My eyes remained on him, and his stayed on me. Caleb had said, more than once, that he was fine by himself, but the tension in his body told me differently. His wings were hugging his shoulders, and his tail was coiled around his leg. He’d been fine this morning, but when I’d told him Mother and Father hadsent a note requesting to speak with me alone, he’d immediately tensed.
A large part of me wanted to refuse them. Caleb had been back in my life less than a week, and I needed more time with him. The logical part of my brain acknowledged that my parents had left me and Caleb alone during the budding unrest while also protecting us from the Council of Seekers and the Ranks.
I had to go, even if my instincts told me to never leave my mate’s side ever again.
I buried my fingers in his hair, and he shuddered—not a good one—so I pulled away. I was getting better at deciphering his good and bad shivers. This one came from his hair. While I rather liked long hair on him, Caleb couldn’t tolerate it. Most of the time he asked me to pull his hair up. I’d suggested he cut it, but he refused. My mate still struggled to accept this body as his, and I wasn’t going to pressure him.
Nudging up his chin, I kissed him. “I will be back shortly.”
“I’m fine, Sunshine.”
He said that, but he didn’t act like that. Perhaps it was a pride issue. He’d wandered the universe by himself, and now, he was afraid to be alone for a few minutes.
I settled beside Caleb and drew him against me. A single flash of wondering how he would’ve felt as a human went through me before it disappeared. I nuzzled his head, scent marking him; this was my mate.
Caleb slid a hand beneath my shirt to rub my side and the gland there. I swallowed at the sudden burst of arousal that it triggered. I needed to cover my mate in my scent and claim him.
We had stroked each other off a few times now, and I’d tried to suck Caleb once, but he hadn’t liked it—it had been too much for him. We hadn’t fucked yet, and I was desperate to be inside of him, filling him with my seed, but he wasn’t ready, and I would wait for as long as it took.
He started to nuzzle and rub me. Caleb was exceedingly possessive most of the time, and I loved it. The longer he marked me, the more he calmed. He kept pushing me until I lay back on the couch and he was on top of me. I slipped under his shirt to trace his scales. When I brushed his bare skin, Caleb jerked, and his cock started to harden.
Drakcol skin was exceedingly sensitive, as it was meant to be covered in scales. I made sure to oil his side and the bare spot on his head daily. Both would have to be covered in extreme weather to keep him safe.
“Need you,” Caleb said. “Now. I need you now. Right now. I can’t wait.”
My cock lurched, eager and ready.
Caleb licked his lips. “Can I taste you?”
I needed to go, responsibilities to attend to, but I didn’t care. I cupped his cheek, running my thumb over his bottom lip. Caleb sucked the digit into his mouth and bit it. Hard. I winced.
He pulled back. “I hurt you again. I keep hurting you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. You probably don’t want me anywhere near your cock. I mean, I did bite you. I’m sorry, Sunshine.”
I grabbed the back of his neck and yanked him to my mouth, claiming it. Caleb moaned, and I forced my tongue into his mouth, fucking him until he was panting and shaking.
“I am not afraid of you, Mate.”
He bit his lip, and I licked his chin and up to his mouth. Caleb started, then laughed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
“Permissions?” he asked, and I flushed with pride. We hadn’t had one comprehensive conversation, but rather small ones regarding what we were doing. Also, Caleb varied in what he wanted to do, depending on how overwhelmed he was.
“You can lick and suck me. No blood or biting. I do like my piercing played with. Same with my testicles. You cantouch or lick my hole, Mate, and I like it, but I don’t like anything inserted, even your finger.” This wasn’t something we’d discussed. I did not like to be fucked. I’d tried multiple times in my youth, but I didn’t enjoy any aspect of it.
“You don’t (human word),” Caleb said, and NAID didn’t translate. It had a hard time with his garbled human speech. Edith did better, but I wasnotinviting her into our sex talks; she would have an opinion, several in fact.
“I don’t understand.”
“You like to be the one who fucks,” he said.
“Yes.”
Caleb grinned. “I like to be the one who’s fucked.”
“Excellent.”
“I used to like it rougher,” Caleb commented, palming my erection through my trousers. I arched up to grind into his palm, craving friction. I wanted him on my scales with no cloth between us, but I wouldn’t rush my mate. He did better when we went slow.
