6.The Moon and Other Things That Rise

6. The Moon and Other Things That Rise

When the sun rises the next morning and I open my eyes, I feel at peace.

I wasn’t totally sure what not having access to my powers would feel like. When powers are restricted because a caster fails to brand or because of a punishment, these situations are said to be rather miserable and traumatic.

My mother can vouch for that.

But my powers weren’t taken from me. I gave Liam control by choice. That seems to make all the difference.

This feels like a fresh start. I lie in my bed, basking in the silence of the early morning. The peace is nice.

Then Liam texts.

Liam: How was the rest of your evening? Mine was very satisfying ;)

So much for peace.

Our promises to each other start playing on a loop in my brain. I pledge to give you control of my body. Your every orgasm is mine to give or withhold. I’ll give you orders. And I will obey.

The memory of his stare searing me from across the skylight. His hunger for me. The one moment where he crossed the distance and his lips crashed into mine. Instead of christening our new arrangement immediately, Liam is a kinky dom who’d rather drag it out and get me desperate for him. I hate it…and love it.

Twisting my head, I groan into my pillow as an erection tents my pajama pants.

Oliver: Oh no. How did I not see it before? You’re evil.

Liam: Hey, don’t take your frustrations out on me. It sounds like you had a hard night.

Oliver: Evil.

Liam: Muahahaha.

Based on what he could do, what I’ve imagined him doing, his teasing is pretty tame. But it’s enough. My thoughts never stray far from him for the rest of the day .

I'm distracted, restless, irritated…and so annoyingly turned on and horny. The day moves at an agonizingly slow pace, and I fear the afternoon won't ever come.

I practically sprint out the door to pick up the keys to my neighbor's car when the time comes. My sweet, retired neighbor down the hall is something of a gossip, so she must know what happened to the last car someone lent me. I was surprised she even agreed given I’d be gone overnight.

“It’s no trouble,” she says, then she gives me a sly smile and a wink. “Honey, I was afraid your head was gonna explode. You desperately need a nice night with a special someone.”

I thank her and dumbly take the keys and head to the car while trying to accept that my 70-year-old neighbor knows I’m going off to get laid. Her head would explode if she knew a nice night isn’t remotely what I signed up for.

When I arrive on campus to pick Liam up, I practically sprint to his office. Fantasies of Liam and sex fill my brain completely, nothing else registers as—

I stop short when I realize Professor Monroe’s office is still occupied. The fantasies fall away.

The guy talking to Liam is the same student I saw with him before. They don’t notice my presence in the doorway. I feel like an intruder.

Liam laughs and claps a hand on the younger man's shoulder. My heart pounds in my ears, making it hard to hear their conversation. The student gestures the same way the professor does when he makes a point during his classes, but they strike me as closer than just a mentor and pupil.

The kid isn't really my type, and he's wearing two layered shirts that don't quite go together like he just threw on the first clothes he found, but he isn't bad looking. The glasses he wears complement his fair skin and open face.

This must be a misunderstanding. The nightbrand can only support one moon ritual at a time. He said he isn’t seeing anyone, but... I shake my head, trying to dispel the jealousy.

Before I can figure out what to do, Liam's gaze shifts, and his eyes find mine. A warm smile spreads across his face, and he gestures for me to join them. "Oliver, come meet my nephew, Toby."

I exhale, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me for having thought the worst.

The resemblance becomes clear as I notice their similar dark blue eyes and sandy brown hair. It looks like the younger man just threw on the first close he found, but I wasn’t careful when dressing today either. When Toby’s gaze sweeps over me, I realize the metal fragments on my arms are visible.

"Have you been branded long?" he wonders and Liam shakes his head in response. "Not fair!" Toby protests. "You’re already all tricked out. I swear I'm the oldest student without any magical marks on them."

"Because you never stick to one element long enough," Liam murmurs under his breath .

"Magic is too interesting! That's not my fault, that's science. Hey, it's been a while since I dabbled in metal magic. Mind showing me what you can do?"

I shoot Liam a panicked expression. I can't show him anything, not unless his uncle allows me to. Then he'd wonder why I had to be given permission to use my own powers. My evening with the professor would be ruined because I'd be forced to flee into the wilderness and never return, where I'd live far away from polite society and wallow in my utter humiliation for the rest of my days.

"Nope, we aren't enabling your indecision," Liam clears his throat and changes the subject. "Have either of you read anything interesting lately?"

"Reading for fun instead of magical proficiency?" Toby shakes his head. “Nope, don't remember what that’s like at all.”

"Uh, well, I've been reading some poetry lately," I admit sheepishly.

"Poetry?" Liam raises an eyebrow. "Which poets are you into?"

"Mostly classic stuff, Keats, Shelley, Byron. You know... the Romantics." Because I heard him talking about them during his class.

