Jules flew from him, giving him something to chase. They played for a long time, flying and chasing each other through the sky, the air fresh and clear, the day wonderful.
He took the lead again as they drew near the place where the mountains met the forest. They’d almost flown to the castle, and he wanted to check things. They’d heard nothing from the castle since they’d left. No sign of anyone from here among the many who had come to see Jules.
The castle was quiet, still, no sign of either the Graithen or his kin. He landed at the forest’s edge, Jules landing next to him. Lem shook himself, his dragon falling away from him, leaving him naked and proud in the sunshine.
*Lem?* His lover sounded worried, wings and tail wrapping around him.
“I need to check the castle, my heart. I need to see what has happened. You will stay here where I know you’re safe.” He needed for Jules to be safe.
*Leave it. Leave it alone*
“I must see, my heart. We must know what will come for us.” He didn’t want to be surprised by an attack.
Jules slipped into his man skin. “Then I will come with you.”
Lem shook his head vigorously. “No, I cannot risk you.”
“And I cannot risk you. I cannot give without you.”
Lem was torn. He knew Jules’ words were the truth, but he also knew they needed the warning. He looked again at the castle, listening hard, but nothing moved, nothing made any noises. Nothing. Not even birds or insects.
Lem frowned. “There’s something very wrong at the castle. I think we should do a flyover.” That way they could easily flee if they needed to. Jules had become strong as the dragon, wickedly fast when he needed to be.
“Can I heal it, Lem?” Jules asked.
“I don’t know, my heart. We need to see what there is first.”
Lem let his dragon take him again. Jules joined him, staying close, the worry pouring off his Jules in waves. Lem took them up high to start with and circled the castle. He could see nothing from up here, though. Everything looked cold and still. He attempted to fly over the castle, but it was as if the air stopped, the winds themselves dead.
*Lem. Lem, please. This is a bad place* Jules was nearly grey, his beautiful colors all but gone.
Lem wouldn’t put Jules through this. *Leave. Home*
He swooped near a courtyard once Jules had gone ahead of him. What he saw there shocked him. His kin and the Graithen alike were lying dead, tangled together in a violent picture. As he turned, he saw the prince, Jules’ brother, lying dead at the edge of the courtyard, his head at a wrong angle.
Oh. Oh, no. His people, his masters.
*Lem! Lem! It’s a bad place!* Jules’ mental voice was a panicked scream.
His attention went immediately to Jules, and he flew toward his heart.
*Lem! Home! Home! Home!* The sound was vast, a roar that shook the stones of the castle.
He flew harder, pushing Jules ahead of him, refusing to leave Jules’ back open to an attack.
The castle began to collapse behind them, the burnt ruins unable to resist Jules’ horror.
It was only when they reached the base of the southeastern mountain that Lem dared circle in the air and watch as the last of the castle disappeared into a heap of dust, the cloud rising to the sky.
Jules never looked back, just raced toward home.
Sorrow in his heart, Lem followed Jules, putting on as much speed as possible. Jules roared as he flew, tears crashing to the ground, felling trees. He followed, his heart aching for the fallen behind them, but mostly for his Jules.
*My fault?* Jules landed in a heap on the ground, wings beating the dirt.
*No!* He landed next to Jules, wrapping his wings around the beautiful body. *Healer. You heal*
The war they’d left behind was not about healing. That was death and greed. His Jules was the opposite of those things. His heart was everything that was right with the world.
He trilled softly, whispering thoughts of home and love and peace. He stroked Jules with his wings, loving Jules as best he could.
Jules slowly relaxed. *All gone*
Lem rumbled out his agreement.
Jules cried, mourning softly. *Bad place*
*Yes. Bad* Lem whispered and rumbled, purred, speaking to Jules of love and magic.
Slowly he took his human form. Jules slipped into it as well and melted against him. Lem rocked his heart, murmuring softly, holding on.
“Lem. They were all dead.”
“They were. They killed each other with their war.”
Maybe it was better that they were all gone, that they had spent all their anger on each other instead of leaking it all over the world. Such hatred would have harmed his Jules irreparably had they come to him, Lem was sure of it.
“I’m sorry.” The words were more sigh than sound.
“For what? You did not kill anyone. There is only happiness in your soul.” His Jules was good.
“They came for me. Twice.”
“Marabelle said they wanted to use you.” He would not allow that to happen. Ever. “They wanted to use you, and the royals wanted to keep you hidden away forever. Neither of them will have you now.”
“No. No, I belong to the mountain, to the earth. I belong with you.”
“You do. And I was made for you.” He stood, getting ready to take on his dragon again. “We must go back home, let the sorrow heal.”
