Incubus Master: Complete (Yaoi) Page 19

  Jinady soothed back Figaru’s hair from his face. He leant down to join their mouths. He kissed while still shuddering with emotion. He broke to snuffle and wipe his tears, and then joined their mouths again.

  A hand lit on his back. Jinady raised his head.

  Figaru stared back at him with a serene face. “Jinady.”

  “Oh God, please be okay.”

  Figaru covered his wound with his cape. “Go into town and bring the doctor.”

  “Yes.” Jinady started to rise at once. Figaru grabbed his wrist.

  “In a moment.”

  He drew him into back down into another kiss, this time more ardent than before. Jinady clung to him.

  Chapter 23

  Figaru recuperated in his home. Jinady stayed beside him in bed, snuggling close under the blankets.

  “I wasn’t really trying to get Rowan to kill you. I would have died protecting you if he—“

  “I know, Figaru. It’s fine.”

  All later attempts at conversation Jinady made died out. The demon’s eyes would grow distant, and he’d give sad sighs. Jinady longed to lift Figaru from this derision.

  The second morning he unwittingly did so by waking with an erection. Figaru grabbed it.

  “I’m like this every morning. Most men are.”

  “It was excruciating phenomenon when I camped with the men. This is the first time I don’t have to restrain myself.” He pumped his fist.

  The magic Figaru drew from the act renewed him enough to hold an officer’s meeting in his den. His men reported that Scor disappeared after the battle. Rowan’s corpse was also missing.

  “He may be taking evidence of Rowan’s murder to Swan,” Major said.

  “Scor already decided who to betray. Tell the shard tower guards to watch for a pillar of smoke,” Figaru said. “Swan must be notified in any case. Scor is the best one to do this. If he doesn’t return I’ll see to it when I’m recovered. All the borders have shards now. We have time.”

  Jinady noted Vandrel was absent from the meeting. Something occurred to him when he reflected later in bed.

  “Figaru…how did Rowan get that message on me? It was a magic message, wasn’t it?”

  Figaru was lying on his back with his eyes closed and one arm around Jinady. “Vandrel confessed he wrote it on you.”

  “His magic is really powerful. He was able to bind Rowan for almost a minute—and Rowan was stronger than you, wasn’t he?”

  “Vandrel’s powers are what made him my second in command.”

  Jinady fidgeted. “How can you trust him?”

  Figaru opened his eyes and turned toward Jinady. “I don’t trust him when it comes to matters about Leatha. I’ve forgiven him for the message. He confessed, and he was contrite. He swore to stand with me against Rowan. I couldn’t have won without him.”

  Jinady concentrated. “It just scared me a little to see he had that much power. I always thought none of the other incubi here could be a threat to you. Honestly, I really didn’t like Vandrel before. But you’re right, he came through for us. When he whispered to me out there I was so happy to hear his voice.”

  Figaru estimated him a moment after these words. This puzzled Jinady.

  “Why did you dislike Vandrel?”

  He wished his expressions were less instinctive. When he realized this was connected to a situation he had to keep secret from Figaru his eyes widened. He wasn’t thinking of the root of his bad feelings when he admitted them. There was no desire in him to expose Leatha. Too much had happened since then.

  “He drafted me.” His weak lie made him cringe. It neared the intonation of a question.

  “Try again. This time tell me the truth.”

  Jinady broke eye contact. He tore skin from his cuticle with his thumbnail. “It doesn’t matter. We have a clean slate after what he did yesterday.”

  “You don’t have to be jealous of him, Jinady.”

  What?

  “He loves Leatha, and I love you.”

  Jinady whispered the return vow automatically. “I love you, too.”

  When that tender moment passed he noted that he wasn’t feeling jealousy at the thought of Figaru with Vandrel. He was just as intrigued as when he first learned of his history with Scor. He’d been jealous of another mortal, of Rowan, but Figaru had to sleep with other demons. There was only one human he chose to be with.

  “What happened between you and Vandrel?”

  “I’ve always relied on him as a general and considered him my friend. When his stress began in earnest with Rowan and Leatha he ended up in my bed. I was also distressed over Rowan and exhausted.”

  “How did he—I mean, he was sad so he went to have sex with you?”

  “No. He tried to manipulate me with his magic so I’d free Rowan from the stockade. I threatened to have sex with him as his punishment. I didn’t mean it. But, he made no effort to resist me.”

  Jinady imagined it. “Wow.” He concentrated on halting the swell between his naked legs. (Figaru requested that they snuggle in the nude).

  “You’re not jealous.” The statement conveyed frustration at his mistake. He returned to estimating him.

  “What else?”

  Figaru fumed then concentrated. “We’ve copulated one other time. Before I left on the shard mission with you. I thought he was upset over Leatha. I realize now it was more due to guilt at what he’d just done to you with Scor. Regardless, I knew sex would comfort him, and—I care about him. I told him we would have a final tryst before I became devoted to you. This time he was more relaxed. I learned my general longed to be embraced, kissed, and caressed. I hope he can find this level of affection with Leatha.”

