Chapter 8

CHAPTER8

Within an hour, Larkin was back at the fountain, waiting nervously for Jade to show up. He’d drained the purse almost dry with his purchases, but it had been worth it.

He hoped it was, anyway.

Jade was already waiting for him, and Larkin hurried to join him. “Sorry I’m late,” Larkin told him, feeling like his guilt was written across his face.

“It’s fine. I knew you were coming my way,” Jade answered, smiling gently. It was strange to see him like this, fully human, and Larkin missed the sharpness of his teeth in that smile.

Only because it was easier to remember that Jade was a dragon that way—Larkin didn’t find the sharp teeth more attractive.

Larkin’s heart skipped a beat. What if Jade could smell the potion on him? Would he be able to tell he had something on him? He had to hide it. But how could he?

“Why don’t we see more of the city?” Jade suggested, sliding an arm around Larkin’s waist. “There’s a temple with beautiful carvings not far from here.”

Larkin nodded. “That sounds good,” he said, though he was still having trouble breathing. He didn’t think he could concentrate on the temple, but he had to try. This could be a good day, if he let it. If Jade didn’t realize what he was planning.

“The reliefs are from only twenty years ago,” Jade explained as he guided them through the busy streets. “I watched them start on it. It took several years to complete, and now nobody would ever guess how much time and effort went into it…”

Jade continued with the history of the town, going into such loving detail that Larkin could almost imagine having been there himself.

“You really like this place,” Larkin commented when there was a break in Jade’s speaking.

Jade paused, surprised. “I… I suppose I do. I’ve been coming here for so long, it feels like it belongs to me. But anyway, here we are! The temple to… um, which god was it?”

From the beautiful golden colors and the statue of a man with a basket of long wheat grains, it was clear the temple was dedicated to Nisa, the harvest god.

“I thought you were an expert,” Larkin said, bumping his shoulder against Jade’s. “Look, it’s for Nisa.”

Jade actually looked a little sheepish. “You caught me. I can never remember your gods. I find the scriptures so boring, too, in comparison to the poetry and histories.”

“Some of them are fascinating,” Larkin said. “But they aren’t as interesting as the poetry, I admit. I hadn’t heard most of the verses before I met you.” Discomfort started to pool in his belly. What was he going to do? He didn’t really want to leave Jade behind.

But duty said he didn’t have a choice.

He stepped forward, examining one of the reliefs nearby. It really was beautiful. All of it was. They visited the temple dedicated to the major gods and goddesses for special occasions, but the smaller gods weren’t prioritized.

“Better pray hard to Nisa,” one of the men loitering nearby said.

Larkin gave him a confused look. “Why? I’m not a farmer.”

The man scoffed and elbowed his companion. “He hasn’t heard.”

The two men shook their heads in mock disappointment. Larkin could already feel his hackles rising, but he didn’t want to cause any drama.

“What haven’t I heard?”

“Her Majesty is dead. Prince Elric’s coronation is soon.” The older of the two men laughed darkly. “And that means the tolls and taxes are gonna go up up up. Our produce ends up in Prince Elric’s coffers, while we have to hope the remainder of it will last us through the winter.”

“Bad enough the guards barely patrol this part of the kingdom. What are we paying tolls for? First the bandits rob us, then two steps later, the guards take their cut.”

Larkin went completely still. Her Majesty was… dead? No. She’d been perfectly healthy when he’d left to slay the wyvern. Dragon. Something he hadn’t accomplished, and he’d been gone so long that she was gone.

He had to swallow back his tears. He wasn’t ever going to get to say goodbye to her. She’d have died thinking he was dead and gone, too. He couldn’t let Elric think he was dead.

The men’s digs echoed in his ears, how they’d blamed his brother for his… defilement. He had to get home and tell his brother what people were saying. If news traveled that he’d tried to have Larkin killed, it would destroy Elric’s reputation.

He went to grab on to Jade for support, but the dragon had wandered off to look at one of the statues. He needed comfort, but if he burst into tears in the middle of the temple, people would wonder why. He couldn’t give himself away.

“Surely it isn’t that bad?” he ventured.

The older man sneered at him. “What, are you a visitor from the city, where they actually care about their citizens? You haven’t seen what it’s like here, but just you wait. You’ll get robbed if you try to leave again.”

“No,” Larkin said, shaking his head. “The guards are here to prevent that from happening. That’s what they’re paid to do, to protect you.”

