Chapter 18

Ben sucked on one of his incisors as he tried to concentrate. He had a number of potions at the point of almost being ready, but each of them had something missing that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He needed one more to finish A Third Eye for Cauldron Gazing and he wanted it to be a good one, worthy to sit alongside its peers. The other corrections were done and could be sent off to his publisher once he got the manuscript back from Ashley.

He hadn’t slept well, mainly because of handing over his pride and joy and waiting to see what Ashley had made of it. Ashley was an intelligent man, Ben was sure he’d have put the clues together and come to the right conclusion about the author of the book.

Karl manifested in his usual plume of smoke. “Mr Niven has asked to speak with you, my lord. If you are available, where would you like to receive him?”

He managed to stop himself from answering that he’d prefer Ashley tied to his bed as, while Karl had seen him in many compromising positions, it would be too crass a comment for the situation. “You can show him in here.”

“Your private office?”

“Yes, I’m hoping for his feedback on A Third Eye for Cauldron Gazing.”

“Ah.” Karl smiled. “I will return directly.”

Ben spent several minutes trying to decide where to sit, shifting from his desk to an armchair, then to a sofa, to moving back to the armchair as Ashley was shown in. He crossed his legs, aiming for nonchalance. “Ashley, please take a seat. Would you like a drink?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Karl took that as his cue to disappear and Ben saw Ashley was carrying his book. “Did you have a chance to read it?”

Ashley handed it to him before taking the armchair opposite. “I did indeed. I must say I’ve become a fan of Ms Howes’ work. She’s a true expert. I have to ask, how did it come into your possession?”

Ben’s heart had soared at the praise but promptly crashed at the question. He’d been so convinced Ashley would have joined the dots he hadn’t considered a comeback if he hadn’t. “Well, I…”

“Or should I actually ask who is Evelyn Howes and why did you take her name?” Ashley’s eyes danced with humour.

“So you have seen through my ruse,” he said, delighted. “Howes was my birth name, and Evelyn was my little sister. She died too young at a time when the medicines that could have saved her didn’t exist.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“My drive to cure her led my research outside of the standard medical field, it’s why I was drawn into the paranormal and began to tinker with potions. Seemed fitting to take up her name.”

“You’ve amassed an impressive body of work. I can’t actually believe I’m going to admit this, but I think you’re even better than me.”

“That must have hurt.”

Ashley laughed. “So how long do you think you’ll need to finish? If I were to take a rough guess somewhere between three and six months.”

By the way Ashley held his gaze, Ben knew Ashley had come to the correct conclusion, whether he should admit it was a different matter. “Sounds about right. Hopefully sooner than later, but as you probably saw, I’ve a potion missing. I was working on it before you joined me.”

Ashley glanced over to his desk, interested. “Would you be willing for me to have a look?”

“Maybe another time.”

Ashley bit his lip and peered at Ben over his glasses. Ben’s cock hardened in an instant and he might have to shag Ashley over his desk. “Agreed. We have more pressing things to discuss, and other pursuits.”

Ben swallowed. “I daresay some of the pressing things will depend on the outcome of this conversation.”

“We can both agree that the attraction hasn’t waned. Now, I’m not saying that what we have is anything more than us both being incredibly horny around each other, but I have come to the realisation that I quite like you as well.”

Ben wondered if this was the Ashley Niven version of a grand romance. “Those are big words, and I share the sentiment. I’d go as far as I’d like to explore if those feelings might run a little deeper than quite liking you.”

“Possibly. But time will tell, and you’re still under investigation.” Ashley leant back in his chair, allowing Ben to properly appreciate the marvel of his long legs. “Now, as much as I’d like to take credit for this theory, it was Jack who figured it out. You reported yourself to the Invigilators, didn’t you?”

“Are you suggesting that Jack is the true brains of your operation?”

“Never underestimate a man who is competent at magic and has the time and patience to study the law in minute detail.” Ashley smirked. “Was that your admission?”

“I’d expected you to uncover I was Evelyn Howes, but I must admit I thought you wouldn’t see through the other without me having to say directly.”

“If the book had been finished then we might not have. You were buying time, not trying to get off the job completely, so how were you going to explain your actions?”

“I was… still am, going to set up a fake accuser.”

Ashley cocked his head to one side. “Is that where Catlin comes into this?”

Catlin had nothing to do with any of it, he’d not confided in her about triggering the investigation or his writing career. “No, why do you ask?”

Ashley hesitated before he spoke. “She told me she thought Harry was your accuser. So adding that to what you said, I thought he might be planning to take the fall for you.”

Ben snorted. “Harry is an odious little shit. I had thought it one way to pay him back for some of the trouble he likes to stir up, but he’s not involved. I’m planning to speak to Robin in a day or two… he’s lining up an actor to take on the role.”

