26. Kitsuki

Chapter 26

Kitsuki

W hen Kitsuki returned to his room, Auslin was on the veranda off their bedroom with Hibiki. The beauty of his intended moved his heart. It was sweet watching him petting Hibiki while lost in his thoughts.

Auslin startled, looking over his shoulder. "Oh, sorry! I didn't realize you had come back."

"Think nothing of it. I have only just arrived. Is your brother settled in for the evening?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Kitsuki sat next to Auslin. "I do not follow your meaning."

"He probably won't be using his room tonight." Auslin affectionately rubbed under Hibiki's chin. "I suspect he'll talk Kisano's ear off until after dawn."

"It is surprising how well they already get along." Kitsuki settled into a more comfortable position.

Auslin sighed happily. "Isn't it great?"

"It is truly wonderful to see my brother be so lighthearted," Kitsuki agreed. "Sephen seems to have your same innate ability to bring people out of their shells."

The mage beamed with brotherly pride. "It's hard to resist getting caught up in Sephen's passion and enthusiasm for things. His joy is too infectious."

"I have done my part in counseling Kisano to open his heart to such things."

Auslin blinked at him in surprise. "Really?"

The dragon monarch chuckled. "I may have only known your brother a short time, but it is already abundantly clear to me he is the most kindred spirit to Kisano I have ever come across in my many long years. Other than you, of course."

"Of course," Auslin repeated in mock arrogance before laughing. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"Once I met Sephen, I quickly grasped why you were always so insistent that they should meet. It also provided further insight into how much you were willing to sacrifice for the sake of being together with me."

A hint of guilt emanated from Auslin at the reminder. "I love my brother, but all I wanted was to be with you. That's still true now. I would give anything to be with you."

"And I you." Kitsuki caressed Auslin's cheek.

Auslin looked down in shame. "You've sacrificed too much as it is."

"It was worth it to have you back with me like this once more."

"Then shouldn't we already be bondmates?" Auslin's expression grew troubled.

Kitsuki wanted nothing more, but his role as king dictated what must be done. "There are still many preparations ahead of our Fatebonding ceremony."

The mage frowned. "Why does it feel like an excuse to continue delaying our mating?"

"Do you truly feel that is what I am doing?" Kitsuki asked in surprise.

"Honestly? Yeah." Auslin scowled as he continued petting Hibiki. "I feel like you're delaying because you're still trying to give me an out. Or maybe you aren't sure if you want to be with me. I don't know."

Both possibilities horrified Kitsuki. "Neither of those things are remotely true."

Auslin recalled Hibiki into his ring. He then repositioned himself over Kitsuki's lap with an alacrity that startled the shifter monarch. They looked deep into each other's eyes for a long moment. Auslin entreated him, "Then be with me, Kitsuki."

The tempting scent of Auslin's arousal clouded Kitsuki's senses. He ached with a need that had burned within him for over half a millennium. His dragon demanded he take what his intended offered so willingly.

Auslin moaned when Kitsuki firmly grabbed his ass. Kitsuki used his grip to pull their bodies closer together. It was perfect until Auslin abruptly stood up. His expression was challenging as he boldly stripped off his shirt, tossing it aside on the veranda. Without a word, he walked back to their bedroom.

Kitsuki followed without hesitation, pinning Auslin flat on his back on top of the bed. The claiming mark on Auslin's neck called to Kitsuki's primal dragon. He leaned forward to kiss it lovingly while subtly manipulating it with his magic.

Auslin shuddered under him with a tantalizing whimper. The way he tugged on Kitsuki's long hair drove the shifter king wild. "Take me," Auslin begged.

Kitsuki's dragon surged to the forefront. His silver eyes drank in the sight of Auslin spread out so beautifully under him. He burned with a lust that had been suppressed for too many centuries of being locked away.

The shift seemed to excite Auslin even more. " Please ," he moaned, rocking his hips in silent encouragement.

Kitsuki's dragon insistently kissed Auslin, trying to slake his unquenchable thirst for the human. Auslin's soft sighs of pleasure spurred the dragon on. Unlike Kitsuki, his dragon had no problem moving on to licking and nipping down Auslin's body, delighting in the reactions his actions earned him.

When he reached to undo the fasteners on Auslin's cream-colored breeches, Kitsuki forced his dragon back into its cage. He breathed hard from the effort of wrestling his unruly half, which roared in displeasure at being denied.

Auslin keened with frustration. "I'm begging you, please don't stop."

"I must." Kitsuki's voice shook as he continued to struggle against his very insistent dragon fighting to reclaim control once more.

" Why ?" Auslin angrily demanded. The scent of his sexual frustration from stopping so suddenly caused Kitsuki's dragon to thrash in his cage.

Things were getting out of hand. Kitsuki sat back. "It is not proper."

"I don't care!" Auslin irritably ran his fingers through his hair with a growl. "This is about what's right for us, not what matters for the rest of the realm's opinion."

"Frustrating as it is, my position as king of Valzerna demands formality with regard to courtship," Kitsuki told Auslin in a measured tone. He had to keep reminding himself of that because the temptation to flounce tradition and proceed was entirely too tempting.

Auslin sat up with a scowl. "Then why can't we have the ceremony tomorrow so we can move on with the rest of our lives?"

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm, you must understand a Royal Consort Fatebonding ceremony is not something that can be thrown together in a day," Kitsuki stated. "There are still many plans to be made, and guests need time to travel from other kingdoms to take part."

The mage crossed his arms over his chest with a challenging glare.

Kitsuki tried another route to reason with Auslin. "If you will recall, we were to have a ceremony in the past as well."

It seemed to work. Auslin hung his head with a heavy sigh. "I know you're right, but I'm already sick of waiting. How can you bear so many centuries of waiting?"

"Because you have always been worth it." Kitsuki brushed Auslin's hair from his face. "Please do not misunderstand me, Auslin. This is not something I take pleasure in enforcing."

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Auslin demanded.

"At least three weeks." Kitsuki winced at the sound of displeasure his answer earned him. "Kisano is working with me to expedite the process as fast as we feasibly can."

Auslin's misery was on full display. "I hate everything about this. We're fated mates. We're supposed to be together."

He tried to console his intended. "I have no interest in enduring more delays in joining with you, Auslin." He brought Auslin's hand to his lips for a gentle kiss. "My sole wish is to have you at my side forever as my beloved bondmate."

The fight seemed to go out of Auslin. "I made you wait six hundred years, so the least I can do is hold out for a few more weeks for your sake."

His response filled Kitsuki with relief. "Thank you. Just remember, we have the rest of our long lives to be together to look forward to. Three weeks is nothing compared to that."

"You're right," Auslin said with a small smile. "You always are."