The other man laughed, the sound bitter and ugly. “Right. They’ll protect you if you bribe them, but who has the money for that? Some of the merchants, maybe, but not us regular folk.”

Larkin remembered how Jade had given both the guards at the gate a coin. He’d thought it was simply a gesture of generosity, not a… not a bribe.

“The taxes won’t go up,” Larkin insisted, although he was still balking at the idea of the guards not doing their jobs. “There’s no reason for them to. The capital has everything they need.”

This time, both men burst out laughing. “Yeah? Taxes went up when the king died. Some shite excuse about needing to secure peace during turbulent times. The queen didn’t lower the taxes again, did she?”

“Nope. Must have pocketed the difference. I heard she had a fancy statue erected in the capital, pure gold and encrusted with emeralds and rubies.”

They were talking about the statue of his father that his mother had placed to honor his memory.

“It isn’t… it isn’t made of pure gold!” Larkin argued. “And it’s a public statue. Everybody can view it. Touching the statue’s feet is good luck.”

The two men kept laughing, even though it wasn’t funny at all. “Good luck,” the older man scoffed. “Maybe for the rich who live in the capital, but not for us outer city-folk.”

Nausea swept over Larkin in waves. How could people think so poorly of his mother? Maybe the statue had been a little extravagant, but they’d had the funds. They hadn’t taken them from the cities. They had come from…

Taxes.

He was going to be sick.

“Meanwhile, here we are with roads riddled with holes. They don’t even bother to fill them with stones, and we can’t afford to either,” the younger man said, clearly starting to get heated about the topic.

This wasn’t good. This wasn’t right. They couldn’t think of his family this way.

He had to get home now more than ever.

“Don’t exaggerate,” Jade suddenly said, popping up behind Larkin. “You’re doing far better than some of the other villages in the area. The hot springs are drawing enough visitors to provide for the whole city.” Jade kissed the side of Larkin’s neck. “Don’t pay them any heed, pet. Did you feel a single pothole as we walked through the town today?”

“Well, no,” Larkin said slowly, but his brain was reeling from everything he’d heard.

His mother was dead.

The older man shook his head. “You’re delusional if you think we’re earning enough from the springs to make up for the capital’s neglect.”

Larkin looked helplessly at Jade. They had to be lying.

“Come on, let’s get going. I’m starting to feel a bit peckish,” Jade answered, completely avoiding the subject.

Because Jade knew it to be true.

Larkin had to get home. He had to fix this somehow.

But he was in shock, and he didn’t know how to get past this in his mind. He let Jade guide him out of the temple, dizzy and nauseated, and he stumbled onto the street outside. He looked around for potholes, not seeing any, but the rest of what they’d said…

Jade had tried to tell him, talking about corrupt officials, but he hadn’t listened. Larkin hadn’t wanted to believe it, but now… The people thought it. Even if it wasn’t true, they believed it, and that was the important part.

The sleeping draught was heavy in his pouch. He didn’t have a choice anymore. He had to use it.

“Here,” Jade said, and Larkin blinked as the dragon nudged him through the door of a nearby inn.

The decor alone made it clear this was meant for those rich visitors, with rich marble floors and shimmering accents on the pillars. A woman at the entrance smiled at them, although the expression turned brittle once they approached.

“Welcome… I’m sorry, I thought… there’s only one room prepared.”

Jade nodded. “Yes. We only need one room.”

That answer didn’t satisfy the woman, though. “I’m sorry, but the suites are reserved for…”

For married couples, most likely. Larkin looked down at his bare fingers, bereft of the rings that would have signified matrimony. Jade didn’t understand how absolutely unseemly it was for two unmarried people to share a room.

“We’re betrothed,” Larkin said quickly. “Our wedding is but a few short days away.” The lie felt awkward on his tongue, and he blushed horribly, but at least the attendant’s expression smoothed a little. Not satisfied, but willing to accept his explanation.

“Very well. Would you like me to bring your dinner now, or will you be enjoying the baths first?” she asked them, a little more reserved than before.

Jade looked at Larkin, then back to the attendant, with a thoughtful expression. “The bath, I think. Please bring dinner to our rooms in about an hour.” He trailed his hand up Larkin’s back. “Or would you like more time than that in private, my jewel?”