Ashley appeared to find that amusing. “Robin Flint is in the know? How many are wrapped up in your scheme?”

“Karl and Alex, Robin, and now you and Jack.” He cleared his throat. “And it has to stay that way. If this gets to be more widely known, Charles could decide I’m not suitable to be the earl. I only wanted a bit more time not to give it up completely.”

“I daresay I could convince Jack to keep quiet, and for you to get the full three months of the investigation you want in order to finish your book.” Ashley waggled his eyebrows. “There’ll be a price to pay.”

“I am a wealthy individual.”

“I wasn’t thinking along the lines of a monetary value.”

Neither was Ben but this was far too fun a game to play. “What did you havein mind?”

Ashley sprawled in his seat, opening his legs wide. “Let’s see if you’re good at sucking something other than blood.”

“Mr Niven, are you insinuating you’d like me to get on my knees and suck your cock?”

“I’m not insinuating anything, I think it’s fucking obvious that’s what I want.” Ashley patted his thighs. “I’m as hard as a rock and I want you to do something about it. Maybe if you do a good job we could test out the sturdiness of your desk?”

Ben loved a man who was forward enough to ask for what he wanted, and Ashley who had been the star of many of his recent dreams after their first adventure together, was being as forthright as he remembered.

“I’d be up for a bit of structural experimentation.”

He slid off his chair and crawled over to Ashley, not breaking eye contact. He could sense Ashley’s heartbeat quickening, could smell his desire and his mouth watered in anticipation of his prize.

Ben reached out and popped the buttons on Ashley’s trousers and unzipped his flies, his cock was already straining to be free, and Ben was desperate to release it.

Ashley hissed as Ben wormed his hand into his underwear, took hold of his cock and fished it out of its confines. “You should know I don’t get on my knees for just anyone.”

“I can be very grateful in return. I think you know that already.”

Ben was going to enjoy sucking Ashley’s good sense out of his cock and then he was going to haul him over to his desk and bury himself deep.

Ashley’s moan was pure filth as Ben’s mouth descended. Ben’s days and nights had been plagued by his imagination taunting him with what he might be missing if he didn’t get to have Ashley again. He bobbed his head faster, having no trouble taking Ashley deep, not needing to breathe an added advantage.

Ashley tugged at Ben’s hair. “Fuck, I’m going to come down your throat.”

Ben wanted that more than anything. He hummed, knowing full well the response he would get. Ashley gasped, bucked, and came, and Ben drank him down, loving the salty taste across his tongue, making his own cock ache.

Ashley panted heavily and Ben sat back, licking his lips. He was harder than he could ever remember and he needed to fuck Ashley. He removed Ashley’s trousers and underwear, tugging them off, shoes and socks coming with them. “Off with your shirt, I want you naked.”

All he could think about was bending Ashley over his desk and, as he sat sprawled naked, Ben couldn’t control himself any more. He stood and dragged Ashley to his feet, his vampire strength another blessing, and despite Ashley almost being his own height and build, he had no issue manoeuvring him to where he wanted—laid out across his desk, arse in the air and inviting. He didn’t fuck people in here, and would need to be inventive when it came to lube, grabbing a pot of hand cream from his desk drawer.

Ashley looked at him over his shoulder. “I fucking need you. Get on with it.”

Ashley was such a brat and he smacked his arse, the slap echoing in Ashley’s cry of desire. Ben made short work of preparing him, the hand cream was a decent replacement for lube, but he would be better prepared next time. He unfastened his trousers, pushed them down with his boxers just enough to free his cock. The idea of fucking a naked Ashley while Ben was still partially clothed made him growl with want, he didn’t think Ashley was the type to give up control, and he’d enjoy this moment of dominance.

Ben slid inside, the heat and pressure of Ashley’s body were like heaven. He placed a hand on the centre of his back as he started to rock his hips. Fuck, this was glorious, he could never give this up, couldn’t believe he’d ever thought one night with Ashley would have been enough. Ashley moaned and writhed beneath him, and Ben loved that he was ready to go again after Ben had sucked him off. Warlocks were fucking legendary for their stamina and now he got to have his own.

The sound of skin against skin spurred him on, Ashley begging for more. Ben wouldn’t deny him anything, he felt Ashley’s walls tighten around him as he came, making a mess of Ben’s desk, and with another deep thrust, he could hold back no longer, he poured himself into Ashley, the ripples of his release electrifying.

Ben collapsed across Ashley’s back, and pressed a kiss between his shoulder blades and the two of them slid backwards into a heap on the floor. Ben pulled Ashley into his arms and kissed him. He’d never felt so connected to anyone before, and he wasn’t about to let him walk away a second time.