Chapter Ten
When Dasan said for Colton to stay by his side, he meant it. Colton sighed while Dasan did some meet and greet crap in what he called a great room. It was just a room with a huge ass table but whatever.
All Colton wanted was to get back to Awan. Watching him sleep might seem boring to some, but Colton was far too worried for the long hours to bother him.
"I seriously doubt anyone would go into Awan's bedroom just to hurt me.” Everyone in the realm respected Awan far too much to do anything to his Anam Cara.
"I am Oberon of this realm. I must hear the grievances of my people."
"That was so far off point, man. If you want to stay down here listening to people bitch about shit than what the fuck ever, but I want to get back to my man."
A squat little woman came into the room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Colton and stared at him with wide eyes, which seemed to be the standard reaction amongst faeries. "'Tis true then, Oberon. A human among us."
"Yes, and he is Second's Anam Cara so you will give him the same respect you give Second and me."
She bowed and smiled at him. "Welcome, human."
"Thanks. And it's Colton." She recovered from her shock quickly enough.
"You may call me Lanie. I am just a common house brownie but if there is anything you’re needing. Anything at all."
"I'll keep that in mind." Colton smiled and watched her scurry away. "Can I go now?"
Dasan sighed. "And I thought I would miss Talli and Kele. You are too much like them for the ache to truly set in."
"Is that a compliment or..." Colton shook his head. "No. It's not, is it?"
Dasan chuckled. "We will stay until we hear the last grievance."
"Great." God, shoot him.
Another person came into the room. This one was the guy who had Colton thrown into the pit. He stood in front of Dasan, bowing. "May I ask after the Second?"
"You may. He is still unconscious. The dragon and the human saved his life."
The human had a name and was getting annoyed by everyone calling him 'the human', not that he would ever say any of that. At least, not in front of the commander or whatever they called him. Getting thrown to the piranhas in the pit pissed him off still.
The commander turned to Colton. When their gazes met, Colton saw the apology in his eyes before he even said a word. "My apologies to you, sir."
Colton couldn’t stay mad at the guy, not when he looked so sincere. "Accepted. I get it, okay. The first time I saw Talli and Kele, I stared at them for an hour. Talli hated it. Probably felt like a zoo exhibit."
"The zoo, sire?"
"Animals in cages. Preserving the endangered species." Yeah, nothing was registering. "Nevermind. Just know that we're okay, you and I."
The commander looked at Dasan for assistance, before turning back to Colton again. "Forgive me. I fail to understand you completely."
"No worries."
"Right."
Dasan cleared his throat when the silence became too much. "Is there anything else, Commander?"
"The dragon shifter is not adjusting well."
Colton straightened, giving his full attention to the topic for the first time since leaving Awan's prone, sleeping body. "What's wrong with Novak?"
Dasan turned to him, giving him a narrowed eyed stare before turned back to the Commander. "Explain, please."
"He did not sleep last night. And he fights with others."
Colton knew Novak well enough to say if he fought it's because he felt threatened.
"Shall I throw him back in the pits?"
Colton glared at the back of Dasan’s head.
The commander's jaw muscles jumped. "No, sire. His time in the pit has shaped him in negative ways. That is all."
"Can you help him adjust, Commander?"
"I do not know. Perhaps not. I lack understanding."
"Yet you recognize his need for guidance."
"Yes."
"I believe you will guide him well, Commander. Even if you lack belief in yourself."
"Thank you, sire. Perhaps he only needs to be reassigned."
"He has fought for most of his life, has he not?" That was the fucking truth. Every second was a test for survival. Novak had his guard up for so long it was instinct, even here. He didn't know how to let it down.
"Yes."
“I think you are on the right path."
The commander bowed and turned to leave. It was as he opened the door that Colton heard the most beautiful bellow in the whole Otherworld. Hell, the Upperworld too.
Colton held his breath and looked at Dasan, who grinned at him. "Well, go find him. He will take off heads if you don’t. Save lives."
Colton still just stood there staring from Dasan to the door of the great room.
"Anam Cara! Where is he?" Awan sounded close.
Shit, Colton was going to cry. Again.
"Well go on, now." Dasan stood from his chair and walked around, so he was behind Colton. He gave a little push to the center of Colton's back, and that was all it took for Colton to get his feet to work. And when he finally did, he couldn't help but run.
Awan was in the hallway, coming toward him with a sword in his hand and that protective look on his face. Never in a million years did Colton think Awan would ever drop his sword but that's exactly what happened when he finally laid eyes on Colton.
Colton ran to him, nearly launching himself at Awan when he was close enough. Colton wasn't that much smaller than Awan, and he was probably broader through the shoulders. They had to weigh about the same, but Awan didn't protest when Colton wrapped his legs around his waist. He just held him in his arms as if he weighed nothing.
"You are safe." Awan sighed against Colton's hair.
Colton wanted to explain why he wasn't with Awan when he woke up, but he couldn't get his words passed the tears.