“No, that should be fine,” Larkin said. He didn’t really have an appetite, but he didn’t want to indicate how wrong everything was.

His mother was dead.

How could she be dead?

They had to be wrong.

He needed Jade to make it better. But more than that, he needed Jade to let him go. He couldn’t ask again, though. If he did, Jade would be wary. He’d expect Larkin to try to leave, and he would somehow find a way to thwart Larkin’s plans. Larkin had to move forward with his plan without any other fruitless pleas.

“Very well,” the woman said, bowing her head to them. “Enjoy your rooms.”

Jade took the key off her hands, then led Larkin down the halls to where the rooms were situated.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” Jade said as he opened the door. “I think it was only half as large the last time I was here. Very small, but I remember the service being good.”

The room Jade had gotten for them could not be classified as very small.

Large, spacious, with a seating area on one side and a generously sized bed on the other. The sheets matched the elegant decor of the rest of the bed. A cozy sofa was arranged next to a sliding door.

“What was she on about?” Jade asked. “They had no issue taking my gold when I made the reservation.”

It took a few seconds for Larkin to understand what Jade was talking about. “It’s… crass to share beds with somebody you aren’t married to.”

“What? That’s dumb. But all the more reason for us to get married.”

Their marriage wasn’t on the horizon, Larkin thought with a heavy heart. He quickly set his attention to his surroundings again. Better to enjoy what time he had left with Jade.

Jade went to open the sliding door, revealing a small, walled garden with a pool filled with hot water.

It was almost more luxurious than the baths at home.

“This is…” Larkin started, unsure of what to say.

Jade spread his arms wide. “Come, my jewel. It’s been an exciting few days.”

Exciting. Right. That wasn’t a word he’d use to explain it, not then, not ever. Despite the dread pooling in his stomach, Larkin went to Jade’s arms.

But he couldn’t get his own mind off of what he’d learned. His mother’s death. The apparent… misappropriation of taxes. Was it really so bad that his mother had erected a beautiful statue of his father?

Larkin saw that Jade had been talking, and he blinked, coming back to the moment. He wanted to give Jade a beautiful night, but he wasn’t sure his thoughts would allow it.

As though realizing Larkin’s attention had wandered, Jade licked the seam of Larkin’s lips. “Let me take your mind off things.”

Larkin’s cheeks heated up when Jade’s saliva made his lips tingle. “You can’t do that every time,” he said, far more weakly than he’d meant to. “Sometimes I have to face the real world.”

“Why?” Jade dropped his hand lower to cup Larkin’s cock through his trousers. “There’s nothing that can be done. It isn’t our problem.”

Larkin whimpered, trying not to react to the touch, but Jade had trained his body too well. “I have to…” He almost said fix this, but it would give too much away. He needed to do his duty, and he wanted to tell Jade that, so badly. “You can’t always distract me with your saliva and… and your cocks.”

Jade nibbled on the lobe of Larkin’s ear. “You underestimate me. I absolutely can.”

“I’m being serious,” Larkin said, although he could already feel himself getting hot under the collar.

“All right. I suppose I must respect that,” Jade said, backing off. Larkin found himself following Jade’s lips without realizing, and he whimpered when Jade tapped his lips with his scaled fingers. “I’ll go soak in the bath. All by myself. Nobody to wash my back. Nobody to oil my horns. Nobody to run fingers over my scales… and my cocks.”

Larkin did want those things. Badly. His trousers suddenly felt impossibly tight as Jade touched him and spoke. “I really don’t think I’m in the mood to be distracted…” he hedged. But he didn’t move away, because he didn’t want to. This night wasn’t only for Jade’s benefit. It was for his own as well. A goodbye letter, even if it was heartbreaking.

Jade took Larkin’s hands into his own and backed up a few steps. “Come on, my jewel. Nobody would begrudge you a small break from your thoughts.”

Larkin sighed, but he followed Jade to the pool.

Jade let go of Larkin and reached in to touch the water. He hummed appreciatively. “Nice and warm. It’ll be perfect to relax in. Now… why don’t you strip, my treasure?”

“You go first,” Larkin said, eyeing the pool. “I’ll wash you. Since… since you normally take care of me.” It would give him more time to think, which he desperately needed to do without Jade’s hands on him obliterating his rational thoughts.

Jade smiled and stripped down. Larkin should have averted his gaze, but he was curious if Jade’s disguise extended… everywhere.