"Ah, the Romantics," Liam says knowingly with a secret smile directed at me. Him looking handsome and existing in my general direction is outrageously offensive. I’m a little worried his nephew will catch my reaction if I keep staring—yet my eyes won’t look away.

Toby carries on, immune to my inner turmoil. “I watched The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with some friends in the dorms last week. Does watching a movie based on a book count as reading?”

Toby clearly is trying to rile his uncle up. Liam heaves a put upon sigh. “Didn’t we agree to never discuss YA novels again?”

“Oh right.” Toby leans closer to me and whispers. “A necessary rule, because otherwise I’d never stop mocking the good professor here. He loves the Twilight books.”

“Okay, hold on—”

“Twilight,” I gasp. “The series with those sparkly vampires?”

“And he didn’t just watch the movies like a true fan,” Toby adds. “He read all the books too.”

Has my judgment been totally screwed up and backwards? I glance uneasily at Liam. “You really think those novels are good?”

"I never said they were good! Only that they're better when you lose yourself in the love story instead of looking for reasons to criticize the series."

“So he claims,” Toby says. “But sometimes I’m worried he writes trashy vampire books under a pen name. ”

“When would I have the time? Writing nonfiction and dealing with smartass students takes up most of my time.”

When we were texting each other and setting up our arrangement, he did mention being an author too. I try not to think about it. He’s already a handsome, intelligent professor. Being an author too? There should be a law against any one person being so appealing.

Toby opens his mouth to respond to his uncle but gets interrupted by the ping of his phone with a text message. He looks at his phone and realizes he needs to leave.

“Nice to meet you,” he tells me. “I'll come up with some more embarrassing dirt on this guy for next time."

I find myself smiling and hoping there actually is a next time.

“Don't get any ideas,” Liam says after he leaves. He puts on a serious face. “Smartass nephews are allowed to be smartasses. If you don't behave, I'll have to put you over my knee and spank you."

Is he serious? It doesn't matter. The words are enough to send my thoughts right back into the gutter.

Liam smiles as his words have the desired effect. “How about I take you back to my place and make you forget all about this?”

~

Liam likes to tease and play hard to get, but he’s just as eager as me. He pins me to the door of his apartment as soon as we enter.

His mouth is hot against mine as we kiss each other furiously and his hands roam over my body. He grips the back of my neck and tilts my head to the right angle so his tongue can plunge deeply into my mouth. I moan into the kiss and go where he directs me.

Trapped between Liam and the door, I’m already putty in his hands, surrendering to him and loving every second.

"Have you been thinking about this?" he whispers against my lips.

“Yep. A lot.” Almost exclusively, in fact.

"Tell me," he demands, pulling back enough to see me. His sandy brown hair is tousled and there’s an excited gleam in his eyes.

"Uh, I uh…" Nothing else comes out, so I try again. “I thought you would decide how this goes."

Liam’s head rests against mine, almost a nuzzle. I feel him smile.

"You’re so cute, Oliver."

"I am?"

"I’m only wondering what you’ve been thinking about, not asking for suggestions. Did you notice how it’s still light outside?” His grin is almost evil. “I know exactly how this will go, once it’s moonrise."

What. He can’t mean… no… The sun has started to set, but he’s right, there’s a few hours left until the light of day is totally gone and it becomes dark. If he’s going to wait for the moon, what are we going to do until then?

"Moon magic is strongest when the moon is out,” he says innocently enough, but the smirk gives him away. “So you have a few hours of—"

"Torture," I fill in. He’s going to kiss and touch me and whisper devious things in my ear for hours without release?

"Sweet, sweet torture,” he promises. “Now tell me what you’ve been thinking about."

I try, but it turns out all I can do is whimper and cling to him as I imagine all the agony I’ll need to endure before the ecstasy.

This answer must be acceptable. Liam crowds me against the door and growls into my mouth as he claims my lips in a passionate kiss.

"We’re going to take off our clothes and have some fun now." Liam pulls back with a stern expression. "If you get too close, let me know."

"Will I even be able to..." come, I can't say.

“No, you wouldn’t be able to come if you tried. My powers won’t let you orgasm until I say so.” Liam has no problem saying anything, especially filthy things. I think he likes making me blush. “But I don’t expect you to stay right on the edge of release for hours on end. That’s too extreme for your first time.”

I’m not a virgin, but I appreciate the rest of the sentiment enough that I don’t protest. He won’t go easy on me, but he won’t go too hard either.

Liam quickly strips off his shirt and pants, leaving him only in black boxers. My eyes widen as I take in the sight of Liam's toned body. His broad chest tapers down into a flat stomach and his biceps are more impressive bare. Near his right hip, a tattoo of two crescent moons glows softly. Except it wasn’t a tattoo given by an artist with a tattoo gun.

