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“I know.” Hunter swallowed back another quiet sob. Without thinking, Rex leaned in and softly kissed his lips. The angel went completely still in his arms. With a slight smile, Rex repeated the gesture, this time lingering, taking a moment to kiss the tears from Hunter’s cheeks.

  “My knees are growing wet from kneeling here in the grass.”

  Hunter eased his hold on Rex’s body, and tentatively, he stroked Rex’s back, then up to where his downy wings folded neatly against his back. He stroked and Rex sighed at the pleasure of the touch. Hunter’s hand dropped lower, embracing the muscular base of Rex’s tail.

  “You can’t hide it while we’re here?”

  “No need to hide it. And you’re right. The magic of the Other Place negates the magic I use to disguise myself. The charms on your skin will have faded by now, I’ll have to reapply them before we leave.”

  Rex allowed himself the luxury of pleasure, just for now… This moment. He turned his head and rested it on Hunter’s broad shoulder, shivering at the sensation of hands on his body, his skin. It had been such a long time since he’d been touched. He slowly pulled his tail through Hunter’s hands, snaking it around to wrap low on the angel’s waist, pulling their hips close together.

  He was hard, so hard, and pushing against Hunter’s erection felt decadent and wonderful. They rocked together, pressing and releasing in a delicious embrace.

  “Men can make love together.” It wasn’t a question, but rather a statement, whispered in Hunter’s husky voice.

  “Yes, Hunter, men can make love.” Was that permission for this beautiful being in his arms to move forward? To continue with his exploration? Rex felt firm, silken lips pressing the skin of his forehead, his eyelids, and finally settling on his mouth. Hunter nipped and pulled at his lower lip, and the gently licked to soothe the sting. On a sigh, Rex kissed him back, allowing Hunter to embrace and explore.

  And could he ever kiss! Hunter cradled his jaw, moving his head to fit better to Rex’s mouth. As his arousal grew, his kisses grew sharp and hard, his tongue probed and tasted. Using his greater height as leverage, Hunter pressed Rex backward until his back met the wooden bench. He buried one hand in Rex’s curls and pursued the kiss until they were both breathless and flushed with need.

  Hunter stood and helped Rex from the ground. He then pushed him down to the bench till Rex lay on his back. All Rex could see was the sky, blue and brilliant, studded by swollen gray clouds that were heavy with rain. And that was obscured by Hunter’s exquisite face as they once again kissed deeply. All that they were—all that they needed—was in that kiss.

  Hunter lowered his body over Rex, exploring, pulling at the collar of his shirt, unfastening the buttons as he worked his way lower. Rex’s chest heaved with his breathing. He shuddered when Hunter caught his nipple between sharp teeth, pulling and laving with his tongue. His tail wandered freely, stroking down Hunter’s muscular back, down his tight buttocks, then under, the tip trailing over the angel’s groin. He played the length of Hunter’s cock, teasing his balls and stroking him again and again.

  When Hunter bit too hard, Rex grinned and smacked him sharply on the ass.

  “Easy!”

  “Pants off…”

  Hunter was struggling at the waistband of Rex’s trousers, leaving them momentarily to fumble at his own. Once they were both open and exposed, Hunter lowered himself, groaning in bliss as their cocks pressed and rubbed from balls to tip. They began to grind, to gasp at the feel of their cocks sliding past each other, catching at the tips in a moment of agonizing pleasure. Changing their rhythm, the two pressed tightly at the root, rolling upward then back down.

  “I’m going to spend if you keep doing this!” Rex knew his laugh was shaky. He wrapped his arms around Hunter’s body, one at the shoulder, the other at the hips. His tail continued to wander, alternating smooth, velvety strokes with sharp slaps.

  In answer, Hunter began a steady, pumping stroke, their bodies capturing their hard, weeping cocks in a vise-like grip. “I want you to spend, Rex. Here, where I can watch your face!” He took Rex’s mouth in another brutally sweet kiss, forcing them to move faster, harder.

  “I’ve been waiting for this, Rex… Waiting for you for so long!”

  This was the sort of sex that schoolboys had in the darkness of their sleeping halls or what monks did when the vows of chastity became too heavy to bear. Their bellies slapped, their balls grew tight and hard, and Hunter planted a hand on either side of Rex’s head, rising up to watch him as their release grew closer.