He swallowed hard when he realized it didn’t. Jade still had two large cocks between his legs, half-hard and making him want to get down on his knees to worship them. To take one inside of him. He was so addicted to Jade that he knew leaving him would be far more difficult than it seemed.

He offered his hand to help Jade into the pool, more out of politeness than because he thought the dragon needed to be steadied. He was still a gentleman, even if he was horribly confused and torn about so much.

Jade sighed as he sank into the water. He was so tall that his feet easily reached the other side of the pool when he stretched out. “Not as spacious as the one at home, but it’ll do,” Jade said. “I like the decor though, and the view. Maybe we should have one built outside the den. We could use pipes to bring the hot water outside. My third brother was telling me they have pipes to bring water to entire buildings in… oh, I forgot where.”

Larkin frowned at him, kneeling down next to the pool so he could get to Jade a little more easily. “Pipes that bring water to entire buildings? That sounds impossible,” he said, pouring some shampoo from the jar onto his hand.

Larkin dripped the shampoo onto Jade’s scalp and massaged it in, avoiding the area around the horns. It was amazing just how soft Jade’s hair was, when he didn’t even have hair in his other form.

“Very, very nice.” Jade leaned into Larkin’s touch, tilting his head back to give Larkin better access. “Don’t forget my horns.”

Gingerly, Larkin began rubbing the base of the horns. Jade moaned loudly in response, which Larkin took to mean he was doing something right. He followed the line of the horns, rubbing the grooves and getting the slippery shampoo everywhere.

“Can you feel this?” Larkin asked with a little fascination. He was surprised to note that the actual tips of the horns weren’t sharp.

Jade made a satisfied sound. “A little. About what you would feel in your fingernails. It’s very relaxing. But if you keep that up, I might fall asleep. Rinse me off so we can move on to more interesting bits.”

Larkin took the nearby bucket and filled it with water so he could gently pour it over Jade’s head. Then he refilled the bucket and took a washcloth from the nearby stool, wetting it before running it over an expensive soap in the tray next to the pool.

“Let me know if I’m doing it wrong,” he said a bit shyly. He wasn’t used to reciprocating, and he felt a little guilty for that.

Jade smiled softly, scooting forward a bit.

Larkin blushed as he pushed Jade’s hair aside so he could gently rub Jade’s skin—his scales. The disguise Jade had worn earlier had dropped when he had gotten into the pool, and he had the familiar dragon features once more.

“That’s lovely, my gem,” Jade murmured. “You can use a little more force if you want. Or you can simply touch me to your heart’s content.”

Blushing harder, Larkin pressed a little more. “Like this?” He rubbed in circles against the scales, unsure if that would feel good like it did on his own skin or if it would feel too awkward. He stayed high up on Jade’s neck, not daring to go lower.

“Yes.” Jade made a contented sound and leaned forward, exposing more of his back. “Go for the spots beneath my shoulder blades.”

Larkin obeyed, bringing the soapy cloth to run it along the area. It was a little thicker there, and he paused, looking at the spot. “Is that… Where do your wings actually go when you’re in human form?”

“They fold into my human form. With magic.” Jade looked over his shoulder and winked. “Don’t ask me. I’m an expert in history, not complex transmutation magics.”

Larkin offered a tentative smile, but it still felt strange to him. How could they just… disappear? He kept slowly rubbing against Jade’s back, the scales feeling strange even through the soft cloth. Finally, he started to venture lower, to his back and farther down, urging Jade to sit up a little so he could get to him more easily.

Jade lifted a hand in Larkin’s direction. “Could you scrub my arm, too?”

Larkin complied, although he felt like a servant doing this. Maybe he should have suggested calling one of the attendants, actually, only he didn’t want anybody to know that Jade was a dragon, and he didn’t… he didn’t want them to see Jade in this state.

It was selfish, especially when he had every intention of leaving Jade behind. But what else could he do? Jade would never agree to return to the capital with him.

When his movements brought him all the way to Jade’s shoulders, Jade twisted and gripped Larkin’s neck, pulling him down for a quick, sloppy kiss.

Larkin whimpered, and for a moment, he gave in. It would be so easy to lose himself in Jade, for just a little while…

He needed to keep a clear head. He pulled back, frowning slightly at Jade. “This isn’t…” But his lips were tingling, and he wanted more, so he leaned in and claimed an uncertain kiss of his own instead of letting his doubts overcome him.