  Jinady bit his bottom lip.

  “This is exciting you.”

  He looked at him. “It is pretty juicy.”

  “Funny. He used the same word to describe sex between me and you.” He slid his hand over Jinady’s bare hip below the covers.

  “I don’t care what you do with Scor or Vandrel or succubi.” He shifted closer to him. “Sex is food to you. Monogamy wouldn’t be practical. There’s going to be times when I can’t or don’t want to have sex.”

  Figaru let his hand slip over Jinady’s bottom. “In my homeland incubi became monogamous to integrate with mortals. We proved to them we weren’t immoral creatures. I still hold to those values.”

  He wrapped his arms around Figaru’s neck. “That’s stupid. Mortals aren’t even monogamous most of the time. You know the men fool around. In my old fortress it was fine to be with other men besides your mate as long as it was in the open and he was okay with it.”

  Figaru removed his hand. “It’s the same among mortals in the settlement, Jinady. In Zanzarland there is no shortage of women. Nearly all of them demand monogamy. They’re the ones who dictate the rules of relationships. Men adhere, or cheat in secrecy. There’s strife if the woman learns.”

  “The men in Zanzarland must want monogamy too, otherwise they’d just be with other men.”

  Figaru made a look of consternation. “If you’ve never lived in a society with women you can’t understand how greatly they change things.”

  “Hmm.”

  Figaru leant over and kissed him. Jinady’s arms were still wrapped around his neck. He parted his lips to let Figaru penetrate with his tongue. His hand glided up to rub Jinady’s nipple.

  When their mouths separated Jinady drew breath before Figaru could reconnect.

  “Do you prefer women?”

  “No.” He lowered for a brief, sensuous kiss. “I don’t want anymore children.”

  Chapter 24

  Jinady thought Figaru was going to bed him that night when he inserted a greased finger. Instead he kissed, fondled, and stretched him. Jinady writhed from the fingering. Their members touched, and then Figaru greased his other hand to rub them together. He pried a second digit into Jinady before they climaxed.

  The doctor removed most of Figaru’s bandages the next day. The
elderly Deputy came with him, then stayed for hours. Jinady remained upstairs rather than meet him.

  It was quiet downstairs for a long while after Deputy left. Jinady went to the landing and looked downward. Figaru was weeping in his hand.

  Jinady came down the steps quietly. The last few days had been so blissful. He wanted to forget about Rowan, and ignored the fact Figaru hadn’t really grieved. He stood beside where Figaru sat on his large settee.

  “Deputy’s happy Rowan’s dead,” Figaru said through his tears. “I can’t be happy about any of this. I’ve tried to ignore my pain. It won’t go away.”

  Jinady tucked himself under Figaru’s arm and hugged his middle.

  “It takes time to heal from something like this,” Jinady said. He restrained any other comments. The situation was surreal, almost unimaginable. His heart ached to see Figaru in such pain.

  That night Jinady’s comforting embrace led to kissing then fondling. Jinady was ultimately turned on his side with his back to Figaru as the demon continued to stretch him with lubricated fingers.

  “Tell me if I hurt you,” he whispered.

  “It feels good.”

  Jinady caught the wrist of his other hand when he reached for his member. He looked back at him with a flushed face.

  “Make love to me.”

  Figaru drew his wrist free to caress the side of Jinady’s nape. He leant close to his ear.

  “Tomorrow night, my dearest.”

  The forth day after the battle there was nothing left of Figaru’s wound except a cloud shaped scab going from the bottom of his ribcage to his navel.

  Yeoman came early to report that Scor was back in his cabin. He’d carved HIBERNATING FUCK OFF on the door. Figaru ordered that he be left alone. He moved about with greater zest that day.

  Figaru had a gigantic indoor bath that Jinady had already luxuriated in twice. Now the demon utilized it. Jinady went to the solder’s bath at the same time. He headed back exhilarated and smelling like rose water.

  When he neared home he had a sensation that felt like his heart had dropped in his chest.

  It took a moment for his mind to register what had stung him: Vandrel lying crumpled on the porch without his cape. He was half hidden behind Figaru’s tall shrubs.

  Jinady approached slowly. The demon hadn’t been there when he left more than an hour ago; he was sure of it. The wood planks creaked when he stepped up. Vandrel lifted a head of mussed spikey hair and looked at him. His color was paler than usual. There were bags below his weary bloodshot eyes. Jinady felt a pang of sympathy. This incubus hadn’t been renewed from his strain in the battle.

  Dizzying thoughts flooded him. He’d been honeymooning selfishly the last four days while Vandrel suffered. Hadn’t anyone checked on him? Figaru couldn’t with injury. Should he have taken initiative to make sure an Available went to him? Had he been careless at a time when Figaru needed extra support?