"Shh, sweet Colton. You are safe. We are together."
"You almost died." And just the thought made Colton's stomach twist in knots.
"I am here."
"But you almost weren't." Colton lifted his head from Awan's shoulder and looked at him, studying his face. He wiped the moisture from his cheeks and tried to calm down. The more he thought about it, the more pissed off he got, and he wasn't sure why.
Awan opened his mouth to speak but closed it without a word slipping passed.
The tension built.
Colton narrowed his eyes right before he slammed their lips together. He fisted Awan's long black hair, holding him in place while he punished Awan's mouth.
Without missing a beat, Awan turned and walked down the hall, heading to his bedchamber.
Colton didn't stop kissing Awan even when his back hit a soft mattress. Awan lay over him.
He seemed to want to take the kiss to a softer place, but Colton wouldn't let him. He flipped them around, so he was on top, straddling Awan's hips and holding his hands over his head. Awan let him to the point that his muscles went slack.
Colton bit his bottom lip, nipping at it before kissing the sting away. He moved down to Awan's jaw. "Don't ever. Ever. Do that again." Colton licked after every sentence until he got to Awan's neck.
Awan tilted his head to the side, giving Colton more room.
Colton bit down again. He knew he wouldn't leave a bruise or anything, but it probably stung a bit. He let Awan's hands go and sat up. "Do you know what you dying would do to me? Do you have any clue at all?"
"I am sorry, Colton." Awan trailed his fingers up Colton's chest to the nape of his neck.
Colton shook his head. "If Dasan wouldn't have come when he did, you would have died."
"I know."
Colton fell back onto Awan again and let the past few days wash out of him. He rested his forehead on Awan's and let his tears fall. "How the fuck did this happen? You wanna tell me that. Because I have no idea how I went from a failing farm to falling in love with a sluagh, which I still don't fully understand what that is. What you are. Shit, I don't even know, and now I'm blabbing away."
Awan smiled and ran his hand down Colton's back. "I like that you talk so much."
Colton chuckled passed his tears. "That was a backhanded compliment if ever I heard one."
"Just truth, Colton. Nothing else."
Colton lifted up again and when he did Awan wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I guess what I mean to say is I fucking love you so don't die, okay."
"I will certainly do my best."
"And also, since I can't even breath just thinking about you dying, I'll bite the bullet on this one and stay here. With you."
Before Colton knew what hit him, he was on his back again. Awan stood, ripping off his shirt before starting on his pants. "Get undressed. Now."
Awan didn’t have to tell Colton twice. He sat up long enough to take off his shirt and then basically wiggled out of his pants. The damn things tied and took longer to get off.
And no one believed in underwear in the Otherworld apparently, which had its advantages.
Colton crawled across the bed when he was fully naked. His mind thought of only one thing, and that was how glad he was that sluaghs had cocks. Awan's was stellar. It jutted out between muscular thighs. He had dark curls around the base, which Colton found hot as hell.
Awan tried to get up on the bed, but Colton held him off with a hand on his thigh. Colton looked up at him with a smile. The smile probably looked weird because his lashes were still wet from crying, but the tide had turned. Colton’s little meltdown was over, so he planned on taking advantage of Awan while he was standing all naked and sexy in front of him.
"Not yet, baby. Let me taste you."
Awan wrapped his fist around the base of his cock and held it inches from Colton's lips. "Open."
Colton obeyed and waited.
Awan ran the head of his cock over Colton's bottom lip, but when Colton tried to wrap both lips around the head, he pulled back.
"Tease."
"I am not teasing." Awan rubbed the head over Colton's lips again until precum coated them. "Now taste."
Colton darted his tongue out, licking his top lip before moving on to the bottom. "More."
Awan let Colton wrap his lips around the head the second time around. Colton gripped Awan's hip and pulled him forward, wanting more the longer Awan's cock lay against his tongue.
Awan let go of the base and ran his fingers through Colton's hair until he held the back of his head. When Awan took over, he was gentle, not taking too much or gagging Colton. He gave him enough so that Colton got a good taste of him and not one thing more.
Colton watched him through his lashes.
Awan pumped his cock in and out of Colton's mouth. He closed his eyes as his head fell back.
"I will spill in no time, Anam Cara. You must stop soon."
Awan’s fingers tightened in his hair and held him still after only a few more pumps. He pulled back, and Colton disengaged willingly.
There was a fire in Awan's eyes that hadn't been there before. He got on the bed forcing Colton to move, crowding around him until he held every one of Colton's senses hostage.
Colton ended up on his back.
"You watched me. Why?" Awan's face was inches from Colton's, but the rest of him felt too far away.
"To memorize your face."
Awan's eyebrows came together. "Do you think this will be our only time together? We have thousands, millions of moments to live."
"No, I know. I'm not worried anymore."
"Then why?"
"So I can keep that look on your face as much as possible. Have to know what it looks like first, right? And I'm failing, so gimme your cock, and I'll love on it some more."