“Will it heal?”
“You can heal anything, Jules, even yourself.”
And if Jules could not, then Lem would.
***
So much death. So much ruin. So much pain that the air was dead. Jules took to his bed and stayed, so tired, so lost.
Lem brought him lemon candies and tart berries, sweet spring water and the loveliest flowers. The care reminded him of when Mabon died and Lem came to him, loved him.
“I miss your smile, my heart,” Lem told him.
“I do, too.”
Lem took his mouth and kissed him hard. “Then we will make healing between us so you can smile again.”
“Are you going to take me out to the sun and feed me?”
“I am going to take you out into the sunshine and love you.”
“And if I say shoo, I wish to sleep?”
“Did that ever stop me, my heart?”
He almost—almost—smiled. “No, Lem.”
“Then come on. Come into the sunshine. Come into my arms.”
He reached up and let Lem take him, hold him. “Please, Lem. I don’t want to cry anymore.”
“No more crying. You need to have joy. You need to be joy.”
Lem carried him to the mouth of the cave and out into the open, the sunshine thick, solid. The light filled him, and he arched back into its touch.
Lem hummed, the sound pleased. Then his bodyguard, his everything, began to undress him, baring his skin to the light’s touch. The touches of light and Lem joined, became the beginnings of magic.
Lem pressed kisses over his face, lips warm and lingering on his skin. His lips clung to Lem, and Jules began to breathe. Lem explored his body, fingers sliding on his skin like he was the most precious thing in the world.
“No one will live there again, Lem. No one will read my books.”
“There will be other books, my heart. Other things that bring you happiness.”
“No more fires. Just us.” This was his prayer. His life now was good, his bed soft, the sunshine warm.
“Just us, my heart. Making a good life.” Lem’s kisses spread down his throat and over his chest.
“Healing the wounded, their souls.” Jules arched up, begged for more.
“It is what you’re meant for, bringing joy into the world.”
“And to you. I bring you joy, Lem.”
“Oh, Jules. You are my joy.”
Jules held on tight, lips meeting his Lem’s. Their hands joined, the marks on his palms flaring, blue light beginning to surround them. Yes.
He gasped, offering himself to his Lem. His legs spread, and Lem pressed into him, thick shaft opening him up. The joining filled him—both with the pleasure of Lem’s cock and with pure, simple joy.
“My heart.” Lem met his gaze, love and joy and tenderness filling him.
“My light. Please. Please, let us fly.”
“Yes. Fly together.” Lem moved into him, taking him over and over, the pleasure building.
His climax was secondary to the way sorrow fell from him, to the way his chest filled so that he could breathe clean air. Lem fixed him, Lem completed him. Lem loved him, and he loved his guardian beyond all else. He would do anything to keep Lem with him.
“All you need is to be my Jules.” Lem kissed him hard. “Mine. My heart. My need. My life.”
“Yes, Lem. Now!” Heat sprayed from him in a rush.
More heat filled him, Lem spending as well. They were together, spun into a single spear of light. Lem’s breath filled him as they soared together.
As one, they took on their true forms, and together, they flew.
The End
About the Author
Sean Michael, often referred to as "Space Cowboy" and "Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the moniker of "Maurice," spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the Kama Sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to "Chicago."
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.
Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.