  “Yes… Oh mercy, Hunter!” His cock was on fire, his skin burned and tingled, and all the muscles in his body went tight. “You too…”

  “You first!” Hunter’s voice had become a low-pitched growl. A part of Rex’s mind couldn’t accept that the quiet, passive angel that he knew had become so dominant and aggressive.

  He loved it.

  Rex went higher up that path, his breathing grew ragged and he grunted. All the muscles in his groin and back locked in a long, crippling spasm that raced from his ass to his balls, and finally to his cock. His seed spit out in streams, slick on his belly, spattering on Hunter’s skin. He groaned again as wave after wave of orgasm rocked him, and he ground up into the other man in a last, desperate effort to bring him to the brink.

  As though he’d given himself permission, Hunter rose to his climax, his eyes dropping closed, and finally, he dropped full-length over Rex, his face buried in the Sidhe’s dark curls. Rex held him tightly as shudders wracked his body, and the heat of the angel’s release spread like velvet over his belly.

  Slowly, so slowly, he came to a halt, occasional shudders running through his muscles. Another sob escaped, and Rex could feel the hot slide of tears onto his skin. He held tightly onto the angel, stroking his satiny feathers and silken limbs, murmuring silly words that might have been comfort, but they might have been love as well.

  They lay there long after Hunter had become too heavy for Rex to bear. They lay as the sun set, and a brisk chill wandered into the cottage. They would lie for as long as Hunter needed Rex’s arms around him, holding him close.

  Chapter Seven

  “Tonight was my night in the kitchens.”

  They’d retreated to the bed niche, shed all of their clothing, and were now simply being comfortable. The high emotions had ebbed, though they hadn’t completely retreated. Deep in his chest, a hard knot rested, just waiting to rise up and choke him. Hunter forced it back and wrapped himself tighter to Rex.

  A year ago, this man had represented Hunter’s entire life—his comfort, his security and his safety. Now even knowing that he could survive on his own, Hunter again felt that the ghillie dubh was his lifeline. But there was strength in knowing it wasn’t need, but love, that held Rex so deeply in his heart.

  Having shed the burden of his hidden desire, Rex behaved like the youth that he now appeared. Whether his hair was shining brown or streaked with silver, the eyes were the same, as was the smile. He laughed in delight at the rain that broke from the clouds, chasing them into the cottage. His eyes sparkled at their first, fumbling attempt at a duet on the lute and guitar.

  If a shadow sometimes appeared in his eyes, Hunter waited for it to pass. Rex was mercurial in his moods and his guilt settled briefly, passing quickly, but Hunter knew it was still there.

  Rex didn’t like guilt, and that made Hunter feel a bit safer.

  “I’m sure they knew you wouldn’t make it tonight. But if you’d like…”

  “I’d rather stay here.”

  They sat face to face in the niche. Rex leaned against the wall at the foot of the bed, while Hunter reclined at the head of the bed. Their legs were intertwined and Rex’s tail occasionally stroked his leg, reminding Hunter of all the exploration they had yet to experience.

  “I don’t know about you, Hunter, but all I’ve had to eat since this morning—” He broke off, aware of the rift in their time. “You gave me two apples before I left. I still have one.” He r
eached out of the niche and caught his traveling bag, drawing out a vivid red apple. It was fresh, as though it had been newly picked. Rex reached into the bag and drew out a parcel, handing it to Hunter. It was a sheaf of pungent dried lavender. He inhaled deeply, and reached up, suspending the bundle from the wall.

  “That will keep the bed fresh.”

  “Aye.”

  Rex’s smile still took his breath away. In the past year, Hunter had looked upon some of the most beautiful faces in existence. Rex’s smile was lopsided, his hair grew in unmanageable curls and twists. His features were less symmetrical than those of many of the magical beings he’d met. His skin was brown from the sun and his slender hands were hard with work.

  And yet he was magic.

  No one seemed to know what Rex’s true gifts were, though all agreed that the grass was always a bit greener where he’d sat, and the fruit he’d harvested was always sweeter. Carly’s gift had been sex and pleasure, but Rex’s…

  “You’re fertility.”