Awan chuckled. "I have other plans."
Colton grabbed Awan by the shoulders and pulled him down. "What are they?"
Awan grinned and didn't say a word as he moved down Colton's body. He placed a kiss just under Colton's chin and then down to the hollow of his throat. Colton came off the bed when Awan suddenly veered right and zeroed in on his nipple. It was the damn teeth worrying it that got him. The pleasure when straight to his cock until it ached.
Colton wiggled around. He didn't even realize he opened his legs until Awan gripped him under his left knee. Awan ran his hand down Colton's thigh until he got to his ass cheek. He just rested his hand on the swell of one cheek as he focused his mouth on the other nipple.
Colton arched his back, coming off the bed. He held the back of Awan's head, keeping him in place. The sensual assault was both too much and not enough all at once. "Please."
"What do you need?" Awan licked his nipple.
"More." Colton couldn't get more than one word out at a time. He could barely breathe and panted as if he ran a marathon all at the same time.
"More?"
"Yeah."
"I would sink into you until we were one. I would spill inside you."
Oh god. "Yeah. That. Please."
"I would. But someone stole my slick. Or lube as you call it."
Colton couldn't help but laugh, which eased some of the pent-up sexual tension tightening his body.
"Lucky for both of us, I have saved it from the thief." Awan pulled open the side table drawer and pulled out the same brown bottle. The fact that the thing survived the pit intact was no small miracle.
Colton had no idea how it found its way back into the drawer, but he strongly suspected Dasan had something to do with that. He had stayed near Colton and Awan until he couldn't anymore, which Colton should thank him for. He had really made Colton feel as if he gained a welcoming family, which was a big deal considering his own blood family rejected him.
Colton was brought out of his musings when a slick finger pressed into him.
His laughter turned into a moan, and he opened his legs even further.
"Pretty thief."
No one had ever looked at Colton the way Awan did. Like he was his biggest fan. Like there wasn't one thing in any of the worlds better than Colton.
Colton cupped the nape of Awan's neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
When Awan pulled his finger out part way, he rubbed over Colton's prostate. The tingle of an orgasm teased but did nothing more than that, which was deliciously frustrating.
Colton couldn't maintain the kiss as the need to cry out was far greater.
Awan added another finger, pressing them both in until they couldn't go any further and held them there.
"Don't. Don't go slow. Please."
Awan nodded and pulled out completely. Colton wanted to cry again, but Awan didn't go far. He lay down on his back and pulled Colton over to him. "You will set the pace."
Oh yeah. Okay. Colton could do that.
Colton straddled Awan's hips at the same time he stuck three fingers inside himself to stretch. His hands shook with need. He must have had an intense look on his face because Awan cupped both his cheeks and pulled him down.
He didn't kiss. He didn't do anything but silently demand Colton hold his gaze.
Colton pulled his fingers out and added more lube to Awan's cock. His movements were awkward because of Awan's hold, but he still managed. He held Awan's cock at the base and lifted his hips enough to sink down on it.
The burn was what he needed. He wanted to feel Awan even after their lovemaking ended. He wanted to feel it every time he sat down.
Awan's expression darkened with intensity the further down Colton sank. He hissed when Colton took him all the way. He lifted part way and sank down again.
At some point during the act of lovemaking Colton felt something shift inside his heart. Colton had been around the block a few times when it came to men. He’d had his fair share of fucks and knew what he shared with Awan wasn't that. He formed a connection with him that went so deep it changed his fundamental being. He was no longer Colton the farmer but one part of a whole unit. That unit would never be separated again.
Their breaths mingled together, touching each other as they panted. A fine sheen of sweat covered Colton's body as he picked up the pace.
If Awan felt the growing connection, he didn't express it. It wasn't until Colton felt the slow burn building up in his core that Colton understood both of them felt the connection.
"Come." Hearing the smoky quality in Awan's voice was all it took for Colton to lose it. A part of him wanted to drag it out longer, prolong it until he could be inside Awan. He was helpless to do anything but obey the command.
A white-hot burn slammed into him. He cried out as cum coated Awan's abdomen. Colton watched as it settled onto Awan's skin. He had a naughty urge to rub it in as if he were an animal in need of marking his territory.
The thought was fleeting because Awan came. He looked fucking sexy doing it too. He closed his eyes, moaning. His movements were erratic and then Colton could swear he felt Awan's hot cum coat his insides.
Things settled between them as Colton crashed.
"I'm gonna feel that for days." Colton yawned.
"Was that your goal?"
"Yeah."
Awan chuckled. "Perhaps we can do it again."
"Give me twenty minutes, and I'm down."
"No. Next time you will be on top."
Colton laughed at Awan misinterpretation. Instead of correcting him, he agreed. "It's like we share a brain."
"A soul, Anam Cara."
Colton lifted his head and met Awan's gaze. "I know. I feel it."
"As do I."
Colton kissed Awan, slow and easy, before laying his head back down again.