For more information on other books by Sean, visit his official website: SeanMichaelWrites.com
Also By This Author
Torquere Press
A Family of his Own, A Mannies Incorporated story
A Private Hunger
All Roads Lead Home
And Manny Makes Seven
Baked
Balls and Strikes
Bar None
Bases Loaded, A Going for the Gold story
Beaten, A Hammer novel
Beginning to Believe
Bent
Between Friends
Between Friends: Sammy's Place
Between Friends: Trial by Fire
Blue Sky Lodge
Blue, a Jarheads story
The Bohemians
Box of Nails: Making Repairs
Box of Nails: This Old House
Box of Nails: This Young Stud
Bruised
Burn
Castling
Catching a Second Wind
Cereus: Building
Cereus: Opening
Cereus: Rescue
Chosen
Christmas Angel, A Hammer story
Christmas Auction, A Hammer story
Christmas Homecoming, A Hammer story
Control, A Hammer story
Cream
Daddy, Daddy and Me
Deeper, A Hammer novel
Ding Dong Bell, A Jarheads Story
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Drawn
End of the Line
Eternity
Everyday Stories: Jarhead Shorts
First Time at School
Flying With Dragons
For Love and Money
Forged
Found
Fur and Fang
Golden
Gravity
Hitched, A Hammer story
Homecoming, A Jarheads story
Horsing Around
In Sickness and in Health
Inheritance
Life as a Front Porch
Little Jamie, A Hammer story
Little Square of Cloth
Love and the Farmer, A Velvet Glove story
Love in an Elevator
Love is Blindness
Made to Order
Making a Splash, A Going for the Gold novel
Mannies Incorporated
Mentor, A Jarheads Story
My Hero, A Short Story Collection
Need
Need for Sale, A Hammer Holiday Story
New Toys, A Hammer Short Collection
New, A Hammer Story: The Two of Swords
Old Ghosts, A Jarheads Story
On the Sand
Out of the Closet
Owned
Perfect 10, A Going for the Gold Novel
Personal Best, a Going for the Gold Novel
Personal Best 2, A Going for the Gold Novel
Personal Best 3, A Going for the Gold Novel
Personal Leave
Pour Me a Triple
Push
Put a Ring On it
Radio Boys
Renew, a Hammer story
Screwdrivers, Collected Hammer Short Stories
Searching the Seas
Secrets, Skin and Leather
Seeing Love
Snared
Sold
Solitary
Spoken
Switch, a Hammer novel
Taking Inventory, A Hammer Story
Tempering
The Briar Rose: Controlling Parker
The Briar Rose: Hoarse Play
The Broken Road
The Games we Play, A Hammer story
The Sight of Home
Three Day Passes
Three of a Kind
Top Bidder, A Hammer story
Torn
Toy Box: Domination
Toy Box: Submission
Treat, A Hammer story
Trust, A Hammer story
Underground: Special Teams
Welcome Home
When Harry Met Jason
Wicked Gift
Winning Hand
Winter’s Gift
Yes, Master: A BDSM story collection
Amber Quill Press
Art and Snowflakes
Blue Collar
Carved in Wood
Corpus Christi
Crouching Vegan, Hidden Werewolf
Digging for Gold
Dirty Kisses
Full Disclosure
Into the Looking Glass
Living the Dream
Making Your Own Luck
No Regrets
Office Hours
Recipe For Love
Revving it Up
Royal Line
Serving Mr. Right
Silver Edges
Spot the Difference
The Good Life
The Moon
The Wizard and the Thief
Wallflowers
Welcome Home
Working it Out
Working to Win
Changeling Press
A Changeling for All Seasons
Alec (Shibari Auction House)
Bad Elf, No Candy Cane
Ben (Shibari Auction House)
Brent (Shibari Auction House)
Bringing Her Home
Christmas Elves are Ringing
Every Rose has his Thorne
Howling for Kitty
Jack (Shibari Auction House)
James (Shibari Auction House)
Joel (Shibari Auction House)
Keeping Sir Thorne
Leaf (Shibari Auction House)
Robin (Shibari Auction House)
Sam (Shibari Auction House)
Special Order
Storm in the City
Swinging Along
Tending to Rose
Tony (Shibari Auction House)
Wicked Storms
Totally Bound/Pride Publishing
Almost
Bruised
En Prise (Chess 3)
End Game (Che
ss 5)
Helpmate (Chess 4)
Love Matters
Malting (Beer & Clay 1)
Mashing (Beer & Clay 3)
Middle Game (Chess 2)
Milling
Opening Moves (Chess 1)
Size Matters
The Biker’s Pup
The Piercer's Game
True as an Arrow
Resplendence Publishing
Boy
Breaking Cover
Cherry Sours
Drawing Straws: Erik
Drawing Straws: Damon
Drawing Straws: Joe
Drawing Straws: Tork
Guardian Angel
Guns, Leather and Tinsel
In Time of Need
Marked
Royal Flush
Service
SWAK: Plugs
SWAK: Pony Play
SWAK: Pushy Bottom
SWAK: Shaving
SWAK: Sounds
The Dog Next Door
Totally Covered
Dreamspinner Press
Cupcakes
Guarding January
Of Love
The Swag Man Delivers
Ellora's Cave
Brush and Whip
Pack and Mate
OmniLit/All Romance eBooks
The Millionaire's Mistake
Two Howls
Master Takes a Name
Sean Michael
Attitude on Wheels
Anything for a Byline
The Bistro
Braided
Caged
Connor’s Journey
Fits Like a Glove
Ghost
The Misadventures of Daniel and Zane
One for Luck
The Present
Puppy Love
Rock Stars and Size Queens
Secret Skin Wrapped in Ribbons
Soaring With Hawk
Swimming Trunks, the Personal Best Shorts
Touch and Trust
The Tutor
Two Men for Two Brothers
Velvet Diamonds
Velvet Stables
Water and Air