  “Pardon?” He lifted a brow at Hunter’s exclamation.

  “Your croft flourishes while the harvests all around die in the ground. Animals have no fear of you. I would imagine if you were careless, you’d have scores of children following you about.”

  “Fertility is usually associated with the female.”

  “It takes both. While Carly creates blind lust and oblivion, you inspire growth and reproduction. That’s why you need to be close to the Earth, close to the forests and wild places.”

  As he watched, the smile faded from Rex’s face. He looked up and met Hunter’s eyes, and there, Hunter could see the green of the forest, the gold of wheat ready to be harvested. He saw rushing water as it melted from the mountaintops and hurried to the ocean. He saw the first blush of new life, green shoots born of fertile black soil.

  “Aye. There are few like me in this world or the next.”

  He glanced down at the apple in his hands, thick black lashes shading his eyes. “By rights, now that I’ve returned home, this apple should be dried to dust.” He leaned over and set it on the floor, and as Hunter watched, the fruit began to dull, to wither and finally disintegrate. Rex then held his hands to the front, opening them with the palms up.

  His palms bore calluses from hard work, black dirt was permanently engrained in his skin. But they were beautiful hands, capable of pulling music out of a temperamental lute. They were gentle hands that soothed the wounded and sick.

  “Those women who come to you for potions to get with child?”

  “The potions are harmless fakes. Unless she is completely barren, I can prompt fertility in women. Men as well.” He smiled and rested his hands on his bare thighs. “Doesn’t work the other way around, though. I can’t make a fertile woman barren without herbs and such.”

  Hunter gazed at those hands, and his eyes traveled up the length of Rex’s legs to the thatch of black curls that cradled his cock and balls. His gaze continued to wander, over his flat belly and lightly muscled abdomen and chest. Restlessly, Rex shifted, drawing up one leg, offering a view that Hunter returned to. Quickly, he looked up at the face of the Sidhe, catching Rex watching quizzically.

  “You’ve been with women.”

  Hunter nodded.

  “Men?”

  “No. There were none that I desired.”

  “So I’m it for you then. Among men, anyway.”

  “Aye.” He reached up and pulled at his braid, running his fingers down its length.

  “Your hair’s grown. We’ll have to shorten it a bit before we return.” Rex’s foot stroked his calf gently. The sensation was almost hypnotic. He sighed and relaxed.

  Hunter blinked. When had the lights grown so dim? The candles they’d lit were nearly guttered out. He glanced out and saw that the rain had stopped.

  “If you hunger, I have bread and fruit, as well as cheese and cold meat.”

  “I hunger.”

  Rex’s steady gaze never left Hunter’s face. Abruptly, Hunter shifted to leave the bed.

  “Hunter.”

  A hand on his arm gave him pause.

  “You’re it for me as well.”

  “Among men.”

  “No, Hunter. Among anyone.” He let go of Hunter’s arm and settled back where the shadows were growing. “I don’t deny the love of women in myself. It’s what nature created me for. But, love… You are the only one in my heart.”

  Hunter remained there, one leg outside the bed, the other folded under his body. His arm tingled where Rex had touched him. His cock grew heavy against the seam of his thigh and groin.

  “You are in my heart, Rex. I love others, but it’s different.”

  “Friendship.”

  “Yes. Friendship.”

  Rex’s gaze was heavy on his skin. It was almost something he could touch. His breath came faster, and his shaft began to lengthen.

  “Hunter.”

  “Yes.” He didn’t look at Rex.

  “I’m going to fuck you.”

  “Yes.” His answer was so soft, he barely heard it himself. Rex didn’t move, but Hunter felt a soft stroke against his skin, running down his hip, snaking around his rapidly hardening cock. There was a tuft of soft fur at the end of Rex’s tail, rather like the downy fur of his wings. He watched in fascination as the tail gently probed his cock, caressing his balls and working its way down to his anus. He arched uncontrollably as the tip of the tail probed his tight hole.

  “Do you want me to take you there?”

  Hunter licked his lips and swallowed, nodding. “I want to take you as well.”

