fingers into the denseed oil and sets the jar on the bedside table. He braces himself on one arm and focuses entirely on Shae’s face as his hand falls between the man’s thighs. Shae’s eyes flutter close as Arthur palms his cock. Rolls his balls and hears the sweetest, hottest whine from that thin throat. He slides his fingers down Shae’s taint and rubs the rim of his hole, and Shae’s lips part, panting for breath.
“I think we have another two hours until sunset,” Arthur says contemplatively. “Plenty of time.”
Shae groans and covers his face with his arm. “I will actually murder you.”
Then his hands fly to claw at the quilt as Arthur’s forefinger pushes into his ass. Arthur can’t keep pretending to go slow; the feeling of Shae around his finger is instantly addictive. Shae’s so hot and responsive to every slight movement, his body clinging to Arthur’s fingers. He pushes a second finger in, and there’s a tension that recedes as he keeps moving. Quicker pumps than Arthur intended, maybe still too slow for Shae. He presses up, adjusting his angle until—