Jade deepened the kiss, wrapping both arms around Larkin as he slid his tongue inside Larkin’s mouth. Larkin sucked on it eagerly, chasing that sweet taste.

He wasn’t supposed to be doing this. He wasn’t supposed to moan like a… like a whore, but here he was, desperate for more Jade.

Larkin whimpered when Jade broke the kiss.

“Hush, little gem.” Jade tugged at Larkin’s jacket. “Unless you want your clothes completely soaked, you need to get undressed.”

The idea of getting undressed didn’t seem as bad now that he could blame that saliva and its effects. He stood and unfastened his jacket before pulling it off. He folded it neatly on a bench nearby, hesitated, then blushed before he started fumbling with his clothes. Would Jade be able to tell that he rarely dressed or undressed himself? That his servants did all the work for him, especially when he was in formal dress? He’d mostly worn robes at the cavern, and that had been easy enough. These clothes… weren’t, and he found himself struggling at laces and buttons just like he’d once struggled with his armor in front of Jade.

Jade watched him fumble for a few seconds before chuckling and placing one hand over Larkin’s. “Let me help.”

Although Jade couldn’t possibly have any more experience with formal clothes than Larkin, he was still deft with his fingers, and between the two of them, they managed to unlace the elaborate clothes.

Larkin was torn between relief that he was finally naked, and frustration with himself for succumbing to his base desires once more. He was having an increasingly difficult time keeping his head straight, wanting nothing more than to give in to Jade’s touches and think of nothing else. But if he got too intoxicated by that saliva, he’d never be able to leave.

Jade handed Larkin the washcloth once more. “You haven’t washed me all over yet, my gem.” He lifted one leg out of the pool entirely to make it very clear what he wanted Larkin to wash.

He slowly slid into the water, taking a moment to acclimate himself to the heat. He leaned forward, starting at Jade’s feet and working his way up his leg. He stopped at his upper thigh, dangerously close to those two cocks but not brushing against them. “Other leg,” he managed to get out.

Jade smirked and flicked his tongue out at Larkin. “Are you stalling? All of me needs cleaning.” But he lifted his other leg out of the pool, and let it rest… on Larkin’s shoulder.

“This isn’t helping,” Larkin mumbled, and the heat in his face was definitely not just from the hot water.

“Now you have full access,” Jade said with a chuckle.

Larkin bit his lip, then slowly began scrubbing Jade’s leg. He spent far too much time on the scales around his ankles. When he turned his head, his lips brushed against Jade’s foot.

Jade groaned loudly in appreciation, startling Larkin into focusing on his task. He brought the cloth lower, and lower, dipping into the water.

He stopped just shy of Jade’s inner thigh, mumbling, “I should get your stomach.” He’d already gotten Jade’s back, and his legs, and his arms… and now there wasn’t much else left before he’d have to face the part of him he ached to touch so badly.

“You’re adorable,” Jade said. He removed his foot from Larkin’s shoulder and sat up to kiss Larkin’s cheek. “But go on. My chest and stomach.”

Larkin blushed and tentatively moved the washcloth along Jade’s chest. As always, Larkin envied the definition Jade had in his body, but there was something strange about how the scales shimmered there, and how there were no nipples at all.

He paused to circle the area where nipples would be, if he were a human. “Do you feel anything here at all?”

“Only as much as I feel anywhere else,” Jade commented, reaching out to pinch Larkin’s nipple in turn.

Larkin jumped, then glared at Jade. “It’s my turn to touch you, remember?” he admonished, trying to ignore the heat building inside of him that made him want to abandon the bath altogether and end up in the bed. It would be so nice to do the things they’d done in a bed instead of a cavern floor, comfortable as it had been within the nest.

But his hands got lower and lower until he couldn’t ignore what was between Jade’s legs. He swallowed hard, barely resisting the urge to order Jade out of the bath so he could suck on one of them while he played with the other.

Instead, he brought the cloth down, slowly encircling one of Jade’s cocks. He was only a little surprised to find him already half-hard, and that increased his desire as he bathed the dragon’s most private parts as thoroughly as he’d cleaned the rest of him.

He’d had these in his mouth, and he’d stared at them an inordinate amount, but he hadn’t ever truly taken his time with the… with the cocks. The water masked some of the cloying scent, allowing Larkin to actually think clearly while he stroked them and felt their ridges.

