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There was a slight tug on the sleeve of his doublet. Sebastian looked down into worried blue eyes. The omega was biting his lip.
“Yes?” he asked, trying to make his voice sound as gentle as possible. It wasn’t an easy task.
“I have no trunk, my lord, nor anything to fill it with. My belongings can easily fit into a satchel.”
“Will it take you long to collect your things?”
Peregrine shook his head. “No, my lord.”
He patted the omega lightly on his far too skinny rump. “Go then, and be as quick as you may.”
Once Peregrine was out of earshot, Sebastian said, “My omega needs things to last him through a long sea voyage. He cannot spend the entire journey naked.”
The matron gawked at Sebastian, utterly speechless.
Alistair sighed. “What my brother means, madam, is that he expects a packed trunk full of suitable clothing for a claimed omega, and he would like this accomplished posthaste.”
“Now,” Sebastian growled, letting smoke escape from his nostrils.
“Or there will be hell to pay, madam. I suggest you start now. My brother hasn’t demolished anything in a fortnight. Do not tempt his temper.”
The matron’s eyes flared wide, then she fled. By the time Peregrine returned with his miserably small bag of belongings, a trunk had been brought and laid, with reverence, at Sebastian’s feet. Alistair, ever curious, pawed through the contents and pronounced them suitable. That was more than good enough for Sebastian. He hoisted the trunk easily onto his right shoulder, then hoisted his omega onto his left.
“We go,” he said.
They went.
* * *
After they arrived at the inn where Alistair had arranged for rooms and a private parlor for the night, Sebastian pulled his brother aside. “See to it the omega gets a hot bath and a good meal in him. I’ll be back before nightfall.”
Alistair goggled at him. “Where the devil are you going?”
“Out.” Sebastian wagged an admonishing finger in front of Alistair’s nose. “Do. Not. Touch. My. Omega.”
“As if I would be that foolhardy.” Alistair sniffed, his nose clearly out of joint. Not that Sebastian cared overmuch. Alistair had a history with omegas, and while he was fairly certain his brother valued his life far more than getting his dick wet, it never hurt to remind Alistair that there were things you could look at but not touch.
Sebastian frowned.
Not looking would also be good.
With a final glare at his brother, Sebastian set about on his errands. First he needed to find an apothecary, then a nice, cold pond or river.
* * *
The private parlor was empty when Sebastian returned to the inn. He instructed the innkeeper’s wife to bring him a suitable meal: cucumber salad, pea soup, stewed onions, roast pork, marinated roast beef, fried shrimp, cheese, and a compote of cherries cooked in wine. After supping, he went to his room where his future waited for him.
For politeness’s sake, Sebastian knocked.
“Is that you, my lord?” came a voice that only sounded a little tremulous. His omega had courage, Sebastian was pleased to note.
“It is.”
After a moment, there was the sound of a latch being drawn back and the door opened a crack. Sebastian pushed it open, secured the door, then set down his small sack of purchases on a table near the bed. Only then did he turn to fully gaze upon the omega he’d taken for his own.
Since Sebastian had left to attend to his chores, Peregrine had freshened up and changed out of his tattered clothing. His new raiment was far too large for him, but was of better make than the rags he’d worn prior. His hose was of pale rose silk just a shade darker than his own skin, and over that he wore a linen tunic so fine, it was translucent in the light of the fire. Instead of a belt, he had cinched the outfit in at his waist with a wide scarlet ribbon.
The glimpse of his slender body through his tunic aroused Sebastian greatly. He wanted nothing more than to tear the cloth from the omega’s body and ravish him right before the fire, but the boy had a somewhat uncertain look about him, so Sebastian made himself stay still.