Magic created that mark on him. That’s his brand. The elemental blessing that ties him to the moon element and makes him a wizard.

Liam is nearly naked while I remain clothed, but there are no illusions about who is in control. My hands grip his biceps and feel his skin for one second, then my arms are over my head. Liam traps them with both my wrists in one of his hands.

“Keep your hands where I put them," he orders.

“Yes, sir.”

Liam smiles and I feel triumph at pleasing him for even a second. Then his onslaught begins.

The moon won’t rise for hours. Liam has me right where he wants me, pinned under him against the door. He gets to know my body with his hands, lips, and tongue.

When he peels off my shirt, Liam drags his thumb over my nipple. I jolt and bite my lip, so he leans down and scrapes his teeth against the same nipple until I’m making breathy noises and melting against the door.

“Mmm, Liam…” Wait, did I address him wrong? “Is it okay if I call you Liam?”

“Of course. ‘Sir’ or even ‘professor’ works too, but feel free to use my name often.” He straightens up and gives me a filthy smile. “I bet you’re going to sound lovely screaming my name.”

He slowly removes my underwear and pants, nibbling and running his lips over the new pieces of skin he reveals. When Liam happily gets better acquainted with my cock and balls, I nearly lose my mind. Yet anytime my balls start getting tight and release feels imminent, I warn him and he backs up and just watches me until I cool down.

Then he starts all over again. Learning more about what drives me wild and my preferences like a devoted scholar. It becomes a blur, my need and desire driven higher and higher, only to be denied each time.

I know when the moon finally takes its spot high in the sky because Liam’s eyes glow softly. The area under the skylight fills with an ethereal silver glow and he leads me there.

Liam sets everything up. Soon there’s a metal pole positioned under the skylight, and he uses handcuffs to tie me to it with my hands behind my back. The cold metal of the handcuffs bites into my wrists. Vulnerable and exposed, Liam's eyes roam over my body, drinking in the sight of me bound and helpless before him .

The intensity of his gaze makes my cheeks burn and I squirm, but my erection strains towards him, aching for his touch. He traces the base of my arousal through the fine golden-brown hairs in my natural color, before moving up to the leaking tip.

"Do you want more?" he asks.

"Yes," I gasp.

"Then why aren't you taking what you need? Those cuffs are no match for your magic."

"I can't. You didn't give me permission."

"That's right.” His lips curve into a knowing smile. "Can you feel the metal against your wrists?"

I nod, acutely aware of the cold, unyielding metal encircling my skin.

"Can you feel the metal with your magic?"

I shake my head no.

"Good." Liam wraps his fist around the base of my erection. "I'm going to jerk you off until your knees get weak and you can barely stand.”

He uses all the knowledge he gathered while teasing me before moonrise to play my body expertly now. In no time at all, I'm moaning shamelessly and canting my hips into his touch, desperate for more.

“Please, Liam please…”

"Good boys don't come until I say so."

His touch becomes more insistent, his strokes more purposeful. My mind begins to unravel under the onslaught, my hips bucking into his hand as I moan his name.

“Liam! ”

“See, I knew you’d sound fantastic screaming my name.”

I'm at his mercy, desperate for release. I gasp for breath, my chest heaving and heart pounding in my ears.

He pays attention to the fused bits of metal on my flesh next. “What are these?" he inquires, his fingers never ceasing their tantalizing strokes on my length.

“Uh, metal… They, yes, that feels—"

“Answer me.” Liam’s hand squeezes, not painful, but a pressure around my cock. To my embarrassment, the rough treatment has my cock jumping and leaking even more.

"Th-they're... parts of me," I manage to stammer as his hand resumes its motions. "Metal that became one with my skin. Kinda like freckles, except metal is the freckles and the sun is m-m-magic.”

“Well, they’re gorgeous and glint in the moonlight. And sensitive,” he laughs happily when a steady stream of noises falls from my lips as he continues to lick the metal marks. “You look so pretty in the moonlight, Oliver.”

"God, oh my god, Liam. I need…"

"Yeah? What do you need?”

"You know," I complain, glaring at him helplessly where I’m bound in place.

"I do," he agrees.

Yet he still waits for me to say it. The pace of his hand slows to a crawl .

"Let me come.” The words explode from me. Once they’re out, I can’t stop them anymore. “Can I please come? Please? Liam, please."

"Remind me, what are the requirements?"

"Can’t, I can’t, unless I use magic too."

"That’s right.” The wicked gleam in his eyes is the only warning I get before he removes his hands from me. “So let’s cool down and take a deep breath."

My body spasms forward, almost trying to chase after him. Of course, I go nowhere and fall back on the pole behind me.

"I hate you,” I grumble, glaring for all I’m worth.

Liam raises an eyebrow.