When his thumb ran over a particularly raised bump, Jade groaned loudly and thrust his hips up.

“Yes, right there.” Jade patted Larkin’s arm encouragingly.

Emboldened by Jade’s reaction, Larkin repeated the movement. Jade made another very contented noise. Larkin found he liked the sound, and he liked how Jade was practically melting under his touch.

Even though Larkin shouldn’t have wanted any of this.

He moved to touching the other cock, and sought out that pronounced ridge on this one, too. Once again, Jade let out a very loud moan, which echoed in the bathing chamber.

“Do you… do you have a favorite… um… favorite cock?” Larkin asked, suddenly very curious.

Jade laughed and nodded. “Yes. The left one.”

“Really?” Larkin looked down at them beneath the water, and he stopped pretending this was just a bath that wouldn’t lead anywhere. Instead, he gripped Jade’s left cock, starting to stroke it more intently. He could stay in control like this, couldn’t he? He might not even have his judgment too clouded if he didn’t taste it or smell it.

“I always use that one first.” Jade lifted his hips higher. “But I also favor my left hand? Maybe that’s got something to do with it.”

Larkin frowned. He supposed that made sense, though it was still strange that the dragon had two penises at all, let alone that there might be a favored one.

He’d remember that for the future, though. The future. A pang of sadness gnawed at him, and his plan to leave suddenly seemed a little murky. Maybe he didn’t actually need to go. Maybe he could stay here with Jade after all…

He forced himself to pull back, though it took all his willpower. “We should… go to the bed,” he said uncertainly.

“Or,” Jade said, grinning, “You could ride me, right here. My left cock.” He grabbed Larkin’s wrist and held it in place, grinding his cock against it more forcefully.

“No!” Larkin protested. “We’d get water everywhere. Our movement would splash it over the side.” Never mind that the mere idea of it was enough to daze him. “And I don’t have oils or anything to take you comfortably.”

“Don’t lie. The tray over there contains all the oils we need.” Jade pointed at the small tray that had held the soap. There was a bottle of oil in it too, probably scented of lavender or rose, which was used to keep skin supple.

Larkin stared at the bottle. “Did you plan this?”

“I simply asked them to provide everything a young couple would need for a bath,” Jade said. “A bath, and a massage…” Jade kissed Larkin’s shoulder. “You enjoy bathing with me, my gem. Why deny ourselves, when there is no need to?”

Larkin leaned in to kiss Jade again, tongue delving into the dragon’s mouth as he sought out the saliva that made all of this so much easier, that erased his inhibitions and made him stop thinking so damn much. He was so torn, wanting this and wanting to keep a clear head, all at once, and he didn’t know what was stronger. He gave in anyway.

Soon, he was moaning as Jade kissed back, and it was with great effort that he backed away. “I’ve never… prepared myself for you before,” he said, not sure if the heat in his cheeks was from desire, arousal, or simply the heat of the pool’s water.

“I’ll teach you,” Jade promised. “Hand me the bottle.”

He shouldn’t. But he would. It was already getting harder and harder to remember why he needed a clear head. All that really mattered was the heat in his belly and the arousal pulsing up his spine.

Larkin passed the bottle of oil to Jade, then awkwardly leaned back in the pool. He wasn’t sure how they’d manage to do any of this without drawing attention from people on the other side of the fence.

Jade chuckled. “What are you doing all the way over there?” He reached for Larkin’s waist, using his strength to pull Larkin over to his side of the pool. “Straddle my lap, pet.”

Larkin gripped Jade’s shoulders for balance, kneeling awkwardly on the hard stone of the pool. His ass was half out of the pool.

To distract himself from how self-conscious he felt, he kissed Jade again, his tongue darting past his lips. Jade wouldn’t make him take his cock without preparation.

While they kissed, Jade poured oil onto his hands and used those slick fingers to probe at Larkin’s hole. It should have felt wrong, but after so many times of having Jade do this for him, Larkin was used to it.

Larkin anticipated it. He already knew how good it would feel to have one of Jade’s cocks inside him.

Even here, in the outside pool where someone might hear them if they were too loud, Larkin couldn’t stop himself from wanting it.

He didn’t want to think about how pathetic he was. He kissed Jade harder, sucking on his tongue so he could let that magical saliva overcome him. The fewer thoughts in his head, the better. The pleasure was better than having to deal with what the next day would bring.