  “So we both want to run the show in bed.” Rex’s tail pulled away, then wrapped around Hunter’s wrist, pulling him down into the bed. “I suppose we can live with that.”

  “I suppose we don’t have a choice, if we wish to remain together.” Hunter twisted to face Rex. The Sidhe’s cock was as erect and hard as his own. Hunter’s shaft was alabaster pale in comparison to Rex’s. His brown skin darkened to a ruddy color at the head, where it emerged from the foreskin. Hunter reached out and touched, rolling the silky skin back to reveal distended veins.

  With a good deal of curiosity, Hunter grasped Rex’s weighty cock and pumped it loosely, smiling as the other man went still. He shifted again and leaned down, remembering how he liked it. He ran long, slow licks up the shaft, circling the head, and returning to the base. He nosed in and pushed at Rex’s heavy balls, pulling the loose skin with his lips, rolling the orbs while his tongue glided over the skin.

  Rex’s hand settled gently on his head, not guiding, but in a caress.

  Something soft tickled his cheek, it was the tip of a tail, stroking gently. He shivered, his skin going rough at the tickling sensation. Rex sighed and rested his head back, eyes closed, his hips rocking gently with Hunter’s movement.

  “Not too much, love.” He sighed, then twisted and pushed Hunter to his back. “If you’re going to fuck me, you need to be good and wet.” He bent to Hunter’s cock and took it in, licking him wet from root to tip. Hunter writhed.

  “Oil. I have oil…” He pointed to the ledge above the head of the bed, and Rex grabbed a blue glass bottle.

  “This?”

  “Yes… Yes…” Whatever he meant to say was lost in Rex’s kiss. He broke it off and straddled Hunter’s thighs, oiling up both their cocks. With a wicked smile, he upended the bottle over the tip of his tail. When his tail was slick, he gave Hunter an experimental slap on the hip, laughing at the sound.

  “It might sting a bit now, but later, you’ll love it.”

  He leaned forward, clearly intending to control this round of lovemaking. He slicked his hands up and down Hunter’s abdomen, rubbing the leftover oil on his skin, then he leaned forward.

  The glide of their slick, oiled cocks caused them both to groan in arousal.

  “Face to face?”

  Hunter nodded, unable to catch his breath.

  “And you want to fuck me? How do you want me? On my back
?” He rose on his knees, hovering over Hunter’s aching cock. “On top?”

  “On your back.”

  Hunter rolled them, pinning Rex against the mattress, enjoying the man’s look of surprise. He didn’t really remember his life before, but knew he had some surprising skills. It appeared that wrestling was one of them.

  Rex opened his legs, allowing Hunter to cover him, to take him in a deep, exploring kiss. While the Sidhe explored his body with hands and tail, Hunter showered him with kisses and licks, nibbling at an earlobe and gently biting his jaw. He scooted back and drew up Rex’s legs, tilting his hips to the ceiling. Grasping his cock in one hand, he ran it over Rex’s rigid shaft, down to where his balls drew up tight.

  Groping on the bedding, he found the oil and spilled it generously over Rex’s balls, watching as it dribbled down his crack. With a gentle finger, he worked it into his tight hole, preparing him as thoroughly as possible.

  Rex was panting, somewhere on the good side of pain. “You seem to know what you’re doing, Hunter.”

  He didn’t look up from his task, but nodded. Carly had been an excellent teacher.

  “You know what to do?”

  He finally looked up, his heart racing at the vision of Rex splayed out at his mercy, one arm behind his head, slowly pumping his oily cock with his free hand.

  “Aye. I know.”

  Hunter began his slow assault into the tightest space he’d ever invaded. Rex’s hips shook, so he held him steady with one hand, guiding his cock with the other. He paused to catch his breath and check the Sidhe, who nodded, once he’d caught his breath. Color was bright in Rex’s cheeks, and sweat had broken out over his face and chest. He might have done this before, but it was clearly not something he did often. Hunter was pleased that he’d be the only man taking Rex. He was more than pleased. Sweat broke from his own body at the image of what they were about to do together.

  It would be a hot, slippery ride.

  Hunter pulled back and began again, adding a bit more oil. Every time he withdrew, he returned a bit deeper into Rex’s body. He thrust a little harder and a little faster.