  Vandrel’s weary mortal-sounding voice interrupted his thoughts. “I need to see—“

  Figaru threw open the front door. He had a long gold fabric loincloth on and nothing else. His hair was wet. He scooped up Vandrel without pausing. Jinady followed his brisk hoof beats into the house. He climbed the stairs while calling back to him.

  “Fetch an Available, Jinady. If you can’t find one ask the first officer you see.”

  Jinady rushed back toward the door as Figaru brought Vandrel into their bedroom at the top of the stairs. He stopped himself almost so fast he stumbled. His brow knit. He closed and locked the front door then followed Figaru’s path up the stairs. He could hear them.

  “When you didn’t utilize an Available I assumed you were with Leatha.”

  “I was. She’s still asleep.”

  “I sent soldiers to her loft at the school. They couldn’t find either of you. Not there, your quarters, no where on the base. Where have you been these last four days?”

  Jinady bit his bottom lip. If he’d overheard this issue at his meetings he would have exposed their hiding place beneath the school.

  He stepped into the bedroom. Figaru had dropped the red demon in the center of their gigantic bed. He looked small and fragile. Figaru stood at the foot to scold him. His back was to Jinady. He was stepping in careful not to make a sound until he remembered Figaru could sense him.

  “I can’t do it, Figaru,” Vandrel said without looking at them. “She’s at peace now—asleep. I can’t wake her.”

  “I thought you had already,” Figaru said. “You’ve just made it harder on yourself by waiting.”

  “I let her sleep because I love her.”

  “I order you to lift the spell.”

  Vandrel looked at him with his eyes growing glassy. “I can’t.”

  “You will. You’ll feed, and get back into your right mind. Then we’ll both go to her.”

  “No, Figaru.” He began to shudder with sobs. “No, I can’t. Don’t make me.”

  Figaru looked at Jinady who was now a short distance from his side.

  “You do it.”

  “Jinady--”

  “He doesn’t want some Available. He’s hurting. He should be with someone who cares about him. He needs to be ‘embraced, kissed, and caressed.’”

  Figaru turned back to look at Vandrel. Jinady could see the rare signs of distress on his face.

  “He’s been hiding all this time. He was trying to hide behind the shrubs on the porch. He doesn’t want anyone to see him like this.”

  “I know.”

  Jinady stepped toward the door. “If you let him suffer much longer I’m going to be really angry at you, Figaru. He deserves better than that after all he did for us.” He left and closed the door behind him.

  Jinady continued outside. The night was clear and full of stars. He drew a deep breath. He could not shake off his guilt. It wasn’t for Vandrel anymore. He was thinking of Scor. He hoped Figaru’s act now would give him the liberty to keep his promise. Scor was the least worst for wear after the battle, though he probably suffered even greater than Vandrel inside.

  Jinady wandered the camp to kill time. Though the romantic in him tried to make this night with Figaru special, he felt they’d already been joined. It was simply one kind of sex over another. It was probably more meaningful for incubi than mortals. He had the rest of his life to make love to Figaru. The thought made his heart flutter.

  He’d gone to the brink of disaster, and he was the only one to come out unscathed. His hope was renewed in Figaru’s magical arms the last few days. Vandrel, Scor, Leatha, Figaru—they were the casualties. It felt wrong to be happy while they suffered.

  HIBERNATING FUCK OFF

  Jinady’s eyes widened when he saw the words on the door. He’d wandered to Scor’s cabin. The urge to comfort the demon neared physical pain. He felt a debt, and sympathy, and he supposed he didn’t truly dislike him.

  The door opened inward an inch. Jinady started. He saw one yellow eye peek out.

  Jinady stood staring. He hadn’t made any noise. No, of course, demons can sense humans they just can’t distinguish between their auras the way they can their fellow demons. Scor knew some mortal was outside his door. Now he knew it was him.

  Scor opened the door fully. He was scowling and weary. He took a step back, and then pointed inside with his chin in a brute gesture of welcome. Jinady entered without fear.

  If he asked Figaru’s permission he’d say yes, because Jinady knew he cared for Scor. He’d confess to the act tomorrow.

  Figaru and Jinady were in a network of complex relationships, twisted and warped in the wake of Rowan. Their relationship wouldn’t be as simple as the one Figaru knew with is wife. Nor should it be, Jinady thought. Sex wasn’t only for love, but for sustenance and comfort. His love for Figaru was an all-consuming pull, a magnetism that he took for granted as something his will could never surmount. At the same time, he accepted being embroiled in the world of incubi. It was a world full of sexual need.

  Even if there wer
e similarities to the world he found himself in a year ago, he didn’t mind it. Jinady was happy here.

  End

  Be sure to read Incubus Master: Captured the sequel!

  And Also: Incubus Master: Scor’s Story.

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