The thought briefly nagged at him, even as he sought to dismiss it.

He let the saliva overwhelm him, focusing only on the pleasure he felt, and he whimpered, “Please.” He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to have Jade inside of him.

“All right, my jewel.” Jade lined one of his cocks—the left one—up against Larkin’s hole, just barely penetrating him. “Sink down. You’re in control here.”

“Me?” Larkin stared, dazed, at Jade—or tried to stare at him, rather, but it was so hard to focus when he was so close to getting what he wanted. “I don’t want to be in control.” But he started to lower himself, gasping in pleasure as he took Jade’s cock inside of him.

Jade groaned as Larkin sank down. Water sloshed out of the pool. The entire floor would be wet by the time they finished, but Larkin didn’t care anymore. He watched Jade’s expression hungrily, taking in the way his eyes fluttered, the hitch in his breath.

How wide his pupils had gotten, so very unlike a dragon.

This was the effect Larkin had on Jade.

Larkin’s heart sped up, and he had to look away or else he might have come immediately. He reached down to squeeze his cock and stave off orgasm—only, wouldn’t it be smarter to get everything done faster? He shouldn’t have wanted to prolong this.

When Jade bottomed out inside of him, Larkin whimpered. He fought to keep his moans quiet, though he couldn’t quite remember why it mattered. He knew, somewhere, that it was important to keep the noise down, but it was so difficult.

“Take me,” Larkin whispered. He wrapped his arms around Jade’s neck, kissing him again and again as he shivered with anticipation.

“You have to move,” Jade answered, making a small, unsatisfying movement with his hips. “I’m very stuck here.”

It was easier when Jade was in control, when Larkin could pretend it wasn’t his fault. But now the only way to get the friction he wanted was to purposefully lift his own hips and sink back down again.

He should get out of the pool. He should…

Larkin lifted up his hips, groaning, then lowered himself once more. Jade’s cock dragged against that spot inside him, making pleasure spark up Larkin’s back. His cock twitched, and a few drops of fluid dripped out, mixing with the bath water.

He wanted more. He lifted himself up again and again, sending water in waves over the side of the pool. He didn’t care anymore. All he cared about was feeling Jade’s cock in just the right place, over and over. He fucked himself, watching Jade’s face in fascination as he showed just how much pleasure he was feeling from this. The dragon didn’t even have the effects of his saliva or seed, and he was still just as aroused.

Larkin did that, and he was proud of himself. It made him work harder, do more, but before long, his orgasm surprised him. He cried out, far too loudly, and drove himself down one more time onto Jade’s cock.

“Good, good, lovely,” Jade murmured. He kept petting Larkin, but his breathing stuttered and the familiar heat of Jade’s cum filled Larkin.

Larkin wrapped his arms around Jade’s shoulders and pressed his forehead to Jade’s neck. Jade responded by returning the embrace and simply holding him, murmuring nonsense words.

They sat together like that, Jade’s cock still inside Larkin, for a long while. Long enough that Larkin started to get uncomfortable. He squirmed, but he didn’t want to look Jade in the eye.

“I bet everybody heard us,” Larkin mumbled.

Jade chuckled and nuzzled the top of Larkin’s head. “They’ll be jealous of us. Shall we move to the bed? My other cock isn’t spent yet, but I am fairly satisfied.”

“I want it,” Larkin said immediately, running his hand down Jade’s lightly scaled back. “I want to taste it. I want every last drop.” He started to rise, but his legs were weak. It took him a moment, and he braced himself against the stone floor.

Jade supported him as he got out, although he almost slipped in the puddle of water.

“This is your fault,” Larkin complained, pointing at the ground.

Jade smiled and stepped out of the pool. It was strange how one of his cocks was flaccid and the other one still held an erection. But a bead of cum had already gathered at the slit of the erect cock, and Larkin caught himself leaning in to lick it off. He quickly turned toward the door leading to the main bedroom.

“I take full responsibility,” Jade said cheerfully. He closed in on Larkin from behind, and without warning, scooped him up into his arms. Larkin yelped in protest, more out of habit than actual complaint. After all, now he had that cock rubbing against him…

Larkin should have been fighting this so much harder than he was. But when Jade laid him out on the bed, Larkin only opened his arms—and his legs—to welcome Jade once more.