“Sir?” I add late.

"That’s better." He seems amused, at least. Good. I’d hate to see how he’d punish me for my rudeness if he took offense… well, I’d hate to see it right now.

"In just a second, you won’t have control of your powers, but you will be able to come. Do you know what that means?"

"I can come?" I ask eagerly.

"Have you fulfilled your conditions?"

“N-no.”

“Then you can’t come yet. You need to make me come before you even think about your own release. ”

Liam finally peels off his boxers, distracting me from my predicament as my gaze zeros in on his thick, hard cock.

The tip is shiny with pre-come, and it looks red and aching just like my own erection, which is proof all this is having an effect on him. He still seems calm and in control when he casually wraps a hand around himself, the same hand that’s been driving me crazy and must be slick with my own pre-come. He strokes himself while those hooded glowing eyes stare hungrily at me.

The sight literally makes my mouth water and I watch spellbound. Then he comes closer, wraps his other hand around me, and my own cock jumps and reminds me just how badly I need release.

“I suppose we’re racing to the finish line. Oliver, you better not win.”

My throat releases an undignified squeak in response. I have to prevent myself from coming while he jerks me off? The only thing keeping me from coming before was his magical power preventing me. How will I…

“Impossible,” I whisper.

“No, it isn’t. I have some good news.” With him so close, I feel the motion of his arm against my side as he strokes himself. "All of this is exactly what gets me off. You are begging so beautifully and being so perfect for me. Trust me, you have a fighting chance.”

One of his hands is tucked around my length, yet he’s barely moving it, only really stroking with the hand wrapped around him. Which means this is a challenge, definitely, though not an impossible one.

His eyes flare brightly for a second and my stomach caves in as I become acutely aware of the throb and tightening in my balls as I careen towards release. It’s all the warning I receive that control of my orgasms is in my own hands once more. I squeeze my eyes shut and fight like hell to hold off.

"What am I supposed to do?" I wonder through shuddering breaths.

"You struggling against those cuffs and making those lovely pitiful noises is exactly what you should be doing.” His voice is so dark and so warm at the same time. “Thank you for asking."

"I-I want to—“

“Come?” He tuts, “Not yet.”

I shake my head frantically back and forth. “No, please.”

"What, what is it that you want?"

Liam’s hand starts stroking me, slowly, and I shout in frustration. He loves tormenting me in the most awful/delightful ways. I grit my teeth and struggle to control myself.

“Tell me, Oliver.”

“I can’t, god. It’s too much.”

I try to focus on my wrists. Steel has always been a constant in my life, growing up with metal, its magic, and its expectations. I focus on it and not what he’s doing, feeling the metal around my wrists .

The handcuffs are a reminder that there are limits. I have to work within them and somehow, somehow, not come yet… my hips are pumping into his hand of their own accord, which I need to stop doing, but my hips aren’t listening.

“Can’t, please,” I beg. “Have to, you have to tell me…”

"Oh, I know what you want,” Liam realizes suddenly and tilts his head to whisper in my ear. “Do you want to please me and make me come? Are you asking how to be good for me?"

"Yes sir!" I practically shout.

“Shit, Oliver…”

His hand leaves me. I open my eyes to see Liam stagger back, staring at me, eyes smoldering and intense as his hand twists rapidly over his own cock. He starts coming a second later, his hand helping him along, but I did most of the work. Just by obeying and being a desperate mess and needing to please him. I made him come before me. It’s amazing how much power I had while still being totally in his control.

"Your magic is back,” Liam says. “You can’t come anymore. As soon as you unlock your cuffs and replace my hand with your own, you’ll be able to come. Of course, I’m in no hurry. I could keep stroking you all night."

I whimper in response.

His hand snakes down my backside before reaching around and grabbing my stiffness again. " And I will too. Unless you undo those cuffs and replace my hand.”

He sets a slow, firm rhythm, driving me mad again. My body once again unhelpfully rocks into him because he makes me feel so good even though there’s no chance of his hand satisfying me. Liam has control of my ability to orgasm.

First, I need to free myself from my restraints. I have to follow his instructions.

My awareness is somewhat hazy in my current state, my thoughts clouded by the rush of blood to one particular area. The magic takes a moment to answer my call, slow and sluggish just like my brain.

Directing my energy towards the cuffs binding my wrists, I mean to unlatch the lock and slip free... magic slams into the cuffs, shattering them in the middle. Two separate circlets remain around each wrist as I overcome my chains.

With my hands now free, I knock away his hand and wrap my fist around my cock and begin to pleasure myself.

Liam looks glorious with his glowing eyes as he drinks in the sight of me furiously chasing my own release. I stare at him as I pump into my fist, panting wildly as my orgasm slams into me. I groan like a wild thing and come harder than I ever have in my life.